Afterwards, Lin Hongchu bowed to Aunt Lin and Xu Jiang, thanking them for being the host and witness of the ceremony.
Aunt Lin wiped her tears and said with a smile: "The ceremony is over. From now on, our Chu'er will be a big girl."
Xu Jiang smiled and then asked Yin Yin to bring over the gift she had prepared, which was a brand new set of four treasures of the study.
Lin Hongchu was frugal, always picking up her students' missing pens, inkstones, and paper. She had done the same at the bookstore before, and Xu Jiang had long wanted to give her a brand new set, but had never found the right opportunity. Now was the perfect time.
She handed the four treasures of the study to Lin Hongchu and said with a smile, "I hope you will never stop learning and strive for self-improvement."
After Lin Hongchu took it, she wiped Lin Hongchu's tears and said, "Now that you are an adult, you should be able to stand on your own feet. Don't cry."
If possible, I wish the little girl would always be a little girl, innocent, cute, and carefree. However, there is always someone who has to grow up, and there is always someone who has to hold up the sky.
It is certainly lucky and happy to be protected by others, but only by becoming independent and growing into a big tree can you withstand the wind and rain.
"Yeah." Lin Hongchu nodded and smiled, "Thank you, sister."
After the coming-of-age ceremony, Aunt Lin and Master Lin went to the study to chat.
Xu Jiang paid her respects to Madam Lin and exchanged some sisterly words with Lin Hongchu before bidding her farewell and preparing to return to the bookstore.
When they reached the outer courtyard, Master Lin was just seeing Aunt Lin out. Xu Jiang was about to greet them when Zeng Zhui, who was guarding outside the door, suddenly appeared, strode up to Master Lin and Aunt Lin, and knelt down with a bang.
Everyone was startled and stared at him in amazement.
Master Lin remained calm and quickly recovered. He asked, "What are you doing?"
Aunt Lin also came back to her senses and said with a smile: "This young man is too polite. Even if he meets an aunt, he doesn't need to be so polite." Then she went to help, "Hurry up."
Zeng Zhui couldn't catch up, but kowtowed three times to the two men.
Xu Jiang sensed what was going on and guessed what he was going to do.
She glanced at Master Lin's expression, which didn't look very pleasant, and it seemed that he had guessed something.
Zeng Zhui kowtowed and said, "Although the timing is not good right now, I still want to report this matter to you, teacher."
Master Lin said, "If you know the timing is bad, don't say it."
Zeng Zhui choked, his shoulders slumping. "The students are willing to wait, but..."
"Just what?"
"But the student will be taking the imperial examination next year. If he passes, there will inevitably be someone looking for a husband based on the list. If we make an agreement with you, then no one will dare to compete with you if I mention your name, right? Besides... isn't there an old saying that goes, 'Good things should be kept within the family'... Ouch!"
Before he could finish his words, Master Lin slapped him on the head, "You're talking nonsense!"
Zeng Zhui covered his forehead and kowtowed to him three more times, until his forehead turned red. Then he said seriously, "Teacher, I am serious. If my heart is not sincere, I will be struck by lightning!"
"Hongchu is still young and in mourning, so it's not appropriate to discuss this matter." How could Master Lin not be upset when someone was targeting his daughter who had just become an adult?
"I know she's still young, and I also know she's in mourning for Master's wife. I can wait. I can wait for her to grow up, for her to be free from mourning, and for her... willingly." At this point, he glanced toward the inner courtyard, his face flushing slightly. Then, he turned to Master Lin, "I only ask for a chance."
It was the first time that Xu Jiang saw such a complicated expression on Master Lin's face, which seemed like relief, disgust, anger, and joy. It was also the first time that she saw him speechless, as if he wanted to say something but stopped, as if he didn't know how to respond.
Aunt Lin on the side saw this and smiled brightly, "Okay, okay, good boy."
Zeng chased her hard, but when he saw Aunt Lin speaking for him, he took advantage of the situation and entangled the man.
"I have my aunt as my witness. If there is even a trace of insincerity or falsehood in what I said today, I will never pass the exam and live in poverty and destitution forever!"
Aunt Lin was indeed moved and said to Master Lin, "I think this is a good boy. He has helped a lot since my niece left. Now that you have returned to the court, he has also managed the school in an orderly manner. I think it would be better to give him a chance and observe him."
"Yes, let me check it out." Zeng Zhui stared at Master Lin eagerly.
Master Lin stared at him for a long moment, then said, "We'll discuss this later. Focus on the imperial examination first."
Not refusing meant half of agreeing. Zeng Zhui nodded happily, "Hey!"
Master Lin stared at him and couldn't help but miss his old friend who was exiled.
"What are you still kneeling for? Why don't you go study? Submit three policy essays to me today."
"Three articles is enough, thirty articles is enough!" After saying that, Zeng Zhui stood up and bowed to Aunt Lin, saying loudly: "Thank you, Aunt." Then he went into the study to read.
Xu Jiang stared at his swift, almost heaven-shaking steps, and could not help but admire them. Seeing Master Lin looking at her, she chuckled and said to him, "I'm about to go back to the bookshop, so I'll take Aunt Lin home."
"Okay." Master Lin sent them out.
In the inner courtyard, Lin Hongchu stood at the foot of the wall. She was stunned when she heard the noise outside. When the noise faded away, she hurried back to her mother's coffin, wanting to confide in her mother.
But when he opened his mouth, his face flushed red, but he couldn't say a word.
Before getting on the car, Aunt Lin said to Master Lin, "I think the child is fine. Please be careful and don't scare him."
Master Lin had a tense face, but nodded.
Aunt Lin smiled, then took Xu Jiang and Yin Yin's hands and got into the car.
Xu Jiang greeted Master Lin and before leaving, she stuck her head out to speak up for Zeng Zhui, "Master, I actually think Zeng Zhui is not bad either."
After saying this, he didn't dare to look at Master Lin's expression, so he retreated into the car and asked the guards to drive away.
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