Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?

Chapter 1071 - 770: Peeping_2

Shang Ruyi smiled and asked, "What’s your name?"The girl whispered, "Erya."

"What’s your surname?"

"Li."

"Is Erya your formal name?"

"No, it’s my nickname. My parents are illiterate, and they said that once we have money, they’ll ask the fortune teller on East Street to give me a formal name."

"Do you know how to read?"

"I can recognize just the characters in Erya. A neighbor’s brother taught me those."

"Do you want to learn to read?"

"Yes!"

The girl’s voice was originally timid and soft, but when she mentioned this, her tone increased quite a bit, and she nodded vigorously at Shang Ruyi, saying, "I want to. My parents also said that once this academy is built, they’ll send me to study."

Saying this, she glanced behind Shang Ruyi and whispered, "Ma’am, they say this place accepts female students, and that the tuition is only half. Is that true?"

Shang Ruyi smiled and said, "It’s true."

The girl took a deep breath and cautiously asked, "Ma’am, do you keep your word?"

Shang Ruyi smiled broadly. Tushere, standing beside her, said impatiently, "Do you know how to speak? This academy was founded by our Prin—our lady. If she says something, how could it not be true?"

The girl immediately grinned.

Having laughed, she took another deep breath, as though finally relieved, and bowed to Shang Ruyi, then said, "Well, I’ll continue delivering takeout then."

"Hey, wait a moment,"

Seeing her about to turn and run, Shang Ruyi quickly called her back and asked, "Why are you delivering this?"

The girl lifted the food box in her hand and said earnestly, "To earn money. My dad works at a restaurant, and he spoke nicely to the boss, allowing me to deliver takeout for the restaurant. Generous customers sometimes tip me. By the end of the month, when I receive my wages, I’ll have saved forty coins."

"Forty coins?"

"Yes, my parents have also saved a string of coins for me. By then, I can come and study!"

This speech not only tugged at Shang Ruyi’s heartstrings but also stirred emotions in Tushere, who had been irritated just a moment ago. She couldn’t help but glance at Shang Ruyi, wanting to say something. But just as she was about to speak, she saw Shang Ruyi gently shake her head in a gesture, and then, with effort, bend down. Tushere hurriedly supported her.

Shang Ruyi managed to approach the little girl, smiling as she said, "There is a book in the Thirteen Classics called ’Er Ya.’ If you ever get the chance, you’ll study it. If you like, you can take ’Er Ya’ as your name. There’s no need to find a fortune teller, and you can save your parents some money."

"Er Ya...?"

The little girl blinked, as if recalling something, and said, "The neighbor’s brother seems to have that book. Is it a good book?"

Shang Ruyi laughed, "It’s a good book."

The little girl immediately smiled and said, "Great, thank you, ma’am!"

With that, she bowed to Shang Ruyi once more and then turned to run away, and in the distance, she saw a restaurant attendant walk over, pointing at her and saying, "Li Erya, don’t be lazy and go wandering around."

The little girl shouted while running, "My name is Li, Er, Ya!"

As she spoke, she ran out of sight.

Shang Ruyi slowly straightened up, watching the little girl’s figure disappear around the corner of the long street, unable to stop herself from smiling. But then she heard Tushere beside her let out a low sigh. She turned to see Tushere’s face filled with reluctance and sadness and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Tushere glanced at her, hesitated, and then said, "This servant wanted to pay this girl’s tuition just now."

"..."

"Princess, you’re always so charitable and generous. Why this time—"

She likely wanted to say Shang Ruyi had a "heart of stone," but felt she shouldn’t say it, as it wasn’t her place. It was just odd because in such a circumstance, Shang Ruyi in the past would certainly have helped.

Of course, Shang Ruyi knew what she was thinking but didn’t immediately point it out. She just smiled and said, "It’s rare, you being so soft-hearted."

Tushere immediately pouted and said unhappily, "What kind of talk is this from you, Princess? This servant is not soft-hearted; I just feel she, she’s having a hard time. Didn’t the Princess notice just now? This servant saw that her shoes were all worn out. She’s likely been running around a lot lately."

"Oh? I really didn’t notice that."

"And this servant calculated, even if she has forty coins, plus her parents’ string, it’s only enough for a year’s tuition. Not to mention other expenses."

The more she spoke, the more heartache she felt, whispering, "Princess, why don’t we help pay for her?"

Shang Ruyi smiled and shook her head, poking Tushere’s forehead with a finger, saying, "You, you’re not usually soft-hearted, but when you are, you’re very soft-hearted. How many poor people are there in this world, how many can’t get what they need, can you help everyone you meet? Can you help them all?"