The three of them were having a meal when Hu Yufen brought out several pieces of cloth from the cabinet that she had procured from the town before the New Year.
These were originally intended for Shen Yuan's clothes, but since things were urgent, she could only use them for the two children now.
"Let's eat first, there's enough time."
Seeing her busy with measuring the fabric, Shen Yuan came up and spoke.
Hu Yufen continued measuring the cloth by herself.
"Master Lu is a great scholar, and this hard-won opportunity requires attention to every detail."
Seeing her looking so tense, Shen Yuan couldn't help but shake his head with a smile.
This scene reminded him of when he was lucky enough to get an interview at a big company in his previous life.
To prepare for that interview, he emptied his pockets to buy a suit and tie.
On the day of the interview, however, the interviewers were all dressed casually in sneakers.
If Master Lu chose students based on clothing, this opportunity wouldn't have come to his two sons.
"I'll go to the front yard to see if Sister-in-law Zhao is busy." Shen Yuan wiped his mouth and walked toward the outside.
As he was about to step out of the courtyard gate, he glanced at the tub with several palm-sized grass carps, picked up a hemp rope, and strung them up to take along.
The family living in their front yard was surnamed Zhao. The man was a couple of years older than Shen Yuan and was named Zhao Shuan.
Zhao Shuan's wife's surname was Wang, and her name was Wang Ying.
The couple had two sons and a daughter, all honest and simple people.
With the grass carp in hand, Shen Yuan knocked on the courtyard door, and a tiger-headed young boy about Shen Wenxing's age opened the door.
"Uncle Yuan?"
Seeing Shen Yuan, the little boy called out, then quickly ran back into the courtyard: "Dad, Uncle Yuan is here."
Inside the courtyard, Zhao Shuan came forward holding a bowl of rice, shirtless.
"Ah Yuan, have you eaten?"
"Your sister-in-law made millet porridge, have a bowl!"
"Hey, dear… serve Uncle Yuan a bowl of millet porridge!"
Millet porridge is a kind of millet and meat porridge.
A while ago, Shen Yuan set traps in the mountains and caught a big wild boar and seven small ones, which were difficult to transport down the mountain.
After enlisting the help of Zhao Shuan and a few others to bring them down, the big wild boar was slaughtered on the spot, and some of the pork was sold to the others at a low price, with the rest preserved by Hu Yufen as salted meat.
"Brother Shuan, don't bother, I just finished eating."
Shen Yuan waved his hand, raising the fish in his hand: "Caught some fish this morning, brought you guys a few, don't mind if they're small."
Seeing this, Zhao Shuan quickly put down the bowl in his hand and examined the grass carp.
"So fresh and shiny, Ah Yuan, these aren't from the Laishui River, are they?"
"From the Black Water Pool."
Zhao Shuan was a bit surprised: "You went to Black Water Pool?"
"I heard the Tuo Dragon there has been ferocious lately, better not take risks next time."
Shen Yuan nodded, then turned to Wang Ying and said, "Sister-in-law, are you free after the meal?"
Wang Ying smiled and said: "The crops are mostly done, not much to be busy with, Ah Yuan, do you need anything?"
The two families had a good relationship, often helping each other with daily matters.
Additionally, with Shen Yuan bringing fish from Black Water Pool, Wang Ying was very gracious.
"Yufen got some cloth, wants to make decent clothes for Shi Tou and Ah Nu. Sister-in-law, you're so skillful, if you're free, could you guide her?"
The little compliment made Wang Ying quite pleased, and she quickly replied with a smile: "I'm free, I'll head over after I'm done here."
Shen Yuan nodded, handed the fish to Zhao Shuan, and said: "Brother Shuan, you guys finish eating, I'm heading back."
In the afternoon, Hu Yufen and Wang Ying were busy in the courtyard making clothes for the two little ones, while Shen Yuan slaughtered fish by the well nearby and picked two good pieces of wild boar meat, cutting them into strips and wrapping them in red cloth.
Even though Lu Zhiyuan said two fresh fish could serve as the apprenticeship fee, going empty-handed the next morning wouldn't look good.
The wild boar meat was completely wild and tasted great, bringing two pieces would look good.
Besides, with Lu Zhiyuan's character, if he didn't accept Shi Tou and Ah Nu, he wouldn't accept the meat either, so they wouldn't be at a loss.
"Yufen, wasn't this cloth meant for making clothes for Ah Yuan?"
On the bamboo mat, Wang Ying carefully sewed the fabric while casually asking.
Hu Yufen nodded with a smile.
"Shi Tou and Ah Nu are visiting Master Lu tomorrow morning, no time to fetch new ones from town, so using these for now."
Hearing this, Wang Ying's needle paused slightly in surprise, and she looked up.
"Visiting… Master Lu?"
"The old curmudgeon in our village?"
Hu Yufen suddenly realized she might have let something slip.
It was rare for Master Lu to agree to give their children an opportunity. If the villagers knew, they would undoubtedly pester him.
Master Lu liked peace and quiet. If he got angry…
Seeing no response from her, Wang Ying grinned and continued sewing, saying: "Yufen, can't you trust your sister-in-law?"
"What goes into my ears won't be passed on, rest assured."
Hu Yufen awkwardly smiled: "Thank you, sister-in-law."
The two of them stayed busy until evening, finally finishing the clothes for Shen Wenxing and Shen Wenyan.
The two little ones quickly washed up with the hot water in the courtyard and eagerly changed into their new clothes.
"They fit perfectly."
"Thanks to sister-in-law for suggesting to tighten the shoulders and waist a bit, otherwise they wouldn't look as good."
A person relies on clothes as a horse relies on a saddle, and the two little rascals had been running around bare-bottomed since summer. Even when they occasionally dressed, it was just shorts, and they were always covered in dirt.
Now that they were washed and dressed in new clothes, they looked much more presentable.
"Sister-in-law, Shi Tou's dad has prepared the fish. I'll start cooking it now, call Brother Shuan and the others over for the fish soup later."
It was already dark, and since Wang Ying had been busy all afternoon, Hu Yufen quickly invited her.
"No need, Ah Yuan brought us a few fish during noon, I'll head back and cook those," said Wang Ying with a cheerful smile as she left.
At night, the family of four drank fish soup and, after washing up, sat in the courtyard to enjoy the cool air.
"Ah Die, why is the moon sometimes full and sometimes a crescent?" Ah Nu lay beside Shen Yuan, gazing at the moon which was as bright as a jade plate and curiously asked.
"That's because a heavenly dog bites it!"
"It's like a flatbread with a big bite taken out!"
Before Shen Yuan could speak, Shen Wenxing chimed in with an answer.
The little one sprang up and asked, "Then why does the bitten moon become full again after some time?"
Shen Wenxing was stumped by the question, hesitating as he didn't know how to answer.
"Mom, what do you think?"
The little one looked towards Hu Yufen, who was holding a palm fan.
Startled by the question, Hu Yufen looked at her youngest with a bit of a headache.
This little guy was only four but was absolutely a "question kid."
Though Hu Yufen wasn't a talented scholar, before the family suffered misfortune, she had read many classical books.
Yet many times she couldn't answer Ah Nu's questions.
Seeing his wife stumped, Shen Yuan gently smiled.
"Shi Tou, go grab two plates."
Curious, Shen Wenxing got up and brought two plates from the kitchen.
Shen Yuan took the plates, holding one in front and the other behind it.
Moving them slowly to simulate the change from a full moon to a crescent.
"Understand now?"
The little one watched the movements without saying anything.
Shen Yuan didn't dwell on explanations, but placed the plates down and, while ruffling the little one's hair, said: "To understand this, you need to study hard. Once you've read more books and thought more, you'll know."
Shen Wenyan nodded, half understanding, then asked, "Does the scholar know this?"
Hu Yufen sensed her husband was using this moment to encourage learning, so she jumped in to continue: "Master Lu is a great scholar, the most knowledgeable person, of course he knows."
"Ah Nu, make sure to perform well tomorrow and strive to be accepted as a student by the scholar, okay?"
Shen Wenyan nodded.
Hu Yufen then looked at her eldest son, Shen Wenxing, and said: "Shi Tou, you have to perform well too. If both of you can become the scholar's students, your father and I will be at ease."
Shen Wenxing nodded as well, and the family of four sat quietly on the bamboo mat, gazing at the full moon above.