CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 41: THE TERRIFYING ROOSTER

Sun Mei patted her little head. "Alright, that’s enough clinging. Get up now so your dad and uncle can bring the cart in."

Everyone quickly stepped aside, allowing the two flatbed carts to enter the courtyard.

Then Sun Mei turned to Qiao Muchen and asked, "Muchen, would you like to stay for lunch at our place today?"

Qiao Muchen shook his head immediately. "No thanks, Auntie. My mother is waiting for me at home."

With that, he said his goodbyes and prepared to head home. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he turned back, took Zhao Zhitong’s hand, and invited her again, "In that case, would you like to come to my family’s study to read?"

Zhao Zhitong nodded her little head vigorously, like a chick pecking at grain. "Mhm, mhm, mhm!" Then she asked, "Can I bring my own book?"

Qiao Muchen affirmed, "Of course, you can! You can also read my books. Alright, it’s settled then. I’ll come get you after lunch."

With that, he bid Sun Mei and the others farewell once more and trotted off.

Zhao Zhitong also cheered and ran into the small courtyard to play with her cousins.

Sun Mei closed the main gate and entered the courtyard. Her second maternal aunt, Mrs. Liu, approached curiously, asking, "Sun Mei, whose child is that?"

Knowing Second Aunt Liu was asking about Qiao Muchen, Sun Mei smiled and said, "He’s a child from the Qiao Clan in Xiaoyi Village. He attends the school and knows Tongtong. He came today to invite Tongtong to his home to read. You all weren’t back yet when he arrived, and he insisted on waiting here himself. That child is quite persistent."

"Oh, I see."

Second Aunt Liu nodded, mentally running through which nearby families were named Qiao. Then she asked, "The Qiao Clan, you mean the one that moved to Xiaoyi Village about a year ago?"

Sun Mei replied, "I believe so."

Second Aunt Liu’s interest in gossip was instantly piqued. "Ah, I’ve heard that this Qiao Clan was once a prominent family. Then, for some unknown reason, they fell into decline, and the men of the family were lost. Only the widow and her child, along with an old woman who used to serve them, moved to Xiaoyi Village. I don’t know if it’s true or not."

Sun Mei chuckled. Her second sister-in-law, Liu, truly loved to gossip. She could unearth news from villages miles around; it was quite a talent.

Seeing Sun Mei laugh, Second Sister-in-law Liu was puzzled. "What are you laughing at? Do you know something?"

"No, no, I don’t know anything," Sun Mei waved her hand. "I just think you know so much, Sister-in-law."

Second Sister-in-law Liu grinned. "But of course! I know a lot of things. You can ask me anything you want to know."

Then she started gossiping with Sun Mei about encountering Xiao Wang at the market earlier that day.

Zhao Dong, Sun Youli, and Sun Youcai worked together to unload the items from the flatbed carts.

Sun Mei and Second Sister-in-law Liu also brought the food to the table, while the little kids set out the bowls and chopsticks.

At the dinner table, Zhao Dong brought up his plan to go to the county town.

"Let’s go the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow, I need to take Tongtong to arrange her apprenticeship. The day after that, we’ll go to the county town, and we can also take some tofu and tofu to sell."

Sun Youcai immediately said to Sun Youli, "Second Brother, let’s go with Brother-in-law! We can bring more tofu; it’ll definitely sell for a good price in the county town!"

Zhao Dong had the same idea. "I agree. We can tell the villagers tomorrow. The day after, when we go to the county town, we won’t wholesale the tofu. Instead, we’ll make extra overnight and take it all to sell there."

Everyone readily agreed.

After the meal, Zhao Dong divided the money earned that day, and his second maternal uncle’s family headed home first.

Qiao Muchen also arrived to call for Zhao Zhitong.

Hearing Qiao Muchen’s call from outside the gate, Zhao Zhitong, standing in the courtyard, shouted back, "I’ll be right there!"

Then, she scurried into her room on her short legs, picked up the medical book her maternal grandfather had given her, clutched it like a treasure, and ran back out.

This time, Qiao Muchen hadn’t come alone; Shi Xiaosi, also known as Xiao Shitou, who always followed him, was also there.

Qiao Muchen explained that Shi Xiaosi was Grandma Qian’s grandson and served as his young study companion.

For this reason, Zhao Zhitong had secretly complained to Grandpa Bai about Qiao Muchen, saying he was too delicate and needed someone with him wherever he went—unlike her, who was brave enough to sleep alone now.

Seeing Zhao Zhitong run over hugging a book, Qiao Muchen pointed to it and asked, "Is that your book?"

Zhao Zhitong nodded proudly. "Mhm, my maternal grandfather gave it to me."

Qiao Muchen said, "My family’s study also has many books my father left me. Come, I’ll show you."

Zhao Zhitong followed Qiao Muchen to his home.

Qiao Muchen’s home was next to Country Gentry Wei’s estate. It was a large compound with high walls, enclosing houses built with green bricks and tiled roofs.

The courtyard also contained a fenced vegetable garden, several hens pecking around for food, and a large, imposing rooster strutting about.

When the big rooster saw them, it showed no fear and even approached them. Zhao Zhitong was terrified.

She was so scared her words tumbled out, "Roo...rooster! Ah, it’s coming over!"

The usually fearless Zhao Zhitong was terrified of roosters. This was because, at the age of three, she had visited her maternal grandfather’s house and been pecked on her bottom by his large rooster.

Ever since, she had been afraid of roosters.

Qiao Muchen immediately stepped in front of Zhao Zhitong, spreading his arms to shoo the rooster away.

However, this particular rooster showed no fear of people today. It remained unfazed even when Qiao Muchen tried to shoo it away.

With seemingly elegant strides, crowing as it went, the rooster swaggered towards them.

Xiao Shitou also rushed to their side to help drive the rooster away. Soon, the courtyard echoed with the shouts of the three children and the rooster’s crows.

Hearing the commotion, Old Lady Qian hurried out.

Qiao Muchen cried out, "Grandma Qian, quickly shoo it away!"

Old Lady Qian was startled, wondering what was wrong. Then she realized the children were terrified of a mere rooster.

She immediately stepped forward, deftly shooed the rooster into the coop, and reassured them, "Young Master, it’s alright, it’s alright. Roosters don’t bite."

Zhao Zhitong, speaking from painful experience, gestured emphatically. "Its beak is sharp! It really does peck people!"

Qiao Muchen, still pale from the scare, nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes! Its beak is so sharp. It would hurt terribly if it pecked you!"

The two children looked at each other, and Zhao Zhitong felt she had found a kindred spirit. "Exactly! It’s really painful, isn’t it?"

And so, the two children stood in the courtyard, a united front against the fearsome rooster.

Just then, Mother Qiao emerged from her room. She had heard from Qiao Muchen that morning about his plan to bring a friend home to read.

Therefore, she wasn’t surprised to see Zhao Zhitong. Smiling, she said, "You must be Tongtong. You look so full of spirit."

Zhao Zhitong looked at the speaker. She was a gentle-looking woman, about the same age as her own mother.

She greeted her sweetly, "Hello, Auntie. I’m Tongtong."

Mother Qiao smiled. "You’re here to read, aren’t you? Go on in, then, while it’s still early."

Zhao Zhitong and Qiao Muchen bid Mother Qiao farewell and headed to the study.

The study was quite large and divided into two sections. The inner section was a large room where various books were displayed. The outer section was a smaller room that Qiao Muchen used for his daily lessons.

The study was well-lit and very bright.

Just as Qiao Muchen had said, the inner room held two entire rows of towering bookshelves packed with books.

Gazing at bookshelves that towered over her, Zhao Zhitong, who had never seen so many books in one place, was utterly amazed.

Grandpa Bai also had a small study filled with books, but he was stingy and never let her touch them.

Grandpa Bai, thus labeled stingy: ...