CHAPTER 28: CHAPTER 28: RELUCTANT ACCEPTANCE

Song Wei went to the town school, and had already talked it over with the private tutor there. Next month, they would send Yuanbao to study.

At lunchtime, Granny Song and Song Fang bought some piglets back.

Upon hearing that the town school had agreed, Granny Song furrowed her brows, "If he goes to the town, won’t it be ten days or half a month before he comes back once?"

Song Wei said, "The town school also has a ten-day rest period; he can come back about three times a month."

Granny Song worried again, saying that her eldest grandson had never been so far from home. Now that he would stay in the town school, what about meals? What about sleeping? Does anyone wash his clothes? Does anyone wake him up? Is the food good at the town school? If not, could he buy himself some snacks with pocket money?

Song Wei rubbed his temples, "If you’re worried, why don’t you go with him, and rent a small courtyard near the town school to take care of Yuanbao."

Granny Song refused, saying it wasn’t just for a day or two, but years, and it was too expensive, "If I had that kind of money to rent a house, I’d rather give it to Yuanbao as pocket money so he could buy extra food!"

Song Wei found it amusing.

His mother’s reputation for being frugal was well-known.

But aside from family, outsiders didn’t know that Granny Song was only frugal outwardly. When it concerned Yuanbao and Song Wei, Granny Song would rather eat less herself to leave the best for them. Otherwise, how could a penny-pincher like Granny Song go to buy meat from Liu Sanhuozi’s house periodically, if not because she thought her son and grandson needed the nourishment for their brains, and they couldn’t just eat vegetables and radishes all the time?

So, it wasn’t that the Song family was wealthy, but that Granny Song was willing to spend on her third son and eldest grandson.

——

Old Song came back in the evening, having hunted a muntjac, saying its skin was nice and should be kept to make boots for Yuanbao. Then he called Song Wei to join him, and together they deftly butchered the muntjac, saving some meat for the kitchen while preparing to sell the rest at the town market in the morning.

The last to know that he was being sent to study at the town school was Song Yuanbao, who was squatting by the threshold, holding his cheeks with a gloomy face.

Wen Wan nudged him a couple of times but got no response.

"You’re so excited about going to town school that you can’t even eat?" Song Wei’s voice came from behind.

Wen Wan glanced back at Song Wei, then stepped aside to leave space for the father and son.

Song Yuanbao pouted and ignored Song Wei.

Song Wei looked down at him, "You always complained that Mr. Yan at the village school taught the same things over and over. Now that we’re sending you to a place where you can formally study, why are you unwilling?"

"I don’t want to go," Song Yuanbao murmured with his head down. Even though the town wasn’t far, he could only come back once every ten days, and just the thought of it made his heart feel cold.

"Why don’t you want to go?"

"I just got a mother."

"Even if you go to the town school, Wanwan will still be your mother."

"That’s not the same!"

"Why’s it not the same?"

Song Yuanbao angrily lifted his head to look at Song Wei, "I don’t know anyone at the town school."

Song Wei smiled faintly, "You said the same when you first went to the village school."

Song Yuanbao: "..."

"Alright," Song Wei didn’t force him, "if you truly don’t want to go to town school, you can continue at the village school."

Having grown up by Song Wei’s side, influenced by his example, the three years at the village school were almost unnecessary for Yuanbao; he didn’t need to start from scratch. Song Wei just felt that Yuanbao shouldn’t stay at home all the time, as managing basic social relationships was crucial, or else he’d end up book smart but socially awkward.

Song Yuanbao sniffled and asked Wen Wan, "If I go to the town school, will mother come visit me?"

Wen Wan nodded.

"Will she bring me snacks?"

Wen Wan nodded again.

With Song Wei looking speechless, Song Yuanbao reluctantly said, "Then I’ll go."