Chapter 51

New things are always exciting.

Yang Yuyan was quite happy to tell Zhu Yanshu and Yang Yucan that she got a new book when she entered the house with her new poetry book in hand.

“It’s very rare, it’s published by a foreign publisher, Professor Dai gave it to me as a gift.” She cherished stroking the already old pages of the book.

Books are the crystallization of wisdom, Zhu family members love books from the bottom of their bones, no matter Zhu Yanshu or Yang Yucan, they all sincerely exclaimed in admiration, even if they hadn’t even seen the book cover yet, they all felt that this was a valuable gift.

Su Chunjun took off his jacket and scarf, and was flattered to receive the hot tea handed over by Zhang Ma, sat down on a chair, and waited.

“What book is it? Tell me to take a look.” Yang Yucan stood up first and took the book in Yang Yuyan’s hands, and after a quick glance, she was surprised, “The Russian version of Pushkin’s poems?” She held the book, barely read the name, then turned to the first page, there were many words she didn’t recognize, she couldn’t read it down, closed the book, took a look at Zhu Yanshu, then looked at Yang Yuyan, said: “You don’t know Russian, it’s useless to give you this book.”

Zhu Yanshu, however, was keenly aware of the fact that she had also fallen for this kind of trick when she was a child!

Sure enough, her dear little daughter turned her head to look at her dear Teacher Su, and said in a particularly relaxed and happy manner, “It’s good to have Teacher Su to teach me, Teacher Su will do it!”

Yang Yucan immediately showed her disapproval, she went to observe the Russian class, listened very carefully for half a year, and now she can’t even read it down. Russian is much harder than English and Japanese, not the same thing!

But before she could say anything, Zhu Yanshu stood up, shoved the book back into Yang Yuyan’s hands, and said with a smile, “In that case, go and put this book away, and when Mr. Su is free, he’ll come and teach you.”

Yang Yuyan promised and cheerfully went back to her room to return the book.

It was only then that Zhu Yanshu stared at Teacher Su, arms wrapped around her, slowly and methodically, “Teacher Su, I kind of know, in the past didn’t you often bring her to read -poems- ah.” No wonder Yan Yan had fallen for Teacher Su! She was also defeated under this trick back then! Did all the men in the world use the same trick!

Su Chunjun had to stand up and explain, otherwise he was really afraid that he would never be able to board the Zhu family’s door again.

“I had absolutely no such intention when I was Second Miss’s tutor. Poetry is read because the verses are usually short and the words and grammar are not too difficult, making it easy for Second Miss to memorize and learn. The scenes in the verses also help Second Miss not to hate learning.” He couldn’t be blamed for using poems to arouse Second Miss Yang’s interest in learning from the very beginning, it was really because at that time, Second Miss Yang’s reputation of being an aversion to learning was too famous, and didn’t he come to be the home teacher because Second Miss was an aversion to learning and didn’t want to go to school, and her parents were still supportive of it?

And when did he fall in love with Miss Yang, this he himself does not know. It seems like the discovery was only when he realized that there was such a wonderful elf-like girl beside him, if he was a man, he shouldn’t miss her, if he misses her, then he misses the happiness itself.

In his ordinary life, he would not be able to think of each other, only then he would be able to think of each other, and then he would be harmed by the thought of each other.

As stated in the verse, as soon as he found out that he liked the second young lady, the love was like a prairie wildfire, out of control, and he could never take back this heart.

But if you ask him when he was moved, he can’t say.

Su Chunjun had never been so sincere in his life, and he was too nervous to realize that Zhu Yanshu wasn’t really angry.

She quickly let him off the hook, hugging her arms and saying, “Yan Yan will soon regret finding a real teacher as a boyfriend.”

Russian was not a good language to learn. Back then, she had only learned so much under Master Zhu’s soft touch, and she couldn’t regret it once she had learned it-all parents were good at using what their children had said at an early age to put them in the army.

The phrase “you promised” is a magic spell.

Su Chunjun sensed the softening in Zhu Yanshu’s tone and let out a huge sigh of relief.

And it seemed that Miss Yang, who was next to her, became less annoyed with him at this moment.

Yang Yucan glanced at him and sat back down without commenting.

Compared to before, not looking at him like a thief was the best attitude.

Su Chunjun hastened to tell another thing as well, which was what Prof. Dai quietly kept him to say when they were saying goodbye.

“Professor Dai said that he could send Second Miss to him every day, he takes students to class every day, and since it’s not a formal class, the lessons are very relaxing, just right for Second Miss.” He said.

When Professor Acting suggested that Yang Yuyan could go outside for a walk on the lawn, it would be convenient to go out through the floor to ceiling windows of the tea room, and he even opened the door himself, then Second Miss Yang naturally walked out.

Then he and Prof. Dai watched Miss Yang walking around on the lawn, admiring the winter blue sky and white clouds that were higher and higher in front of them, and the winter lawn that was yellowish near the sky and greenish in the distance – the scenery was really very beautiful, and it made people’s mind happy.

Prof. Dai then asked him about Miss Yang’s family, and after he briefly said something about Miss Yang’s experience in pursuing her studies.

Prof. Dai said: “Yang Xuhe this person is a person as his name, hypocritical, he sooner or later to eat his own fruit. Miss Yang is not like her father, but like her mother. Your landlady, Ms. Zhu, is very wise. Is she planning to help Second Miss in her quest for education?”

Su Chunjun knew what Professor Dai really meant and immediately assured for Ms. Zhu, “Ms. Zhu is not the kind of character who expects her daughter to marry a golden son-in-law and have three golden grandchildren in a row.” He hesitated, but still slightly mentioned a couple of sentences about Ma Tianbao and Yang Yucan as a way of proving that Zhu Yanshu was a sober mother with a vision that was still ahead of its time. So beside such a mother, Second Miss Yang was destined not to have an ordinary life, so Second Miss Yang was not the kind of girl who could go back to marry in style after entering the university for a year of gilding the lily.

Prof. Dai was relieved and said with a smile, “It’s really that society nowadays still thinks that women don’t need knowledge. This is very ridiculous! It is also very foolish. Not only our country is like this, those who boast of progress and advanced Western countries also do not attach importance to education and the power of knowledge. But for us this ignorance is even more damaging, because there are so few people in our country who can read!”

Prof. Dai has also encountered very bright female students whose motivation and hard work in the classroom were as good as, if not better than, those of their male counterparts. However, the ones who managed to finish university were in the minority, and even those who finished university mostly went on to get married, and once married, they were doomed to become wives and mothers.

“Reading is a luxury. It is true in any country. But our country needs aspirants with knowledge to help her and save her more than those peaceful countries.” Prof. Day said angrily, “This is the time when both men and women should devote themselves to this great cause! If there is a distinction between men and women in saving one’s country, that’s ridiculous!”

“Many people think that the only way to save their country is to pick up a gun, and they ignore the role of knowledge. Guns can only protect for a moment, while knowledge can protect our country forever.” Professor Dai’s eyes glowed as he told him, “If our country possesses the most advanced knowledge and technology in the world, then we will always be invincible!”

Su Chunjun fell into silence as he listened to Professor Dai.

He patted Su Chunjun’s shoulder, “Chunjun, you’re not someone who can concentrate on knowledge, so you couldn’t wait to graduate from school to run your own life. This is not a bad thing, no need to feel bad. We all have our own strengths and our own paths to follow. When I left home to study abroad ……” he laughed, “You won’t believe it, but I left in tears. The young proprietor was escorting me onto the carriage, and he even told me that if I ran back, he would ask the dart board to escort me onto the ship next time. He said that someone like me would have gone to the Scholarship Examination in the past, but he can only send me to study abroad now.”

Su Chunjun was surprised, “You didn’t want to go study abroad at that time?”

Prof. Dai nodded, “I wanted to go! Of course I wanted to go! But I didn’t want to leave the oil mill and didn’t want to owe the young proprietor such a big favor. I was thinking that if I went to study abroad, then how was I going to repay the young proprietor’s great favor? I couldn’t even think of how to repay him. Maybe I could study abroad and come back as a high-ranking official? But I know myself. I want to learn knowledge, not become an official. So I know I can’t possibly repay this favor, so how can I go about accepting such a great favor? So I want to reject them.”

It was hard for Su Chunjun to empathize because he had not met such a person, but thinking of the Zhu family’s mother and daughter, he said, “You have met a noble person.”

Prof. Dai smiled, “Yes. The young proprietor’s family is the nobleman of my life, and they are also the nobleman of those villages of ours; without their family’s oil mill, we could not survive, and more people would die in the year of famine.” It is because of the oil mill this big rich man in, leasing land for them to plant, and hire them to work, the oil mill more and more open the bigger and bigger, they people’s days are getting better and better.

Su Chunjun said, “The oil mill is like a big company.”

Prof. Dai shook his head, “Not like that. The company won’t care about you for the rest of your life. Foreign companies have a retirement period and will let you leave the company if you can’t work anymore. There is no such thing as retirement in the oil mill, when you are old and can’t farm, you can also feed the cows and donkeys, mow the lawn and pick up the shit to beat the night watch, if there is work, there is money, if you are sick, the young owner will go to see you personally, and if you die, the young owner will go to the funeral home and send the white packets to the bereaved family personally.”

Prof. Dai said, “Don’t let the second young lady go to the girls’ high school, what do you learn there? The Three Obediences and Four Virtues? Cooking? Why don’t you let Miss Two come directly to the university to study under me, and later earn money to hire a nanny to do things better! Since her family is also enlightened and willing to support her education, if you prefer to have a wife with three virtues, don’t say anything; if you want a wife who can fly with you, you should urge her to make progress!”

Prof. Day said, “He who can read, let him read as much as he can! The more you read, the better! Such a student is the one who can be of great use later!”

Professor Dai’s words spoke to his heart, making him examine his feelings with Yang Yuyan even more. He was certainly a bit uncomfortable when he left the school, but it was more out of consideration for his life plans. He didn’t miss his time at school, although it was very good, but he was more anxious every day he was there, looking forward to learning as soon as possible, leaving school, and accomplishing his career!

As for the second Miss Yang, her future was not clear and she had no firm goal. If she was indulged, then her future would be as Professor Dai said, to become a wife and a mother. He didn’t hate the Second Miss Yang who became a wife and a mother, but-

He should give his lover more chances to become better.

Su Chunjun said to Zhu Yanshu, “What do you think? I think it’s also good to let Second Miss go straight to the university now to acclimatize. Eldest Miss will also be going to school after the new year, and the two sisters can also be companions. If we wait for Second Miss to go to the girls’ middle school for the first half of the year before turning to the university, by then, it’s possible that Eldest Miss will be about to graduate as well, and instead, she won’t have as much time as she does now.” After he finished speaking, he added, “Moreover, with Professor Dai’s care, there’s no need to let Second Miss go to the girls’ middle school again.” At that time, the reason why he wanted Yang Yuyan to go to the girls’ middle school first was to let her get used to the atmosphere of the school all over again first, to avoid not adapting.

Now it was no longer necessary.

Zhu Yanshu had been convinced by him, but she still couldn’t agree now.

She said, “I’ll pay a visit to this Professor Dai before deciding if I can give Yan Yan to him.” She didn’t want Su Chunjun to think that she didn’t trust him, and smiled as she joked, “You’ve made this Prof. Dai sound so good, I’ll definitely have to go and meet him before it’s too late.”

Su Chunjun smiled and said, “That’s just right, I’ll introduce you tomorrow.”