AD (QT) Chapter 126

Han Chengming ran to the school gates, panting heavily. Seeing Han Ze standing there, he walked over and said dissatisfiedly, “Big Brother, you are far too stingy. You weren’t even willing to let me sit on your ox cart.”

Han Ze swept his gaze over him from head to toe. “It’s only a ten-mile trip from Han Village to town. The Awakening of Insects has just passed and people are still wearing padded cotton clothes, yet you are panting like a draft horse and covered in sweat. It shows that while your body looks fine, you are hollow and weak inside. You ought to walk more; I did it for your own good.”

Han Chengming’s eyelids twitched violently. Am I supposed to thank you then?

Seeing that he didn’t respond, Han Ze didn’t care. He turned his gaze toward the school gates, waiting for the students to emerge.

Han Chengming knew his elder brother’s temperament. In the past, he had relied on the fact that he was the “biological” younger brother and that Han Ze would need to rely on his two sons for support in his old age. Because of that, he had acted willfully in front of Han Ze, and Han Ze had endured it. Now that Xiaoliu was normal—though perhaps not as bright as his own two boys—it didn’t hinder the boy from marrying and having children to provide for Han Ze. Now that Han Ze no longer needed to beg his family, he had immediately turned a cold shoulder.

Now, no matter what he said to Han Ze, it was useless. Having understood this, he stopped trying to talk to his brother.

The bell rang, and students began trickling out of the academy. Han Jixue and Han Jiwen were among the first to emerge. Seeing their father, they walked over with smiles. Han Jixue reached Han Chengming and said impatiently, “Dad, I received a reward from the teacher!”

Han Chengming was overjoyed. He shot a smug look at Han Ze. Han Ze noticed the gaze but acted as if he hadn’t, continuing to scan the exiting students so as not to miss his own son.

Seeing that Han Ze ignored him, Han Chengming let out a disdainful snort. Hypocrite. He clearly cares that my son got a reward, but he’s pretending not to. He turned back to Han Jixue and said loudly on purpose, “Dad’s good son, tell Dad, what reward did the teacher give you?”

Han Jixue took out a writing brush and handed it to Han Chengming. “Dad, the teacher rewarded me with a brush.”

Han Chengming took the brush and said happily, “Good, good, good! Jixue is so capable.”

Seeing his brother praised by their father, Han Jiwen’s eyes reddened slightly. “Dad, I didn’t get a reward.”

Han Chengming looked at him sternly. “Work harder next time. You must learn from your brother, understand?”

Han Jiwen shuddered in fear. “I understand.”

Han Chengming didn’t look at him again. Instead, he patted Han Jixue’s head and laughed loudly. “You’ve truly brought honor to your father.”

Han Jixue tilted his head up smugly. “Dad, I’ll bring you even more honor next time.”

Han Chengming smiled. “Good boy, Dad is waiting.”

Watching the interaction between his father and brother, Han Jiwen silently lowered his head.

Han Ze, watching from the side, couldn’t help but frown. Han Chengming turned and saw the frown; he said with a smile, “Big Brother, the child simply exceeded my expectations. We are from a farming background; who would have thought that sending a child to school would result in a reward? He’s so successful. I… I’m just a bit over-excited, don’t mind me.”

Han Ze didn’t want to look at his “small man’s success” act. He turned around just as Han Shubuo walked out, carrying his book box.

A smile appeared on Han Ze’s face. He stepped forward to take the book box, but Han Shubuo said, “Dad, I can carry it.”

Han Ze patted his head, took his hand, and said, “Let’s go. We’ll wander the town a bit and buy some pastries you like.”

Han Shubuo swallowed. “Dad, can I have candied haws?”

Han Ze indulged him. “Of course. We’ll buy plenty so your sisters can have some too.”

Seeing Han Shubuo emerge, Han Chengming walked over and asked, “Xiaoliu, are you used to life at the school yet?”

After a few days of academy life, Han Shubuo had become quite used to interacting with people. He looked at Han Chengming and said with a serious little face, “I am. The teacher and my classmates all look after me.”

He was not in the same class as Han Jixue and Han Jiwen.

Han Chengming smiled. “That’s good, that’s good.” He then asked, “Can you understand the teacher during lessons?”

Han Shubuo nodded. “The teacher is a xiucai. He has taught many students and has rich teaching experience. He knows how to teach so that all students can understand.”

Han Chengming gave a dry laugh. “That’s good, then.”

Han Shubuo looked at him and said earnestly, “Uncle, do you have anything else to ask? I’ll tell you everything at once, and then I’m going shopping with my Dad.”

Han Chengming: “…”

The corners of Han Ze’s mouth curled up, and he couldn’t help but pat his son’s head.

Han Jixue walked over and looked at Han Shubuo proudly. “I received a reward from the teacher. Look, it’s a writing brush.” He held it out for Han Shubuo to see.

Han Shubuo glanced at it and gave a soft “Mm” without saying anything else.

Seeing that Shubuo wasn’t as envious as he had imagined, Han Jixue was a bit unhappy. He raised his chin and said, “Don’t be jealous. If you study hard in the future, I’m sure you can get a reward from the teacher too.”

Han Shubuo gave him a strange look. “I’m not jealous.”

Han Jixue thought he was just acting tough and said with a smile, “It’s fine even if you are; I won’t say anything. Jiwen is very jealous that I got the teacher’s reward.”

Han Jiwen curled his lip. So what if you got a reward? It’s nothing special, yet you won’t stop bragging.

Han Shubuo looked at him and said, a bit louder, “I’m not jealous of you, because I also received a reward from the teacher.”

The smile on Han Jixue’s face froze.

Han Jiwen covered his mouth and laughed. Although he didn’t like Xiaoliu, seeing his father favor his brother over him made him feel quite refreshed to see his brother embarrassed.

Han Chengming was also stunned. He asked sternly, “Xiaoliu, you can’t talk nonsense about rewards. Did you really receive a reward from the teacher?”

Han Shubuo looked back at him seriously. “My Dad says I shouldn’t lie; lying makes one a bad child. The teacher rewarded me with a writing brush and an inkstone.”

As he spoke, he followed Han Jixue’s example and took out the brush and inkstone to show them.

Han Chengming glanced at the items and laughed loudly. “Xiaoliu, if you didn’t get a reward, you didn’t get one. Just work harder next time. How can you take things your Dad bought you and claim they are rewards from the teacher? That is not how a good child behaves.”

Han Shubuo pressed his lips together. “I’m not lying. The teacher rewarded me with these.”

Han Ze frowned and looked at Han Chengming unpleasantly. “The child wouldn’t lie. I certainly didn’t buy that inkstone or brush.”

Han Chengming smiled and patted Han Ze’s arm knowingly. Han Ze brushed his arm away. Han Chengming gave an indifferent laugh: “Big Brother, you don’t need to claim you bought them just to save face. That brush of Xiaoliu’s looks even better than Jixue’s. Even if the teacher were to reward a child, he wouldn’t give away such an expensive brush.”

Han Ze didn’t even bother to argue. Did the man think everyone was like him, living for “face”?

Han Shubuo, however, stubbornly reminded him, “Uncle, the teacher really did reward me with these.”

How could Uncle wrongly accuse Dad? Dad would never fake such a thing.

Han Chengming laughed even harder. “You child, what is there to hide from your Uncle?”

Seeing that he wasn’t believed, Han Shubuo grew anxious. Suddenly, he saw his teacher walking out. His small face lit up and he hurriedly called out, “Teacher!”

Scholar Xu heard the voice and, seeing it was Han Shubuo, stroked his beard and smiled. “Han Shubuo, school is over; why are you still lingering here?”

Han Shubuo stepped forward. “Greetings, Teacher. My Dad heard that you rewarded me with an inkstone and a brush and wanted to thank you in person.”

Hearing this, Scholar Xu looked at Han Ze. Han Ze cupped his hands and said, “I’ve troubled you, Teacher.”

Scholar Xu looked at Han Shubuo with fondness. “It was no trouble. Shubuo has a great talent for studying. I hope you elders will persist in supporting his education; do not give up halfway. As for the rewards, those are prizes given to excellent students to encourage them to be diligent.”

Scholar Xu spoke a few more words with Han Ze before bidding farewell.

Han Shubuo watched the teacher leave before turning back to Han Chengming. Seeing his uncle’s face full of embarrassment and guilt, he thought for a moment and said, “My Dad told me that one must be honest. I am an obedient child and always keep Dad’s words in my heart. As for why the brush the teacher gave Cousin Jixue doesn’t look as expensive as mine, it must be because Cousin Jixue’s rank in the assessment was lower, so he received a secondary reward.”

With that, he looked at Han Ze. Han Ze smiled and said, “Let’s go buy pastries.” He then glanced at Han Chengming. “It’s just one reward; don’t take it too much to heart.”

Han Chengming watched them leave with a dark face. Once they were out of sight, he turned back to Han Jixue. “How can that little fool get an inkstone and a good brush while you only got a secondary one?”

Han Jixue hung his head, not daring to make a sound. He hadn’t expected Xiaoliu to get such an expensive reward either.

The veins on Han Chengming’s face bulged as he cursed harshly, “Useless! Good-for-nothing! The two of you together aren’t even worth one of him!”

Han Jixue and Han Jiwen hung their heads even lower, but in their hearts, they both grew to hate Xiaoliu, secretly vowing to find a chance to teach that kid a lesson.

…

Han Ze took Han Shubuo to the pastry shop and bought many cakes and sugar blocks, then bought over a dozen skewers of candied haws. He also went to the bookstore to buy several books suitable for Shubuo to read. By the time they were finished, the sky was nearly dark. The father and son hurried home in the ox cart.

Once home, Han Maode picked up his grandson and gave him an affectionate hug. Han Shubuo’s face was bright red, beaming with smiles.

The eldest sister, Han Shuxin, stepped forward and asked, “Shubuo, are you used to the school? Do you get enough to eat every day? Is it cold when you sleep at night?”

Han Shubuo climbed out of his grandfather’s arms and straightened his clothes. Knowing his big sister was worried about him, he said seriously, “The teacher’s method of teaching is a bit different from Dad’s. I wasn’t used to it at first, but it’s fine now.”

Han Shuxin breathed a sigh of relief.

Han Shubuo continued, “The food at the academy is divided into three grades. Since Dad paid more silver, my meals are the best, first-grade dishes. I have meat every day, and it tastes even better than Mom’s cooking. Look, my face has even put on some weight, so you know I’m eating my fill.”

Han Shuxin flicked his forehead. “If Mom heard that, she’d be angry.”

Han Shubuo stuck out his tongue and added, “The quilts Mom prepared for me are all new; it’s not cold at all. So you can all rest easy. I haven’t suffered any grievances at the academy.”

Han Ze looked at him with a smile. “Shubuo hasn’t mentioned it yet, but his assessment results were very good; he even received a reward from the teacher.”

Han Maode said joyfully, “Really?”

Han Shuxin and the others also looked at Han Shubuo expectantly.

Han Shubuo said a bit shyly, “It was just luck. Dad already taught me many of the things at home, so I was able to take first place. I might not be so lucky next time.”

Han Ze teased him, “So our Shubuo took first place, eh?”

Han Shubuo became even more embarrassed.

Han Maode, however, slapped his thigh hard. “Slaughter a chicken! We must celebrate. I’ll go catch the chicken…”

Han Shubuo hadn’t expected his grandfather to be so happy about him taking first place. It seemed he would have to work even harder in the future to take first place more often, just to keep Grandpa happy every day.