Chapter 25: Xu Shu's Younger Brother

  Huang was originally going to mention Xiaoshan and Xiaojun, but when she thought of Zhao's expression, she didn't say it out loud. Instead, Zhao listened to Huang's words and her expression softened a lot. After a while, she slowly spoke up again: "Since that's the case, let's do things according to your wishes. That child Xiaoshan is indeed pitiful, losing his father at such a young age... In the future, if... you two take care of him as his uncle and aunt, it's only right. Tonight when Er Niu comes back, have him come visit me."

  Zhao originally wanted to say that if Xiaoshan's mother had a place to go in the future, Xiaoshan would become an orphan without parents, but seeing Lin He here, he didn't say it.

  After finishing speaking, she walked out. Lin He felt that her grandmother had made a scene here for no reason, and things were still back to the starting point. However, she was told to call her father over, wondering if it was going to be another frame-up against her mother again.

  At noon, Lin Er Niu returned. Today in the town, he didn't even get his feet wet and wasn't able to invite the teacher. Actually, Lin He had expected this outcome from the start. In this era, a place like Linjia Village is unlikely to produce a scholar in a hundred years. Even if it's slightly better in the town, it's not easy to invite a teacher.

  Especially scholars are proud, generally do not want to go to someone's home to teach students, going to someone's home to teach is equivalent to working in someone else's home, there is a bit of a meaning of relying on others, unless it is an official or noble family, like ordinary poor families can't afford to read books, let alone invite teachers home, so those who have passed the imperial examination would rather teach in the clan school and live a simple life than rely on others.

  Lin He suddenly thought of someone - wasn't it said that Xu Shu's younger brother was a Xiucai? It seemed that after becoming a Xiucai, he went to the county to further his studies and took several exams but failed repeatedly. Now he is idle at home. Didn't Er Gouzi say that his uncle taught him to recognize characters last time? Xu Shu has a good relationship with their family and also knows them well, so it should be very suitable.

  Lin He thought about it and also mentioned Xu Auntie's brother to Lin Er Niu. Er Niu patted his thigh, stood up, and said "Ah, there's already one available, how did I not think of that? Our daughter is really clever, I'll go talk to Xu Auntie now."

  He was about to leave when Huang's wife stopped him and said "Wait a minute, take some things from home with you."

  Huang's wife walked into the house, Er Niu had bought some meat from the street and came back, cut half of it and put it in a basket, took some white flour and let Er Niu take it away. Lin He thought this mother was quite capable, knew how to ask for help when doing things, these gifts were indispensable.

  Actually, Lin He was wrong. Huang Shi didn't think that when asking someone to do something, they had to give gifts. She thought that since Xu Shu's family often helped them out when their own family was poor, now that things were better for them, they should return the favors.

  Lin Er Niu walked to Aunt Xu's house, and Xiao Bao followed closely behind. Xiao Bao often played with Er Gouzi, so when he heard his father say they were going to Er Gouzi's house, he insisted on following along. Although the houses were next door to each other, there was still a bit of distance between them. Xiao Bao was short and had short legs, and whenever he saw something interesting on the way, he wouldn't want to leave, so it took almost a whole quarter of an hour to arrive at Aunt Xu's house. Aunt Xu and Uncle Li were both home, and Er Gouzi was sitting on a low stool in the courtyard, looking quite bored.

  Mr. Li looked at Er Niu and immediately stood up, came forward and said "Brother Er Niu, how did you come today?"

  Lin Er Niu handed the things over to Auntie Xu and said "My wife asked me to bring these."

  Auntie Xu didn't stand on ceremony, smiling as she took the things and said "Look, your wife and I are good sisters, why be so polite? I won't be polite, I'll just take it. You and Xiaobao come to my place for lunch at noon, I'll go cook now."

  Two dogs saw Xiaobao coming, jumped up from the low stool, "Xiaobao, what have you been doing lately? You haven't come to my house to play, and neither Er Ya nor San Ya have come. I'm so bored, my mother wants me to write at home every day, but I don't like it."

  Xiao Bao and Er Gouzi, two little rascals, were there whispering to each other in low voices, laughing loudly, who knows what they were muttering about.

  Two men on this side shouted, "Xu Shuangzi, don't be polite, I came today to ask you for something. I won't eat at your place anymore, my wife is waiting for me to go back."

  Xu Auntie heard that Er Niu had something to ask of her, so she put down the work in her hands and walked over to ask him what was going on. Er Niu told her about wanting to invite his younger brother to be their teacher, as well as all the details about providing for the teacher's livelihood.

  Auntie Xu was delighted when she heard the news, saying "With four taels of silver as monthly allowance and having meals and accommodation taken care of, this is indeed a great opportunity! However, I haven't been back to my hometown recently. I'll head back this afternoon, and there shouldn't be any major issues. If my brother comes, he won't stay at your place though. You only need to provide lunch for him, and I'll have him stay at my place since we have a house, which is more convenient anyway."

  Lin Er Niu listened and indeed it was more convenient to stay at Xu Shu's house, so he agreed. After explaining everything clearly, Lin Er Niu didn't eat at Xu Shu's house either. Xiao Bao had gone somewhere with Er Gouzi, but Lin Er Niu let him be. Xu Shu said she would wait for them to return and after dinner, have Er Gouzi send Xiao Bao back home. Then Lin Er Niu went back alone.

  Xu's sister-in-law was also an impatient person, after lunch, she hurriedly rushed to her mother's house alone. Firstly, this monthly salary is indeed not low, and her younger brother has been idle at home since he stopped studying, and he doesn't even know how to do farm work, so staying at home makes him feel a bit depressed. Secondly, all of Da Bao's children were raised by her, and they are all good-natured, and Er Niu's family is also a loyal and honest household. It would be best if her brother could come here to teach, and in the evening, he can also teach Er Gouzi some characters. The more she thought about it, the more she felt it was a good thing.

  Xu Auntie went back to her parents' home and told them about the situation, and everyone in the family was extremely delighted. Especially her younger brother felt that all these years of studying had finally paid off. He didn't care too much about the money, as long as he could make a living with his own abilities, and also utilize his strengths, it was a win-win situation.

  In the past, most of the scholars were somewhat pedantic. After reading some books, they thought they were different from ordinary people and didn't want to do farm work at home or engage in business. They even looked down on doing business in their bones, so the things they could do were also very limited. Xu Shu's younger brother was idle at home for a long time and was worried about what to do.

  Aunt Xu is a woman who values family and social status. Although her own family isn't wealthy, she has always kept her youngest son at home, not making him do farm work, spoiling him instead. If he were to say he wanted to go somewhere else, she wouldn't agree. But now that she's heard about Er Niu's family being very good people through her daughter, she also thinks it's a good thing.

  Xu Auntie and her family helped her brother pack up his things that day, carrying several large bundles to Xu Auntie's home.