CHAPTER 38: CHAPTER 38: THE CHILDREN’S HAPPY OCCASION

EDITOR: ENDLESSFANTASY TRANSLATION

In the morning, there was a class on the Three Character Classic, a class on arithmetic, and after a class on the Thousand Character Classic, it was lunchtime.

This lunchmeal was Eight Treasures Rice, generously portioned and topped with sugar. For the children, it was practically more joyous than New Year’s! This Eight Treasures Rice was so delicious! Just as good as meat!

But the surprises of the day didn’t end with the Eight Treasures Rice. During the afternoon labor class, after collecting the lamb grass, herding the cattle, and cleaning the village road, Lin Wanwan asked the children to wash up and line up neatly in the courtyard before waving to them: "Line up, come one by one to get your school uniforms."

"School uniforms?" The children were confused.

What are school uniforms? They had never heard of them. Most of these children had never even been to the town and had no idea what school uniforms were.

Lin Wanwan took a small bundle from Hua Nong and opened it to reveal a dark blue garment, explaining, "This is the school uniform generously provided by my teacher’s senior, who supported me upon hearing I opened a school. It’s a standard dark blue robe paired with black boots, two sets per person.

From now on, you will wear this school uniform when you attend school. It’s specifically for wearing in the school, so it’s called a school uniform."

No sooner had she finished speaking, excitement erupted below.

"New clothes! And new shoes! Two sets for each person!"

"Did Teacher Lin give this to us? Really? Really? Am I dreaming?"

"Does Teacher Lin have a senior brother?"

"I heard so; he’s a high-ranking official out there!"

"Woo woo woo, Teacher Lin is so wonderful, giving us clothes! I didn’t even have new clothes for New Year last year, wearing only my brother’s old garments."

The children whispered to each other, some even burst into tears. For example, the eldest, second, and third daughters of Guofu’s family, were so moved that their tears flowed like "hua-hua".

In their entire life, they hadn’t worn new clothes, and now Auntie Wanwan, Teacher Lin, was actually giving them new clothes! And two sets of new clothes at that!

Even Lin Zhentian, watching the excitement from the side, couldn’t help wiping his eyes. He was wearing a robe patched over patches, wondering why such good fortune never happened when he was a child.

He also wished he could be a child again and be one of Lin Wanwan’s students.

"Listen carefully, anyone found with lice will have their clothes confiscated immediately! Only those who are clean are worthy of wearing the school uniform, understood?"

The children enthusiastically shouted in unison, "Understood!"

The shout was so loud it startled the clan members working the fields outside the courtyard, prompting them to discuss, "I wonder what delicious food is being given out at the school to make the children so excited."

"Wanwan is truly kind, truly kind! Since she arrived, the children have all been living a better life!"

"Absolutely, the children get a full meal at lunchtime every day, and sometimes even a piece of pastry after school, which saves a lot of food for us at home."

The school uniform was a one-piece ensemble of cotton and linen in a modified Han style, paired with white cotton pants. Lin Wanwan specifically changed the elastic waistband to cotton strings, ordered from an online store, costing only eighty yuan per set, with two pairs of small boots, making it a hundred yuan total.

Because of the bulk purchase, the seller offered Lin Wanwan a 5% discount. But in the countryside during the Zhen Guan Year of Great Tang, these were exceedingly fashionable and exquisitely crafted!

The deep blue, so bright and clean robes; even the adults in the clan didn’t possess such fine clothes! And now the children have two sets each!

The children who received the school uniforms were dumbfounded, holding the garments and inspecting them from all angles, momentarily speechless but grinning with delight.

"Alright, everyone who got a school uniform, find a room to change into it and see if it fits. If it doesn’t, swap with each other. For those under five, Hua Nong, you’ll help me dress them!"

"Yes!"

Hua Nong was also infected by the joyful mood of the children, smiling warmly.

Initially, she felt reluctant to use such good fabric for making clothes, but seeing the children’s radiant faces at this moment, she suddenly felt it wasn’t a waste at all.

Each child happily called her Auntie when receiving the clothes from her hands, warming her heart.

If Lin Wanwan knew what Hua Nong was thinking at that moment, she would probably comment, "Giving a rose, hands remain fragrant."

The children in the clan generally lacked clothes and food, appearing pale and thin, with frail bodies; yet, after donning the school uniforms, they looked spirited despite the slightly loose fit.

Lin Wanwan also brought out the accompanying hair bands and, along with Hua Nong and Yun Shang, retied everyone’s hair buns neatly, then said with satisfaction, "Alright! Very spirited! Remember to bathe well at home and wear this to school tomorrow, forgetting to wear it will deduct points!"

"Yes!" The children collectively performed a cross-hand salute, imitating the proper etiquette.

Then, with a wave of Lin Wanwan’s hand, they scattered joyfully.

Seeing the children emerging from the school with their clothes, looking entirely refreshed, the clan members on the road were astonished, grabbing their own children to inquire what happened.

Upon learning that Lin Wanwan distributed two sets of school uniforms and two pairs of boots, the fields buzzed with discussion.

"Oh my, giving away clothes! Has any teacher ever done that, giving students clothes and shoes for attending school?"

"What are you thinking? It’s because Teacher Lin is one of our own clan that we have these blessings."

"Exactly! Exactly! Teacher Lin is one of these!" The clan members raised their thumbs, endlessly praising Lin Wanwan. That evening, Lin Wanwan received many eggs, duck eggs, and various seafood from the clan members in return.

Though they had nothing better to give back, these gifts were enough to make Lin Wanwan happy.

The eggs and duck eggs here were far tastier than those of later generations. The chickens and ducks were free-range, not fed with feed, and their eggs were naturally very delicious.

At night, the clan members with children in their homes carefully felt the supposed school uniforms under the lamp, all amazed by the fine, unbelievable stitching and the soft, comfortable texture.

Could such wonderful clothes be owned by the children of these fishermen? It was like a dream!

Lin Mengjin couldn’t help saying to his wife, "I wish I could become a child and study with Wanwan, learning to read and write. Why didn’t I have such good fortune when I was a child?"

Many shared his sentiment.

The gloom brought by the typhoon dissipated in an instant.

At least in the Lin Family Manor, they had Lin Wanwan, a benefactor, supporting them. Due to Lin Wanwan’s shelter and assistance, no tragedies resulting in death occurred.

Yet, in the Lu Family Manor and Dafeng Village, there were poor people who lost their lives due to the typhoon. Comparatively, the Lin Family Manor fared much better.