The reason Zhao Yue disliked Zhao Zhitong so much traced back to their very first eting.
At that ti, Zhao Zhitong hadn’t been in this world for long. Although she possessed the mories of this place, she was still filled with curiosity about everything around her.
One ti, while following Zhao Dong to fetch water, she accidentally stumbled upon Butcher Zhao’s ho, drawn by the sound of soone reading aloud.
Their front gate was tightly shut, and she could only faintly hear intermittent recitation coming from within the courtyard.
Curiosity piqued, Zhao Zhitong climbed a crooked tree near Zhao Yue’s front gate to peek inside.
Then, she saw Zhao Yue, who had just been punished by Butcher Zhao by having his palms struck. He was crying while intermittently reciting his lessons.
Perhaps hearing the rustling in the tree, Zhao Yue looked up with tear-filled eyes, only to see a child sitting in the tree, smiling at him.
Yes, in their very first encounter, Zhao Zhitong had caught him after Butcher Zhao had made him cry.
As soone very conscious of his image and a self-proclaid ’little man,’ Zhao Yue felt he had lost face in front of Zhao Zhitong. Naturally, he had treated her coldly ever since.
Later, Zhao Zhitong would often appear at his gate, watching him study. He grew angry and complained to his father that Zhao Zhitong always disturbed his studies, causing him to read for half a day without retaining anything.
Who would have thought that the little girl was not only unafraid of his father but also boldly lodged a complaint against Zhao Yue himself? She claid she could morize his recitations just by listening, while he still couldn’t. This, she asserted, must be because he wasn’t applying himself wholeheartedly.
Then, in her childish voice, the little girl flawlessly recited the passage he had struggled to morize all day.
Consequently, his father scolded him soundly!
Zhao Zhitong, on the other hand, was showered with praise. After that, his father developed a particular fondness for that annoying girl and often told Zhao Yue to play with her more.
This only fueled his rebellious streak further.
At this mont, Zhao Yue was watching Zhao Zhitong, who was in front of him, making faces at Qiao Muchen. Her chubby little face was fair and clean, and when she smiled, a dimple appeared at the corner of her mouth. She looked even cuter than before, yet Zhao Yue felt inexplicably even more unhappy.
So, he slumped onto his desk in a huff and refused to look at her anymore.
After Scholar ng introduced Zhao Zhitong to the students, he had her sit in the front row. She shared a desk with Miss Wei, Third Daughter, and sat next to Qiao Muchen, with an aisle between them.
Once Zhao Zhitong was seated, the Teacher began the class. The children in their beginner class primarily studied three books: Aid Chapter, "Essential Enlightennt Teachings", and Thousand Character Classic.
Thousand Character Classic and Aid Chapter were texts for learning characters, increasing knowledge, and broadening horizons. "Essential Enlightennt Teachings" focused on moral education for young children.
After these three books were completed, the Teacher would begin teaching them the Analects.
Today, they were learning the last six lines of the Thousand Character Classic. Zhao Zhitong sat upright with her small hands behind her back, studying very earnestly.
Across the aisle, Qiao Muchen was thrilled to be studying with his good friend and recited with even more vigor than usual when reading with the Teacher during class.
Zhao Zhitong, not to be outdone, would recite even louder if Qiao Muchen was loud.
The other students seed to be inspired by this, and the learning atmosphere in the entire classroom improved. Scholar ng was very pleased with the lesson.
After teaching the day’s material, Scholar ng had them study on their own and went to the older students’ class next door.
There was only one Teacher, Scholar ng, in the school. Since students enrolled at different tis and had different learning needs, they were divided into two classes based on their academic level.
However, not many children could afford to study. Firstly, many families were too poor; most were farming households that relied on their crops for a living, and few had the ans to support a student. Secondly, Country Gentry Wei upheld strict enrollnt criteria; many children were not deed clever enough to be admitted to the school.
Therefore, one person teaching two classes wasn’t too exhausting.
Children usually began their elentary education between seven and eight years old. Thus, most students in this beginner class were around that age, precisely when they are most mischievous.
Indeed, no sooner had the Teacher left than so restless students began to stir.
Once Scholar ng left, Zhao Yue imdiately gathered with two like-minded friends. They put their heads together, plotting so mischief.
One suggested, "Did you see? Zhao Zhitong is wearing new clothes today. Girls definitely care about their appearance. We can dirty her clothes with ink, and she’ll definitely cry."
Another added excitedly, "During the midday break, we could also draw a mustache on her face."
But Zhao Yue thought it wasn’t a good idea to do this at school. If Zhao Zhitong cried and tattled to the Teacher, they would surely be punished.
So, they decided to play a prank on her outside the school after classes ended.
The very thought of Zhao Zhitong being bullied and crying made Zhao Yue a little happy. He said excitedly, "When school is over, let’s get more ink. I want to draw turtles all over her clothes!"
While these ’little rascals,’ instead of studying, huddled together cooking up wicked ideas, Zhao Zhitong and Qiao Muchen on the other side were quite the opposite.
At that mont, the two were competing to see who could morize the Thousand Character Classic first, so they were both reciting the verses loudly, shaking their heads as they did.
After a while, both grew tired and began quizzing each other.
Actually, having followed the Teacher’s lessons on the Thousand Character Classic sporadically before, Zhao Zhitong had already morized most of it. Therefore, once she finished reciting it, her attention was drawn to sothing else—her deskmate! She wondered how any girl could be so quiet all the ti.
She took the initiative to strike up a conversation. "My na is Zhao Zhitong. What’s yours?"
Startled by her new deskmate suddenly speaking to her, Miss Wei, Third Daughter, lowered her head and stamred softly, "I... I am Wei Shulan."
Zhao Zhitong praised generously, "Wow, your na is beautiful!"
Miss Wei, Third Daughter, looked a little frightened, her eyes moist like those of a startled fawn. "Your... your na is also very nice."
Zhao Zhitong laughed happily and then beca chatty. "Right? Right? I think my na is nice too. Who chose your na? My grandfather chose mine. He said he hopes for to have ’great talent and profound knowledge, and for Tongtong to have a beautiful appearance.’"
Zhao Zhitong’s enthusiasm gradually helped Wei Shulan relax. She replied softly, "My father chose it. It doesn’t have any special aning; it was just chosen according to our family registry."
But Zhao Zhitong countered, "I think it should an ’well-read and courteous, with a heart of orchid-like purity and intelligence.’"
And so, the two little girls chatted about everything under the sun, from their nas to what they had for breakfast, and then about their siblings.
Zhao Zhitong proudly boasted about how many "brothers and sisters" she had—though, of course, they were all cousins.
Wei Shulan was surprised. "You have so many brothers and sisters! I also have one brother, three male cousins, and two female cousins, but not as many as you."
Zhao Zhitong looked surprised; soone actually had so many siblings, just like her! But still not as many as , she thought, inwardly chuckling.
After reveling in her own thoughts for a mont, she consoled Wei Shulan, "It’s alright, you already have many. You receive much more love from your brothers and sisters than others do."
At this, Wei Shulan’s eyes dimd, and she lowered her head.
Zhao Zhitong didn’t notice her emotional shift; instead, her gaze was captivated by a small wooden carving on Wei Shulan’s desk.
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