The Blessed Farm Girl Has a Spatial Storage
Chapter 23 Becoming Friends

Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Becoming Friends

So, Zhao Zhitong mentally asked Grandpa Bai if he knew the method for processing medicinal herbs.

Zhao Zhitong was a little disappointed to receive a negative answer. However, she didn’t disturb Scholar Meng further. After bidding farewell to the Teacher, she happily went to the kitchen to find Sun Mei.

When classes ended, the children all came to the kitchen, waiting for Sun Mei to serve them their meal.

Only after all the children had received their food and carried it to the main hall did Sun Mei serve Zhao Zhitong a scoop of vegetables, tore off half a steamed bun, and gave her a small bowl of millet porridge.

"Tongtong," Sun Mei said, "I’ve already spoken with Country Gentry Wei. For the next few days, you’ll eat with the students at the school, alright?"

Zhao Zhitong was very sensible. Besides, she was already thinking of an excuse to go out and gather medicinal herbs, so she clapped her hands happily and agreed.

"Then you must be well-behaved, okay? Don’t cry or make a fuss, don’t disturb the Teacher’s lessons, and don’t run off. Just stay properly in the school with the Teacher. When classes are over, Mom will come to pick you up."

Only after Sun Mei had reminded her several times, still feeling uneasy, did she take the previously prepared meal to the Teacher, taking the opportunity to inform him as well.

Zhao Zhitong, meanwhile, obediently held her bowl, perched on a wooden stool in the kitchen. She took a bite of vegetables, then a bite of her steamed bun.

"Zhao Zhitong."

Just then, someone outside the kitchen called her name. Zhao Zhitong put down her steamed bun and looked back to see Qiao Muchen standing at the doorway, watching her.

When rivals met, the air crackled with tension; maintaining a strong presence was paramount from the start.

Zhao Zhitong immediately straightened up, puffed out her small chest, and piped up in her childish voice, "Qiao Muchen, what do you want with me?"

"Did you forget?" Qiao Muchen said. "We still have our competition. Hurry up and eat. Don’t leave after you’re done; we’ll compete again. I definitely won’t lose to you this time!"

Zhao Zhitong shook her head. "No. The Teacher doesn’t allow us to climb trees in the school."

"Then we also agreed to compete outside the school after classes," Qiao Muchen pressed.

Zhao Zhitong refused again. "No, I have to gather medicinal herbs after classes."

Qiao Muchen paused, puzzled. "What are you gathering medicinal herbs for?"

Zhao Zhitong whispered, "They’re for my daddy. His leg hurts, but Daddy and Mom don’t know. I’ve only told you, so you have to keep it a secret for me. This is our secret."

The words ’I’ve only told you’ instantly made little Qiao Muchen feel an immense sense of trust coming from Zhao Zhitong.

He immediately puffed out his chest, declaring that as a ’real man,’ he would definitely help her keep the secret. Qiao Muchen also offered to accompany her and help find medicinal herbs after classes.

Sharing secrets is the quickest way for two children to build a friendship.

Zhao Zhitong said magnanimously, "Since you’re helping me keep a secret, we’re friends from now on."

Saying this, she took a piece of candy from her pocket and handed it to Qiao Muchen. "Here, have some candy. It’s very sweet."

Qiao Muchen had never lacked for candy growing up and didn’t particularly like overly sweet things, but he still reached out and accepted the candy Zhao Zhitong offered.

"Is it sweet?" Zhao Zhitong asked expectantly.

"Sweet," Qiao Muchen replied.

Zhao Zhitong’s eyes immediately curved into crescents as she smiled.

Qiao Muchen glanced at Zhao Zhitong’s bowl on the wooden stool. "I just heard Auntie say that you’ll be eating with us at the school from now on," he said. "So don’t eat in the kitchen. Come with me to the main hall. All the students are there; it’s much livelier."

"Okay, okay! I love it when it’s lively!" Zhao Zhitong chirped.

So, the two of them carried Zhao Zhitong’s bowl of food to the main hall.

Arriving at the long dining table, they even sat together.

The moment Zhao Zhitong entered, Zhao Yue spotted her. Seeing the two, who had previously been as tense as drawn bows, suddenly so friendly, Zhao Yue was quite puzzled.

That annoying pest and that little nuisance have made peace instead of fighting? he thought, feeling quite unhappy. All the fun is gone.

Sensing Zhao Yue’s gaze, Zhao Zhitong glared right back and made a face at him.

Zhao Yue immediately retaliated, baring his teeth at her. "Childish imp!"

Then, with a snort, he lowered his head and began to shovel food into his mouth.

The two little ones, Zhao Zhitong and Qiao Muchen, huddled together and suddenly discovered they had a surprising amount to talk about.

Moreover, Grandpa Bai in the space had also said that Qiao Muchen was an exceptionally clever child, and she (Zhao Zhitong) loved clever children.

As the two chatted idly, their conversation drifted to the Teacher’s lesson that day in school about ’dew congeals to form frost.’

Zhao Zhitong then recounted Grandpa Bai’s explanation to Qiao Muchen.

Qiao Muchen was quite astonished by this. "Are you saying the Teacher is wrong?"

Zhao Zhitong quickly shook her head. "I didn’t say the Teacher is wrong. I’m saying what the book says is wrong. Dew doesn’t turn into frost."

Qiao Muchen disagreed. "That’s not right. How can a book be wrong?"

"And why can’t a book be wrong?" Zhao Zhitong retorted.

"Books are written by sages, and sages are never wrong," Qiao Muchen insisted.

"They can be," Zhao Zhitong countered.

"They can’t!"

...

The two little ones, who had just become friends, started arguing loudly in the main hall over this very point.

Across from them, Zhao Yue’s eyes lit up; he felt his amusement returning.

Eventually, since neither could convince the other in their dispute, they took their argument to the Teacher.

「The Teacher’s Residence.」

At that moment, a scene reminiscent of the classic ’Two Children Debating the Sun’ was unfolding.

Scholar Meng sat beside his desk, a smile on his face, carefully listening as the two small children, speaking one after the other, recounted their entire dispute.

"HAHA."

Scholar Meng couldn’t have been more pleased with these two students, who were adept at thinking and making discoveries.

After hearing their accounts, he generally understood the situation. Stroking his beard, he chuckled, "This young girl’s challenge is excellent, and what she said is also very good. When winter comes, you two can go and verify it yourselves."

Qiao Muchen’s spirits fell. "Teacher, does this mean... the sages are wrong?"

Noticing Qiao Muchen’s dejection, Scholar Meng nodded slightly and said gravely, "As the saying goes, ’Humans are not sages; how could they be without fault?’ In reality, before sages became sages, they too were human, and all humans make mistakes."

Zhao Zhitong asked in surprise, "Then, does that mean the Teacher can also make mistakes?"

Qiao Muchen, however, was perplexed. "But Teacher, if a sage makes a mistake, is he still a sage?"

Seeing two such eager-to-learn students, Scholar Meng decided to elaborate. He first answered Zhao Zhitong’s question: "Young girl, the Teacher is an ordinary person and also makes mistakes. Making mistakes isn’t frightening; what’s frightening is not daring to face the mistakes one has made."

Then, he addressed Qiao Muchen’s question: "A person of sagely character never fears making mistakes. On the contrary, they directly confront their own errors and shortcomings. They find the reasons behind them, thereby improving upon their mistakes and inadequacies, which allows them to make fewer errors in the future and eventually reach the standard of a sage."

"Therefore, in the future, you too should not fear making mistakes. Furthermore, you must not become complacent or afraid to admit your own errors. Be humble, speak prudently, and be well-mannered. These are the Teacher’s expectations for you."