Chapter 61 Cars and Houses: Cars, Houses, Money, Gold Bracelets
Upon hearing Lin Wen'an's words, Zhao Boyun narrowed his eyes, a knowing and meaningful smile appearing on his dark, plump face. He quickly descended the imperial steps, a thick hand encircling Lin Wen'an's neck, and whispered, "Speak quickly! You only tell me about such an important matter now that we're about to get married. How hateful!"
A moment later, upon learning that he wanted to marry Dr. Yao's granddaughter, Zhao Boyun was struck dumb and devastated. He loosened his grip on Lin Wen'an's neck: "You want to marry a daughter of the Yao family? How could it be her! I remember Dr. Yao's granddaughter is much younger than you, isn't she? In terms of seniority, you're her uncle! Besides, you're not a good match for her! You wouldn't be doing this to repay your teacher's kindness, would you?"
Lin Wen'an was stung by Zhao Boyun's unintentional remark, "much younger than you," and "he's her uncle." Just as he was about to speak in defense, Zhao Boyun's thoughts drifted further, his face filled with worry, even more distressed than Lin Wen'an's: "If you two become in-laws, then won't I have even less way to get rid of Dr. Yao? If I sneak out to visit you in the future, won't I be nagged by him again? He always says things like it's improper and that he should act as a role model for the emperor. I find it really annoying, and I can't believe you can stand it..."
The more he thought about it, the bleaker the future seemed. He paced anxiously around Lin Wen'an, earnestly trying to persuade him:
"No, no! Mingzhi, the granddaughter of that old scholar is bound to be a pedantic scholar too! Before the marriage proposal is finalized, hurry up and find another suitable match! Find someone else! The Empress Dowager knows many noble ladies, all of them beautiful... Oh, right! There must be good candidates in Consort Zhang's clan as well. The Zhang family has many beauties, would you like to meet them? Mingzhi? Hey... I haven't finished speaking yet, why are you bowing to me! Don't go, I haven't let you leave yet! Come back! Lin Wen'an! You scoundrel! How dare you disrespect the Emperor—"
Lin Wen'an simply waved to him with his back turned, and then left.
After leaving the palace, he did not go home. Instead, unusually, he took the Lin brothers to the horse market to buy horses.
Although Lin Sanlang and his companion were completely baffled, Lin Wen'an was a high-ranking official of the fourth rank, and it would be unusual for him to walk to the government office every day! Buying a horse was actually quite reasonable.
Dust swirled in the air along Horse Street, carrying the mingled scents of hay, livestock, and leather. Stables lined both sides, their neighing echoing throughout. The two men busied themselves with preparations, finding a skilled horse appraiser. They visited several horse farms, examining countless horses, before finally stopping before a spacious stable, where they took a liking to a three-year-old mare.
This horse has a white and brown mottled coat, is not tall, but has a sturdy frame and a gentle temperament.
The horse connoisseur carefully examined the horse's teeth, hooves, eyes, and ears, even picking up a few dung pellets and rubbing them to ensure it was healthy and disease-free. Only then did he say to Lin Wen'an and the others, "This horse is excellent. Although it is a slow horse, it is one of the best among slow horses. Look at its four hooves, they are strong and sturdy, and it will surely be able to carry goods for long distances."
Lin Wen'an's gaze lingered on the white dappled horse for a moment.
This horse's face wasn't as long as other horses'; with grass still tucked into its cheeks, it appeared even plumper and more endearing. Beneath its scraggly coat were a pair of large, bright brown eyes with long, fan-like eyelashes that blinked as it gazed at you, seemingly unafraid of people. Even when the horse appraiser had pulled its hooves and pinched its ears to examine it, it continued chewing grass, completely unperturbed.
The more he looked at it, the more familiar it seemed... A thought struck him, and he coughed lightly, shifting his gaze away.
I think... Ruyi will definitely like it.
He didn't argue and immediately asked for the contract to be brought out in preparation for payment.
The horse trader had already discerned that he was an official, and seeing the fish bag tied around his waist, he knew that his official rank was not low. He had been waiting attentively by his side since earlier, but he knew his limits and did not say much, letting them look at him. He answered all their questions truthfully and honestly, not daring to exaggerate or lie. Sure enough, they decided to buy the horse.
The horse trader was delighted. His eyes darted around, and he plastered a warm smile on his face. "Young master, you're so generous! I certainly can't be stingy." With that, he deftly presented a brand-new set of fine saddle, saddlecloth, and stirrups, and then shoved a barely breathing, lame donkey calf into Lin Silang's arms. "This donkey isn't seriously ill, it's just a natural lame child. It can't stand up to nurse, and its mother dislikes it and refuses to feed it. Young master, just take it home and slaughter it; the meat is very tender!"
The trader spoke with great confidence, and Lin Wen'an initially wanted to refuse. However, he then thought that these livestock traders always had some weak and sick foals every year that they couldn't sell. It was a pity to abandon them, but it was a waste to keep them. In the end, they would either stew them themselves or use them as extras to give as gifts. This was a common practice.
If we don't want it, it'll just end up in someone else's pot tomorrow, turning into a donkey meat sandwich. We might as well take it back first, and then have the Lin brothers take it to a cat and dog clinic to see if they can still treat it. If that doesn't work, we can go to the trouble of taking it to the animal husbandry station in the suburbs and ask the animal officer who treats warhorses if he has any solutions.
He looked down at the skinny donkey calf in Lin Silang's arms, which was so thin it could barely stand but was still trying to nurse. He then changed his mind and thanked him, accepting the food.
If you can live... you should live...
The horse had cost Lin Wen'an all the silver coins he had saved for a rainy day. Lin Sanlang led the horse, Lin Silang carried the donkey, and Lin Wen'an stood there in a daze. The three of them walked back like that.
Lin Sanlang and Lin Silang followed behind, exchanging knowing glances and exchanging silent messages.
"You bought a horse but won't ride it. Why did you buy a horse in the first place?" Lin Sanlang's eyes darted quickly to Lin Wen'an's back, then he gestured towards the horse with his chin.
"I don't know!" Lin Silang shook his head, then pointed to the donkey calf in his arms with a worried expression, making a neck-twisting motion: "Do you really have to kill this donkey? I can't bring myself to do it..."
"Then who will raise it? I'm afraid this donkey won't grow big, and even if it does, it won't be able to carry anything."
"Sigh, it's even biting my belt. It still wants to live."
Lin Wen'an was unaware of the subtle flirting between the two.
He pondered again the meaning of Ruyi's words from the previous night. They had met secretly deep within the dark shelving, and later, Ruyi buried her face in his chest and said in a muffled voice, "Lin Wen'an, we can't get married yet."
She buried her face in his chest and rubbed against him, a little shy and a little childish, drawing circles on his back with her finger: "I...I...haven't even told Grandpa yet! Besides, I've heard people say that marriage is a big deal, a house, a car, money, gold bracelets, if you're missing any one of them you'll get a slap in the face...I know how you feel, and I know I was wrong, I won't tease you anymore. But we can't rush this!"
After saying that, she dashed away.
These words echoed in Lin Wen'an's mind, keeping him awake all night, and he pondered them deeply even while on duty the next day.
A house. He has one.
A carriage... I mean a horse-drawn carriage? There isn't one, but there could be.
It already exists now.
Money? Paper money? He pondered all night, and finally, with a solemn expression, threw the letter he had already written, urging his father to come to Bianjing to propose marriage, into the brazier. While on duty at the Military Equipment Bureau, he picked up his pen again and solemnly wrote another letter, asking his father to carefully calculate all the shops, land, and cash in the family home in Fuzhou to see exactly how much "money" they had.
Lin Wen'an's family is not poor now. Although his father, Lin Zhu, resigned from his official post early and led the whole family back to Fuzhou, he almost emptied the family's coffers to treat his and his mother's illnesses. But his father is somewhat lucky. After his mother passed away, he was depressed and was dragged by a friend or a bad friend to watch horse racing in a brothel. To his surprise, he won every time he watched, and each win bought him a piece of land.
Later, his father was not allowed to enter the entertainment venues in Fuzhou.
When Lin Wen'an went to the capital, his family seemed to have several hundred acres of paddy fields, and several shops seemed to have inexplicably appeared. His father was now known in Fuzhou for his incredible luck.
Besides his family fortune, Lin Wen'an had also roughly calculated his own salary, listing all the details. He was currently tucking it into his sleeve, preparing to show it to Ruyi along with the horse he had bought that day.
As for the gold bracelet... that's something that can't be rushed.
In the Song Dynasty, dowries were always lavish. The groom's family was required to contribute gold and valuables to the bride's dowry as an "additional dowry." The more the bride's dowry was contributed, the more presentable she would appear when displaying it.
Therefore, Lin Wen'an was even more puzzled.
Gold bracelets... Why only bracelets? He clearly remembered that when his sister Yueyue got married, her husband's family prepared a whole box of eighteen pieces of jewelry as part of her dowry.
He walked and thought. Today he bought the horse, which put one matter to rest.
Tomorrow, I'll have Uncle Cong go to the money exchange and get more paper money. After asking Ruyi what kind of designs she likes today, I'll go to the gold and silver shop to order a set of twenty-eight pieces of jewelry. I'll make sure to hire the best craftsmen to make it carefully, even if it takes three to five months.
When Ruyi was getting married that year, the aunts in the clan said that the gold jewelry and ornaments sent by the groom's family were the bride's face and should not be taken lightly. Ruyi said there was no rush, which must have been exactly what they meant.
He must have misunderstood before.
That day, Ruyi asked him, "Do you want a wife?" He pondered this question all night, mentally calculating countless times—how could he complete the six rites of marriage as quickly as possible without wronging Ruyi? No matter how he calculated, it seemed unlikely he could manage everything in less than half a year. After all, his father was still in Fuzhou, and traveling by land and water to Bianjing would take more than half a month, not to mention preparing the rites and acquiring the betrothal gifts.
But Ruyi seemed very anxious. Since she, a woman, had spoken up like this, he should do his best.
So when he returned from the You family that night, he had truly made up his mind. He should fulfill what she wanted to do; he couldn't say it was difficult for her to hope for. That's why he solemnly agreed: "Let's get married."
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Ruyi told him not to be in such a hurry.
That's strange.
Lin Wen'an rarely encountered unsolvable mysteries in his life, but Ruyi was the most difficult one. He had been sleepless for two nights because of it.
But today, he felt enlightened, and everything made sense.
Asking him beforehand whether he wanted a wife was not to urge him, but to express his opinion, telling him that since they were in love, they should prepare the six betrothal gifts properly. Then saying there was no rush was to reassure him, not to be hasty, and to make sure that everything was prepared thoroughly so as not to let her down on this important matter of his life.
Otherwise, you'll get slapped.
Yes. If it's his fault, then that must be it.
With his inner knot untied, Lin Wen'an didn't show it on his face, but in reality, he breathed a sigh of relief, and the anger that had been suffocating in his chest for so long dissipated. He had always been like this since he was a child. If there was a problem he couldn't solve, he would keep it in his mind and keep thinking about it until he could solve it. Otherwise, he would suddenly get up in the middle of the night to write it down.
Only then can I sleep peacefully.
But that was all from his youth. For over a decade, he hadn't experienced such mental anguish and sleepless nights. He never imagined he'd be so perplexed by Ruyi now.
However, this is not Ruyi's fault, but his.
Perhaps it was because he was getting married late at his age and had almost no contact with women due to his illness, that even his younger sister Yueyue had sneered and looked down on him, saying that his thoughts were unusual and that he would probably remain a bachelor for the rest of his life.
He used to pay no heed to those words. Back then, plagued by diarrhea and devoid of any zest for life, he was on the verge of self-destruction, feeling that even dying in the ground wouldn't be a regret. But now, that thought had long since vanished, replaced by a hint of hesitation, even... a touch of humility.
Yes, he has poor eyesight, poor legs, is too tall, and is too introverted... Lin Wen'an has an excellent memory; he remembered every single word of the sentence Yao Ruyi made up out of shyness.
Thinking of this, he smiled very faintly.
Even so.
He finally found someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with; so this is what it feels like to cling to life.
Like parched grains and withered trees yearning for wind and rain, like weak grass in a secluded valley longing for sunlight, like a trickle of water rushing towards the vast ocean. This longing is no longer a solitary journey for him. For he now has someone to think of, years to look forward to, and a lamp to return to. Now, every heartbeat seems to carry a tender affection for the world.
He no longer wanted to die.
He pondered this all the way, and they were almost at the alley of the Imperial College. Just as they reached the outside of Old Xiang's low guardhouse, a deep and violent roar suddenly startled the Lin brothers and their horse, causing them to scream.
A dark shadow darted out from the corner of the wall like a whirlwind, then suddenly turned back and disappeared into the depths of the alley.
Immediately afterwards, fierce barking rose and fell, as if all the guard dogs in the alley had their fur standing on end. Figures moved about in the alley, footsteps were hurried and chaotic, and all that could be heard were shouts and shouts of pursuit.
Both humans and dogs were hunting something.
The Meng family's guard dog, named Bai Sui, with its neck hair standing on end and its eyes sharp and fierce, was relentlessly pursuing a panicked figure. Almost simultaneously, an even more agile yellow dog darted out from the other side like an arrow, barking wildly as it followed the man into the roadside drainage ditch. Its muffled bark echoed through the narrow ditch, making everyone above tense up.
"Woof woof woof! Woof woof!"
Bai Sui was also quick-witted, spontaneously rushing to the other side of the ditch to block the way. The dogs kept by the households in the alley were also agitated by this commotion, barking wildly. Some owners were returning home, preparing to let their dogs out to help, when they heard Da Huang let out another long roar. As if on command, the several half-grown dogs from Ruyi's general store rushed out and surrounded the figure who had just tumbled and crawled out of the ditch!
The figure, already bitten several times by the dog and bleeding profusely, was terrified and frantically scrambled towards the alleyway entrance. Someone with sharp eyes spotted Lin Wen'an approaching and shouted urgently, "Lord Lin! Quick! Stop that thief—"
Before the shout had even faded, the fleeing figure rushed straight at Lin Wen'an like a startled bird! Lin Wen'an didn't have time to think; instinctively, he raised his leg and kicked out fiercely!
With a muffled thud, the man screamed and fell to the ground, rolling around in a sorry state.
Dahuang and Baisui pounced like lightning, their two huge front paws pinning him to the ground like iron pincers, rendering him unable to move. The two large dogs' sharp canine teeth dripped with saliva, and they continued to growl menacingly from deep in their throats, as if they would bite his neck off if he dared to struggle again.
The man was terrified and started wailing; his pants were soaking wet.
Old Xiang, holding his fire-and-water stick high, caught up breathlessly, quickly tied the thief up tightly with hemp rope, and then angrily kicked him twice more. Without time to explain to Lin Wen'an, he greeted him and hurriedly summoned the shop assistant from Master Meng's shop to escort the man to the yamen.
Only then did the roars from Da Huang and Bai Sui's throats gradually subside, but they still stood in place warily, their tongues lolling out, their bodies still heaving and panting from catching the thief.
Master Meng hurriedly stepped forward to greet Lin Wen'an and explained a few words. Only then did Lin Wen'an realize that this man was actually audacious enough to steal the woodblock prints of "Sanwu".
Master Meng spat on the ground and shook his head helplessly: "Miss Yao's books were sold out before the imperial examinations, and most of the students at the Imperial Academy already had them, so there was no rush to print the new book. Usually, no one asks about it, but today, before noon, several groups of unfamiliar faces came to my shop, specifically asking to buy it. I couldn't produce any stock right away, so I could only politely refuse. I didn't expect those people to think it was an excuse and take advantage of the fact that there were few people in the alley in the afternoon to sneak in and steal it! Fortunately, the neighbors were all talking in my shop at the time, and Bai Sui sensed the presence of strangers and barked wildly to warn them. This thief was also bold and actually hid. Luckily, Da Huang discovered him and chased him over the wall... After that, it was as you saw, sir."
"Is Dahuang also at the Meng family's house?" Lin Wen'an's heart tightened, and he immediately asked, "Was Ruyi there too?"
Master Meng hurriedly said, "The incident happened so suddenly. I was afraid it was a vicious criminal, so I immediately told my wife to protect all the women in our alley and hide in the backyard. Fortunately, no one was hurt or what we own."
Lin Wen'an's heart eased slightly. Just as he was about to step towards the Meng family's gate to greet them, the gleaming wooden door creaked open a crack. A head boldly peeked out, clutching a gleaming kitchen knife tightly in its hand. The eyes, though cautious, gleamed with barely concealed excitement: "Did you catch them? Bai Sui and Da Huang aren't hurt, are they?"
"Caught! Good riddance! Don't worry, he didn't steal the blackboard either; it's been tied up and handed over to the authorities!" Master Meng replied repeatedly, his face flushed, his shrewd little eyes gleaming. He grinned at Yao Ruyi, "Heh! I never expected a thief to be eyeing our woodblocks! It's clear that Ruyi, your 'Sanwu' has truly made a name for itself! How about we take advantage of this momentum and print another batch today, just for those outside?"
Yao Ruyi thought so too. Now that the students of the Imperial Academy have long since taken the imperial examinations, they should take advantage of the fame of "Sanwu" and make a fortune from this controversy! They can also promote the new edition of "Sanwu" next year, as well as other teaching materials that she and Grandpa Yao are still compiling.
She was eager to discuss the details with Master Meng, but as she turned around, her gaze passed over Master Meng's broad shoulders and she finally saw Lin Wen'an standing quietly in the alley.
The man frowned slightly, his eyes revealing his disapproval of her being the first to step forward.
Yao Ruyi gave an awkward smile, quickly shoved the kitchen knife into Meng Yuanwai's hand, and hurriedly arranged a time to discuss the matter with him. Then she approached Lin Wen'an, intending to tell him not to be angry—she had only dared to come out after things had quieted down outside. But her gaze was immediately drawn to the horse Lin Sanlang was leading and the donkey Lin Silang was carrying: "Eh? You bought a horse?"
Lin Wen'an originally wanted to say a few words to her. The situation outside was unclear, and the thieves were ferocious; how could she be so reckless as to stick her head out? What if there were accomplices, or what if they had weapons…
Before she could finish speaking, Yao Ruyi ran over to stroke the white and brown spotted mare with shining eyes, and then curiously looked down at the dying donkey calf in Lin Silang's arms.
In no time, she had learned the whole story from Lin Silang. She carefully took the little gray creature and held it in her arms, patting its little head sympathetically. She looked up at Lin Wen'an and asked, "Shall we... not eat it?"
Lin Wen'an nodded slightly.
She smiled brightly, and gently pinched the donkey's soft ears, whispering to it, "Don't be afraid, I have milk. I'll feed you later, so you won't starve."
In the end, all the words of advice he had were left unsaid.
Let the Lin brothers go home. Lin Wen'an took the reins, Yao Ruyi carried the little donkey, and Da Huang led the Yao family's dogs. The group went home in a lively atmosphere.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, Yao Ruyi busied herself. She found a large bamboo basket in the shop, lined it with thick hay, carefully placed the donkey calf inside, and then sent Sancunding to Zhixingzhai to fetch some cooked milk to feed it. After a while, she saw that the donkey calf had a strong will to live; even though it couldn't stand up, it was still trying its best to stretch its head and tongue to lick the milk in the bowl.
Seeing that it could eat, Yao Ruyi breathed a sigh of relief. After the donkey finished eating, she found a small flowery quilt to cover it and tied it to the corner of the grocery store.
After settling the donkey in, she finally had time to examine the white-spotted horse in the yard. She stroked it, found an apple in the shop, washed it, cut it in half, and fed it to the horse. Seeing that it behaved well, she even hugged the horse's neck with envy and praised it for a while.
After examining both the donkey and the horse, she turned to Lin Wen'an, but her words had nothing to do with him. Instead, she asked with interest, "How much silver would it cost to buy a horse like this?"
Lin Wen'an truthfully replied, "Two hundred strings of cash."
Yao Ruyi then gave up.
Buying a horse is like buying a carriage; although she has earned a considerable amount of money, she is still unwilling to spend two hundred strings of cash on one. If she were to buy one, she would at most only be willing to buy a donkey. Raising horses is still too expensive.
Lin Wen'an silently handed over the horse contract.
Yao Ruyi took it, saw that it was a document for buying horses, and looked up at him in confusion.
Shouldn't this be under the management of Uncle Cong?
Lin Wen'an raised his hand, first pointing to the wall connecting the backyard to the side gate: "The house." Then he pointed to the white-haired horse that was innocently chewing on the apple: "The carriage." He paused, his tone carrying a hint of incomprehension and doubt, "You... have already decided that if you buy the horse, you will name it 'Cart'?"
Yao Ruyi: "..."
Oh no! She suddenly remembered the nonsense she had blurted out the night before, and her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She hurriedly tried to push the contract back, wishing she could confess immediately: it was just something she had made up in her embarrassment after being stunned by his kiss! But when she looked up and met Lin Wen'an's overly clear and earnest eyes, the words stuck in her throat.
I always felt that... if I said it out loud, it would be like to trample on his sincere heart.
Because he had already taken out several items from his pocket and neatly placed them on the table: his official document (a certificate of appointment), his salary record book, the bank's stub book, and a piece of paper with clear handwriting and detailed information.
“At the end of each month, you can use this calendar to go to the Taicang and Zuozangku treasuries to verify the grade and amount, sign and affix your seal, and then you can collect my salary for that month.” His voice was steady, and he looked up at her with some uncertainty, saying, “This should be considered… a ticket, right?”
Yao Ruyi froze, feeling uneasy, as if she were holding a hot potato. But under the unavoidable and extremely serious gaze of Lin Wen'an, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and look down for a closer look.
She was still thinking about how to explain it, but after just one glance, she was stunned.
She looked up abruptly, then down again, then up again, her eyes wide with disbelief: "You...you...your salary...how can it be so much?" The difference between the fourth and fifth ranks is only one level. When Grandpa Yao was the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, his salary didn't even amount to a fraction of what she was getting this month!
Lin Wen'an thought for a moment and said, "It should be because I have been given an additional title and a post."
Yao Ruyi looked down again with bright eyes, and subconsciously began to do mental calculations quickly.
As a fourth-rank official, his monthly salary was fifty-five strings of cash.
This is equivalent to a basic salary of 55 guan per month.
In addition, he was given about 20 shi of rice and wheat every month; 10 bolts of silk, 30 bolts of brocade, and 50 jin of cotton every spring and winter; 10 guan of extra allowance per month; 10 guan of meal allowance; 20 qing of official land, with rent income of about 40 guan; 8 guan of public funds per month; and 30 guan of official allowance per month (this amount depends on the rank of the "assigned" position).
Aside from the silks and satins that couldn't be exchanged for cash, Lin Wen'an's monthly salary, all things considered, amounted to a staggering 173 strings of cash!
If we extrapolate using modern currency, without considering the loss of copper coins' purity, and assuming a total of one thousand copper coins could be exchanged, it would be enough to buy two and a half shi of rice. Nowadays, rice costs about four hundred wen per shi, and one shi is roughly equivalent to fifty-nine kilograms in modern terms. Even if we only roughly and unscientifically calculate based on the modern rice price of five yuan per kilogram...
One string of cash at that time would be equivalent to more than 700 yuan in later times. A monthly salary of 173 strings of cash would be 128,000 yuan a month. Moreover, the purchasing power of one copper coin at that time was far greater than that in later times, not to mention that the price of rice and grain in later times was much lower. Therefore, the conversion is definitely an underestimation.
Tears of envy streamed down Yao Ruyi's face.
That's much more than what she earns after a month of hard work running a shop.
After all, she still has a lot of outstanding payments tied up in inventory!
No wonder... no wonder Master Meng always forced Meng Boyuan to study hard to get an official position, no wonder students all over the country were scrambling to take the imperial examinations, and so many people spent their lives studying without giving up.
Lower-ranking officials live a simple life, but middle and higher-ranking officials really make money.
Knowledge truly can change one's destiny.
Furthermore, since he worked at the Ordnance Bureau, directly under the government, he was spared the extravagance of official social interactions and didn't have a mortgage like Yao Ruyi. Apart from the "huge sum" for this horse today, he had nowhere to spend his money on daily expenses. Over the past few months, he had actually saved several hundred strings of cash from his salary. In the past, when Cong Bo received his salary, after deducting household expenses, he would rush to the bank to deposit it, otherwise there would be nowhere to store it at home, and he was even more afraid of attracting thieves.
Moreover, paper money was also susceptible to insect infestation, so it needed to be checked and counted frequently when stored in camphor wood boxes.
It's very frustrating.
Yao Ruyi: "..."
She silently placed the stack of seals, money books, and papers back on the table, gently but firmly pushing them back in front of Lin Wen'an. Then, she silently stood up and silently went out without looking back to discuss her book-carving business with Master Meng.
Damn it, she can't lose! She needs to make money too!
Lin Wen'an looked at Yao Ruyi's back, which seemed to suddenly burst into flames and was full of energy in an instant, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.
Why is that the reaction?
Lin Wen'an sat alone at the table, facing the stacks of seals and money books. His back slowly straightened, and his brows furrowed unconsciously as he fell into a new round of deeper contemplation.
***
Just then, the students of the Imperial Academy who were locked in the examination hall had already taken the first exam of the day. Many of them had taken out bowls and chopsticks, indicating that they wanted hot water to make some instant soup noodles.
Nowadays, it has become a common practice for researchers to bring instant soup noodles into the country during scientific expeditions.
Kang Hua, who was studying at Biyong Academy, was doing the same thing. He was using a paperweight to hold down the lid of his ceramic bowl, waiting for the hourglass to run halfway through so he could eat. Just as he was getting bored, he looked up and saw a student from the Imperial Academy sitting in the examination hall diagonally opposite him, leisurely taking out his lunch as well.
Huh? What's that?
————————
Lin Wen'an (obediently handing over his salary card): The derivation process is completely wrong, and the answer is wrong too, but it doesn't matter, we're going to get married anyway!
Ruyi: This damn competitive spirit, I want to make a lot of money too!
These two are completely on different wavelengths 23333
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