CH 94.1

Not long after Wang Shijing left the Wang clan, he recognized Elder Cen as his father. This incident could be said to spread like wildfire in Xiushui Village. Not to mention how worried Old Lady Wang’s family was, Wang Shijing’s family in Xiushui Village became even more unattainable. 

Because of the relative recognition banquet, Wang Qing’s attendance to White Moon Academy was delayed by a few days. On the eighth day of February, Shao Yunan made lunch for Wang Qing, and together with Wang Shijing, personally sent him to the carriage and saw him off to the academy with Wang Yan and Zhao Congbo.

The Wang residence had bought servants, so Wang Shijing did not bother Zhao Lizheng and Wang Shuping’s family to send the three children to school. Similar to modern times, White Moon Academy started classes at 8:00 a.m. and ended at 4:00 p.m. There was a one and a half hour break at noon. This was very similar to school hours in modern society. 

However, after arriving at the academy at 8:00 a.m., the first half hour of classes was just reading time. If you are in a county school, you have to start the morning reading at 6:30 a.m and formal classes begin at 8:00 a.m. The children would have an hour break at noon, with afternoon classes ending at 5:00 p.m., followed by another hour of evening reading, making classes really end at 6:00 p.m. 

If students were preparing for the examination, they usually had to study until late at night, which was very hard. For children like Wang Qing, who had just entered private school and was only a primary student, the study time was not as long and not as hard.

Elder Cen gave White Moon Academy to Kang Rui. He was still the dean at the county school, but he was not responsible for teaching. Every few days he would just arrange a meeting with teachers responsible for teaching and assign them tasks. So Elder Cen moved to his son’s house in Xiushui Village with great peace of mind. 

Madam Cen also naturally moved over. Madam Cen was not willing to go home now. Her set of jade jewelry was coveted by too many (female) people. All day long, there were ladies and wives who wanted to come and visit. In fact, they just wanted to see that set of jewelry, which annoyed Madam Cen very much. She couldn’t even bear to wear it, let alone always show it to them. So when her husband said he was going to Xiushui Village, she immediately went to pack her bags, also taking the set of jewelry with her.

This way, Wang Nizi did not have to go to the county town anymore. She could follow her grandmother at home to learn the zither. Jiang Moxi also liked to listen to Wang Nizi play the zither and wouldn’t run around. When Nizi was practicing the zither, he would sit on the side and study the Rubik’s Cube. Now that he had conquered the ninth-order Rubik’s Cube, he moved to the tenth-order Rubik’s Cube. 

Jiang Kangning was overjoyed with Jiang Moxi’s performance. Although Jiang Moxi still did not speak and was still autistic, he had already undergone some changes. The most direct thing was his obvious acceptance of Wang Nizi and Wang Qing being together with him. Especially when Nizi cried last time… he even went to comfort her.

Since it was the first time Wang Qing was going to the academy today, Elder Cen also followed. Because Lin drove the cart, Wang Qing’s servant, Su Lu, also followed them. Wang Qing was originally unwilling. He went to study, but Su Lu could only wait at home, making him feel very uncomfortable and sorry about that. 

Shao Yunan was also not used to it either, but Elder and Madam Cen insisted on it. Shao Yunan did not have the concept of superiority and inferiority, but in this era, since Su Lu was Wang Qing’s servant boy and Wang Qing’s identity was different, they should get used to and accept these kinds of things. In ancient times, with such an identity, Shao Yunan could only follow the customs… but then he thought of a way. 

When Wang Qing was studying, Su Lu would go and help Shopkeeper Xu. Both the Butterfly Jewelry Pavilion and Yizhang Xuan restaurant were now closed. While Shopkeeper Zeng waited for the reply from the boss, if everything went well, he would bring the rough stone Shao Yunan gave him and go to the capital. 

Shopkeeper Xu also closed Yizhang Xuan restaurant and Shao Yunan spent 200 taels to buy Yizhang Xuan restaurant back and renamed it ‘Cloud Dragon Square,’ echoing the capital’s ‘Cloud Dragon Pavilion.’ It was now redecorated according to Shao Yunan’s design, with Shopkeeper Xu still as the boss. Su Lu would go to Shopkeeper Xu to help and learn some skills.

Su Lu and – Lin were both in front of the carriage, while Wang Qing, Wang Yan, and Zhao Congbo sat together. Wang Qing was now Elder Cen’s grandson, so they still felt a little restrained when facing Wang Qing. However, after Wang Qing took out the snacks prepared by Shao Yunan for the two of them, the two of them were relieved. Wang Qing was still the brother Qing they were familiar with and Uncle Yunan would still cook them delicious food.

Wang Yan and Zhao Congbo’s study progress was faster than Wang Qing’s, so Wang Qing and the two of them were not in the same class, as he was in the freshman class. Putting the box made for him by Uncle Yunan in his book bag, Zhao Congbo asked curiously, “Brother Qing, what are you holding?”

Wang Qing touched the bag beside him and said proudly, “My Little Father asked Grandma Zhou to make me a bag called a ‘school bag’. It’s a bag my dad asked me to carry when I am studying. This can be carried on my shoulders.”

Zhao Congbo and Wang Yan noticed Wang Qing’s bag as soon as they got into the carriage, so now hearing him say that the two of them immediately said, “Show us.” Saying that, they stretched out their hands.

Shao Yunan felt that the school bags here were not good for small children’s shoulders, as they were all single-shoulder bags. So before Wang Qing started school, he had Aunt Zhou sew a double-shouldered school bag for Wang Qing based on his design. 

With coarse cloth meshed into ten layers through beating and pressing, it felt thick and strong to the touch. There was also a separate pouch in the front of the schoolbag, just right to put in a bento box with a bigger pouch in the middle for books. It had another compartment inside for snack boxes and a small inner one for other things. Both sides of the bag were also equipped with a small pouch, one side to put Wang Qing’s water cup and another for small bags of tea and dried fruit, so Wang Qing can mix it with water and drink.

Wang Yan and Zhao Congbo liked it very much, so Wang Qing said, “If you guys like it, I will ask Grandma Zhao and Grandma Wang to make one for you too. My Little Father said that as long as I study hard, I will get a new schoolbag every year. Little Father also asked Grandma Zhou to make me a shoulder bag, saying that I could carry it when I go out to play in the future. Nizi also has one.”

Wang Yan and Zhao Congbo were very envious. Wang Yan said, “Your Little Father treats you very well.” Wang Qing nodded hard and said happily, “Of course my Little Father is good to me.” Zhao Congbo immediately said, “Brother Qing, come back to my house today and show my grandmother your school bag.”

“Sure.”

Wang Yan… “Me too.”

“Okay.”

Inside the Wang residence Nizi held her new bag, loving it very much. Seeing it, Shao Yunan said, “Since Nizi likes it, Little Father will let Grandma Zhou make different styles of bags for you. In this bag you can put your sheet music. There is also an inner pocket here to put your handkerchief or other things.”

“Thank you, Little Daddy.” Nizi hugged her Little Father as if she was hugging her own birth mother.

Jiang Moxi also had a new bag. A small crossbody bag to put his Rubik’s Cube, mechanical birds, and other toys in. But his attention was not on the bag, but on the Rubik’s cube.

Madam Cen watched eagerly from the side. Yunan really loved these three children as his own. Madam Cen took the pink shoulder bag with flowers and bird embroidery on it from Nizi’s hand and also thought it was very beautiful. Seeing this, Shao Yunan said, “Mother, if you like it, I’ll ask Aunt Zhou to make you a clutch bag. You can put handkerchiefs, mirrors, and other things in it when you go out. What color would you like?”