Chapter 9: Fortunately

The gentleman hummed with a deep nasal voice, no longer looking at him, his gaze swept over Gu Hai, who was sitting upright.

Gu Hai seemed to have not noticed the change in the atmosphere of the room. He lowered his head, staring blankly at the words he had written. Although his expression remained unchanged, the heaving of his chest revealed the turmoil of his emotions.

For some unknown reason, he suddenly crumpled the few sheets of paper he had just written.

This action made the students who were paying attention to him gasp in their hearts. My goodness, time was already running out, why did he have to tear up what he had just written?

A hint of pity appeared on everyone's faces. It seemed that Gu Hai had resigned himself to giving up. After all, it was impossible to complete eight hundred sheets in less than half a day.

Gu Hai then picked up a few sheets of paper that he had just written, crumpled them, and then, when everyone thought he should get up and leave, he spread the paper in front of him, straightened his body, picked up the pen, and started writing again.

A low murmur filled the study room.

The gentleman, who had walked to the large desk, immediately cleared his throat with authority and swept his gaze over the room. The students immediately quieted down.

"You, come and explain yesterday's lesson," the gentleman pointed to a student at the front.

The student trembled and walked to the front of the gentleman, beginning to recite, the question and answer echoing in the study, and no one paid attention to Gu Hai writing on the side.

When he finished explaining the last sentence, the gentleman stood up from behind the desk, and his gaze swept over the students who were excited because class was over.

"You may go," he said.

The room was filled with the sound of chairs and tables as the students left their desks and walked respectfully to the front of the gentleman, then hurried out of the study room.

Soon, there was only Gu Hai left in the room. The slanting sunlight cast mottled shadows on the floor, and after finishing the last stroke, Gu Hai sighed and put down his pen.

He stood up and respectfully presented the thick stack of papers to the gentleman.

"How many?" the gentleman asked calmly.

"Three hundred sheets," Gu Hai replied respectfully.

The gentleman did not speak, but took the papers and carefully looked through them, examining each one until he had finished them all.

"You may go," he said.

Gu Hai, who had been standing quietly by the side, responded and bowed to the gentleman, saying, "Thank you for your teaching, I take my leave."

He quickly packed up his belongings, his expression calm, and even with a hint of excitement on his face, just like a student going home after school.

"Bring the remaining five hundred sheets tomorrow," the gentleman said.

As Gu Hai walked to the door, he suddenly stopped in disbelief and turned to look at the gentleman.

"Have some dignity!" The gentleman was displeased with his behavior, snorted, and brushed past him.

Gu Hai stood dumbfounded at the door, as if he had not yet understood the meaning of the words, until a stone hit him on the head.

"Hey, Gu Gang, what are you lingering here for? It's okay, I'll draw a picture for you, so you can remember it when you hang it by your bed in the future..." The lead of the three young men with small eyes said in a strange tone.

Before he could finish his sentence, Gu Hai let out a loud shout, scaring him into choking on the rest of his words, then he jumped up and punched the air a few times, and ran away.

"Could it be that this kid has gone crazy from being too heartbroken?" the three of them looked at each other in surprise.

It wasn't until he ran out of the study that Gu Hai's eyes turned red, and he rubbed his eyes fiercely, then looked up and saw the little girl sitting by the iron crane.

"Eighteen Sister," his voice choked, and he ran over.

Gu Shiba looked at the approaching young man, and her originally turbulent heart suddenly calmed down.

"Brother," she stood up, before she could speak, Gu Hai had already bent down and rummaged through the basket at her feet, taking out the already hardened cake and eating it in big bites.

"I'm starving..." he mumbled, smiling at Gu Shiba.

Gu Shiba felt a sourness in her throat, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Take your time, eat less, you still have to eat dinner when you go home..." she also smiled and said.

Gu Hai was choked, coughing a few times, and Gu Shiba patted his back.

"Enough!" she laughed.

"Okay, you, as my sister, are actually gloating over my misfortune!" Gu Hai pretended to be surprised.

Gu Shiba lightly punched him, and the siblings looked at each other and laughed again, their tears sparkling.

"Go home quickly, Mother is worried."

Gu Hai lowered his head to pick up the basket, and only then did he see a small bundle of firewood piled up beside it.

"You went to chop firewood?" he said in surprise.

"Yes," Gu Shiba had already slung the basket over her shoulder, smiled slightly, and looked proud, "Did you think I couldn't do it?"

Gu Hai bit his lip, wiped away the tears that had fallen, picked up the firewood and threw it over his shoulder, grinning, "You can, but it's too little, not even as much as the result of my two axes..."

"Blow it, just you, two axes..." Gu Shiba laughed.

"Ha, you still don't believe it, I'll show you how amazing I am tomorrow..."

With laughter, the iron crane, ready to take off, quietly watched the two figures slowly walk away. The night fell, another day had passed, and a new day was about to begin.