Edward Thompson let out a sigh, suddenly feeling a bit weary, and turned back with a look of loneliness.

Half a chicken was left from yesterday; he decided to make something tasty to comfort his wounded heart...

……

……

For most people in Liuyecai, today was just another ordinary day.

As usual, they worked hard, thinking about how there wasn’t much grain left at home, so they’d have to eat sparingly. Last year’s harvest wasn’t good, and they’d have to tough it out a while longer before the new grain came in.

However, for the Liu clan members with children at home, there was a small but noticeable difference.

The kids who used to run wild in the village all day, who wouldn’t come home for meals unless called three times, suddenly became quiet. They didn’t run around anymore, but squatted in the open space in front of their homes, holding a twig and scribbling on the ground, no one knew what they were up to.

Because of this, the parents of these little rascals actually started to feel uneasy.

In this era where most people were ignorant and superstitious, any unusual behavior would be classified as being possessed or under some evil influence.

Their own children were precious, of course, so they wouldn’t just punish them without reason. After watching his child for a long time, a middle-aged man finally couldn’t hold back, walked over, and kicked the little rascal on the butt: “You coward, what are you doing here?”

Turning around and seeing his father behind him, the little rascal wiped his nose, pointed at the crooked characters he’d just written on the ground, and said proudly, “Dad, this is the character ‘Liu’. The teacher taught us this morning. I bet you don’t know it!”

The middle-aged man looked down and indeed saw lines scratched on the ground with a twig. As for the so-called “Liu” character his kid pointed at, to him, it just looked like a bunch of scribbles.

Seeing the kid’s proud face, as if looking down on him for being illiterate, the man felt a surge of anger. He raised his foot and kicked the kid’s butt again, “You’ve only been to school for half a day and you dare mock your old man? Even if I never went to school, I’m still your father!”

In the kitchen, Edward Thompson had just finished slicing the chicken into thin strips, preparing ingredients for chicken porridge, when he suddenly looked toward the window, listened intently for a moment, and muttered, “Whose brat is that? Crying so terribly…”

He shook his head and went back to his work.

……

……

“Eat slower, no one’s fighting you for food!”

At lunch, a middle-aged woman looked at her child, who was acting out of character—shoveling rice into his mouth but not touching his favorite dishes on the table—and a look of confusion appeared in her eyes.

What’s up with her kid today?

After hurriedly finishing his meal, the little rascal tossed his bowl onto the table and dashed outside, as if the world out there held endless attraction for him.

“You just finished eating, where are you going?” the woman called out anxiously after him.

“To the school!”

The little rascal shouted back, then disappeared from sight.

The woman was left standing there, utterly stunned.

This little brat used to have to be dragged to school, so why the sudden change today?

Similar scenes played out in many households in Liuyecai.

That noon, all the parents of the little rascals were collectively baffled.

Chapter 12: Maybe He Really Has Some Skills

That afternoon, when Edward Thompson walked into the school, he saw a scene completely different from the morning.

“Good afternoon, Teacher!”

All the little rascals sat up straight at their desks, greeting him with great solemnity, their crisp voices very pleasant to hear.

At that moment, Edward Thompson actually felt a real sense of pride and satisfaction as a “gardener of the motherland.”

Kids really are great—simple, easy to fool, and don’t hold grudges...

“Did you all remember the characters I taught you this morning?” Edward Thompson didn’t sit at the teacher’s desk in the front, but casually took a seat next to one of the kids and asked.

“We remembered!” The kids answered in unison when Edward Thompson asked.

The kid sitting next to Edward Thompson looked a bit nervous, but also felt this teacher was different from the previous Mr. Carter. The stern-faced Mr. Carter always sat up front looking serious, as if someone owed him money, and never sat with them.

“Alright then, let’s check. Who wants to go first?” Edward Thompson looked at the kids and asked.

It always takes a lot of courage to be the first to try something new. The kids glanced at each other, but no one wanted to go first.

“I’ll go first!”

Suddenly, a voice came from beside Edward Thompson, sounding like someone who had finally mustered up the courage.

Edward Thompson turned his head and saw the same kid who had told him that morning he wanted to marry Grace Walker when he grew up. The boy stood up from his seat, looking eager to try.

“Alright, you’re up. What’s your name?” Edward Thompson looked at him and asked with a smile.

“Teacher, my name is Jack Walker...” Maybe it was Edward Thompson’s smile that put him at ease, because the boy relaxed, walked over to the sand tray, pulled a small twig from his sleeve, and started writing on the sand.