The sun was still scorching in the first few days after the start of autumn, and Chen Yu hurried to the pharmacy.

She looked up at the somewhat faded paint on the plaque of "Renjitang" and saw the copper bells on the eaves jingling in the wind, as if urging her to hurry inside.

The pharmacy was filled with the bitter aroma of aged mugwort and atractylodes. Faded red paper was pasted on the walnut cabinets, with the words "Angelica sinensis" and "Forsythia suspensa" written in tiny characters.

A gray head peeked out from behind the counter; Manager Wang was weighing Poria cocos with a steelyard.

"Sister Yu is here. Are you here to test your father's medicine? Is his leg hurting or has his cough flared up again?"

"I had a terrible cough last night..."

"Three qian of astragalus, two qian of apricot kernels, honey-fried licorice..." The old shopkeeper turned around and grabbed a handful of loquat leaves from the celadon jar. "The dryness at the beginning of autumn can damage the lungs, so use these to make pear soup."

When the oil paper package was pushed over, there was a piece of frosted maltose underneath.

Seeing Chen Yu take out his money bag, he quickly reached out to stop him, took the "debts on credit" booklet from underneath, and scribbled a few notes.

"Don't rush, it's not much money, just write it down, we can pay it back together later."

Manager Qian wrote it down in a few strokes, gave Chen Yu a quick glance, and then closed the book.

But Chen Yu's body was as stiff as a statue in a temple.

"The provincial examination has been postponed, and Old Chen will definitely not allow you to go out and find work now."

Let's keep plenty of money on us and book the carriages to Fengjing as soon as possible. We mustn't let anything delay our important business.

Chen Yu clenched her fists. The words "serious business" sounded incredibly jarring to her.

"Sister Yu?"

Chen Yu suddenly snapped back to reality, reached for the medicine packet on the counter, but didn't pull it.

"Let go!"

The old shopkeeper smiled kindly, a gentle curve to his lips. "Brother Liu must still be waiting at home, no wonder he's in such a hurry."

"Don't worry, during your scientific expedition, we, your old neighbors, will take good care of your father and your brother. Go ahead and do your research without worry."

After he finished speaking, he let go of her hand, but Chen Yu snatched it away and ran out of the pharmacy without looking back.

Shopkeeper Wang chuckled, shook his head, and took out the ledger of outstanding debts, crumpling the page containing the privately written order into a ball.

His eyes gazed out the door, and fine dust, like sand, slipped through his fingers.

Sunlight streamed through the bluestone alley, and beads of sweat slid down Chen Yu's neckline into his collar, leaving dark watermarks on his coarse linen clothes.

He leaned against the mottled door frame, catching his breath for a while, before tucking his disheveled hair behind his ear.

After finally catching his breath, he straightened his clothes, wiped the sweat from his forehead and neck, and then pushed open the door to go inside.

The autumn sun shone through the gnarled branches of the crooked persimmon tree, gilding the hunched figure on the bamboo stool with a golden edge.

On Chen's father's lap were piles of split bamboo strips, his rough knuckles twisting the strips into hexagonal patterns.

Five-year-old A-di lay on the stone table, reciting the Thousand Character Classic in a crooked and messy manner:

"Heaven and earth were dark and yellow, the universe...primordial chaos!" The last syllable suddenly leaped with joy, "Sister is home!"

The bamboo strips rustled as they hit the ground. Mr. Chen raised his cloudy eyes, his gaze sweeping over the top of his daughter's head:

"The sun is so strong, why aren't you wearing a straw hat?"

He stood up, leaning on his bamboo cane, his limp making a dull rustling sound as he dragged his foot across the blue bricks.

The slanted shadow covered Chen Yu, carrying the bitter fragrance of mugwort and bamboo shavings.

"I want to go home as soon as possible."

Chen Yu placed the medicine packet on the well platform, and the shadow of the green persimmon swayed in the light spots cast by the well pulley.

Her father's chapped hands covered her wrist; his body temperature was cooler than the morning dew, like linen soaked in well water.

The hands that once held the brush to inscribe plaques are now crisscrossed with grooves from bamboo strips.

His robe was no longer stained with new ink, and when he walked, there was no longer the fragrance of pine soot, but was covered with bamboo shavings.

"Father, I've bought the grain. The rice maker will bring it over soon. Let me brew your medicine first."

The sparrows on the eaves fluttered up in fright, accompanied by the dull thud of a bamboo cane tapping the ground:

"Don't rush, there's some millet porridge warming on the stove. I'll bring you a bowl."

Go back inside and change into dry clothes; be careful not to catch a cold at this time of year.

My legs aren't very strong, but my hands are still functional; you don't need to prepare medicine or cook for me.

Chen Yu watched his father's limping figure as he entered the kitchen. With each tap of his bamboo cane on the ground, his shoulder blades would hunch abruptly, like an old crane with broken wings flapping its tattered wings.

The elderly people in the county would occasionally mutter that her father was the one with the best chance of passing the imperial examination back then.

Unfortunately, he broke his leg, ending his path to becoming an official.

In the past, even those who earned a Xiucai degree could make money by copying books and letters.

However, now that His Majesty has ascended the throne, the Imperial Workshop has developed mulberry bark paper and introduced new printing techniques.

As more people became literate, books became much cheaper, and poor scholars could not earn much money.

The county has schools and academies, but they don't want a lame scholar.

With no other option, the father had to open a school in his own home.

The neighbors would give the children some basic necessities like firewood, rice, oil, and salt as a donation, and in their spare time they would weave bamboo baskets and other things to sell.

Life was going well until her mother fell into the river and drowned three years ago, and the burden of life fell on her shoulders.

While studying for the imperial examinations, he also had to take care of his father and younger brother, making his life increasingly difficult.

A hot wind swept through the persimmon tree. Chen Yu dared not stare at her father's back, and instead lowered her head to pat her younger brother's head.

"Sweetie, let me go change my clothes first."

The five-year-old child was at a mischievous age, but his father forced him to study.

But recently, after being repeatedly reminded of the importance of her sister's imperial examinations, she nodded and released her leg.

Rushing into the house, Chen Yu closed the door and slid down to the floor, leaning against it.

His fingernails dug deep into his palm, and a metallic taste rose in his throat.

Everyone was telling her that as long as she passed the provincial examination, everything would be alright.

But... why her of all people!

In the imperial study, Qin Minghuang rubbed her temples.

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