Chapter 22: Starting School

"It's still most comfortable in the space." Zhang Ping'an harvested a batch of eggs as usual, and the wild rabbits and pheasants were slaughtered or killed as needed.

The herd of wild boars on the mountain behind the Cottage had also grown to a significant size. Fearing that too many wild boars would destroy the vegetation, Zhang Ping'an generally kept the number between thirty and forty.

There happened to be two Thatched Cottage warehouses in the space; one for storing ordinary food, and one for food irrigated with Spirit Water.

Zhang Ping'an had also saved up quite a bit of Milk Powder over these past few months, all from the excess milk squeezed during the lactation periods of the cows and sheep, which he then turned into Milk Powder using the evaporation in the space; there was about one hundred jin of cow and sheep Milk Powder each.

The wheat was also harvested; he kept the seeds, and ground everything else into flour, with the wheat bran coming in handy for feeding the Black-skinned Pig.

The fish in the pond were also harvested once a week, and of course, the lotus roots and Lotus Seeds were as well, all being stored away.

After tidying up the space, Zhang Ping'an no longer felt sleepy. He practiced the Twelve Form Xingyi Fist once through, feeling that his strength was enough to kill a wild boar with a single punch.

He practiced the Body Refining Technique once more; he could now barely finish the set of eighty-one movements, but it left him as tired as a dead dog—this was also his method for falling asleep.

Unlike the peers of later generations who could come up with the "airplane sleep-aid method" on a whim, all of whom went to work during the day with dark circles under their eyes.

Zhang Ping'an washed up simply and fell asleep, though his biological clock still woke him up at four-thirty in the morning.

He went first to call Jia Dongxu over to stretch and exercise together.

"Ping'an?"

"It's me, Si Jie. It's still early, go back to sleep. You can cook for yourself in the morning or go to San Jie's place; I'll eat outside."

"Oh, okay." Zhang Lanhua hadn't actually slept well last night; after all, it was her first time away from home.

"Dongxu, Dongxu, get up."

"Oh, oh, coming."

"Wash your face to wake up; we'll exercise for a while and then go fishing."

At five-thirty, the two finished exercising. Now Jia Dongxu could also complete twenty movements, and both of them had grown two or three centimeters in height.

In the original story, Jia Dongxu was just over one meter seventy; now, he would likely grow to at least one meter seventy-five or more.

"Take the eggs back to pad your stomach, go back and wash up, and then we'll set off."

"Mm, okay."

Shazhu had to go out with his father in the morning to prepare a banquet, and Xu Damao had to go back to his hometown with his father, so it was just the two of them this morning.

It was another harvest of over three hundred jin. The Lou Steel Rolling Mill now had just over two thousand people, and at most, they could digest seven or eight hundred jin of fish a day. Although the Workers at the Rolling Mill were a bit tired of eating fish, it was still better than the days when meat was rarely seen.

It was another harvest of 450,000 per person; the extra 30,000 was still given to Zhang Xiaohua as pocket money.

Time drifted by just like that. Over the summer vacation, Shazhu and Damao had both earned nearly three million, and Yan Bugui had even broken through five million, all hidden in iron boxes.

As for the uncle and nephew, they had both saved over ten million. Si Jie, Zhang Lanhua, really had a talent for learning; she was at about a fifth-grade level, and she could be placed in a grade after the entrance exam.

Yan Bugui was all smiles whenever he saw Zhang Ping'an. The tutoring fees for this summer vacation were indeed a bit high, and he was teaching with heart; he had to be worthy of the fees.

"Teacher Yan, are we registering tomorrow?"

"Yes, you come with me tomorrow. You'll still need to be tested before being placed in a grade."

"Done."

In the afternoon, Zhang Ping'an returned early. He washed the tricycle clean and laid down straw; he planned to take Si Jie to buy two outfits.

"Si Jie, let's go. I'll take you to buy two outfits. We have to wear new clothes for school, right?"

"No need, Ping'an, I have enough clothes to wear."

"Let's go, let's go. San Jie, you come with us too." It was mainly because he couldn't help buy some things that were for girls.

"Alright."

Zhang Ping'an pedaled the tricycle with the two of them. They first went to the tailor shop to look around and bought two ready-made outfits, then bought some fabric. His own shopping was done, and from then on, he just followed wherever Zhang Xiaohua pointed.

They didn't finish until six in the evening. Passing by Pianyi Fang, they bought four roast ducks.

"Ping'an, buying two is enough. It's hot, and it'll be a waste if we can't finish it."

"We'll finish it; Dongxu and I have big appetites."

"Now that you mention it, that's true. Dongxu's appetite has indeed increased quite a bit these past few months."

"San Jie, haven't you noticed that Dongxu has grown taller?"

"Ah? I really didn't notice."

"I didn't notice either."

That was true; unless there was a very significant change, it was hard to notice people you saw every day.

The next morning, Zhang Ping'an still fished with Jia Dongxu for two hours, only this time Jia Dongxu was responsible for the delivery.

At seven-thirty, Zhang Ping'an's group of six—Yan Bugui and his son Yan Jiecheng, Liu Guangqi, Xu Damao, and the brother and sister—set off.

Zhang Ping'an and Zhang Lanhua were both wearing new clothes, with new shoes made by Zhang Xiaohua on their feet. And it must be said, the shoes Zhang Xiaohua made were truly comfortable to wear.

Yan Jiecheng and Liu Guangqi were the same age, ten years old, and both were in the second grade. Damao was in the fourth grade and would graduate in two more years.

"Zhang Shu, which grade do you plan to start in?"

"Hmm, sixth grade, I suppose."

"What? Zhang Shu, why don't you join me in the fourth grade? It'll be nice to have a companion."

"Better not. I originally intended to go straight to junior high, but I figure that's very difficult, so I'll use elementary school as a transition."

"....."

"You still have to go to junior high?"

"Hmm? You aren't?"

"Ahem, I'll see how things go when the time comes."

"Jiecheng, Guangqi, Damao, you go line up to pay the fees. Ping'an, Lanhua, you come with me to the principal's office."

"Oh, okay."

"Jiecheng, Guangqi, do you think Zhang Shu can get into the sixth grade?"

"He probably can, right? My dad said it wouldn't be a big problem for him to go to junior high either."

"Hmm, I think so too; just looking at his build, he doesn't look like a primary school student."

"......" Xu Damao was completely disheartened and extinguished the idea of being classmates with Zhang Ping'an.

"Teacher Yan, are they the geniuses you were talking about?"

"Yes, Principal Zheng, you can set some questions to test the two siblings."

"Alright, these are the papers for the fifth and sixth grades; you two can give them a try."

"Very well, Principal."

Zhang Ping'an started writing as soon as he got the papers; fearing that writing too fast would affect his Si Jie's state of mind, he deliberately slowed down his speed.

Half an hour later, Zhang Ping'an was truly bored, so he handed in his paper; Principal Zheng, who was also a veteran teacher by trade, picked up a red pen and began to grade it.

"Not bad, not bad, they are good prospects."

At this time, Zhang Lanhua had also finished writing, and Principal Zheng graded hers as well.

"Very good, Teacher Yan, I'll take both of these children."

"Good, good, good."

"Principal, I am usually quite busy; I wonder if I could only come over during exams?"

"What? Why don't you just fly up to the sky? As a model student, I have to say a few words to you: a young comrade cannot become arrogant just because of a little achievement; you must be humble."

"Uh, Principal Zheng, actually Ping'an has already self-studied middle school knowledge; him coming to study is also because he needs this status."

"Really?"

"Naturally."

"Then wait a moment, I'll find a middle school exam paper for you to try."

"Alright."

Principal Zheng quickly pulled two third-year middle school exam papers from the very bottom of a file and handed them to Zhang Ping'an; this time, without the factor of his Si Jie, he finished the exam in less than half an hour.

Principal Zheng took them and started grading; it was incredible, they were all full marks again, and Principal Zheng's love for talent was immediately ignited.

"Good, good, good, I'll agree to your terms, but if you don't get first place in every exam, then our agreement will be void, okay?"

"Deal, I'll listen to you; the results will definitely satisfy you."

"Good, Teacher Yan, take them to their respective grades."

"You got it."