Extra 2

Chapter 2: A Family with Facial Paralysis Grows Up

Old Huatou is most proud of only three things in his life. First, he is the most proud housekeeper of Master Su; second, his son is the most outstanding book boy of the Hua family; third, this son is expected to inherit the mantle and become the most proud housekeeper of Master Su.

Old Huatou is most dissatisfied with only three things in his life. First, he can’t control the young master; second, his son can’t control the young master; third, no one in the Su family can control the young master.

The Su family was also a wealthy family a hundred years ago. The ancestors were officials with smooth careers and glorious family. Hearing this from Master Su dozens of times every day, Old Huatou is naturally familiar with it. If he is asked to talk about which generation of the Su family was a high official in which dynasty, how powerful they were, and how exciting the story was, he can talk about it for three hours without repeating the same words.

But when it came to Master Su’s generation, the family fell into decline and became an ordinary family in the small town, an ordinary family that made a living by brewing wine.

Old Hua would naturally not agree with the word “ordinary family” which was meaningless. His Hua family had been the stewards of the Su family for generations. The Su family was the descendants of a dignified general. No matter what, a lean camel was bigger than a horse. What was money? The key was integrity.

According to his master, the Su family was bound to produce a champion! The passionate hopes of several generations were all on this only young master.

Speaking of this young master, he was gifted and talented since childhood. He could recognize words at the age of three, read a book thoroughly at the age of five, and became the best among his peers at the age of ten.  Even the teacher of the private school said: “Old Su, your son is really smart and has an extraordinary aura… I, and Tongsheng, don’t have the ability to teach him, you should take him away, take him away quickly!”

Old Huatou was excited. The old scholar at the entrance of the town was the most learned person he had ever seen in his life. He said that their young master had a bright future, so his young master must be a promising one. One day he would pass the exam and become a high official, making the Hua family proud…

Old Huatou liked the young master very much, and often took his son to educate him: “Look at Young Master Su, he is smart and studious! You must be motivated if you follow him! What book did he read today?”

“Dad, he didn’t read a book today, he read a picture book.”

Oh, he is worthy of being a young master, he can even read a picture book! The fat boss in the restaurant has a painting, which he treasures very much. He says it is the work of someone. The money from selling it can build a big house! My young master is now reading picture books. Sooner or later, he will be able to draw such a good thing…

Alas, the only picture book he has read in his life, ahem… is that palace map…

“Son, what did you learn from the young master today?”

“I didn’t stay in the study today. The young master took me out for a walk… The young master said that this is called… uh… study tour!”

Oh, he is really a young master. What did the storyteller say in the teahouse that day? It’s better to walk more than to read more books? His young master understood this truth at a young age. God is really watching over us. The revival of the old Su family is hopeful!

 “Son, what did the young master teach you today?”

“…”

“Son, what’s wrong with your face? Why is it scratched?”

“Today I went out with the young master to fight…”

“Fight?! Where’s the young master…”

“He was called over and scolded by the master…”

“You damn kid, why didn’t you say it earlier!”

When Old Man Hua ran into the main room, he saw the young master kneeling on the ground, and the Old Master Su was whipping his spine with a willow branch. Old Man Hua hurried over to beg for mercy and protect the young master.  It’s fine if his old bones are beaten a few times, but the young master is still growing, if he is beaten again…

Master Su was so angry that he beat and scolded, saying things like “unlearned”, “unambitious”, “unlucky family”. The more Old Hua listened, the more confused he became. Their young master was obviously very smart and had a bright future, so why did he…

Before Old Hua had time to figure out this problem, the young master left a letter and ran away from home the next day. Only Master Su, an older ger, an old housekeeper, and a little book boy were left in the Su family. The whole family went out to look for him in the town for several days, but they didn’t see him, so they couldn’t find him anymore.

All day long, he only listened to Master Su changing the family history into angry words scolding the young master. Old Hua’s ears became callused, but the young master still didn’t come back.

 “Son, didn’t the old scholar say that our young master is smart? Why does the master always say that the young master pissed off the teacher? What did the young master do in the private school?”

“Dad, the young master didn’t do anything.”

“Nonsense, how could he piss off the teacher if he didn’t do anything?”

“It’s precisely because he didn’t do anything. He ignored the teacher’s questions, didn’t copy books when the teacher asked him to, and even when the teacher scolded him, the young master treated the teacher as if he didn’t exist… The teacher was so angry that he almost died…”

“The young master read books, wrote, and looked at picture books in the study every day, so how could he be unlearned?”

“The young master does read books, write, and look at picture books! It’s just that the books he read are medical books, the books he wrote are recipes, and the pictures in the picture books are all about food and wine…”

At this point, Old Huatou finally understood one thing, his young master is smart, but he doesn’t want to study.