The two of them returned with firewood.
They lit a fire in the kitchen and heated the leftover rice porridge from breakfast.
There was still some leftover pork fat from yesterday, and Zhao Ce wanted to save it for dinner.
Soon, two steaming bowls of porridge were placed on the table.
After Su Caier put the lids back on, she sat down at the table.
Zhao Ce pushed her bowl of thin porridge over and said, "Try it."
Su Caier laughed and said, "White rice porridge, you don't have to try it to know it's delicious."
Zhao Ce smiled and watched as the young girl picked up her bowl and took a small sip.
After taking a sip, she seemed a bit confused, blinking her big eyes.
She took another sip.
After finishing, she said, "Husband, the porridge today is so sweet."
Zhao Ce smiled and said, "Sweet is good."
Su Caier happily bent her eyebrows and took a few more sips.
As she drank, she realized something was not quite right.
"This sweetness..."
Looking at the small cloth bag of sugar next to her, Su Caier exclaimed, "Husband, did you add sugar to my porridge?"
Zhao Ce raised his eyebrows and admitted, "I added a little."
Su Caier looked at her porridge, then at her husband, her surprised little mouth unable to close.
She said, "Hus-husband, I don't want this!"
"I will give it to husband to eat."
Sugar is so expensive, it's better to save it and sell it for money.
She had already taken so many sips before realizing it.
Zhao Ce picked up his own bowl and said again, "Don't want it? If you don't eat it, then pour it out."
Su Caier pouted like a child.
"You can't waste food, I'll eat it."
Zhao Ce smiled and drank up the thin porridge in his bowl.
Although Su Caier was pained by the sugar used in the porridge, she couldn't help but feel delighted as she drank the sweet white porridge.
After finishing her bowl, Zhao Ce took out the remaining three or two silver and asked her to put it away.
Su Caier took the silver piece and happily went to hide it in her room.
Zhao Ce looked at the sugar in the kitchen and thought about how to deal with it.
The firewood in the house had already been burned today.
Without firewood, there would be no charcoal.
Tomorrow he could go up the mountain and dig some yellow mud.
But that meant there was nothing to do today.
"Every second counts."
"I can't waste any more time."
"I will go to Uncle's house and get some charcoal to work with."
Zhao Ce picked up the small bag of sugar and told Su Caier before leaving.
At this time, it was already noon.
When the sun was so hot, everyone either sought shade and chatted under the big locust tree, or stayed at home to avoid the sun.
There were hardly any people on the road.
When Zhao Ce arrived at Zhao Youcai's house, there was sweat on his forehead.
"Phew~ this weather is too hot."
Zhao Ce wiped the sweat from his forehead and knocked on Zhao Youcai's fence door.
"I'm here."
The one who answered the door was Zhao Wenhao.
When he saw Zhao Ce, his face didn't look good.
He said stiffly, "What are you doing here? Do you want money again?"
The last time when Zhao Ce came to his house, he asked for five taels of silver from his father, saying he was going to get married.
Was he going to ask for another five taels of silver this time?
Although their family was more well-off than the other villagers because his eldest brother was a shopkeeper in the city, it didn't mean they could just throw around five taels of silver like it was nothing.
When Zhao Ce heard this, he simply said, "I want to ask Auntie for some burned charcoal." Zhao Wen Hao looked at him strangely and asked, "You want charcoal? Are you going to become a charcoal seller since you're not doing anything as a scholar?" Zhao Ce looked at him speechlessly.
At this moment, Li Shi heard Zhao Wenhao talking outside and walked out to see what was going on. When she saw Zhao Ce, her expression didn't look too good either.
Zhao Ce greeted her first, "Auntie." Li Shi reluctantly replied, not mentioning the matter of the five taels of silver, "Why are you staying outside in this hot weather?" "Come in and have a glass of water first." Then she turned to Zhao Wenhao and said, "Your cousin is a scholar, why are you letting him stay outside in the sun?" "He's young and doesn't know any better. Are you young as well?"
Zhao Wenhao was inexplicably scolded once again. He defended himself with a hint of grievance, "I just came..." "Besides, he's only a few months younger than me, so why am I older?" Li Shi ignored him and spoke to Zhao Ce in a cold tone, "Don't get sunburnt outside, come inside and talk." Zhao Ce smiled and followed Li Shi into the house, leaving Zhao Wenhao feeling wronged as he closed the fence door behind him.
Zhao Wenhua and Zhao YouCai were chatting in the main room. When they saw Zhao Ce come in, Zhao YouCai happily invited him to sit down. Zhao Ce nodded slightly at Zhao Wenhua and then heard Zhao YouCai shout, "Wife, make some sugar water for Ce Er." Zhao Ce quickly handed over the cloth bag in his hand and said, "Auntie, I brought some sugar." Li Shi looked at the small cloth bag in his hand and her expression softened a little, but she still waved her hand. "Keep your sugar for yourself. We don't really need your sugar water." Then she turned and went into the backyard.
Zhao YouCai asked, "Why did you come in this hot weather?" "If there's something, it's not too late to come later when the sun is lower." Zhao Ce put the small cloth bag on the table and smiled, "It's only a few steps away." "It's no trouble." Zhao Wenhua also looked at his nephew and felt that he was a completely different person from when they last met during his break. He had already noticed it when he was at Zhao Ce's house earlier.
Zhao Ce's transformation is not a small matter. Before, when he saw me, he knew that I had read some books and knew some characters.
He always liked to discuss the sayings of sages with me, regardless of whether I was bored or not. Zhao Wenhua is a shopkeeper who spends all day knocking on an abacus to keep accounts. What's the use of so many sayings of sages?
Moreover, it goes without saying that what this person says is all nonsense. As soon as you hear it, you know that he doesn't have much knowledge.
Unfortunately, he is extremely proud and you can't say that he is not good at learning.
When I saw him this time, Zhao Ce had clear eyes and polite manners. Although his speech was somewhat deliberate and convoluted, it was not as annoying as before.
Just as I was thinking about it, I heard Zhao Ce continue to say, "Uncle, I want to get some leftover charcoal from your house to cook with." "Charcoal?" Zhao Youcai said blankly. "What do you need charcoal for?" "This charcoal can't be lit anymore." "Did you run out of firewood at home? I'll have your cousin go up the mountain and cut two bundles of firewood for you."
When Zhao Wenhao, who had just walked into the room, heard Zhao Youcai's words, he blurted out angrily, "Since Zhao Ce doesn't study anymore, let him go up the mountain and cut it himself."
Only then did he realize that Zhao Youcai and Zhao Wenhua were both staring at him. Zhao Wenhao started to realize that he had misspoken. He nervously said, "I... I'll go!" "I'll go up the mountain early tomorrow morning!" After speaking, he quickly turned around and disappeared.
Zhao Youcai and Zhao Wenhua looked at Zhao Ce in embarrassment. After a moment of silence, Zhao Ce said, "Um... Do you already know about this, Uncle?"
Zhao Youcai looked at Zhao Ce's expression and said cautiously, "Well, this is also something your cousin heard about in the city." "Did you get bullied in the city?" "If there really is a misunderstanding, I'll take you to explain it to the teacher."
Zhao Ce had studied for several years, and it would be a pity if he stopped now. After all, it's not easy for a scholar to come from a farming family. Zhao Youcai also didn't want him to waste his talents.
Zhao Wenhua also nodded and said, "It shouldn't be a big deal." "We'll prepare some gifts and go to talk to your teacher to clear things up." Zhao Ce sighed. "Uncle, although I did something wrong, it's not entirely my fault." "But as for the teacher..." Zhao Ce thought that if possible, he should continue his studies. He nodded and said, "Since that's the case, then please take me to the school to ask about it, Uncle."