Liu Ji arrived home at 7:15 PM.
He was in luck today, finding a cart heading to Lower River Village after school at the academy, adding five cents to have it drop him off at the entrance of Liu Family Village, allowing him to get home before the sun completely set.
The family had already finished dinner, and every dish included meat slices, making the stir-fried dishes oily, causing Qin Yao to eat an extra bowl of rice. For the first time, she ate until she was full and lay on the bamboo chair in the courtyard, not wanting to move.
When Liu Ji stepped in, he didn't receive the warm welcome he had imagined.
The four children in the family sat properly at the desk, practicing calligraphy, with two oil lamps lit, making the room bright.
Hearing sounds at the door, they turned to look at him, called out "Father" in unison, and then turned back to continue studying.
