Chapter 2286: Children at This Age

Chapter 2286: Children at This Age

Most of those who inquired about renting rooms came from well-off families. Children from farming households often had parents too busy to accompany them, let alone pick them up daily. Therefore, they simply left their children at the academy and would come to pick them up for a day's visit when they had their ten-day breaks.

So, their primary concern was the tuition fees. They had heard that the first-year tuition fees were quite affordable, almost on par with those of regular schools. Therefore, they quickly formed a line.

Surprisingly, the ones at the front of the line were people like them.

Wealthy families had more options and concerns, and in the end, several families shook their heads and walked away.

However, the chubby boy, apart from his concerns about washing clothes, had no other reservations. He seemed to be pondering something for a moment and then pulled his parents over to join the queue.

As the enrollment officially began and names, ages, and basic information were registered, groups of ten students, along with their parents, were led by students like Shu Rui to tour the academy's classrooms, dormitories, dining hall, and other facilities.

Once the chubby boy finished registering, his eyes darted around, and he noticed a boy of about the same age but dressed very plainly. Without hesitation, he jumped over to the boy and asked, "Can you wash clothes? I'll pay you to wash my clothes. What do you think?"

The crowd fell silent.

The parents of the chubby boy turned pale. This little rascal! Couldn't he have worded it more delicately? Didn't he see Headmaster looking in this direction?

They cautiously observed Meng Yunzheng's expression, fearing that their son might get kicked out immediately after registering.

However, to their surprise, Meng Yunzheng only smiled, retracted his gaze, and showed no intention of intervening.

The parents were puzzled. If Meng Yunzheng didn't object, did that mean this plan could work?

They glanced at the boy who had been asked the question. He appeared to come from a less affluent family, judging by his simple attire and the worn-out clothes his father wore. If his family needed money, they were willing to provide it.

However, in the next moment, they heard the boy whisper, "I... I don't know how to wash clothes either."

The chubby boy exclaimed in disappointment, "Huh? You don't? I thought children from rural areas could do everything."

Unfortunately, he didn't understand that even in rural households, washing clothes was typically not a task for boys. With mothers and sisters around, household chores like washing, cooking, and laundry were usually handled by the females.

The chubby boy sighed, "Then what do you usually do at home?"

"I have a cow at home, and I have to take it to graze. I also have to feed the pigs. Occasionally, my friends and I set traps to catch wild chickens in the mountains."

The chubby boy's eyes lit up. "Setting traps? You're so skilled! Don't you have to dig pits in the ground for that? Isn't the ground in the mountains very hard? Do you have shovels?"

The boy shook his head. "No, our families don't allow us to play with hoes and shovels. Setting traps doesn't necessarily involve digging pits. We can use ropes..."

The conversation between the two children grew more distant, leaving the crowd amused and touched.

These children of this age were truly innocent and sincere.

Master Huai'an smiled at Master Hejiang and said, "Children at this age are the most genuine and innocent."

Master Hejiang nodded. "I was worried earlier that the rich and poor students might form two factions and lead to bullying incidents. But now it seems..."