“Very capable? Like the people in the city who can earn a lot of money, buy lots of food and rare items, and can even bring their family to the city to have a good life?”
Gu Qingyao was taken aback. “How do you know about that? Who told you?”
Mu Mu said, “The older women in the brigade said so. They said that the people in the city are very capable!”
Mu Mu was a child, and no one had ever taught him anything. It was no mean feat for Jiang Xun to just keep him alive. Most of what he knew he had picked up from the adults.
The Poplar Brigade also had many older men and women who would gather to chat. Sometimes, Mu Mu would linger nearby to listen to their conversations. He had learnt all these from them.
To Mu Mu, who had suffered hardship since he was young, the best life he could imagine was one in which he had a house, a job, food, various household items, and was able to give his older brothers a good life.
Gu Qingyao thought for a moment and nodded. “If you study hard and know how to use your knowledge, you will have a chance to be like them. But you are still young now and can’t do much. The only thing you can do is to learn more so that when you grow up, you can do many things that other people cannot.
“In that way, you can earn money and buy lots of food, clothes and shoes!”
Mu Mu’s eyes shone. He tugged at Gu Qingyao. “Then… Elder Sister Gu, can you teach me? I will certainly study hard and in the future, I will buy lots of good food for you, and lots of pretty clothes. I’ll give them all to you. I’ll give everything to you.”
Gu Qingyao: “…”
Gu Fangting, who was practicing her writing nearby, laughed.
“Mu Mu, if all the money you earn goes to buying food and clothes for your Elder Sister Gu, then what will happen to your older brothers? Aren’t you giving them anything?”
Mu Mu was stunned!
His little brow furrowed.
Of course, he must give to them too. His older brothers were very good to him. They had always taken care of him, working to get food for him. If he could, he must take care of his older brothers too.
Gu Fangting smiled as she teased him. She wanted to see how this child would respond.
Mu Mu thought for a while and glanced at Gu Qingyao. “Sure, I’ll also give things to my older brothers. I… I will earn lots and lots of money and buy lots and lots of food and clothes. Then I will give my brothers some, so they can have a good life, and give the rest to you, Elder Sister Gu. I will give you the most. I… I will certainly earn a lot of money so that all of you can’t even finish the food I buy.”
“Hehe…”
“Hehe…”
Gu Qingyao, Gu Qingyao, Little Six and Little Nine all laughed.
Mu Mu did not understand why they were laughing. His eyes widened in bewilderment. He looked at Gu Fangting, Little Six, and Little Nine, then looked at Gu Qingyao.
“I… have I said something wrong?”
Gu Qingyao smiled and shook her head. “No. Mu Mu, you’re right. In the future, you will earn so much money that all of us can’t finish the food you buy.”
Mu Mu immediately beamed. “That’s right. I’ll study hard and earn lots and lots of money. Besides buying enough food for my older brothers, I will have heaps of money for Elder Sister Gu.”
Gu Qingyao laughed even harder. She stroked his head and began to teach him to read.
The child was determined to support his entire family, so he studied earnestly. It was rare to see a five-year-old child like that.
She taught him simple words to start with but discovered that he had an excellent memory and was exceedingly clever. She only had to explain a word to him and read it to him two or three times, and he would remember it.