Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 196 - 195: That Was Close

Mr. Ding glanced at the list and confirmed again, "Liu Pingling, right? A girl?"

Si Niang nodded, "Yes, I’m Liu Pingling, a girl."

After speaking, Si Niang heard a conflicted sigh, "Ah... a girl..."

Si Niang tilted her head in confusion, wondering what’s wrong with being a girl?

Mr. Cheng waved his hand, "Aren’t you able to write? There’s paper and a brush over there, write something." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"Alright, teacher."

Si Niang agreed, turned around and walked to the prepared desk, kneeling down. She seemed so small that she barely reached the height of the desk. She ground ink with water, picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and started writing on the paper without any hesitation.

Her characters were very large, and although they were only neatly written, it was still visible that she was writing a small passage from the Analects.

There was one difficult character she didn’t know how to write, so she drew a circle around it.

After finishing, she put down the brush and resisted the urge to rub her wrist, slowly stood up, and stepped back to the side of the desk, "Please take a look, teacher."

The three teachers came over together, making Si Niang a bit nervous, knowing that her handwriting indeed wasn’t very good.

But her father’s and mother’s handwriting weren’t pretty either, so they could only teach her just as much.

Thankfully, she was still young, and the three teachers were more lenient with her. They nodded, took the paper, and informed her that the evaluation was complete and to wait outside for news.

Si Niang remembered what Jinbao and Jinhua had said about checks and X marks and wondered what the teacher would give her.

Unfortunately, after writing, she was told to leave, without another opportunity to stand before the teacher and see it.

Si Niang could only give her brother an encouraging look and withdrew.

She and the girl who came out before her were separated by a quarter of an hour—it was easy to guess that the teacher must have asked a lot, and she also answered much.

"How was it? Were you scared?" Qin Yao received the child, and her first reaction was not to ask about the results but to care about her feelings.

An unstable state of mind leads to inconsistent performance.

Da Lang and Second Lang also came forward, saying they’d buy her some snacks to comfort her.

Si Niang shook her head. She wasn’t scared, just didn’t know how to describe Mr. Ding’s conflicted sigh.

"Mother, I feel like the teacher doesn’t like me," Si Niang said softly.

Qin Yao felt a pang in her heart but kept a calm expression, adjusting the cloth on the girl’s head, "Sometimes, what people feel isn’t always correct. Let’s wait for the results."

Si Niang nodded, "Alright!"

Sanlang was the second last to come out, led out by a house servant, his eyes already red, and still reciting the poems he’d memorized at home, to which the servant was helpless, loudly asking:

"Someone from Liu Ziming’s family, come and get your child!"

Qin Yao and the others rushed forward, "What’s wrong?"

The house servant said: "The teacher fell just now, maybe hurt himself somewhere, quickly take him to see a doctor, so it doesn’t lead to anything worse!"

Handing the child to his family, the servant quickly turned and left, fearing to be blamed.

Upon hearing this, Qin Yao hurriedly put Sanlang onto the cart’s rail, asking where he was hurt.

Sanlang’s eyes were like a rabbit’s, and he pointed at his knee, whimpering.

Qin Yao rolled up the pant leg to see a bit of skin scraped and some red marks, but it was just a small injury far from an actual wound, and she relaxed immediately.

"Scared me to death, thought something was wrong." Liu Zhong patted his chest, curious, "How did you fall? Was it after answering the teacher’s questions, or did you fall before meeting the teacher?"

Sanlang stopped crying after Mother blew on it a couple of times and answered softly, "I had already answered the teacher’s questions, fell on the way out, it hurt."

Upon hearing this, the adults’ tense hearts were relieved—having completed the assessment meant no worries.

But falling before leaving, wouldn’t the teachers think there was some inherent deficiency?

Qin Yao glanced at Liu Bai and Liu Zhong, who also looked at her, deciding to wait for the results.

Sanlang actually performed quite well, though timid, he answered all the questions the teacher asked.

Moreover, upon seeing him, the three teachers noticed he and Si Niang were twins with identical faces but opposite personalities, bringing them much amusement.

Except this little one was really too timid, unlike his outspoken sister.

Sanlang remembered the teacher saying before he left: "A true man should not be so fearful, step out with your chest held high."

Then, as he lifted his head high, he tripped over the tall steps.

After hearing the little one’s recounting, Qin Yao couldn’t help but hold her head, thinking these teachers had too much time caring about others’ personalities!

Sanlang was still upset, clutching at Qin Yao’s clothes, whispering, "Mother, am I not a real man?"

Qin Yao answered bluntly: "You are! Just a more special kind. A real man comes in many categories, not just one."

The men nearby all looked over, curious, "Third sister-in-law, what other categories are there?"

Qin Yao glared, "Ask me again, and I’ll hit you."

They immediately shut their mouths, pacing back and forth by the cart, waiting for the last groups’ assessment to end and the results to be announced.

This wait lasted until dusk, at which time the assessment ended completely.

After the assessment, waiting another quarter hour, the three teachers finally came out and announced the admission list.

At the beginning, all were names from twelve large families.

Afterwards, Liu Jinbao and Liu Ziming’s names were heard, and Liu Bai was ecstatic.

Sanlang rejoiced only for a moment before joining his brothers and mother eagerly awaiting his sister’s name.

Yet, as the teachers announced the twenty-eighth name, Liu Pingling’s name still hadn’t been heard, bringing seriousness to the family’s expressions.

"Lv Liang!"

"Here, here!" another parent answered on behalf of the child with delight.

Only the last one remained.

Mr. Ding suddenly looked up, searching in the crowd for something.

Feeling it, Si Niang took two steps forward excitedly, looking over with anticipation.

Their eyes met, Mr. Ding squinted unexpectedly and then announced the last name to be admitted.

"Liu Pingling"

"I’m here!" Si Niang immediately raised her hand, feeling as if she’d been waiting her whole life for this moment, wearing a wide, proud smile warmer than the midday sun.

Mr. Ding internally sighed. Fortunately, she was chosen, or such intense anticipation couldn’t have been seen.

"Mother, Si Niang was selected!" Second Lang said excitedly.

Afraid she might not know, Sanlang added: "Mother, Si Niang was selected, now we can go to school together!"

Watching the children’s joyous smiles, Qin Yao raised her hand to her chest, sighing deeply with relief.

Suddenly, the cry of a girl came from behind them, prompting Liu Zhong to sympathetically turn around, pulling the left out daughter forward, gently touching her face, "It’s alright, there’s always next year, you can try again."

Da Lang and Qin Yao exchanged a glance, thinking inwardly, how dangerously close!