Old Man Wang grabbed Zhou Da’s hand. “Only ten taels of silver? Then wouldn’t your family be at a loss?” 

“We’ve been neighbors for over twenty years. There’s no question of loss or gain.”

Shen Linchuan and his husband hadn’t left after finishing their work. “Old Man Wang, if your family is willing, my husband and I will come by these next few days to teach you how to make this pork dish. So many people in town love it—it would be a shame not to sell it.”

“Oh, sure, sure. Let the two of them come along and learn.”

Old Man Wang was overjoyed. He had thought that now the Zhou family was gone, his family’s life would go back to the way it was before, but he never expected that they had been thinking of them all along and had sold this prescription exclusively to his family.

Hearing this, Wang Da and his wife were overjoyed as well. Old Man Wang’s son patted his chest and said, “I’ll bring the silver over tomorrow.”

Ten taels of silver were no small sum for them. In recent years, the family hadn’t managed to save much money;  it was only after the Zhou family opened an extra meat stall that they’d gradually managed to build up a small nest egg; as it happened, they had just over ten taels on hand.

Although ten taels was no small sum for them to pay for the recipe, the fact that the braised pork recipe cost only ten taels meant they had truly gotten a great deal.

The Wang family brought out the silver the very next day. After Shen Linchuan and Zhou Ning packed up their stall, they taught the Wang family how to make the meat dish. Once they left, the Wang family would take over selling it. Fearing that the recipe might be copied, Shen Linchuan and his partner stopped selling it after they went to the county seat.

The Wang family kept thanking them. When they went to the Wang residence to teach them how to cook, the whole family insisted on keeping them for a meal. Knowing the Wang family wasn’t well-off and that they’d just spent ten taels of silver, Shen Linchuan and Zhou Ning couldn’t possibly accept such hospitality. After some polite refusal, they hurriedly took their leave.

The Wang family’s daughter-in-law, still holding the eggs that hadn’t been given away, watched the two men’s retreating figures and said, “The Zhou family really are a kind-hearted bunch.”

With everything at home settled and the day of enrollment at the county school fast approaching, Shen Linchuan and his two companions finished their breakfast early, packed their belongings, and prepared to leave.

Zhou Ning couldn’t bear to sell the chickens at home—he’d raised them with such care, starting from when they were just chicks. So he simply put them all in a cage to take with them. He also laid down a straw mat on the mule cart for Dahuang to lie on, so that when the animal got tired from running, it could hop up and rest.

Zhang Xiaoyi had already discussed it with his father; they planned to head to town in a little while. They would stay at Zhou Ning’s place for the time being, and they intended to open a small medical clinic in the county seat.

Shen Da and his wife would also be heading to the county seat soon, so everyone would actually be living closer together.

With all the trunks and baskets packed, Zhou Da climbed onto the mule cart and drove off. Zhou Ning locked the courtyard gate, glancing back at his home with a touch of reluctance.

Shen Linchuan patted his husband’s hand comfortingly. “It’s not like we’re never coming back. We’ll come back whenever we have time.”

Zhou Ning gave a soft “Mm-hmm. It’s just… I’m sad we won’t be living here anymore.”

Zhang Xiaoyi and Zhou Xiaonan also came to see them off. Zhou Xiaonan had prepared some food. “Ning-ger, come back often.” 

“Mm. Brother Nan, take good care of yourself too.”

Zhou Xiaonan nodded with a smile. “I will.”

He had already bought a small courtyard in town and brought his mother to live with him. Once Ning-ger left, he planned to move to town as well, leaving his father, Old Zhou, in the care of his younger brother, Gouwa. As long as the two of them didn’t starve to death, that would be enough.

Shen Linchuan and the others climbed onto the mule cart. Zhou Ning waved his hand. “We’re off.” 

Zhang Xiaoyi smiled and nodded. “I’ll come visit you!”

Zhou Da set off driving the mule. The cart was packed to the brim, but fortunately, the family’s mule was sturdy, and since most of the load consisted of clothes and bedding, it could easily pull the three of them.

As they passed through the village, people chatting at the entrance called out, “Uncle Zhou, off to the county seat?” 

“Yeah, off to the county seat.”

“When will you be back?”

“I’ll be back as soon as I’m done.”

The mule cart made its way slowly toward the county seat. Shen Linchuan took a straw hat and placed it on Zhou Ning’s head. “The sun’s going to get strong in a bit.” 

Zhou Ning blinked. “Shen Linchuan, I feel like I’m dreaming. Did you really pass the scholar exam?”

“I really did. Why don’t you pinch me and see if it hurts?” Zhou Ning gave Shen Linchuan a light slap. “Be serious.” 

“Father, Ning-ger hit me!”

Zhou Ning quickly covered Shen Linchuan’s mouth. “Why are you tattling?”

The two sat in the back of the mule cart, with Dahuang’s doghouse on one side and the family’s chicken coop on the other. A flock of roosters and hens huddled together, clucking noisily. The middle of the cart was filled with trunks and crates, while Zhou Da sat up front driving the cart.

Hearing the two little ones squabbling in the back, Zhou Da chuckled, “Ning, don’t bully Linchuan—he’s frail.” 

“Dad, I wasn’t bullying him at all.”

Zhou Ning was still covering Shen Linchuan’s mouth. Shen Linchuan mumbled a couple of times, but finally licked Zhou Ning’s palm, and only then did Zhou Ning let go.

Shen Linchuan wore a smug look, his face practically screaming, “Go ahead and try to bully me—my dad’s got my back.”

The mule cart headed toward the county seat. Stalls were gradually setting up at the town market. Zhou Da’s meat stall was nowhere to be seen, but the small stall next to it selling braised pork was still there. The Wang family’s daughter-in-law wore a headscarf and a blue cloth apron around her waist, while her husband tended to the flatbread stall next to them.

A customer who came to buy sliced pork was surprised to see that it was the Wang family running the stall. “Uncle Zhou isn’t here today?”

Old Man Wang’s daughter-in-law said with a smile, “Uncle Zhou and his family have gone to the county seat, so they’ve entrusted our family with running their meat business.”

“What? Why would they suddenly stop? Their business was doing so well.”

“Mr. Shen passed the Xiucai exam. He’s going to enroll in the county academy in a few days, so the whole family has moved over there.” 

“What? The son-in-law of Butcher Zhou actually passed the Xiucai exam!”

“Wasn’t the top scorer this year a Shen? Could it be Butcher Zhou’s son-in-law?”

“Good heavens, it really is Mr. Shen! He was cutting meat for me just yesterday. I never would have guessed the top scorer was him—not a single hint of it.”

“If I’d known Mr. Shen was the top scorer, I would’ve taken a closer look at him yesterday. If my son had eaten that meat, maybe he could’ve caught some of that good fortune.”

The crowd chattered away, and just then, the Lu family’s boy came running back with the meat, shouting excitedly, “Dad! Everyone’s saying that Mr. Shen passed the scholar exam—and came in first place!”

Mr. Lu pricked up his ears. “What did you say? Mr. Shen passed the Xiucai exam?”

“That’s right! I heard it just now when I was buying the pork. Old Zhou didn’t come today—he said his whole family went to the county seat.” 

“Then where did you get this pork?”

“The family that sells flatbreads is running the stall.”

Manager Lu dropped his feather duster and ran out. Standing at the door, he saw that the familiar meat stall was indeed gone, though the spot was still crowded with people just as usual. Everyone was jostling to buy the pork belly—after all, this was the pork belly from the family that had just topped the exam!

“Uncle Zhou really keeps a low profile. Who would’ve thought that Mr. Shen actually passed the scholar’s examination?”

Mr. Lu also walked over. “What’s all the commotion about?”

“Oh, look—they say Mr. Shen passed the scholar’s exam as the top candidate. Everyone on the street is talking about it.” 

“What? He passed as the top scholar?”

“That’s right. Look, Uncle Zhou hasn’t even shown up today—he won’t be setting up his stall here anymore.”

Lu Fulang gasped, “That’s incredible! I bought mosquito coils from him last year, and he said just writing up that order used up a lot of paper.” 

Shopkeeper Lu turned to look. “What about the paper the mosquito coils were wrapped in?”

“It’s still wrapped around the mosquito coils. I’ve got two spools left from last year.”

Shopkeeper Lu turned and started unwrapping the mosquito coils, carefully smoothing out the paper. Lu Fulang looked completely baffled. “What do you want that paper for?”

“This is called collecting in advance. You know, since Mr. Shen passed the exams as the top scholar, he might become an official any day now. If he becomes a high-ranking official, this won’t be waste paper anymore—it’ll be a masterpiece.”

Mr. Lu nudged the shopkeeper. “It’s broad daylight—why are you daydreaming about getting rich? Go on, dust off the ashes. Stop daydreaming here.”

Even the Lu family’s young boy stuck his tongue out at his father. “Dad, you’re dreaming! Hahaha.”

Mr. Lu waved his hand impatiently. “What does a kid like you know? That antique didn’t become valuable overnight.”

Mr. Lu carefully tucked the piece of paper away. If Mr. Shen really did pass the imperial exams someday, this scrap of paper would be worth its weight in gold.

But now that Uncle Zhou had stopped running his meat stall, it felt strange. For over a decade, he’d been used to seeing the Zhou family’s stall the moment he stepped outside. Now that it was gone, he felt a hollow emptiness inside, as if something were missing.

Shen Linchuan didn’t make a big deal out of passing the provincial exams with top honors; he was afraid people would stare at him like he was a circus act. He’d already been exhausted from greeting the villagers recently. The family quietly finished their last day of business and, just as they always did, packed up and went home.

The mule cart made its way slowly for over three days before reaching the county seat. The family had already been there once when Shen Linchuan took the prefectural examination, so this time around they were somewhat more familiar with the area.

It was just past noon when the three of them entered the city. They found a small restaurant to have a meal and asked for directions to the county academy. The owner was very friendly, “To the county academy? It’s still a few li away—it’s on White Deer Mountain, east of the county seat.”

After eating, the three of them set off in the mule cart. Having traveled by mule cart for several days, Shen Linchuan’s back and waist ached. They stopped to ask for lodging as night fell, and during the day, Shen Linchuan would sit in the back of the cart. Whenever he felt uncomfortable, he would get down and walk a bit. Finally, they had arrived.

Zhou Da drove the mule cart and found the White Deer Academy first. On the outskirts of the county seat stood a small hill about a hundred meters high, known as White Deer Mountain. The county academy, situated there, was called the White Deer Academy. Legend had it that a white divine deer had once appeared on this modest hill, hence the name White Deer Mountain.

Now that they knew where the academy was, the three of them found an inn nearby to stay the night. They gave the innkeeper a few copper coins to help unload the trunks and baskets. The mule had worked hard all the way, so Zhou Da tended to it, feeding it some fodder and giving it water.

There was no rush to find a place to live; they would rest for the night and look for a realtor tomorrow to check out some options.

Although White Deer Academy was located right next to the county seat, the surrounding area was quite bustling, with teahouses, restaurants, gold and silver shops, and fabric stores all nearby. Shen Linchuan had originally planned to compromise and rent a courtyard in a livelier area so his father could conduct business more easily, but he hadn’t expected the area around the academy to be so lively itself—it was actually quite suitable for business.

After traveling for several days, they found an inn, booked two top-floor rooms, and retired for the night. Shen Linchuan let out a sigh of relief. “We’re finally here.” Zhou Ning massaged Shen Linchuan’s shoulders. “I’ve ordered some water. Let’s take a quick bath and get some sleep early.”

Shen Linchuan buried his face in Zhou Ning’s shoulder. “Zhou Xiaoning, you’re so thoughtful. Man, this trip has worn me out. Let me give you a hug—a big hug.”

“Why are you being so clingy all of a sudden?” 

“I’m just exhausted, that’s all.”

Shen Linchuan held his husband close until he felt fully recharged, then let go. He changed the bedding on the bed, had hot water brought in, and settled down for a comfortable bath and rest.

As dusk fell, they called for the waiter to bring a few hot dishes. The three of them sat inside to eat. Shen Linchuan called out to the waiter delivering the food, “Young man, are there any real estate agents around here? My family wants to rent a courtyard.”

“Oh, there are plenty. Zhang, the realtor over here, is the most well-connected. Whatever kind of house you’re looking for, he can find it for you at the county government office.”

Shen Linchuan slipped the waiter a few copper coins. The waiter accepted them with a smile. “I’ll let you know as soon as I have a moment. I guarantee he’ll be here first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, sir.”

The waiter, delighted with the coins, helped close the door. Running a simple errand had earned him a dozen or so copper coins. The family of three didn’t look particularly well-off, yet they seemed to be staying in the best accommodations and eating the finest food.

Zhou Da hummed in agreement. “Hiring a realtor is a good idea. If we were to look on our own, it’d take days, and we might not even find a place we like. Plus, we’d have to keep renting a room at the inn. It’s better to spend a few copper coins and get someone to help us.”

“You’re right, Father. Settling in early will give us peace of mind.”

Zhou Ning teased his father, “Father, aren’t you worried about spending those copper coins?” 

“Ah, that’s not the same thing. You have to know when to save and when to spend.”

“You’re right, Father.” Shen Linchuan nodded in agreement. “But Father, now that we’re renting a shop to do business, we’ll need to find one or two apprentices—especially someone who can handle heavy labor.”

Zhou Da felt a bit reluctant. He wasn’t old yet—why would he need an apprentice? But since his son-in-law was only looking out for him, he kept his thoughts to himself. If he’d objected, his son and son-in-law would surely have brought up the time he’d twisted his back.

“I know, I know,” Zhou Da said with a sigh as he ate. “You two had better get a move on. If you want me to retire, then let me have some grandchildren soon. Just look at Old Wang’s life these days—every time he comes over, he brings his grandchildren along. It just makes me envious.”

Zhou Ning fell silent and quietly served his father some food with his chopsticks. Zhou Da scanned the two of them. Could it be that his son-in-law was a bit too frail? Once they opened the shop, he’d have to make sure to set aside some pork kidneys for him to really bulk up.

Shen Linchuan nearly choked. His father was the kind of man whose thoughts were written all over his face—how could he possibly bring up something like that?

After dinner, the three of them retired to rest. It was fine as long as his father didn’t bring it up, but the moment he did, his husband lay in bed sighing again, rubbing his stomach. Shen Linchuan found himself wanting to laugh—as if rushing things would make any difference.

“Eaten too much? Let me rub it out for you.”

Shen Linchuan reached out to help, but Zhou Ning impatiently brushed his hand aside. Shen Linchuan clicked his tongue. “Look at this, just look at this.

It’s all my fault—this useless son-in-law—that my husband can’t get a baby.”

“No, it’s not you. It’s just that my little guy has trouble getting pregnant.”

Shen Linchuan clung to him, whining, “We’ve only been married a little over a year. What’s the rush? If a kid comes along to compete with me for your affection, who am I supposed to cry to?”

Seeing Shen Linchuan acting up again, Zhou Ning had no heart to think about anything else. “Shen Linchuan, don’t talk nonsense.”

“Who’s talking nonsense? When the time comes, he’ll not only compete with me for your husband but also for my bed. I don’t care. Right now, I’m your little treasure. Hold me tight and go to sleep.”

Zhou Ning’s face flushed. He was a grown man, yet he spoke without a shred of decorum—what was with all this “little treasure” nonsense?

Shen Linchuan gave her a quick peck on the lips, making Zhou Ning even more embarrassed. Shen Linchuan grinned as he climbed into bed. “Time to sleep, time to sleep. This whole trip has worn me out.”