After transmigrating into the body of a widow, I became the richest man in the capital.

Chapter 148 Reading is not a privilege reserved for city dwellers
Sun was busy in the fields all by herself, and she also needed to help with some things at the jam workshop, so she was especially looking forward to Su Xiaoxiao coming home soon.

There were also some people in Baihua Village who were very jealous of Sun Shi. At first, they mocked Sun Shi and Wang Er for coming from other places and looked down on them.

As a result, they've made a lot of money by associating with Su Xiaoxiao, which inevitably arouses jealousy.

Some gossipy women were talking outside, saying that the rice seedlings in the Sun family's own field were dying, yet she was always running around outside. They said that a farmer who didn't farm should just run around aimlessly, and that she would regret it sooner or later.

Su Xiaoxiao was amused when she heard this; it turned out that Sun Shi had been crying and making a fuss over this very matter.

"Sister Sun, don't be angry. I already said that in a few days when we reap the rewards, they'll naturally shut their mouths. Let them gossip here now; when we're making so much money in the future, they'll only be able to envy us."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Sun laughed.

Having not seen Su Xiaoxiao for a few days, I felt that ever since Su Xiaoxiao's trip to the capital, her words had become unusually reasonable.

"Yeah, girl, I just believe what you say."

"Oh, right, there's something else I'd like to ask of you. I wonder if you could grant our request?"

Su Xiaoxiao asked, "What is it?"

"I plan to open a jam shop with Wang Er in town. In the future, we plan to buy a house in town and bring both of our children to study there."

Su Xiaoxiao was genuinely happy for Sun when she heard that she had such an idea.

"I don't know if they'll be able to supply us with goods. After all, our jam workshop currently supplies the Baxianlou restaurant and the town's general stores. I'm afraid they won't be able to supply ours..."

Upon hearing this, Su Xiaoxiao laughed and said, "What are you saying, Sister Sun? Our workshop not only supplies goods to the customers in town, but also to foreign countries in the future. We even export our jam!"

Su Xiaoxiao said that their jam business would definitely need to expand, and Madam Sun was very happy for her. Unexpectedly, Su Xiaoxiao's trip to the capital had made her business acumen more agile and her vision more far-reaching.

Sure enough, the Sun family opened a shop in town. Although the shop was relatively small, it was conveniently located on the street. It wasn't in the market area where the wealthy lived, and Su Xiaoxiao knew that the Sun family was targeting the common people.

Su Xiaoxiao was quite happy for them. Sun was still helping out in the jam workshop, but now they had their own shop to keep busy. In the future, they could earn more money and have more opportunities.

Su Xiaoxiao also met Chen Zi'an, who was full of vigor and was about to go to the capital to take up an official post.

The private school will be closing down soon, and Su Xiaoxiao's two darlings, Da Bao and Xiao Bao, will soon have no books to read.

It's quite a pity about this. Su Xiaoxiao needs to quickly find a suitable teacher so that the private school can still be opened.

If the time is right in the future, she also wants to open a school in Baihua Village so that more children from other families can have access to education.

Liu Zian told Su Xiaoxiao that Baihua Village once produced a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). This person was named Huai'an. It is said that because he was naturally straightforward, he offended someone in the imperial court and had to resign from his official post and return home to farm as soon as he passed the Jinshi exam.

He disliked the flattery and sycophancy of officialdom and preferred to delve into scholarship.

Su Xiaoxiao thought that this was a good opportunity to persuade Mr. Huai to teach Da Bao, Xiao Bao, and the other children in the village.

After making inquiries and finding out Mr. Huai'an's address, Su Xiaoxiao brought gifts and went to visit him with Liu Zi'an.

This Mr. Huai'an lived in the most remote corner of the village, in a sturdy house built on a stone foundation. There were no other neighbors around; his small courtyard, enclosed by a fence, was filled with vegetables and looked very neat and tidy.

This shows that Mr. Huai'an is very diligent, making him seem like a hermit living in a secluded paradise. In front of the house is a large garden with many flowers, trees, and shrubs, indicating that Mr. Huai'an must have been a person who loved life.

There was a chicken coop and a pigsty in the corner of the courtyard between the main house and the side rooms. There was also a well for drawing water. Even a scholar could live a secluded life here.

Su Xiaoxiao saw an old woman with gray hair watering flowers in the yard in front of the house.

"Excuse me, does Mr. Huai'an live here?"

Su Xiaoxiao greeted the old lady who was busy in the vegetable garden very politely.

"Yes."

"Can I see him?"

The old lady looked Su Xiaoxiao up and down. Su Xiaoxiao was dressed very plainly, but she was very pretty. The old lady did not underestimate Su Xiaoxiao.

"My husband isn't home. You can come another day."

He directly rejected Su Xiaoxiao. Upon hearing this, Su Xiaoxiao realized that it was indeed true. Her visit was rather abrupt, and since he wasn't home, her timing was inappropriate. She decided to postpone it to another day.

"I have heard of Mr. Huai'an's great reputation and came here specifically to visit him. This is a gift I brought for him. Please accept it."

After Su Xiaoxiao finished speaking, she prepared to leave.

"Take your things away. Mr. Huai'an doesn't want to see you."

After the old lady finished speaking, she coldly pushed Su Xiaoxiao and the gifts out.

A loud cough came from inside the house, followed by a voice saying, "Good farmers should just be content being farmers. Why do you have to study like city people?"

As she said this, Su Xiaoxiao realized that Mr. Huai'an should be at home.

This is a case of hearing someone's voice before seeing them.

Su Xiaoxiao felt she really wanted to have a conversation with Mr. Huai'an, so she politely addressed the person in the room: "Hello, Mr. Huai'an, I am Su Xiaoxiao. Just now you mentioned that studying is only a right of city people, and that people from the countryside are not worthy of studying. Is that what you mean?"

No one in the room spoke, so Su Xiaoxiao continued, "I think that as human beings, everyone is equal, whether they are born in the city or the countryside. Is education only a privilege for city dwellers?"

These words were indeed not something a rural woman who farms would say, and the people in the room fell silent after hearing them.

Not long after, the door opened, and a sprightly old man walked out, looking quite refined.

Su Xiaoxiao quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"Hello, I'm Su Xiaoxiao. Are you Mr. Huai'an?"

The old man in front of her stroked his goatee and smiled at Su Xiaoxiao, saying, "It is indeed I. May I ask what brings you here?"

(End of this chapter)