Chapter 301: Two Reasons

Mr. and Mrs. Song were still in the kitchen.

Hearing them discuss how they would live from now on, Gu Xixi waved at Lao Qian, indicating there was no need to follow in and disturb them.

As for Lao Qian's puzzlement over the peach blossom and plum flower,

Gu Xixi smiled and explained softly, "He isn't really looking at actual peach and plum blossoms. Peach and plum... can be said to be flowers, yet they are not flowers."

Lao Qian grew more bewildered, "A flower yet not a flower? What on earth..."

Gu Xixi said, "You see, the orchids in this courtyard are what I planted, while the peach and plum are the flowers Mr. Song wishes to cultivate himself—that is, the children in our village school."

"The saying 'peach and plum fill the world' means that a teacher's students are many, and the outstanding ones spread across the land."

Lao Qian suddenly understood, "I've heard that saying before, but I didn't know it was interpreted this way."

He then happily said, "Since Mr. Song said he wants to nurture our village's children, it seems he has truly decided to stay."

After a while, the Song couple came out of the kitchen.

Mrs. Song politely greeted them, saying she would return to her room to tidy up, and went inside first.

Seeing this, Lao Qian and Gu Xixi also bade farewell to Mr. Song.

Mr. Song, however, said, "It's rare to have such beautiful orchids; I fear I may not care for them properly and let them go to waste."

"Boss Gu, could you stay a moment and tell me the key points for tending these orchids?"

Lao Qian, being exceedingly shrewd, immediately understood that Mr. Song wanted to keep Gu Xixi alone to talk.

He smiled and said, "There's still plenty of work in the orchard; I'll head off first."

"Xixi, you're best at growing things; teach Mr. and Mrs. Song."

Gu Xixi replied with a smile, "Take it easy, Uncle Qian."

After Lao Qian left, Gu Xixi handed Mr. Song a list, saying, "The several orchid varieties planted in your courtyard are relatively easy to care for; I've prepared the fertilizer and placed it in the west corner of the kitchen."

"I've also written down the usual timing for watering and fertilizing."

"If anything else is amiss, the village school has a student named Zhang Minglei; you just need to have him pass a message, and I'll come to examine these orchids."

Mr. Song took the paper, glanced at it, and said, "I had it ready all along; why didn't you produce it just now?"

Gu Xixi laughed, "I guessed you had something to say to me, so..."

Mr. Song gave an ambiguous hum and said, "Since I retired from the county academy, all I want is to spend a few years in leisure."

"My coming to your village was not voluntary at first; with your intelligence, you ought to know the reason."

Gu Xixi nodded, "Human feelings are hard to refuse."

Mr. Song continued to lower his gaze at the orchids on the ground, leaving Gu Xixi unable to read his current mood.

"Liu Yi was once my student."

Although Gu Xixi was unfamiliar with that name, she still realized, "Master Liu?"

She had thought Master Liu's surname was also fake, but it turned out to be real.

Mr. Song neither confirmed nor denied, continuing, "When he was young, he also studied under me; at that time I had not yet married and was still relatively young, but after failing the jinshi examination three times, he concluded he lacked the destiny to soar high."

"I decided, as a juren, to teach and nurture, first setting up a private school at my home; Liu Yi came then."

"He was that outstanding, went to the capital to take the jinshi exam, and thereafter there was no word of him."

"In the past two years, I even wrote to other students serving as officials elsewhere to inquire, but no one knew who Liu Yi was."

"Yet before the New Year, he suddenly came to my house to find me."

Mr. Song smiled, "Of course, it's been so long since we last met that I hardly recognized him. Fortunately, he said he's been doing well these years and is finally heading to the capital to take an official post."

"He mentioned you, Boss Gu, to me, saying that with you present, I would surely receive the highest courtesy when I come to Flower Pool Ford Village."

"What I see today indeed confirms his words."

Gu Xixi said, "So you couldn't refuse his request and agreed to come teach at our village school?"

Mr. Song finally lifted his eyes to Gu Xixi and said, "This is merely one of the reasons."

"And there's this." He drew a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Gu Xixi.

Gu Xixi glanced dubiously at Mr. Song, then unfolded the letter.

"This is an invitation letter inviting Mr. Song to serve as a teacher in Flower Pool Ford Village, Qing Tian County."

"The wording is humble, the tone earnest, conveying the sentiment of three visits to the thatched cottage, the manner of honoring the virtuous and employing the talented."

"The handwriting is recognizable to Gu Xixi; it was written by Mu Nan Zhao."

"Yet the Mu Nan Zhao in the letter made her feel unfamiliar."

"He would actually lower himself so much just to help the village hire a teacher?"

Mr. Song said, "This is my second reason I cannot refuse."

"Such a brief invitation, written with flowing elegance, exquisite diction, and calligraphy that is a masterpiece fit for a copybook—no wonder he is a genius who managed to win the triple top honors."

"Just for this letter, I, old man, would unhesitatingly agree to him."

Gu Xixi slightly lowered her head and said, "Sir, you cherish talent."

She secretly wondered in her heart, "If Mr. Song received Mu Nan Zhao's letter, would he also realize that Mu Nan Zhao is the village school's Mr. Chen?"

"If so, then her relationship with Mu Nan Zhao..."

Mr. Song glanced sideways and said, "This letter also comes with a banknote for five hundred taels of silver,"

"Liu Yi said it is the remuneration given to me by the letter's writer."

Gu Xixi furrowed her brow and blurted, "No."

"If any remuneration is to be paid, it should be I who pays it."

"But she had spent quite a bit of money over the past six months, and still needed to invest in the tea garden and tea production; when mentioning money, she still felt a little lacking in confidence."

Mr. Song suddenly laughed, sweeping away his previous solemnity, "Rest assured, I won't accept the banknote."

"As a teacher, I concern myself only with wholeheartedly instructing my students, living off the tuition paid by their parents; I will never accept money that ought not to be taken."

Besides, five hundred taels is too much; if I accepted it, I'm afraid my bones would be bent.

Gu Xixi felt respect, clasped her hands and said, "Sir, your integrity, Gu Xixi admires you; I again thank you on behalf of the children."

Mister Song waved his hand and said, "Teaching the children to read is my pleasure; no thanks needed."

Actually, I've kept you, Boss Gu, because there's an important matter that needs to be made clear in advance.

Gu Xixi's emotions relaxed a bit, she laughed and said, "If it's about the tuition fee, you can rest assured; nowadays most families in the village can afford it."

Besides, your coming to the village is my responsibility. That child of mine also needs to go to school; his tuition shall be calculated according to your previous salary at the county school—just you and I know.

Mister Song said, "Then I won't stand on ceremony with you."

Gu Xixi felt amused; this Mister Song is indeed a straightforward person, true to his word, taking only what is due.

Mister Song then shifted the topic, saying, "However, I want to talk about another matter."

Gu Xixi startled.

Then Mister Song said, "The person who wrote the letter is an old acquaintance of Boss Gu, with deep ties."

"'Who he is, both Boss Gu and I know clearly, so I won't utter his name.'"

Gu Xixi felt as if a thunderclap had exploded above her head.

She forced herself to look at Mister Song and said, "You know all of it."

Mister Song nodded, his expression solemn, and said, "I have a request of Boss Gu."

"'Of course, whether you agree or not, I will still go to the village school to teach, so this is not a condition, merely a request.'"

Gu Xixi also became serious and said, "Please speak."