Young Master Liu's enthusiasm was so overwhelming that it was hard to resist.
The father and son ultimately decided to stay at the Liu family's house for a few days, and after the exam, they would go home without staying long.
The sun was already high in the sky, but Master Cui was still standing under a tree at the village entrance, smoking and looking in the direction where Lin Weiming and the others had left.
Although Little Pink Butterfly looked down on that old fellow, Master Cui, she was worried that if he really died from the sun, the Lin family would have to waste money to find a teacher for Lin Zhongyuan.
So she floated away and told Lin Wanyue what had happened.
Lin Wanyue quickly put down the willow whistle she was working on and went to find Master Cui first.
Seeing that there were several cigarette butts in front of Master Cui, one could tell that he had been there for quite some time.
"If you're so worried about my husband, why don't you go with him to the duck restaurant?" Lin Wanyue suggested.
"..." Master Cui then withdrew his gaze, stubbed out his cigarette, and said slowly, "I dare not go."
"Why?" Lin Wanyue asked, puzzled.
Could it be a case of feeling apprehensive about returning home?
I've failed so many exams in the past that I'm too discouraged to watch others take exams anymore.
Lin Wanyue felt that this possibility was not small, so she stared at Master Cui with even more intense gaze.
But Master Cui simply stroked his beard, looked up, turned his face to the side, and said, "If I go, I'm afraid I won't be able to resist writing it for him myself. Maybe I should go to the chief examiner to see the exam paper first."
Lin Wanyue: "..."
Oh my?
I never would have guessed that you would be such a ruthless teacher!
In order to help his students do well on the exam, he actually wanted to help them cheat!
This really leaves one at a loss for what advice to give.
Lin Wanyue fell silent and shut her mouth, then heard Master Cui laugh self-deprecatingly: "Don't worry, I won't go with him. If I go, wouldn't that be helping him cheat? I can't even get past my own conscience."
Lin Zhongyuan studied hard, but Master Cui himself had also gone through more than ten years of hard study and knew clearly that everyone had gone through the same thing.
If he cheated to help Lin Zhongyuan, he would be letting down the other students who had studied hard for years.
Master Cui is dead, and he can even see through his own selfish desires, but he still has the pride of a scholar.
Therefore, no matter how worried he was, he refused to go and see, for fear that he would not be able to resist.
Even if Lin Zhongyuan becomes the top scholar in the imperial examination, the two of them, one human and one ghost, will still have a deep-seated grudge.
"Hmm..." Lin Wanyue pondered for a while. This matter was really hard to judge, so she decided to go have some fun instead.
After playing for a while, the three Lin brothers noticed that their sister had run to the village entrance, so they quickly followed her.
"Little sister, did you come to see your older brother? He won't be back for another two days," Lin Zihan said, walking up to Lin Wanyue to comfort her.
Because they didn't light the incense, they couldn't see Master Cui standing next to Lin Wanyue.
They assumed that Lin Wanyue was worried about Lin Zhongyuan, which was why she came to guard him so early.
"Little sister, it's still a bit cold outside, let's go home first?" Lin Ziqiu said.
It's February now, the sun is shining brightly, but the wind still feels slightly cool on your face.
Lin Wanyue nodded obediently and took her two brothers' hands.
When they got home, it was just in time for dinner, and Liu Junlan brought the dishes to the table.
Lin Wanyue saw that one of the dishes today was her older brother's favorite bamboo shoots stir-fried with cured pork, and tilted her head, saying, "I wonder if Brother-in-law will be able to eat his fill today?"
"Don't worry, I've hidden two more cakes here! They're sweet, so if my brother doesn't pass the exam, I can give them to him, and he won't cry anymore!" Lin Zheyun said generously.
But as soon as he finished speaking, he was slapped on the head.
"Tsk..." Liu Junlan glared at Lin Zheyun and said with disdain, "You better keep your mouth shut these next few days. You can't hit children during the New Year, but the New Year is long over now. If you dare to talk nonsense again, don't blame me if your brother beats you up."
Lin Zheyun pouted, feeling wronged, but didn't dare tell his grandmother that his brother couldn't beat him anymore!
When Lin Zihan and Lin Ziqiu saw their second brother being beaten, they immediately covered their mouths with their hands.
They still remembered the saying "trouble comes from the mouth" from their books.
Second brother, that seems to be the case!
They need to learn to behave and keep their mouths shut so they don't get hit by Grandma.
...
Mrs. Liu of the Liu family is now seven months pregnant, and her belly is sticking out high.
However, Madam Liu took special care of Lin Zhongyuan, and had someone clean up the abandoned study of the eldest young master Liu so that Lin Zhongyuan could use it.
They also wanted to assign him servants and maids.
This startled Lin Zhongyuan and Lin Weiming, who quickly waved their hands and refused.
On the day of the exam, Lin Zhongyuan was somewhat nervous and woke up early.
Lin Weiming did the same. Before the Liu family could help arrange a carriage, the two of them went to the Examination Hall and bought some food to take with them.
They arrived early, but there were quite a few people waiting in line outside for the exam.
Some students are outgoing and can strike up a conversation even with strangers.
Soon, someone noticed the simply dressed but very young newcomer, Lin Zhongyuan, and came over with a smile to greet him, asking, "This young master is someone we've never seen before. May we ask which master you are a disciple of? Where do you live?"
"..." Lin Zhongyuan was a little uncomfortable and did not answer immediately, but first glanced at his father Lin Weiming.
Lin Weiming walked over and said with a smile, "Where are there any famous teachers and outstanding students? We are just country folk who have studied a little. We heard that you have to take an exam to become a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examinations), and that if you become a Xiucai, the county will give you rice and grain? Is that true?"
Lin Weiming's eyes were full of sincerity.
He really wanted to know if the county magistrate, with his stinginess, would actually distribute grain to them.
Who knew that the young scholar who had been smiling just moments before would suddenly show displeasure upon hearing Lin Weiming's words, frowning and wrinkling his nose as if he had smelled something foul.
"If you can pass the imperial examination, that's natural. But if you can't, then it's better not to waste your time and effort," the young scholar said, taking a step back with a forced smile.
He then joined in the conversation with the other scholars, no longer paying attention to Lin Zhongyuan.
The probing glances that had been cast at Lin Zhongyuan earlier vanished instantly, and the other students in line gathered with acquaintances to chat animatedly.
Lin Zhongyuan was all alone here.
Lin Weiming patted his son on the shoulder to comfort him, but said nothing.
While they weren't paying attention, some people's eyes secretly swept over Lin Zhongyuan again, their eyes filled with contemptuous smiles.
Some people even bluntly said, "They say life is as fragile as paper, but ambitions are as high as the sky. At such a young age, who knows how many pages of books he's read? He's just wasting his parents' hard-earned money."
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