Chapter 22: The Proposal to Go to School

Lu Demin glanced at his son, shook his head, and motioned for him to say less.

“It’s fine, as long as you’re okay.” Lu Demin gently patted Wanqing’s shoulder, bent down, and picked up Bai An, heading in the direction of home. “Let’s go home and eat.”

“Bai An hasn’t eaten all day, right?” Wanqing walked beside Lu Demin, looking at Bai An’s seemingly thinner face, and said with concern, “Mom will cook for you as soon as we get home.”

Bai An’s stomach was still bulging, but she didn’t dare to speak up about it in this situation, so she just nodded.

Lu Jin’an, seeing Bai An nod, assumed that she hadn’t eaten much all day, and his anger subsided a little.

Wanqing was cooking in the kitchen while Lu Demin helped.

Bai An sat opposite Lu Jin’an, facing each other, staring silently at one another.

“Do you realize your mistake?” Lu Jin’an waved a wooden stick in front of Bai An, his eyes cold.

Bai An’s gaze followed the stick, moving up and down.

“Slap.” Lu Jin’an slapped the stick against his palm, making a sharp sound.

“Bai An, are you listening?” Lu Jin’an’s eyes, filled with a storm, fixed on her, but his voice was unusually soft.

This contrast made Bai An feel somewhat scared. She lowered her head and muttered, “I know I was wrong.”

Hearing Bai An admit her mistake, Lu Jin’an tilted his head slightly, moving the stick to Bai An’s hand, tapping it gently. He asked, “Where did you go wrong?”

Bai An’s palm was repeatedly tapped with the stick, sending a tingling sensation up her arm. She glanced toward the kitchen, silently asking for help.

Lu Jin’an lowered his gaze and smiled lightly. “Don’t try to look for your parents. You made a mistake, and even if they’re here, I’ll still punish you.”

The seriousness in Lu Jin’an’s expression made Bai An realize he wasn’t joking. Under his pressure, she quietly said, “I made a mistake by not telling you about the situation and running off to play. I made you worry for so long.”

“It seems like you know where you went wrong.” Lu Jin’an nodded, tapping Bai An’s hand again. “Now, stretch out your hand.”

At these words, Bai An was stunned, looking up in shock. “I already admitted my mistake, why do I still have to be hit?”

Lu Jin’an gently tapped Bai An’s still-retracted hand. “Did I say there would be no punishment after you admitted your mistake?”

“Also,” Lu Jin’an glanced at her again and added, “since you know it was wrong but still did it, it’s even worse.”

“Ten slaps.”

Bai An looked at the thin wooden stick, feeling a wave of fear. This kind of thin stick was the most painful to be hit with. In order to avoid getting hit, she shouted, “If you dare hit me, I’ll call Mom and Dad!”

Hearing Bai An’s immature threat, Lu Jin’an chuckled lightly. “If you call once, it’ll add 10 more slaps. When your parents aren’t here, I won’t hold back at all.”

“Go ahead and call.”

Bai An’s face showed disbelief, and she extended a trembling finger at him, repeatedly stammering, “You, you, you…”

“Don’t ‘you’ me.” Lu Jin’an carefully opened Bai An’s finger pointing at him. “The sooner we finish, the sooner it’s over.”

The sound of the stick whipping through the air was like a sharp blade slicing the air, making a swish-swish sound. Bai An watched as the stick landed repeatedly on her hand. Her pale hand turned red and swollen instantly.

“It hurts so much.” Bai An covered her swollen hand, her voice choked. “I was only out for a day, and Mom and Dad didn’t hit me. Why are you hitting me?”

“Although you were only out for a day, can you understand how we felt when we couldn’t find you?”

Lu Jin’an reached out and lifted Bai An’s face, making her look at him. “Bai An, do you know that in this world, there are people who specifically go to villages to capture children?”

“They cut off their hands, break their legs, scar their faces, and force them to beg on the streets, or sell them to men who can’t find wives.”

“Do you know why they come to the village to capture children?” Lu Jin’an stared into Bai An’s eyes seriously and said, “Because in this world, the lives of poor people aren’t worth much.”

Hearing this, Bai An was stunned. She couldn’t believe that these words were coming from Lu Jin’an.

“There have already been several children missing in the village.”

“What?” Bai An asked in surprise. “Why didn’t I know about this?”

Lu Jin’an didn’t answer Bai An’s question. He simply gently hugged her.

“Time to eat.” Wanqing came into the room holding the dishes, and upon seeing the scene of the brother and sister hugging each other, she smiled gently and said, “You two really have a good relationship. Bai An, your brother was so worried when he saw you hadn’t come home all day.”

“So, Bai An, from now on, always tell us where you’re going. Otherwise, like today, we’ll all be worried.”

Lu Demin came in holding his own bowl and echoed Wanqing’s words, “Bai An, your mom is right. From now on, when you go out to play, come back earlier.”

Bai An wiped away the tears and snot that had come from the beating earlier onto Lu Jin’an’s clothes, then looked up and said, “I won’t do it again.”

Wanqing sat beside Bai An and comforted her, noticing her swollen eyes from crying, “Don’t cry, it’s fine now.”

Lu Demin nodded. “Lately, the village hasn’t been very peaceful. Bai An, be careful when you go out. Don’t walk on deserted paths. Stay with your friends, and make sure to come back early in the evening.”

“Alright.” Wanqing turned to Lu Demin and said, “Let’s eat first. Bai An hasn’t eaten all day, so let her eat first.”

Lu Demin sighed and placed some food in Bai An’s bowl.

Bai An looked at the food in her bowl, thought for a moment, and said, “Dad, I want to go to school.”

Lu Jin’an, who had been eating, raised his head and looked at Bai An. His expression darkened, and he seemed to be lost in thought.

“Why?” Lu Demin asked. “Right now, the schools are focused on labor, not on learning knowledge. Why not have your brother teach you?”

Bai An glanced at Lu Jin’an and met his gaze.

He wouldn’t think that I want to go to school because he hit me earlier, would he? I don’t hold grudges.

After a pause, Bai An said, “All the other children in the village go to school, but my brother and I haven’t.”

“You’re right, that reminds me.” Lu Demin turned to Wanqing and said, “The village chief has asked me many times for Bai An and Jin’an to go to school, but I’ve been putting it off.”

“That’s not a good solution,” Wanqing said, pulling Lu Demin’s hand with some worry. “We originally came from the city to the countryside, so we shouldn’t be doing anything special.”

“Every day, we have new things in the house, and it’s already unusual. If the villagers notice and find out about this, what will happen?”

Everyone in Bai An’s family knows that the things they have were picked up, but they accepted it because of their selfish desires.

Everyone has their own selfishness, and if the villagers find out that everything they need in the house is picked up, what will they think?

“Bai An, when school starts next time, you can go with Cui Ju.” Jin’an, are you going?”