BHBF Chapter 21.2

Boss, He’s Becoming a Father [Arc 1] Chapter 21.2: The Prodigal Son (40)

Shao Yu continued: “First, he had a severed finger in his hand, and he was selected for the imperial examinations, but he did not take the incomplete. Second, he studied for fifteen years, and he did not even pass the examination for a child. It can be seen that he has no destiny to study.”

 

Although Amao didn’t know much about scholars, but after hearing what Shao Yu said, he immediately guessed that after 15 years of studying, it was a very bad thing to fail the exam.

 

Shao Dabao, who was huddled in the corner, had a huge reaction to this incident, and immediately reacted violently: “I can’t take the imperial examination, why should he go? Why didn’t you cut off his fingers?”

 

Shao Yu looked at him with even more confusion and said, “Zhang Meng cut off your finger, what does it have to do with me?”

 

Shao Dabao immediately said: “What’s the difference between what he chopped and what you chopped.”

 

“There really is no difference.” Shao Yu readily admitted, and then said: “When adults do something wrong, they have to pay the price. You lost all your family property in gambling, and you cut off your fingers as a small punishment but as a big punishment. You escaped from the corvee, so that’s why you were homeless and became a beggar for so long, these are price you have pay for doing something wrong.”

 

Shao Dabao was stunned.

 

Shao Yu continued: “I almost forgot. In the eyes of the government, you who have escaped from the corvee are already considered a dead person. Even if a dead person is not mutilated, he probably cannot take the imperial examination.”

 

Shao Dabao was stunned. It was extremely difficult for him to accept his own death.

 

Shao Yu turned to the stunned Amao and said, “I’m sending you to study, and I don’t have any requirements for you.”

 

Amao immediately said respectfully: “As long as Daddy speaks, the child will try his best to do it.”

 

“First, I will send you to study. If you are determined in the future, I will fully support you in the imperial examination. If you don’t want to take the imperial examination, it is also a good thing to learn more words and understand more principles.”

 

Amao immediately asked: “Dad, do you want me to take part in the imperial examination?”

 

Shao Yu said warmly: “I want you to study because I think you are a sensible child. I just think that children like you should go to school and see a wider world. I don’t expect you to repay me after you become successful.”

 

Amao looked at Shao Yu. He saw the soft light in the other person’s eyes and understood that his words were sincere and not false. But the more Shao Yu acted like this, the more he felt that he owed too much, and he wanted to burn everything he owned for the Shao family.

 

“As for whether to take the imperial examination or not, you can judge and experience it yourself after you study. I respect your decision.” Shao Yu said.

 

When Shao Dabao heard this, his eyes turned red, and he felt that his fate was unfair.

 

Shao Yu continued: “Second, it is not easy for women to study. After you learn how to read in school, can you come back and teach your sister?”

 

After hearing this, Shao Xiaocao immediately raised her head and looked at Shao Yu in disbelief.

 

Shao Yu smiled at her daughter and asked warmly, “Are you willing to let your brother teach you how to read?”

 

Shao Xiaocao nodded tearfully.

 

And Amao on the side would naturally not refuse such conditions.

 

On the contrary, Shao Dabao on the side suddenly said: “Men and women do not sit at the same table when they are seven years old. Dad aren’t you be afraid that others will gossip like this?”

 

Shao Yu glanced at him and said, “A person with a dirty mind, what he sees is dirty.”

 

After being reprimanded like this, Shao Dabao did not continue to argue, but fell silent. He found a small corner at home and huddled there. He didn’t know what he was thinking, and the expression on his face kept changing.

 

Early the next morning, everyone in the Shao family got up very early. Even Shao Dabao got up without anyone urging him for the first time.

 

Shao Xiaocao and Amao both ran over to help Shao Yu with housework. Shao Dabao, who had never done housework, didn’t know what he could do. After looking around, he ran over to make a lantern.

 

He had learned to make lanterns before, and he could still remember a few shadows at this time, so he started making them while recalling them. This was the only thing he could do now.

 

After Shao Yu made breakfast, Shao Dabao finally made a very rough lantern stand.

 

“Dad, what is this?” Shao Xiaocao asked, pointing to an extra board that appeared in the kitchen at some time.

 

Shao Yu took out a charcoal pen and drew two strokes on it. Seeing the children all looking at him, he explained, “Dabao got up early this morning and made another lantern frame.”

 

Shao Dabao was stunned when he heard this, and asked in a very erratic voice: “Why do you need to write it down?”

 

Shao Yu said: “If you save enough three ‘positive’ characters, you can eat a piece of meat.”

 

Shao Dabao was stunned for a moment, and immediately asked, “Why do you want three? Can one be ‘positive’ be exchange for a piece of meat.”

 

Shao Yu is also very straightforward: “Haggling, no sincerity and kindness, remove one.”

 

He made a move and planned to erase a stroke on the board. Shao Dabao suddenly panicked and shouted: “No, no, no, no, three is three.”

 

Shao Yu stopped his movements and said, “You did two things today. I can use two less words when I scold you.”

 

Shao Dabao jumped to his feet and asked, “Are you going to scold me today?”

 

“I scold you for your own good.” Shao Yu replied casually.

 

Shao Dabao asked again: “Then if I make fifteen lanterns a day, you won’t need to scold me?”

 

Shao Yu nodded.

 

“What can I add to the board?”

 

Shao Yu laughed and said, “You have to judge for yourself.”

 

Shao Dabao felt like he was taking an exam, and even the questions had to be guessed by him.

 

Shao Dabao felt like he had taken an exam, and then he had to guess even the questions of the exam.

 

However, he had thought about it last night, and he wanted to do what Shao Yu liked. Shao Yu liked him to be a gentleman, so he just acted like a gentleman. Now that Shao Yu has done this, it made him even more motivated .

 

Shao Dabao thought about this, and pulled the rice into his mouth. He didn’t pay attention, and a grain of rice fell on the table, and he didn’t think it was a waste at all.

 

Shao Yu frowned and said, “Waste of food, minus one.”

 

Shao Dabao:…

 

Shao Dabao has never felt that his hand speed has been so fast. In less than a second, he picked up the rice and stuffed it into his mouth. As soon as he finished stuffing it, he said eagerly: “Dad, look, there is no waste!”

 

Shao Yu stopped the action of crossing out the strokes.

 

The other two children both lived a hard life and had no bad habits. The only problem was that Shao Dabao had a problem. Shao Yu would not starve Shao Dabao to death, but he would feast on fish and meat every day so that he could watch but not eat.

 

Shao Dabao only felt that after returning home this time, the food at home seemed to be too rich. He, a person who does not distinguish between grains, even began to worry about the financial situation of the family. However, Shao Yu continued to provide other people with food like a normal person. The two children were fed good food.

 

Both of them were originally sallow and thin, and their faces gradually gained weight. However, Shao Dabao, who was originally fair and fat, is now thin.

 

Although Shao Yu’s cooking skills are outstanding, no matter how good the vegetables are, they are still vegetables. After Shao Dabao finally saved up three strokes and exchanged for a piece of meat, he tasted the meat that he had not seen for a long time. He don’t know if it was because of Shao Yu’s cooking skills, or because it had been too long since he had eaten meat, Shao Dabao felt that this bite of meat was a hundred times more delicious than all the good things he had ever eaten in his memory.

 

After taking one bite, he wanted to take a second bite, but as soon as he moved his chopsticks, he was stopped by Shao Yu.

 

“It’s not yours, you have to rely on your ability to get it.” Shao Yu said.

 

Shao Dabao retracted his chopsticks angrily and took a big mouthful of rice, but his mouth was always filled with the aroma of meat.

 

Early the next morning, when the sky was still dark, Shao Xiaocao heard movement from outside. It was too early. Shao Xiaocao was instinctively afraid. She also thought that the place was not peaceful recently, so he guessed whether there was a thief in the home.

 

Shao Xiaocao picked up a broom and just walked out, she saw a dark figure lying on Shao Yu’s door.

 

Shao Xiaocao didn’t bother him at all and just patted it down with a broom.

 

“Ouch!” Shao Dabao screamed.

 

Shao Xiaocao’s heart skipped a beat when she heard her brother’s familiar voice.

 

“Brother?” Shao Xiaocao asked hesitantly.

 

In the darkness, Shao Dabao heard his sister’s voice and immediately became anxious and said, “Why did you hit me?”

 

Before Shao Xiaocao had time to explain, she saw the lights in Shao Yu’s room turned on.

 

Shao Dabao said eagerly to Shao Xiaocao: “You have to bear witness, I was the first one to get up today.”

 

Shao Xiaocao:…

 

Shao Xiaocao suddenly understood her brother’s behavior. Ever since he found out that he was the first one in the family to get up, Shao Dabao was very positive about getting up early after Shao Yu made two strokes for him.

 

Shao Yu looked at him with an unkind expression and asked, “Why are you shouting so loudly so early in the morning? Have you ever considered others?”

 

“Next time, definitely next time.” Shao Dabao smiled and walked to Shao Yu’s side and said, “Dad, my sister can testify that I was the first to get up.”

 

Shao Yu looked at Shao Xiaocao, who immediately nodded vigorously.

 

Shao Dabao suddenly felt proud and took Shao Yu to the kitchen to see with his own eyes that he was marked twice.

 

On that board, there are already several “positive” characters, and the used “positive” characters will be drawn in a circle.

 

Shao Yu came to the kitchen, glanced at the board, and said, “The first one to get up early can indeed draw two strokes.”

 

“Dad, hurry up and draw.” Shao Dabao respectfully handed over the pen.

 

He already has two “positive” characters that have not yet been exchanged, and one more can be exchanged for a piece of meat.

 

But Shao Yu made no move, but stared at Shao Dabao.

 

“Dad?” Shao Dabao asked with a guilty conscience.

 

“You tell me honestly now, I will not increase the punishment.” Shao Yu said.

 

Shao Dabao touched his nose and whispered: “I…I have nothing to explain. I have been very good recently.”

 

Shao Yu sneered and added two strokes on the board.

 

Shao Dabao was overjoyed.

 

But soon, Shao Yu directly erased seven strokes. When Shao Dabao saw it, his heart was broken and he asked: “Dad, what are you doing?”

 

“When you get up early, I add two strokes, and if you yell disturbing people, I will deduct one stroke. If you secretly add one stroke, I will deduct five strokes.”

 

Shao Dabao listened to Shao Yu’s logic and regretted so much that his intestines were green. He could eat meat today, but now he had to postpone it for another day.

 

Shao Yu said: “You don’t really think that no one will notice if you just add a sum, do you?”

 

Shao Dabao felt bitter in his heart.

 

Shao Yu continued: “To tell you the truth, I remember clearly how every stroke on this board came about.”

 

Shao Dabao was stunned and stammered: “You, you, you are cheating me.”