Chapter 300: "Kong Yiji" Can't Take Off His Long Gown
When Qiang Ge'er heard Sun Shan advising him to lose weight, he looked bitter and didn't want to talk anymore.
His round eyes rolled around and he whispered, "Brother Shan, I'll ask my grandfather to help you study in Guangzhou Prefecture, preferably at Guangya Academy, so that we can have a companion. What do you think?"
He looked at Sun Shan with clear and sincere eyes.
Sun Shan was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Brother Qiang, thank you. But it's not necessary. My knowledge is not good enough, and it's hard to study in Guangya Academy. I can't catch up with others, which is very uncomfortable."
For a moment, Sun Shan really wanted to agree, but then he thought, he couldn't do that.
Even if He Shuqiang sincerely asked his family to help Sun Shan find a college, outsiders would see it as Sun Shan taking advantage of He Shuqiang's friendship to help him find a college.
This is not what Sun Shan wants to see.
Using all connections and working hard to climb up is a personal choice, not a right or wrong one.
But Sun Shan didn't like this approach.
Sun Shan admitted that he had the nobleness of "Kong Yiji" who could not take off his long gown, which may seem very silly and rigid to outsiders.
But Sun Shan still insisted on this "poor" lifestyle and did not want to ask anyone for help unless it involved his life.
He is naturally aloof, stubborn and vain.
He shook his head and said, "Brother Qiang, don't tell anyone about what happened today, and don't ask your grandfather for help, understand?"
He Shuqiang frowned and asked in confusion: "Brother Shan, my great grandfather is a good friend of the dean of Guangya Academy, and my family has a good relationship with the dean. Grandpa said that the dean should be flexible and give you a place, it won't be difficult. Besides, you are already knowledgeable, but Guangya Academy just didn't find out. If you are introduced to the dean and let him test you, he will definitely let you study in the academy."
Sun Shan was deeply touched by He Shuqiang's confidence in treating him the same way for ten years, and he was also grateful that He Shuqiang did not mind their status and became his good pen pal with whom he could talk about anything.
Finally, he refused and said, "Brother Qiang, I'm telling you the truth. I'm really not knowledgeable enough. Just imagine, if I go to Guangya Academy, my classmates are better than me, and I always rank last in the exams. How upset I would be. I don't want to lose face like that."
Although Sun Shan wanted to study at Guangya Academy and was convinced that his grades would not be the worst, he did not want to get entangled in "interests" with He Shuqiang. He just wanted to be pure friends with He Shuqiang.
He Shuqiang wanted to say something, but Sun Shan stopped him immediately and said in a very serious tone: "Brother Qiang, this matter ends here. You are not allowed to talk about it anymore, and you are not allowed to mention it to anyone else, especially your family. Can you do it?"
He Shuqiang saw that Sun Shan was very determined, then nodded and said, "I understand, Brother Shan, I won't tell anyone. Not even my eldest sister."
Sun Shan nodded with satisfaction. He had known He Shuqiang for so many years, although they had met only a few times.
But Sun Shan knew him very well.
He Shuqiang would generally listen to whatever Sun Shan said, especially when he was told seriously, and He Shuqiang had never made any mistakes.
After lunch, the two went out for a walk again in the afternoon.
Since Sun Shan was under semi-house arrest, his activities were limited to Sunjia Village.
As He Shuqiang was there, Sun Shan didn't dare to take him out of Hejia Village.
If Sun Shan is lost, he may be found, after all, he is not a real child. But if He Shuqiang is lost, Sun Shan cannot bear the consequences.
The two walked and stopped along the streets and alleys, and passed by the "He Family Ancestral Hall" again. They heard the sound of reading aloud from inside, and as Sun Shan listened, he became fascinated.
He Shuqiang was out of breath, holding onto the railing with both hands and said, "Brother Shan, let's go to the teahouse to have some tea. I'm not going anywhere. I'm so tired."
Sun Shan narrowed his eyes and looked at He Shuqiang. It was really hard for him. He was only 12 years old, but he had a big belly. His stomach was so round that it gave him a toothache just by looking at it.
After thinking that they had only walked for half an hour, He Shuqiang said he was tired.
Alas, it seems that he lacks more exercise than me and is not as healthy as me.
He shook his head and said, "Let's keep going and take a look at the lotus pond."
He Shuqiang said reluctantly: "There is nothing to see in the lotus pond in winter. If you want to see something, go there in summer, when there are lotus flowers to see."
Sun Shan ignored He Shuqiang's complaints and continued walking forward. He Shuqiang still followed him happily.
The two came to the lotus pond, which was where they first met.
There is indeed nothing to see in the lotus pond, as the lotus roots under the pond had long been dug away.
He Shuqiang licked his lips, swallowed his saliva and said, "Brother Shan, a few days ago, my second grandfather arranged for people to go down to the lotus pond to dig lotus roots. Did you see it?"
Sun Shan was busy with exams at that time and didn't see it.
He Shuqiang continued, "The lotus roots in Hejia Village are delicious, but unfortunately I'm in the academy and I can't eat them."
He Shuqiang's second grandfather is the patriarch and village chief of Hejia Village, and has been managing all the matters big and small in Hejia Village.
Of course, one village head is different from another. The village head of Hejia Village is obviously much more senior, richer, and has more power than the village head of Sunjia Village.
Speaking of eating lotus roots, Sun Shan actually ate some.
Whenever lotus roots are dug in Hejia Village, they are distributed to every household and become collective property.
Uncle He's family naturally also got lotus roots.
Sun Shan also had pork ribs and lotus root soup. It’s true that the lotus root was delicious and very soft and sticky.
He nodded and said, "The lotus roots in your village are indeed delicious. I ate some of them a few days ago."
He Shuqiang looked at Sun Shan with a bitter face and said unconvincedly: "Brother Shan, you can eat lotus roots, why can't I? It's all because of Second Grandpa, who specially dug lotus roots when I was in the academy."
Sun Shan chuckled and said soothingly, "If you can't eat the lotus root, then you can't eat it. There are other things to eat. Okay. Let's continue shopping."
But you can't argue with the fat boy about the eating part, because he will talk endlessly and make Sun Shan dizzy.
He Shuqiang wanted to say more, but Sun Shan had already left, so he had to continue following him.
He Shuqiang really wanted to find a place to rest, preferably go to a teahouse to have some snacks, or go to Aunt Sun’s dessert shop to drink red date milk tea. How comfortable it would be to drink a cup of warm milk tea in the middle of winter.
Sun Shan walked along the lotus pond towards the "Kui Xing Tower". When he turned a corner, he saw a fat figure hiding stealthily among the flowers and plants.
The more Sun Shan looked, the more familiar the figure seemed, but he was not sure who it was.
He Shuqiang, who followed behind, recognized her at a glance: "Big sister, what are you doing here?"
What was a girl doing hiding in the bushes? Was she picking flowers? But there were no flowers here, only bare gray trees.
He Chunyuan, who was hiding in the grass, was obviously frightened. He jumped up, turned around, saw Sun Shan and He Shuqiang, patted his chest, and shouted in shock: "Brother, Brother Shan, I'm scared to death."
Sun Shan finally understood why He Chunyuan was hiding in the bushes. From the oil residue at the corner of her mouth that had not been wiped off in time, he knew that the fat girl was hiding in the bushes to eat secretly.
Sun Shan sniffed the air and it smelled like roast chicken.
I looked over to where the fat girl was squatting, and sure enough, there was a pile of chicken bones.