Farm Girl's Small Blessings

Chapter 7: The Storybook

The early meal was ready, a group of children ran out, and each found their place to sit.

At the head of the table sat Old Zhou, with Zhou Dalang next to him. Across from them should have been Xiao Qianshi, but because Man Bao was favored, the seat next to Zhou Dalang was always occupied by her.

Xiao Qianshi settled her younger sister on a stool and then stood up to distribute the porridge to everyone.

Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang glanced at the thin porridge and pouted. In the past, they used to have proper meals for breakfast since they had to work during the day, saving the thick porridge for dinner.

But with their parents present, they dared not voice their dissatisfaction.

The three older brothers solemnly handed their bowls to Xiao Qianshi, while Zhou Sirlang wished he could bury his head in his chest.

Xiao Qianshi glanced at Zhou Silu and took his bowl, noticing that the spoon barely floated on the surface as she scooped him a bowl of porridge.

If one could still call everyone else's porridge as such, then what was in Zhou Silu's bowl could only be described as rice soup.

Zhou Silu almost cried. He glanced at his sister-in-law, met her cold gaze, and lowered his head, not daring to speak.

Man Bao looked around and, thinking that she could still eat some gruel at school at noon, poured half of her porridge into her parents' bowls.

Old Zhou and Qianshi were deeply moved and couldn't bring themselves to scold Xiao Qianshi. Instead, they praised Man Bao non-stop, "Our daughter is so considerate, she knows how to show filial piety to us."

Everyone ate the porridge in silence, wanting to show filial piety but also afraid of going hungry.

Qianshi pushed the porridge back towards them and smiled, "Man Bao, you don't need to work, you won't go hungry."

Man Bao protected her bowl, saying, "I don't want to eat anymore, my stomach is small and I'm almost full."

Unable to persuade her, Qianshi scooped a little porridge for the three sons and instructed them, "You need to work outside, eat a little more. If you get hungry on the way, find something to eat. Once we pay back the village chief's money, things at home will get better."

The three sons agreed.

Old Zhou glanced at his wife and said, "Enough, this is Man Bao's filial piety to you, don't give it all to them."

He then turned to the second son and said, "Tomorrow, you go to the market, carry a bag of grain and exchange it for some money. The village chief's money can wait. By the time of the New Year, you brothers will earn some money, but your mother needs medicine, so we can't leave the house without a single penny."

Zhou Erlang nodded quietly.

Seizing the opportunity, Qianshi said, "Tomorrow, take Man Bao with you, along with your second son, to watch over the children."

Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang immediately spoke up, "Mother, we will also take care of Man Bao and the others."

Qianshi was not keen on letting the fifth and sixth sons go, so she frowned and asked, "How is your fourth brother's land development going?"

Zhou Wulang felt he was in trouble, but being too far from Man Bao, he couldn't kick her. Instead, he glared at her from a distance.

Fortunately, Man Bao understood his distress. She looked at her brother, then at her mother, and finally said, "Mother, let the fifth and sixth brothers go together. Otherwise, I won't be able to watch over the others."

The eldest son immediately protested, "Sister, I'm older than you, I don't need you to watch over me."

Seeing an opportunity, Zhou Wulang viciously kicked his nephew, causing him to cry out, "Mother, Uncle Five kicked me!"

Qianshi glared at Zhou Wulang, patting her silly son and scolding him, "Hurry up and eat your porridge. You talk too much. Haven't you noticed your sister hasn't said a word?"

The silly boy hung his head in shame.

Old Zhou saw everything and, having finished his porridge, set down the bowl and said, "Let them go. They are all still children. Big Head and Big Miss are mischievous, and the second son's family may not be able to watch over them. Let the fifth and sixth sons go with them. Just make sure the children don't get lost. The fourth son can continue developing the land."

Old Zhou sternly looked at Zhou Silu, setting a deadline, "You have a month. If you can't cultivate an acre of land, you won't even get to eat porridge."

Zhou Silu felt bitter.

To make matters worse, Man Bao twisted the knife in his heart, sitting next to him after the meal and asking, "Fourth brother, do you know why you've ended up in this situation?"

She answered her own question, "It's because you gamble!"

Zhou Silu:......

Man Bao sighed like an adult, patting his shoulder and saying, "Gamblers are all scoundrels. It's such a simple truth, how can you not understand it?"

"Man Bao, we're going to school," Qianshi put the food in a basket, intending to carry Man Bao in a basket on her back. But Man Bao shook her hand proudly, "Sister-in-law, I'm all grown up now, I don't need to be carried."

Qianshi couldn't help but chuckle, "Our Man Bao has grown up?"

"Yes, I'm six years old."

Feeling indignant, Zhou Silu reached out and messed up her sister's short hair, mocking, "You're not even five yet, do you even know what 'years old' means?"

Man Bao, pushed off balance by his actions, let out a loud wail. Before she could look up, Zhou Silu dashed away, leaving her in tears.

Qianshi was taken aback. Little Sister rarely cried, especially not since she turned one, so seeing her cry so hard now left Qianshi stunned for a moment before she hurried to comfort her.

Qianshi heard the commotion and swiftly abandoned her sewing basket, half-shod, rushing out, "What's wrong, what's wrong? What happened to my precious child?"

Feeling a bit wronged, Man Bao cried out once and then calmed down. She was already feeling upset, but seeing Qianshi made her feel even more aggrieved for some reason. She ran straight into her mother's arms, reporting, "Mother, Fourth Brother bullied me, look how he messed up my hair."

Qianshi quickly smoothed out her daughter's tangled hair, fuming, "This brat, he's really asking for it. He won't get his dinner tonight, let him go hungry."

Qianshi's command was met with immediate agreement.

Heartbroken for her daughter, Qianshi wiped away her tears and said, "There, there, Man Bao, no more crying. Mother will cook you an egg, okay?"

Qianshi asked, "But what about going to school?"

"Not going. I'll cook an egg and rice for Man Bao."

Qianshi hesitated but, seeing how upset her little sister was, she nodded in agreement. However, Man Bao didn't want to stay. She wriggled out of her mother's embrace and declared, "No, I want to go to school."

Her reasoning was sound, "Tomorrow, I have to go to the market. I can't attend school, so I need to inform Teacher Zhuang."

Qianshi reassured her, "Little sister, I'll tell Teacher Zhuang for you."

"No, I'll do it myself. And today, I need to check if Teacher Zhuang has finished writing the manuscript."

"In that case..." Qianshi hesitated, looking to Qianshi for guidance.

Seeing her sister no longer upset, Qianshi stroked her cheek and smiled, "Alright, if you want to go, then go."

Man Bao turned and happily went to school with Qianshi.

Once the two sisters left, Qianshi stood up from the ground and her expression darkened. She turned to her daughters-in-law and sons, "Go and bring back the Fourth Brother. He's really crossed the line this time. He has the nerve to cause trouble outside, gamble away his money and then come back to bully his own family."

Following her orders, the whole village went to capture Zhou Silu.

When Man Bao arrived at school, she leaned against the window to listen to Teacher Zhuang's class. Today's lesson was on the Analects of Confucius. Man Bao had heard a few lines before, but she hadn't memorized them systematically. Teacher Zhuang's lesson was a comprehensive one, starting from the first lesson.

Man Bao listened attentively, but Teacher Zhuang only repeated the verses for memorization without explaining their meanings.

Man Bao didn't have a book, so she just followed along absentmindedly. She had a good memory and after reading the verses a few times, she remembered them. However, she didn't know the specific characters or their meanings.

Seeing Teacher Zhuang continue to teach the same verses, Man Bao's mind drifted. Feeling a bit off, she decided to slip out of the window and sneak into Teacher Zhuang's courtyard.

Teacher Zhuang's study was always open, whether out of habit or for the convenience of a child who often came to clean for him.

Man Bao wandered around the courtyard and study before sitting on the steps, chin in hand, lost in thought, as she conversed with the system.

"System, do you think Fourth Brother dislikes me?" she asked.

The system replied, "Host, no one can always be liked by others. Even money can be hated by someone."

"But I'm not money, I'm Fourth Brother's sister. How could he dislike me?" Man Bao protested.

The system paused before replying, "In this world, fathers dislike their children, mothers detest their children, and siblings not getting along is quite normal."

"You're talking nonsense. How could there be parents who don't like their children in this world? Aren't siblings supposed to love and help each other?"

"That's your wishful thinking," the system felt it might be too lonely and thus shared these thoughts with the young host. It believed it was laying the groundwork for his safety and future development. If the host was too naive, it would have to worry endlessly.

So, after searching the Encyclopedia, it found a book titled "The Ten Worst Fathers in History" to lend to Man Bao, saying, "Host, consider this a loan. Borrowing books costs points, so remember to return them once you earn points."

Suddenly, a book appeared in Man Bao's hands. Her eyes lit up as she set aside her hurt feelings towards Fourth Brother, asking excitedly, "Is this for me?"

The system emphasized, "This is loaned to the host to read and must be returned."

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Man Bao exclaimed, "System, you're so kind. This is my first book."

The system reiterated, "Host, remember to return it once you've finished reading, or you'll lose a lot of points."

Man Bao was generous, waving her hand and saying, "Deduct them. Buying books costs a lot of money."

The system said, "...Host, you don't have any points."

Man Bao had already lowered her head to flip through the book.

The text in the book had been replaced with contemporary language, and Man Bao had already learned many characters, making it easy for her to read and enjoy it as if it were a storybook.

In truth, it was a storybook about the ten worst fathers in history.