Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 181: Scholar's Clothing with Short Shirt and Long Trousers

Shen Yu answered with a smile one by one, and pushed Zhou Dalang in front of everyone, asking him to greet everyone and introducing that Zhou Dalang would be working in his own restaurant in the future.

Zhou Dalang watched Shen Yuyan smiling and handling the situation with ease.

People did not ignore him because of Mrs. Hu and were very kind to him. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief and felt much more at ease.

After closing the stall, Zhou Dalang pulled the cart, while Shen Yu and Yutao pushed the cart on each side, and they returned to the shop.

Zhou Dalang parked the cart and unloaded the steamer and stove briskly. Thinking of what happened in the morning, he couldn't help but sigh: "Miss Shen, I thought the guests would dislike me because of my mother, but I didn't expect them to say anything. I feel relieved now."

Shen Yu came over and worked with Zhou Dalang to lift the stove off the car. They put it on the ground and exhaled, saying, "Everyone on this street knows that you and your mother have separated and lived separately. From now on, your mother is your mother and you are you. There is no need to worry."

Yu Tao said curiously, "Didn't they say they were punished to clean the market floor for half a year? I haven't seen them sweeping the streets in the past two days."

Zhou Dalang rubbed his hands awkwardly: "My mother was not willing to do this. She hired someone to clean for them at a salary of twenty big coins a day."

"When we set up the stall in the morning, the two women wearing headscarves were hired by my mother to sweep the streets. The county government would only ask for someone to serve, and it didn't matter if they were real people or not."

Zhou Dalang paused, then added, "My parents' old house is in the south of the county, in a village 20 miles west of the south bank of the canal. They have returned to the village, and they will not come to the county easily in the future."

Yutao said, "Oh," and said, "Your mother is quite rich."

Shen Yu listened in and felt that this was a good thing for his shop. At least he didn't have to worry about Mrs. Hu holding a grudge and coming to cause trouble.

It was almost noon before Li and the others came back together.

Shen Yu thought Dun Dun and Yu Cheng would stay in the academy to start studying, but unexpectedly, all four of them came back together.

At this time, the buns and porridge soup to be delivered at noon had been packed, and Shen Yu and the other two were about to go out.

Jiang and Li were about to come up to help, but Shen Yu said, "We can just go and deliver the food. If Aunt Jiang is not tired, you can cook lunch at home. We will be back soon."

After delivering the meal, they came back and sat together to have lunch. Zhou Dalang also went back first, and Shen Yu finally had time to ask about school matters.

Li smiled and said, "Today I paid the tuition and meal fee, and was given the scholar's uniform and a book."

"It's the first day of classes. I don't know how many students are eating here. Uncle Qiu and Aunt Qiu, who are responsible for making meals in the academy, didn't prepare anything today, so they let the students go home. Classes will officially start tomorrow."

Shen Yu asked curiously: "What style do the scholars' uniforms at Baihe Academy look like? Are they nice-looking?"

Dun Dun and Yu Cheng both laughed, looking silly.

Li nudged Yu Cheng and said, "Go, change it on and show us. I only saw that it's blue, I really don't know what style it is."

Yu Cheng touched the back of his head and blurted out, "It's the same one Mr. Yang is wearing."

Li and Jiang were immediately surprised, and Dun Dun pulled Yu Cheng to change them together.

After a moment, two people, wearing short shirts and long pants, stood in front of everyone.

Li was surprised and asked, "Shouldn't you wear a long gown? Why are you wearing a short gown like this?"

Jiang was also confused and said, "Yes, what I saw in the Golden Deer Academy was a long blue gown. Even the elementary school students wore long gowns, but the size was smaller."

Li was a little disappointed: "You look a lot like the boys selling fruit in baskets on the street. You don't look like scholars at all."

Dun Dun answered honestly, "Mr. Yang said that I am not allowed to take the bus to the college to study in the future. I have to walk to and from school every day. In the college, I have to follow him to run every day to keep fit."

Yu Cheng continued, "The teacher said that only if you are healthy can you study well. Don't be like him, who got sick right before the exam and missed the exam. Wearing a short shirt is more convenient for walking and running."

Li and Jiang were listening attentively.

Jiang's face was full of approval: "Mr. Yang's words make sense. Look at the students of the Golden Deer Academy. They look like scholars. But kneeling and starving will only make the students' health worse and make it even harder for them to study."

Shen Yu thought it was not bad, as it was an all-round development of morality, intelligence and physique.

However, Shen Yu was a little worried when he heard that all the students had to walk to school. It would take more than half an hour to walk from here to the academy outside the city west, even if he walked fast.

Shen Yu was a little worried: "The road from here to the western outskirts of the city is not very short. What time do you want to arrive at the academy in the morning?"

Dun Dun counted on his fingers and said, "I arrive at the academy at the beginning of the morning at Chenshi, eat lunch at 15:15, rest for half an hour, and finish school at the end of Shenshi in the evening."

Li said, "If that's the case, you two should get up at 1:00 a.m. every day, wash up, have breakfast, and then set out, so that you won't be late."

Dun Dun clenched his fists and said, "We are not afraid. Mr. Yang said that if we walk all the way to school this way, we can recite our lessons and keep fit."

Shen Yu was now able to easily match these hours to approximate time points. She felt that getting up at five in the morning was okay, except that the journey time was a bit too long.

But there is no other way, since the academy is far away from here, so let's just go for a walk first. If it rains and snows in winter, maybe the academy will be closed.

Shen Yu thought about this and couldn't help but ask: "What if it rains or snows? Will we have a holiday?"

"If I still have to go to school, I'll have to walk so far, and my shoes and socks will get wet. If I catch a cold, I won't be able to study well."

Dun Dun and Yu Cheng looked at each other. They didn't expect Shen Yu to ask such a question. Yu Cheng answered honestly, "The teacher didn't say. I will ask the teacher tomorrow."

Li said quickly, "That won't do. You haven't even started school yet, so you can't think about how to have a holiday."

"When the time comes, if the teacher is on vacation, you can study at home by yourselves."

"If you can't go to class, I'll hire a mule cart to take you to the city gate. It won't be far from there."

Yu Cheng shook his head like a rattle: "That would be deceiving you, sir. I won't do that."

Dun Dun also said with determination: "I will not do anything to deceive you, sir."

Li was choked to the point of being speechless for a moment, and could only stare at the two honest little ones.

Jiang smiled and tried to smooth things over, saying, "Let's not worry about it. Mr. Yang is not a heartless person. He won't do anything that would make the child suffer."

"If it really doesn't work, let the children hold their umbrellas, put on their raincoats, and bring a set of shoes, socks, and clothes to change into. Nothing will happen."

Li looked helpless and said angrily, "You two silly boys, I'm doing this for your own good."

Shen Yu was laughing as he watched from the side. Once the children go to school, parents’ worries will begin.