The Peasant Wife: The Prime Minister's Beloved

Chapter 205 Proposal

The group went to the yamen. As for Zhang San and Li Si, no matter how they argued, the county magistrate had his own ways to make them talk.

Seeing this, Chen Xi stopped following and decided to return home.

Just as I stepped into the house, Xie Tianyi came back from the other side, followed by a middle-aged man who looked to be in his early thirties and had an elegant temperament.

"Mr. Guo, this is my wife, Chen Xi."

"Xiao Xi, this is the tutor I hired for the children, Mr. Guo."

After listening to Xie Tianyi's introduction, Chen Xi responded with a gentle smile and extended a polite greeting to Mr. Guo.

The three of them walked into the Chen Mansion side by side.

At this time, Xiaoyang and Xiaochen had just woken up from their nap. When they heard that their mother had returned, they immediately jumped out of bed excitedly and hurriedly put on their shoes.

"Mother! Mother!"

The childish call echoed in the air, arriving one step ahead of their figures.

However, when they ran closer, they found that in addition to their mother, there was also a strange face. The two little guys couldn't help but pause for a moment as they ran towards Chen Xi, and then slowly moved to both sides of Chen Xi, curious but slightly alert.

"Mother, who is this uncle?"

In the eyes of the two children, there was only Chen Xi at this moment, and even the father whom they relied on the most was temporarily forgotten.

"This is the teacher your father invited for you. Mr. Guo will teach you every day from now on."

Chen Xi explained patiently.

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyang and Xiaochen began to carefully look at this gentleman who was about to become an important member of their daily lives.

"Hello, from today on, I will be your teacher. My last name is Xue. What are your names?"

Mr. Guo asked gently.

Xiao Yang answered crisply: "My name is Xie Jiayang."

Xiao Chen was not to be outdone and said loudly, "My name is Xie Jiachen."

As the children introduced themselves, a new chapter slowly began in the Chen Mansion. A story about growth, learning and family was waiting for them to write together.

Mr. Guo nodded slightly, and a look of approval flashed between his brows, like the warm sunshine in spring, soft and profound.

"Not bad, not bad. Two good names with profound meanings."

Mr. Guo affirmed again, his eyes moving between Xiaoyang and Xiaochen, full of encouragement and expectation.

"Mr. Guo, where do you live?"

Xiaoyang blinked his bright eyes and asked curiously, his childish voice as clear as a mountain stream.

"Do you come to teach us every day?"

Xiaochen followed closely behind, his face full of excitement and anticipation, his little hands tightly grasping the corners of his clothes, as if he was afraid of missing any details.

The two children were innocent and full of curiosity and closeness to the gentleman who was about to lead them into the palace of knowledge. They did not feel any restraint at all as if it was a first meeting.

Chen Xi stood aside, smiling and saying nothing, letting the children's curiosity flow freely. She knew very well that this was the first step for them to build trust with their husband.

While the children were surrounding Mr. Guo, spinning like little satellites, Chen Xi quietly pulled Xie Tianyi over and asked softly, "What is this gentleman's character like? Is he too old-fashioned and unsuitable to guide the children's lively nature?"

There was both expectation and worry in her eyes. She hoped to find a good teacher for the children who could impart knowledge and answer questions while also being flexible and open-minded.

Xie Tianyi smiled slightly, his tone full of affirmation: "Don't worry, Mr. Guo is very open-minded. He passed the provincial examination with one stroke, relying on an article advocating openness and innovation, which won him high praise and appreciation from many officials."

At this point, his tone was a little heavy. "Unfortunately, just as he was preparing to go to Beijing for the exam, news came from home that his mother was seriously ill. Mr. Guo was an extremely filial person. He resolutely gave up his bright future and chose to stay at home to serve his mother. This filial piety is admirable."

When Chen Xi heard this, a complex emotion surged in his heart, including deep respect for Mr. Guo's filial piety and regret that he was unable to display his talents.

She turned to look at Mr. Guo, who was interacting with the children, and decided to strive for a more well-rounded future for the children.

"Mrs. Chen, please speak."

Mr. Guo's voice interrupted her thoughts, gentle and humble.

"In that case, I'll just say it straight."

Chen Xi spoke sincerely, with a determined light in his eyes, "Xie Tianyi told me that you are open-minded. I hope that my children will not only be limited to book knowledge, but also develop comprehensively in labor training, artistic cultivation, and physical fitness."

She emphasized her tone, and every word seemed particularly serious, "For example, regularly participating in farm work, learning calligraphy and painting, and participating in physical activities to strengthen the body."

She added with a smile, her eyes full of beautiful visions for the children's future, "We plan to study five days a week and rest two days. Mr. Guo, you will also enjoy the same rest days, but your salary will not be reduced. It will be paid in full on time every month."

After hearing this, Mr. Guo did not answer immediately, but fell into a brief contemplation.

The arrangement proposed by Chen Xi was quite advanced at that time. Traditional private schools often only had a break once every half a month, but she proposed a system of two days off per week, which meant that there would be four full weekends every month for teachers and students to rest and adjust.

Chen Xi waited patiently, giving Mr. Guo ample time to think about the feasibility of this innovative proposal.

After a moment, Mr. Guo nodded slightly, his eyes flashing with recognition and appreciation: "Mrs. Chen is right. After careful consideration, this arrangement is indeed more beneficial to the child's growth."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xi's lips curled up into a satisfied smile, and he secretly admired Mr. Guo's insight and understanding.

She went on to say: "One more thing, although I do not agree with corporal punishment as a means of education, I also understand the importance of moderate discipline. I hope that children can learn self-discipline and avoid making serious mistakes, so that there is no need to use a ruler. However, if it involves principled issues such as stealing and insulting elders without reason, Mr. Guo can make his own judgment and take appropriate measures according to the circumstances, and I will never be partial."

Her tone contained both motherly love and insistence on rules.

After hearing this, Mr. Guo's eyes flashed with surprise. Xie Tianyi once told him that Chen Xi came from the countryside, but her educational philosophy was so advanced and reasonable that he had to re-evaluate the knowledge and wisdom of this young lady.

Seeing this, Xiaoyang and Xiaochen quickly expressed their opinions, their childish voices full of determination: "Mom, we will definitely be obedient."

Chen Xi smiled gently, her eyes full of doting: "Mom knows that you are the best children."

Mr. Guo solemnly promised to follow Chen Xi's advice, and Chen Xi was not surprised by this.

Although his residence was not far from Taohuawu, she still carefully prepared an elegant room for Mr. Guo in the front yard, so that he could take a nap after lunch, saving him the trouble of commuting every day, which also reflected her respect and care for him.