"When can we make it? Why not now?" Gu Wan, who loves skincare products, imdiately urged upon hearing that sothing even better than bathing beans could be made.
"The mold isn’t ready yet! We need to wait two more days. Once you learn, you can’t be lazy, okay? You’ll need to help make them for the family!" Gu Chengyu smiled at Gu Wan.
"Do you even need to say that?" Making scented soap is definitely better than embroidering, right? She really can’t stand embroidering, even though her mother said she’s improved in recent days.
After practicing for another half an hour, it got dark, and under Mrs. Lv’s urging, Gu Chengyu had to pack up his pen and ink. The Gu Family only had low-quality oil lamps at night, which didn’t provide much visibility. Besides, even oil lamps were used sparingly.
Nothing happened over the night, and the next morning, Gu Chengyu took a bull cart driven by Mr. Gu to town. The bull cart stopped in front of the private school, and Gu Chengyu got off but didn’t go in imdiately.
"Dad! If that land can be bought today, before going to the governnt to handle the official contract, it’s better for Manager Pan to inspect it first. It’ll give us more confidence!" Gu Chengyu thought since he would be studying at the private school, he wouldn’t be there when signing the contract. His elder brother ca today, not his second brother who is more astute, and neither of them can read. It’s safer to have Manager Pan check it first!
"I know, son! We’ll definitely have Manager Pan take a look before placing the fingerprint. Go on inside!" Mr. Gu said amusingly; his youngest son sure loved to worry.
"Xiao Bao! Hurry in!" Gu Chengli also urged from the side. They had a lot to accomplish today: after buying the land, they needed to order blue bricks and tiles and find craftsn to build the house. The villagers could only build mud brick houses, not blue brick ones. Thinking about how their ho would soon be built, Gu Chengli was full of energy.
"Chengyu! You’re here!" A loud shout ca from beside him, it was Wang Qikai.
Gu Chengyu turned to see Wang Qikai getting off a lavish carriage, waving at him.
"Dad! I’m going inside now; my classmate is calling ." Gu Chengyu bid farewell to Mr. Gu and Gu Chengli and prepared to pull Wang Qikai into the private school.
"Chengyu! Why don’t you introduce to your dad and grandpa as your classmate?" Wang Qikai ran forward, dissatisfied.
"Is this your dad and grandpa?" Wang Qikai looked at the two n speaking with Gu Chengyu, one younger, one older, who looked very alike. But Gu Chengyu didn’t resemble them; he guessed Gu Chengyu must take after his mother.
Upon hearing this, Gu Chengyu got worried and tried to stop him.
But before Gu Chengyu could react, Wang Qikai voiced his guess to the two n and sweetly greeted, "Hello Uncle Gu, Grandpa Gu!" He then gave a polite bow.
Gu Chengyu was a bit dumbfounded; this was quite awkward now!
Sure enough, Mr. Gu’s previously smiling face seed to crack slightly, and even Gu Chengli was so embarrassed he didn’t know what to do.
"Ahem! Well, this is my elder brother, and this is my dad! Dad, Brother, this is my classmate, Wang Qikai!" Gu Chengyu had to reintroduce.
"Ah?" Wang Qikai’s chubby face was full of shock, turning crimson afterward.
"I’m so sorry! Let greet you again! Brother Gu, Uncle Gu!"
"Ah! It’s no big deal! Classmate Xiao Bao, don’t worry about it! Alright, you all go inside! We’re leaving now too!" Mr. Gu recovered from his surprise, quickly jumped onto the bull cart, and pulled Gu Chengli away without waiting for Gu Chengyu’s response.
Gu Chengyu watched, increasingly feeling like his dad was fleeing the scene!
"Chengyu! I really didn’t an to. Your dad won’t be mad, right?" Wang Qikai blad himself for acting recklessly, for not clarifying before addressing people.
"Don’t worry, my dad won’t be mad. But, you should be careful not to act recklessly from now on. How did you know they were related to ? Couldn’t it have been soone else?" Gu Chengyu smiled slightly.
"Wasn’t it yesterday after school, your dad was waiting for you with the bull cart at the private school gate? There aren’t many people at the school, everyone knows who picks up whom or who goes back alone if they’ve been here for a while. When your dad appeared for the first ti, I guessed it must be yours! Clever, right?" Wang Qikai said with a trace of smugness.
"Yes, yes, you’re clever, but who was it that mistook them?" Gu Chengyu and Wang Qikai joked while heading to Class C.
"Dad, do you think I look old?" On the other side, Mr. Gu felt depressed driving the cart; he wondered if he didn’t seem like Xiao Bao’s dad.
"No way! Dad, you look young!" Gu Chengli, holding back a laugh, finally knew how to comfort his dad with flattering words! Actually, their dad had been a grandpa for a while; Xiao Bao was younger than Da Lang!
Mr. Gu was instantly cheered up hearing Gu Chengli’s words, believing his honest elder son wouldn’t sweet-talk him! He really wasn’t old, right? And matched well with the children’s mother!
"Chengyu! Your thod was truly helpful this ti! See? I wrote it twice yesterday, and today I can submit it to the teacher!" Wang Qikai and Gu Chengyu walked into Class C, placing their book bags on the desk. Wang Qikai took out his written assignnt from his bag.
"Do this next ti! But when you go back, don’t tell anyone. Otherwise, the thod won’t work anymore!" Gu Chengyu laughed and said to Wang Qikai.
He believed that even if You Siyuan knew at the private school, he wouldn’t go ho and spread the word.
"Yeah, I know. Still, my handwriting isn’t as good as yours; I wonder if the teacher will be even more inclined to smack when he sees my writing?" Wang Qikai looked at the paper with big characters in his hand, worried again.
"What’s up? Why would they hit you?" Gu Chengyu asked curiously.
Then Wang Qikai unfolded the paper in his hand. Gu Chengyu took a glance, twitching his mouth; well, it did need worrying.
The first sheet contained parts of the Three Character Classic: "water, fire, wood, tal, earth; these five elents stem from numbers; ten stems from A to K; twelve branches from Rat to Pig." The numbers were difficult to write, nearly clustered together, with inconsistent spacing and a ssy appearance. So characters were large, others small. Gu Chengyu now doubted he was wrong to bla Wang Qikai’s stepmother; such writing indeed made people want to tear it apart.
From yesterday’s conversation, Gu Chengyu learned that Wang Qikai had been at the private school for over three years, turning nine this August, yet his calligraphy appeared this way, showing a lack of diligence in practice!
Gu Chengyu patted Wang Qikai’s shoulder. "Yesterday, the teacher only asked you to write and submit it, and you did hand it in, right? Haven’t you submitted it like this before? The teacher must be used to it by now; don’t worry!"
Gu Chengyu didn’t know what else to say, silently mourning for Wang Qikai. He returned to his seat, leaving Wang Qikai more anxious after hearing his words.
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