Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

Chapter 5: Master Zhou

The night was as thick as ink that couldn't be diluted.

Su Ming lay prone on the hard earthen bed, the wounds on his back stinging with a piercing pain as the ointment took effect. He gritted his teeth, burying his face in the musty-smelling pillow without making a sound.

"Does it hurt?" Lin Yu's voice sounded lazily in his mind.

"Mhm." Su Ming responded gloomily.

"Hurting means it's working." Lin Yu's tone gave no indication of emotion. "Remember this feeling. Your body is like a broken boat trying to cross a sea of suffering. Today's beating was just waves slapping against the deck. If the boat isn't sturdy, when storms come, it will be destroyed instantly with everyone aboard."

What he actually thought was: "I need to improve this kid's physical condition. My retirement plan can't collapse right after I started paying into it."

Listening to his master's words, the pain in Su Ming's back seemed to take on special meaning.

"Master, I understand."

"Understanding alone isn't enough." Lin Yu shifted topics. "Starting tomorrow, you must memorize every single character Teacher Zhou teaches, without missing a single one. For a boat to be sturdy, it needs blueprints first. These characters are your blueprints."

Su Ming hesitated slightly. "But... my memory isn't good.""The slow bird must start flying early, and diligence can compensate for clumsiness." Lin Yu's voice carried undeniable authority. "This old master has ways to help you. Now, do something else."

"What is it?"

"Take off the ring."

Su Ming was startled but complied, pulling the cold ring from his chest.

"Your household has many eyes, and your second brother is particularly observant. If you keep wearing it while sleeping, you'll eventually be discovered." Lin Yu instructed. "See that crack in the roof beam? Hang it on that protruding wooden splinter inside the crack."

Su Ming looked up and, by the faint moonlight streaming through the window, indeed spotted an inconspicuous crack in the overhead beam. Stepping on the bed frame and standing on tiptoe, he carefully hung the ring there.

The ring disappeared into the darkness as if it had never existed.

"Alright, go to sleep." Lin Yu's voice carried a hint of satisfaction. "Rest well. Tomorrow is your second lesson after joining."

The next day, as dawn was just breaking.

Su Ming climbed out of bed. The wounds on his back still hurt, but when he thought of his master's words, he felt filled with motivation.

At the breakfast table, the atmosphere was somewhat heavy.

Su Feng buried his head in his

but placed an extra serving of pickled vegetables

your back

and quickly finished the

wall and rushed out of

Yang watched his retreating back, his brow furrowed

neighbor Widow Li carrying a basin of water. Her voice was loud

Lin Yu's voice sounded in Su Ming's mind, carrying a

his mind: "That's Auntie Li,

intelligence distribution center, high-risk interpersonal unit. Recommend maintaining safe distance."

kept walking, almost jogging as

chopping a load of firewood, sweat droplets sliding down his sturdy arms. Watching Su Ming's hurried retreating figure with

schoolhouse, the air was filled with the smell of

birth are naturally

seven or eight children in reading. Lifting his eyelids, he spotted Su Ming sneaking in through

reading voices abruptly

Ming." Teacher Zhou's voice wasn't loud, but it made the entire schoolhouse so

the hall with his head lowered,

cutting through the air

"Smack!"

marks quickly swelled on his palm, burning with pain. Su Ming clenched his teeth,

"position" inside the ring. But "this is also a lesson, kid. First

Zhou withdrew the ruler, his gaze showing some regret at

but their habits make them different... continue

his seat, his left palm feeling like it was holding a ball of

open the book, its edges

called tactile memory method. Simple and brutal, but highly effective

at the unfamiliar character "beginning" in the book as if trying

but their habits make

buzzing reading voices filled his ears again. He took a deep breath, suppressing the

the small schoolhouse, making the window paper

from reading, and the stinging

rolling out of

knows how long, Teacher Zhou's ruler lightly tapped on the

"Tap."

buzzing in the room

throat, his slightly clouded

your books. Grind ink,