A family with three widows, after severing ties with relatives, she became wealthy and married into

Chapter 55 Tian Jinghe Speaks

Both Manager Tian and Manager Dong delivered their bean curd sheets on time and received the final payment smoothly.

Each family received another seventy taels.

With these two batches of goods delivered, the autumn harvest in the village is nearing its end.

Tian Tian's family didn't own any land, nor did Liu San Niang's family; they only cared about the vegetable patch in front of their houses.

Of the eight kinds of vegetables planted earlier, spinach, garland chrysanthemum, amaranth, radish sprouts, and pea sprouts are already ready to eat.

Several of these eight dishes were ones that Lu Tao and Liu San Niang had never seen before.

But they all tasted great.

After the rain that day, Tian Tian suggested going to the mountain to pick mushrooms.

Da Ya and Tian Jinghe raised their hands in response.

"Let's go then." Tian Tian had already slung her bamboo basket over her shoulder.

Tian Jinghe, however, remained standing there, fidgeting.

He didn't speak, but just kept tugging at his new clothes.

One autumn rain brings a chill; it has rained twice in the past half month, and they have put on their newly made autumn clothes.

Tian Tian squatted down in front of Tian Jinghe helplessly. "Jinghe, what's wrong?"

Tian Jinghe tugged at his clothes, making muffled noises...

Tian Tian couldn't understand it, so she could only try to guide him.

"Jinghe, what do you want to say? Tell your sister." Tian Tian held Tian Jinghe's shoulders.

Tian Jinghe stubbornly tugged at his clothes, refusing to speak.

Tian Tian was somewhat disappointed.

Tian Jingwen, Tian Jingming, and Tian Jingan from the Tian family are all studying. Tian Jingwen took the imperial examination for the lowest degree last year but failed, and he didn't take it this year.

Tian Jingming and Tian Jing'an, one nine years old and the other seven, also studied at the county school.

Tian Tian also wants Tian Jinghe to go to school.

But if Jinghe doesn't speak at all... how can she study?

Daya has been playing with Tian Jinghe all this time. "Sister Tiantian, is Jinghe afraid of getting his new clothes dirty, so he wants to change them?"

Upon hearing this, Tian Jinghe nodded repeatedly, his small eyes sparkling.

That's exactly what he meant!

Going up the mountain to pick mushrooms will not only get your new clothes dirty, but you might even tear them.

He couldn't bear it.

This is the first time in his life he's ever worn such new autumn clothes; they're thick and so warm.

Tian Tian stood up helplessly, "Where do you have any old autumn clothes?"

Tian Jinghe was stunned. Indeed, when he was kicked out by his grandparents, he only brought some summer clothes and no autumn clothes at all.

"Wear it!"

"If you wear them and they get dirty, I'll wash them for you. If they get worn out, I'll buy you new ones."

Tian Tian pinched his cheeks with both hands and said helplessly, "Now that we have money at home, we're not afraid of ruining our clothes."

That day, Shen Zhian bought paper bags and paid the full amount of sixty taels of silver at once.

This money doesn't need to be shared with Aunt Liu; it all belongs to her family.

"Jinghe." Tian Tian let go of his hand and looked at Tian Jinghe with encouragement. "Now no one will hit you or scold you. You don't have to be afraid anymore. In the future... if you want to cry, laugh, or speak, you can say it."

"Mother, eldest sister, and second sister will all protect you."

Tian Jinghe's eyes stung with tears, and he threw himself into Tian Tian's arms, but he still didn't say anything.

Helpless, Tian Tian stood up, took his hand, and stopped insisting, "Let's go pick mushrooms."

*

After the rain, the mountain was damp, and mushrooms sprouted up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

The three people's baskets were quickly filled with a variety of items.

Shiitake mushrooms, lion's mane mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, matsutake mushrooms, morels, chicken leg mushrooms, tiger paw mushrooms...

Tian Tian held Jing He's hand, preparing to go down the mountain. "When we get back, I'll cook a pot of mushroom and egg soup, and add some bean curd sheets... It'll warm you up after drinking it."

"Da Ya, watch your step."

"Jinghe, be careful too."

She was so busy giving instructions to her two children that she didn't notice where she was standing.

He stepped on a loose, damp stone, twisted his ankle, and fell to the other side.

That side happened to be a slope, and Tian Tian fell straight down.

At the crucial moment, she let go of Tian Jinghe's hand, but Tian Jinghe was still pulled down to the ground.

But the little guy didn't care about his muddy clothes; he knelt down and started crawling toward Tian Tian.

Tian Tian was blocked by a large tree root, about five or six meters away from Tian Jinghe.

"Jinghe, don't get down!" Seeing Tian Jinghe's intention, Tian Tian quickly stopped him.

But it was too late to call for help.

Tian Jinghe slid down towards her with his hands in front of him.

"Waaah... Sister..."

Tian Tian reached out to take his hand, and her eyes widened in surprise when she heard his voice.

Jinghe spoke up?!

The force with which the five-year-old rushed down was considerable, slamming Tian Tian against the tree root, who let out a muffled groan.

But she ignored the pain and hugged Tian Jinghe tightly, crying, "Jinghe, Jinghe, you spoke up!"

"Jinghe, what are you calling me for?"

Tian Jinghe sobbed, "Sister...Sister..."

Tian Tian smiled, "That's great, that's great."

Daya stood on it, "..."

Can I come up first...?

*

Tian Tian and Tian Jinghe were covered in mud, looking like puppies who had rolled around in the dirt.

"How did it get like this?" Lu Tao was dumbfounded.

She stood in front of Tian Tian and Tian Jinghe, her arms flailing up and down, unsure of where to begin.

Tian Tian pushed Tian Jinghe towards Lu Tao, "Mom, don't worry about the clothes for now."

"Jinghe".

“Jinghe just called me sister. Jinghe spoke.”

With a snap, the pottery jar in Tian Xiang's hand fell to the ground not far away.

Lu Tao and Tian Xiang rushed to Tian Jinghe one after the other, completely disregarding the mud on his body.

"Jinghe, you've really spoken up?"

"Jinghe, quickly call her 'elder sister'."

Tian Jinghe was taken aback by their enthusiasm and looked at them timidly.

"Jinghe?"

"Jinghe?"

Lu Tao and Tian Xiang squatted down, looking at Tian Jinghe with expectant eyes.

Tian Jinghe held Tian Tian's leg, his mouth moving as if he wanted to say something but then stopped...

"Jinghe..."

Tian Jinghe grabbed Tian Tian's clothes with both hands, his mouth opening and closing several times, finally...

"Mother... Eldest sister..."

Lu Tao and Tian Xiang exchanged a glance, and tears streamed down their faces.

"That's great, that's great!" Lu Tao hugged Tian Jinghe tightly, tears falling onto his hair. "That's great, Jinghe, you finally spoke."

Tian Xiang wiped away her tears...

She clearly heard Tian Jinghe call her name before, but because of her grandparents' beatings and scoldings, Tian Jinghe didn't dare to speak.

It's been three years...

Tian Tian put the mushroom down and formally announced her decision, "Mother, eldest sister, I've decided that Jinghe will go to the county school next year."

“But…” Lu Tao certainly hoped that Tian Jinghe could go to school, but getting into the county school was not so easy. “It’s not easy to get into the county school. It’s not just a matter of paying tuition.”

“Jinghe has not yet received any formal education, so I’m afraid he won’t be able to get into the county school.”

County schools are the official educational institutions in each county. They have a limited number of places, and admission usually requires a recommendation.

Those from the Tian family were all recommended by Tian Bonian.