After having lunch with Bao Min, Li Pan led Cai Shuyi and Jiang Yeli to Wanxia Lane.
Seven years have passed, and apart from a few more marks on the walls, the overall appearance of Wanxia Lane remains largely unchanged.
Niu Dajiao remained seated at the alley entrance, watching the visitors and muttering to himself.
In the seven years since, Niu Dajiao has aged a lot; his hair has turned gray, and his vision is a little blurry.
Seeing a carriage approaching from afar, I squinted at the adult and two children getting off the carriage, wondering which family they were.
Jiang Yeli sized up Niu Dajiao.
"Big brother, is she the annoying Niu Dajiao?"
"Hmm." The person Li Pan from Wanxia Lane disliked the most was Niu Dajiao.
Without speaking to her, he led his younger brother and aunt home.
"Which family are you from?" Niu Dajiao wasn't going to let them off the hook, and shouted.
"Ignore her." Li Pan pulled Jiang Yeli, who had stopped, and walked to courtyard number 4, taking out her key to open the door.
"Who are you? Breaking into other people's homes in broad daylight! You thieves are going too far! Help! Catch the thieves! Thieves!" Niu Dajiao's shouts attracted the attention of the surrounding residents.
The first to emerge was the boy from the neighboring courtyard, wielding an axe.
Upon seeing Li Pan at the door, the boy dropped the axe from his hand.
Fortunately, Chen Xiang reached out in time and didn't hit his foot.
"Pan, Panpan! Li Pan!"
"It's me, it's been a long time, Erlei," Li Pan greeted.
"Yes, it's been seven years. How have you been?" He then chuckled self-deprecatingly, "What nonsense am I talking about? Your father is a high-ranking official. You must be doing well."
Xu Erlei started to speak, but then he couldn't continue.
He didn't know what to say to Li Pan.
At that moment, he realized in his heart that they were different.
The others came out and recognized Li Pan. He had grown taller and stronger, but his appearance hadn't changed much.
"Pan'er is back! Have your grandma and mother come back?"
Who are these two?
"Is there something you need that brings you back?"
"If you need anything, just say so. We're all neighbors, and we'll help if we can."
"Grandma Xu, my grandma and mother haven't come back."
"Grandma Zhang, I've brought my little brother and aunt back with me."
"Aunt Yanhong, I came back this time to prepare for the provincial examination next year."
"Aunt Qiufang, my mother hasn't returned from the capital."
...
Li Pan responded to the neighbors' inquiries, unlocked the door, and let them into the house.
Chen Xiang was instructed to distribute the gifts he brought by the carriage to them one by one.
Niu Dajiao never expected that she would also get a share.
After distributing the gifts, we chatted for a while and then saw the neighbors off.
Li Pan, along with her younger brother and aunt, carefully inspected the yard.
Bao Min has arranged for someone to take care of him.
Courtyards 3 and 4 are very well maintained.
"Too small."
Jiang Yeli looked around the house and shook her head repeatedly. How could anyone live in such a small house?
“This house was quite big for my grandma and mom when they first arrived in Jiangcheng.” Li Pan recalled the scene when the three of them lived in this house when she was a child.
Were you this poor back then?
"You really are like someone who doesn't know the value of food," Cai Shuyi complained to Jiang Yeli.
"Aunt, don't follow my second brother's example."
Ang Lee always seems to have a knack for stabbing people in the back.
"This is so funny!" Cai Shuyi said, bursting into laughter.
Li Pan ignored the two of them, and instead looked around the house, carefully memorizing the details.
After the visit, Li Pan led the two back to the Jiang residence.
Several members of the Jiang family were waiting for them at the entrance.
"You take care of your family."
Cai Shuyi was tired and didn't want to deal with the Jiang family, so she went straight back to her room to rest.
Li Pan was worried about Jiang Ye, so he accompanied him to meet with the Jiang family.
Grandpa Jiang and Grandma Jiang looked at Jiang Yeli, who bore a striking resemblance to Jiang Mingzhe, and couldn't utter a word they had prepared.
Lu Xueying spoke up, asking the two of them how arduous their journey had been, like an elder, and also inquired about the situation in the capital.
Jiang Yeli answered Lu Xueying,
As Li Pan listened to Jiang Yeli's reasonable and well-founded answer, she thought about how Jiang Yeli always liked to cry in front of her.
I feel a sense of pride, like my son has grown up.
"You want to take the provincial examination?" A surprised voice, tinged with accusation, rang out.
Before anyone knew it, Jiang Mingde sat down next to Li Pan.
"yes."
“I can tutor you,” Jiang Mingde said sincerely.
"I appreciate your kindness, Uncle. But I already have a teacher, so there's no need for you to trouble yourself," Li Pan politely declined.
"Which teacher?" Jiang Mingde pressed.
Ke Yichan, a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the 8th year of Qing'an.
“It’s him.” Jiang Mingde recognized him; they were the same age.
Back then, Ke Yichan was ranked sixth in the second class, while Jiang Mingde was ranked sixth from the bottom in the second class.
Ke Yichan passed the imperial examination but did not want to become an official. Instead, he became a teacher and taught students.
Ke Yichan was a very skilled teacher; 60% of his students passed the imperial examinations.
When Jiang Mingde was an official in the capital, he wanted to ask Ke Yichan to tutor his two sons.
Considering they were born in the same year, Ke Yichan examined Jiang Mingde's two sons but did not accept them.
Ke Yichan did not teach just anyone.
Only those who meet his standards are accepted as students, and he teaches them with dedication.
The fact that Li Pan was able to be taught by Ke Yichan shows that she has excellent aptitude.
Jiang Mingde gave an awkward smile.
They invited the Jiang family to stay for dinner and then sent them home by carriage.
The Jiang family members looked at the gifts on the carriage with complicated expressions.
Watching the carriage drive away, Jiang Yeli muttered to herself, "No wonder my parents don't like them."
So many years have passed, and I still haven't come to terms with my identity.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
