Madam Zhao placed her hand on his chest. He covered the back of her hand, and she felt the warmth of his palm. Under her palm, she also felt Su Sanlang’s beating heart.

Everything was real. Madam Zhao couldn’t help but smile. How nice.

On the third day of the New Year.

Zhou Heng asked Su Chong and Su Hua to memorize the Thousand Character Classic while he taught Su Xiaoling how to read.

Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu didn’t come today.

After Su Chong and Su Hua recited it a few times, Zhou Heng also began to receive acupuncture.

After the acupuncture, it was time to practice walking. After a night of recovery, his legs no longer hurt, and he pushed himself up with both hands on both poles. There was a pain in his feet, but it was bearable.

It seemed better than yesterday and the day before. He gritted his teeth, pursed his lips, and walked slowly.

After one round, he felt the pain double.

After two rounds, his legs trembled. The pain stayed.

After three rounds, he was sweating profusely. He sat on the wooden wheelchair and took a long breath. When he calmed down, he looked at the concerned Su family and smiled warmly. “I persevered.”

Every day was like torture, but he insisted on walking through it.

Su Xiaoling’s eyes were gentle as she said gently, “Little Brother Heng is the best.”

“We should learn from Little Brother Heng, his tenacious spirit.”

Su Hua said seriously. He and Su Chong looked at Zhou Heng with admiration in their eyes. They treated Zhou Heng as someone to motivate them.

Zhou Heng smiled. “It was your encouragement that kept me going.”

No one could understand how painful it was to train every day and walk with his feet on the ground. The fact that he could stand up again meant that he had to practically rebuild his legs.

After sending Zhou Heng back to his room, Su Xiaolu came to remove the ointment. After she was done, Su Xiaoling massaged him while Su Xiaolu went to brew the medicine again.

After sending Zhou Heng back to his room, Su Chong and Su Hua went to the fields to help Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao.

The two children were kind-hearted. Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao had said that they did not need their help, and they still stubbornly helped. Su Hua had even seriously convinced Su Sanlang that they were farmers and common people. Studying was to understand the world and everything in it, so working was also beneficial to studying.

Listening to Su Hua’s grand reasoning, Su Sanlang felt relieved and let them be.

He felt that Su Hua was right, he didn’t let the two children do farm work because he was worried that it would distract them from studying. Since all the students wouldn’t go to the fields anymore after going to school, Su Sanlang didn’t intend to keep Su Chong and Su Hua busy with farming. However, in his heart, Su Sanlang felt that even if they studied, they should go to the fields to farm. After all, farming was human nature.

They should know when to plant, when to weed, when to fertilize, when to harvest, and when the seasons change.

Su Chong and Su Hua were interested in learning and still retained their precious curious nature. Su Sanlang was very happy, so he didn’t say anything else about not working.

Seeing that his two sons were here, Su Sanlang asked them to help Madam Zhao and let her rest.

After cleaning up the land for a day, Madam Zhao went home to cook in the afternoon.

When it was dark and the food was ready, Su Sanlang brought Su Chong and Su Hua home.

At night, Madam Zhao boiled hot water and let Su Sanlang, Su Chong, and Su Hua wash up properly. They were going to school tomorrow, so of course, they had to clean themselves up.

Su Chong and Su Hua were thinking about going to school tomorrow, but they were also thinking about who would carry Zhou Heng back to his room tomorrow.

So after breakfast the next day, when Su Sanlang was ready to take Su Chong and Su Hua to school, neither of them wanted to leave.

Su Sanlang asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you happy to go see the Teacher?”

Su Chong and Su Hua looked at each other. Su Chong said, “Dad, can Hua and I come back at noon today? How would Little Brother Heng go back to his room after practicing walking? Third Sister and Xiaolu can’t carry the wooden wheelchair.”

So that was what they were worried about, Su Sanlang thought. He smiled gently and said, “Your mother will be at home today. Don’t worry.”

Zhou Heng also said gently, “Ah Chong and Ah Hua, don’t worry. Don’t worry about me.”

Old Wu coughed and said, “Don’t you still have me?”

He was a little old, but it was not to the extent that he could not even carry a child. Besides, he had brought Zhou Heng from the capital last year. Who knew how long he had carried him…

Su Chong and Su Hua were relieved and followed Su Sanlang out the door.

This was Su Chong and Su Hua’s first visit to another village.

Octagon Village was two mountains away from Southern Mountain Village. It took two hours to walk there.

It was also Su Sanlang’s first time there. He brought Su Chong and Su Hua to ask for directions a few times before arriving at Teacher Zhao Shouren’s house in Octagon Village’s school.

Zhao Shouren was 46 years old and an Elementary Scholar. He had passed the Elementary Scholar examination at the age of 20, but had not been able to advance further after taking the examination for a few years. His parents had passed away, and his elder brother was unwilling to support him in his studies. After splitting up, Zhao Shouren had to bear the pressure of supporting his family.

He gave up on studying and came to the neighboring villages to open a school.

The school had been open for twenty years, and there were many children and Elementary Scholars. It was said that Zhao Shouren’s best student had gone to the capital to become an official.

Zhao Shouren emphasized etiquette and upbringing, so one could not be rude when one came to learn.

Su Sanlang had firmly memorized the information he had obtained, so last night, the father and sons had washed up properly. Today, they came here clean. Before knocking on the door, Su Sanlang even specially tidied up Su Chong and Su Hua’s clothes.

After making sure there was no problem, Su Sanlang raised his hand and knocked.

Soon, a woman’s voice came from the courtyard. “Who is it?”

The door came quickly. The woman looked at Su Sanlang and his sons and stepped aside. “You’re here to study, right? Please come in. My husband is having tea in the house.”

Su Sanlang understood the woman’s identity. He nodded slightly and said gently, “Thank you for leading the way, Madam.”

Mrs. Zhao smiled and led the way for Su Sanlang and his sons.

The Zhao family’s house was well-built. There were flowers and trees on both sides of the courtyard. They were paved with limestone and looked very cultured.

Mrs. Zhao was dressed elegantly. Her fingernails were bright red, and it was unknown what she had applied.

Su Sanlang took one look at it and didn’t look at it again. They said the literati were elegant. After seeing it today, he thought that was true, but he still thought it was a pity that they didn’t use the yard to grow vegetables.

Su Chong and Su Hua followed Su Sanlang obediently, not looking around or curious.

Mrs. Zhao had a good impression of Su Sanlang and the kids.

After entering the main room, Mrs. Zhao said to Zhao Shouren, who was drinking tea, “You guys go ahead. I’ll go make tea.”

Zhao Shouren nodded. He said calmly to Su Sanlang, “Are you registering for these two children? They don’t look young anymore. Why did you suddenly think of sending them here?”