Chapter 102: Chapter 100: He Li: Sisi’s Heartache and the Urgency to Make Money
The Three Character Classic has only 1145 characters. Liu Sisi copied it by an oil lamp until she finished and then went to bed.
She almost couldn’t sleep, feeling like the rooster crowed outside almost as soon as she closed her eyes.
Liu Sisi didn’t feel like sleeping any more, so she got up, washed hastily, and started cooking. Di Yelei didn’t come home last night, and Liu Sisi didn’t know where he went, nor did she want to inquire about it.
After eating, Liu Sisi once again took the two children to the small town.
Although she knew that the responsibility for the two children was not hers, she could not bring herself to leave them alone at home.
Just as she blended into the darkness, Di Yelei’s figure emerged from behind the house.
Looking at the stubborn outline of her back, he couldn’t help clenching his fists – at least she hadn’t left the children behind. Did this mean that she still had him in her heart?
He consoled his confused heart.
Liu Sisi hurried along the night road, walking shallowly and deeply, passing by where the corpse had been dug up yesterday, and couldn’t help speeding up. She always felt chills creeping up her back, which was very uncomfortable.
When she arrived at the entrance of the town, she saw several officers in uniforms of the governmental office’s runners, rushing towards her head-on.
The leader of the officers was the tall man she had seen yesterday, who frowned deeply in the shape of a river.
He clearly noticed her too, his sharp eyes sweeping over her body like a snake’s kiss, which made Liu Sisi shiver involuntarily.
Before she could do anything, the group of men passed by her and walked quickly away down the road.
Cold sweat poured down her back!
This man’s murderous aura was too strong!
Liu Sisi wiped her forehead and hurried with the two children towards the bookstore. To her surprise, the main entrance of the bookstore was half-open and already welcoming customers. Upon seeing Liu Sisi’s arrival, Nan Tianzong raised his thick eyebrows in surprise.
“Oh? What brings you here today?”
“I’m here to return this copy of the Three Character Classic.”
Liu Sisi quickly handed over the copy she had written the night before.
“So quickly?”
Nan Tianzong was surprised to take it, flipping through it casually. The handwriting was exceptionally neat and concise, not inferior to that of a man’s.
“The handwriting is excellent. But you’ve been working too hard. I gave you the job yesterday afternoon, and you’re back with it this early morning. Did you not sleep at all last night?”
No wonder he asked. Liu Sisi’s complexion was very poor today, pale and obviously not well rested.
Liu Sisi shook her head with a faint smile: “It’s nothing. Just that something happened at home and we need some silver urgently. So I thought I’d take on more copying work to help with the cost.”
That made sense.
Nan Tianzong secretly nodded his head. If not for a major change at home, why would a woman who can read and write take a job as a waiter?
“Copying and working as a waiter won’t earn you much money.”
He pondered for a moment, placed the freshly made Three Character Classic on the shelves, and then took a thick book from near the inside and placed it in front of Liu Sisi.
“Take this book home to copy. As before, I’ll supply you with the calligraphy tools, and I’ll pay you 5 taels of silver as an advance. When you’ve finished copying, I’ll deduct it from your earnings. How about that?”
Generally, the paper for copying books is provided by the shopkeeper, and the inkstone is paid for by the individual. There is a deposit for taking the original book, after all, if you don’t return it, who can the shopkeeper turn to find it?
Now, Nan Tianzong not only provided all the necessary writing materials but also prepaid 5 taels of silver, which is simply a windfall!
“5 taels of silver? Shopkeeper, are you… not afraid that I’ll take the money and run away?”
Liu Sisi felt a stirring in her heart, and it felt great to be trusted wholeheartedly. Holding this copy of “A New Account of the Tales of the World” in her hand, Liu Sisi felt an unusual weight.
“Just because you said that, you won’t run away, will you?”
Nan Tianzong smiled slightly and then handed her the 5 taels of silver.
Last night, he went to Yihong Courtyard specifically. But when he was about to take a shot, there was always a small woman’s figure shaking in front of him, causing him to go soft at crucial moments and fail to demonstrate his prowess, no matter how hard he tried.
Under the contemptuous gaze of the other party, he escaped in disgrace.
This was why he opened the shop early and unexpectedly saw her as soon as he turned around. His body immediately reacted.
A thousand galloping steeds stormed in his heart, proving his guess. It turned out that it wasn’t that he was incapable, but the person was not right!
“I really won’t run away. Thank you, shopkeeper! Really, thank you…”
At this moment, Liu Sisi was genuinely grateful.
“Just call me Tianzong!”
A beam of radiance flashed in the depths of Nan Tianzong’s eyes, quickly vanishing. He smiled amiably, with an exceptionally charming and gentle temperament, and a faint ink fragrance swirling around.
“…Tianzong.”
Liu Sisi casually called his name, happily putting the original book and paper into her cloth bag. She secretly planned that even if this one book was not enough to earn her 5 taels of silver, she would take on more books to copy, hoping to raise the required amount as soon as possible.
When the Di Family initially married her, they spent 10 taels of silver. She would return the 10 taels to them so they would have nothing to say about it.
“Oh, by the way! I think I heard something a few days ago.”
Nan Tianzong tapped the countertop lightly: “A wealthy family nearby is looking for a suitable female tutor to enlighten their young miss. Actually, this isn’t a big secret, you’ll know if you ask around.”
Liu Sisi’s eyes lit up instantly!
In her previous life, she studied elementary education. In this inexplicable ancient world, if she were to enlighten a boy with an eight-legged essay, she would worry about him failing the Imperial Examination and ruining his future. But if it is for a girl, she is quite confident.
“How long has it been since this young miss has been looking for a female tutor? Have they found a candidate yet?” Liu Sisi hesitated.
“Don’t worry, she definitely hasn’t found a teacher yet. Strictly speaking, this young miss is a famous figure from far and near.”
Nan Tianzong smiled confidently, then began to tell, “The lineal granddaughter of the Gan Family in the north of the small town is seeking to hire a female tutor. The Gan Family has a dwindling population, and the main lineage has only a son and a daughter left in this generation. The second son is with his parents in the capital city, while the eldest daughter, aged 8, stayed in the hometown — here in the small town — due to certain reasons.”
“There should be many people coming to hire a female tutor for such an official’s daughter, right?” Liu Sisi frowned.
“Of course! This is the daughter of an official who has been to the capital and can’t stand the ordinary female tutors from the countryside. Moreover, this Miss Gan has been spoiled since childhood; even female tutors from the capital have been driven away or dissuaded by her bad temper. The days go by, and the hiring reward offered by the Gan Family gets higher and higher, and the requirements for the female tutor get lower and lower. From the last female tutor being driven away a month ago to the present, no female tutor has entered the Gan Family’s door.”
“So, Miss Gan certainly hasn’t found a female tutor yet.” Nan Tianzong concluded confidently.
“Do you think I can do it?” Liu Sisi raised an eyebrow.
