Chapter 40 Jealousy
“Just look if you dare. Who’s afraid?” Although Bai Shan Bao’s little face was pale, in order to not lose face in front of Man Bao, he steeled himself to open the box and took a look before turning away. Still acting tough, he said, “It’s not that I’m afraid. That thing is just too ugly. I don’t like looking at it.”
Man Bao felt he was very right and repeatedly nodded. “That’s right, that’s right. I also feel it’s too ugly. Looking more will hurt the eyes.”
The two children glanced at each other, mutually acknowledging each other’s words. Then they turned together to peek inside the bug box before quickly looking away again, repeating this several times.
Outside the window, Elder Master Bai watched this scene, then looked at his son pretending to be very well-behaved with lowered head. His foot moved but seeing Teacher Zhuang in front, he endured the urge to kick out.
Although Teacher Zhuang also hit students’ palms, he didn’t agree with parents hitting children, especially Elder Master Bai’s way of doing it. Seeing his gaze on Bai Er Lang becoming more and more unpleasant, Teacher Zhuang signaled the parents to leave. He was going to start class.
Elder Master Bai darkly glared at his little son, lowly warning him before asking Madam Liu Shi and Lady Zheng to leave together.
Although hard to access within a mountain valley, Qi Li Village had excellent scenery.
Elder Master Bai was also a scholar. When first building the teaching hall, he specially selected this location with wonderful scenery, facing water and overlooking the mountains, extremely beautiful.
Although it was dreary autumn scenery, dense woods still surrounded this place with many wildflowers decorating the roadside splendidly.
Liu Shi slowly walked alongside the riverbank towards Bais’ large residence, her mood exceptionally joyful. She turned her head saying to Elder Master Bai, “This place truly has outstanding people because of outstanding geography.”
Elder Master Bai knew Mother-in-Law was referring to Man Bao. Stroking his beard, he smiled. “Mother-in-Law, don’t underestimate this poor mountain valley. It actually has many fine things and people that you can look forward to seeing.”
Liu Shi nodded. “That child is so young yet already advances courageously. She was clearly afraid yet still tried overcoming her fear. I only hope Shan Bao can learn from her in the future.”
Liu Shi said with some regret, “Too bad she’s a girl. Oh right, with so many brothers and nephews in her family, how come Teacher Zhuang hasn’t taken a fancy to any of them?”
Elder Master Bai didn’t often go to the village but he was still knowledgeable about the village’s affairs. He laughed. “Looks like all the Zhou family’s talents went to this child.”
Liu Shi thought back to the Zhou family she met yesterday, nodding with a laugh. “That Zhou Madam from yesterday resembled a wise and capable person.”
Elder Master Bai recalled what the steward told him about the Zhou family, unsurely saying, “Maybe so. Though there’s talk her eldest and third sons work very diligently while her second son has some cunning wit, often going to fairs to do some small business.”
While talking, the two walked home.
On the teaching hall side, Man Bao and Shan Bao already put away the bugs and took out their books to read along with Teacher.
Bai Shan Bao originally wanted to dominate over the opponent in studying so he started out by loudly reciting. Despite still carrying a hint of milk voice, he was the loudest in class.
Man Bao loved lively bustle the most. Seeing her tablemate reading loudly, she also tore at her throat to read as well. The two children cutely shook their heads while reading, extremely adorable.
At least Teacher Zhuang standing at the podium was very satisfied. His eyes brimmed with laughter as he repeatedly stroked his beard, nodding along as he read with gratification.
Urged by the two children, the other students also opened their throats to read much more earnestly than before. Even the senior students who finished the Analects couldn’t help turning back to recite along.
Bai Er Lang enduring his punishment outside couldn’t help twisting back to take a glance. His nose snorted as if breathing fire.
His two similarly punished classmates also curiously snuck a look inside. Then they squeezed next to the boss, asking “Er Lang brother, how does your cousin also know how to read the Analects already? Didn’t he just enroll?”
Bai Er Lang grumbled, “That’s why I dislike him the most. He started learning when he was only two. Grandmother said not only can he recite Three Hundred Poems, he also memorized Thousand Word Text and the Analects. As soon as he arrived, Grandmother gave him my favorite braised pork dish to eat. In summary, he’s as annoying as Man Bao! Hmph, so what if he can read? We’re better at fighting.”
“Right, right! We’re stronger at fighting than him. How about after school in the afternoon, we intercept and beat him up to vent your anger?”
Bai Er Lang hesitated a bit. “If Father finds out he’ll surely hit me.”
“We’ll sneak attack him. I heard from elder brother that if you don’t want the victim to know who beat him, just stuff him into a sack.”
Bai Er Lang’s eyes spun as he whispered, “Where do we find a sack?”
“My family has one but I can’t run home to grab it either. Your place is closer than mine.”
“Then tomorrow.” Another person said, “We’ll bring a sack tomorrow. It’d be best to stuff Man Bao in too.”
“That doesn’t seem right.” Bai Er Lang frowned. “She’s a girl. Just frightening her with bugs is fine. How can real men hit girls?”
The other also felt hitting girls was too shameful so he didn’t agree either, shelving that proposal.
Bai Shan Bao and Man Bao competed on who could read more loudly. Whoever’s voice suppressed the other’s, the next line had to suppress back even louder.
Smiling, Teacher Zhuang watched for a good while before knocking on their desk to warn, “Read a little softer. There’s skill in reading too or else you’ll damage your voice and become hoarse tomorrow.”
Teacher Zhuang signaled everyone to stop and had the primary students take out their books. He taught them how to read the new lesson, having them read it repeatedly to familiarize themselves first before explaining the meaning during class later.
After finishing with the young students, Teacher Zhuang went to see his five senior students.
Bai Shan Bao glanced at Man Bao and silently read to himself at the side.
Man Bao read very attentively. She always had great memory, memorizing it after reading two to three times. But she didn’t know the meaning so she looked left and right.
If it was before, she would have directly asked Ke Ke. But now someone sat right beside her. She felt it was better to speak out loud than converse silently with Ke Ke in her mind.
Words spoken out loud with the mouth went pah-boo pah-boo, sounding extremely nice.
So she started pushing the hand-copied book before Shan Bao, asking him, “Do you know what this sentence means?”
Bai Shan Bao took a look. It happened to be teaching he once followed from Grandmother so he arrogantly said, “Of course I know. You don’t?”
“I don’t. Teacher hasn’t explained yet,” Man Bao reasonably said. “But I want to know now. Can you tell me?”
Bai Shan Bao turned to look at her, feeling very comforted being watched by her eyes. So he reluctantly told her, “It’s actually two of Confucius’s disciples talking. Ziqin asks Zigong if every place the teacher visits, does he inquire about that country’s politics himself or do others take initiative to tell him…”
This was from Xue Er Zhong. Bai Shan Bao had long memorized it fluently and Grandmother also explained its meaning that he remembered.
Man Bao listened engrossed. She said, “I never heard this story before. It’s really nice to listen to. If I could also travel to different countries like Confucius in the future and have people take initiative to tell me stories, that would be wonderful.”
