Lin Yue’s eyes lit up. He had long braced himself for the possibility that Shen Huaizhi might not pass this time, so he hadn’t expected such a pleasant surprise. He immediately laughed, “What are you saying? Just passing is quite an achievement. Right now, our two villages only have Old Xiucai Gao as the sole Xiucai. If you pass, that’ll make two of you.”

“It’s getting late. Let’s hurry back. I bought quite a bit of food earlier and left it in my room; it should still be warm when we get there. Let’s eat and go to bed early so we can take another stroll around the prefectural city tomorrow while we wait for Father to come pick us up.”

Shen Huaizhi nodded in agreement. “Alright. Have you eaten yet?”

“Not yet. I was waiting to eat with you—it’s no fun eating alone,” Lin Yue said.

It was nearly dark by now. Shen Huaizhi had been so tense all day that he hadn’t even noticed his hunger, but upon hearing that Lin Yue hadn’t eaten yet, he immediately said, “Then let’s hurry back.”

With the provincial exam over, a huge weight was lifted from both their minds. After dinner, they washed up and went to bed early, sleeping soundly until late morning. Only then did Lin Yue and Shen Huaizhi slowly get up, pack their things, go downstairs, bid farewell to the innkeeper, and leave.

Lin Yue hadn’t explored much the day before, but with Shen Huaizhi by his side today, he ventured further into the distant streets and alleys. After wandering through three streets, Lin Yue finally found a wine shop and went inside to buy a jug of wine.

Lin Yue hadn’t known before that his family drank. The last time, he’d bought half a jug specifically for cooking, and when Shen Zhengchu saw it, he’d even had a cup that evening—that was when Lin Yue realized his father enjoyed drinking.

However, the price of wine was comparable to that of meat. If he had a little spare cash, he’d much rather buy a piece of meat for the family to share, so Shen Zhengchu only had a sip or two once a year during the New Year’s ancestral rites.

There weren’t wide varieties of liquor in town, and they were all quite cloudy; the taste probably wasn’t all that great either. Since he was visiting the provincial capital today, Lin Yue had brought gifts for his whole family, and naturally, he couldn’t leave his father out. He bought a jug of wine to take home and savor slowly; he figured Shen Zhengchu would appreciate it.

The two of them strolled around for an hour. Lin Yue only bought the wine partway through and didn’t buy anything else. After they’d walked down another street, Shen Huaizhi deliberately lowered his voice and asked, “Did you run out of money? Why haven’t I seen you buy anything?”

Lin Yue shook his head. “I already bought quite a bit yesterday while you were taking your exam. Today I’m just checking out what new foods are being sold in the city so we can sell them in our town when we get back and save up some money.”

Shen Huaizhi said, “We’ll be back in the provincial capital in five days. Next time, bring more money. Since we’ve made the trip, we should treat ourselves to a few things.”

Lin Yue nodded in agreement, then took Shen Huaizhi by the hand and led him to an alley on the east side. It was nearly noon, so the two found a clean food stall, and each had a bowl of fish dumplings. The tender, fragrant fish filling and the chewy dough, dipped in a bit of aromatic vinegar, filled their mouths with delicious flavor.

They had no idea when Shen Zhengchu would arrive. After finishing their meal, they turned to the stall next door and bought two cups of snow-frozen soybean milk and a few flatbreads—some vegetarian, and two filled with mutton. Neither Lin Yue nor Shen Huaizhi had ever tried them before, but the aroma was so enticing that they bought two specifically to save for their father to eat on the journey.

In addition to the buns, Lin Yue also bought a roast duck. The roast duck shop was located at the very end of the alley. Lin Yue had caught a whiff of the aroma while eating the fish dumplings earlier, and seeing the long line inside only piqued his curiosity further. He walked closer to take a look: hanging at the shop entrance were two roast ducks with a lustrous, glossy red sheen. Their skin was crispy, and the aroma was intoxicating—yet another dish he’d never tried before.

Lin Yue counted the change in his hand, then joined Shen Huaizhi in the queue. It was the height of the day’s heat, so Shen Huaizhi told Lin Yue to wait in the shade under the eaves while he stood in line.

They’d picked up all sorts of odds and ends along the way, and Shen Huaizhi’s book chest was already full. His hands were equally busy—carrying a cloth bundle in one hand and clutching a wax-paper package in the other. Just as it seemed he couldn’t carry any more, Lin Yue waved his hand decisively. “Let’s head to the city gate right now. I wonder if Father has arrived yet. We don’t want him to get impatient waiting.”

It was actually still early when they set out—far from the time they usually arrived in the provincial capital—yet Shen Zhengchu had already been waiting outside the city for quite a while. As soon as Lin Yue stepped out, he spotted his father standing by the roadside and immediately quickened his pace toward him. “Father, why did you come so early? You aren’t even wearing a straw hat to shield yourself from the sun. It’s quite scorching today.”

Shen Zhengchu looked at the couple, both of whom were smiling, and felt greatly reassured. He laughed, “I couldn’t rest easy waiting for you at home, so I thought I’d come early. That way, I can head back early tonight and spare your mother any worry.”

Lin Yue noticed his clothes were soaked with sweat and quickly motioned for Shen Huaizhi to bring over the flatbreads and iced drinks they’d just bought. “Father, have a bite to eat first. Try this drink too—it tastes wonderful. I’ll make it at home from now on.”

As soon as Shen Zhengchu reached out, Lin Yue handed him both oil-paper-wrapped packages. “You two eat some too. We’ll head home after we’re done.”

Shen Huaizhi placed the items in his hands onto the cart, then turned to reply, “Father, we’ve already eaten. Xiao Yue brought these especially for you. You should eat them quickly; they’ll get cold soon.”

After Shen Zhengchu finished the two flatbreads, the three of them climbed into the cart and set off for home, driving the mules along the road.

On the day they arrived, all three had been on edge, their minds a tangled web of tension, uncertainty, and worry—they’d barely exchanged a word. Today, however, they were much more relaxed; though they were traveling, the atmosphere was leisurely.

By the time they arrived home, it was pitch black, yet Song Xunchun and Shen Lingzhi were still waiting for them in the kitchen. Like Shen Zhengchu, Song Xunchun merely glanced at their expressions without asking a single question about the provincial exam.

“You’re finally back. You must be exhausted from the journey. There’s hot water on the stove—just give yourselves a quick wash and go rest in your rooms. If there’s anything to discuss, we’ll do so tomorrow.”

Shen Huaizhi spoke quite freely with Lin Yue about the exam, but when facing his parents, he worried that something might have gone wrong and that he might dash their hopes. He simply said, “The exam went fairly smoothly.”

Unfortunately, even if the Shen family didn’t bring it up, plenty of others did. Shen Huaizhi and his companions had left early that day, so aside from the Shen Guangchu family—who had rented them a mule—no one else in the village knew they’d gone to the prefectural city. It wasn’t until a few elderly villagers chatted at the village entrance that afternoon and mentioned seeing them leave that morning that they realized he’d gone to take the exam.

Going to the prefectural city to take the Xiucai examination was a major event. Some of the more enthusiastic villagers even expressed regret: “Oh my, if only we’d known earlier, we should have sent him some dried food or eggs—just to show our support. If Huaizhi passes, he’ll be the first Xiucai from our village.”

The very next day after Shen Huaizhi and Lin Yue returned, they joined Shen’s parents in the fields. They had just harvested buckwheat, sorghum, corn, and soybeans a short while ago, and since the rice harvest hadn’t started yet, they had to plow the fields quickly. Song Xunchun went out of her way to borrow an ox from Shen Fanglin’s family.

Their ox was an old one. Ever since Shen Zhengchu and his wife had split off to live on their own, they’d been borrowing her ox to plow their fields—but not for free. In the early years, when they had no money and only Shen Zhengchu’s strength to rely on, they’d plow Shen Fanglin’s fields as well whenever they borrowed the ox to work on their own. 

In recent years, things have improved slightly. When they weren’t busy, they’d still help plow the fields; when they were busy, they’d give some silver, make sure the ox was well-fed, and clean the plow and harrow.

On the tenth day of the month, as the first light of dawn broke, Shen Zhengchu fed the mule and scrubbed the cart spotlessly before leading the mule to Shen Guangchu’s house. Shen Huaizhi led the ox, and the three of them—Shen Guangchu, Shen Huaizhi, and Lin Yue—set out together to work the fields. Unexpectedly, as soon as they stepped out, they ran into quite a few villagers.

Among them were Shen Fanglin and Hao Yulan, with whom he was closer; Wu Yuanxiang and Xi Qing, with whom he wasn’t as close but still socialized frequently; and Zhou Xiulian, a neighbor with whom he’d had a falling out. According to family hierarchy, Shen Huaizhi had to address them all as aunts, aunts-in-law, and uncles.

“We didn’t run into each other that day, and now that we have finally, I just have to ask,” Wu Yuanxiang spoke up first. “I heard Huaizhi went to the prefectural capital to take the Xiucai examination. Oh my, that’s quite something! Xunchun, you really should have told us. If we’d known, we would have come to see him off, at the very least.”

Hao Yulan actually knew, but Shen Zhengchu had specifically asked her not to say anything when he visited her home that day, and Shen Guangchu had said the same. She could only pretend she didn’t know.

Song Xunchun felt a touch of pride in her heart—after all, her son had previously been the village’s only Tongsheng, and now he might be its only Xiucai. Yet she remained humble on the surface, saying only, “It’s just an exam; why make such a fuss among the villagers? I don’t even know if he’ll pass. My heart’s been in my throat the whole time. Sigh.”

Zhou Xiulian had always had it in for the Shen family. Since the Shen family had previously lived a harder life than hers, she looked down on Song Xunchun. If Shen Huaizhi were to pass the exam, that would be unthinkable. So, she didn’t have a single kind word to say: “You’re probably just too embarrassed to admit you’re afraid he won’t pass. Come to think of it, if you were to blurt it out and he didn’t make it, you’d have nowhere to hide your face.”

The smile on Song Xunchun’s face vanished instantly. Although she knew the exam was over regardless of the outcome, Zhou Xiulian had started off by wishing her son would fail—how could she possibly tolerate that? “You needn’t trouble yourself.”

Seeing her anger only spurred Zhou Xiulian on. Ever since that sharp-tongued Lin Yue had walked through the door, she hadn’t had the upper hand in a verbal exchange. Now that she finally had a chance, she wasn’t about to let it slip by. “I’ve watched him grow up—how could I not care? If he passes, we’ll all benefit. Xiucai—how impressive! What a pity. Just look at Huaizhi’s build and bearing—he doesn’t look like a Xiucai at all. He’s been studying for over ten years, yet there’s no sign of improvement. He’s worlds apart from the Xiucais in town. Could it be that he hasn’t been studying properly?”

Song Xunchun: “……” How could she say such shameless things so brazenly and loudly?

“Oh my, Auntie, it’s been ages since we last met, but you’re as lively as ever. Just look at that mouth of yours—I could hear you from a mile away. You’d better worry about your own business.

My family’s affairs are none of your business. Whether he passes the exam is another matter—even if he really didn’t make it, he’s still a Tongsheng who’s paid his respects to the county magistrate. As for your family, I’ve never heard of anyone there who can even read. Could it be that you aren’t taking it seriously and haven’t been studying properly?”

Zhou Xiulian felt that she and Lin Yue were simply incompatible; just hearing Lin Yue speak gave her a headache.

“You sure have a sharp tongue—you’re nothing but a hooligan. You haven’t even learned to behave since you got married. Watch out, or you’ll get sent back home.”

Lin Yue honestly thought her insults were pretty lame—throwing around “divorced” left and right. It wasn’t that he was confident; it was that he genuinely believed he was a great catch. If the Shen family still harbored any thoughts of divorcing him, that would be sheer ingratitude—though of course, the Shen family would never do such a thing.

“Is that so? But I can’t help feeling that you’re the one more likely to be divorced. You don’t watch your tongue, you don’t get along with your neighbors—tsk, tsk, the list goes on and on.”

After speaking, Lin Yue deliberately gave her a once-over, flashed a sweet smile at the aunts and older women standing nearby, then took Song Xunchun by the hand and walked off. The Shen brothers also instinctively stepped around Zhou Xiulian to follow Lin Yue, leaving Zhou Xiulian alone, stamping her feet in frustration.

This little incident didn’t dampen the Shen family’s good spirits. It was rare for Shen Huaizhi to be home for a whole week, and with Shen Zhengchu by his side, the father and son worked together to plow nearly three mu of land in a single day. Lin Yue and the other two, armed with hoes, spread out to the edges, digging up the corners that had been missed and reworking the coarsely plowed sections in the middle. Plowing deep meant the crops would grow well the following year.

That evening, after dinner, Lin Yue brought out all the gifts he had brought for them. “Father, this is the wine I brought for you. It smells quite fragrant, but unfortunately, I don’t drink. Please try it and let me know how it tastes. Mother, Lingzhi, these are the bracelets I brought for you. Take a look and see if you like them.”

Before they could refuse, Lin Yue had already pressed them into their hands.

Shen Zhengchu was overjoyed. He immediately took out his small wine cup, poured half a cup, leaned against the wall, and took a sip. “Fragrant. Just one sip tells me this isn’t cheap. You young folks—this time, it’s your old man who’s been blessed. Don’t buy any more of this in the future.”

Lin Yue didn’t respond, merely shaking his head. He then looked at Song Xunchun and her son; seeing the smiles on their faces, he felt happy too. He rolled up his sleeve to reveal his own bracelet. “Mine is just like Lingzhi’s—both are petal-shaped.”

Song Xunchun looked at the two hands in front of her, both wearing matching bracelets, feeling both happy and worried. Family harmony was the best thing, but these bracelets looked so delicate, and buying so many at once—she had no idea how much they must have cost.

She wasn’t concerned about Lin Yue’s personal savings, but she worried he’d spent it all recklessly. What if he needed money for something later and had none left? But bringing it up now would be like pouring cold water on the moment, and she didn’t want to dampen the mood. She simply resolved to save the household allowance Lin Yue gave her carefully, so it would be there when the young couple needed it.

“It’s beautiful. Once I’m done with the farm work, I’ll put it on so the other women can envy me a little.”

Song Xunchun suddenly glanced at Shen Huaizhi. Now that everyone in the family had received a gift, she wondered if he hadn’t gotten one. But upon second thought, she decided that couldn’t be the case, so she didn’t ask any further and got up to clear the bowls.

Shen Huaizhi’s gift was currently tucked away in his bosom. On the way home yesterday, Lin Yue had woven a cord to hang the tag and fastened it to him on the spot. Fearing it might get scratched, he’d placed it in a pouch and kept it close to his body.

Over the next few days, the Shen family was busy plowing the fields. They finished just in time—the fourth day was the thirteenth of the eighth month, the day the results of the provincial exam were posted. In the dead of night, Shen Zhengchu drove a mule cart, taking Lin Yue and Shen Huaizhi with him to the prefectural capital.