CH 57

Chapter 57 – Partiality

Since Wu Lang didn’t manage to get additional sweets from Man Bao, he shook his head, sighed, and led Liu Lang and Er Ya to the county.

Da Lang and his brothers also left their house with pack baskets as they were going to pick the privets as instructed by Mrs Zhou.

Man Bao was going to school, so she followed everyone out of the house.

When she arrived, she found that half of her classmates were already in class. Her desk mate, Bai Shanbao was sitting down and reciting carefully. So, she ran up to him, placed her book on the table, flip it open, and then glanced sideways at Shanbao.

After Bai Shanbao finished reciting a section, he stopped, glanced at his little pal, and asked solemnly, “What’s up?”

“Nothing much. I just wanted to tell you that my Father has promised to let my eldest brother and brothers to help you build a house. Have your family selected a location?”

Bai Shanbao’s shoulders slumped, and he replied, “My grandaunt is not willing to let us move out, she wants us to stay with them. Yesterday, my grandmother didn’t say anything more about moving out.”

Man Bao wondered aloud, “Why would you want outsiders to live in your house? It’s so uncomfortable and they consume food.” (So true, hahaha )

Bai Shanbao, “….”

Consume food?

What does this mean?

Man Bao said, “I had a maternal uncle who was particularly lazy, he had a fight with my aunt and was kicked out. So, he came to my house to look for my mother and wanted to stay in my house. But my mother didn’t agree and dragged him home by his ear and got him to make amends to my aunt. That’s how he went home.

She added, “My mother said, this is for the good of my uncle and our family. When you live in someone else’s house, you need to live according to the host’s preferences/ be subservient. It’s definitely not as comfortable as living in your own home.

“The hosts are also ill at ease. When there are no outsiders, you can quarrel, smash the bowls, be affectionate and intimate, but you would be embarrassed to do any of these if there are outsiders around.”

Bai Shanbao shook his head fiercely and complained, “I used to be able to play with mud, but now my mother won’t even let me play with it. I saw a big yellow flower in the garden yesterday. It looked so good, I wanted to pluck it and give it to my grandmother, but my mother won’t let me. Hmph, if it’s in my own home, I could pull them out if I wanted to, my mother wouldn’t care, and she would even praise me for my filial piety.”

Man Bao encouraged him, “So you have to move out. If you want to plant flowers, I can take my nephews to the mountain and help you dig some flowers. Let me tell you, there are many, many beautiful flowers on the mountain.”

Bai Shanbao’s eyes shimmered, and he looked at her enviously, “You’ve gone up the mountain?”

Although Man Bao has only been up the mountain twice, she was so proud of herself, as if the mountain was her back garden. “But of course. I’ll go whenever I want. There are even wild fruits to eat on the mountain.”

Bai Shanbao became even more envious. When Man Bao saw this, she grew excited, patted her chest and said, “I’ll take you if you want to go.”

Bai Shanbao’s expression brightened, “Really?”

Piece of cake. Let’s wait till class is over and we’ll just look for fourth brother.

Man Bao solemnly nodded her head.

Bai Shanbao cheered, and Mr Zhuang’s silhouette appeared at the door. Bai Shanbao immediately picked up his book, and nudged Man Bao, signalling that she should be careful as the teacher is here.

Unfortunately, Man Bao had never experienced being stalked by her teacher, so she failed to grasp what Bai Shanbao meant. When she turned her head to look at the door and spotted her teacher, she gave him a big smile and a particularly attentive greeting, “Hello, Sir!”

All the students…you are definitely looking for death! Are you assuming that the teacher didn’t see you guys chatting away?

Mr Zhuang, who was about to lose his temper, was dumbfounded when confronted with a huge smile. So, his anger dissipated, and he smiled back at his little disciple. Then, he said majestically, “An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening, hurry up and study.”

Man Bao obediently opened her book, and followed Bai Shanbao’s actions. The two little kids shook their heads while reciting the passages.

All the students …we must have dim eyesight? Our vision is blurred?

Mr Zhuang let them off ever so gently.

However, during the break, Mr. Zhuang took the two children into the yard next door.

The students thought Mr Zhuang was going to reprimand them, and hence, their world view was set upright. That’s right, they said, how can you not be punished for making small talk during the morning class?

Mr Zhuang has clearly said if you want to chat, talk outside the classroom. Once you are in the classroom, you can only study.

Little did they know that Mr Zhuang was asking the two children what they felt about their lessons today.

Today, they are still learning the texts from The Analects. Mr Zhuang has already given the interpretation. Man Bao always had many questions. However, when Mr Zhuang was teaching in class, she felt it was inappropriate to interrupt and ask questions. But now she has the opportunity to ask all her questions.

Mr Zhuang smiled and answered her questions one after another.

Originally, Bai Shanbao didn’t dare to ask his own questions, because his experience has taught him that if he dared to ask his teacher questions, he would be scolded and beaten.

In addition, when his teacher meets Shanbao’s grandmother, he would complain about Shanbao bring inattentive, dissenting, and cunning.

Now that Man Bao dared to ask all sorts of questions, he was no longer terrified. His eyes were bright, and he asked Mr Zhuang many questions. He also asked questions from his previous readings of The Thousand Characters.

They had too many questions and there was not enough time to ask all the questions during the break.

Mr Zhuang stroked Shanbao’s hair and said with a smile, “Don’t worry. I’ll continue to teach you when you come over to rest after lunch.”

After a pause, he said, “If your classmates ask what you were up to, just say that teacher asked you to clean up, understand?”

The two children nodded together, their little round heads and faces were so adorably cute.

When Mr Zhuang saw a dazed Bai Shanbao, he gently patted his head and smiled, “What are you thinking about? Go back to class.”

Man Bao dragged Bai Shanbao, turned around and ran towards the classroom.

Bai Shanbao whispered into Man Bao’s ear, “Teacher actually patted my head.”

Man Bao looked at him curiously, “Yes, what’s the matter?”

Bai Shanbao said, “My previous teacher never patted my head, he would also not touch other children’s head, he would only hit us.”

Man Bao was filled with righteous indignation, “Then your previous teacher is a bad egg/ bad person. Mr Zhuang is quite good. Only naughty children would have their palms smacked. But once they repent, Mr Zhuang would pat their heads again.”

Bai Shanbao regrets, “If only I had come earlier, when I was in school…”

Bai Shanbao couldn’t stop talking and told Man Bao what he went through in his former school. He could barely stop talking even when Mr Zhuang returned to class.

He couldn’t stop thinking about it but it was a pity that he was sitting right under the teacher’s nose. It would have been nice to be in the back row so that he could continue talking to Man Bao. 

Man Bao couldn’t get enough of Shanbao’s stories, so she didn’t go and look for Mr Zhuang after class. She ran to the kitchen, brought the food out and found a grassy area outside the school to eat while chatting away.

Mr Zhuang waited in the yard for a long time before he looked out and saw two kids sitting side by side on the grass talking away excitedly. Only then did he realised that the kids stood him up.

Mr Zhuang was so angry that his beard flew up. He shouted and led the two kids into the courtyard. He will give them a lecture at noon today on what it means to be faithful and respectful to their teacher!