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The idea of Tan Erqian becoming an apprentice to the shopkeeper Bai seemed like a good opportunity.
After Old Tan brought up the matter, he had hoped to hear Wan Chunmei’s thoughts, but seeing her torn and uncertain, he understood part of her feelings.
He was undecided, and after much hesitation, he asked again, “Wife, what do you think? Should we let Erqian go, or should we not?”
Wan Chunmei sat by the bed, unsure of what decision to make.
Just as the two of them were deep in thought, worried about the situation…
Tan Erqian stepped forward on his own, saying, “Father, Mother, let me go.”
Old Tan paused in his washing and looked up at him. “Erqian, you really want to be an apprentice?”
Tan Erqian nodded seriously, saying, “That’s right, Father. I’ve always wanted to learn how to do business. Now that I have the chance to be an apprentice at Bai’s shop, it’s the perfect opportunity.”
Wan Chunmei quickly stood up, her face filled with surprise and reluctance. “But, Erqian, if you go to the county to be an apprentice, you might not be back for ten days or half a month. Who will take care of you while you’re away?”
As she spoke, her head slowly lowered, and her eyes became slightly red.
Since Tan Erqian’s condition worsened, Wan Chunmei and Old Tan had always treated him with extra care, more than any of their other children. He was the one they had always looked after the most.
The thought of him leaving home suddenly made them truly uneasy.
They couldn’t help but wonder—had he eaten enough, were his clothes washed, would his condition worsen again, would anyone bully or hit him, and so on, and so on.
The more Wan Chunmei thought about it, the more uncomfortable she felt. She took a deep breath, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her dress. “If your father and I aren’t there by your side, will you really be alright?”
Tan Erqian put down the large wooden basin in his hands and, looking at her seriously, said, “Mother, not only is my illness better now, but I’m also older and more capable. I can take care of myself.”
As he spoke, Tan Erqian lifted the hem of his clothes and continued, “Look, I can even sew the edges of my clothes now.”
On the edge of his grayish shirt, there was a small hole, which he had patched up with crooked stitches.
Wan Chunmei took the shirt in her hands, examining it closely. “You’ve really become such a thoughtful child.”
Tan Erqian squinted his eyes into a smile and said, “Mother, I can not only sew, but I can also wash clothes and farm!”
Wan Chunmei reached out and gently rubbed his head with a tender expression.
The sons of poor families grow up early, and her second son had secretly learned things on his own without her knowing.
Seeing that Tan Erqian was so eager to go, Wan Chunmei didn’t stop him any longer. She simply said, “You can go, but you must tell Shopkeeper Bai that you should come back every three days, or at least every seven days.”
Tan Erqian, seeing his mother relenting, quickly agreed, “Yes, Mother, I will definitely tell Shopkeeper Bai.”
Old Tan, his hands still in the water, smiled and said, “Wife, Erqian is going to be an apprentice at Shopkeeper Bai’s, not some young master. Why would he need to come back every three or seven days? If he can come back once every ten days, that would be good enough.”
“Don’t worry, Mother,” Tan Yiliang said with a bright smile, standing nearby. “Father and I often go to the county, and we’ll make sure to check on Erqian. He won’t be bullied, I promise.”
The tense atmosphere in the room immediately dissipated, replaced by the usual sounds of laughter and joy.
The fact that Tan Erqian had the opportunity to go to the county as an apprentice was indeed a good thing. Good things should be handled in a positive way. Constantly crying and complaining would only make matters worse.
Wan Chunmei rolled up her sleeves, stood up, and walked confidently to the stove. “Mother’s going to make pickled vegetables for you all now, so be good and listen!”
“Yes, Mother.”
The children, big and small, all responded in unison.