103 What Did She Do Wrong?
Ji Zhao originally thought that Hawking’s deeds would change Shen Yao’s mindset.
However, the result disappointed her.
“Ah Tao, I admire this Senior Hawking you mentioned just now.” Shen Yao smiled calmly. “It’s just that everyone has their own aspirations. Now, my aspirations are no longer the so-called official career. Isn’t it another kind of beauty to stay at home and serve my parents? Moreover, does a person’s value have to be realized through the imperial examination?”
Ji Zhao was stumped.
She really did not know how to answer this question.
Everyone’s definition of self-worth was different.
“I was thinking too much.” Ji Zhao, who had been silent for a moment, suddenly faced Shen Yao and smiled brightly. “You have your own thoughts. I shouldn’t force my own thoughts on you. However, I still want to send Chenchen to school. I don’t want Chenchen being illiterate and crass when he grows up.”
Not everyone who had studied could rank highly on the imperial examinations!
But at least those who had studied knew the most basic etiquette, righteousness, and politeness.
“Chenchen’s mind hasn’t fully awakened yet. If we send him to school now, I’m afraid he won’t be used to it,” Shen Yao suggested sincerely. “Why don’t you let me teach him first? It won’t be too late to send him to school next spring.”
Ji Zhao thought about it carefully. She had already accumulated a lot of silver on hand. In rough terms, it was at least 30 taels! If Ji Chen really wanted to go to school in the future, she had to save more money. Otherwise, the siblings’ lives would definitely be difficult.
“That’s a good idea.” Ji Zhao readily accepted Shen Yao’s suggestion. “Coincidentally, I have some money on hand. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, I’ll look for Mother and ask her to help find out if there’s a homestead in the village to buy.”
“Why are you buying a homestead?” Shen Yao frowned slightly. The warm smile on his lips disappeared.
“To build the courtyard!” Ji Zhao smiled openly. “After I find a suitable homestead to build the courtyard, I’ll move there with Chenchen. Besides, I can’t wrong you and keep making you and Chenchen squeeze in that narrow west room, right?”
“But I don’t feel wronged!” Shen Yao felt a surge of anger in his heart for no reason. After saying this with a dark expression, he turned around and went back—
Looking at his angry back, Ji Zhao only felt confused.
What did she do wrong?
Even when they returned to the Shen family’s courtyard, Shen Yao still did not understand what he himself was angry about.
Recalling what he said just now, he felt bitter.
He felt extremely guilty.
The next day, when Ji Zhao pushed open the door, she found a wooden hairpin lying on the ground.
The pattern on the wooden hairpin was clearly a bright peach blossom.
If one took a closer look, they would be able to see the small character “Zhao” engraved on the stamen.
Ji Zhao carefully examined the wooden hairpin for a long time. In the end, she happily inserted the wooden hairpin into her hair.
In the entire Shen family’s courtyard, only Ji Chen and Shen Yao knew her real name.
However, Ji Chen’s painting skills were very weak. How could he carve such lifelike peach blossoms?
There was nothing more wonderful than receiving a gift early in the morning.
Ji Zhao hummed a lighthearted tune and went to the kitchen.
Today, she planned to make fried buns and pot stickers that she still missed.
Earlier, she had begged Zhao Lanhua to add a few more kitchen utensils, but no one understood what she meant by electric baking pans, mandarin duck pots, or barbeque grills. In a moment of desperation, Ji Zhao simply simplified and drew the styles of the practical kitchen utensils. In the end, Zhao Lanhua actually asked Second Brother Shen to make these strange-looking kitchen utensils.