Looking at Liu Juhua's hurriedly leaving back, Han Ze regained his composure and turned to go to the yard, but met the gaze of Aunt Six next door who was watching a show. He knew that his conversation with Liu Juhua just now had been heard by her. He didn't get angry, but paused for a moment and called out "Aunt Six" calmly according to his memory.
Aunt Six asked jokingly, "Han Ze, is your mother coming to you for money again?"
Han Ze nodded and suddenly asked, "Sixth Aunt, what kind of person do you think my mother is?"
"As a son, don't you know what kind of person your mother is?" It is true that Sixth Aunt likes to watch the show, but she doesn't want to get involved in other people's family affairs to avoid getting involved in trouble.
Han Ze agreed and said, "You are right. As a son, I should understand my mother. But Sixth Aunt, how can I provide for my mother who divorced my father and remarried? You heard her say she was going to sue me for being unfilial."
Aunt Liu waved her hand and said with a smile, "You can't ask me about this matter. You have to go find the head of the village."
But secretly complaining in his heart, Liu Juhua has married Han Xingwang, and she still expects Han Ze to take care of her in her old age? Mei, only Han Maode is generous and willing to be a sucker, try someone else.
Han Ze said casually, "I had always thought that Han Chengming was my father's son. Since he was my father's son, he had to have a share of the money in the family. I usually sent them all the food and daily necessities at home. I even prepared the paper, pens and books for my two nephews to study in the village. I rented the land to my mother and her family for so many years and did not collect rent from them. I felt that I had treated them unfairly. I didn't expect that I had misunderstood all along. Han Chengming was not my father's son at all... I was also confused. Our family is not so poor that we can't even afford to eat. If Han Chengming was my father's son, how could he allow his own son to recognize someone else as his father? How could Uncle Xingwang raise someone else's son..."
Aunt Six's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she heard and asked suspiciously, "Do you think Han Chengming is your father's son, so you treat him so well?"
Han Ze nodded affirmatively.
Aunt Six clicked her tongue: "Are you so kind?"
Based on his understanding of Han Ze, even if he knew that Han Chengming was Han Maode's son, he might not be so nice to him. There must be other reasons.
Han Ze scratched his head and laughed dryly: "This, isn't it my mother and Han Chengming who said that my little six is stupid? I can't rely on him in the future, so I still have to rely on my two nephews to take care of me in my old age. My uncle has no children, so I will take care of him until the end of his life, right? I think this is the truth, so I treat them better."
Aunt Six pointed at him and said, "I told you that you are not so kind."
You only said that you took care of your uncle until his death, but you didn't say that your uncle gave you so much wealth. However, in her opinion, although Han Ze is selfish, he is only for himself, he has no evil intentions and will not harm others. For example, Han Chengming's family is not a good person. Even if Han Ze gave them all his wealth, they still think it is their duty. Otherwise, Han Xingwang would not have done such a thing as stealing someone's wife.
Han Ze gritted his teeth and said, "I didn't expect they would lie to me. How much did I put in so that they would treat me better when I'm old and take care of the kids? In the end, it was all wasted."
Aunt Six smiled and said, "It's not a waste. Han Chengming is your mother after all, so I call you Big Brother."
Han Ze snorted, "If he really regarded me as his elder brother, he would not have lied to me from the beginning. He thought I was easy to deceive and played me for a fool. If I believed him again, I would be really stupid. They have bad intentions, and I will never be fooled by them again... As for my mother, I have given them enough over the years. She has married someone else and is no longer a member of my family. It is not my job to take care of her in her old age. Even if she accuses me of being unfilial, I have nowhere to complain."
Aunt Six said with a smile, "Aren't you quite clear about this?"
Han Ze smiled and said, "Didn't I tell you this specially because I saw that you really wanted to see my family's joke?"
Aunt Liu made a "Pooh" sound and turned back into the house.
Han Ze's smile faded and he returned to the study. Five maids were bent over their desks, writing big characters seriously. He smiled and nodded, then stood in front of them and looked at them. Several maids noticed his movements and subconsciously panicked.
The first and second girls were relatively stable, but the third, fourth and fifth girls were shaking with fear. The fifth girl even dropped ink on the paper. She was anxious and panicked, and hurriedly used her hands to wipe it off, but ended up wiping it all over her hands, and the paper was even more smeared with ink. She couldn't use a single piece of paper. Her face turned pale... ...
Han Ze moved his feet and stood in front of her. He picked up the paper on the table, glanced at the rows of horizontal lines she had written, and said, "Not bad. This is your first time writing, and you can write this row neatly. That's very good. I should have given you a reward, but you spilled ink on the paper, so today's reward is waived. Keep working hard next time."
Wu Niu was stunned. Dad, Dad didn’t scold her or hit her. He even praised her for her good writing.
Han Ze put the paper away and said, "Sit down, change a piece of paper and write again. This one doesn't count."
Wu Niu secretly glanced at her father and saw that he looked gentle. She mustered up her courage and whispered, "Dad, if you write well, you won't get beaten, right?"
Han Ze looked at her and said, "As long as you study and write seriously, why would Daddy beat you?"
Wuniu grinned, feeling happy. Dad meant that as long as they studied and wrote seriously, he would not beat or scold them
The other four sisters were also happy, and they wrote more carefully and seriously, as if they were completing a huge project.
During lunch, Han Maode looked around and looked at his daughter-in-law Ge Hongbu: "Where are the sisters of Da Niu? Why didn't you invite them to come over for dinner?"
Their family has a lot of land and they have no shortage of food and drink. However, there are only a few people in their family, so they treat girls and boys the same.
Ge Hongbu glanced at Han Ze in embarrassment and whispered, "They are writing big characters in the study room and said they will eat after they finish writing."
After saying that, he lowered his head.
Han Maode frowned: "There is no need to be hungry even if you want to study. It is not too late to write after you have filled your stomach."
Han Ze said, "Five large characters are not too many. Today is the first day. They will be proficient in writing after a few days. Keep the food warm in the pot for them and let them eat after they finish writing. The eldest and second girls are already eleven or twelve years old. Don't be too strict. Before talking about in-laws, let them read more books and learn more characters. Who will teach them when they get married in the future?"
Han Maode nodded, agreeing with what he said.
Han Xiaodong and Han Xiaochun glanced at the study room with envy. They were both of the age to get married. Their parents had looked for several families but none of them worked out. Two families had sons who were scholars and were counting on them to pass the imperial examinations. They wanted to find wives who could read, so even if they had generous dowries, others would not be interested.
There were a few families that liked them, but they were not satisfied. They either thought the other family was poor or they thought the other family was too rude and not as pleasing as a literate young man. They were neither high nor low, and it was very difficult for them to find a satisfactory in-law family given their family conditions.
Wang Lanhua noticed the envious looks of her two daughters and sighed slightly. She felt that she had always seen things clearly. After all, she was an illiterate country woman. When her daughters were young, she had never thought of letting them learn to read and write. As a result, it was not easy for them to find a suitable husband now.
Han Ze was not unaware of the looks in his two sisters' eyes, but he did not express his opinion. The two sisters had no feelings for the original body, and with the original body's personality, it was obviously impossible for him to rashly ask them to study and learn to read with the five maids.
If the two sisters really wanted to study that much, as long as they asked them as their brother, it would be fine for him to take advantage of the situation and agree. It just depends on whether the two sisters treat him as their brother or not.
Han Maode glanced at his two daughters and said nothing. Xiaodong and Xiaochun were Han Ze's sisters. As sisters, they wanted their brother to help them. Instead of asking for help in person, they wanted him, their father, to ask for help? If it was the broad-minded brother, it would be fine. With his son's petty personality, he would blame him if he was worried.
Fortunately, Xiaodong and Xiaochun were not stupid. The two sisters looked at each other and Xiaodong said, "Brother, Xiaochun and I also want to learn some words. Can we read and write with you?"
Han Ze looked at them and said with a smile: "One is teaching, the other is also teaching. If you want to learn, then learn. However, paper, pens and books will cost money..."
Xiaodong and Xiaochun looked at their mother. Wang Lanhua had plenty of money, so for her daughter, she said, "I'll pay."
Han Ze smiled and said, "We are all family, let's forget about the money. I heard that Wang's aunt is good at embroidery. I wonder if she can give some pointers to the sisters?"
Wang Lanhua was startled, and then secretly cursed Han Ze for being treacherous. She asked why Han Ze agreed so easily to teach Xiaodong and Xiaochun to read. It turned out that he was waiting here. But Xiaodong and Xiaochun were too old to go out to study. They could only study with Da Niu and the others. She had no choice but to agree, so she said unwillingly: "I can't make the decision on this matter. I have to ask."
Han Ze picked up a peanut and put it in his mouth, chewing it with a loud sound: "Mom, as long as you come forward, this matter will definitely be possible."
Wang Lanhua gritted her teeth and said, "If there is anything, just call mom. If there is nothing, I will ignore you."
Do you really think I care about you calling me mother
She glanced at Han Maode. She really liked being called mother. If her stepson acknowledged her, she would feel more confident in this family.
After being married into this family for so many years, this boy has never called her mother a few times. Just for this call of mother, she has to do things for him.
Han Maode glanced at his son and thought to himself that if this kid didn't look a bit like him, he would really doubt whether this was his child. How could he be so bad? Anyone could figure it out.
Ge Hongbu was a little worried: "They need to study and learn needlework, so they can't help with housework."
Han Ze glared at her: "What kind of work? Is there so much work to do at home?"
Ge Hongbu hung her head and said nothing. Cutting grass for pigs, feeding pigs and chickens, washing clothes, cooking, cleaning the house... ... These are not all jobs. Now that it is the slack season for farming, she can do these, but what about the busy season for farming? Where is there no work
Han Ze thought for a moment and said, "The children's studies and needlework cannot be delayed. In the future, they may learn more things according to their preferences. Don't let them do housework. You have to work hard these few days. I will buy two maids for you in a few days."
Ge Hongbu looked at Han Ze suddenly. Buy a maid
Han Maode disagreed and said, "Why do you need to buy a maid? The villagers will gossip about you."
Han Ze didn't care: "Let them talk."
Seeing his son's determination, Han Maode said, "It's up to you."
Han Ze added, "I will go to the town tomorrow to see if there is a good doctor. Xiao Liuzi's condition cannot be delayed."
Han Maode nodded: "You decide."
They are going to town tomorrow, so Han Ze taught them another twelve words in the afternoon for tomorrow. Xiaochun and Xiaodong didn't learn in the morning, so he didn't have time to teach them. He asked them to ask the older sister if they didn't know, and he would explain it to them again when he was free.
The next day, as soon as Han Ze left, Liu Juhua came to his door in a hurry. She never expected that in just one night, the whole village was saying that she lied to Han Chengming that he was Han Maode's son in order to get Han Ze's things. How did this news spread
Their family still had to live in this village, so they couldn't let rumors fly. Otherwise, who would believe them? Who would be willing to associate with them? If they wanted to clarify the rumors, Han Ze had to step in.