The Storybook

The morning meal was prepared, and a group of children ran outside, each taking their seat in their designated spot.

Next to Lao Zhou sat Zhou Dalang, and across from him should have been Xia Qianshi. Due to Man Bao's favoritism, Qianshi always occupied the seat next to him.

Xia Qianshi settled her little sister on a stool and then stood up to distribute the porridge to everyone.

Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang looked at the thin porridge and pouted. In the past, people used to have a substantial meal for breakfast because they had to work during the day and only had thick porridge at night.

But with their parents present, they dared not express their dissatisfaction.

The three older brothers handed their bowls to Xia Qianshi with stern faces, while Zhou Sirlang wished he could bury his head in his chest.

Xia Qianshi glanced at her fourth uncle and took his bowl, which was still filled with a lot of rice. She then served him a bowl of porridge.

If one could still call everyone else's porridge "porridge," then what was in Zhou Sirlang's bowl could only be called "rice soup."

Zhou Sirlang almost cried. Upon meeting his sister-in-law's cold gaze, he lowered his head and dared not speak.

Upon looking around, Man Bao decided that she could still have some steamed buns for lunch at school. She poured half of her porridge into her parents' bowls.

Lao Zhou and Qianshi were deeply moved. Upon forgetting to scold Xia Qianshi, they praised Man Bao incessantly, saying, "Our daughter is so considerate, demonstrating filial piety towards us."

Everyone ate their porridge in silence. They also wanted to demonstrate filial piety, but they were afraid of going hungry.

Qianshi pushed the porridge back and smiled, "Man Bao, you don't need to work, and you're not hungry."

Man Bao protected her bowl and said, "I don't want to eat anymore. My stomach is small, and I'm already full."

Unable to persuade her, Qianshi gave a little of the porridge to her three sons and instructed them, "You need to work outside. Eat a little more, and if you get hungry on the way, find something to eat." "Once you have repaid the village chief's money, things will improve at home."

The three sons agreed.

Lao Zhou glanced at his wife and said, "Enough, this is Man Bao showing filial piety to you. Don't give everything to them."

He then said to his second son, "Tomorrow, take a bag of grain to the market and exchange it for some money. The village chief's money can wait. By the time the New Year arrives, you brothers will be able to earn some money. "But your mother needs to buy medicine, and we can't leave the house with no money at all."

Zhou Erlang replied softly.

Taking advantage of the situation, Qianshi said, "Take Man Bao and a few others with you tomorrow. Second son, you should go with them and watch over the children."

Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang immediately asked, "Mother, what about us?" She replied, "We will also take care of Man Bao and the others."

Qianshi didn't want the fifth and sixth sons to go, so she frowned and said, "How is the land cultivated by your fourth brother?"

Zhou Wulang sensed that things were about to go awry, but he was too far away from Man Bao to intervene physically. He could only look at her from a distance.

Fortunately, Man Bao had a telepathic connection with him. She looked at her brother and then at her mother, and finally said, "Mother, let the fifth and sixth brothers go with us. Otherwise, I won't be able to watch over Big Head and the others."

Big Head immediately raised his head and said, "Little sister, I'm older than you." "I don't need you to watch over me."

Zhou Wulang seized an opportunity and kicked Big Head hard. The child is causing trouble.

Big Head cried out, "Mother, Fifth Uncle kicked me!"

Qianshi glared at Zhou Wulang and scolded her silly son, then turned to him and said, "Hurry up and eat your porridge." "You talk too much." "Haven't you noticed that your little sister hasn't said a word?"

Big Head hung his head in shame.

Lao Zhou observed everything and, after finishing his porridge, set down his bowl and said, "Let them go. They are all still children." Big Head and Big Miss are mischievous, and the second son's family may not be able to keep an eye on them. Let the fifth and sixth sons go with them, just don't lose the children. The fourth son should continue cultivating the land.

Lao Zhou gave Zhou Sirlang a stern look and set a deadline, "You have one month. If you can't cultivate an acre of land, you won't even get to eat porridge."

Zhou Sirlang felt bitter.

To make matters worse, Man Bao stabbed him in the heart. After dinner, she deliberately sat next to him and asked, "Fourth brother, do you know why you've ended up in this situation?"

She answered her own question, "It's because you gamble!"

Zhou Sirlang: ...

Man Bao sighed like an adult and patted his shoulder, "Those who gamble are bad people." I know this simple truth; why don't you?

"Man Bao, we're going to school," Xia Qianshi said as she placed the dishes in a basket. She attempted to put Man Bao in a basket on her back, but Man Bao shook her hand and proudly declared, "Sister-in-law, I'm all grown up now." "I don't need to be carried."

Xia Qianshi couldn't help but laugh, "Our Man Bao has grown up, hasn't she?"

"Yes, I'm six years old."

Zhou Sirlang, feeling indignant, reached out and messed up her short hair, mocking her, "You're not even five years old yet. Do you even know what 'years old' means?"

Man Bao was shaken by him, and before she could look up, Zhou Sirlang let go and ran away. Man Bao's hair was a mess, and she burst into tears.

Xia Qianshi was taken aback. Little sister rarely cried, and she hadn't cried much since she turned one. Witnessing her intense crying, Xia Qianshi was momentarily stunned before approaching her to offer comfort.

Qianshi, who was in the room, threw down her sewing basket. Swiftly jumping off the bed without bothering to put on her shoes, she ran out, asking, "What's wrong?" What's wrong? "What's wrong with my baby?"

Man Bao felt wronged for a moment, but after the first cry, she felt much better. She had already forgotten what had upset her, but when she saw Qianshi, she felt even more wronged. She ran into her mother's arms and complained, "Mother, Fourth Brother bullied me." "Look, he messed up my hair."

Qianshi immediately smoothed out her messy hair and, feeling angry, ordered, "This brat really needs a good beating. He won't get his dinner tonight; let him go hungry."

Xia Qianshi obediently agreed and promptly responded in a loud voice.

Qianshi felt sorry for her daughter and, after wiping away her tears, said, "Alright, Man Bao, stop crying. Mother will cook you an egg, okay?"

Xia Qianshi asked, "Aren't we going to school?"

"No, I'm going to cook an egg and make rice for Man Bao."

Xia Qianshi felt a little distressed, but she thought it was necessary to comfort her upset little sister. She nodded in agreement, but Man Bao did not want to. She broke free from her mother's embrace and said, "No, I want to go to school."

Her reason was also very valid: "I won't be able to attend class tomorrow because I have to go to the market." I need to tell Master Zhu.

Xia Qianshi said, "Little sister, don't worry." I'll tell Master Zhu for you.

"No, I want to tell him myself." Today, I have to go see if Master Zhu has finished writing his manuscript. "I have to bring it back."

"In that case..." Xia Qianshi hesitated and looked at Qianshi.

Seeing that her little sister was no longer upset, Qianshi patted her on the cheek and said, "Alright, if you want to go, then go."

Man Bao happily went to school with Xia Qianshi.

After the two sisters left, Qianshi got up from the floor, her face darkening. She turned to her two daughters-in-law and two young sons who were watching and said, "Go and bring back Fourth Brother for me." "He's really gone too far," she said. "He has the audacity to create trouble outside and then return to intimidate his family."

The four of them obeyed and went to catch Zhou Sirlang throughout the village.

As soon as Man Bao arrived at school, she leaned against the window to listen to Master Zhu's class. Today, they were studying the "Analects." Man Bao had heard a few sentences before, but she hadn't memorized them systematically. This time, Master Zhu was teaching a comprehensive lesson, starting from the beginning, as all the children were studying the "Analects."

Man Bao listened attentively throughout the entire lesson, yet Master Zhu merely reiterated the memorization without delving into the meaning of the text.

Man Bao didn't have a book, so she followed along haphazardly. She had a good memory and had memorized the text after reading it three or four times, but she didn't know which characters specifically, let alone their meanings.

Seeing that Master Zhu was still teaching the same thing, Man Bao, who was usually eager to continue, was feeling a bit off today. She was distracted and not paying attention.

After she felt she had memorized it, she slipped out of the window and quietly went to Master Zhu's courtyard.

Master Zhu's study was never locked, either out of habit or for the convenience of a child who always came to clean for him.

Man Bao wandered around the courtyard and the study, but in the end, she sat on the steps, resting her chin on her hand, daydreaming, and actually talking to the system.

"System, do you think Fourth Brother hates me?"

The system replied, "Host, no one in this world can always be liked." Even money can be disliked by people.

"But I'm not money; I'm Fourth Brother's sister." How can he not like me?

The system was silent for a moment before saying, "In this world, it's normal for fathers to dislike their children, mothers to resent their children, and siblings to dislike each other."

"You're talking nonsense. How can there be parents in this world who don't like their children?" "Aren't siblings supposed to love and help each other?"

"That's just wishful thinking on the part of the host," the system felt lonely and engaged in a conversation with the young host about these matters. But it felt like it was laying the foundation for his safety and future development. If his host was too naive, it would be a cause for concern in the future.

So, it searched the encyclopedia and found a book titled "The Ten Worst Fathers in History" to lend to Man Bao, saying, "Host, consider this a loan." Borrowing books incurs a cost in points, so please remember to return them after you have earned enough points.

Man Bao suddenly had a book in her hand, her eyes shining. She had already forgotten about the harm Fourth Brother had caused her and asked happily, "Is this for me?"

The system emphasized, "This is a loan for the host to read." Remember to return it after reading.

Man Bao was extremely generous and waved her hand, "Fine, deduct the points." Buying books can be quite expensive.

The system displayed a message stating, "Host, you do not have any points."

Man Bao had already lowered her head to flip through the book.

The text in the book had been updated to the language of the current era, and Man Bao had already mastered many characters. Moreover, it was written in plain language, so she read it with great interest, as if she were reading a storybook.

In fact, it was a storybook telling the stories of the ten worst fathers in history.