Chapter 842: Good and Bad
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
La Ma kept one brow pricked up as he put down his cup and asked, “You want your son to beco a teacher?”
“Ah, Second Brother Ma, you are now the leading carving master in One Finger Village. Wouldn’t it be a natural matter for you to arrange for your nephew to work there?” ng Changming said.
La Ma narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath to suppress the anger in him. “Becoming a teacher, that is nice as well.”
“Really? I really have to thank you then, Second Brother! Didn’t I say so? Any problem can be resolved if we co to Second Brother!” ng Changming was delighted as he imdiately poured La Ma so alcohol, but La Ma stopped him.
La Ma continued. “Being a teacher is nice, sure. But everything will depend on your son’s talent. He will start off as an apprentice. If he can’t even pass my standards, he might as well stay an apprentice for the rest of his life.”
“Ah?” Upon hearing that, ng Changming’s smile froze. He knew what his son amounted to. He couldn’t take any hardship or grievance. Although his claim was they wanted him to learn engraving, he knew very well that his son wouldn’t be able to master anything. He’d sent ng Dezi over, not to really learn any skills, but for the school! If they acted in accordance with La Ma’s words, his son would probably really end up being an apprentice for the rest of his life.
Ma Jiangping couldn’t accept it that mont she heard it. “Second Brother, you… Are you treating us as strangers? Who’s Dezi? He’s your nephew. You can’t just not do a thing, right?”
La Ma shot a glance at Ma Jiangping and said, “It’s precisely because he’s my nephew that I have to be strict. Furthermore, if he weren’t, he wouldn’t even have a chance of becoming an apprentice!”
Ma Jiangping and ng Changming were instantly rooted to the ground. How were they to continue the conversation?
Ma Jiangping took a deep breath and forced a smile. “Second Brother, at least do it for my sake. We have been relatives for years. Now that my child is so old, he can’t just be without a proper job, right? Why don’t you help him by arranging a school position for him? That would be all, wouldn’t it?”
La Ma tsked and said eccentrically, “Do you know what the school will be teaching?”
“Engraving, right? What else?” Ma Jiangping replied.
Bam!
La Ma slamd the table and stood up! This gave ng Dezi a shock as he dropped his chopsticks onto the table.
When La Ma saw this, he thought even worse of ng Dezi. He crossed his brows and said angrily, “So you do know that it teaches engraving, but are you unaware of your son? He’s illiterate and can’t even hold his chopsticks firmly. Yet you want him to beco a teacher straight from the bat? If he’s made a teacher, it’s fine that he’ll end up shaming , but it will also be a disgrace to One Finger Village. How am I to answer my fellow villagers if I allow that to happen? As I said, he can stay behind to be an apprentice. Go up the mountain daily and chop a hundred stems. He’s not to eat unless he finishes the task! If he doesn’t wish to do so, he can leave!”
Upon hearing that, ng Dezi subconsciously exclaid. “Is that even sothing fit for a human to do?”
La Ma nearly threw the rice pot over his head! However, he ultimately held back and sat back down to eat silently.
The al was eaten in an extrely gloomy atmosphere.
After the al, Ma Jiangping went to do the dishes, leaving the room’s atmosphere even heavier.
Later in the afternoon, it was unknown what Ma Jiangping said to ng Changming and the rest, but they seed to put on a totally different attitude as they ca over with beaming smiles. They began chatting with La Ma over trivial matters, talking about their childhood or parents. There was no ntion of ng Dezi becoming a teacher.
La Ma believed that Ma Jiangping had realized his bottom line and heaved a sigh of relief.
They were relatives and childhood playmates after all. As they chatted, his mood was uplifted.
At night, Ma Jiangping also drank so alcohol as she wept at the dining table… As she cried, she said, “Second Brother, why is my life so tragic?”
La Ma was also left a little at a loss. All he could do was console her.
Ma Jiangping seed to pour out everything bad about her life; things like how useless her husband was or how stupid her son was. How her family had led a difficult life, and how they were on their last legs, etc. She also ntioned how ill she was and that she had no idea how long she would be able to live. And now, she didn’t have the money to seek dical help either. Sending her son to learn a skill was a helpless choice, and so on.
La Ma was left dazzled by Ma Jiangping’s words. Thinking back to how tough his life had previously been, he could empathize with her.
On the second day, Ma Jiangping left La Ma’s house with twenty thousand yuan. As they walked, ng Changming grumbled. “Jiangping, your second brother isn’t much either. I heard how people extolled him and how impressive he is in One Finger Village, to the point of calling him an engraving master. Yet he can’t even arrange a job for our son. What a bullsh*t master.”
His daughter-in-law, Peng Xueyu, added. “If I had to say sothing, I’d say he just doesn’t want to help even though he can. What kind of relative is that?”
Ma Jiangping said, “Sigh. This person has forgotten his roots now that he has a little success. When I return, I’ll tell others that he really isn’t a person worth having ties with.”
“Mom, then when do you plan on returning this money?” ng Dezi asked Ma Jiangping.
Ma Jiangping glared at him and said, “Return? Why should we? He’s now skilled and rich. Can’t he take care of his relatives? The country’s leadership even said to let so people get rich first to help the rest. Is he supposed to be an exception? Besides, we are relatives!”
ng Changming nodded as well. “That’s right. Now that he’s capable and One Finger Village is a wealthy village in the area, do you think he’s short of money with his skills? He isn’t short of this bit of money.”
“But can relationships be asured with money?” Peng Xueyu added.
As they chatted, they left One Finger Village.
As for La Ma, he sat at ho, thinking over the matter. He felt troubled for he had a nagging feeling that the matter wasn’t that simple. After a careful recall, he realized that although Ma Jiangping had looked drunk, everything she said circled around a main topic—that she was short of money, and that without money, her days would be tough. She had then left him to decide for himself.
When La Ma thought of this, he exclaid. “Man! I got duped!”
At that mont, La Ma finally realized that Ma Jiangping’s family had co to reap the benefits of his wealth! Things like learning a skill or being a school teacher were just perks they tried to get in passing! If those failed, they wanted to borrow money. Otherwise, why would relatives he had not interacted with for years suddenly appear?
With this in mind, La Ma’s heart chilled. However, he looked into the mirror and consoled himself. “Forget it. We are family. Perhaps, they are really in trouble? Perhaps, they aren’t as bad as I imagine them to be?”
With this in mind, La Ma’s mind eased quite significantly.
However, the mont La Ma thought of his savings, his heart pained. Although life in One Finger Village was improving and La Ma had taken in quite a number of disciples, it was only the beginning of One Finger Village’s rise. La Ma also taught his disciples for free and he would only get so free alcohol for it at best. Therefore, La Ma had little savings. The twenty thousand yuan he gave was most of his wealth!
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