“Okay, thank you, Xiaolu. Go get some rest. You must be tired after walking all this way.”
Madam Qian said with a gentle smile. She also happily returned to Chen Hu’s side to continue making pickles.
Su Xiaolu smiled and entered the central room. Zhou Heng was playing with Chen Shi. When he saw Su Xiaolu, he smiled. “You’re back.”
Su Xiaolu went over and pinched Chen Shi’s chubby cheeks. She smiled and said to Zhou Heng, “Big Brother Zhou Heng, Master asked you to go over. He has something to tell you. Go over quickly. I’ll take care of Brother Shi.”
Su Xiaolu thought that it should be about Zhou Heng’s family.
Zhou Heng’s expression turned serious when he heard that. He thanked Su Xiaolu and left.
Zhou Heng went next door. Old Wu was waiting for him in the house.
Zhou Heng looked a little grave. He walked in.
Old Wu took out a letter and handed it to him. “This is the letter that came.”
The letter was delivered. Old Wu did not care about Zhou Heng’s mood. He stood up and went into the inner room with his hands behind his back.
Zhou Heng let out a long breath and swallowed to suppress his uneasy heart. Then, he opened the envelope and read it.
He had expected this. The capital was still unstable and he could not go back. But when this came true, he still felt terrible. He had been away from home for two years.
There were tears in his eyes, dripping onto the letter. He wiped them away and read the letter many times before folding it away.
He knew he would not be going back for a while. He would have to wait for a message when he could.
After calming down, Zhou Heng thought it through.
Since he couldn’t go back, he couldn’t stay at Su Sanlang’s house like this forever. He had to go to school too.
Zhou Heng took a deep breath and said, “Sir, the letter says that the situation is unstable and I can’t return yet. Please help me enroll into the school.”
After Zhou Heng said that, Old Wu did not reply for a long time.
Zhou Heng did not leave either. He knew that Old Wu must have found him troublesome.
Zhou Heng pursed his lips and waited quietly for Old Wu to reply.
After a long time, an impatient voice came from the back room. “Got it.”
This was so annoying. He was already cured, but he was still not able to leave!
When Zhou Heng heard the answer, he exhaled softly and turned around to leave.
When they returned to the Su family, Zhou Heng said to Su Xiaolu, “Xiaolu, go and rest.”
Su Xiaolu smiled at Zhou Heng and said, “Big Brother Zhou Heng, are you unhappy?”
Zhou Heng did not say anything. He was really unhappy, so he could not even pretend.
Su Xiaolu walked over and hugged Zhou Heng. “Don’t be unhappy. Trouble will always disappear.”
Su Xiaolu knew that Zhou Heng would not leave anytime soon.
Zhou Heng was only eight years old. He would also be homesick and emotional. That was normal.
He had spent two years in the Su family. Unknowingly, Zhou Heng had also become a part of the family. The family would be very happy if he could stay, but they would also be worried for him.
But whether he stayed or left, the Su family’s attitude towards Zhou Heng would not change.
Zhou Heng pursed his lips and smiled at Su Xiaolu. “Xiaolu, thank you. I can’t go home for the time being. I miss home, but I can’t go back. I should be sensible, but I still feel sad.”
Perhaps in the past two years, the people and things he had come into contact with had been so innocent that he had begun not to want to be too sensible.
“It’s alright. Everything will be alright.”
Su Xiaolu patted Zhou Heng’s back and said.
“Thank you, Xiaolu. I feel much better.”
Zhou Heng took two steps back and smiled warmly at Su Xiaolu.
Su Xiaolu smiled and nodded.
Zhou Heng said, “Go and rest. I’ll take care of Chen Shi.”
Su Xiaolu nodded. She was a little sleepy, and Zhou Heng needed to calm himself down.
After Su Xiaolu left, Zhou Heng brought Chen Shi to play. Looking at the innocent and cute Chen Shi, he muttered, “I don’t know if this is good or bad. When can I return?”
In the afternoon, Su Sanlang’s family returned.
During dinner that night, Old Wu said, “Su Chong, Su Hua, what do you think of your current teacher?”
Old Wu suddenly asked. Su Chong and Su Hua were puzzled.
But they still answered truthfully. Su Chong said, “Although the teacher is strict, he is knowledgeable and is a good teacher worthy of admiration.”
Su Hua also said, “Yes, Teacher is very talented. Big Brother and I admire him very much. We only want to learn from Teacher.”
Lin Pingsheng was very strict. Every year, he would test the students he accepted. If they failed, he would not teach them anymore.
Su Chong and Su Hua had not taken the exam yet, and they did not know how the exam would be this year, but they went to school every day and listened attentively, only hoping to learn more.
While the two of them were still wondering why Old Wu asked this, Old Wu had already looked at Zhou Heng and said, “How about I let you go to that school too?”
Zhou Heng nodded. “Okay, thank you, sir.”
Old Wu nodded faintly and stopped talking. He focused on eating.
Su Chong and Su Hua were very excited.
“Little Brother Heng, you’re not going home? Are you going to stay and go to school with us?”
Su Chong was very happy. He was so happy that he forgot that Zhou Heng’s inability to go home was actually a sad thing for Zhou Heng.
Su Hua was also happy, but he quickly thought of the reason behind it. He looked at Zhou Heng and said gently, “Little Brother Heng, although Teacher Lin is strict, he is really knowledgeable. If you learn from him, you can learn a lot.”
It was inevitable that Zhou Heng would stay. If Zhou Heng did not want to say the reason, he would not ask.
Zhou Heng smiled and nodded. “Yes, thank you, Chong and Hua. I’ll learn it well too.”
Only then did Su Chong realize that he had said the wrong thing. He touched his head and said to Zhou Heng guiltily, “Little Brother Heng, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been too happy.”
Zhou Heng smiled gently at Su Chong and said, “Chong, don’t blame yourself. You’re happy because you care about me. I won’t be angry.”
Su Chong smiled foolishly. “As long as you’re not angry.”
Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao looked at each other.
Su Sanlang said, “Heng, just stay here and go to school with Chong and Hua. Make yourself at home.”
Madam Zhou also looked at Zhou Heng and nodded gently.
Zhou Heng’s heart was very warm, but he could also feel touched. He would never be able to meet another simple and kind couple like Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao who treated him so well.
He nodded and lowered his eyes. “Thank you all,” he said softly.
The next day, Zhou Heng followed them into town.
His enrollment had gone well.
Su Xiaoling also embroidered a book bag for Zhou Heng. The embroidery pattern was a few elegant green bamboos. She also embroidered Zhou Heng’s name. When Madam Zhao saw Su Xiaoling embroidering the book bag, she knew that she treated Zhou Heng as her brother.
In addition, Zhou Heng usually treated her and Su Xiaolu as his sisters. Su Chong and Su Hua both had book bags. Zhou Heng should have one too. Seeing Su Xiaoling embroider, Madam Zhao even asked her to embroider better.
