Chapter 295: Chapter 294: Never Enough With Freebies

The convoy arrived safely at the stationery factory by dusk, and after a flurry of activity, Qin Yao only entered the house when it was completely dark.

Waiting for Qin Yao were four children, already drowsy but still leaning on the hall to wait for her, as well as Ah Wang, who had prepared a late-night snack.

“Mother!”

“Aunt Yao!”

The four siblings perked up immediately upon seeing her, eagerly ran out, and circled around Qin Yao. The older ones carried her luggage, while the younger ones helped her scoop water to wash her hands.

Qin Yao washed her hands, flicked off the water droplets, and patted each of their heads, “Has school started?”

The four siblings nodded.

“Then hurry up and go to bed, or you won’t be able to get up in the morning.” Without mercy, Qin Yao pushed the four siblings into the children’s room and closed the door.

“Don’t come out!” she warned with a smile in her voice, pointing at the door.

From inside came the resigned response of “Oh~” from the four.

Qin Yao sighed in relief; it hadn’t been hundreds of years since they’d last met, yet they were overly enthusiastic.

In the hall, Ah Wang had already set the late-night snack on the table, waiting for her to finish so he could wrap up his work.

Ah Wang bowed his head, “Madam.”

Qin Yao patted her waist pouch, indicating to Ah Wang with regret that she hadn’t had the chance to use it.

Sitting down at the table, she inhaled the aroma of the noodle soup and asked while eating, “Where is your handsome, charming master?”

Ah Wang’s mouth twitched noticeably. He turned to Qin Yao and replied with lowered eyes, “The county gate opened, and Master went back to the academy in the county yesterday.”

After these words, he paused and only continued when he saw Qin Yao looking over:

“The literacy class at the factory had been running for half a month, but it’s over now.”

Qin Yao curiously asked, “How was the literacy class going?”

Ah Wang answered truthfully, “Decent, they taught some basic arithmetic and learned a hundred characters. Knowing the master would return to the academy, everyone was reluctant and hoped the literacy class could continue.”

However, Liu Ji didn’t linger because of this. Once the city gate opened, he went straight back to the academy.

Having seen Liu Li, the Scholar, and his prestige, he now had one thought in mind, to pass the scholar exams.

Before leaving, he took all the books from home, saying he was going to seclude himself for study, and asked Ah Wang to drive and pick him up from the county next time during the holiday.

Qin Yao raised an eyebrow, remembering the pursuit of academic glory, not bad at all.

“By the way, did those other village kids in the literacy class not return?” Qin Yao wanted to know if Liu Ji had finished his task properly, without leaving any loose ends.

Ah Wang shook his head but added, “Recently, there have been quite a few villagers coming over, asking when you’ll be back. When I asked if there was any issue, they said no, and then left. They must be coming for the literacy class.”

Five cents to learn arithmetic and literacy, there was no better deal than this.

Before experiencing it, the villagers couldn’t even imagine these things. But after attending the half-month literacy class, stopping suddenly felt incomplete.

They heard the stationery factory might continue with a second and third phase, letting those who learned teach those who hadn’t.

But what about the village kids?

They couldn’t find another class for just five cents anymore.

So some people thought, if only the factory could restart the literacy class. Not striving for scholarly success, but just to give the kids a foundation to compete for free enrollment in the town’s school next year.

For this, everyone was willing to continue paying five cents for half a month’s tuition.

If it weren’t for the mountain of passing scholarly exams, Liu Ji might have stayed.

Being a teacher wouldn’t be bad at all, with two or thirty kids in the village, collecting ten cents from each per month, amounting to two or three hundred coins in hand.

But, alas, having seen the wider world outside, he now had his mind set on venturing out!

Before returning to the academy, fearing Qin Yao would return saying he hadn’t handled things properly, Liu Ji had already turned down the villagers.

But everyone knew, in that house, his words didn’t necessarily count; they waited for Qin Yao’s return to plead with her again.

The next day after returning home, early in the morning, Qin Yao was still catching up on sleep when the courtyard door was knocked on.

Ah Wang had taken the kids to school, and the house was quiet, a perfect time for catching up on sleep. Being suddenly awakened, Qin Yao couldn’t help but show a sour face.

With a grim face, she opened the courtyard door. A few villagers in front saw her sweeping a cold eye over them, got startled, and the words stuck in their throats, stammering, unable to come out.

Qin Yao took a deep breath, rubbing her throbbing temples, and asked, “Liu Facai, what do you want?”

Suddenly being named, Liu Facai jerked, not ready before being pushed by his fellow villagers to Qin Yao.

“Um, um…” Seeing Qin Yao’s increasingly impatient expression, Liu Facai took a deep breath and blurted out, “Manager Qin, we’re here to ask if the factory’s literacy class will continue. Our kids are waiting to go to school.”

“Didn’t Liu Ji make it clear to you before he left?” Qin Yao asked displeased.

Liu Facai gave an embarrassed smile, “Well, we all know you’re the one in charge at home.” Thinking this flattery might please Qin Yao.

Little did he know, despite Liu Ji getting scolded at home, Qin Yao always maintained a united front against outsiders.

“He’s the teacher, he decides.”

Liu Facai looked surprised, not expecting Qin Yao to speak up for Liu Ji. But upon second thought, of course, a couple would be closer than outsiders like them.

“Really not continuing? What about the kids then? It’s not right to take the money and then not run it…” He deliberately paused, not continuing.

But the implication was clear, you can’t just take the money without doing the work. If you don’t do it, return the money.

Since he didn’t say it directly, Qin Yao pretended not to understand, “Find your own way for your kids, what does it have to do with me, they’re not my kids.”

It was originally the factory’s literacy class for the workers. On account of the village chief and clan leader, the village kids were allowed to join for half a month. Though they paid, the five cents wasn’t enough to cover the space; take it or leave it, enough cheapness!

Seeing Qin Yao’s cold face, Liu Facai dared not say more and called the other villagers to leave in dejection.

But there was discontent in his heart. From afar in the village came his disgruntled voice, “What’s so great about it, it’s not like we didn’t pay. Look at her, she really thinks she’s something!”

Others told him to lower his voice, as some of their family were working in the stationery factory, which only fueled Liu Facai’s defiance. Walking to the village well, seeing a bunch of kids, he mockingly said,

“All you know is to play with mud, unaware of how your parents are humbly begging the general manager for you to go to school, so ungrateful!”

“Who are you talking about? Are you talking about my third aunt?!”

Jinhua sprang up onto a big stone in the crowd, pointing at him, loudly questioning.

Liu Facai sneered, “You little girl, you’re pointing at your uncle!”

Jinhua puffed her cheeks, picked up a handful of mud balls from the ground and threw them at him, then turned to run toward the stationery factory.

Running, turning back to see Liu Facai didn’t dare follow, she made a face at him, still feeling it wasn’t enough, she charged into the stationery factory, complaining to her aunt about Liu Facai’s bullying.

Mrs. Qiu was gentle, the little girl knew who would be effective.

Mrs. He immediately grabbed a large spatula and rushed over, scaring Liu Facai to run home in a fluster.

Mrs. He sneered, spat fiercely at Liu Facai’s retreating back, “Pah! What a thing!”

Qin Yao, witnessing the whole scene from the yard, laughed out loud in joy, “Big sister-in-law’s mighty!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep