After a male student transmigrated into the body of a widow,

Regarding accommodation, the academy does not have many requirements for students, allowing them to commute or live in the academy's dormitories.

For convenience, many students chose to live in the prefectural school dormitories, and Zheng Hao chose the former.

Upon hearing Zheng Hao's choice to commute, Gu Lin said, "Actually, living in the dormitory has more advantages than commuting."

Zheng Hao's eyes darkened, but Gu Lin didn't notice. He continued, "Our place is quite a distance from the academy, making it inconvenient to travel. If you stay in the academy's dormitory, you won't have to get up early every day to travel. This will be more convenient, and you can sleep a little longer."

Gu Lin genuinely cared about Zheng Hao. If they were still in the county town, Wuliu Academy was only a short distance from home, and Gu Lin wouldn't have had to worry about Zheng Hao's daily studies.

But now that we've arrived in the prefectural city, the distance between the prefectural school and home is quite far; it takes the time it takes for an incense stick to burn just to travel by carriage.

If you get up early in spring and summer to go to the prefectural school, it's fine, but in autumn and winter, with strong winds and snow, this road is not easy to travel.

Zheng Hao said in a slightly lowered voice, "Uncle Gu, there's no need to worry. I don't like to get up late anyway, and getting up earlier gives me more time to exercise."

Although living in the dormitory is better than commuting, Gu Lin did not intend to interfere with the other party's decision.

Seeing that Zheng Hao was determined to make his decision, Gu Lin did not continue to speak, but nodded and said, "It's good to commute to school. The food at home is always better than outside. You are growing now, so you can't be careless about your diet."

She thought Uncle Gu would continue to persuade her to stay in the academy dormitory, but to her surprise, he calmly accepted her decision.

Zheng Hao's expression softened, especially when he heard Uncle Gu's last sentence, a hint of a smile appeared in his dark eyes.

Sister-in-law Zhao came out of the kitchen and called them to eat. Gu Lin and Zheng Hao stood up and walked to the main hall.

Sister-in-law Zhao and Brother Zhao have already set out the food.

After Gu Lin sat down, the others began to pick up their chopsticks only after he picked up some food.

Seeing this scene, Gu Lin felt somewhat helpless.

It's unclear when it started, but Gu Lin seems to have become the head of both the Gu and Zhao families. Whenever the two families eat together, everyone waits for Gu Lin to pick up food before they start eating.

Even Brother Zhao never received such treatment in the Zhao family before.

Gu Lin and Sister-in-law Zhao had said there was no need to do it this way; everyone should eat the same way they always have.

Sister-in-law Zhao said, "You are the head of our family, and everyone in the family acknowledges that."

Sister Zhao said with a serious face, "We wouldn't be like this if you didn't come home for meals, but when you're home, we eat like this before you even get a chance to eat. Don't even mention Fucheng, just look at Xiahe Village and the county town, which family dares to start eating before the head of the household comes home?"

Gu Lin was both amused and exasperated: "But why don't Brother Zhao and Brother Liu act like this?"

Sister-in-law Zhao glared at him and said, "Your brother Zhao and I are different from other men and women. We share the housework equally. If he suggests that he start eating first, wouldn't that be fair to me?"

"Don't even mention your sixth brother. Ever since Yu-ge'er married him, everything in the Chen family has gone smoothly. He's so grateful to Yu-ge'er that he wouldn't dare say such a thing."

"But you are different."

Sister-in-law Zhao gave Gu Lin a thumbs up and said, "To put it bluntly, you are now supporting two families, and you are undoubtedly the head of the household. Without you, your brother Zhao and I would never have been able to come to the prefectural city in our lives."

Gu Lin knew that Zhao's wife had some feudal and traditional ideas in her bones, but since she had never shown any ignorance, Gu Lin did not care.

But now that he's become the head of the family according to Zhao's wishes, Gu Lin can't laugh anymore.

His mouth was slightly open, as if he wanted to say something.

But seeing the expectant look on Zhao's wife's face, Zhao's honest and simple smile, and Zheng Hao's smiling and encouraging eyes, Gu Lin spoke up, turning his initial refusal into an agreement.

Isn't it just about being a family member?

He's already done all that, so why would he be afraid of getting a bad reputation?

As Gu Lin ate the braised pork knuckle made by Sister Zhao, he was completely captivated by its savory, rich, and tender flavor.

Suddenly, he looked up and saw the scene across from him, then turned to ask Sister Zhao, "Sister-in-law, does he always eat this much?"

After being called by Gu Lin, Zhao's sister-in-law looked up and followed his gaze. She saw a small bowl piled with bones next to it, and a child with a greasy mouth gnawing on a pork knuckle.

Aunt Zhao didn't make a fuss. She said to Gu Lin as if it were commonplace, "This child's appetite is about the same as an adult's. At first, when I saw him eating so much, I was worried that he would get an upset stomach, so I tried to stop him from eating so much."

"Later, I noticed that after each meal, he would look at the leftover food on the table. So I tried to give him more food, and to my surprise, he ate it all. After that, I stopped caring and let him eat as much as he wanted."

Hearing what Sister Zhao said, Gu Lin was a little surprised. It turned out that the child opposite him was a big eater!

Gu Lin had watched many mukbang videos of competitive eaters on the internet, but many of them had been accused of faking their eating. He didn't expect to encounter a real one here.

Gu Lin instructed Zhao's wife, "Then let him eat as much as he wants, but we should also be careful not to let him get an upset stomach."

Sister-in-law Zhao said, "I know, I've been watching him even though he can't speak."

"However," Zhao's wife changed the subject and asked, "Lin-ge'er, when are you going to name this child? We can't just keep calling him 'wa-zi' (little boy) forever."

Gu Lin was momentarily dazed before realizing that because the child couldn't speak, they hadn't known each other's names for over ten days.

Gu Lin's gaze met that of the child who had just finished eating the pork knuckle. Although the child still didn't speak, when he saw Gu Lin, his lively eyes blinked gently, as if he were greeting Gu Lin.

Gu Lin's heart softened slightly.

He raised his hand and waved to the sitting child. Zhao's wife wanted to remind Gu Lin that the child wouldn't react, but the child walked up to Gu Lin with chopsticks.

Sister-in-law Zhao exclaimed, "What's going on? He only responds when Brother Lin calls him, otherwise he ignores everyone except when he's eating."

At this moment, the child had already walked up to Gu Lin.

After several days of feeding, although the child hadn't gained much weight yet, his complexion had visibly become a little rosier.

Under Zhao's care, he was clean and refreshed, and when he looked at Gu Lin with his big, watery eyes, Gu Lin really couldn't stand it.

Gu Lin reached out and touched the child's head, feeling the warm, soft touch beneath his hand. He fell into deep thought, pondering what name to give the child.

It's obvious at a glance that the child in front of me has some psychological issues. I don't know if his inability to speak is innate or acquired.

Whether it's the former or the latter, Gu Lin can't know the other person's name, and he can't let them use the same old name as Lin Xiaoyao and the others.

Gu Lin is not good at naming people or things. Just look at the Happiness Building and Happiness Residence in the county town to know that the names he comes up with are simple and straightforward.

But you can't do that when naming someone.

Turning his head slightly, Zheng Hao saw the young man beside him thinking so deeply about others, and his smiling face gradually turned cold.

He glanced indifferently at the child in front of Gu Lin.

Perhaps it's because children are naturally very sensitive to unfriendly external influences, but when Zheng Hao's gaze fell on him, the child looked up in his direction.

Then, under Zheng Hao's gaze, the child took a few steps closer to Gu Lin.

Zheng Hao's smile grew increasingly cold.

After a moment, Gu Lin seemed to have made up his mind. He looked up at the child in front of him and said, "From now on, you will be called Gu An."

When naming the child, Gu Lin thought of the fact that the child had lost both parents at a young age and had a difficult life. So he decided to name him An, which, although common, contained beauty and blessings.

Gu Lin didn't know the child's parents' surnames, but since he had rescued the child, it was his responsibility, and it was most appropriate for the child to take his surname.

When Zheng Hao listened to the name the young man beside him had chosen for the child, his calm eyes were stirred with emotion.

Uncle Gu's surname is Gu, and Zheng's surname is Zheng. In the past, Zheng Hao would not have thought of anything else.

But now that Uncle Gu is giving the child his own surname, does he intend to treat him like he used to, taking him in and even raising him as his heir?

After all, he doesn't actually have the surname Gu.

Zheng Hao tried to calm himself down.

Gradually, the look in his eyes returned to normal.

Judging from Uncle Gu's character, the other party must have pitied the child in front of him to give him his own surname. This does not mean that Uncle Gu intends to groom the child as his successor.

Moreover, if he really wanted to cultivate an heir, why didn't Uncle Gu find a smart one instead of choosing a child who couldn't even speak?

After figuring this out, Zheng Hao smiled again.

However, a hint of wariness appeared in his eyes.

Uncle Gu may not have this idea now, but that doesn't mean he won't in the future.

Zheng Hao didn't care about Uncle Gu's business; he had no objection to who Uncle Gu wanted to hand it over to.

However, Zheng Hao would not agree if Uncle Gu wanted to adopt other children, adding another person to the family that originally belonged to the two of them.

Zheng Hao could barely tolerate Zhao's wife and Yu'er because they had their own families and their relationship with Uncle Gu was not their only one.

Zheng Hao knew they couldn't take Uncle Gu away, but what if a helpless, pitiful, and ignorant child came along?

Zheng Hao was all too familiar with this kind of situation.

After all, that's how he entered Uncle Gu's heart and became his only family member.

No matter how much turmoil Zheng Hao felt, he hid it all behind a gentle smile.

Sister-in-law Zhao smiled and praised Gu Lin for choosing a name, saying, "This is a good name. May you have peace and good fortune."

Sister Zhao said to the child in front of Gu Lin, "Thank God, no matter what happened before, now that you're here, no one will bully you anymore."

After saying that, Aunt Zhao rubbed Gu An's head. Since Aunt Zhao had been taking care of him for the past few days, Gu An did not avoid it. On the contrary, he squinted his eyes and thoroughly enjoyed the caress from Aunt Zhao.

Seeing this, Gu Lin couldn't help but raise his hand and rub Gu An's soft face, saying with a smile, "An'an is just like a kitten."

The next day.

Before dawn, Zheng Hao got up, washed up, and changed into his school uniform.

He came out of his bedroom and found the young man, who usually slept until dawn, standing in the courtyard, practicing the Five Animal Frolics he had learned from the doctor three years ago.

Hearing the noise, Gu Lin stopped what he was doing, turned around, and said to Zheng Hao, who appeared behind him, "Get up."

Zheng Hao nodded and asked, "Uncle Gu, why don't you sleep a little longer? It's still early."

Gu Lin smiled slightly and said, "Today is your first day at the academy, so naturally I have to see you off."

Hearing the young man in front of me speak in a tone that was as it should be, and considering that the other man had gotten up early especially for me, I realized that he was the one who had done so.

Zheng Hao said, "Uncle Gu, I'm all grown up now, you don't need to do this for me anymore..."

Before the other person could finish speaking, Gu Lin said, "I know what you're thinking. You just feel like you're bothering me."

"But for me, it is a very happy thing to personally send you to the prefectural school. I watched you walk step by step from Xiahe Village to the prefectural city, and I feel very proud."

"Today is your first day of school, such an important day, of course I have to be there, it's just a pity..."

Gu Lin looked a little regretful: "I can't remember what you looked like when you started school."

In modern times, Gu Lin could use his phone to take photos and videos of Zheng Hao, but there's no way to do that here.

Seeing the regretful and disappointed look on Gu Lin's face, Zheng Hao pondered for a moment and said, "Uncle Gu, do you mean to record it with paintings?"

"Pretty much," Gu Lin nodded.

Zheng Hao said, "Although I am not good at calligraphy and painting, there will be teachers in the academy to teach me calligraphy and painting in the future. After I have learned it, I will paint the scene of today's school opening and give it to Uncle Gu."

After hearing this, Gu Lin, though he hadn't received the finished product, was still very pleased and said, "Okay, then it's up to you."

After they finished talking and eating breakfast, the two got into Brother Zhao's oxcart and went to the prefectural school.

After arriving in the prefectural city, it was not as convenient to travel to and from many places as it was in the county town, so Gu Lin decided to buy an oxcart.

Now the family has two oxcarts. One was brought from home and is used at the restaurant, while the other was newly bought and is kept at home, mainly for Zheng Hao to use when traveling between the prefectural school and home.

On the way to the academy, Gu Lin lifted the carriage curtain and saw many oxcarts or horse-drawn carriages heading towards the academy. Upon arrival, there were indeed many vehicles parked in front of the academy.

Watching the students get off the carriage one by one, Gu Lin couldn't help but feel fortunate that he had specially bought an oxcart with a carriage to send Zheng Hao off. Otherwise, it would have been so uncomfortable for Zheng Hao to come to the academy in a wooden cart pulled by an ox while others arrived in respectable vehicles.

Gu Lin never imagined that students who could be picked up and dropped off by oxcarts came from families with considerable wealth.

The students of the prefectural school included sons of officials and wealthy families, as well as those from poor families. The latter generally could not travel by carriage; they either did not live in the prefectural school dormitories or walked from their homes to the prefectural school every morning before dawn.

If it weren't for him, Zheng Hao would probably have ended up like the latter on his first day of school, either staying in the school dormitory or walking to the school.

However, Gu Lin, who always doted on his child, was completely unaware of this.

Even if he had thought of it, given his doting and even spoiling nature, he would still do his best to give Zheng Hao the best.