Outside the examination hall.

A large crowd of candidates emerged from the Dragon Gate.

Outside the Dragon Gate, many family members who had come to pick up the test takers stood.

Lin Chang'an craned his neck, searching for the sound.

Upon seeing the boy in the blue lotus-patterned robe, he shouted, "Mother, Mother, Mother, your son has seen my second brother!"

"Second brother, second brother, over here."

He stretched out his hand and waved it toward him.

Lin Rui'an saw his familiar family members and walked lightly toward them.

The boy's face was rosy and glowing, and his blue lotus-patterned robe shone brightly in the sunlight.

"Mother, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," he said, bowing slightly.

Ye Lanyin didn't dare ask him how he did on the exam, so she just laughed twice and pulled him toward the carriage.

"Ruian, you've worked hard. Let's go home."

After taking a couple of steps, she seemed to remember something and looked back again.

Oh, I remember now, I forgot about my adopted son.

She patted Lin Rui'an's hand, "Son, you go up first and choose a good spot. I'll wait for Lin Shixuan."

She couldn't afford to be careless, as they were on the verge of collapse.

[My mother is so kind; why is she still waiting for him?]

Hmph, anyway, I doubt I did very well on the exam.

She made a point of 'greeting' the examiners at Longmen that day.

Lin Shixuan, his face pale, was helped out. His legs felt incredibly heavy, and if it weren't for his two friends supporting him, he probably wouldn't have been able to walk out of the Dragon Gate.

"Shixuan, your mother has come to pick you up."

A friend beside him reminded him, and Lin Shixuan looked up.

Not far away, the young man standing next to Ye Lanyin wore a blue robe that swayed gently in the wind. He was tall and had an outstanding temperament. His calm eyes were full of coldness.

Lin Shixuan felt inferior for a moment.

He then quickly looked away from his smiling face.

Ye Lanyin was somewhat surprised to see Lin Shixuan in this state.

Isn't this a scientific expedition?

Anyone who didn't know better would think he had been beaten up like that.

"Mrs. Lin, we'll head back now."

Ye Lanyin smiled and said, "Okay, thank you all."

"Come visit the Marquis's residence when you have time."

"Yes, Mrs. Lin."

We returned home.

Inside the carriage, Ye Lanyin and her family chatted about their embarrassing experiences with the imperial examinations.

Lin Chang'an asked curiously, "Second Brother, are there really people who were assigned to the lowest number?"

Lin Rui'an smiled and said, "Yes, there are."

Lin Chang'an smacked his teeth and said, "How pitiful, doesn't it stink to death?"

“A few days ago, Father was struck by lightning at the entrance of the servants’ outhouse. He was bedridden for several days.”

"If this continues for nine days, tsk tsk, it's truly pitiful..."

"Second brother, where were you assigned?"

Lin Rui'an said, "I was assigned an old number."

"Wow, second brother, I heard that these old spots aren't easy to get. They're usually taken by the examiners' own children. You're so lucky!"

Lin Rui'an thought so too.

The old-fashioned room has perfect lighting and is located in the best central spot, so apart from other test takers, there's no one to disturb you.

"Oh, right."

Lin Chang'an then remembered Lin Shixuan, whom he had squeezed into the corner.

He turned and asked:

"Big brother, what number did you get?"

Damn it!

Why did Lin Chang'an bring up such a sensitive topic? Didn't you see he didn't look too good?

"I was assigned a small number."

After that, he was almost gritting his teeth.

Lin Wanwan chuckled after hearing this.

This made Lin Shixuan feel humiliated on the spot.

Lin Chang'an exclaimed in surprise, "My God, big brother, you were assigned a low-level account?"

"It is said that the small turf was very narrow and was built with leftover scraps, with straw mats covering it."

"Brother, were you alright during the torrential rain a few days ago?"

Lin Chang'an seemed to suddenly realize something, and looked Lin Shixuan up and down.

"Fortunately, all four limbs are intact, it's just that the clothes are a bit dirty."

"But it's alright, my brother is a talented man, these little troubles are nothing to him..."

Lin Shixuan's face was flushed, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

Suddenly, he roared, "Enough!"

"Lin Chang'an, are you ever going to stop?"

"You're lazy and irresponsible all day long. Don't you take a look in the mirror?"

"How dare you ask me this here!"

"If you keep talking, believe me, I'll cut your tongue out?"

The group was all frightened by Lin Shixuan's appearance.

Ye Lanyin's eyes widened in surprise.

She never expected that Lin Shixuan would be so irritable; he had never been like this before.

Even Hua Xin, who was sitting outside the carriage, and the coachman Tian Zhong were startled.

"Shi...Shixuan, you...you say it again!" Ye Lanyin said, her voice trembling.

After Lin Shixuan finished cursing, he realized that he had gone too far.

He didn't know why, but ever since his fate changed, he would get angry and yell at the drop of a hat.

This time he was in the examination hall.

He offended everyone around him...

“Mother, I…” Lin Shixuan tried to explain.

Ye Lanyin immediately interrupted.

"Good, good, good. Your mother has raised you for fourteen years. You entered the manor when you were one year old. This has never happened before."

"Now that you've grown up and know you're destined to be the top scholar, you even look down on your own brother, huh?"

Lin Shixuan panicked.

He didn't think that way, at least not now.

He hurriedly reached out his hand to apologize to Lin Chang'an.

"Third brother, I acted impulsively just now, I'm sorry."

Lin Chang'an's eyes reddened, and he burst into tears.

"Waaaaah, big brother, I don't like you anymore, you're a bad person."

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