Let’s not mention Jian Zhiqing, even a small child like Jian Zhiqin, he washes his own clothes and does it well. Except for the heavy winter clothing he cannot wash, small items like socks are all taken care of by himself, changing and washing them every day. No wonder, though sometimes dirty from playing, overall he is quite a clean child.
No wonder Jian Zhiqin can take care of Taotao; he indeed is a bit more sensible than other children.
When others go to school or work, Qin Xiangnuan finds herself with time again—which also becomes her time to systematically learn.
She spends at least fifteen hours daily inside, sewing clothes, embroidering, practicing calligraphy; time seems to fly, and her Qingming River Painting, after almost half a year of effort, is close to completion. She has not compromised on a single stitch in the entire piece of double-sided embroidery. Every stitch is embroidered with great detail and precision; otherwise, the system would be able to detect it and would not give her spending money, nor unlock access to additional fabric, silk, and needles.
In reality, she earns nearly 1000 yuan a month, though in truth she barely has any real expenses. She buys vegetables for the household, but Jian Zhiqing gives her a monthly allowance as well—not too much, otherwise she wouldn’t know whether to accept it.
And that money is definitely enough to cover the cost of vegetables.
After saving for a few months, her bank account has accumulated several thousand yuan.
Her grandmother and older brother in Shenjia Village are also living well, but recently she heard from her grandmother that her brother doesn’t want to continue school; he wants to join the military.
Joining the military is a good thing, and Qin Xiangnuan supports it. However, there is a difference between an ordinary soldier and a soldier with education. She doesn’t want to restrict her brother, he can live the life he likes without having to worry about herself or the responsibility of looking after his younger sister. Therefore, she wishes for her brother to attend a military academy. One does not have to finish high school to attend, and after a few years, even if he joins the military, he would be a Special Soldier, not just an ordinary soldier. What worries her now is that she has the money, but military academies are not simply attended at will—it requires not only passing examinations but also a recommendation, which she lacks.
"What’s the matter, do you have something on your mind?" Jian Zhiqing came over, sat down, and Conghua excitedly ran up to him and lay down in front of him. Jian Zhiqing patted its head out of habit, and Conghua curled its tail, closing its eyes as if in meditation.
Qin Xiangnuan bowed her head, her fingers gently caressing the cup. Her gaze shifted and she saw Conghua opening its black eyes, barking softly at her, then laying its head down again with its tail occasionally wagging.
"My brother... he wants to join the military," she said after a pause.
"Do you not approve?" Jian Zhiqing raised an eyebrow, "Joining the military is a good thing. I came from the military and later on Linlin and Taotao will both be thrown in for training."
"No, it’s not that," Qin Xiangnuan shook her head, voicing her thoughts, "I’m not against my brother joining the military. In fact, I wholeheartedly support it. I just don’t want him to become a soldier who doesn’t understand anything and then come back with nothing after a few years of service. I want him to be an educated soldier."
"Oh..." Jian Zhiqing understood, "You want him to go to military academy?"
"Yes," Qin Xiangnuan let go of the cup, lightly responding with a sound and looked into the clear and clean water in the cup, as clear and pure as her heart at that moment, reflecting the pristine transparency.