Chapter 389: Copying Books

“Dad, what happened to your face?”

“The wind blew it, it’s just dry.” Yan Lao’er rubbed his face.

“Then I’ll bring you some face cream next time I come,” Yan Yu said, sniffing her nose.

The weather had been getting colder lately. She had bundled herself up tightly and only took off her mask after entering the city. Just walking to the government office for a short while, she felt the bite of the wind, and her nose was starting to run uncontrollably.

“No need, I’ll be going home in a couple of days anyway. It’s gotten cold too early this year.” Yan Lao’er tucked his hands into his sleeves and led his daughter toward the back.

Yan Yu looked at the chimney pipes sticking out of the windows all over the government office and asked, “Dad, did your stove get fitted with Iron Sheeting?”

“It’s fitted.”

“Are we going to pay our respects to Grandpa Teacher first?”

“Hehe, you’ll know when we get there.”

When Yan Yu followed Yan Lao’er into the back courtyard of the government office, she was shocked to find that her father actually had his own room in this courtyard!

She gasped!

“Dad, you live here? You live in the same place as the Magistrate?” Yan Yu asked in disbelief.

Yan Lao’er said modestly, “It’s just convenient to take care of your Grandpa Teacher nearby. You don’t know, your Grandpa Teacher is someone who really doesn’t know how to look after himself. Since your father is here to study under him, how could I just stand by and watch, right?”

“This isn’t just ordinary treatment. Having a private room right next to the leader… this has to be the standard for a top-tier secretary,” Yan Yu joked with a smile.

“I wouldn’t go that far, wouldn’t go that far,” Yan Lao’er said, feigning casualness. “I just run errands nearby, pass on messages, take care of his meals and daily life, and occasionally help with the accounts and such.”

Yan Yu asked curiously, “What about your schoolwork? How’s the learning going? Is Grandpa Teacher giving you private tutoring?”

Yan Lao’er’s expression immediately turned strange. “Daughter, to tell you the truth, staying by your Grandpa Teacher’s side is great in every way. You arrange his food and drink and he’s not picky at all; he eats whatever is made and enjoys it. You tell him to sleep early and he listens. If there’s time in the morning, he even runs a few laps with me to exercise.

Do you know what they call me in this government office now? Second Master Yan! They call it out so affectionately, and the flattery comes in waves. Take that Iron Sheeting for example; I didn’t even have to ask. Those with sharp eyes had it fitted long ago. Not only do I have face everywhere I go, but your Grandpa Teacher is truly good to me. He’s taught me a lot. Would you believe it? The public notices posted outside the office now are all written by your father…”

“It’s just that…” Yan Lao’er said with a bitter face, “It’s true that your Grandpa Teacher helps me hide my actual skill level, but in private, he wishes he could make me write until I drop!

Look at my hand, these fingers, see how they’re all indented!” Yan Lao’er said with grief and indignation. “This is all from gripping the pen!”

Yan Yu was inwardly jubilant!

Grandpa Teacher is reliable!

“Let me see, let me see.” Yan Yu very seriously turned her father’s hand over and over, then asked in confusion, “Dad, why are there so many calluses?”

“Copying books with a charcoal pencil! Practicing calligraphy with a brush!” Yan Lao’er was moved to tears just mentioning it.

“When we went to inspect the rural townships a few days ago, my private lessons didn’t stop. That charcoal pencil is just too convenient for writing. You can sew a thick notebook and write anytime, anywhere. Your Grandpa Teacher hasn’t let me rest for a moment. He… he even sews notebooks for me now when he has nothing else to do!” Yan Lao’er had finally found someone he could pour his heart out to.

Yan Yu immediately put on a look of heartache, complaining on his behalf, “Dad, you’re working too hard. Your daughter wishes she could take your place!”

Yan Lao’er saw through her fake sentiment at a glance.

“Don’t just talk without acting. I still have copying homework to finish today. Hurry up and help me write some.”

“Hahaha!” Yan Yu held it in for a long time but finally couldn’t help it.

“Grandpa Teacher is mighty! Dad, hurry and find the notebooks you wrote so I can take a look and have a good laugh!”

Although Yan Lao’er was annoyed that his daughter didn’t pity him, he also really wanted to show off.

With a stiff face, he found several completed notebooks to show her.

He acted as if he didn’t care, tossing out a few words to explain the contents.

Yan Yu took a look and, boy, it was quite a lot.

No wonder her father was complaining.

With these thick notebooks, copying with a charcoal pencil and filling every page densely… that must have taken an immense amount of effort.

What was even more rare was that her father had actually stuck with it.

Yan Yu wiped away her smile and said very sincerely to her father, “Dad! You’re really amazing. Look at the writing on this; it’s much better than your old handwriting. And every page is so neat and tidy.”

She flipped through carefully and picked out a few. “These were written earlier, right? I can still see some mistakes. These two must be recent; there are almost no mistakes to be seen.”

Yan Lao’er found Yan Yu’s admiring gaze very satisfying, and his soul was greatly healed.

“Dad, you’ve copied so much, can you memorize it too?” Yan Yu asked.

Yan Lao’er was stunned for a moment.

“…I haven’t really noticed. Now that you mention it, I do feel that way. For these few chapters, I wrote them so much I wanted to vomit. When I’m copying, some paragraphs just flow out without me having to think.”

“Then you can write them from memory,” Yan Yu said with certainty. “Reciting and writing from memory are the same principle. Dad, if you keep copying like this, maybe you’ll be able to write them backward in the future.”

She gathered the notebooks together.

“Only someone with a serious illness would write backward!” Yan Lao’er put the notebooks back in their original places, straightening each one.

“When I leave the city, I’ll have to check the notices at the city gate. Oh right, Dad, take the notebooks with you when you go home. Let Mom see them; she’ll definitely be happy,” Yan Yu said with a smile.

Yan Lao’er nodded with restraint. “Fine, I’ll take two back. I’ll also let your mother see the teacher’s bookbinding skills. If we can, we should make some ourselves. Your Grandpa Teacher likes to do it at night, which is too hard on the eyes. He’s already getting on in years. If he doesn’t cherish his eyesight, what will he do when he gets presbyopia in a couple of years?”

“Also, what are you carrying? It doesn’t look like a pig leg. Donkey?” Yan Lao’er had wanted to ask for a while.

“Deer!” Yan Yu raised it a bit higher so he could see clearly. “I heard this is very nourishing. The people in our village were fighting over it; every family wanted some. As soon as I heard the news, I was afraid I’d be too late, so I rode the donkey over. I managed to grab a leg with great difficulty, but Granny Rong said Mom can’t eat it. Since I was coming to see you and thinking it’s my first time meeting Grandpa Teacher, I brought it along to give to him.”

“Hiss! This is nourishing! Your Grandpa Teacher… might not be able to eat it either,” Yan Lao’er said hesitantly.

“Huh?” Yan Yu looked at the leg in her hand.

Yan Lao’er explained, “I seem to remember that you can’t eat venison if you have external injuries. Your Grandpa Teacher has been getting mouth ulcers lately. He can eat it once he’s better.”

“Then we’ll just leave it for now. Anyway, it’ll keep in this weather,” Yan Yu said.

“It’s a bit of a waste; this stuff is best eaten fresh.” Yan Lao’er said regretfully, “This is red meat, looks very tender. Why didn’t you grab an extra piece? Dad could have roasted it for you, it would’ve been so fragrant.”

“There was too little, only one deer. Even though I went early, I couldn’t bring myself to take more. There was plenty of wolf meat, though, but no one wanted to eat that.” Yan Yu told her father about the wounded soldiers leading the villagers into the mountains. “…They’re not just ordinary levels of skilled. A few men with injuries managed to drive back a wolf pack. They said they’re going back into the mountains in a few days to find the wolves. Dad, I want to go and join the fun too.”

Yan Yu: My dad’s studies are improving!

Yan Lao’er: I’m about to vomit from copying~

Teacher Tian: Copy copy copy copy~ copy copy~

Old Yan: There’s hope for official rank~

(End of Chapter)