Chapter 5 Iron Bull

After deciding on Chen Heng's way out, the family went back to their houses when it was already late. Mrs. Gu took Chen Qi back to the house. Before she could hold him accountable for hiding private money, she saw Chen Heng sitting motionless on a chair under the yellow light, with red eyes.

Chen Qing patted his brother's back gently with his hand, seemingly comforting him for a while.

Mrs. Gu could not care about Chen Qi, her enemy, so she quickly dropped everything and came to Zongzi's side, holding him in her arms and comforting her softly: "What's wrong with Heng'er? Something unhappy happened to him."

After all, Chen Heng's mood was relatively stable, and he just shook his head in a muffled voice. Chen Qing explained from the side: "Mom, my little brother and I heard your conversation in the yard."

"Mom, isn't this what I'm going to tell you?" Mrs. Gu gently stroked Chen Heng's bun and said with a smile, "Do you know the prince in the village? That old man who is very good at reading, he has a crush on you. I want you to study with him.

Speaking of which, Mom and Dad haven't asked you yet, Heng'er, please answer Mom seriously, do you want to study? "

Chen Heng raised his head from Gu's arms and said what he had been thinking about for a long time. At this moment, he no longer thought about pretending to be a child, nor did he care about his age.

"Mom, my child wants to study. He will also study well and must study hard. He will never disappoint you and dad..."

Chen Heng spoke from the bottom of his heart, not only because of Gu's constant care, but also because he remembered the parents of the previous generation who had not had time to say goodbye properly. But before he finished speaking, he was stopped by Mrs. Gu.

"Mom, you silly child, how could you let me down? From the day you were born, my mother has been happy every day. Watching you grow up, teaching you how to speak, listening to you call me mother, you are like a god." All the peaches will be happy.”

"What your mother said is that you just need to study hard. As long as dad is here, you don't have to worry about family matters." Chen Qi took his daughter's hand, "Dad, as long as you are safe, this is better than anything else."

"Dad, I can also do intubation. I'm getting intubated now, but it's going to be fast."

Chen Qing responded softly,

"Dad knows that my Qing'er is also a good boy." Chen Qi patted Chen Qing's hand and smiled happily.

The family huddled in front of the light, not knowing what to say for a moment, so they had no choice but to let the silent atmosphere wander in their hearts.

…

After washing himself, Chen Gaishan lay on the bed and tossed and turned for a long time. He made Mr. Zhou next to him so noisy that he couldn't sleep. He couldn't help but raise his hand to hit him and said: "Since we have already made up our minds, why worry about it now. If you really want to regret it, I will go and tell Ergouniang tomorrow." Just spend some money, and if you can buy a second dog to give up, you will save him from running out and standing outside the school every day to eavesdrop."

Chen Gaishan chuckled when he heard this and said in surprise, "You know that too?!"

"Only Ergou Niang, she was short-sighted and thought that my sweet grandson suddenly became naughty. I don't think Ergou comes home every day with clean clothes. How could he be playing with the village dolls?"

"Hey." Chen Gaishan sighed with a smile and saw that he suddenly became silent. Zhou became anxious and pushed herself up from the bed, "Chen Gaishan, you really don't want to regret it. I can tell you that Ergouniang must have told him about the school affairs now."

"What are you thinking about?" Chen Gaishan glanced at Mrs. Zhou, his tone was deep, and he said quietly: "Do you... still remember Wang Xianming's nickname?"

"It's been decades, who still remembers? Isn't it best if you didn't have a relationship with him when you were a child? You have forgotten, why do you come to ask me?" Seeing that Chen Gaishan had no intention of going back on his words, Zhou finally settled down and lay down. "You should go to bed quickly. You have to get up tomorrow morning to send Ergou to school."

However, Chen Gaishan couldn't fall asleep. He folded his hands behind his head and stared at the carvings on the top of the bed, lost in thought.

I haven't forgotten. How could I forget? Tieniu, I know your name is Tieniu.

Chen Gaishan turned his head away. The windows in the house were open to the outside. In the bright moonlight shining in from high places, a few wisps of cool breeze blew in, blowing the high hanging curtains.

That night, Chen Beishan had a vague dream. In the dream, he seemed to be around the same age as Ergou.

I was really happy at that time. When the weather was hot, I would go swimming in the river. When I'm hungry, I go to the mountains to find fruit. As long as I get home before the sun goes down, I will at most get a few nags from my parents.

At that time, his name was not Chen Gaishan. There was a kid named Tieniu who followed him all day long and called him: Brother Xiaoshan, Brother Xiaoshan.

Tieniu's grandfather is a cousin to his grandfather. The two of them are the same age and can play together. They have a good relationship as if they were brothers.

As the days passed, he could no longer remember when the playmate who was following him suddenly said that he was going to study.

He didn't know what studying was, but he couldn't bear to leave Tieniu, so he ran home and told his grandfather that he also wanted to study. As a result, the next day, my grandfather took me to farm.

After working in the fields for a few days, he finally had time to go to Tieniu's house to play with him, only to find out that Tieniu had gone to the county to study.

County? Is it far from our village?

He didn't know that place, but that didn't stop him from being angry with Tie Niu. With such a good relationship, why didn't he tell him before leaving. He thought that when Tieniu came back from the county, he would give him a good beating and then take him to the tree to dig out bird eggs.

He waited and waited until the Chinese New Year, when Tieniu finally returned to the village. He happily ran to Tieniu's house and finally saw Tieniu. Tieniu was wearing a clean and tidy robe with a square scarf on his head.

What color is that dress? It seems to be as white as the moonlight, so beautiful.

But he could no longer ask Tieniu to go out and climb trees, because Tieniu said he wanted to study.

What's so good about studying? Isn't it as hard and tiring as farming? Anyway, when his grandfather asked him to farm, he was unwilling to do it. Why should he work when he can play?

"Tie Niu, Tie Niu, let's go climb trees again, okay?"

"Okay, Xiaoshan brother, go pick the fruits from the tree for me."

Chen Gaishan opened his eyes suddenly and found himself lying on the bed. He couldn't help but touch his face. There were some wet marks on his wrinkled skin.

He was old.

Fortunately, Ergou was still young.

"Go to sleep, go to sleep, we still have to farm tomorrow."

…………

The next morning, the roosters just crowed. The Chen family, who were counting the hours, got up at the same time by lifting the quilt. The emotions that had been suppressed all night were released as the sun rose.

Chen Huaijin, who was young and quicker in his steps, had already rushed to his eldest brother's door when Chen Gaishan was getting dressed, and yelled at the top of his lungs: "Ergou, Ergou, get up quickly, your second uncle is going to send you to school."

"What are you yelling about so early in the morning? What if you disturb the children's rest?"

Chen Gaishan opened the door and scolded Chen Huaijin in the yard.

"Grandpa, grandpa, don't scold your second uncle, I got up a long time ago."

The door of the east wing opened a crack, and Chen Heng, with small hands and feet, came out neatly dressed. Chen Huaijin smiled and came forward. The more he looked, the more he liked him. He said without thinking: "Resemblance, really resemblance."

"Second uncle, what do I look like?" Chen Heng was a little confused.

Chen Huaijin smiled proudly, "Silly boy, your second uncle thinks you look like a scholar."

"Second uncle, I haven't started studying yet." Chen Heng was really helpless. There was such a muddleheaded elder, and he didn't know how to respond for a while.

"Hey, we are family, so Uncle Er will only praise you at home. When you go out..." Chen Huaijin pointed outside the door, his face became worried, "My useless nephew!!!"

"Chen Huaijin!!!!!!!"

Oh no, his father is angry. Chen Huaijin turned around quickly, hiding and apologizing, "Dad, Dad, I was wrong, I was wrong, okay?"

"I told you not to make fun of Ergou, all day long, you are not acting like an elder."

Gu, who came out behind Chen Heng, looked at the farce in front of him half speechlessly, and said to Chen Qi, "I now feel that you and Uncle Er are brothers."

"Nonsense." Chen Qi scolded softly, "Can he be adopted?"

Gu rolled her eyes, took her son's hand, and went to wake up her daughter.

After breakfast, Chen Huaijin finally didn't get the good job of sending Ergou to school. Chen Qi, on behalf of the expectations of the whole family, took Chen Heng's little hand and walked out of the house step by step.

This road has been walked thousands of times on weekdays, but it feels a little different today. The father and son didn't know why, but they didn't say anything along the way, just moving forward silently.

When they arrived at Master Wang's house, the open door could see the clean and tidy courtyard. Master Wang, who had been waiting there for an unknown period of time, walked out of the door quickly.

"Heng'er, call me Master." Chen Qi let go of his hand and took a step back.

Chen Heng hurriedly raised his hand, bowed, and said respectfully: "Master."

"Okay, okay, you will study hard with me in the future."

Master Wang nodded, and after letting Chen Heng say goodbye to Chen Qi, he took Chen Heng's hand and came to the school. Standing in front of Chen Heng's desk, Master Wang suddenly joked with him, "Now you don't have to stand outside the fence and eavesdrop."

Chen Heng was embarrassed to answer, his face slightly blushed, and he just stood there and smiled foolishly.

"I hope you can keep this memory in your heart in the future. When it comes to studying, you can lack anything, but the most important thing is the desire to learn."

"Yes, Master."