Chapter 41

Jiang, He, and Hu, the three little kids, never imagined they would eat so well for lunch.

After splitting from the main family, the first meal was good because their mother said it was to celebrate moving into a new home.

The next day, there was breakfast because there were leftover pancakes from the day before.

Lunch with meat and eggs served with rice was because their maternal grandfather brought people to help build the house.

Naturally, dinner was just as good.

However, this morning there weren’t any leftovers, yet their mother still had their elder sister cook millet porridge, and lunch still had meat and eggs!

“Mother, isn’t this food too good?” Fan Jiang swallowed a mouthful of saliva and asked hesitantly.

Shuiqing directly asked back, “Just tell me, do you like it or not?”

Not only Fan Jiang but also Fan He and Fan Hu both nodded simultaneously, their heads bobbing like little chickens pecking at rice.

Shuiqing laughed out loud.

Fan Jin looked at her smiling, and a small smile appeared on his lips too.

After laughing, Shuiqing instructed, “Go get bowls and serve the rice. Some villagers will probably come to exchange Gorgon fruit later.”

Yan Qiuxing responded quickly and lined up with the five children to get their bowls, serve rice, and scoop soup. Since Fan Hu was too young, Yan Qiu was afraid he would get burned, so she served his portion too.

Fan Hu, being small, helped by handing chopsticks to his older siblings.

The older ones helped the younger ones, and the younger ones did what they could, all without Shuiqing having to worry.

During the meal, they talked about Wang Mazi and others trying to force their way into the thatched house. Shuiqing sighed, “It looks like we need to quickly save enough money to build a courtyard house.”

With a high wall, and densely packed nails sticking out on top, it would be more than enough to keep people out.

Fan Jin nodded lightly, his voice low, deeply feeling that he was dragging them down.

Unable to do business, repeatedly failing the imperial exams, if it weren’t for Shuiqing, their family’s days…

He looked at his children, who had obviously become more vibrant after eating a few good meals. Without Shuiqing, they wouldn’t even dream of having rice, meat, or eggs. Even millet porridge or cornmeal would be too precious to eat.

Every meal would have to be carefully rationed.

Among the five children, the older ones understood this, and even the younger ones knew that staying with their mother meant good food!

“Mother, this afternoon we’ll go collect Gorgon fruit too,” Xinghui declared in between bites.

“Yes, we decided while planting vegetables this morning. Second sister and I will collect, the eldest sister will stay home to peel, and the remaining two will plant vegetables,” Fan Jiang added.

Fan Jin chuckled and shook his head, stopping them, “No, the water is dangerous, and you are still too young.”

The water areas are very important and usually, adults or older children are sent to collect from there.

“Father, it’s okay. I can swim. Even if I fall into the water, it doesn’t matter,” Fan Jiang continued to argue.

A pound of Gorgon fruit is worth two and a half pounds of rice. If they peel an extra pound, wouldn’t they earn an extra two and a half pounds of rice?

They calculated it clearly this morning but knew that the vegetable garden was important too. After discussing it over and over, they decided to divide the work.

After all, it’s all for their family.

“Yes, Father, let us try.”

“We promise to be careful!”

Shuiqing looked at the children and asked slowly, “You know we make a profit by exchanging Gorgon fruit, right?”

The five children of different heights all nodded.

“The amount of Gorgon fruit in the pond is limited. Do you think the villagers can harvest it all?”

The five children hesitated for a moment but still nodded, “They can basically harvest it all.”

“Whenever a villager brings us a pound, we earn some money. They earn rice by harvesting it, and we earn by selling it. Whether they harvest or we do, there’s not much difference.

But we currently lack vegetables, and you lack time to study and learn to read, while your father has the time. So, how about using the morning for studying and the afternoon for farming and planting vegetables?” Shuiqing asked with a smile.

The morning is the best time for memorization and learning to read. Farming and planting vegetables in the afternoon is physical work, providing a good balance of work and rest.

Fan Jin looked at Shuiqing in surprise and quickly understood.

They no longer have to worry about food and drink. With their basic needs met, their free time should be spent on useful activities.

Is Shuiqing planning for him to stop copying books?

Shuiqing seemed to know what Fan Jin wanted to say. She looked at him and said, “Compared to the money from copying books, I think it’s more important for the five children to learn to read and write. Don’t you agree?”

Fan Jin instinctively nodded.

Reading makes people wise and understanding, opening up a broader world. He sincerely hoped his children could read and write.

“I will teach them diligently,” he promised.

Yan Qiu heard Shuiqing say “five children” and wondered if she and Xinghui could also learn to read and write.

Xinghui, confused, looked from one to the other and asked, “Mother, isn’t it enough for the three brothers to learn to read and write? Eldest sister and I can finish the work in the vegetable garden.”

Girls learning to read and write?

Shuiqing didn’t respond immediately but asked, “Don’t you want to learn to read and write?”

Xinghui opened her mouth but didn’t speak for a long time.

Don’t want to?

How could she not?

When the village head’s grandson, Li Changlin, recited articles in the yard in the morning, all the village kids ran to listen.

Even if they got beaten or scolded, they still enjoyed it.

People who can read can work as clerks in the city, without having to toil in the fields, weed under the scorching sun, or suffer in the wind and rain. They earn much more than farming.

Who wouldn’t want that?

But paper, pens, and ink are very expensive. Moreover, she lowered her head and said sullenly, “Girls learning to read and write is a waste of money.”

In the past, when she and her elder sister pestered their father to teach them to read, their grandmother often said this.

When their father went to the city to copy books, their grandmother beat them with a broom until they promised not to ask him to teach them again.

Yan Qiu said softly, “Grandma said that girls will eventually marry and become part of another family. No matter how well they are taught, it only benefits the other family and is of no use to their own.”

Shuiqing took a deep breath, telling herself not to be angry.

After calming down, she said coolly, “Look at how your grandmother’s life turned out. Others without assets are one thing, but she had assets, and what happened?

As she aged, her property dwindled, and she favored one son while suppressing the other for no reason, doing the same with her grandchildren.

Men who can’t stand up, who lack responsibility, morality, and filial piety—can a family thrive? Can one rely on them in old age?

Women who encourage or condone laziness, who are unfair in their duties, and who don’t treat their daughters-in-law as human beings don’t earn respect and end up miserable in old age.

If you follow what your grandmother said, your future life will be just like hers. Do you want that?”