Several women carrying baskets passed by Chen Zhancai, glancing back at him from time to time and whispering among themselves. Sometimes they covered their mouths and chuckled, and sometimes they looked him up and down.
Seeing this, Chen Zhancai was in a great mood. He subconsciously puffed out his chest and struck what he thought was a very handsome pose, which made the women giggle non-stop.
He was extremely pleased with himself; it seemed he truly possessed boundless charm, able to drive these country women to such frenzy simply by offering incense.
Since they admire him so much, wouldn't it be a disgrace to his reputation if he didn't satisfy their admiration?
Thinking of this, Chen Zhancai coughed lightly, tapped the fan in his hand lightly against his palm, and bowed impolitely, "This humble student greets all the elder sisters, may you all be well."
A woman named Xiuxiu looked at Chen Zhancai with a contemptuous smile and whispered to the woman beside her,
"He's that big idiot who was burning incense and making a wish just now. He doesn't seem stupid to me, so how could he make such a silly wish and then keep babbling on and on?"
Another woman dressed as a married woman said, "Xiuxiu, you're right. Even if he's not stupid, he's still a complete idiot. Otherwise, why would he be so shameless as to ask the Bodhisattva to bless him so that he can meet a rich young lady? If such a good thing really happened, would it be his turn?"
A woman in a pink dress sneered, "Exactly, dreaming of marrying a wife, what a beautiful dream, but doesn't he even have a brain?"
"Don't make fun of him. Maybe he's just not very bright, so it's understandable that he talks strangely."
"Yes, yes, he might have a defect, otherwise he wouldn't have said such silly things."
The woman in pink shook her head and smiled, "Sister-in-law, you're wrong. He's neither stupid, nor dull, nor lacking in common sense. On the contrary, he's a scholar."
The woman clearly didn't believe it, and looked Chen Zhancai up and down. "Oh my, really? He looks so simple-minded, yet he's a scholar? You're not mistaken, are you?"
“There’s no mistake. He’s from my brother-in-law’s village. I think his name is Chen Zhancai. Don’t let his appearance fool you; he’s married to two wives.”
The woman curled her lip in disdain. "Now that you mention it, I remember. This guy is no good. Everyone in the surrounding villages knows him. He'll do anything immoral to get an education. He sells his nephews, his nieces, his house, and his land, all for his own selfish desires."
"Oh, it's him! He's a celebrity in our Shangxia Village."
“I’ve only heard of this person, but I’ve never seen what he looks like. Now that I’ve seen him, he certainly doesn’t look like a good person. Let’s hurry up and get away from him.”
Several women commented on Chen Zhancai standing in front of them, pointing and whispering before quickly leaving.
Chen Zhancai's face grew increasingly dark; he was filled with shame and anger, wishing he could disappear into the ground.
He felt that his personality had been severely insulted and his dignity deeply hurt.
A scholar can be killed but not humiliated! He is a respected scholar, how could he allow these peasants to speak ill of him to his face?
If we don't teach them a lesson and make them realize their place, they'll become even more lawless in the future.
But then I thought, "A good man doesn't argue with a woman." These are all gossipy women with long hair and short brains; reasoning with them is like casting pearls before swine.
If you really start throwing a tantrum, not only will you not gain anything, you might also end up making a mess of things.
Forget it, a small act of impatience can ruin a big plan. This little grievance is nothing!
When he returns home in glory, he'll start by taking down these gossipy women.
Thinking of this, Chen Zhancai couldn't listen any longer, turned around and quickened his pace to leave as if fleeing...
Meanwhile, Liu Fengjiao brought Chen Jiye back to Qingshui Town.
Instead of rushing to rent a house, she took her son to the private residence of the elder Wang Qichang of Zhenbei.
The private residence was a small courtyard with two sections; Wang Qizhang's legal wife was unaware of this place.
This was specially purchased by Wang Qichang so that it would be convenient for him to meet her in secret.
She knocked on the door, and soon an old woman came out. She immediately smiled when she saw Liu Fengjiao, "Madam is here. Should I go and inform the master?"
Liu Fengjiao nodded, "Wang Ma, thank you for your hard work. Remember to tell the master to come quickly."
"Yes, ma'am."
Wang Ma was Wang Qizhang's wet nurse. She was old and had no children, so Wang Qizhang took her in and settled her here, also cleaning and tidying up the place. She was well aware of the relationship between Liu Fengjiao and Wang Qizhang.
Before long, Wang Qizhang arrived in a hurry and saw a hint of passion in Liu Fengjiao's eyes.
However, when she noticed Chen Jiye beside her, a hint of displeasure flashed in her eyes.
After not seeing each other for several months, Liu Fengjiao had become even more charming, and just looking at her was enough to arouse Wang Qichang's lower abdomen.
Although he was not a lecherous man, his wife had suffered from vaginal discharge ever since giving birth to their son, Wang Ba, making it impossible for them to consummate their marriage.
At first, Wang Qizhang could tolerate it, but over time, how could a normal man like him endure it?
Later, Liu Fengjiao somehow became acquainted with his wife, and started going to his house to play mahjong every few days.
Wang Qizhang set his sights on her, but he never succeeded in getting her.
It wasn't until the incident at the cloth shop that he finally won her over.
It wasn't that he particularly liked her; it was purely for venting. After all, he was the head of Qingshui Town and couldn't go to brothels for entertainment, so Liu Fengjiao was the best outlet for his frustrations.
Suppressing the burning sensation in his lower abdomen, he adopted a serious demeanor and asked, "Madam Chen, may I ask what business you have with me?"
Since her son was still alive, Liu Fengjiao bowed and said, "Elder, I remember you once told me that my youngest son would be your son's page. I wonder if that agreement still stands?"
Wang Qizhang was taken aback. “Madam Chen, your husband is now a scholar. It’s probably not appropriate for him to be my son’s page!”
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