Su Yu gently patted Shi An on the head, causing her to let out a soft, "Ouch." With a faint smile on his face, Su Yu explained in a low voice, "That was your mother's maiden name." His tone was gentle, revealing a deep, lingering affection for Deng that seemed to tell Shi An how precious and intimate a name it was between them.
Upon hearing this, Su Daya, Su Shikuan, and Su Shirong all widened their eyes in surprise. They exchanged glances before slowly nodding or responding with soft murmurs. It was clearly the first time they had learned their mother’s maiden name, and their hearts were filled with novelty and emotion.
Shi An’s eyes sparkled with curiosity and delight; she seemed to be striving to grasp the significance hidden within that special name. Su Yu watched her quietly, his eyes full of paternal love, as if he were seeing Deng through her. His smile betrayed his memories of beautiful days past, leaving no doubt about the depth of his devotion to her.
A touch of emotion crossed Su Daya’s face as she recalled her mother’s gentleness and kindness. Su Shikuan and Su Shirong also silently savored the name, stunned by the realization of how deep the bond between their parents truly was.
A shy blush crept over Deng’s face. She lowered her head and smiled, her eyes brimming with happiness. She felt Su Yu’s love and respect, and this warmth eased some of the worries weighing on her heart.
Looking at Shi An with a gaze full of tenderness, Su Yu continued, "Kuan'er, Rong'er, you must also study hard. Only then will you be able to protect your mother and sister in the future."
Su Shirong nodded vigorously, as if committing his determination to Su Yu. Su Shikuan, however, felt uneasy; he truly had no such thoughts!
Two or three days later, Su Daya and the others discovered that their wild vegetable cakes were no longer selling well. In an effort to sell a few more, they trekked through over a dozen alleys, yet the results remained meager. As they wandered the streets, they kept running into other children or local women who were selling the same wild vegetable cakes.
Shi An understood immediately that the wild vegetable cake business was likely not sustainable. She pondered what else they could do besides selling tofu. Her heart felt heavy, and a flicker of worry shone in her eyes. Su Daya became completely dejected, as if she had lost all hope.
On the other side, Su Shikuan was fuming with rage; he felt as though the others were stealing his family's livelihood, his anger burning like a fire. Fortunately, Su Shirong remained calm; he tightly restrained Su Shikuan, who was on the verge of confronting the others, preventing the situation from escalating.
Just then, Su Daya arrived with Shi An to meet them. She noticed Su Shikuan’s distress at once and asked with concern, "What's wrong? What happened?" Her voice was laced with anxiety and worry, her eyes filled with care.
Su Shikuan looked aggrieved, choking back tears as he said in a trembling voice, "Our cakes... they won't sell anymore..." His tone was heavy with frustration and helplessness.
Su Daya hurried to comfort him, "Oh, don't rush, don't rush. We haven't sold many either." She tried to keep her voice calm, though a hint of anxiety still betrayed her eyes.
Hearing his sister's words only made Su Shikuan more anxious. He knew their family finances were not prosperous, and if they couldn't sell their cakes, it meant no income. Without money, they might go hungry, let alone dream of studying and learning.
Nearby, other sellers of wild vegetable cakes saw Su Shikuan’s distress and one teased him, "I tell you, kid, these cakes are just wild vegetables and flour fried up. It’s not like only your family knows how to make them; we can sell them too..." The words were laced with mockery and disdain.
Another chimed in, "Exactly, exactly. Let’s get back to selling our cakes..." As they spoke, they turned away to tend to their own business, seemingly indifferent to Su Shikuan’s plight.
Su Shikuan felt a wave of helplessness, tears welling in his eyes. Just then, a kind-hearted middle-aged woman couldn't bear it any longer and interjected, "Look, the boy is about to cry. Leave him alone."
But the previous man retorted dismissively, "Let him cry. I didn't do anything to him."
Listening to these cold remarks, Su Shikuan felt terribly hurt. He lowered his head, struggling to hold back his tears, and silently told himself to be strong.
Shi An gripped the hand of her "little child" Second Older Brother and whispered, "Second Older Brother, don't worry. I have other ways to make money..."
Su Shikuan’s mood went through a rollercoaster; it came and went just as quickly. He immediately perked up and asked in a low voice, "Little Sister, that’s wonderful... Tell me, what should we do next?"
Su Shirong, standing nearby, had naturally overheard Shi An. Watching Su Shikuan’s boisterous behavior, he couldn't help but remind him softly, "Brother, keep your voice down! Everyone is watching."
Only then did Su Shikuan realize his lapse in composure. He quickly lowered his voice and replied sheepishly, "Oh, oh!"
Observing that there was no spectacle to be seen, the bystanders gradually dispersed. After all, everyone was out trying to make a living, and they couldn't spend all day watching the Su children. They were already familiar with the Su family's situation; although poor, the family had an educated man—a schoolteacher.
In Xuyang County, scholars were rare, so they certainly wouldn't offend the children of a scholar's family. As for the teasing of Su Shikuan just moments ago, it was more of a lighthearted joke meant to amuse the child, though Su Shikuan and Shi An likely didn't see it that way.
Once the head of the academy learned of the plight in Su Yu’s home, he was deeply concerned. He not only offered kind words of comfort but also told Su Yu to speak up whenever he faced difficulties. Su Yu knew well that there was no such thing as a favor without a reason, so after careful deliberation, he made a reasonable and fair request to the head.
Su Yu hoped to serve as a teacher at the academy. This way, he would no longer need to work while studying, allowing him more time and energy to focus on his education.
The head of the academy was named Lǐ Huáirén. Though he was over sixty, he remained vigorous. There were four great families in Xuyang County—the Wang, Li, Chen, and Qin families—and Lǐ Huáirén was a member of the Li clan.
He was not only the patriarch of the prominent Li family in the city but also the founder of Linfeng Academy, which had been established by the Li family and several other wealthy families in Xuyang County. For nearly a century, many members of the Li clan had served as officials in the capital, making them the foremost family in Xuyang County. Most affairs in the county and surrounding areas required the involvement of these few great clans.
Stroking his beard, Lǐ Huáirén looked slightly surprised at Su Yu’s decision: "Have you truly considered this? Do you need to discuss it with your family?" His gaze held a hint of concern, as he seemed aware of Su Yu’s family situation and understood that this decision was not an easy one for him to make.