Chapter 15

The system remained silent for a long time, but Shen Cui laughed heartily without taking it to heart.

After all, her chubby son had truly “come alive” because of the system, so those three knocks weren’t in vain.

Just as Shen Cui was about to let Er Pang continue practicing calligraphy, the system said, “I can only give you a few days of trial use. When you complete the task and the shopping points are credited, I will deduct them immediately!”

[System Prompt: Acquired a set of special learning desks and chairs.]

Somehow, although the system’s tone didn’t change much, Shen Cui could still sense a hint of frustration and helplessness.

“Fine, deduct it! I will definitely pay it back!” Shen Cui suppressed a smile, “Moreover, if I don’t complete the task, I will be sent back to my original body to wait for death. Now you’ve given… no, lent us a desk, the task will definitely be completed faster.”

After waiting for a few moments without hearing a response from the system, Shen Cui didn’t want to bother him any further. She just smiled and said to Er Pang, “Pang, this year, mom has prepared a gift for you secretly!”

As soon as Er Pang heard that there was a gift to receive, he immediately forgot about the matter of kowtowing to the number god.

Shen Cui asked him to wait for a moment, then went to the next room.

The Mu family’s house was renovated after Mu Yunchuan’s betrothal two years ago. The two brothers each had their own room. Mu Er Pang moved into the main house after the winter started, so as not to heat two kang beds.

After the Spring Festival, the weather would get warmer, and clothes would naturally get thinner. It would be inconvenient for the mother and son to live together again.

Shen Cui simply put the set of desks and chairs in Mu Er Pang’s bedroom, and then called him over to take a look.

Mu Er Pang ran over joyfully, and his eyes lit up immediately!

The system’s description never lied. Although the desk and chair were made into ordinary wooden styles without any fine carvings, the wood was of excellent quality, looking shiny and smooth. Moreover, to fit Mu Er Pang’s current height, the size of the desk and chair was slightly larger than normal adult sizes.

Especially for Mu Er Pang, who had a chubby belly, there was a curve on one side of the desk. When he stood in front of the desk, his chubby belly fit perfectly into it!

As for the chair with a backrest, it was even more amazing.

Although it was smaller than an adult chair, considering Mu Er Pang’s body shape, the chair was deeper than a child’s chair.

Although the chair looked like wood and felt like wood when touched, as soon as you sat on it, you would feel extremely comfortable, whether sitting upright or leaning back.

“The desk is great, and the chair is so comfortable! This is too good, how can it be so good?!” Mu Er Pang lovingly touched every part of the desk and chair that he could reach, then stood up and asked Shen Cui to try.

Since it wasn’t designed for Shen Cui, she couldn’t feel the exaggerated sense of suitability that Er Pang mentioned.

But she had to admit that things from higher-level planes were indeed impressive. The backrest chair, which looked and felt like wood, was as comfortable as any expensive gaming chair or ergonomic chair from later generations.

As Shen Cui sat down, Mu Er Pang quickly ran to the main house and brought back ink and a copybook.

Shen Cui stood up and gave him back the seat.

Mu Er Pang sat down almost eagerly and started to continue copying the characters.

In the past, when he was at the kang table, he always felt powerless and was afraid of staining the kang with ink. He always felt a bit constrained and couldn’t perform well.

Moreover, Mu Er Pang didn’t know why, but whenever he was near this desk and chair, his mind was particularly peaceful, with only the task of practicing calligraphy in his mind, making him exceptionally focused.

He didn’t know why, but Shen Cui naturally knew.

At this moment, Mu Er Pang’s mood value was in the state described by the system, focused and calm.

I have to say, these five hundred shopping points were well spent!

The system sounded a bit aggrieved, “Where did you spend five hundred? You are currently using it for free!”

“I know, I know, I’ll start accompanying him!” Without Shen Cui’s urging, Mu Er Pang had already started practicing calligraphy.

His chubby face usually carried a lazy smile, but now that smile had faded. His eyes were serious, his thin lips were pursed, giving him an air that made people not dare to disturb him.

Shen Cui unconsciously lightened her steps, went out to get a stool, and sat beside him without disturbing him.

The calligraphy practice task set by the system required Mu Er Pang to write three sheets a day on average. He usually spent the whole day writing and could barely complete it.

But now, sitting in front of the desk customized for him, he was equally serious, but his speed was much faster.

He only started writing in the afternoon when he returned from the city, and by the time it was dark, he had already completed his usual daily quota.

The day outside dimmed, and Mu Er Pang put down his pen, feeling somewhat reluctant, saying, “Time flies so fast. I didn’t even notice, and it’s already dark.”

Then, he turned his face and smiled at Shen Cui, trying to please her, “Mother, I’m not tired at all. Shall I write a little more?”

Shen Cui was about to refuse him when the system popped up another window for her.

[Item Name: Special Illuminating Candle.]

[Item Description: Specially made lighting device. Reading and writing under this device will not affect your eyesight. Although made in the style of candles suitable for this world, they have extremely low consumption. One can last for several years.]

[Item Price: 200 points.]

A candle that can last for several years and doesn’t cause eye strain? That’s definitely a great deal!

Should she buy one now?

Just as Shen Cui was considering, the popup closed on its own.

The system said, “You’re currently in debt, so I was just showing you.”

Shen Cui thought to herself, “Gee, it even holds grudges!”

She unconsciously turned her head to look at Mu Er Pang, and the system sent her another message—

[System Prompt: 962464 has been added as a forbidden word.]

She really didn’t plan on using that trick a second time!

At noon, they had a sumptuous meal at Shen’s house, so Shen Cui couldn’t eat anything greasy for dinner. Since she didn’t have the skill to cook anything fancy, she simply steamed a few large white steamed buns that Mrs. Zheng had given her when she left the Zheng’s house.

She ate them with salted duck eggs and pickles, making do for this meal.

Mu Er Pang wasn’t picky and ate whatever was given to him, enjoying the meal.

Farmers usually work from sunrise to sunset, so after dark, everything outside suddenly became quiet.

After lying down on the kang, Mu Er Pang was already so sleepy that his eyes were closing, but he was still excited.

Mu Er Pang said earnestly, “The desk and chair you got for me are really great. The more I use them, the more I appreciate them. You saved me a lot of trouble. So, I want to practice more diligently. Can I write a little longer every day? I promise, I’ll stop as soon as I feel tired.”

Shen Cui tucked him in and said, “Okay, I promise you. After you finish writing those red-letter books in the next few days, I’ll get you some better candles so you can study more at night too.”

Mu Er Pang nodded with a smile. Just when Shen Cui thought he was about to fall asleep, he suddenly murmured, “Mother, did the desk and chair cost you a lot of money?”

Shen Cui asked him why he was asking this.

After all, Mu Er Pang had only recently awakened his intelligence, and there were many things he couldn’t think of for the time being.

“I heard Granny say that study materials are very expensive, and they cost a lot of money,” Mu Er Pang said, vaguely recalling how his parents used to argue a lot about his older brother’s education. At that time, he didn’t understand and just felt that their arguments kept him from sleeping well.

“Yes, they cost money,” Shen Cui didn’t lie to him as if he were a fool. But she couldn’t tell him about the system’s involvement, so she said, “But Mother can afford it, and your grandparents are the same as me. They all support you in your studies. Hopefully, you’ll become smarter and smarter, Mu Er Pang.”

“Then I will study even harder! I will never let you and my grandparents down!” Mu Er Pang promised, and soon he was snoring softly.

He truly had the heart of a child, just as the system had said.

After making this promise before going to sleep, Mu Er Pang woke up even earlier the next morning than Shen Cui did.

And after lying down for only fifteen minutes, he got up on his own, dressed, and even tied up his hair. Then, he wanted to go to the kitchen to heat up some water so that his mother could use it for washing when she woke up.

But Shen Cui was not familiar with the task of making a fire, so Mu Er Pang tried it but failed and dared not try again.

By the time Shen Cui woke up, Mu Er Pang had finished practicing one sheet, and his hands were freezing cold.

She quickly went to heat up some water, and after they both washed up, she made him a hot soup to warm him up.

Now she didn’t need a popup from the system; Shen Cui opened the store herself, and sure enough, the items she needed were on the homepage.

For example, a constant temperature hand warmer that, when placed nearby, would make the temperature around the user pleasant.

There were also items like a cup that could heat water and keep it warm without electricity, all of which could be used for a long time, so their prices started in the three-digit range.

In addition, there was the special candle that Shen Cui promised to buy for Mu Er Pang. Shen Cui silently calculated the prices and felt that she should work even harder on her tasks.

It was the second day of the new year, a day when married daughters return to their parents’ home. Shen Cui took Mu Er Pang into the city for the occasion.

The Shen family’s tea alley was quite deserted today, as Chen Shi and Li Shi had taken their men and children back to their mother’s homes.

So Shen Cui and Mu Er Pang didn’t hurry to leave after eating. They waited until after lunch, when everyone from both households had returned, before returning to the village.

On the way back to the village, Mu Er Pang had to rest several times, but today he was really eager to return home. He dragged Shen Cui and ran back home, then rushed into his own study.

Seeing that he had been doing well these days, Shen Cui didn’t stare at him anymore.

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