Chapter 89: Chapter 89: The Precious Milk Essence
“No worries, no worries, I just didn’t explain myself clearly earlier,” Jiang Changhai considerately provided an out.
Teacher Liu cleared her throat embarrassedly before whispering, “Then, Jiang Mianmian’s dad, please put in an order for twenty jin of cotton for me.”
“Sure, I will definitely reserve it for you,” Jiang Changhai nodded happily. Just by making a round at the school, he had secured orders for fifty jin of cotton from individual customers.
Teacher Liu, thinking of Jiang Mianmian’s self-study, felt she should give her father a heads up first. “Jiang Mianmian’s dad, there’s something about Jiang Mianmian I want to talk to you about.”
When Jiang Changhai heard it was about his own daughter, he immediately perked up with utmost attention, “Go ahead, go ahead.”
“It’s , student Jiang Mianmian learns very quickly, and she has already self-studied the content we’re currently covering. The principal and I have discussed it, and we thought to let her study at her own pace to see how it goes. What do you think?” Teaching such a gifted student made Teacher Liu feel both proud and slightly embarrassed.
As soon as Jiang Changhai heard his daughter was so capable, even outpacing the teacher’s lessons on her own, he was both proud and excited, nodding repeatedly. “Teacher Liu, I will follow the school’s advice. Whatever teaching method you decide, her mother and I will fully support it!”
Seeing his support for her work made Teacher Liu nod with satisfaction.
After leaving the school, Jiang Changhai thought about how outstanding his daughter was and felt that he, as her father, had to strive to create better learning and living conditions for her!
So, he immediately went to the black market to borrow a horse cart from Old Niu and delivered the cotton that several people had just ordered.
With the money he had just earned, still warm in his hand, he went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative and bought a can of milk essence.
He had heard the salesperson say that the children in the city all drank this, claiming it was especially nutritious.
His daughter had been so impressive even before she drank milk essence. Now that she was going to drink it, she would surely become even more impressive than those city kids.
Jiang Changhai walked home buoyantly with the milk essence in his arms. Zhang Guihua spotted him with eagle eyes and immediately pulled a long face, asking discontentedly, “Wasting money again, what did you buy now?”
Jiang Changhai puffed out his chest, saying proudly, “Milk essence, the children in the city all drink this. It’s highly nutritious, and I bought it for my daughter.”
“What? Milk essence?”
As soon as Zhang Guihua heard this, her face immediately darkened. Pointing at her clueless son, she burst out scolding, “Eldest, do you have so much money you’re burning it? Is our home lacking in food or drink for her? And you went and bought her such an expensive milk essence? I think you’re out of your mind.”
Jiang Changhai, not wanting to be sprayed in the face with spit, quickly stepped back, but still firmly retorted, “Mom, what are you talking about? The milk essence isn’t for eating meals. My daughter works so hard at school, it’s only right that I give her something to boost her nutrition!”
“You still know it’s not to be eaten as a meal? And yet you bought it. With that money, couldn’t you have bought some grains instead?” Zhang Guihua grew angrier as she spoke, rolling up her sleeves and approaching Jiang Changhai as if to hit him.
Jiang Changhai was not one to stand still and be hit; holding the milk essence, he began to run around the yard.
Da Ya and the other girls stood at the door, craning their necks, trying to get a glimpse of the milk essence in Uncle’s hand. They had only ever heard adults mention it and had never actually seen it.
From what the adults said, that stuff was expensive—a small can cost several dollars. Uncle really treated Mianmian well and was willing to buy her anything.