Chapter 208: Pre-Exam Nerves
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The atmosphere in the central room was a little tense. Everyone was doing their exam papers with a serious expression. Even the two younger ones had joined the examination.
When Li Zhangjie saw Chu Qingzhi coming over, he hurriedly gave up the stool. “Sister Qingzhi, sit.”
Chu Qingzhi made a shushing gesture and pressed her palm down. “You sit. I’m just here to take a look.”
Li Zhangjie nodded cooperatively and stopped talking.
After a while, Shen Ruyue’s voice suddenly sounded. “It’s time.”
Everyone stopped writing and handed the paper to Shen Ruyue.
Shen Ruyue turned around and said to Chu Qingzhi, “Qingzhi, shall we take a look together?”
“Okay.” It had been three to four months. Chu Qingzhi also wanted to see the progress of everyone’s studies.
The two girls sat at the table, each taking half of the papers and marking them.
Yuan Hongjun and Bao Linjiang stood at the side and watched. There were always so many new things at their master’s house.
The test paper started with dictation, followed by grammar and sentence construction. They were all very basic. Finally, it was arithmetic.
Arithmetic referred to the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of 100. Since their family was doing business now, it was necessary for them to know the basic arithmetic.
If they did it in the traditional way, they would have to use an abacus and it would be too troublesome. Chu Qingzhi used modern methods to teach. She taught Shen Ruyue first and then Shen Ruyue taught everyone. Now was the time to test the results of their learning.
Chu Qingzhi was marking Chu Xuhua’s test paper. “Eldest Brother, you did well in dictation, grammar, and sentence construction. However, in arithmetic, your addition is correct, subtraction correct, multiplication correct, but division is all wrong.”
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Chu Xuhun frowned. He walked over to take a look. “Divisions all wrong?”
Chu Qingzhi showed him the paper. “Brother, how much is nine divided by three?”
Chu Xuhua’s gaze landed on the “two”. “Three times three is nine. Then wouldn’t two ‘threes’ be nine? Why is it wrong?”
Chu Qingzhi went to the bag and grabbed nine peanuts before placing them on the table. “Brother, dividing nine by three means dividing the nine things into three equal portions. Count it. How many portions are there?”
Chu Xuhua started to count the peanuts. In the end, it was three peanuts in each portion. Seeing this, Chu Xuhua was enlightened. “Fifth Sister, I understand. 1 know what I did wrong.”
Chu Qingzhi handed the test paper to Chu Xuhua. “Do it again.”
“Okay.”
Shen Ruyue was marking Chu Qingyue’s paper. “The dictation is all correct, the grammar is all correct, and the sentences are very beautiful. The addition is all right, the subtraction is all right. There are two mistakes in the multiplication section, and one mistake in the division section.”
Chu Qingyue quickly asked, “Ruyue, what did 1 do wrong?”
Shen Ruyue explained the mistakes to Chu Qingyue in detail.
“I see. I’ll do it again.”
Chu Xujin and Chu Qingning also made some mistakes, but not many.
As for the remaining four children, they nailed it.
Although the four elders didn’t know the questions in the exam paper, they understood the results. They were very happy and felt that their children were promising.
After talking about the exam papers, Chu Xuyuan walked over anxiously and sat beside Chu Qingzhi. “Fifth Sister, there’s also an exam coming up in the school.”
Chu Qingzhi did not understand what Chu Xuyuan meant. She looked at him and asked patiently, “It’s normal to have exams at school. What’s wrong?”
Chu Xuyao brought Chu Qingzhi a glass of water and said, “Fifth Sister, he’s just nervous.”
Chu Qingzhi smiled. “I understand. It’s pre-exam nerves. Tell me, why are you nervous?”
Chu Xuyuan wiped his face. “Fifth Sister, I’m afraid that if 1 don’t do well, I’ll embarrass you…”
Chu Xuyao added, “Besides, everyone knows that we have a powerful sister. If we do badly, everyone will laugh at us.”
After thinking for a while, Chu Qingzhi asked seriously, “Do you understand the teacher’s lecture?”
Chu Xuyuan nodded. “I do.”
Chu Qingzhi asked again, “Have you done the homework given by the teacher seriously?”
Chu Xuyuan nodded. “1 have.”
Chu Qingzhi looked into Chu Xuyuan’s eyes. “Then there’s no problem. Trust yourself. The result won’t be bad.”
Chu Xuyuan heaved a long sigh of relief and clenched his fists. “Fifth Sister, I’ll try my best.”
Chu Qingzhi smiled. “Good.”
Li Qingyu brought over a basin of silver fungus soup from the kitchen. She cooked it in the afternoon and then froze it for some time. There was a thin layer of ice on the surface, making it look very appetizing to eat in summer.
“Everyone, have some night snacks. You are definitely hungry after the exam.” “Wow!” Chu Xuyuan immediately walked up to Li Qingyu. He no longer looked anxious. “Mother, you’re too thoughtful.”
Having night snacks had become a norm in the Chu family. Everyone was used to it and gathered around the table to eat.
When Li Zhangjie saw this scene, he revealed an expression of disbelief and embarrassment. He wondered if he should leave the scene.
With that thought in mind, he quietly turned around and walked to the back of the house. He would come back when they were done eating.
Chu Qingzhi turned around and saw Li Zhangjie’s back. He was lonely, thin, and frail. “Zhangjie, where are you going?”
Li Zhangjie paused. He was really embarrassed. He did not turn around and stammered, “I… I’m a little bored. I’m going out for a walk.”
Everyone turned to look at him.
Li Qingyu scooped a bowl of silver fungus soup and walked towards Li Zhangjie. She placed it in his hand and pulled him back. She smiled kindly and said, “Go after you finish eating.”
Li Zhangjie mustered his courage and raised his head to look at everyone. There was no disdain, rejection, or displeasure on their faces. The burden in his heart slowly eased. “Thank you, Auntie Chu.”
Li Qingyu patted Li Zhangjie’s shoulder. “Be good. Come and sit down to eat.”
“Ok.”
After eating the silver fungus soup, Yuan Hongjun and Bao Linjiang bade farewell and left. The Chu family went to take a shower and sleep. Li Zhangjie slept on the small bed that Ning Yuting had slept on. Gradually, the Chu family fell into silence.
The entire night sky was like a huge ink plate. There was a faint layer of clouds in the sky, making the already dark night sky even darker.
Tong Yujie stood on a big tree with his sword in front of his chest. He leaned against the tree casually. The night wind lifted his hair and clothes, making him look even like a swordsman.
A masked man in black flew over and landed on the branch opposite him. His tone was very impolite. “Why aren’t you making a move?”
Tong Yujie glanced at the person opposite him and said indifferently, “Why? Did Godfather ask you to come to replace me?”
The masked man smiled evilly. “Godfather didn��t ask me to come to replace you, but he asked me to send you the antidote. The antidote is in my hands now. Do you want it or not?”
Tong Yujie was unmoved. He looked in the direction of the Chu Village and said calmly, “I don’t care.”
The man in black smiled faintly. “Hehe, you don’t care because you think you are alone and have nothing to lose in this world.”
Tong Yujie tilted his head and said nonchalantly, “Isn’t that obvious?”
The man in black looked at Tong Yujie mockingly. “Let me tell you, Godfather has found your sister.”
Tong Yujie’s expression changed drastically, and his body instantly tensed up.. “What do you mean?”