These past few days, working in the forest farm during the day and moving bricks for two hours at dusk, although tiring, by the ti school starts, accumulating ten yuan should be enough.
"Hualian, I've inquired about the tuition for high school. We can first pay half and owe the rest. That way, once my forest farm wages are paid, it should cover the tuition. The money earned from moving bricks will help us get through these months."
"Zhengde, thank you." Zhang Hualian said with gratitude, not knowing what else to say besides 'thank you'.
Zhang Hualian has been married into the Tang Family for thirteen years, and Tang Zhengde has been really good to her.
"We are a family, no need for formalities." Tang Zhengde thought for a mont and then explained, "Don't take my mother's words to heart, I will definitely support Xiao Yue's education. Xiao Yue has such good grades, it would be a waste not to pursue education."
"Mmm." Zhang Hualian nodded, unable to bear the thought of stopping Tang Yue from studying.
"Zhengde, you've had it tough, doing so much every day." Zhang Hualian always felt indebted to Tang Zhengde, grateful for her fortune in marrying him.
"She is my daughter too, how about compensating ?" Tang Zhengde whispered in her ear; in the darkness, Zhang Hualian, embarrassed, bit her lip, afraid of being heard by others.
Early morning, with the chirping of birds, Tang Yue dragged the still sleepy Tang Jun to start running around the village.
Tang Jun went from initial resistance to no longer being able to resist.
Fortunately, where they lived was not crowded, so they just ran around in circles, not encountering many people.
"Tang Yue, can't you let sleep a bit more?" Tang Jun, barely able to keep his eyes open, followed Tang Yue running. For the past month, aside from doing formulas, morizing texts, completing question papers, and practicing writing, he hadn't gone out to play at all!
"You go to sleep; if Dad doesn't let you study, I won't care." Tang Yue said while running, still feeling out of breath even after several days of running.
Tang Jun, puffing angrily, still followed her.
After a month of recuperation, Tang Yue's health had fully recovered.
During the day, Tang Yue took the ti to tutor Tang Jun, and in the evening, to save on electricity, apart from during dinner, they sat in the courtyard to cool off.
Under the star-studded night sky, in the Tang Family's courtyard, amidst the clear sounds of reading, there were occasional corrections made by Tang Yue.
Tang Zhengde sat in the rocking chair, lying down after a tireso day, snoring away.
Zhang Hualian was busy in the kitchen.
*
"What, Zhengde won't let Xiao Jun attend middle school?" Granny Tang, hearing her grandson Tang Xian's words, imdiately flared up.
Putting down her chopsticks, Granny Tang, without even finishing her dinner, stord angrily to the next door. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she pointed at Zhang Hualian and berated, "Zhang Hualian, you shaless woman, how could you have the nerve to encourage Zhengde to prevent Xiao Jun from attending middle school so your daughter could go to high school!"
"Our Tang Family has treated you well, how could you be so heartless!"
"Poor Xiao Jun, his own father has turned into a stepfather."
Granny Tang lanted and sobbed; were it not for Tang Zhengde stepping in, Granny Tang's slap might have landed on Zhang Hualian's face.
"Mom, you're overthinking it. Who's stopping Xiao Jun from studying? I never said Xiao Jun couldn't study," Tang Zhengde hurriedly explained.
"Then what's with Xiao Jun recently, not going out to play at all, just staying ho doing howork?"
Granny Tang retorted.
"Mom, wasn't I just trying to help Xiao Jun catch up on his schoolwork?" Tang Zhengde glared at his nephew, Xiao Xian, behind him.
Uncle Tang's wife, Wang Aihua, imdiately shielded her son behind her and said, "Xiao Xian's uncle, these aren't just so random words from Xiao Xian. It was Xiao Jun who told Xiao Xian himself. Xiao Jun, tell us, did your dad say if your grades aren't good, he won't let you continue your schooling?"
"Yes." Tang Jun nodded.
Granny Tang trembled with anger, and slapped Tang Zhengde while saying, "Good for you, Tang Zhengde, denying your own son an education, yet providing for soone else's daughter, letting that wretched girl go to school. Is this how a father should act?"
"Mom." Tang Zhengde was helpless. Granny Tang simply wouldn't listen to his explanations.
Seeing the situation escalating, Tang Jun quickly explained, "Granny, my grades have improved a lot recently. Dad said he would let continue my studies."
"Really?" Granny Tang was skeptical.
Tang Jun nodded affirmatively, "It couldn't be truer."
"That's more like it." Granny Tang, knowing he could continue his studies, finally felt sowhat reassured. She then coldly glanced at Tang Yue and said, "A girl like her, what's the use of studying so much? It's better to get married early."
Tang Yue pursed her lips, standing aside, remaining silent.
Zhang Hualian, fearing that her daughter and mother-in-law might start a conflict, was about to speak when Tang Zhengde cut in, "Mom, Tang Yue's grades are so good, even the teachers say she's promising. It would be a pity if she doesn't continue her studies."
"A promising one, but not your own flesh and blood," Granny Tang muttered displeasedly.
Tang Yue earnestly said, "I treat him as my real father, and I will honor my dad in the future."
"After raising you for fourteen years, you finally call him 'dad'?" Granny Tang didn't take Tang Yue's words to heart at all; she found it strange for all these years, Tang Yue never showed a good expression towards Tang Zhengde.
Granny Tang, as a mother, saw everything and was anxious, but her son Tang Zhengde always protected Zhang Hualian and her daughter, and there was nothing she could do.
Not to ntion, Tang Yue's recent appendicitis flare-up cost over forty yuan, making Granny Tang even less fond of Tang Yue.
"Granny, I was wrong before." Tang Yue admitted her mistake; her feelings towards Granny Tang were complicated.
Ever since she was little, being scolded as "wretched girl" by Granny Tang was a daily occurrence, and even during festivals, Granny Tang wouldn't spare her a glance.
However, if sothing serious happened to her, Granny Tang wouldn't just stand by and watch.
Take this recent incident for example, she quietly asked her mom, and Granny Tang contributed twenty yuan, which even caused Uncle Tang to get mad at Granny Tang.
Granny Tang was typically harsh with a soft heart.
"Has the sun risen from the west?" Granny Tang raised her eyebrows, sizing up Tang Yue. Since she had returned to the courtyard ho, she hadn't really looked at her properly. Tang Yue, still the sa person, no longer had her previous hostility. With her hair tied in a ponytail, she looked spirited, and her eyes seed as if they could speak.
She indeed looked more pleasant than before.
"Mom, don't look at Xiao Yue like that, she'll feel embarrassed," Tang Zhengde cleared his throat, his face still stinging where Granny Tang had hit him.
"Hmph, you always shield her."
Granny Tang patted the dust off her clothes and said, "Since it's not true, I'll just go ho to eat. I haven't even had a full al yet."
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