Chapter 140: Lantern Festival 4/4

Snakes are afraid of people, and there aren’t any snakes where people often go to swim. The area where a group of people goes swimming in the river here is safe.

“I’ll bring clothes tomorrow,” Gou Ying said.

Li Qingzhi added, “Don’t tell your parents that you’re going to bathe in the river, just say you’re going to the bathhouse here.” There’s a bathhouse on this side of the new dock where people can bathe.

In winter, some people in Chongcheng County would go to the bathhouse to bathe, and running a bathhouse could make money.

“Okay,” Gou Ying agreed.

By the time Gou Ying got home that day, it was already very late. He didn’t run into his parents, so he just quickly washed up and went to bed.

And for the next few days, he lived much the same as today.

Well, there was one difference; he told his mother not to bring him lunch and went with Li Qingzhi to his house to eat.

Chang Zhan didn’t cook lunch, but Li Qingzhi’s house had braised dishes!

Of course, the main reason Gou Ying went to Li Qingzhi’s house to eat was for the atmosphere at the table.

With everyone around him, he somehow ate with elegance. Sister Wang praised him several times, saying he looked noble when he ate, unlike them.

Gou Ying was especially happy.

In the blink of an eye, a few days passed, and the Magistrate finally had time to visit Li Xiucai’s house to see his son.

And then he found that his son was studying diligently.

He didn’t disturb them and instead asked Li Xiucai about his son’s situation.

“Sir, the young master is very diligent in his studies. He doesn’t need to be urged; he practices calligraphy diligently every day, and he studies hard…” Li Xiucai praised incessantly.

The Magistrate doubted that Li Xiucai was talking about his son!

But Li Xiucai took out some of his son’s homework… The handwriting on it was very careful, much better than before!

“The young master’s essays are also well-written…”

“He’s being praised for his writing?”

“His writing isn’t good?” Li Xiucai asked in return.

Li Xiucai had inquired about Gou Ying’s situation with Li Qingzhi, and Li Qingzhi had told him everything.

Having taught so many students, Li Xiucai naturally knew about the issues between Magistrate Gou and Gou Ying…

He immediately called over a few students to his side and showed them the essays written by these students.

These students were about the same age as Gou Ying, but their essays were nowhere near as good as Gou Ying’s.

Magistrate Gou felt a bit bewildered.

“Sir, what were your essays like when you were twelve or thirteen? Sir, you became a Jinshi, an exceptional talent among millions. Your essays must have been very good, and you were often praised…” Li Xiucai smiled and spoke.

Actually, they weren’t that good. Magistrate Gou had been criticized a lot when he was young.

Magistrate Gou left silently and went to the new dock area.

When he arrived at the new dock area and inquired, Zhu Qian couldn’t stop praising Gou Ying.

Zhu Qian had heard Magistrate Gou complain about his son many times before, and he had even witnessed Magistrate Gou and Gou Ying having heated arguments.

He had always thought Gou Ying was a particularly naughty person, and he was a bit worried that Gou Ying would cause trouble when he came to the new dock area.

As a result, Gou Ying adapted very well here, and although he couldn’t help with the big tasks, he helped a lot with the small ones.

What made Zhu Qian happiest was that Gou Ying addressed him as “Uncle Zhu” with great respect.

Hmm, it was said to be because he had read his autobiography.

Zhu Qian’s impression of Gou Ying suddenly improved, and he said, “Sir, the young master is especially clever. How come you always said he was naughty before?”

Magistrate Gou: “…” Did he say naughty before? He had always said he was mischievous!

But tonight, he wanted to see for himself what his son was really like!

That evening, when Magistrate Gou arrived at the new dock area, Gou Ying was helping to hang lanterns.

He climbed up and down very skillfully, and he could hang a lantern in just a couple of moves. When others spoke to him, he would answer with a smile.

Some shops had already opened, and the shopkeepers knew Gou Ying’s identity, so they brought food to give to Gou Ying.

But Gou Ying didn’t eat any of it; he gave it all to the dirty little kids who were working with him.

Actually, Gou Ying was too full from eating at Jin Xiaoye Embroidery.

But when Magistrate Gou saw this scene, he was moved.

His son… seemed really good?

As Magistrate Gou began to change his view of his son, Gou Ying also began to admire Magistrate Gou a bit.

Mainly… everyone around him was saying that Magistrate Gou was good.

He had read the book Li Qingzhi had written, and he had thought his dad was pretty good, but then they had argued again, and that bit of admiration had disappeared. But now that they hadn’t seen each other, they hadn’t argued, right?

His dad seemed pretty good?

So, when Magistrate Gou walked over to Gou Ying, Gou Ying smiled and called out, “Dad!”

Could Magistrate Gou not be happy when his tall son smiled and called him “dad”? He smiled and asked Gou Ying if he was tired…

The two of them suddenly became fatherly and filial.

But as soon as Magistrate Gou felt happy, he wanted to teach Gou Ying a few lessons… Li Qingzhi noticed and immediately took Magistrate Gou away, saying, “Sir, the lantern festival is tomorrow, and there are some things I need to discuss with you…”

The new dock area had been preparing for the lantern festival for several days.

These days, there were relatively few new things, and in the heat of summer, everyone liked to find cool places to chat…

Most people in Chongcheng County had already heard about the lantern festival planned for the new dock area.

Some people had even come to see it before the festival had started, eagerly anticipating its opening.

Li Damao and Li Ermao were especially looking forward to the lantern festival.

When Li Qingzhi returned home that day, he smiled and promised his two children, “The lantern festival will last for many days, and Dad will take you there every day.”

“Great!” Li Damao and Li Ermao were extremely happy.

“Then come give Dad a kiss.” Li Qingzhi asked the two children to kiss him, and after they did, he said, “During the lantern festival, Dad will give each of you ten wen of pocket money every day, so you can buy whatever you want.”

Li Qingzhi was not short of money now and could afford to give more, but he was worried that the two children would buy a lot of food and upset their stomachs.

Although he could help treat them, it wasn’t necessary, was it?

Li Damao and Li Ermao cheered.

Li Laogen was extremely envious. “Ah Qing, can I kiss you too? Do I get pocket money?”

Li Qingzhi: “…Dad, I’ll give you pocket money, you don’t need to kiss.”

Although he enjoyed physical contact with people, he still had some standards for who he would touch.