Chapter 372

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

Chai Mi had never felt that Chai Xiu was a genius.

Although Chai Mi had always felt that the taciturn Chai Xiu of her previous life had ultimately been abducted and sold, meeting a very bad end.

In this life, although Chai Xiu had also displayed some abilities different from ordinary people, Chai Mi absolutely never expected that "Chai Xiu" was the legendary child prodigy people spoke of.

After Hou Shenyuan finished saying Chai Xiu's name, he also froze for a moment, then pointed at Chai Mi: "That... Chai Xiu... you're called Chai Mi..."

Chai Mi now didn't quite know how to describe her own mood.

Chai Mi felt a "buzz" in her ears, as if she'd been stunned by something. "Teacher Hou... you... you just said that child is called what?"

Hou Shenyuan also came back to his senses, slapping his thigh: "Oh my! Chai Xiu! Chai Mi, that child prodigy Chai Xiu, couldn't she really be your younger sister? I said how come this name sounded so familiar!"

Chai Mi's throat went dry, words wouldn't come out smoothly: "It's... it's my family's old lump..."

"Oh my heavens!" Hou Shenyuan's eyes went round, rubbing his hands excitedly, "I told you! Look at how smart you are, your sister definitely wouldn't be bad! Photographic memory, Chai Mi! The first-year English book, over a thousand words, one day! Just one day! She memorized them all! What kind of brain is this? Made of gold nuggets? Teacher An has really struck gold this time! Our Ganzhu'er Primary School is going to make a big name for itself this time!"

Chai Mi's mind was a mess. She knew Teacher An praised Xiu'er for being smart, but the words "child prodigy" and "photographic memory" crashing down still shook her hard. She opened her mouth, not knowing what to say, just as she heard the classroom door creak open.

An Baoyu led a few students out. Chai Xiu's little face was flushed red, carrying her schoolbag at the very front. The moment she saw Chai Mi, her eyes lit up: "Sister! What are you doing here?"

Chai Mi hurriedly collected the dazed look on her face, walked over: "Picking you up, afraid you'd be hungry. Teacher An, thank you for your hard work."

An Baoyu smiled so wide her eyes disappeared: "What hard work! Teaching such a student is a blessing! Chai Mi, your sister, remarkable! Truly remarkable! This 'Mengya Cup', I see a chance! Prepare well, let's fight to bring back first place!"

Chai Xiu was a bit embarrassed, tugging Chai Mi's sleeve: "Sister, Teacher An just keeps praising me..."

"Deserved praise!" Chai Mi rubbed her head, the surge in her heart still not fully settled, nodding at An Baoyu and Hou Shenyuan: "Then... Teacher An, Teacher Hou, we'll head back first?"

"Go on, go on, let Xiu'er rest well, she still has to study hard tomorrow!" An Baoyu agreed repeatedly.

On the way back, Chai Mi pushed the bicycle, Chai Xiu sat on the back seat. The sky was getting dim, wind blowing the corn leaves by the road "hua la hua la".

"Xiu'er," Chai Mi held it in for half a day, then still spoke, "Teacher Hou said... you read the first-year English book? And... memorized it all?"

Chai Xiu swung her little legs: "Mhm, that day I saw it in Teacher An's office. That book wasn't hard either, those winding letters, look a few more times and they're memorized. Didn't you teach me to recite aabcdefg? I saw that's just random combinations, looked like there was a pattern, wasn't hard at all."

"Look a few more times? Teacher Hou said you only looked for one day?" Chai Mi pressed.

Chai Xiu thought: "About right? That afternoon I had nothing to do, flipped through it all. Sister, the little people drawn in that book are pretty interesting."

Chai Mi's heart went "ge deng" — this time she truly believed it. She took a deep breath, stopped the bike by the road, turned around, held Chai Xiu's shoulders, and said with deadly seriousness: "Xiu'er, listen to me. That head of yours is a golden rice bowl bestowed by Heaven! From now on, you give me everything you've got and study! No chores for you, no worries for you, just study! Sister will support you! Smash the pots and sell the iron to support you through school! Hear me?"

Chai Xiu was stunned by her sister's intensity: "Sister... I... I originally..."

"Loving to read is right!" Chai Mi cut her off, tone resolute, "Read like your life depends on it! From now on not just textbooks, read any book! Money's none of your business, you've got me! You just make sure you master those books, study your way to success! Bring honor to our Old Chai Family! Bring honor to our Ganzhu'er! Whatever Tsinghua or Peking University, our Xiu'er will get into the best if she goes!"

Chai Xiu got fired up by her sister's speech, puffing out her little chest: "Yes! Sister, I'll definitely study hard! Study big for you to see!"

"That's my Old Chai Family's good little sister!" Chai Mi remounted the bicycle, "Hold tight, let's go home! Let Mom be happy too!"

Upon entering the house, they saw Su Wan just bringing millet rice to the table, Song Qiushui squatting by the stove pit poking the fire.

"Back? How come so late? Xiu'er must be starving?" Su Wan hurriedly greeted them.

Chai Mi propped the bike up, voice extra loud: "Mom! Do you know what our family produced?"

"What? Picked up a gold ingot?" Song Qiushui didn't even lift her head.

"More precious than a gold ingot!" Chai Mi dragged Chai Xiu over, pushed her in front of Su Wan, "Our Xiu'er is a child prodigy! Photographic memory! My middle school class teacher Teacher Hou said so himself! The first-year English book, over a thousand words, she memorized them all in one day! Teacher An said, this competition, definitely first place!"

"What thing?!" Su Wan's bowl nearly dropped, "Child... child prodigy? Photographic memory? Xiu'er?"

Song Qiushui "whoosh" stood up, rushed to Chai Xiu, pinching her little face looking left and right: "My little darling! True or false? Xiu'er, let me test you, what color underwear am I wearing today?"

Chai Mi stared dumbfounded: "Uh..."

Chai Xiu's little face reddened, spat: "Pah! Qiu Shui sister you pervert!"

The whole room laughed. Su Wan came back to her senses, eye rims red, hugged Chai Xiu tight: "Oh my dear daughter... Mom knew you'd amount to something... just didn't expect this much..." She looked up at Chai Mi, "Chai Mi, this... how much money will this take? Going to a top university..."

"Money's shit!" Chai Mi waved a grand hand, heroic spirit soaring, "Mom, you stay out of this! I've got plenty of ways! Our family stall earns money, that bit of corn in the field stripped and sold is money too! If it really won't work, I'll mortgage this house! As long as Xiu'er can study her way out, losing everything is worth it!"

Chai Youqing squatting on the threshold smoking, now chimed in: "That... that'll take a lot of money, right? Studying... can it be eaten? Look at Chai Chunwei..."

"You cut it out, Chai Uncle!" Song Qiushui immediately unhappy, "Chai Chunwei that's called studying? He's called wasting time! Our Xiu'er is a child prodigy! Understand child prodigy? That's future material for sitting in offices, being a big official! Still worried about food? By then you two old folks just wait to enjoy the blessings! Chai Mi, am I right?"

"Absolutely!" Chai Mi glared at her dad, "Dad, you mention Chai Chunwei less from now on, he's not even fit to carry our Xiu'er's shoes! Just remember, from today on, Xiu'er studying is our family's top priority! Whoever dares drag their feet, delays Xiu'er, don't blame me for turning hostile!"

Chai Youqing shrunk his neck from his daughter's retort, muttering quietly: "I... I didn't say anything..."

"If you didn't say anything shut up and listen!" Chai Mi gave zero face, "Mom, tonight steam two eggs for Xiu'er, nourish her brain!"

"Yes! Yes! I'll go right now!" Su Wan wiped her eyes, happily running to the kitchen.

Song Qiushui leaned close to Chai Mi, voice low: "Chai Mi, Xiu'er's thing is truly great! But... money for hiring people to strip corn, plus capital for stall restocking, plus buying books and materials for Xiu'er... money flowing like water, is your pocket enough to toss around? That five hundred compensation from Wang Da Qing hasn't shown up yet."

Chai Mi's eyes shone bright, not worried at all: "Enough! Why not enough? Qiu Shui, remember, money's a bastard, gone we earn more! A person's life, opportunities just those few times, grab one and you turn over! Xiu'er is our family's biggest opportunity! Corn stripping, I'll go to the neighboring village early tomorrow to find people, twenty-five a day, no meals included, quick hands and feet can strip seven or eight fen of land a day, seven or eight people, five or six days done, money I've already prepared. Stall runs as usual, mix extra filling. As for Xiu'er..." she looked at Chai Xiu eating small mouthfuls of rice, "Whatever she wants, even stars and moon I'll find a way to pluck for her!"

Chai Mi wanting to study again was definitely impossible now.

So her hope for studying could only be pinned on Chai Xiu.

Just as they were talking, Meng Shi came over slowly supporting her waist, carrying a small cloth bag: "Chai Mi home? Qiu Shui this dead girl, insisted I bring you some mugwort ash, said your house needs to fumigate mosquitoes..."

Said it was for fumigating mosquitoes, actually it was sent for Chai Youqing. But Meng Shi also knew Chai Youqing loved to be stubborn, if you said bringing mugwort for him he'd definitely babble on, not speaking properly.

So, Meng Shi simply didn't say.

Song Qiushui hurriedly took it: "Aunt, how come you came yourself? Is your waist better?"

Meng Shi smiling: "Don't mention it, your second great-uncle's damaging trick... hey, really has some knack! After applying it's warm, those bone seams feel like little hands smoothed them out, much looser! Just the smell too strong, fumigated your dad into yelling he wants to sleep outside."

Chai Mi heard this, heart even more at ease: "Good as long as it works! Auntie, after corn stripping's done, I'll hitch the cart and take you to Lama Mountain! Find that old lama to stick a few needles, cure the root!"

"Oh, that'd be wonderful!" Meng Shi happy, "Chai Mi, you just now said your Xiu'er...?"

Song Qiushui quick-mouthed: "Child prodigy! Photographic memory! Super awesome!"

Meng Clan let out an "Aiyo," giving Chai Xiu a thumbs-up straight at her: "I said this girl's been sharp since she was little! Good! Really good! Chai Mi, you've got blessing!"

Chai Xiu buried her head eating rice, embarrassed by the praise. Chai Mi looked at her sister's jet-black crown, and that bit of anxiety from money and livelihood inside her went "huala" and scattered completely, leaving only a surge of scalding heat.

"The blessing's still behind!" Chai Mi's voice wasn't loud, but it was Qian zei spirited, "Our family's good days have only just begun! Xiu'er, done eating? When is this whatever competition of yours?"

"Tomorrow. Teacher said this exam has quite a few questions, more questions fewer questions, to rank them out. Top three seem to get something... then it's like this, also separate. Like if composition scores top three, have to go participate in province's whatever elementary student composition competition. If math top three, will later participate in a called whatever Ao..."

"Olympiad Math..."

"Mm. Teacher said Olympiad Math." Chai Xiu said: "Our teacher's standard for us is just make Top Ten in County. This time one Xiang Zhen ten students, county town still over a hundred. Added up three hundred plus people, day after tomorrow exam, first brush down most. Only retain top thirty enter Second Exam." Chai Xiu said.

Chai Mi gazed at Chai Xiu's small frame, eyes shining bright, that bit of anxiety from corn harvest and stall-setting inside her, like clouds blown away by big wind, turned transparent all at once.

Chai Mi slapped thigh: "Deal! Prodigy then prodigy! Our Xiu'er is Wenqu Star descended! Third Sister, money matters don't you worry, sky falls Sister holds it up! Corn harvest matter, tomorrow I'll go find people, hire ten or eight honest out-of-village laborers, twenty-five a day, ignore food, our field work won't be delayed! Stall still set up, dumplings still sold, whatever it takes must save enough study money for our Xiu'er!"

Song Qiushui excitedly circled Chai Xiu: "Exactly! Xiu'er this Make Trouble Dai, that's material for sitting in office becoming big official! Later on, our family will rely on Xiu'er to bring glory to ancestors!"

Because Chai Xiu's side has exam tomorrow, Chai Mi also decided tomorrow not set up stall go send Chai Xiu.

Evening, also specially gave Chai Xiu eat well drink well, chicken eggs directly boiled a big pile.

Sky just bright, Chai Family started smoking gudong.

Chai Mi: "Ma, don't cook congee, want congee and steamed bun together, congee also want thicker, Xiu'er noon exam, otherwise keep going to Ce suo."

Su Wan: "Know know, this new millet precious, all give Xiu'er boil. Her dad, you crack open two salted duck eggs, yolk flowing oil that one!"

Chai Youqing: "Mm." Head down squatted at stove pit poking fire.

Song Qiushui rushed in wind-fire: "Up up! Xiu'er, dressed neat? Sister give you tie a sky-piercing braid, spirited!"

Chai Xiu rubbing eyes: "Qiu Shui Sister, braid too high right? Like antenna..."

Chai Mi: "Don't listen to her, two little braids fine. Schoolbag checked? Pen, notebook, teacher told bring all put inside?"

Chai Xiu: "Mm Sister, all ready."

Chai Mi: "Dad, you hitch donkey cart stable, early send Xiu'er to Ganzhu'er assemble, teacher lead up county."

Chai Youqing: "Fine. Donkey yesterday fed full, spirits good."

Song Qiushui: "Aiya Ma ya, my heart how thump thump, more nervous than self taking exam! Xiu'er, don't scare, you just treat as play!"

Su Wan hands together: "Bodhisattva bless, Ancestor bless..."

Chai Mi: "Ma, don't do that no use stuff. Xiu'er, remember Sister's words, read questions careful then write, know don't lose points, don't know guess. Our Xiu'er can do it!"

Chai Xiu little face tense: "Mm! I'll use strength!"

As for why use donkey cart, is Chai Mi now feels inverted donkey a bit dangerous, still donkey cart stable, in case Xiu'er bumps knocks how to handle.

Whole affair not like first two days so casual anymore.

What to use all brought, and that side has teacher leading team, also don't need too worry.