Bai Shanbao: "I'm better now."
Mr. Zhuang: ...Ill to the point of having to ask for leave to take care of the grandson, and then better in just one morning?
What kind of illness comes on so quickly and goes away just as fast?
Mr. Zhuang gave Bai Shanbao a look but didn't ask him any more questions. Once all the students were seated in their places, he announced that the students from Qili Village could take a half-day off that afternoon. They all needed to go back home to their parents, and as for why, their parents would tell them.
Mr. Zhuang didn't inform them of much else.
And so, with Manbao and the others holding hands and carrying their small book boxes, as soon as they had left, Mr. Zhuang said to the remaining students, "You may rest here at noon, and the afternoon will mainly be calligraphy practice. Take out your paper and brushes and practice writing. Lu Feng, you're the eldest, so you're in charge of looking after them."
