Seeing An Jingzhi's persistence, Sun Tingwen tried to persuade him a few more times, but he still didn't budge, so he gave up. He walked away, shaking his head, thinking, what a pity that today's poetry and prose gathering would be missing a bit of fun.
After sending everyone away, An Jingzhi packed up his things and went home with his schoolbag on his back. When he came to the county to study, he usually took the ox cart that went between the county and the village. Otherwise, his weak body as a scholar would have been too tired to walk.
He walked to the pick-up point and spent a penny to get on a ox cart back to the village. After getting on the cart, An Jingzhi found an empty seat and sat down on a pile of straw.
Every time the original owner took a bullock cart, he would subconsciously avoid his classmates, for fear that they would see his shabby appearance. In fact, the news had already spread throughout the school, and people talked about it in private.
Originally, face was the most important thing, but An Jingzhi didn't care. When he saw his classmates passing by while sitting on the ox cart, he nodded and greeted them openly.
He Changxing looked at An Jingzhi in surprise. Did he take the wrong medicine today? Normally, he would hide whenever he saw someone sitting on that ox cart, but today he actually dared to greet him?
He's father came to pick up his son and went to a restaurant for dinner. He looked at his son and said, "Is this your classmate? Why don't you invite him to your home as a guest on weekdays? Do you want to invite him over for dinner?"
He Changxing also nodded, pulled his father and turned to leave, "No need, I'm not familiar with him."
An Jingzhi rode an ox cart all the way to the village. When he got home, he found his great aunt Song drying clothes in the yard. An Jingzhi opened the yard and said with a smile, "Great aunt."
"Jingzhi is back?" Song looked at him in surprise. Then she remembered that today was the day when An Jingzhi's school was on vacation. This person had not been seen for a month, but he still greeted people?
Normally, he had a cold and contemptuous look, thinking that no one could fail to see it. Only her husband and his brothers, those fools, could not see it and kept hoping that he would change his family. In her opinion, he was more restrained before he passed the examination, but after passing, he would be so arrogant. If he really had the ability to become a high-ranking official in the future, it was still unclear whether they could benefit from it!
I don’t know if I took the wrong medicine today, or if I’m planning on doing something big?
In fact, Grandma An and Grandpa An also noticed some clues, but they didn't say anything for the sake of family harmony.
Grandpa An came into the yard upon hearing the noise and asked, "Is the school on holiday, Jingzhi?"
An Jingzhi walked up and took Grandpa An's arm, "Grandpa, walk slowly. It's a holiday today, and I came back to see my family."
Grandpa An felt relieved and patted An Jingzhi's hand, "Grandpa can still walk. He's not too old to need help."
Indeed, Grandpa An is only in his fifties this year, but his legs were injured in his early years and he cannot walk properly.
An Jingzhi didn't let him go, and helped him sit on the stool. "Okay, then you can consider it as a filial act for your grandson."
Normally, the original owner was very well-behaved and respectful to the two old people, but Grandpa An felt that there was always a layer of distance between his grandson and them. However, today was a little different.
An Jingzhi chatted with Grandpa An for a while, then put the school bag back into his room and continued reading. When the An family came back, they all walked very quietly.
When dinner was ready, Grandma An came over to call An Jingzhi. Standing at the door, she called softly, "Jingzhi, it's time for dinner. Come and finish your meal before you study."
An Jingzhi had his own private room, furnished with a large, square desk and a chair. The desk faced a window, allowing light to stream in during the day. Outside the window was the family's backyard, known for its proximity to the An family members who would avoid disturbing him while he was studying.
An Jingzhi put down the book and said, "Grandma, let's go."
After sitting down at the table, An Jingzhi looked at the plate of scrambled eggs in front of him. It was specially made for him. Every time the original owner came back, the An family would prepare a plate of scrambled eggs for him, specifically to nourish his body.
San Ya is the daughter of An Jingzhi's fourth uncle. She is only seven years old. She has been staring at the eggs in front of An Jingzhi. She is so greedy that she is drooling but she dare not pick up her chopsticks.
An Jingzhi didn't say anything. He sat down, ate a small half, put down his chopsticks, and divided the rest into the bowls of the whole family, just a small amount per person.
An Jingzhi looked at the surprised faces of his family and said with a smile, "I also know that our family's conditions are limited because of my studies. These eggs are a way for the whole family to celebrate my passing the exam."
The family who originally wanted to take the eggs back stopped using their chopsticks and looked at Grandpa An and Grandma An.
Only after seeing the two old men nod did the others start eating.
"Don't do that anymore." Grandpa and Grandma An were actually very happy. They felt like their grandson had really grown up and learned to share with the family.
Sometimes when they see how the original owner treated his family, they actually feel regretful. They raised the child too pampered when he was young, and now he has become so selfish that even his family members look down on him. Can they still count on him to help his family in the future?
San Ya was so greedy that she quickly put the egg in the bowl into her mouth. Seeing this, Aunt An gave her the egg in her bowl.
Sanya pushed her mother's bowl towards her and shook her head, "Mom, you eat."
Seeing that everyone in the family had almost finished eating, An Jingzhi said to Aunt An, "Is Sister Daya's wedding the day after tomorrow?"
The An family's eldest aunt said in surprise, "Yes." She had previously thought that when her daughter got married, she would have An Jingzhi come to support the occasion so that her daughter would not be looked down upon and bullied by her husband's family. But her nephew refused, saying that he was too busy with schoolwork.
The An family didn't know that the original owner was actually hanging out in the county with a group of so-called classmates and friends, and was not busy with schoolwork at all.
"I've been busy with my homework these past few days, and now I've finally finished it and have some free time. As a younger brother, I have to be there on Sister Daya's wedding day, so that others won't look down on our family."
Song Shi didn't expect that such considerate words could come out of An Jingzhi's mouth. Is he still the scholar from the An family who is so arrogant and looks down on everyone?
Uncle An said happily, "That's great! Jingzhi will go too. It will be a lively wedding."
As the person involved, Daya was so ashamed that she couldn't even raise her head. When her mother told her that her cousin was busy with schoolwork and couldn't take her out, she was sad for a long time.
An Jingzhi glanced at her and said, "Sister Daya, don't worry, I'll carry you out the day after tomorrow."
In her previous life, Daya's in-laws seemed to disregard her, even refusing to attend her own cousin's wedding. They'd hoped Daya's family, with its student prodigy, would offer some support, but their relationship with the original owner was so strained that they refused to attend the wedding and never visited again. The Lin family no longer valued Daya, often forcing her to wash the family's clothes with well water in the middle of winter. Aunt An's mother-in-law frequently argued with the Lin family over this, often visiting them.
The original owner remained indifferent after hearing this.
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