Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation-Chapter 1649 - 899: Real-Life Playing House (Part 2)
Huang Yuzhu was really at his wit’s end; he realized that his undisciplined younger brother had gone completely astray. If he didn’t correct him, he’d be doomed later.
After consulting Xue Yuantong, he discovered that the river dam not only offered a chance to work while studying but also had a revered teacher!
It could both cultivate one’s body and mind and have a teacher to guide learning—a win-win situation.
Huang Yuzhu didn’t hesitate for long and made up his mind to send his brother to the river dam for further studies.
And this morning was the day Huang Yuzhu sent his brother here.
The second reason was Jiang Ning made Dongdong work, and initially, the kids bullied by Dongdong found refuge, at first just supervising, but later they started to beat and scold Dongdong, bullying him, and even became the Evil Dragon.
Education for children is really interesting... but Jiang Ning thought, isn’t the adults’ world just the same?
Time ticked by second by second.
The roar of a motorbike broke into the territory of the river dam.
Jiang Ning had just finished a chess game and stood up to greet his friend from his past life, saying: "Yuzhu, you’re here."
Huang Yuzhu got off the motorbike and said, with a simple smile: "Have you eaten?"
At the same time, a man, looking in his forties and even more sincere and honest, smiled at Jiang Ning and humbly offered him a cigarette.
Jiang Ning waved his hand, called out: "Hello, Uncle."
Then, Huang Guan, holding a teenage child, led him to Jiang Ning: "This is my son, Xingxing, go ahead and say hello."
The young boy lifted his face, expressionless, without saying a word.
"Look at this kid." Huang Guan said, putting on a stern face.
Jiang Ning didn’t mind: "He’s still young."
He beckoned Dongdong over: "Introduce him to the work."
Dongdong, being a seasoned worker at the strawberry garden, opened his mouth and said: "Working at our strawberry garden, you get three meals a day, with meat in every meal!"
He flexed his strong arms: "I’m only 9 years old this year!"
At these words, both Huang Guan and Huang Yuzhu were taken aback, looking at Dongdong like a little bull. You tell me he’s only nine years old?
"Not only meals, but you can also eat strawberries. You know strawberries, right? Greenhouse strawberries, they cost dozens a pound!" Dongdong passionately introduced.
Huang Guan, being a rough man doing hard labor, knew the price of strawberries in winter was expensive and his family hardly buys them.
’Such a young kid gets not only fed but also strawberries. Xingxing would definitely like it, plus the location is remote, no internet cafes.’ Huang Guan thought it over happily.
Jiang Ning gave a light cough.
Dongdong immediately said: "You can not only work and eat well, but you also have Mr. Qian’s teachings!"
Just then, Mr. Qian, looking like a refined person, stepped out of the room, standing in the eastern sunlight, luminous, reciting a poem diligently: "Last night the Dipper turned north, today the year starts east. Although I am in my prime, without salary, I still worry about farming."
Xue Yuantong praised: "Good poem, good poem, truly a good poem!"
Although Mingming was sincere in her praise, Mr. Qian felt she was being sarcastic; this girl has turned wicked!
But Huang Guan, seeing Mr. Qian’s scholarly demeanor, immediately felt uplifted. He could work and have a teacher supervising, it was perfect!
Look at this nine-year-old boy in front of him; he’s just like an adult, so mature, with such good interpersonal skills!
Huang Guan immediately urged his son to work well.
Actually, working at the strawberry garden pays, Dongdong’s wage is 150 yuan, Jiang Ning as the broker worked hard, so he took 149, Dongdong got 1 yuan daily.
For newbies like Xingxing, Jiang Ning set the price at 80 yuan, he took 79.5, leaving 0.5 as a raise for Dongdong’s promotion to deputy manager of the greenhouse, so Xingxing got zero yuan.
But this alone wasn’t good; it would lead Dongdong to become lazy.
Xue Yuantong proposed a competitive mechanism, she would randomly visit guests, judge who had the best work attitude based on their praise, and whoever could be the first to become the General Manager.
However, this wasn’t implemented yet, requiring Xingxing to become a formal worker.
Huang Guan and Huang Yuzhu entrusted Xingxing to Dongdong and left the river dam excitedly.
...
Dongdong maintained his disguise, sizing up the young boy Xingxing.
Previously, Dongdong had many subordinates, but they were all amateurs, while Xingxing was truly a certified formal worker before him.
"Hey, kid, you think you’re cool?" Dongdong greeted.
Xingxing, though young, deceived his family and hung around major internet cafes; he had seen many gang leaders and thought Dongdong seemed easy to talk to, he wasn’t intimidated by people like him.
"Hey, Xiao Dong, do you play CF?" Xingxing asked.
Dongdong asked, puzzled: "What’s CF?"
Xingxing snickered; not knowing CF, indeed a country bumpkin from a rural area.
He glanced around the river dam and ordered: "Take me to the strawberry garden to hang out, haven’t had strawberries in a long time."
Dongdong plastered a smile: "Your work attitude is very proactive, I like it!"
Dongdong didn’t forget to inform Jiang Ning the king: "I’m leaving!"
Jiang Ning nodded: "Yes, remember, you two are working voluntarily."
Xingxing stepped away immediately, Dongdong caught up, asking: "Aren’t you going to greet him? Otherwise, he’ll trouble you!"
Xingxing responded dismissively: "Why should I greet him? Who does he think he is?"
Dongdong: "Not pleasing him will have serious consequences!"
Despite being young, Xingxing was online daily, had his own worldview, and he tried to reverse brainwash Dongdong: "When he dies, I’ll certainly be happy."
’If Jiang Ning died...’ Dongdong had a rebellious thought that arose in his mind, but immediately suppressed it, fearing he’d anger the king.
Dongdong shook his head: "Work well, there’ll be lots of benefits later on!"
Xingxing looked at this silly Dongdong, seeing him utterly through, thinking he’d trick the dumb chubby kid into working while he ate strawberries beside him.
In the past in class, Xingxing often toyed with fat kids, running circles around them.
Mr. Qian looked at the distant figure of Xingxing and declared: "This kid won’t have much of a future."
Zhang Ruyun, feeling somewhat self-healed from grief, wondered: "Teacher, how can you tell?"
Mr. Qian glanced at him and said: "Ruyun, let me teach you today!"
"To see if a boy has potential, first look at his parents; you saw his dad, right? Riding a motorbike, the picture of sincerity, talking without daring to straighten up; how can such a kid have any prospects? What awaits him is a lifetime of unpaid mortgages and a lifetime of working jobs. If he can get a wife, living peacefully would mean big luck from ancestors."
Zhang Ruyun: "Then what counts as having a future?"
Mr. Qian glanced westward, saying: "The two kids who’ve been frequenting the rural tourism place lately, their family must be in power, certainly have a future." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶
Zhang Ruyun was confused: "At the end of the day, isn’t it just about the parents?"
Mr. Qian said matter-of-factly, repeating: "Isn’t it just about the parents."
Thirty years ago, wasn’t he also full of passion but eventually retiring as an ordinary teacher?
...
Ten in the morning.
Aunt Gu rode her electric scooter home. Recently, Evergreen Liquid’s work has been very light; after finishing the morning shift, Aunt Gu’s work ended, allowing her more time with her daughter.
Xue Yuantong immediately rushed over.
Aunt Gu looked at her little daughter, feeling like when they lived in the village, every time she returned from the market, her daughter would always run to greet her and ask what tasty things she bought today.
Aunt Gu’s electric scooter had just stopped, and Xue Yuantong eagerly peered into the basket, flipping through with excitement.
Aunt Gu actually quite liked it; if every time she returned home, her daughter just said "oh" coldly, it would be worse.
People, sometimes it’s not just about living as an individual; being needed by others is also a kind of existence’s significance.
Except, seeing her daughter looking greedy for eating, Aunt Gu instructed: "If not, you take off your shoes and go in to rummage."
