Yang Ruxin was actually quite pleased with this. Since there was already a foundation, she thought it would be good to let Gu Yao teach even more diligently. Who knows, perhaps in the future, he might even become a martial arts master.
It really wasn’t a big deal that Zhou Xiao had practiced martial arts, but what Yang Ruxin didn’t expect when she came back from studying next door, was that Zhou Xiao was also teaching Xiaofeng and Xiaosi how to write.
The group used sticks to draw on the ground in the courtyard, and when they saw Yang Ruxin return, Xiaofeng excitedly ran over, "Big sister, Brother Dabao can recognize characters. He just taught me the ’Three Character Classic.’ I can recite two lines now: ’At the start of man, nature is good; natures are alike, but habits make them different...’ I can also write quite a few characters now..." Saying this, he started scratching characters into the ground with a stick.
Yang Ruxin was immediately frustrated. It took her two days to learn just twelve characters, and she couldn’t write all of them. Yet, these little rascals learned twelve in their first day, and Xiaofeng even managed to write all the characters, which she felt even looked better than her own writing. The gap was a bit too wide.
"I can recite it now too," Xiaosi chimed in, eager to show off. She repeated the recitation, then picked up a stick and drew a little on the ground, "Look, I can also write the character for ’person.’
"Okay, you’re all amazing," Yang Ruxin nodded, then turned to look at Zhou Xiao, "You’ve studied as well?"
"When I was three, my father started my education. He not only taught me how to ride and shoot but also how to read. Although my father’s literacy was limited, he found a tutor for me."
Yang Ruxin nodded, unsure if Qi Yong had helped find the child’s family. It looked like she needed to ask Gu Qingheng to inquire about it.
"Big sister, what smells so good?" Sini suddenly crinkled her little nose and looked towards the basket in Yang Ruxin’s hand with big eyes, "I smell the scent of meat."
"You little glutton," Yang Ruxin laughed, "Be careful not to turn into a little fatty." This little girl couldn’t be happy without meat, and these past days her face had rounded out at a visibly fast rate, making anyone want to pinch her cheeks.
Xiaosi wasn’t annoyed; she just squinted her big eyes and smiled.
"Look, Aunt Feng has made meat pies for us again. In a bit, I’ll make a few signature dishes. Today at noon, we’ll have a feast to welcome Dabao and Xiaobao..." Yang Ruxin gave a pinch and sequentially pinched the cheeks of the little ones, "Now, off you go to wash your hands." Because they went up the mountain yesterday afternoon and then she spent half the night competing in wit and courage with Gu Qingheng, she didn’t feel like cooking when they returned. Last night, everyone just made do with Aunt Feng’s sugar cakes for dinner, so today they’d make up for it with a welcome feast.
The kids immediately cheered.
Erni, who was sitting down sewing clothes, also looked up and smiled, then got back to her work. If their mother could wake up, then life would be perfect.
Sanni volunteered to help kindle the fire, and then Yang Ruxin truly displayed her various skills, frying, stir-frying, steaming, and deep-frying to prepare eight dishes and one soup.
She was liberal with the oil, which made Sanni so heartbroken she twitched, but there was nothing she could do. In the end, she just kept her head down and tended to the fire, ’Out of sight, out of mind.’
Yang Ruxin watched Sanni’s conflicted face with a smug smile.
"It smells so good," the kids said as they eyed the finished dishes, practically drooling.
"Of course," Yang Ruxin replied proudly, sweeping her gaze over the kids, "Just wait, let it simmer a bit longer, and once the braised pork is ready, we can eat."
"You all go sit down first."