Chapter 55 Apricot Blossoms in Spring: Some people, just like my father, excitedly bought apricot blossoms.
As March approached, although the spring breeze was still chilly, many children carrying loads of apricot blossoms could already be seen selling them in the streets and alleys of Bianliang. Yesterday, Yao Ruyi saw that Sister Jiuwan had a blossom in her hair. She heard that after Uncle Yu finished his shift, he went to Chenji Restaurant with his colleagues to eat fish and drink. He came back smelling of alcohol and staggering, and Aunt Yu kicked him out of the house without any politeness.
The kick woke him up from his drunken stupor. He rushed out, grabbed a flower boy, and, all smiles, brought back several baskets of fresh apricot blossoms so he wouldn't have to sleep on the streets.
Aunt Yu also gave Yao Ruyi half a basket, not only teaching her how to make apricot blossom porridge, but also saying that after noon today, taking advantage of the warm spring weather, she would set up a folding chair in the alley and invite her and several other aunts and sisters-in-law to "apply face cream and nourish their skin".
The remaining flowers were spread out on bamboo trays to dry in the sun, and each family received some to make tea.
People in the Tang and Song dynasties loved apricot blossoms. Since the early Tang dynasty, newly appointed scholars would hold a banquet in apricot gardens to celebrate their success in the imperial examinations. Therefore, apricot blossoms were also known as "flowers of success in the imperial examinations," symbolizing a smooth and successful official career. Furthermore, because "apricot" and "fortune" are homophones, apricot blossoms are often associated with good fortune and blessings.
Most importantly, the beauty benefits of apricot blossoms were highly sought after at this time. Whether high-ranking officials or ordinary people, everyone loved to soak apricot and peach blossoms in water and apply it to their faces. Yao Ruyi's shop had a "Yang Taizhen Red Jade Cream" which was made with apricot blossom and pearl powder and was rumored to have miraculous effects in removing blemishes.
As Yao Ruyi squatted in the shop, staring blankly at the menu with a picture of bitter melon, apricot petals were swept by the wind and landed at her feet.
She picked up the flower and tightened her light purple jacket around her neck. She was surprised to find a few green moss patches and newly sprouted wild grasses growing in the cracks between the bricks at the base of the wall. Indeed, with the stirrings of spring, all things come to life. Even the inexplicable thoughts in her heart seemed to have burst forth, quietly sprouting a cluster of green shoots.
Ever since she changed how she addressed Lin Wen'an, things have changed between them.
But when Yao Ruyi tried to figure out exactly where the difference was, she felt there was no clue.
It seems... it was her who changed first.
After the change of address, many things could no longer be explained or concealed by the pretense of "Second Uncle." She had to face her own heart, but she couldn't figure it out. She didn't know whether to take a step forward or a step back, or whether it was a good thing or not, and what to do next.
Grandma, you taught me so much, but why didn't you teach me how to date a man?
Frustrated, Yao Ruyi scratched her face and looked again at the crumpled, yellowed sheet tucked in the crevice. Her legs were numb from squatting, but she couldn't bear to throw it away. She dusted it off and carefully folded it. Looking left and right to make sure no one was watching, she stealthily stuffed it into her clothes.
After that, she tapped her head again, trying to get rid of all the thoughts of Lin Wen'an in her mind, and dragged the two baskets over to continue sorting out the new items that had arrived that day.
That's enough, if I can't figure it out, I'll stop thinking about it.
Make money! You have to make money first!
My grandmother's second wise saying is: A woman can't be without money; she should work hard to earn money whenever she has time. With money, men are like watermelons in a watermelon patch—they can pick the flat ones they want, the round ones they want, and as many as they want… cough cough cough.
Yao Ruyi timidly dismissed the last sentence from her mind.
She was having a lot of strange thoughts when she suddenly heard a strange noise outside the window.
Several students from the Imperial Academy passed by the general store, some wailing, some sighing, and some scratching their ears and howling at the sky, creating a cacophony of monkey cries. These noises were extremely primal, and even after hearing them for so many days, she still wasn't used to them; each time they would startle her unexpectedly.
However, she went a bit too far—she had Zhou Jumu make a wooden countdown sign for the imperial examination that was half the height of a wall, with the words "( ) days remaining until the spring examination" engraved on it in large characters painted in vermilion and gold. The numbers in the middle were written on paper and pasted on for easy replacement every day.
As the countdown began, she made a blank message board with glue on the side, hoping that students would leave some encouragement or blessings when they came and went. However, when they saw this wooden sign that was decreasing every day, they all avoided it like the plague, and only a few people came to write.
One of them was Geng Hao, who was always fearless and had an extremely high opinion of himself. He not only wrote it, but also posted it in the center: "I will surely cross mountains and seas and create my own grand spectacle."
Well... although he did terribly in his studies, he wrote in a rather bold tone.
I didn't expect him to be so cultured.
The other is Lu Fang, who always loses in lotteries, always rolls the lowest number on the dice, can't guess the bean, and can't even win at ring toss: "God, I never dared to ask you for anything before, but this time is different, open your eyes! Heaven has eyes, grant me good fortune!"
Yao Ruyi looked at the line of text with pity, feeling as if she could already see his unfortunate life.
Another one is Lin Weiming: "Hehe, I have a younger sister, you guys don't, right?"
That's really asking for a beating.
The last two are wishes written by Grandpa Yao and Lin Wen'an at Yao Ruyi's request.
Grandpa Yao wrote: "Mountains accumulate to become high, and marshes accumulate to become deep; perseverance leads to far-reaching goals, and hard work leads to perfection. Here, I await your good news."
Lin Wen'an used Lu You's poem: "Painting Lingyan Pavilion, ascending Ganquan Pavilion, since ancient times, fame and fortune belong to the young. Ten years of hard work and a single day to rise to the clouds, I wish you will not fail your youthful ambition."
Yao Ruyi also joined in yesterday, but after racking her brains for a long time, she couldn't think of any good words or phrases, so she could only write: "I wish you all the best in answering, and that you all guess correctly!"
Later, someone drew a row of little figures holding three incense sticks next to her note, raising the incense sticks high and kneeling and kowtowing to her words, making her laugh so hard she fell over.
A moment later, she heard another scream from the roadside: "Ah! There are only two days left!"
Yao Ruyi squatted down by the window and sighed.
Aside from a tiny bit of wicked humor, her main purpose was clearly to accumulate blessings for them.
Moreover, this year's imperial examinations are already considered late, scheduled for early March.
In previous years, the exams would be over by February, the results would be released in March, and then it would be time for the palace examination.
However, since the Emperor ascended the throne, the date of the imperial examinations has been inconsistent, sometimes early and sometimes late. In his eyes, the selection of officials through the imperial examinations has never been as important as the military situation on the border, epidemics, droughts, floods, and major disasters. Every year, he always has to settle major matters before he can free up his hands to arrange the imperial examinations. This is unlike the previous Emperor's reign, when the examinations were held in mid-February every year, on the same date, with a difference of no more than two days.
However, it's good that they postponed it for a while, as it loosened the noose around the students' necks a bit, allowing them to study for a few more days and burn incense a few more times.
Lately, not only have screams been heard in front of her door, but the alleys around the Imperial College have also been filled with smoke and fire every day.
This morning, just as she got up, there had already been a commotion outside the window. Thick smoke billowed from the south dormitory where the students lived, and the choking smoke instantly filled the alley.
Many students rushed out of the South Study Hall, screaming and shouting, only to rush back in again. The shouts were chaotic: "Water's here! Water's here!" "Don't panic, don't panic, it's just the books that are on fire..."
She calmly continued brushing her teeth with the toothbrush in her mouth, not even lifting her eyelids. It must be those students who were cramming at the last minute burning incense and paper money and accidentally set something on fire again.
It probably isn't too serious, otherwise Old Xiang would have already stormed out cursing.
Indeed, this "last-minute cramming" is not an exaggeration. Geng Hao and Zhang Heng, along with a few other young masters, somehow acquired two statues: one of Mencius and the other of Confucius. Both statues were about half a person's height, and with their tall stone bases, they appeared exceptionally majestic and solemn. Now, one is placed in the open space outside their study, and the other in the south study. Every day, a steady stream of students come to worship, making it a popular place of worship.
However... after only three to five days, the two sages had completely lost their majesty. The two statues were piled high with all sorts of offerings from head to toe. Mencius even had five or six candied persimmons on his head, making it look like he had a candied hawthorn growing on his head. Even Confucius's hands, which were holding the scroll, were piled high with all sorts of food and talismans, many of which were bought from Yao Ruyi. Sigh.
Although she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she had heard Meng Boyuan mention it. Some clever person had even bought two roasted sausages, respectfully burned incense and kowtowed, and then, seeing that there was nowhere to put them, had a sudden inspiration and stuck the roasted sausages into the hands of the two sages, Confucius and Mencius.
Yao Ruyi almost choked on her tea when she heard that. Wouldn't that mean that every day after these students got up at the crack of dawn, they could see Confucius and Mencius standing in the misty fog eating starch sausages?
That scene...it took her a long time to hold back her laughter.
Besides these, many ordinary items in Yao Ruyi's shop suddenly acquired strange meanings and became hot commodities, for example:
"Roasted Persimmons" refers to dried persimmons that have been roasted smoothly.
"Da Ju Da Li" is just ordinary candied orange peel;
"Shangshangqian" refers to oden made with bamboo skewers inscribed with the words "Shangshangqian".
"A single stroke of the sunflower seed can lead to continuous growth" refers to roasted sunflower seeds stored in a bamboo tube.
"Yijugao Zongzi" is a jujube zongzi sold together with tea eggs.
One student even whispered furtively to her, "Miss Yao, could you sell some of those purple cotton bellybands in your shop?"
Yao Ruyi was puzzled and asked why it had to be purple.
He chuckled and scratched his head sheepishly, "Because...because this is called 'purple buttocks can be hit'."
Yao Ruyi: "..."
These students really don't treat her like an outsider these days!
Thinking back to last year, when she first set up her stall here selling tea-braised chicken, these students would be shy when they saw her, and they wouldn't dare to make eye contact. They would blush after saying just a few words.
Now they can even make demands on her to her face regarding her loincloth.
However, judging from the "circles" that San Cun Ding noted while looking after the shop, loincloths and belly bands have indeed been selling quite fast recently. He has drawn dozens of circles for these two items every day!
San Cun Ding was not very literate and was rather dull. Yao Ruyi sometimes had to go out to buy goods, so she thought of teaching him so that she could have less trouble in the future.
She still remembered that Uncle Cong was worried that San Cun Ding would be too old to do heavy work and would have nowhere to go. He thought it would be better to teach him well when he was young. Even if he didn't know anything else, at least he could recognize the goods and know how to draw circles and count. With little progress, he might be able to stand on his own in the future!
From the moment she started paying San Cun Ding's monthly salary, she took some time to sketch all the merchandise into simple line drawings. She even had him identify each item by comparing them. Later, when he was running the shop alone, he would draw a circle next to each item he sold.
She originally wanted him to write the character "正" (zhèng), but he seemed better at counting circles.
At first, he couldn't remember anything and was slow. Even though the ledger was cut to be larger than the book "Three or Five," it still had several pages of categories. When students came to buy things, he would sit at the counter and slowly flip through the pages. Some impatient people couldn't stand him and even took his pen and circled the items for him.
Now he's quite adept at managing the business and is familiar with the students. Sometimes when Three-Inch Nail goes to the outhouse and isn't there, he'll bring in the little white dog and the little yellow dog to sit behind the counter and watch the shop for him.
When students came in to buy things, they didn't see him, but most of them already knew what was going on. They would take what they wanted naturally and habitually, then touch the two dog heads behind the counter, take the large ledger, turn the pages, write down what they bought, and then put the copper coins in the ledger.
Most students don't resort to dishonest means; after all, they come from families of officials, so theft and defaulting on debts are uncommon. However, you might occasionally encounter someone of bad character.
Although Three-Inch Nail was clumsy, Little White and Little Yellow were very clever. If they had money in their hands, they would stick out their tongues and smile at them; if they tried to draw a circle and run away without paying, they would bark and snarl. Moreover, they had taken Grandpa Yao's math lessons and were better at addition and subtraction from one to ten than Three-Inch Nail.
Later, Yao Ruyi ordered several sets of blue cloth dog clothes embroidered with "Yaoji Grocery Store" and "Zhixingzhai" for all the cats and dogs in the house. They had diagonal collars and ties, and Zhou Jumu hung round dog and cat tags with their dog and cat faces on them around their necks. Now they are officially employees of the grocery store.
Thinking of the dogs, Yao Ruyi smiled and turned around to pet the two well-trained dogs that Dahuang had raised.
Little Yellow and Little White were already quite adept at guarding the house and shop, thanks to Big Yellow's training. But perhaps because they grew up around people, they were much more affectionate than Big Yellow. Yao Ruyi reached out and stroked their bodies, and their tails wagged vigorously. They eagerly nuzzled her with their heads, sniffing and licking her with their noses and tongues.
She was tickled so badly by the licking that she laughed out loud. Little White and Little Yellow became even more audacious, standing up to pounce on her and play with her. Just as they were frolicking, they heard a student come from the window and ask, "Miss Yao, do you still have those 'passing the imperial examination' book pouches? Have you received any new ones today?"
Yao Ruyi immediately released the puppy, stood up, and greeted it with a smile, "Yes, you've come at the perfect time. A new batch just arrived today, and I was just about to put them up!"
The student's eyes lit up immediately, and he peeked in, saying, "Let me see!"
Yao Ruyi then took out the various book bags from the basket and showed them to him, asking, "What pattern do you want? We have all kinds of patterns now, including persimmon red with cloud patterns symbolizing success in the imperial examinations, blue brocade with patterns symbolizing a bright future, turquoise with patterns symbolizing promising prospects, and even patterns symbolizing certain victory, success in all endeavors, passing every exam, and leaping over the dragon gate... You can also choose the sachets hanging on these bags, including osmanthus, apricot blossom, and rose sachets, as well as mint and camphor sachets to refresh yourself..."
The student was dazzled by the choices and repeatedly urged, "Miss Yao, please wait a moment. My classmates and I were unable to buy any last time, so please save some. I'll call them over now so we can pick some together!"
Yao Ruyi smiled and agreed. The student turned and ran towards the schoolhouse to quickly call for help.
She has been fiddling with this "passing-the-exam-lucky-book bag" lately, which is the kind of college entrance exam cheering bag that merchants often promote in later generations.
The satchel was embroidered by Cheng Niangzi. It was simply embroidered with auspicious four-character phrases and some lucky patterns. The craftsmanship was not particularly complicated, and the design was simple.
But she didn't just sell the book bag; it also contained all sorts of things needed for the exam: two small calligraphy brushes, a hot pot inkstone, two sticks of Jingyuxuan pine soot ink, a paperweight; a bamboo cup with a lid, a pack of seven instant soup noodles of various flavors, three packs of "Want Want Gift Packs" mixed with various nuts, roasted snacks, and rice crackers, and finally two blessed amulets for passing the exam, co-branded with Xingguo Temple.
The students bought it, and that's how it was—a complete set, totaling 366 coins.
Although the price is not low, the four writing implements inside usually cost almost two hundred coins, not including the cost of the bag. Yao Ruyi also has to pay Cheng Niangzi's wages!
She probably earned only a few dozen coins for each "fuel bag," but she brought all the practical things she could. After all, to prevent cheating in the imperial examinations, not only were books with more than seven characters on them not allowed, but also no more than three pens, inkstones, and ink sticks had to be checked one by one. Stone inkstones were not allowed, for fear that someone would carve a hollow stone inkstone to smuggle something in. When entering the examination hall, only a small and thin pottery or porcelain inkstone was allowed.
The ink stick must be the length of a thumb, and its width must not exceed that of a little finger. Large ink sticks are strictly prohibited.
The white clay hotpot inkstone that Yao Ruyi chose was just right. Not only could it be brought into the examination room, but unlike other inkstones, it was not shallow and open, and the ink would dry completely after one or two hours, requiring you to drip water and grind the ink again, which was simply a waste of time.
It is shaped like a mutton hot pot, with two troughs inside. Ink is ground and stored in the middle trough, while water is poured into the outer trough. When covered with a tightly sealed lid, it can keep the ink from drying out for three days.
Furthermore, because clay is a low-temperature double-layered porous material, it is more breathable than porcelain and will not cause the ink inside to become smelly; it will still be full of ink fragrance when opened.
This includes stationery and food! The imperial examinations last three days, and participants cannot leave the examination area, so food is extremely important. In her "fuel bag," she has enough soup noodles to satisfy her cravings, nuts, and snow cakes; if sausages weren't so perishable, she would at least include a couple.
Having secured their basic needs, people naturally seek spiritual comfort.
The blessed amulet from Xingguo Temple was just a thin bamboo slip with auspicious patterns carved on it, without a single word. It was an "exclusive perk" she had requested from Xingguo Temple. The bamboo slip was cut, oiled, and then taken by Wupan's master to be blessed with incense before the Buddha. Afterward, it was placed in this book bag for free as a complimentary gift.
Xingguo Temple was happy to take care of this. Since her "Snow Cake" and "Pine Snow Crisp" were produced by Xingguo Temple's pastry workshop, they sold out in just a few days and are still hard to find. Many devout men and women, after worshipping the Bodhisattva, specifically want to buy two boxes of rice cakes to take home. In addition to the believers, the pastry shops under Xingguo Temple in the city are also sold out every day, and now their production can only supply half a day's worth.
If Yao Ruyi and they hadn't already signed a contract agreeing to prioritize supplying her with the required quantity of goods, they wouldn't even be able to supply her.
Due to high demand, the abbot of Xingguo Temple has transferred many pastry chefs from other workshops under his jurisdiction to increase the production capacity of rice cakes.
Returning to the topic of the imperial examination booster package, Yao Ruyi's main strategy was bundled marketing.
What we want is practicality and thoughtfulness.
And she was the first person to think of doing this.
Every year during the Spring Examinations, stationery shops and bookstores are at their busiest. In previous years, they would prepare some auspicious items with carvings and inscriptions, but no one ever did what Yao Ruyi did, combining all the food, household items, and Buddhist offerings together into a neat and tidy brocade pouch.
So when she sold it, it was novel and interesting, and the quantity was limited, making it easier to attract buyers.
Seeing her bookstore's booming success, Liu's bookstore hastily cobbled together a "Kui Xing Lucky Bag," imitating her by adding some eating utensils and five-emperor coins. However, the students weren't very enthusiastic. Firstly, his was a hastily put-together bag, crudely made, and lacking the meticulous care and attention to detail of Yao Ruyi's. Secondly, someone had spread the rumor that ever since buying her "Passing the Imperial Examinations Lucky Bag," their exam preparation had been miraculously successful; they had completed two sets of mock exams with effortless ease, and even received a rare first-class grade from their teachers!
As a result, everyone became envious and believed that her "nothing to worry about" talisman was truly blessed by the gods.
How could Yao Ruyi publicize this? What if some of the more temperamental students failed the exam and came back to cause trouble for her? She almost told them to believe in science. But the rumors had already spread, and the more she denied it, the more convinced they became, and the more people made reservations.
The first time, she only prepared one hundred sets, just to test the waters. They were sold out as soon as they were put up, so she hurriedly asked Madam Cheng to restock. Before the second batch was even delivered, she ordered more than three hundred sets.
But these past few days, even though Cheng Niangzi has been working on it every day, she still can't keep up.
Yao Ruyi never considered looking for other embroiderers outside. Madam Cheng had taken such good care of her; how could she let all the benefits go to outsiders? Besides, unlike some merchants outside who liked to overcharge their acquaintances, Madam Cheng treated all the neighbors in the alley well. When they asked her to do work, she never charged them exorbitant prices. She treated the students of the Imperial Academy the same way, only charging what she was entitled to, and she did her work meticulously.
She thought it better to sell less than to hurt someone's feelings. She used to order these things from Madam Cheng, so how would she feel if she suddenly found an outsider? Although she knew that Madam Cheng probably wouldn't mind, Yao Ruyi still subconsciously didn't want to do it.
Thanks to the imperial examinations these days, business at both of her shops is booming. She's making money by the string of cash every day, and she's quite satisfied.
However, the days when Madam Cheng was content with her simple life were gone forever.
I heard that Cheng Niangzi's tailor shop used to have a slow business. Her income came either from the support of the old customers in the alley or from the occasional students who came to mend her clothes. Although she was poor, she was able to make a living. Although Cheng Niangzi was worried about not being able to save money, she was still content with what she had.
The other day, the aunties were all at Yao Ruyi's general store, eating melon seeds and chicken eggs to keep warm and chat. Aunt Yu wondered why she hadn't seen Madam Cheng. She spat the melon seed shells into her palm and asked Yao Ruyi what she was busy with. Madam Cheng used to come out every day to chat.
She felt guilty when she heard that and didn't dare to respond.
Because she took on the job of making the imperial examination pouches, Madam Cheng was urged by the students every day to finish them quickly, as the spring imperial examinations were approaching and they couldn't afford to give one to everyone. They were extremely anxious!
Madam Cheng was both amused and exasperated. Pressed so hard, she hadn't had a single day left to chat. She heard from Cheng Shujun that, like Zhou Jumu, she was already thinking of taking on an apprentice.
They worked so hard that they finally managed to make another two hundred brocade pouches today.
Sure enough, before the time it takes to drink a cup of tea was up, most of the two hundred brocade pouches were snatched up by the student's classmates, and soon a large group of people arrived after hearing the news.
Those who arrived first still had a choice of colors and patterns to pick, but those who arrived later didn't care; they just took whatever was available! After all, all consecrated amulets are the same.
Half an hour later, all two hundred were snatched up, not a single one left. Just a moment ago, some were clamoring for payment, some were fighting over the brocade pouches, and some were demanding extra money for more soup dumplings. Yao Ruyi felt as if hundreds of ducks were buzzing in her ears, keeping her up a sweat.
She was busy like this until the afternoon. Finally, when there were no more customers in the general store, Aunt Yu brought a basin of water infused with apricot blossoms and knocked on the door, asking her to come out and bask in the spring sunshine together, lying down to apply flowers.
It was early March, a warm and gentle afternoon, far from the sweltering heat of summer. The spring sun was mild and gentle, its rays not harsh on the skin. The old elm tree behind the Imperial College had sprouted many new leaves, growing extremely fast. The leaves on its branches were tender and bright, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
The folding chair was set up on the irrigation ditch between the Yu and Yao families. A rattan mat was laid on it, along with several soft straw pillows. A small table was also placed on the side, and a large pot of fragrant apricot blossom tea was brewed.
The aunts and sisters-in-law were already sitting or lying on it in twos and threes, each with red apricot blossoms and petals on their faces, like countless floral decorations.
As soon as Yao Ruyi came out, Yu Jiuwan made room for her to sit down, pressing his face against hers completely. The apricot blossoms, soaked in water, were cool and fragrant, and as they touched her face, they were slowly dried by the afternoon breeze, truly giving off a pleasant springtime feeling.
Aunt Ying came over after her postpartum confinement period, bringing her one-month-old daughter. The newborn baby had lost the swelling and redness of infancy and was now nourished by breast milk, becoming plump and fair in the blink of an eye. Especially since she was already chubby and sturdy at birth, now wrapped up tightly and sleeping in a wicker basket, she looked even more like a big glutinous rice ball.
The crowd gathered in a circle, scrutinizing Aunt Ying and the baby. Some said the baby's eyebrows and eyes resembled Lin Si Cao's, with deep creases in his eyelids, indicating that his eyes would grow big. Others said the baby's nose and mouth resembled Aunt Ying's, small and pretty. In short, everything about the baby was remarkable.
Yao Ruyi was also amazed. Such a small person, when asleep, had two little hands curled into fists, and ten chubby finger sockets.
She quietly touched the back of her small, chubby hand, and her eyes widened in surprise.
So soft, like tofu.
She hesitated for a moment, then reached out and touched it again.
So soft and fluffy!
Nearby, Aunt Ying, who also had an apricot blossom face mask applied, started chatting with her aunts about parenting experiences. They talked about how many pounds she had gained during her postpartum period, how many times she had breastfed at night, and after discussing her daughter, they also mentioned that Lin Si Cao was preparing to give Little Stone a formal name...
Yao Ruyi didn't listen at all. She was having fun touching the little baby's fingertips, gently poking each one. His wrist was also fun to play with, with two folds of flesh that felt soft to the touch.
Yu Jiuwan also looked down at Lin Si Cao's youngest daughter, but her eyes held not only envy but also a faint longing for her own child. Her son was only two years old, and she wondered if he would look for his mother at night... Thinking about it, her nose felt a little sore and hot. She looked up and refused to think about it anymore.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a tall, slender figure walking in from the alley entrance, followed by the third and fourth sons of the Lin Si Cao family.
After Aunt Ying gave birth to her younger sister, the family discussed the matter and asked the children for their wishes. In the end, they decided to have Lin Sanlang and Silang withdraw from the Imperial Academy's children's school and send them out to learn accounting or engraving. However, Yao Ruyi, who came to see her younger sister, overheard this and, after several discussions, the two of them started following Lin Wen'an half a month ago.
At this moment, Yu Jiuwan noticed that Lin Sanlang was carrying a flower basket and Lin Silang was carrying a cake box. His gaze sharpened slightly, and he smiled meaningfully.
Yao Ruyi was engrossed in playing with the child's hands when Yu Jiuwan suddenly chuckled and nudged her with his elbow: "Ruyi, look—"
With her face covered in flowers, she turned her head blankly and saw Lin Wen'an coming in from the alley entrance. He stepped into the dappled shadows of the trees, his figure tall and slender with deep-set eyes. Even from a distance, he was easily recognizable.
Yu Jiuwan first raised her hand to press down the apricot petals that were about to fall off because her mouth was stretched too wide, before whispering teasingly in Yao Ruyi's ear:
"Some people are just like my dad, excitedly buying apricot blossoms."
Yao Ruyi's face felt slightly itchy as she watched Lin Wen'an walk closer and closer without looking to either side.
She thought to herself, this is also a kind of "change".
Lin Wen'an seemed to have finished his most important tasks. Lately, he had been coming home early from work and always liked to bring her some little trinkets.
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[Sprinkling flowers] The college entrance exam is coming soon! Wishing all the students taking the exam the best of luck in getting into their desired universities! [Sprinkling flowers]
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