Chapter 546 Jealousy

After the family bought the shop, Lin Yuesha handed over the follow-up matters to Liu Quan and focused on researching the dishes for the new shop. If they were to take a people's approach, they would have to make quick and easy dishes and create several signature dishes with similar tastes from both the north and south, with braised pork being an essential one.

Xiao Qi was taking the imperial examination, and the whole family was on tenterhooks. Although his mother, Chen, didn't say it, she often lost her mind and revealed her worries.

Lin Yuesha didn't have such a strong competitive spirit. She believed that she shouldn't put too much pressure on her stepbrother. In those days, the success rate of the imperial examinations was much higher than that of getting into a top university in modern times. Countless people with gray hair still went to the examination hall, just to seek a degree.

"My mother is just a woman and doesn't understand the imperial examinations, but I heard from Madam Xu that when someone in the family is taking the exams, they send a servant to keep watch outside."

The imperial examination lasted for three days, and unexpected situations could occur at any time. If a candidate was not feeling well, someone would have to carry them out to meet them.

The capital city is not like the north. It was already the eighth month of the lunar calendar, and the midday sun was so strong that people were sweating profusely. Chen heard that the examination halls were all closed, with flies and mosquitoes flying around inside. Moreover, if one was unlucky enough to be assigned to a stinky cell next to the latrine, it would be too much to concentrate on the examination.

Every imperial examination had its unlucky ones. No matter how learned they were, this ordeal would either force them to withdraw early or leave the exam incomprehensible and thus fail.

"Mother wants to go and see."

Since arriving in the capital, Chen had hardly gone out. Now, she was really worried and took the initiative to bring it up.

With Fang Dazhuang at home, Lin Yuesha initially wanted to say that her mother didn't need to go, but then she thought that it was a good thing for Chen to go out for a stroll, and she couldn't stay cooped up at home just to avoid her scumbag father, so she agreed.

“Mother, then I’ll go with you.”

Hundreds of examination sites were set up in the capital, and the scholars drew lots. Xiao Qi drew a site near Taipingfang.

"Then let's go now."

Chen stood up anxiously, but Lin Yuesha stopped her.

"Mother, please change your clothes."

Lin Yuesha recalled that from the north to the capital, Chen had never put any effort into dressing up.

Judging by her age, Chen was only in her early thirties, but she always wore drab gray dresses, making her look ten years older.

In the past, the family was poor, and Chen was focused on supplementing the family income, so she didn't have any spare money to buy clothes. But now it's different. The family has set aside a warehouse to store fabrics, as well as ready-made clothes that Lin Yuesha brought back from Jinxiulou.

Instead of letting it gather dust in a corner, why not wear it out, dress up nicely, and it will definitely lift your spirits?

"Mother, this dress is very nice."

Chen looked down and smoothed the hem of her clothes, but found nothing amiss.

The clothes were freshly washed, clean, and without any tears or patches.

“Mother, you don’t know, in the capital, regardless of wealth, women must dress up before going out. It’s a custom and it shows that they are well-mannered and respectful.”

Almost no woman dislikes exquisite dresses and jewelry, but Chen was used to being frugal, so her first reaction was not to dress up but to keep them. She liked to save the things she liked, with a mentality similar to that of a little hamster.

Lin Yuesha had no choice but to use the rules to persuade her mother, Chen.

"Yes, Madam, you need to dress up so that outsiders can see that you are the young master's mother and that your manners are impeccable, so that the young master won't be gossiped about."

Granny Fang understood and then joined in to help Lin Yuesha, and Chen was quickly persuaded.

Yes, I've heard that scholars are very competitive. If she goes out dressed too plainly, it might cause Xiao Qi to be looked down upon.

After agreeing, Madam Chen led Granny Fang to the inner room to do her makeup. A moment later, she changed into a different dress and put on a jade hairpin. Although it looked simple and unpretentious, it was by no means something to be underestimated.

"Auntie, you look more than ten years younger."

Jiang Baozhu pretended to widen her eyes and said in great surprise.

"Baozhu, I'm still not used to this."

Chen was gentle by nature, and her ears immediately turned red upon receiving the praise. This kind of attire really made her feel uncomfortable, just like those wealthy ladies, and she didn't know where to put her hands while walking.

"Mom, practice makes perfect. Don't always stay at home, you should go out for a walk."

Taking the opportunity, Lin Yuesha advised her mother that she would hire someone to run the family business and leave it to the servants. As for her parents, they could just enjoy tea and flowers in their spare time and not worry about anything else.

"I……"

Chen was still quite timid. She figured that the capital was so big that she might not run into Lin Shusheng if she went out, so she wasn't so afraid.

The group traveled by carriage straight to Taipingfang. The area around the examination site was already surrounded by yamen runners. There were tea stalls in the shade of the trees on both sides, where servants and family members of the candidates were waiting for them.

"Miss, Madam, there's still no movement inside."

When Fang Dazhuang saw people coming, he quickly ran out from the corner. He was carrying a package on his back, which contained some pills and cloths.

"That's good."

There was no shade at the examination site, and the sun was shining brightly everywhere. Chen shielded her forehead with her hand, feeling somewhat worried.

Surviving for three days in a small, enclosed space on a meager amount of food would be unbearable even for a strong, healthy man, let alone a scholar who is unable to lift heavy objects.

"Please rest assured, the young master will be absolutely fine."

Fang Dazhuang noticed that his young mistress was giving him meaningful glances. He scratched his head, realizing he was clumsy with words and not good at comforting people. However, the young master had told him before entering that he didn't need to wait outside the door.

It seems that the young master is confident in his abilities.

"Yes, Tingyun is an honest boy and never boasts."

After Xiao Qi said that, Madam Chen relaxed a bit and asked Granny Fang to move the carriage to a shady spot so she could wait there for a while.

Lin Yuesha twitched her lips. She had been trying to comfort her mother until her mouth was dry, and she hadn't stopped on the way here, but the effect was not good. It was not as effective as her stepbrother's words. He, Xiao Qi, was an honest child, but wasn't she one too?

For the first time in her life, Lin Yuesha felt a pang of jealousy towards Xiao Qi. She even thought sarcastically that her stepbrother's behavior suggested he was either genuinely honest or an extremely cunning person.

"Is the doctor here?"

Just as the group was about to board the carriage, a noise came from the entrance of the examination site ahead.

"Are there any family members of Young Master Bai?"

The yamen runner raised his voice and shouted repeatedly to the crowd.

However, the crowd remained calm; only people came to watch the spectacle, but no one responded.

"Are there any family members of Young Master Bai? Quickly find him a doctor."

The constables raised their voices and shouted, but no one responded. They simply threw the person out of the examination center and left him on the street without a care.

Under the scorching sun, the scholar lay on his back like a salted fish, foaming at the mouth.

Chen's heart, which had just been at ease, became anxious again. She patted her chest with her hand and asked Lin Yuesha, "Little girl, isn't it a bit bad for people to be exposed to such direct sunlight?"

Lin Yuesha nodded. It was more than bad; Young Master Bai must have suffered from heatstroke. If he lay there for another quarter of an hour, he might just die.