Qin Junyao could write calligraphy partly because of her modern grandfather's influence, and partly because she enjoyed reading ancient musical scores and studying pieces left by predecessors.
She taught the Qin family members how to read and discovered their individual differences.
Third Uncle Qin Sen knew some characters but couldn't write them, and learned quickly.
Father Qin and Qin Da Niu studied diligently, while Grandma Qin and Qin Xiao Yu showed no interest at all.
Mother Qin and Second Aunt Qin were absent-minded, paying more attention to their needlework.
The most interesting were Qin Er Niu and Qin San Niu. The former always boasted that he could learn at a glance, but was useless when it came to writing.
Qin San Niu said nothing, but quietly dipped his finger in water on the table beside his elder brother's misspelled characters and meticulously wrote the character "Qin."
This earned him his brother's "loving education."
After the lively session, everyone rested, as there was still work to be done the next day.
In the evening, Qin Junyao continued to dig for yellow king solomon's seal and harvest rice in her spatial dimension.
The next morning, Qin Junyao, carrying her basket, went to the open space on the mountaintop to practice her zither.
This time, she also brought some stones and wooden planks dismantled from the donkey cart in her dimension. The zither case was a bit too low to serve as a zither stand, so these were to build a small platform.
Zhao Liangcai had gone up the mountain before dawn. After practicing his skills, he placed his newly brought pillow and waited to listen to the "lullaby" before riding his horse to the salt lake.
Qin Junyao practiced her zither for an hour, then carried a basket of yellow king solomon's seal down the mountain. Upon returning home, she saw an old man peering at her doorstep.
"Sir, is there something you need?"
"Oh, you startled me, girl," Elder Hao, the village chief, flinched in place, frightened by the sudden voice from behind.
"I am not a sir; I am the village chief of Yangshu Village. Where are your elders?"
Qin Junyao glanced at the locked door and the missing donkey cart. "They should have gone to chop branches; we are building a fence."
"I see it, I see it. The one in charge from the Hou family isn't here either. When your elders return, have them bring the household registration and come to my place."
Qin Junyao nodded in agreement and smiled as she walked Elder Hao a few steps. When she turned around, she was surrounded by several women who "happened to be passing by."
They approached to talk because they saw Qin Junyao interacting normally with the village chief.
The other family was always absent. This one had a frightening-looking girl and another who was too dirty to see her face, and she was brought back by the "little god of death." Therefore, for the past two days, they had only dared to watch from a distance. This is from Sudian Novel Network.
"Oh, this little girl is so pitifully pretty."
"Indeed, girl, what's your name? How old are you?"
"What are you carrying in that basket? I saw you coming down from the mountain. Did you get it from there?"
"How many people are in your family? The house takes up two plots..."
...
When Qin Junyao was surrounded by four or five women asking questions, her first reaction was to cover her face. She wasn't accepting interviews.
Only then did she realize these weren't reporters but gossipy village women.
However, her feeling of not wanting to answer their overly enthusiastic questions was the same as not accepting an interview.
Hou Jing's eldest daughter-in-law, who was taking care of her child at home, saw Qin Junyao's predicament, brought her child over, and tried to help, only to be surrounded herself.
Grandma Qin, who had returned from a walk around the village, saw her eldest granddaughter squatting on the ground, protecting her basket from being rummaged through, and Xingwang's wife protecting her child while talking to five or six women.
"Hey, hey, hey! Xingwang's wife, your mother is looking for you. Why are you chatting by my door?"
"Qin Junyao! I told you to go up the mountain to dig up some grass roots and dry them to feed the donkey in winter. Why are you squatting there slacking off? Get back to work immediately."
Hearing Grandma Qin's words, Xingwang's wife and Qin Junyao quickly moved away from their spots.
The surrounding women exchanged glances, none daring to step forward and greet Grandma Qin. Seeing those triangular eyes, it was clear she wasn't someone to be trifled with.
Grandma Qin, with a face full of smiles, said, "Which families do you sisters belong to? You look like you've married into good families."
"It's the busy autumn harvest, and you can still come out to chat. If we hadn't just moved here, I, this old woman, would also be working."
"Sisters, don't leave, stay and chat with this old woman."
Then Grandma Qin called out towards the house: "Qin Junyao, bring out a few bowls of water."
The eldest among the women smiled and waved her hand, "Old sister, no need to trouble yourself. We were just passing by."
Grandma Qin made an exaggerated tutting sound, "What trouble? We newcomers need your care. Have some water and let's chat properly. We don't have much work at home anyway."
"I do..."
"I know sisters have time," Grandma Qin grabbed the sleeves of four of them with both hands and urged Qin Junyao to quickly bring out the water.
Once everyone had a bowl of water, Grandma Qin began to chat extensively with them, never inviting them inside, and constantly telling Qin Junyao to refill their water.
Qin Junyao was quite mischievous at this time, serving them cool water from the big water缸. Drinking too much wouldn't cause diarrhea, but it would certainly lead to more trips to the latrine.
An hour later.
"Sisters, stay and chat with me a bit longer. Do you know that General Zhao?"
The women who wanted to leave heard the mention of the "little god of death" and changed their minds.
This was the only general living in the village from the salt lake area. Others had properties in Yan County or the northwest city and were unreachable.
How could they, who were out inquiring about the Qin and Hou families during the busy farming season, miss out on news about a general?
"Do you, old sister, know?" asked the eldest woman.
Grandma Qin slapped the other woman's arm forcefully, making her wince, "How could we, who came together, not know? Do you know his stepmother also followed him?"
"Stepmother? Is the older woman his stepmother? I thought she was his sister," one of the women said with surprise.
They knew the "little god of death's" younger brother was born to his stepmother, but they didn't expect the stepmother to be so young.
Grandma Qin chuckled, "I'm telling you, his stepmother is not only young and beautiful, but she's also very kind and loves to entertain guests."
"And her daughter and niece, they are so talented in appearance. Oh, don't you think it's strange? Such beautiful girls don't look down on us farmers and even say it's good to be a farmer's wife."
"Really? Old sister, tell us quickly..."
After helping to unload the branches from the donkey cart, Qin Junyao came over to refill the women's water and overheard everything Grandma Qin said.
This was a trap of excessive praise.
Never mind the others, if Zhao Rui were to be questioned by these village women, she would explode. Her grandmother was truly ruthless.
Zhao Rui was already about to explode, without even being surrounded by village women.
"Mother, can't we stay in Northwest City? What's so good about this village? There are few literate people. They say they're finding me a husband, a mud-legged bumpkin?"
Qian Shi, after altering the new clothes she bought in Yan City yesterday, handed them to Zhao Rui and said, "Why are you so angry after going out for a bit?"
"We definitely can't stay here for long. Isn't it just to make your brother closer to us?"
"The clothes are altered. Try them on."
Zhao Rui threw the clothes on the kang and said, "I won't try them on."
"Mother, the people in this village are crazy. They whistle at me. I don't care, I don't want to live here."
Hearing this, Qian Shi also felt a headache. There were a few ruffians in the village who loitered around their house.
It seemed she needed to tell Zhao Liangcai to buy a few more people.