In the end, Dongbao was still forcibly brought over by Lin Juan.
"Mumu, Dongbao is also your brother, why don’t you explain it to him too?" Lin Juan looked at Xu Mumu ingratiatingly.
"Third Aunt, we’re discussing the content of the speech competition in the county. Since Brother Dongbao isn’t participating, it’s useless for him to listen." Xu Jiaojiao pouted, feeling that Third Aunt ca here just to disrupt their studies.
"Competition? What’s that?" Lin Juan was a bit confused, she didn’t understand matters of study, as she had only attended a few years of primary school and learned a few words.
Then, the children explained to Lin Juan what the competition was about and the rewards involved.
Out of all of it, Lin Juan only caught a few words: rewards, prize money!!
If her Dongbao participated, with Xu Mumu’s guidance, he should be able to win a prize too, and Xu Jiaojiao ntioned the prize money was quite substantial, comparable to Xu Jiang’s salary for several months.
"Mumu, please explain to Dongbao as well, Dongbao will definitely listen. If he’s not obedient, you can hit him." Driven by the incentive of money, Lin Juan decided to force her son to study hard.
"Has Dongbao studied English?" Xu Mumu asked with a faint smile. The children had been studying English with her for a long ti, and even after she left, they never stopped self-studying, which is why they were eligible for the competition now.
But Dongbao was still in primary school, and schools hadn’t started teaching English yet, and from what Xu Jiaojiao and the rest said, Dongbao’s grades were quite poor. With these grades, how far could he go in learning English?
"Jiaojiao and the rest can already converse in a foreign language. Dongbao has no foundation, so participating in competitions is out of the question. If he really wants to learn, he should focus on improving his other subjects instead." Xu Mumu said sincerely, stating the facts.
"English, what’s that?" Lin Juan was still confused, do students have to learn so much nowadays? She had attended several parent-teacher etings for Dongbao and had never heard of these before.
Xu Mumu explained English to her, and its importance, of course, this was for the children.
Dongbao, already impatient on the side, said, "I already said I won’t study. I want to sleep." He shook off Lin Juan’s hand and ran to the room Xu Mumu had prepared for them.
Lin Juan felt extrely awkward and quickly followed. No way, her son must learn, he can’t be worse than others, she had to discuss this properly with Xu Jiang.
With the disruptions gone, the main room beca quiet again, and Xu Mumu continued her lesson. The affairs of the mother and son of the third house didn’t bother her at all.
But soon ca the sounds of Lin Juan hitting Dongbao, who cried loudly, disrupting Xu Mumu and the others’ class.
Without even needing Xu Mumu to say anything, Madam Chen couldn’t stand it anymore, as her beloved grandson, who had just fallen asleep, was woken by this nuisance.
"Quit crying or get out, you from the third house, what do you an by this, what do you want?" Madam Chen said fiercely, holding Fengfeng, glaring at Lin Juan and Xu Jiang.
"Mom, I’m just doing it for Dongbao, I just want him to learn more from Mumu." Lin Juan felt wronged, seeing how obedient and sensible those nieces and nephews were, and then looking at her own, giving her a big headache.
"Hmph, with a dunce like yours, wanting my precious granddaughter to teach him, you’re just dreaming. Stay put, and if you dare disrupt my grandchildren’s studies, see if I won’t beat the stupidity out of you all." Madam Chen sneered, as the saying goes, the nature at three shows the future, with Dongbao like that, he won’t have any prospects, destined to live off his parents later.
She just hoped the third house wouldn’t end up like Old Lady Xin’s in the village, raising a no-good son like Liu Laizi. Now Liu Laizi’s in prison, and if Dongbao ends up in jail in the future, she’ll definitely distance herself from the third house imdiately. It’s shaful.
Li Caixia and the others ca over, Li Caixia silently rolled her eyes, dreaming about having her daughter teach, she must ensure the third family doesn’t disturb her son’s studies.
The second and fourth house people didn’t react much, just a child getting smacked, it was a common sight in the village.
Yet Dongbao was over ten years old, not that young anymore, they should at least save him so face, what was Lin Juan thinking, causing this ruckus just after arriving.
Xu Xue held Kangkang, watching coldly, luckily Kangkang wasn’t asleep, or he’d be woken too.
Dongbao hid behind his father: "Dad, I don’t want to study, I don’t want to study." He cried loudly, snot and tears all mixed together, making Xu Mumu subtly turn her face away, it was an eyesore.
"Alright then, if you don’t want to study, then don’t." Xu Jiang was also troubled, his son was unwilling, he couldn’t force him. Back when he studied, his grades weren’t good, he understood the feeling of not being able to get it, it was hard enough to scrape through for a diploma; he didn’t want to study either, and in this, his son took after him.
Lin Juan was devastated, who was she doing this for? She just wanted her son to do a bit better, even if he was a little less accomplished than Xu Minglei and the others, he shouldn’t be too far behind.
But now, everyone was watching her, as if she was the villain, feeling betrayed by her own.
"He has to study, after the new year I’ll have him redo a sester of sixth grade, Mom, I’m doing it for Dongbao." Lin Juan pleaded, looking at Madam Chen.
"Useless fool, can’t even teach a child, do whatever you like, but don’t disrupt my grandchildren’s studies, if Dongbao truly can learn sothing, then fine." Madam Chen rolled her eyes, this daughter-in-law was such a failure, why did she agree to her son marrying this jinx?
It wasn’t that she looked down on Dongbao, but Dongbao simply wasn’t cut out for studying.
"I don’t want to study, I want to play, I absolutely refuse to study." Dongbao cried out loud, not expecting his grandmother to not side against Lin Juan.
For him, studying felt like torture, especially learning a foreign language, he hadn’t studied it, but heard it was difficult, he didn’t want to learn it, even the primary subjects were tough for him.
Unfortunately, his opposition was useless, as his mom had agreed, Xu Jiang couldn’t say much, he too feared his own mother.
Xu Mumu suppressed a laugh, hoping Dongbao would really behave a little better.
The courtyard was still in chaos, so Xu Mumu took the kids back to the room, letting them read, as reading more model essays was also beneficial.
The farce ended, everyone returned to their corners, Li Caixia pulled Xu Hai aside to ask, "What does mom an by all this, isn’t she just burdening our Mumu?"
"What are you thinking, mom’s clear-headed, just watch, the third house definitely can’t handle that kid." Xu Hai said calmly.
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