Chapter 27: Feeding the Pigs

Zhou Qing looked at Shen Li suspiciously, feeling uneasy.

"Boss Shen, if you’re living here, what will happen to your shop in the town?"

Shen Li smiled. "That shop belongs to my family. I just help look after it. Normally, Uncle Zhong manages it. My family agreed to let me come out to study."

After a pause, Shen Li added, "I'm already the master's apprentice, Miss Qing, you can call me by my name, or Brother Shen."

Zhou Ping inexplicably got goosebumps and rubbed his arm.

Shen Li...

Just then, Zhao brought in the food, and Zhou Huailin also returned.

Zhou Qing and Zhou Yao cleared the table, and everyone gathered around, eating enthusiastically.

For Shen Li, watching Zhou Qing eat was pure satisfaction.

He never knew that liking someone could happen so suddenly, or that missing someone could make him so impatient.

For the Zhou family, having chicken for a meal was pure satisfaction.

After eating their fill, Zhou Huaishan used the excuse of his leg still not being fully healed, and Zhou Huailin took Shen Li to see the house and find the clan leader.

For an outsider to live in the village, the clan leader's approval was necessary.

Zhou Qing, Zhou Yao, and Zhao were busy washing the pots, while Zhou Ping and Zhou Huaishan prepared to continue writing the characters.

Since Shen Li was staying, and they had a mule cart, they could carry more characters tomorrow.

"Ping, why did you become an apprentice too? Even without becoming one, I would still teach you." Zhou Huaishan leaned against the kang cabinet, chatting contentedly with Zhou Ping.

From now on, he was a person with apprentices.

As the saying goes, a son-in-law is like half a son, and a disciple is like one and a half... servants!

Zhou Ping spread the red paper on the table.

"Second uncle can teach me how to write, but I can't eat the delicious food that Senior Brother gives you openly. Now that I'm his junior brother, I can eat it, and he won't have the nerve not to share with me, right?"

Zhou Huaishan burst into laughter.

He knew this kid was crafty, just like him.

......

Before coming to the village, Shen Li had made preparations and presented a substantial gift as soon as he entered the clan leader's house.

A set of high-quality scholar's four treasures.

The clan leader made a brief inquiry about Shen Li and was surprised to learn that he came to become an apprentice under Zhou Huaishan. 

However, this did not prevent him from agreeing to let Shen Li stay.

After all, as long as Shen Li wasn’t causing trouble, having someone from the town who ran a calligraphy shop stay in their village could be beneficial.

As the saying goes: Benefits and risks coexist.

After getting the clan leader's approval, Zhou Huailin took Shen Li around the village to look at a few vacant houses, and Shen Li eventually chose the one Zhou Ping mentioned.

A house behind the Zhou family's.

Though not the best house, it was close to Zhou Qing.

After contacting the owner and completing the transfer at the clan leader’s house, Zhou Huailin brought Shen Li back to the Zhou family’s home.

The news of Zhou Huaishan taking on apprentices spread throughout Qingyang Village while Shen Li was buying the house.

......

By the time they returned, Zhou Qing was carrying a basin of pig slop to the pigsty.

Although the pigs belonged to the elderly couple after the family split, the meat would be shared when the pigs were slaughtered, so Zhou Qing didn’t mind feeding them.

"Miss Qing, let me do it."

Shen Li quickly went up to take the pig slop basin from Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing smiled. "No need, no need, you go inside and write with my father."

"Father, come help fetch some water!"

In the courtyard, Zhou Yao called out to Zhou Huailin, who nodded to Shen Li and went to help Zhou Yao.

Shen Li followed Zhou Qing. and asked, "Miss Qing, do you not want me to become Master's apprentice?"

Zhou Qing put the pig slop basin on the low wall of the pigsty and turned to smile at Shen Li. "I just think that with your talent, you could find any good teacher. Why my father?"

"Master writes beautifully." Shen Li’s eyes were sincere. "I’ve never seen anyone write better. Who else could I learn from?"

As he spoke, Shen Li stepped forward, holding the pig slop basin, and smiled at Zhou Qing. "I’ve already become his apprentice and bought a house. Please accept me, Miss Qing."

Under the moonlight, holding the pig slop basin with Zhou Qing felt wonderful.

Zhou Qing...

The way he said it sounded almost like a confession.

"Though my father writes well, he hasn’t had much formal education. We’re preparing for the Tongsheng exam this year. He has a lot to learn and might not have time to teach you."

Zhou Qing was being honest. 

After all, Boss Shen was her benefactor. She couldn’t mislead him.

Shen Li smiled. "Miss Qing, though my writing isn’t as good as master’s, I am well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics. If you and your master don’t mind, I could share what I know with him."

Zhou Qing was taken aback.

Share?

Isn’t that just teaching my father?

He really knows how to put it.

"You seem quite young, Boss Shen. Why aren’t you studying anymore?"

Shen Li smiled gently. "Because of some family issues, I couldn’t continue my studies and take the imperial exams. I had to return home to manage the family business."

Zhou Qing...

Is this the real-life version of 'can't continue studies, so inherit a fortune'?

Her eye twitched as she asked, "If I may ask, how far did you get in your studies, Boss Shen?"

Shen Li continued holding the pig slop basin. "I passed the provincial exam."

Zhou Qing...

He passed the provincial exam?

So he’s a scholar?

A scholar coming to be her father’s tutor?

Pig...

Are you feeding me or not? Give me a clear answer!

While Zhou Qing and Shen Li were talking, Cheng Wu hurried over.

At the entrance, he saw Shen Li and Zhou Qing standing by the pigsty, holding a pig slop basin together. Cheng Wu clenched his fists anxiously.

He had just heard someone say a handsome young man from the town had come to apprentice under Zhou Huaishan. He suspected it was this young boss.

And he was right!

"What are you doing!"

Cheng Wu shouted, running towards Zhou Qing.

"Sister Qing!"

Cheng Wu’s sudden appearance startled Zhou Qing. She quickly raised her hand to her chest, releasing the basin. Shen Li, caught off guard, couldn’t hold the basin alone, dropped it.

The basin of pig slop, along with the basin itself, fell.

The pig was directly under the basin.

Pig...

Can you even feed me properly? 

Passed the provincial exam, but this is the best you can do? Is this how your family feeds pigs—by air-dropping?

Zhou Qing looked at her pig, now covered in slop and shaking its head wildly, and couldn’t help but laugh.

Shen Li felt embarrassed.

"Um... should I make some more slop for it?"

Zhou Qing...

Make more slop?

Hahaha.

"No need, Ping will make some more later." She turned to Cheng Wu. "Why are you here, what's up?"

Cheng Wu glared at Shen Li and pulled Zhou Qing aside. "Why is he at your house?"

Shen Li stood by the pigsty, watching Zhou Qing being pulled away by Cheng Wu, squinting slightly.