The Farm Girl's Charismatic Fortune-Chapter 82 - 80 Visiting Maternal Grandparents

As soon as they left the bookstore, Ruo Shui couldn’t help but quietly share the good news with Madam Liu.

And throughout the journey to the Academy, Madam Liu floated on air.

She was buoyed by the whopping 400 pieces of silver!

Not only Madam Liu but also Ruo Shui, pushing the cart, felt more buoyant than usual.

Usually, he pushed the cart very steadily, worrying that his wife and daughter would be uncomfortable.

Today, he simply couldn’t control it!

Ruo Xuan, seeing her parents so happy, also felt joy; in the future, she wanted to earn even more silver to make her parents even happier.

The cart was floating so erratically that it almost bumped into someone. Finally, Madam Liu and Ruo Shui came back to their senses and didn’t dare to drift away in their thoughts again.

Madam Liu found a topic to divert her excitement, asking, "I wonder what business Father has with us."

Ruo Shui: "He must be missing Xuanbao! Father knows that Xuanbao can talk now, and we haven’t brought her back to see him yet, he must want to see her and hear her call him grandpa. The last time, he really wanted to see Xuanbao, but just then, a student came to visit."

Upon hearing this, Madam Liu patted her beloved daughter’s head: "Xuanbao, remember to call him grandpa later."

"Of course! I will definitely have a good talk with Grandpa to let him know how well I can speak now, so he won’t worry anymore. Mother, the roast lamb ribs from Tianxiang Tower last time were delicious, and Grandpa hadn’t had a chance to try them, would it be nice if we bought some for him?"

The couple were warmed by Xuanbao’s thoughtfulness even more than they would be by making 400 silver pieces.

"Good, Daddy will buy them, and how about we also get a roast chicken and a portion of braised rabbit?"

"That would be even better!" Ruo Xuan said with a smile that crinkled her eyes.

*

Old man Liu was teaching at Yucai Academy, which was a small academy located in a more secluded area of the city; it took the family of three almost half an hour to get there. freёnovelkiss.com

Master Liu had two classes in the morning and returned to the courtyard behind the Academy afterward.

The Academy’s backyard housed a row of connected rooms, all of which were for the Masters of the Academy to reside in.

There was a garden in front of the houses, a common area for everyone, with each house leading to a very small backyard. The kitchens and lavatories were separate, convenient for the Masters’ everyday life.

As soon as Master Liu returned to the courtyard, he saw Yang Qixiang and Hen Lan returning with their daughter to visit Master Hen.

Master Hen was holding his granddaughter, teaching her the "Thousand Character Classic." Seeing old man Liu return, he called out loudly, "Master Liu, have you finished teaching for the day? Qiqi, quickly say hello."

Yang Qiqi called out very loudly, "Hello, Master Liu."

Master Liu smiled and nodded, then quickened his pace to return to his own home.

How could Master Hen miss such a rare opportunity to tease Master Liu? He quickly said, "Qiqi, recite the ’Thousand Character Classic’ that Grandpa just taught you to Master Liu. Master Liu is very learned, and has taught countless Scholars; it’s a great chance for him to give you some pointers."

Finally, he added, "Oh, and I heard that Xuanbao can speak now. Master Liu, you’ll also have the chance to teach her the ’Thousand Character Classic,’ but there’s no rush, as Xuanbao is just three years old, right? Many three-year-olds can’t speak clearly, let alone recite the ’Thousand Character Classic.’ Not every child can be like Qiqi. Xuanbao has started to speak only just after turning three, the ’Thousand Character Classic’ might be too difficult for her, teaching her at five or six years old won’t be too late!"

Master Liu’s complexion faded, and though he cared not that Hen Zhen boasted of his granddaughter being smart, for Yang Qiqi was indeed clever, it was inappropriate to bring Xuanbao into the matter. He smiled and returned the jab, "I’ve never taught the beginners’ class, the ’Thousand Character Classic’ is more your forte, Master Hen, given that you’ve been teaching it for so many years. You might as well teach your own granddaughter!"

Hen Zhen’s face stiffened; good old Liu Qinglin was actually mocking him for being just a teacher of the beginners’ class?

Having said his piece, Master Liu took out his keys, opened the courtyard door, and couldn’t be bothered with him any longer.

Hen Zhen, not one to let it go easily, said, "Master Liu, don’t bother cooking at noon, come over to my place for a meal! Look at all the ingredients Lanlan and Qixiang have bought; we can’t eat them all. See how plump this old hen is? Don’t you love eating chicken? Come have some with us! And this pork must be three or four pounds! Don’t you love sweet and sour pork, come to my home and let Lanlan cook it for you! Although the taste can’t compare to your daughter Wenyu’s cooking, by the way, it seems Wenyu and Ruo Shui haven’t visited you in a while, have they?"

Hen Lan also spoke up to earn face for her father, "Master Liu, don’t blame Wenyu, I happened to see her entering the city to sell persimmons not long ago, probably busy making ends meet and didn’t have time, you know the situation with the Ruo Family. When she has the time, she will surely come to see you. Look, today I bought so many groceries, Wenyu and I are good sisters, so consider it my filial duty on behalf of Wenyu. Master Liu, don’t be polite, come and eat at our house!"

Master Hen smiled, "That’s right, don’t be shy, come eat at our house! Lanlan is filial and bought a lot of meat; we can’t finish it all."

All Master Hen could think of was how every time Liu Wenyu returned home for a visit, she only brought one pound of meat, making him extremely grateful that he had managed to break off the betrothal between his daughter and Ruo Shui.

Master Liu smiled, "Lanlan’s thoughtfulness is appreciated, but I’ve got the cured meat and dried vegetables that Ruo Shui brought, all made by Wenyu. I’ll not intrude upon your family gathering. If I remember correctly, Lanlan, it’s been over a month since you last came? Spend the time having a meal with your father. Even though Wenyu hasn’t been able to come, Ruo Shui has visited several times, each time bringing me meat and food; truly, I am not in want of anything, so I’ll excuse myself."

Upon hearing this, Yang Qixiang quickly explained, "It’s only because of the recent flood that we’ve been delayed and couldn’t come sooner!"

Master Liu smiled even brighter, "That’s right, during the last flooding, Ruo Shui braved the heavy rain and waded through water to take me to the village to stay; I was just too lazy to move. Wenqi and her husband also came, so I went to stay at Wenqi’s home. Also, a few days ago, Ruo Shui even came to invite me to dine at Tianxiang Tower, but I had students visiting and couldn’t leave. Lanlan, you’re filial too, coming to see your father not long after the flood had subsided! Not bad, not bad!"

Yang Qixiang: "...."

Master Hen: "...."

Hen Lan: "...."

Days had passed since the flood, and seeing all of them with darkened expressions, Master Liu felt supremely satisfied!

Not liking Master Liu’s expression, Master Hen laughed and asked, "Did Ruo Shui use the money from selling persimmons to treat you to a meal at Tianxiang Tower?"

As if Ruo Shui, that pauper, could afford Tianxiang Tower? Let Master Liu boast!

Hen Lan, irritated that Master Liu had insinuated her lack of filial piety, picked up the newly bought piece of cloth, "Father, I bought you this cloth, have a look. If you like it, I’ll make you a new set of clothes."

Upon seeing it, Master Hen’s eyes brightened, and he said loudly, "Why waste money on that? The Academy provides uniforms; I can’t even wear them! This fine silk must’ve cost a fair amount of silver, didn’t it?"

Hen Lan: "Not much, five hundred wen per zhang. I bought three zhang."

"Isn’t that a total of one and a half taels of silver? Isn’t that a bit too expensive? You might have been swindled. Master Liu, take a look for me, is this cloth worth the price?"

Just then, Ruo Shui arrived through the side door pushing a cart full of goods, with two three-tiered Tianxiang Tower food boxes and a brand new cotton quilt that were especially noticeable.

The outer cover of the quilt was made of brocade, even those with poor eyesight could tell at a glance that it was far superior to the cloth in Hen Lan’s hands!

Madam Liu exclaimed joyfully, "Dad, I’m back!"

Ruo Shui too called out happily, "Dad! I’ve brought Xuanbao with me!"

Ruo Xuan, with her sharp ears and keen eyes, had long heard their conversation and said loudly, "Grandfather, Xuanbao has come! Mom made you a cotton quilt; she said the cloth is a bit somber in color and wasn’t sure if you’d like it? Take a look, do you like it?"