Chapter 9 Reflections on Reading

  Zhao Fei left the village head's house and didn't go home directly, but instead went straight to Zhao Feng's house. After all, he had been gone for half a day without saying a word to Zhao Fei on his way back, and who knows what Zhao Feng would think. So it was necessary to find Zhao Feng to explain things.

  Arriving at Zhao Feng's courtyard, pushing open the gate, I found Zhao Feng standing still in the middle of the courtyard with his eyes closed.

  Zhao Fei felt very curious and was just about to ask a question when he found that Zhao Feng had already opened his eyes.

  Seeing Zhao Fei come in, Zhao Feng's first sentence was: "Oh? Is it Little Fei? How are you? Has the village chief taken you in yet. I've been thinking of you for so long, it's good news, right?" Then he saw Zhao Feng's tense expression, with concern overflowing from his words.

  Feeling Zhao Feng's deep concern, Zhao Fei smiled and touched the back of his head with his right hand. He nodded foolishly and said, "Thanks for your concern, brother. The village chief has agreed to take me as an apprentice and spent the whole morning teaching me. I also feel greatly benefited."

  When the village chief agreed to teach Zhao Fei, Zhao Feng was indeed very happy, but also a little disappointed. Then patted Zhao Fei's shoulder and said: "This is great, Little Fly, you can follow the village chief from now on, and don't need to come here anymore."

  When Zhao Feng said this, Zhao Fei hastily shook his head and said: "How can that be. I will still come to train with you as before. Moreover, the teacher also told me that a gentleman has six arts, including archery and horse riding. Without a good body, how can one achieve anything? So I will still come, and the teacher has already agreed to let me go to him every day after getting up early to read books and teach me. And after lunch, I'll come to train with you. So, Wind Brother, you still have things to do. Don't blame me for disturbing you." Zhao Fei blinked his eyes and smiled at Zhao Feng.

  "What's the big deal?" Zhao Feng waved his hand nonchalantly and said, "If Little Fei isn't afraid of CAO labor, why should I be? Looking at how anxious you were just now, I reckon you're also worried that I'd rush back home without waiting for your news. Why don't you stay for dinner instead? After Xiao Yun left, it's just me in this house, and it feels really dull. I hope someone can keep me company. How about it?" Zhao Feng asked with a hopeful tone.

  Seeing Zhao Fei, he looked at him with hopeful eyes, and Zhao Fei found it hard to refuse. He could only reluctantly reply: "Alright then, Wind Brother, but I need to go tell my mother first. It's also so she won't worry."

  When Zhao Feng heard that Zhao Fei agreed, he was very happy. Since Zhao Yun followed Tong Yuan to learn martial arts, there has only been one person in the house, and no one even accompanied him to talk. So often feel lonely. And his agreement to train Zhao Fei is also for himself to find a companion. It's boring for one person like this.

  "I knew you were filial, no matter what, you never forget your parents. Alright, you go ahead, I'll go prepare some food. Since you've decided to stay for dinner, I'll go take a look in the woods and see if I can catch any game to bring back for your parents." Zhao Feng said with a smile, indeed his mood was very good at this moment.

  Zhao Fei looked a bit embarrassed and said to Zhao Feng: "This isn't right, Brother Feng. How can we trouble you? Just eat something simple."

  "Hehe, it's nothing. It's just a small matter, you go home first, I'll be right back." After saying that, Zhao Feng ignored Zhao Fei and turned around to enter the house, took out a bow and arrow, and went out the door.

  Actually, Zhao Fei still hoped in his heart that Zhao Feng could catch something. Because the food at the end of Han Dynasty was not very good, especially for farmers' families, it was already great to have enough to eat every day, where did they get meat to eat? It's been so long since Zhao Feng came here, and he only had a bit to eat on the first night. As soon as he thought that there might be meat to eat today, Zhao Fei's mouth began to water uncontrollably.

  "Heaven bless Brother Wind to achieve something!" Zhao Feng looked up at the sky and prayed, but he didn't know if heaven had heard him or not.

  "It's better to go home first, it's not a solution to just swallow your saliva here. Let me tell my mother first." Zhao Feng shook his head and walked out of the house.

  Returning home, he saw Li Shi carrying water into the house and hurried over to take the bucket from her hand.

  "Mother, I'm coming." After finishing speaking, he carried the water bucket and walked towards the house. However, Zhao Fei forgot that he was still carrying a sandbag on his body, so after walking a few steps, Zhao Fei's face turned bright red, and he had to stop unwillingly.

  Looking at Zhao Fei's face, which was completely red and covered in sweat, Li felt an indescribable sense of comfort and heartache. "Alright, let me do it instead, you've just finished exercising and don't have much energy, that's normal." After saying this, she took the water bucket from Zhao Fei's hand and carried it into the house.

  Watching Li carry water into the house, Zhao Fei could only shake his head in dismay. Looking at his thin and weak arms, Zhao Fei sighed: "I'm really as useless as a person who can't even tie up a chicken. I'm not even as capable as my own mother."

  Li put water in the house and then walked out.

  "Fei'er returned so early today." Li asked Zhao Fei while wiping his hands.

  "I went to the village chief's house to read books today." Zhao Fei replied truthfully to Li Shi's question.

  "Oh?" Li looked at her son in surprise, then asked again: "Why did you go to the village chief's house to study again? Didn't you go with Ah Feng to exercise?" A hint of doubt and worry appeared on Li's face. Although studying wouldn't consume physical energy, she was afraid that Zhao Fei couldn't persist in what he did. Everything he did was just a flash in the pan, which wasn't good if it continued like this.

  "Mother, I've thought it over carefully and realized that martial arts aren't suitable for me. Moreover, my body may not be able to handle farming in the future either. After some deliberation, I figured that since I'm not cut out for martial arts, I might as well focus on literature. Although our village doesn't offer much opportunity, I can always move to the city later. So, I asked Feng Ge to find someone to teach me how to read and write, hoping to have a way out in the future. The village chief discovered that I have a talent for reading and writing, so he took me on as his student and taught me literacy. Don't worry, Mother, I won't give up halfway. I'll persevere and also continue with Feng Ge's training, which my teacher has already agreed to. I'll get up early to find my teacher and learn from him, then head to Feng Ge's place after lunch to train my body."

  After listening to Zhao Fei's words, Li couldn't help but nod her head, "The child has indeed grown up and has his own thoughts." But seeing Zhao Fei's frail body again, she couldn't help but say: "But can your body withstand it? In the past, just training was already exhausting, now adding reading and writing on top of that." Rubbing Zhao Fei's head, Li couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart. A hint of tears welled up in her eyes.

  Seeing his mother like this, Zhao Fei hastily comforted her: "Mother, please don't worry, I've grown up and will arrange my own affairs reasonably."

  "Since Fei'er has already made up her mind, Mother will agree with you." Li nodded and agreed with Zhao Fei.

  Seeing Li's mood calm down, Zhao Fei said to Li again: "By the way, mother, there is another thing. It's just that today Feng Ge asked me to have dinner with him, and I've already agreed...".

  "Since you've promised Ah Feng, then go ahead. A person cannot be insincere in their words." Li said with a smile as she took back the towel from Zhao Fei's head.

  "Don't worry, Mother. I'll study hard and make a good life for myself, so I can take care of you and Father." Zhao Fei said firmly.

  Suddenly, Li felt that her son's figure had grown very tall and big, and her son had finally grown up. The tears that had just flashed in Li's eyes filled her eye sockets again.

  "Mother, what's wrong?" Zhao Fei hastily asked, noticing Li Shi's unusual behavior.

  "Nothing's wrong, Mother is fine. She's just moved to tears because my Fei has finally grown up."

  Suddenly, Duan'er jumped out of the house and ran over to Zhao Fei, grabbing his sleeve and starting to act coquettishly: "Brother, brother, are you here to play with me? I've been waiting for you for a long time."

  Zhao Fei helplessly looked at Duo'er, patted Duo'er's head and smiled: "Brother has something to do, I'll definitely accompany you this afternoon."

  "No, no, I want brother to play with me now, brother promised." Duer shook Zhao Fei's sleeve and said relentlessly.

  "Alright, Duan'er, stop bothering your brother." Just as Zhao Fei was at a loss for what to do, Li said this. Mother's words were still effective, although Duan'er was very reluctant, she still let go of his hand. However, her expression was still very dissatisfied.

  "Alright Duer, brother will come back earlier this afternoon to accompany you." Zhao Fei said while pinching Duer's little face.

  "Brother, you must keep your promise, let's make a pinky swear." Then she stretched out her small hand.

  Zhao Fei reluctantly agreed and stretched out his right hand, hooking pinkies with Duo Er.

  "Alright, since Mother is fine, I'll take my leave." Zhao Fei looked up at the time and found it was getting late, so he turned to Li Shi and said.

  "Go ahead, Fei'er." Li nodded slightly.

  "Brother, remember to come back early and play with Duer." Duer reminded again after seeing Zhao Fei leave.

  Not long after Zhao Fei left, Zhao Hu returned from farming. He took a look and found no sign of Zhao Fei, so he asked: "Mother, has Fei'er not come back yet?"

  "Oh. He just came back, but he said Ah Feng wants to fly with him for a meal, so he went out again." Li heard the sound outside the house and walked out of the room.

  "By the way, his father, Feier said that the village chief saw that he had a talent for reading and asked him to go learn from the village chief. What do you think about this?" Li suddenly asked.

  Zhao Hu heard this and was taken aback for a moment. After thinking for a while, he burst out laughing and said: "Haha, this is great! Who in the village doesn't know that the village chief is very knowledgeable? Xiao Fei learning to read with the village chief, maybe one day he'll become the village chief too, of course, this is a good thing!"

  "Now that you also agree with him reading books, I can rest assured." Li took a deep breath and patted his chest with his hand, afraid that Zhao Hu would object to not letting Zhao Fei read.

  Zhao Hu said discontentedly: "Am I that kind of person?"