Chapter Fifteen: Pork Rib Soup
As Shao Che walked into his yard, he said with a smile, "Yes, your aunt is worried about you and afraid that you'll go hungry at home."
Jingwu smiled, then, as if remembering something, picked up the two bags of pastries in his hand and said with a smile, "Uncle, I just passed by a pastry shop and bought them because of the aroma. Come and have a taste."
She placed the pastries on the table and invited everyone to come and eat.
"Oh my, is this Li's Pastry Shop in the west of the city? It's very famous." As soon as Shao Che saw the pastries, he walked up with a smile and took a piece of chestnut cake first: "It smells so good."
Jingwu watched as his two younger cousins and aunt gathered around to eat pastries, and keenly noticed that someone was missing: "Uncle, where's my cousin?"
"He's gone back to the academy." Shao Che took a sip of water to clear his head. "He said the provincial examination is coming up soon, so he'd better go back and study more."
Actually, he could read at home, but the original attic was given to A-Wu to live in. He slept on the floor in his two younger sons' rooms, but he couldn't sleep well or concentrate on reading. It would be more comfortable for him to go back to the academy.
However, Shao Che didn't say these words aloud. A-Wu was already pitiful enough to be abandoned by her parents; he couldn't let her live there and become a burden.
Upon hearing this, Jingwu nodded and, without saying anything else, focused on joining the group eating pastries.
Ruan Chongyue watched her eat the pastries, then pulled her husband aside and handed him a red envelope: "For Awu."
"Why don't you just give it to her yourself?" Shao Che blurted out instinctively, earning a glare from his wife. He then obediently handed the red envelope to his niece: "Awu, this is a red envelope from your aunt. It's not much money, just for good luck in the New Year. Keep it safe."
Jingwu accepted it with delight, his eyes crinkling as he looked at the two of them: "Thank you, Uncle, thank you, Aunt."
This was the first time anyone other than her master had given her a red envelope, and she wanted to keep it safe.
Jingwu kept the red envelope close to his body without opening it to see how much money was in it. At night, he put the red envelope under his pillow.
When Shao Chengrui returned to the academy, it was already evening. After putting away the food he had brought from home, he collapsed onto the bed, exhausted.
I was planning to lie down for a while before getting up to read, but unexpectedly the door was pushed open and I came in.
Yan Shengming, the son of the county magistrate who shared a room with him, walked in. He stood up in surprise and looked at him: "Why did you come back to the academy instead of spending the New Year at home?"
Yan Shengming plopped down in a chair, poured himself a cup of tea, drank it in one gulp, and said, "Sigh, don't even mention it. My mother's maid, Yuan, fell ill a few days ago because of her son and couldn't handle anything. Now, with the end of the year approaching, big and small matters are piling up in front of my mother, keeping her extremely busy."
Shao Chengrui stood up and sat down in front of him, pouring himself a cup of tea as well: "Hmm? Isn't there anyone else who can replace such a high-ranking county magistrate?"
“Granny Yuan was my mother’s dowry maid, so my mother trusts her.” Yan Shengming sighed and poured out all the bitterness in his heart: “My mother blames me for not keeping a close eye on Du Nanze and letting him go out and fool around with brothels, which made Granny Yuan sick. But tell me, he’s not my page, and we don’t have the same teacher. I have so much to do with my studies every day, how can I pay attention to him?”
The more Shao Chengrui listened to these words, the more familiar they seemed, as if he had heard them somewhere before. He opened his mouth to ask, but was interrupted by the person in front of him.
“I know Mother is troubled by trivial matters, that’s not her intention. So, I’ve come back to the academy to hide away.”
Shao Chengrui twitched the corner of his mouth; that wasn't what he wanted to say.
The next second, he remembered where he had heard it before.
When I went home this time, my parents told me about my cousin's story of setting up a stall on South Street. One of the stories involved a man who claimed to be going to school but secretly went to brothels behind his family's back.
Shao Chengrui coughed lightly and looked at the person in front of him: "Brother Shengming, is the old woman's son the one who caused trouble at someone's grave and got haunted by a ghost?"
"You know about this too?" Yan Shengming's eyes widened in surprise. "Aren't you supposed to be oblivious to everything around you? How come you're so well-informed? Oh, I see. Did Miss Yi tell you?"
He chuckled and moved closer, leaning against Shao Chengrui, teasingly asking, "You must have told your father when you went back this time, when are you getting married?"
Upon hearing this, Shao Chengrui immediately recalled what Jing Wu had said to him. His eyes dimmed slightly, and after a moment of contemplation, he said, "Don't joke around. Miss Yi comes from such a good family; I'm not good enough for her."
“Hey, that’s not how it works.” Yan Shengming’s smile faded as he looked at him. “You’re incredibly intelligent and hardworking. You always come in first place at the academy. Forget about the provincial and metropolitan examinations, you’ll even pass the imperial examinations with ease. Your future is bright. Look at my father, he insists that I live at the academy and study with you. Isn’t that because he wants you to mentor me? If my sister weren’t so young, he would even want you to be his son-in-law.”
Just as Shao Chengrui was about to speak, he heard a knock on the door, followed by a girl's melodious voice.
"Are you there, Brother Rui?"
Upon hearing the voice, Yan Shengming immediately winked and teased, "Miss Yi is here, why don't you hurry up and go?"
Shao Chengrui patted him lightly, signaling him to tone it down.
Then he walked over and opened the door, and saw a pretty figure standing in the yard, holding a food box and looking at him with a gentle smile.
“Brother Rui, I heard from the gatekeeper that you’re back. I was worried you were hungry, so I brought you some soup.”
Shao Chengrui looked at the food box handed to him and subconsciously took it: "So heavy?"
Yi Wanzhou smiled a little shyly and said in a coquettish tone, "The gatekeeper said that Young Master Yan has also returned. I was worried that it wouldn't be right to only send you this, so I brought two portions."
Upon hearing this, Shao Chengrui instantly cleared his mind. Remembering Jing Wu's words, he didn't hesitate and stuffed the food box back, his tone somewhat cold: "I've already eaten, and I really can't eat anymore. Why don't you take it back?"
Yi Wanzhou was a little taken aback by his unusual actions and tone, and felt a bit displeased, her brows furrowing slightly.
After a short while, she quickly composed herself and said, "Brother Rui, this is pork rib soup that my mother made herself. Don't you really want to try a bite?"
She emphasized the words "rib soup" because she knew that Shao Chengrui's family was poor and they couldn't afford ribs even once a year. She figured he would definitely accept it if she said that.
However, to her surprise, Shao Chengrui only paused for a moment, did not take it, and still shook his head in refusal.
"I'm sorry, Miss Yi, I really can't eat anymore."
Yi Wanzhou frowned deeply upon hearing this unfamiliar address. Didn't she call me Awan before? How come she's become Miss Yi after returning from the New Year holiday?
Something must have happened in between!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com