The Blessed Farm Girl Has a Spatial Storage

Looking at the young girl before him, the Teacher finally sighed. "Regardless of the reason for your fight, I do not encourage such behavior. You are scholars, people who study. How can you always resort to violence to solve problems? How is that any different from monkeys in the wild fighting over territory?"

After speaking, he said coldly, "Extend your hands."

Then, Scholar Meng rapped each of their palms with his ruler.

Actually, the raps weren't painful, but it was a punishment, and that carried a different weight. Many students were used to these punishments, so they hardly felt a thing.

But for Zhao Zhitong, this was her first time having her palm struck by the Teacher. Although the strike was light, her palm throbbed with a fiery pain. Seeing the Teacher's rarely seen stern expression, tears welled up in her eyes.

Crying, she said, "Teacher, I know I was wrong. I will never fight in the classroom again. Please don't dislike Tongtong."

Now, the Teacher couldn't maintain his stern expression. He spoke to her earnestly, "I don't dislike you, young girl. I'm just angry with all of you, and with myself, for not teaching you better."

At this, Qiao Muchen also began to apologize. "It's our fault, Teacher. We haven't learned our lessons well. We will definitely change."

Wei Shulan and Zhao Yue also lowered their heads and apologized softly.

Scholar Meng was quite satisfied with these four children. Seeing their sincere apologies, he adopted a stern expression once more and reprimanded Wei Shulian and the others who had instigated the trouble.

In the end, after all the students had cleaned up the classroom together, he punished each of them by ordering them to copy the first chapter of the Analects when they returned home. He would check it the next day.

So, when school was over, the four of them agreed to copy the Analects together in Qiao Muchen's study.

By now, the children had already forgotten the rapping of their palms. They chatted and skipped out of the school, their spirits high.

Zhao Zhitong said happily, "When my family has a study, I'll invite you all to do our homework at my place."

Qiao Muchen exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, Tongtong, is your family going to build a house?"

Wei Shulan and Zhao Yue both looked at Zhao Zhitong.

Zhao Zhitong nodded happily. "Mm-hmm! My father said we'll have the house built before winter!"

"Wow! We'll definitely come to play at your house then," the little carrot heads chimed in happily.

Zhao Zhitong readily promised, "Okay, okay! When the time comes, I'll ask my dad to set up a swing in the courtyard, and you can all come to my house to play!"

Chatting and laughing, the little carrot heads arrived at the Qiao Clan's residence.

After greeting Mother Qiao, they entered the study, settled down at the table, and began copying the Analects.

After a while, Zhao Yue grew a bit anxious. He said to Qiao Muchen, "If I had known, I wouldn't have helped you fight. Now we're being punished by having to copy the Analects."

Zhao Zhitong, who was copying cheerfully, looked at Zhao Yue in confusion. "Why do you say that? I don't think the Teacher was punishing us!"

Qiao Muchen nodded in agreement.

Zhao Yue retorted, "How can you say it's not a punishment when we're being made to copy the Analects?"

Zhao Zhitong strongly disagreed. "Then let me ask you, who are you copying the Analects for?"

Zhao Yue replied matter-of-factly, "Of course, I'm copying it for the Teacher!"

Hearing this, Qiao Muchen snorted with laughter. "Silly, you're copying it for yourself."

Zhao Yue retorted angrily, "You're the silly one! The Teacher ordered us to copy it and give it to him, so it's for the Teacher!"

Zhao Zhitong and Wei Shulan also laughed.

Feeling like he was being mocked, Zhao Yue grew even angrier. "You're all ganging up on me! I-I'm not playing with you anymore!" As he spoke, he began to pack up his things.

Through their recent interactions and Zhao Yue's courage in standing up for them, Zhao Zhitong had come to consider him a friend. So she grabbed his arm. "We're not ganging up on you! Think about it. After you copy the Analects, won't you have memorized its content and learned how to write the characters in it?"

Zhao Yue thought for a moment and nodded.

Zhao Zhitong continued, "So, you're not copying for the Teacher, you're copying for yourself. Since you're copying for yourself, how can it be called a punishment?"

Zhao Yue blinked, pondering this. After a moment, he huffed, "Fine, you have a point. I'll finish copying before I go home."

But this time, his mindset was slightly different as he sat down again and resumed writing.

The little ones stopped talking and lowered their heads, diligently copying the Analects.

Qiao Muchen was the first to finish. Once done, he picked up a book from the side and started reading.

At this, Zhao Zhitong glanced at him and asked softly, "Qiao Jiaojiao, didn't you promise your mom you wouldn't fight anymore? How come you fought again today?"

Qiao Muchen snorted. "I couldn't stand them, so I didn't hold back. But you absolutely mustn't tell my mom, or she'll be heartbroken again."

Zhao Zhitong nodded repeatedly, signaling that her lips were sealed. She even pulled Zhao Yue and Wei Shulan in on the secret.

Their shared experience of standing together against a common foe that day had brought the four little ones even closer.

Zhao Yue was the second to finish. With his task completed, he found himself with nothing to do. So he looked around the study and spotted the book Qiao Muchen was reading. "Qiao Muchen, what book is this?" he asked.

Qiao Muchen replied, "My dad left it for me."

Zhao Yue asked, "Oh, can I take a look?"

Qiao Muchen pursed his lips, then handed him a book from a nearby pile. "Be careful not to tear it."

"Don't worry," Zhao Yue promised, taking the book and starting to read. A moment later, he exclaimed excitedly, "Qiao Muchen, what are these books? They're all short stories! They're so interesting!"

Zhao Zhitong added, "Those are treasures his dad left for him."

Then, Zhao Zhitong recounted each of their dreams, leaving Zhao Yue wide-eyed with amazement.

Then Wei Shulan asked Zhao Yue, "What about you, Zhao Yue? What do you want to do when you grow up?"

Zhao Yue was momentarily taken aback.

Zhao Zhitong answered for him, "He said he wants to be like his dad and sell pork in the marketplace."

Zhao Yue's face flushed red. Previously, saying this had just been an excuse not to study, and he hadn't thought anything of it. However, since he had started to study seriously, he had begun to understand something about the high esteem in which scholars were held. Now, comparing his ambition to sell pork with the dreams of Zhao Zhitong, Qiao Muchen, and Wei Shulan, he felt his own aspiration seemed somewhat... unimpressive.

So he retorted defensively, craning his neck, "Who said that? That's not it at all!"

The other three immediately looked at Zhao Yue with keen interest. "Then what is it?"

Zhao Yue blushed, racking his brain for a long time, but he couldn't think of what he wanted to do. This was the first time he had ever seriously considered the question. Therefore, he had no idea what to say. Finally, trying to sound aloof, he said, "I'm not telling you."

Zhao Zhitong thought for a moment, then patted Zhao Yue's shoulder. "It's okay, it's okay. If you really want to be like your dad and sell pork, there's nothing wrong with that. My mother says that everyone's dream deserves respect."

Wei Shulan also laughed cheerfully. "Yes, yes, I think Tongtong is right. Then you can become the best pork-selling butcher in the whole world!"