Farming and reading family

That's it?

Gao E thought Chen Ke wanted to say something to her.

"Since this is God's will, I might as well not take part in the next spring examination. I will recuperate at home and wait for the next spring examination." Chen Ke said cautiously.

If he doesn't participate this time, the next spring examination will be three years later. During these three years, he has to make sure his family lives a good life.

The light in the room was very dim. Chen Ke couldn't see Gao E's expression, nor did he know what Gao E was thinking. He just waited anxiously.

He felt that given Gao E's personality, she would definitely not stop him from taking the imperial examination because of this, so he had to think about how to be convincing.

"Okay." Gao E nodded seriously.

She didn't know what Chen Ke's life was like, but it was a good thing that Chen Ke didn't take part in the imperial examination this time. At least he had some cash to do something.

Otherwise, given the Chen family’s current situation, they don’t even have the start-up capital to do anything they want.

"Ah?" Chen Ke thought he had misheard.

He hesitated for so long because he was worried that Gao E would quarrel with him as soon as he said it.

Gao E valued his success in the imperial examination more than her own life, so every spring examination was very important to her, otherwise she would not have sold her house and land to allow him to go to the capital in advance.

Gao E consoled him, "People are determined by fate. Since our ancestors have already hinted at this, forcing it will only lead to sin."

Chen Ke...

He was still thinking about how to convince Gao E, but Gao E was actually comforting him?

"That's right, my lady." Chen Ke nodded.

"But you have to talk to your parents, otherwise they will worry." Gao E reminded.

"Okay, I'll go right away." Chen Ke said as he stood up.

The light in the room flickered and almost went out.

Originally, Chen Ke didn't dare to tell his parents, but after Gao E said this, he felt that this reason was feasible.

As soon as Chen Ke left the house, Chen Duokui came in with his three younger brothers. The youngest, Chen Jidi, was only three years old.

Gao E looked at the four children lined up in a row: Dukuan, Gaokao, Dengke, and Jidi.

The original owner was really hoping that Chen Ke could become an official, so what kind of weird name did she give her child?

Gao E looked at the four children with some distress. They were all timid, and their faces were sallow from malnutrition.

"Mom, please go to bed early." The four children said in unison with clumsy greetings.

The youngest, Chen Jidi, was even shaking and could hardly stand steadily.

Gao E looked at the four well-behaved children and didn't know what to say for a moment.

Moreover, all four children are exquisite in appearance, especially the youngest, Chen Jidi. Although he is thin and tender, his pair of big, twinkling eyes melt Gao E's heart.

She vowed to raise her four children well.

In the courtyard, Mrs. Lei took a glimpse of the situation in the second house and was filled with disgust. She approached her sister-in-law and said disdainfully, "It's started again."

Yang obviously didn't want to say this: "Second brother and sister-in-law are also doing this for the good of the child."

Yang gave birth to three daughters at the beginning. Her family background was not as good as Gao'e's. Although she was the eldest sister-in-law, she was always inferior to Gao'e.

"Oh!" Lei shouldn't have thought that her sister-in-law would stand on her side.

Jiang took her two sons to put away the things that Gao bought. She watched the second son go to talk to the head of the family, and then she came over and sat by the fire.

"Mom, does my second brother still want to live with us now that he's back?" Lei asked in a low voice.

"Your second brother's house has been sold. Where else can he live if not here?" Jiang said unhappily.

She knew that the Lei and Gao families were not on good terms, and if she hadn't stopped them, they would have quarreled three times a day.

"There's no room for them here." Lei analyzed, "Brother's children, Yu Ning and Han Yue, are already that old. They can still live in the shack in the backyard now, but they won't be able to do that when the weather gets colder."

Jiang was silent for a moment and then looked at Yang: "What did the Song family say?"

Chen Yuning had been engaged for a long time, but now he has not come to propose marriage.

Yang hesitated and whispered, "The Song family said the gift is too high."

"The bride price is too high?" Jiang unconsciously raised her voice. "We agreed on the bride price before, why did you suddenly say it's so high?"

"Of course he knows that our Chen family's mansion has been sold, and he feels that our Chen family is not worth it anymore." Lei said loudly.

Gao E was comforting her four children in the house. She was planning how to wake them up in the morning and go to bed at night, and she heard Lei's voice and looked over.

Jiang patted Lei's arm as a warning: "Why are you yelling at the top of your voice in the middle of the night?"

"Am I wrong? My aunt is from Bashang Village. Her family bought the house of my second brother's family. Now everyone in Bashang Village must know about it." Lei said angrily.

Yang also thought so, but she didn't dare to say it.

"Your second brother is a scholar. When he becomes an official, those people won't be able to curry favor with him." Jiang said proudly.

Yang nodded.

Lei wanted to refute, but after a while he held back and gave up.

She felt that the family had to be divided up quickly. If not, the entire Chen family would be dragged down by the second family.

Gao E knew that this family was not peaceful. The old couple would definitely side with their second wife, and the first wife never said anything, but the third wife's family was not so willing.

She didn't go out to argue with the Chen family. The original owner was indeed unpleasant and did not do things in a decent way.

The original owner moved these furniture from his previous house, but he was reluctant to let others use them, so he piled them up in the house in a messy manner.

Chen Ke told his father that he would not take part in the imperial examination next year, and his father was silent for a long time.

Perhaps because Chen Ke failed the exam three times, Chen Fansheng began to believe in fate, and after hearing his son say this, he also believed it to some extent.

"Then did the master tell you when you can graduate from high school?" Chen Fansheng said cautiously with a hint of hope.

Chen Ke hesitated for a long time and shook his head.

Chen Fansheng lowered his head in disappointment: "At my age, I don't know if I can see the day when you become an official."

Chen Ke lowered his head even lower: "I am an unfilial child."

"Forget it." Chen Fansheng said with some resignation, "Since the Grandmaster has made it clear, I will definitely pass the exam next time."

Chen Ke didn't dare tell his father that he didn't plan to take the imperial examination: "I will try my best."

This wasn't the answer Chen Fansheng wanted, so he nodded reluctantly: "You're tired after a day, go back to sleep."

Chen Ke came out from the upper room. Jiang and the others looked over again. Chen Ke nodded and greeted them before returning to his room.

Gao E was putting tables together to make a bed for them. When she saw Chen Ke come in, she stood aside, holding her waist.

"This is..." Chen Ke put four tables together.

"The ground is very cold. It's not good for Kui'er and the others' health to sleep on it. Let's just make do with it like this for now and think of a solution tomorrow." Gao E explained.

Chen Ke glanced at the four children, his heart filled with guilt.

Of these four children, except for Duokuai who was sold by Gao, the remaining three were sold by him.

He always thought that once he graduated from high school, he would be able to bring his child back to his roots with honor. Unfortunately, he never saw his child again until his death.

"You take a rest, I'll do it." Chen Ke went over to move the table.

Gao E sat on the drum stool at the side: "You and Duokui and Gaozhong will squeeze in together. I will take Dengke and Jidi to sleep on the bed."