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After dinner, Mrs. Wang washed the dishes. She then sat by the kang, brightened the small oil lamp, and resumed her embroidery. Lu scooped some water into the pot and adjusted the fire in the stove. Later, Lu and Dabao also sat on the kang, took out an old book, and studied under the lamplight. Chen Ming taught them. Meanwhile, Chen Feng, with nothing to do, sat farthest from the oil lamp on a chair, watching the others work and study.
Originally, Chen Feng wanted to move around in the yard, but Mrs. Wang and Dabao didn’t want her to, fearing she might fall.
They were reading the “Thousand Character Classic.” It was clear that Chen Lu didn’t read as fluently as Dabao. Dabao seemed to have memorized parts of it, but to wait for Lu, he patiently repeated it with him. It wasn’t that Chen Lu was dull, but rather, Dabao was exceptionally clever. He was only four years old, a little genius.
No wonder Chen Ming didn’t seem like a typical farmer; he could read.
Seeing Mrs. Wang squinting her eyes, Chen Feng thought she needed to quickly get herself in shape to release her from evening embroidery. If she continued like this, she’d be blind in a few years.
Mrs. Wang’s embroidery work was excellent, but she only took on small, delicate pieces like handkerchiefs, purses, and the largest item was a fan. Perhaps these items could be embroidered quickly and brought in money fast.
Then there was Lu’s limp; if it was from an injury, they would need to spend money to find a good doctor for him.
While lost in thought, the swallows outside the window started chirping again. There was a swallow’s nest under the eaves with two swallows inside. She thought of the swallow from her dream and, linked to the idea of a spatial dimension, she suddenly felt a glimmer of joy. Could it be that she had brought a spatial dimension for farming? The spiritual swallow couldn’t come out of the space, wouldn’t it get agitated and blame her?
She would have to wait until her body recovered before finding the answers.
Thinking about the spatial dimension and the spiritual beings, Chen Feng’s spirits were lifted. She needed to quickly get her body in shape to seek the unknown answers.
She stood up and walked to the kang table, sitting next to Dabao, and joined in loudly with Dabao and Lu in reciting. This way, not only did she find a source for learning to read in the future, but she also exercised her throat muscles, mouth, and tongue. However, her cracked voice amidst the clear and pleasant voices of the two young boys sounded quite abrupt.
The whole family not only didn’t mind but were also exceptionally pleased.
By about 9 p.m., except for Mrs. Wang who still had work to do, everyone else was ready to rest.
Chen Feng brazenly asked the two children to fetch water for her to wash her face and feet. She washed herself and changed her clothes. This deeply moved Dabao, who praised her, “Mom, you’re so capable; you don’t need Dabao and Uncle A’Lu’s help anymore.”
However, it was still Dabao who helped her wipe her feet. When she lifted her foot, her body uncooperatively collapsed onto the kang, almost causing Dabao to stumble.
Dabao covered her with a blanket, then went outside to wash his face and feet before crawling into bed. Chen Feng took the opportunity to hug him, just like she used to hug a pillow in her previous life. However, this little pillow was too thin, not soft at all, and even a little prickly.
Dabao’s small, thin arms also hugged Chen Feng as he said, “Mom, I’m not joking; I want to be your son forever. I’ll take good care of you and support you in your old age.”
During dinner, Chen Ming and Mrs. Wang told them not to mention Chen Feng’s improving condition for the time being. Although they didn’t explain the reason, the sensitive little boy was still worried. He hoped his mom would get better, but he also feared that if she did, his grandmother, great-grandmother, and aunt would chase him away and not let him be his mom’s son. They and some people in the village all said he was a wild child picked up by the Chens to care for a mentally challenged person.
Chen Feng comforted him, “Yes, Dabao is… Mom’s son, and no one… can change that.” Although her speech was slow, it was still clear and resolute.
The little boy, touched, buried his head in Chen Feng’s embrace.
Chen Feng then asked, “Grandpa… can still read?”
Dabao replied, “Yes. Grandma often says that Grandpa passed the county-level imperial examination at a young age. If he hadn’t gotten lung disease, he would have become a successful candidate… Mom, I’ve memorized half of the ‘Thousand Character Classic,’ and I already know ‘Three-Character Classic’ and ‘Hundred Family Surnames’ by heart. I just don’t recognize all the characters and can’t write them.”
“Son… is talented, very good,” Chen Feng praised. Children need praise, especially this one, who was naturally gifted. She added, “In the future, when… Mom gets better, we’ll buy… writing tools, and let Dabao… go to school.”
Dabao’s eyes widened as he asked, “Really?” The moonlight streaming through the window made his eyes shine even brighter.
He had complete trust in his simple-minded mom.
“Yes,” Chen Feng assured him.
Dabao smiled, then said, “If Mom earns money, we should first get Uncle A’Lu’s leg treated. Grandma always says that because she’s supporting us, there isn’t extra money to treat Uncle A’Lu’s illness…”
His voice grew softer, soon followed by the sound of his snoring.
Chen Feng also wanted to ask how Lu injured his leg, but he had already fallen asleep. Feng didn’t fall asleep until very late, with her eyes closed, she pondered over things and even made mouth movements – opening and closing her mouth, sticking out her tongue…
A peaceful night’s sleep passed, and the next day, Chen Feng was awakened by the crowing of a rooster and the chirping of birds. The light of dawn was faint, seeping in through the small window.
Turning to the side, Dabao was still asleep. This child was truly good-looking, with fair and clear skin, thick, slanting eyebrows, slightly upturned closed eyelids, long and curly eyelashes, a straight and pert little nose, well-defined thin lips, and a shallow dimple below his small chin. In modern times, this type of chin was considered a beauty mark.
Truly, a rare beautiful young man who appears once in a thousand years. In her previous life, she had watched many movies and TV shows, but had never seen such a beautiful child star. From modern times to ancient times, it all added up to a thousand years.
The only downside was that he was too thin.
Occasionally, he would pout and even murmur. At these times, he seemed like a true child; during the day, he seemed too mature, mature to the point of causing heartache.
Thankfully, this boy wore tattered clothes during the day, and his face was dirty, so it wasn’t too conspicuous.
Dabao must have had a bad dream; his brows furrowed, and he muttered, “Mom, mom, don’t leave me…”
Chen Feng let out a faint sigh. Come to think of it, even at such a young age, he knew he was adopted and was the son of a fool. With such a lowly status, he feared being lost, feared being cast out and left homeless. Therefore, he aimed to please everyone, especially this foolish mother, to secure a place in this family… Despite the care of Chen Ming and Mrs. Wang, he still felt like he was struggling to survive in a tight spot, living cautiously.