Acceptance
Seeing Shen Yanbei's return, Zhou Yu hurriedly spit out the grass in his mouth and stood up. "Shen Xiucai."
Shen Yanbei nodded. "Have you been waiting for a long time? Why don't you go in and sit?"
"I didn't wait long, just passed by..." Zhou Yu scratched his head, a little nervous. "Well, what I said two days ago, your wife..."
"He is inside. You can go in and talk to him." Shen Yanbei opened the fence door and walked in first.
Gu Changfeng was not in the house but was drying the bedding in the yard behind the house. Seeing Shen Yanbei's return, he hurriedly put the quilt on the rope. "You are back? Is it all done?" Seeing Zhou Yu who was following Shen Yanbei, there was not much surprise in his eyes.
"Yeah. I've agreed with the village chief."
Shen Yanbei walked over and dried it with him. The day was fine, so the winter clothes were washed and dried but……
"This quilt is too old. Didn't we just buy the cloth? Let's make two new quilts when we ask someone to make clothes."
Gu Changfeng had no objection. He was strong and had an internal body to protect him from the cold, but his husband was weak. This quilt would not be warm for a long time, so he needed to make some new quilts for his husband. As for the old one, he could use it for himself.
"Have you considered it?" Shen Yanbei asked in a low voice.
Gu Changfeng glanced at the restless young man standing under the eaves and nodded. After Shen Yanbei talked to him that day, he thought about it. He didn't care if he accepted an apprentice, but Shen Yanbei said that he had no maiden family*. If he accepted an apprentice, he would even have a maiden family. In the future, if Shen Yanbei did anything to sorry him, at least there was someone who could uphold justice for him.
*niángjiā, niángjia: a married woman's parents' home.
How could his husband do something injustice for himself? But if his husband wanted him to do this, he could accept this apprentice. This child had no father nor mother and the one who adopted him had been too old. If the elder had been passed away, this child would be alone. Gu Changfeng saved his life, so to be a good person, he had to do it to the end. By forming a mentorship with him, this child could support Gu Changfeng if anything happened in the future.
The path of the young boy's future was already set between the husband and the wife. But Zhou Yu still didn't know the decision of the two. He stood there restrained, full of anxiety.
After drying the last piece of clothing, Shen Yanbei walked towards Zhou Yu.
In response to the gazes of the two men, Zhou Yu straightened his waist subconsciously.
"Do you really want to worship him as a teacher?" Shen Yanbei said with a stern face and a serious expression. "You need to respect the teacher, listen to his teachings, and not disobey the master..."
"Zhou Yu humbly accept the Master's teaching!" Zhou Yu hurriedly responded.
Shen Yanbei nodded and raised his eyes to look at Gu Changfeng. Gu Changfeng said, "The purpose of practicing martial arts is to keep fit. Not to bully the weak, not to fight and cause trouble... Can you do all this?"
Hearing this, Zhou Yu was full of ecstasy. He knelt on the ground and banged his head three times. "In front of Shīfu, I, Zhou Yu worshipped at the master's door today. He will definitely listen to his teachings with an open mind and never defy half of the command!"
"Okay, get up!" Seeing that Zhou Yu's forehead was red, Gu Changfeng hurriedly pulled him up.
"Thank you, Shīfu!"
Zhou Yu stood up, his hands shaking with excitement. Before coming, he was mentally prepared to be rejected. At the same time, if he was really rejected, he would come to Shen Yanbei's house every day. Thinking that Gu Changfeng would see his perseverance, sincerity could make metal and stone crack so Gu Changfeng would agree to accept him as a disciple..., but he didn't expect that he didn't anything yet, Gu Changfeng really accepted him!
Thinking of the harsh conditions for those craftsmen to accept apprentices, Zhou Yu couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. Other apprentices when they formally acknowledge someone as a master would do a ceremony to honor their shīfu, but he had nothing. Did Shīfu think he was not sincere enough?
"Shī...Shīfu, I went out too hurriedly. I didn't bring a gift. I will definitely make it up next time!"
Gu Changfeng frowned slightly. "I accept you as a disciple because of your sincere heart, not to accept your gift."
Zhou Yu's face flushed. He said in shame, "Yes! I know my mistake!"
"Although Changfeng has accepted you as a disciple, I don't want a third person besides you and me to know that he could martial arts!"
Everyone was ordinary people. If suddenly there was a master who knew martial arts. How much trouble it caused! He would never allow Gu Changfeng to be treated like a monkey not let Gu Changfeng alone in danger!
The cool voice of the youth rang in the ears, both Gu Changfeng and Zhou Yu were startled.
Gu Changfeng looked at the opponent's warning eyes, only feeling a little warm in his heart. This was the first time Shen Yanbei called his name in front of others...
"I won't expose my master-disciple relationship to the outside world!" Realizing the profound meaning of Shen Yanbei's words, Zhou Yu quickly assured.
Shen Yanbei's expression slowed down. "Changfeng wants to teach you martial arts so you have to run to our house. I will declare to the public that you are my book boy."
"Yes!" Zhou Yu was overjoyed. It was an extremely decent thing to be a book boy of Master Xiucai, which many people would envy! With this apparent relationship, it was much easier for him to act!
The matter of accepting apprentices ended here. Gu Changfeng used the posture of a teacher to teach the new apprentice.
"Martial arts training cannot be accomplished overnight, especially when you are not young anymore when starting martial arts training. You need to work harder than others."
"I'm not afraid of hardship!"
"Then start with the basic skills and practice Zha Ma stance." Gu Changfeng demonstrated it to Zhou Yu. "The legs are parallel and shoulder-width apart. Squat down with the chest and back upright, the calves are vertical, and the thighs are parallel to the ground. ..."
Zhou Yu took a deep breath and squatted steadily, as Shīfu said.
As time passed, Zhou Yu's forehead was gradually covered with fine beads of sweat, his legs trembled uncontrollably, but his teeth were clenched. He was enduring it silently.
Shen Yanbei glanced from a distance and shook his head. The young boy indeed had a tough personality and could endure hardships, but his physical fitness couldn't keep up. The child had a yellowish face and thin muscles. At first glance he was malnourished. Since he was the apprentice of his own wife, he should be more generous!
With care in mind, Shen Yanbei turned and walked to the kitchen.
With the seasoning and everything, Chef Shen looked at the ingredients in the kitchen. With his sleeves rolled up, he grabbed a fish from the bucket and put it on the chopping board. Then slapped it down to stun the fish.
There were still dishes cooked at noon. But if Zhou Yu was also eating here, they needed two more dishes.
Well, make it richer. Also to celebrate the apprenticeship for his wife! Shen Yanbei wanted to clean up the fish neatly. Because of raising chicken cubs and ducks, Shen Yanbei specially kept the fish innards and kept it to feed them later. He bought a jar of sauerkraut in the morning. If only there were peppers, he could make a sauerkraut fish! Or made a chopped pepper fish head or boiled fish!
But no pepper...
Shen Yanbei regretfully put the processed fish in saltwater and prepared to make a braised fish. He turned around and grabbed two potatoes and peeled them, intending to make sour potato shreds.
When the food was ready, it was time to call the people.
Walking to the backyard with the fish innards, Shen Yanbei said to Gu Changfeng, "Well, don't practice too hard on the first day. It's time to eat."
Gu Changfeng responded with an 'en'. He turned to Zhou Yu and said, "That's it for today, you will come back tomorrow."
"Yes, Shīfu!" Zhou Yu said. He knelt and sat down, sweating profusely. The two exercises made him too weak to stand up.
Throwing the fish intestines into the circle, the chickens and ducks swarmed up and squeaked to grab the fish intestines away. Seeing them eating happily, Shen Yan, who was squatting, curled up the corners of his lips and decided to go back to the river to catch some snails tomorrow.
Standing up, He walked to the well to fetch water to wash his hands. Shen Yan looked at Zhou Yu, who had calmed down, and said, "Zhou Yu stay for having dinner before leaving."
Zhou Yu's eyes widened in surprise. "I...I stayed to... to eat?"
"Is there a problem?" Shen Yanbei smiled, with a gentle and harmless smile.
"No...no!" Zhou Yu was flattered in a cold sweat, not even knowing how to put his hands and feet.
Gu Changfeng frowned slightly but said nothing. Shen Yanbei walked over and pushed the people into the house. "I have made two more dishes. We'll have a little wine later? We should celebrate when you accept an apprentice today!"
Hearing this, Gu Changfeng's frowning brows gradually loosened. His dark eyes stared at Shen Yanbei and he nodded gently. "Okay."
Yummy Yogurt's thought:
Oh right, one more. If my Dear finds 'talented master and Xiucai' in the previous chapters, they have the same meaning. In the future, I'll keep it as 'Xiucai'~ 
