Chapter 300: Fun in the Stream

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Ji Xiang brought the two children out of the manor and turned right. They walked along the stone seed road paved with sand, lime, and yellow mud. The seedlings in the fields on both sides of the stone road had already been divided.

After a while, the corn in the ground grew a foot. The green corn leaves swayed back and forth with the wind.

The afternoon sun shone scorchingly on the ground. The heat in the distant forest cried out. Ji Xiang held the hands of the two children with curious expressions. The children touched and looked around. After walking for almost an hour, they saw a group of children playing in the stream in front of them.

The width of the stream was about seven to eight feet wide, and the water was not deep enough to reach the children’s calves. They took off their clothes and placed them on the bank. All of them were playing in the stream naked. From afar, they could hear the children shouting, “Little stutterer, the fish is about to escape. Hurry up and catch it. There’s one more… Hurry up…”

Sanzi stood by the backpack and saw Ji Xiang coming over with the two children. He hurriedly shouted, “Brother, Brother, get up quickly. Uncle Steward is here.” He shouted and but his brother who was catching the fish in the stream laughed happily. He could not hear Sanzi’s shout at all.

Yangyang and Seven Pounds looked curiously at the naked boys in the stream. Some of them had fair skin, while others were already dark red and shiny from the sun.

Sanzi looked curiously at the two fair and tender fatties and bit his finger, not daring to go over.

Yangyang retreated and held Ji Xiang’s hand. “Uncle Ji Xiang, play with water.”

A child called Little Loach was the first to notice Ji Xiang and the others. He shyly covered his front with his hand and ran ashore. Ji Xiang smiled and said, “Little Loach didn’t cover Little Sparrow and it flew out.”

Little Loach lowered his head and shouted, “Uncle Steward, you lied to me.”

Only then did the children notice Ji Xiang, Yangyang, and Seven Pounds. They covered their mouths shyly and ran ashore.

The bold one ran to Ji Xiang with the fish basket. “Uncle Steward, look, we caught half a basket of fish. There’s a dark fish and a few big carp.”

Ji Xiang lowered his head to take a look. There was indeed a black fish and a few palm-sized carp in the fish basket. There were also some small fish and prawns that kept jumping in the fish basket.

Yangyang and Seven Pounds were also squatting by the fish basket, looking curiously at the fish and prawns. From time to time, they would poke at them with their fat hands.

Ji Xiang smiled. “Yes! Not bad. Have you seen the ducks and geese you released?”

Shui Sheng pointed at the corner and said, “Uncle Steward, we went into the water to play after cutting the grass. Little Yezi, Er Ya, and Jizi are watching from below!”

“Alright, you’re all good children.” Ji Xiang looked over and saw a few girls sitting by the stream releasing ducks and geese. He held Yangyang and Seven Pound’s hands. “Young Master, you and Seven Pounds can watch the big brothers pick fish.”

Little Loach had already put on his clothes. He walked up to Ji Xiang and looked at Yangyang and Seven Pounds. “Uncle Steward, which family are they from?” Ji Xiang pointed at the two of them and said, “This is Master’s young master. This is Seven Pounds. Seven Pounds is Manager Ruyi’s son. They will be living in the manor these days. Madam even invited a teacher to teach everyone. Everyone, come over and greet Young Master. In the future, everyone has to protect Young Master, understand?”

Little Loach, Shui Sheng, and more than ten other boys surrounded Yangyang and Seven Pounds and replied loudly, “Got it, Uncle Steward.” They cupped their hands at Yangyang and shouted, “Greetings, Young Master. Seven Pounds.”

Yangyang looked at them and smiled. He led Seven Pounds to Sanzi and held his hand. “Brother, go down and play with the water.”

“Let’s go and play with the water.” Seven Pounds also pulled Sanzi back. The three of them walked towards the stream.

Ji Xiang quickly took off their shoes and smiled. “Go! Have fun for a while.” The group of children hugged the two of them and ran into the stream.

Ji Xiang stood by the stream and smiled at the two children playing happily.

A child brought the fish basket to the two of them and pointed at the small fish inside. “Young Master, Seven Pounds, catch fish quickly.”

The two children reached out to touch the fish in the fish basket and hurriedly retracted their hands. Sanzi walked up to catch a carp and placed it in the fish basket hanging by the stream.

When Yangyang and Seven Pounds saw this, they grabbed it.

Liu Yi brought Liu Hanmin to the manor to see Li Yu. Li Yu saw that Liu Hanmin had good facial features and a thin figure. He walked with his crippled leg.

Looking at the two people standing at the side after bowing, she said gently to Liu Hanmin, “Mr. Liu, you’re teaching the children on the farmstead and perhaps the children in the nearby village. There might be a lot of them. You’re mainly teaching the children how to read and calculate. If they have talent and learn well, we’ll focus on nurturing them. Your tuition fee is twelve taels a year, and we cover food and accommodation as well as clothes for the four seasons.”

Liu Hanmin bowed and said, “I’ll remember. Thank you, Madam.”

Li Yu smiled and said, “Sir, you’re too polite. It might be a few days before the school tables and chairs are ready. When they’re ready, I’ll get Ruyi to pick you up.”

“Thank you, Madam.” Seeing that Li Yu had accepted Liu Hanmin, Liu Yi bowed gratefully and left with Liu Hanmin.

When Mr. Wen returned from his consultations, he saw Yangyang returning from the stream. He and Seven Pounds happily followed a group of children back, followed by Ji Xiang, who was carrying a fish basket.

“Grandmaster, we’re here!” When the two of them saw Mr. Wen, they abandoned their group of friends and ran toward him.

Mr. Wen looked at the two children lovingly. “Run slowly. Don’t fall.”

Yangyang’s round eyes were filled with novelty as he shared happily with Mr. Wen, “Grandmaster, there’s water over there. It’s very fun. We’re playing with water and catching fish.” As he spoke, he cupped his chubby hands and pretended to catch fish.

“It’s like this.” Seven Pounds felt that Yangyang’s demonstration was inaccurate. He spread his fingers and made a grabbing posture.

Mr. Wen looked at the two children’s cheerful expressions and laughed out loud. “Children should come out and get down to earth to be healthy.”

Ji Xiang nodded and raised the fish basket in his hand. He smiled and said, “Old Master, the children caught some fish in the stream. They’ll be added to the dishes tonight.”

“Alright, we’ll have fish soup tonight.” Mr. Wen nodded happily. Ah Wei smiled and said to Ji Xiang, “Is Madam also here?”

“They’re here. Madam and Master will stay on the farm for a few days.”

Mr. Wen led the two children in and smiled. “Alright, it’s cool at the foot of the mountain compared to the humidity in the city. We’ll go back to the city when the weather gets cold.”

Li Yu brought Gu Yu and Xing Hua to tidy up the rooms. Old Madam Yun entered the courtyard and bowed to Li Yu with a smile. “Madam, should we cook in the kitchen in the main courtyard?”

Li Yu thought about how Old Madam Yun and the others had to manage the food of 40 to 50 people and nodded. “Yes, send the ingredients to the kitchen. Sir, Ji Xiang, and the others can eat in the backyard!”

Old Madam Yun smiled and said, “Madam, we’re also free. Aunt Xue and a few others are fighting to work in the outer courtyard. Aunt Xu and I are free in the outer courtyard. Let us come back to cook and clean up!” Li Yu smiled and said, “Alright, come back to the backyard!”

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