After bringing the two little troublemakers home, Xu Mumu took the sticks out of their hands.
"Alright, start doing your homework. I'll check it when you're done. If you don't understand, you can ask me." Xu Mumu tapped the stick on the ground and looked at the two little troublemakers who were ready to play.
"Sis, you're not going to do it for us?" Xu Minglei widened his eyes, incredulously staring at his sister. His sister actually tricked him!!
The same expression appeared on Tiedan's face next to him.
"When did I say I was going to do your homework? If your grades aren't good, how are you going to get into middle school and high school?" Xu Mumu said calmly.
"Mumu, my dad said that after I finish elementary school, I'll work in the fields with him to earn work points, and studying isn't fun at all." Tiedan said with a bitter face, thinking that Mumu was too mean, deceiving them.
"I don't like studying either. I want to earn work points too." Xu Minglei puffed up his little chest, although he didn't like working either, it seemed a bit better than studying.
"Oh really? You're in third grade now. In three more years, you'll be thirteen and graduating elementary school. Sure, you can work then, and not long after, you'll be getting married. If you don't know anything, how will you support a wife and kids and take care of your parents and grandparents?" Xu Mumu seriously looked at the two kids.
Soon the college entrance exams will be reinstated, and education will become increasingly important. While physical strength can indeed earn some money, labor is the cheapest resource.
"There are parents and uncles to take care of grandparents, and my big brother to take care of parents. I'll work hard to earn work points and can support a wife and kids." Xu Minglei thought for a moment and said. After all, he wasn't the eldest son, so his big brother would definitely support the parents.
"You brat, I gave birth to you, and you're not planning to support me?" Xu Hai returned from outside, just in time to hear his own brat's words. His fan-like hand slapped Xu Minglei on the back.
Xu Hai was strong, and Xu Minglei almost got knocked to the ground.
"Dad, take it easy. I'll support you, alright?" Xu Minglei rubbed his back, which still hurt. Was this even his real dad, hitting so hard?
"Alright, you'll support your mother and me in the future, huh, you brat." Xu Hai said with a smile. Naturally, he hoped his son would make something of himself.
He hadn't achieved much in his life, but now that his parents had a bit of savings, his life was pretty good. If his children became successful in the future, his life would definitely be more comfortable.
Xu Mumu saw her father being so carefree, and she didn't need to think twice to guess his thoughts. Relying on parents for now, later on, rely on children.
Parents can be changed slowly, but as for her little brother, she still hoped he could achieve something.
"Got it, Dad." Xu Minglei's face was mournful, as if the burdens of life suddenly weighed heavily on his shoulders, and the road ahead seemed bleak.
Tiedan shrank his neck, imagining that he might also have to support his parents in the future, and a wife and kids, and possibly grandparents too. Tiedan's small frame shivered as the world's overwhelming malice suddenly hit him.
"Do you realize how miserable your lives will be in the future?" Xu Mumu said with a smile.
"So miserable. When my parents had me, why didn't they make me a girl? Being a girl means not having to worry about these things." Xu Minglei said with a tearful face.
"You brat, what nonsense are you talking about? Mumu, feel free to teach him. This boy is being unruly, let me handle him." Xu Hai slapped Xu Minglei on the back again.
"Don't worry, Dad." Xu Mumu said with a bright smile.
Xu Mumu's expression fell into the eyes of the two kids, and her smile sent shivers down their spines.
"Sis, what am I going to do? I can't support so many people in the future." Xu Minglei's neck shrank, almost scared to tears by Xu Mumu's description of the future. Imagining he'd have to support several kids, plus parents, he thought he might never play again.
"I can't support them either."
"That's why you need to study. With an education, you'll have a chance to become workers in the city. Look at Uncle Laosan and Little Aunt, they have money to buy lots of good food and can live in the city, isn't it nice?" Xu Mumu explained the good aspects to them, at least Uncle Laosan was living a pretty good life.
"We don't have connections, we can't get in." Tiedan said worriedly. Even his cousin's temporary job was secured through his uncle paying off connections, and his family didn't have the money or connections.
"Every year those factories have recruitment exams. If you study well enough, you can naturally get in. Getting into a factory isn't limited to just one method." Xu Mumu patiently explained. At least she wanted to give the two little troublemakers some motivation to learn.
"Is it really possible?" Tiedan really wanted to become a worker, even if it was just temporary work, it paid more than farm work in the brigade.
"Of course it's possible, but the premise is that you need to study well." Xu Mumu said seriously.
"From today, I'll tutor you two." Xu Mumu continued.
"Got it, sis, we'll study, okay?" The harsh reality dawned on the two small boys, and they started to wake up a bit.
"Be good, whoever gets more homework right today will get roasted chestnuts from me." Xu Mumu took out the roasted chestnuts she had brought home.
"Chestnuts, they smell so good, sis~" Xu Minglei's eyes sparkled, drawing out the last syllable of 'sis' long.
"You have to finish your homework to eat, and whoever does well gets to eat, so get to it." Xu Mumu said with a smile.
Then, the two kids quickly pulled out their homework and started working on it right in the courtyard of the Old Xu Family.
Madam Chen and the others saw Xu Minglei doing his homework seriously and thought the sun had risen in the west.
Xu Jiaojiao and Xu Tao walked in from outside, holding snake bubbles in their hands.
"Big sis, do you want some snake bubbles? We picked them just for you." Xu Jiaojiao placed a big handful of snake bubbles in front of Xu Mumu.
"Did you eat them?" Xu Mumu asked gently, popping one in her mouth. The snake bubbles had a faint sweet taste, and they were quite nice. The village kids loved eating them.
"We ate some; these are especially for big sis." Xu Tao said a bit shyly.
"So sweet, here, this is a return gift, you can eat these." Xu Mumu gave them each two chestnuts, not daring to give more, otherwise there wouldn't be enough for Xu Minglei and Tiedan later.
"Thank you, big sis." The two kids were extremely happy. Roasted chestnuts – they had only had them once in their life, and they hadn't expected their big sis to give them chestnuts.
"Big sis, those are mine." Xu Minglei said unhappily.
"Aren't there plenty more here? Hurry and finish your work, and these will all be yours." Xu Mumu said calmly.