Xiao Qi said he had something to tell Lian Shouxin. Lian Manman saw Xiao Qi’s serious expression and stopped to listen to what it was all about.

"What is it?" Lian Shouxin asked.

"It’s about Liulang." Xiao Qi sat down on a nearby chair and said, "He brought it up again today, saying he doesn’t want to go to school anymore."

"Did he say that again today?" Lian Shouxin pondered for a while before speaking slowly.

"Yes." Xiao Qi nodded.

Liulang has expressed his desire to quit school more than once. In fact, over the past two years, it has been Lian Shouxin who has been urging him, with Xiao Qi helping to keep an eye on Liulang attending classes.

When it comes to studying, truly, some people have the gift, while others lack the talent and need to put in more effort. Liulang has no talent when it comes to studying. In life, he’s not the smartest kid, and when it comes to studying, using the village folks’ slang, he’s "so dull he doesn’t even stick in the mud."

This saying originally described sticky dumplings that wouldn’t stick at all. The village slang meant "dull," and later, it was used to describe someone as very unintelligent.

Liulang found the lessons extremely difficult after only a few days in school, and he himself didn’t seem interested in studying. However, the kid was quite understanding; he didn’t want to study, but he knew that people highly regard education and recognized that it was his fourth uncle who gave him this good opportunity. Therefore, he didn’t skip school but instead went to Lian Shouxin to say he no longer wanted to study.

Lian Shouxin firmly scolded Liulang and then gently persuaded him to continue studying.

After that, Liulang persisted for about three months before he approached Lian Shouxin again, saying he didn’t want to study anymore. Naturally, Lian Shouxin still refused to agree.

But some things are not meant to be forced. Liulang continued to attend classes regularly each day, but when class started, after sitting a while and listening to the teacher’s words, his mind would wander. At first, the teacher was strict with discipline, and Liulang suffered some bamboo cane beatings. However, gradually, even the teacher felt helpless.

Liulang wasn’t unwilling to study diligently; he genuinely found it hard to absorb the lessons.

But after class, Liulang was quite lively. He wasn’t interested in playing; instead, he was keenly attentive and took the initiative to do chores in the school, like cleaning, fetching water, and heating water, often seeking out such duties.

Every day, Liulang was almost always the first to arrive at school, helping to tend to the fire and the stove during winter, and tidying and cleaning during other seasons. After school ended, he would wait until the last moment, ensuring the school was spotlessly clean before leaving.

While studying at school, Liulang was provided with a meal each day, without requiring any expenses from the old house. Neither Lian Shouyi nor Lady He contributed any labor. However, Liulang emulated other students, picking wild vegetables and weeds for Manman’s Family, and sometimes even helped with work at the farmstead.

Speaking of Liulang, there must be mention of the life of Lian Shouyi and Lady He in the past two years.

Since moving out from Lady Zhou, initially, Lady Zhou gave them rice grains, and additionally, they had regular offerings from Erlang, so their family of four could have been well-off. But their life turned into a complete mess.

First, the family tried to minimize cooking, only waiting for meals in the Upper Room, then the couple would bring their own bowls and chopsticks, calling the two kids to join them. Lady Zhou’s scolding and beating wouldn’t deter them. After wolfing down their food, they’d tuck their bowls and chopsticks away and leave, caring little about Liulang or Lian Yaya.

As for the family’s rice grains, they ended up selling them for money and expenses.

Their behavior naturally sparked discussion in the village. Everyone said that this couple was irresponsible and pitied Lian Yaya and Liulang for having such parents, leading to their hungry and gaunt appearances. Yet, despite such talks, Lian Shouyi and Lady He seemed unaffected, continuing their ways, living comfortably, and socializing around.

Gradually, people began to criticize Lady Zhou, calling her heartless, and extending this to Lian Shouren, Lian Jizu, and Lady Chiang. People had their reasons, arguing that even if Lian Shouyi and Lady He behaved that way, the two kids were innocent and deserved sympathy. As elders, Lady Zhou and them could have easily given the grandkids a bite to eat. How could they bear to eat while watching the kids starve?

Moreover, Lady Zhou and the others were not wealthy initially. It was because they received ten acres of wheat field from Lian Shouxin and generous seasonal gifts from Lian Shouxin that their lives became affluent, surpassing many families in the village who were laboring hard.