Meng Yao swallowed with difficulty, how should she tell Zhao Xiaohua that she wasn't lonely?
The little girl's serious demeanor was truly hard to resist.
Meng Yao gathered her thoughts and squeezed out a few tears, "With you all by my side, and memories of your father in my heart, how could I be lonely?"
Zhao Xiaohua tilted her head, "But Widow Wu also has children, she surely carries memories of her deceased husband too."
"Xiaohua, feelings are not all the same." The perpetually single Meng Yao struggled to explain to the little girl the nature of her relationship with Zhao Ting.
Is it hard?
Very hard!
After reciting a poem and explaining its meaning to Zhao Xiaohua, the little girl was moved to tears and believed that Meng Yao was not lonely.
Her mother was filled with memories of her father, so how could she be lonely?
Meng Yao was worried that these thoughts might affect Zhao Xiaohua's unformed understanding of feelings, so she added, "It's not as if one can only stay with one man for a lifetime. When two feelings are mutual, steadfast, growing old together, that's great. But with feelings, no one can guarantee they'll always remain the same. Suppose, just suppose, in the future when Xiaohua gets married, and if halfway through Xiaohua's husband changes his heart, I hope Xiaohua would be resolute and leave that unfaithful husband."
Zhao Xiaohua was a bit perplexed.
"Why would he change his heart?"
"There are many reasons for a change of heart. Meeting someone more likable. Or, because of life's trivialities. Or perhaps, someone doesn't like Xiaohua, so they stir up problems." Meng Yao thought for a moment.
These should be the reasons, right?
Meeting someone more likable, commonly known as an affair.
Life's trivialities may seem inconspicuous, but they sap a relationship.
Stirring up trouble could be a mother-in-law disliking her daughter's husband or a mother disliking her son's wife.
These were all the factors Meng Yao could think of that could affect a marriage.
"Meeting someone more likable, there's no remedy for that. Trivialities, those should be avoidable, right? Stirring up trouble—" Zhao Xiaohua paused, "Who dares to cause trouble, I'll handle them! Mom, I'll definitely learn how to dislocate joints, and make them ache."
Meng Yao's lips twitched.
This girl had an unusual thought process indeed.
"Aunt Zhao, Xiaohua."
Tao Hua approached, wearing a peach blossom dress and embroidered shoes, her figure swayed gently, and her beauty was fully displayed. Her face bore a gentle smile, and her eyes had a hint of mist, which, after a few glances, naturally evoked affection from others.
Zhao Xiaohua grabbed Meng Yao's hand with a wary expression.
Tao Hua might be a seductress, capable of charming people.
Meng Yao nodded slightly at Tao Hua, avoiding eye contact throughout.
"Where are you going?" Tao Hua asked warmly.
"Heading to the riverbank to get some sand." Zhao Xiaohua had already glanced at Tao Hua several times, and facing her question, Zhao Xiaohua could not resist answering.
"Why do you need sand?" Tao Hua pressed.
"My mom wants to teach me how to read." Zhao Xiaohua blurted out.
Meng Yao pinched Zhao Xiaohua, causing her to flinch and glare at Tao Hua, then dragged Meng Yao to leave.
"Mom, Tao Hua is really scary; does that mean she can know whatever she wants?" Seeing that Tao Hua hadn't caught up, Zhao Xiaohua finally stopped, panting heavily.
She's chubby, so running is always a bit taxing.
"Avoid looking into her eyes, and you shouldn't be too affected." Meng Yao said.
"Oh right, she's dressed too nicely, I couldn't help but look several times." Zhao Xiaohua said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Meng Yao pinched Zhao Xiaohua's chubby cheeks, "It's nothing, don't worry, we'll take it slow."
"Should we tell everyone about Tao Hua…" Zhao Xiaohua got stuck with her words.
Meng Yao understood what she wanted to say.
"Do you have evidence? No. And talking about it, others may not believe you, they might even think you're out of your mind." Meng Yao said, "Plus, Tao Hua hasn't done anything harmful to anyone yet. Alright, don't think too much about it. We'll find a way when we get there."
Meng Yao and Zhao Xiaohua carried a basket full of river sand home, of course, wet river sand couldn't be used; it had to be spread out, dried, sifted through to get the finest sand before writing on the sieve.
"Mom, we could use a slate and the charcoal pencil you used yesterday." Zhao Xiaohua suggested.
"Writing on sand can be easily erased with a swipe. On slate, it requires a damp cloth to clean, and it might not even be as clean, then you have to wait for it to dry..." Meng Yao explained.
Once the sand was dry, Meng Yao brought it in a tray to Zhao Xiaoshu's room.
Teaching one is teaching, teaching two is also teaching.
There was so much sand in the tray, that writing with a twig wasn't very clear.
"Mom, we could make some framed square trays, laying a thin layer of fine sand, that way, writing with a twig will directly reveal the wooden board, making the writing clearer." Zhao Xiaoshu said while gesturing.
"Do you want to make them?"
Zhao Xiaoshu nodded, "It's very simple."
Meng Yao brought out Zhao Xiaoshu's tools and found a few flat boards.
After hammering, chiseling, and polishing, it only took half a day for Zhao Xiaoshu to make three wooden trays.
Without nails and glue, they were seamlessly crafted. At this moment, Meng Yao believed in Zhao Xiaoshu's claim that he had learned all there is to know about woodworking.
She witnessed the mortise and tenon joinery, which was sought after in later generations yet mastered by few.
"Will this work?" Zhao Xiaoshu asked expectantly.
"Yes, absolutely. Xiaoshu, you're amazing," Meng Yao praised unreservedly.
Each having a wooden tray, Meng Yao began her teaching journey.
The three companions embarked on their studies, starting with the "Three Character Classic."
First, reading fluently, then memorizing it.
Meng Yao anticipated it would take some time to finish teaching.
Yet Zhao Xiaoshu memorized it in one go.
"I remembered it when Second Brother was reading it," Zhao Xiaoshu admitted honestly.
"When was that?" Meng Yao asked.
Since, during Zhao Dahe's education, Zhao Xiaoshu was only two?
"When I was five, once I heard Second Brother recite it." Zhao Xiaoshu answered.
Five years old!
Meng Yao felt a bit inferior because at five, she could barely memorize a few short poems, and that was with repetitive reading.
By comparison, Zhao Xiaohua was much more normal.
After Meng Yao read it once, Zhao Xiaohua remembered three lines.
After another read, she still only remembered three lines.
This wasn't merely slow; it was exceptionally slow.
After all, Zhao Xiaohua wasn't five, but nine years old.
Meng Yao nearly despaired.
Zhao Xiaohua was also distressed, with Xiaoshu being so smart, the pressure was intense.
Meng Yao glanced at Zhao Xiaoshu, and an idea struck, "Xiaoshu, teach your sister to memorize it. When she's memorized it well, we'll start recognizing characters. Don't view it as a waste of time; teaching is also a way to reinforce your own learning. Through repeated reading, one's memory will become very strong."
Zhao Xiaoshu nodded.
Meng Yao was delighted, "Take your time learning, I'll go make something delicious for you all."