“Yo, Ms. Li, you really are a busy woman,” Granny Liu said with a smile, walking over very familiarly, “I went to your house but you were at the market again.”
“Is there something?”
“There's no big deal,” Granny Liu said, “I just heard that your second son Wang Er still hasn’t found a wife. Old Master Wu's young daughter just came of age this year. Old Master Wu's daughter was born very bright and beautiful...”
Hearing Granny Liu's nonstop chatter, Li Yao quickly made an excuse to slip away.
But she didn't expect that Granny Liu was very persistent and soon chased her back home.
To avoid her, Li Yao got He Xiaoya to speak with her.
He Xiaoya was Wang Er's sister-in-law. As a sister-in-law was like a mother, she naturally should be concerned about Wang Er's marriage. And because she was shy by nature and didn't know how to turn down Granny Liu, she listened for a whole afternoon.
It wasn't until nearly dusk that Granny Liu finally left leisurely, allowing He Xiaoya to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Mother," He Xiaoya went to Li Yao and asked, "Wang Er really isn't that young anymore."
Li Yao shook her head as soon as she heard it.
What do you mean he's not that young? He's not even an adult yet!
Of course, this was just her own opinion.
But in the conventions of this world, Wang Er was indeed already of marriageable age.
"Let Wang Er handle this himself, it has to be someone he likes."
"Ah?"
He Xiaoya was stunned and didn't respond for a long time.
This mother was really too strange!
Wang Er's marriage, how could it be left for him to decide instead of obeying his parents’ wishes?
But she knew that whatever mother said would not change, so she as the sister-in-law had to be the one to worry about it.
After dinner that night, He Xiaoya brought up the matter.
As soon as Wang Er heard they wanted to find him a wife, his face immediately turned red.
"Brother Wang, can you be a little manlier?" Song Zhe next to him said with extreme contempt, "It's just an arranged marriage, what's the big deal? Right, sister-in-law, who is the girl?"
"It's Old Master Wu's young daughter."
"I don't know her. But I’ll ask my mother to find out more later,” Song Zhe said. “Alright, stop being so nosy. The county exam is coming up soon. We need to hurry up and review."
"Oh."
For some reason, Song Zhe didn’t have any temper in front of Wang Er. Maybe this was how poorer students should act in front of smarter ones.
After Wang Er left, Du Xiao Hui silently cleaned up the dishes.
But for some reason today, she was a little distracted and accidentally broke a bowl on the ground.
"May it shatter safely!" He Xiaoya quickly said, "Xiao Hui, have you been too tired lately?"
"I'm fine."
Du Xiao Hui quickly cleaned up and didn't chat with He Xiaoya like usual. She went straight home, leaving He Xiaoya confused.
"You still haven't figured it out yet?" Li Yao rarely gossiped, "This girl likes Wang Er."
"Ah?"
He Xiaoya realized she was really dense. Du Xiao Hui had liked Wang Er for two to three years, but she had never noticed at all.
"I thought since they grew up together from childhood, that's why they were close."
Li Yao: ...... And yet you and Da Zhuang had a free love marriage.
"What should we do?" He Xiaoya asked, "Or should I tell Granny Liu tomorrow that Wang Er is already engaged?"
"We still need to see what Wang Er himself thinks," Li Yao said. "But I think Xiao Hui is a good girl, otherwise I wouldn't have let her be the cashier at the soap factory."
He Xiaoya instantly understood.
So mother had already decided on Du Xiao Hui as a daughter-in-law long ago!
Oh Wang Er, you have to understand mother’s hard work and not fail Xiao Hui’s feelings!
...
Early the next morning, Du Xiao Hui stopped Wang Er on his way to school.
"Brother Wang Er, I...I have something to ask you."
"What's the matter, just say it."
"Yesterday I heard that Aunt Li wants to arrange a marriage for you," Du Xiao Hui said tugging at her clothes, her voice as small as a mosquito, "I wonder what you think about it."
"What can I think? For big matters like marriage, of course it's up to my mother. It's getting late, I have to hurry to school or I'll be punished."
Watching Wang Er leave in a hurry, Du Xiao Hui stood despondently at the roadside.
Soon after, Song Zhe happened to pass by and saw her. He didn't want to meddle initially, but couldn't help saying in the end: "Little sister Xiao Hui, why are you so timid?"
"Where was I timid?"
"If you like Wang Er, just boldly tell him," Song Zhe said, "Or have your mother find a matchmaker. Otherwise, once Wang Er gets engaged, you'll only be able to cry."
"Brother Song, what are you saying, so embarrassing!"
Song Zhe: ...... I was just telling the truth!
The absolute truth!
Oh well, the county exam is coming up in a few days.
After getting past this hurdle, he would try to play matchmaker for these two.
...
Ding ling ling...
Following the crisp sound of bells, several rickshaws sped towards Bai Chuan market facing the sun.
Today was the first day of the county exam. There were two students from He Wan village participating, Wang Er and Teacher Lü.
That's right, although Teacher Lü was Wang Er's teacher, he was still a student. So he was still eligible to take the county exam to pursue honors.
Of course at his level, it wasn’t to actually become an official, but more to prove himself.
Cases like a teacher and student taking the exam together had never happened in Bai Chuan before, and became a hot gossip topic for a time.
The exam site was at the Bai Chuan Academy. The chief examiner was the dean from an academy 500 li away. He was nearly seventy years old this year with slightly deaf ears and poor vision, so he basically served no function.
And the Bai Chuan dean had gone to another county to be the chief examiner there, as per custom. So the remaining teachers at the academy were like the chief examiners for this exam.
Especially Teacher Liu, who had the most prestige at the academy, so he was basically in charge of arranging this exam.
There were 56 students participating in the county exam this time, but only 3 spots to become a xiucai scholar, so competition was fierce.
"All examinees, enter the exam hall in order!"
The examiners were already in position outside the academy gates, announcing for students to enter.
Wang Er tidied himself up and said, "Mother, I'm going in."
"Go on, just do your best without too much pressure. I'll take you out for something tasty at noon."
Wang Er sighed inwardly.
Other parents urged their kids to do their best in the exam, but his mother didn't seem to care at all about his exam, even wanting to take him out for something tasty.
He really didn't know what she was thinking.
At this time, Li Xian walked over.
Seeing Wang Er participating in the exam this year, his face revealed a hint of a smile.
"Nephew, it seems you're unlucky this year," Li Xian said, neither smiling nor otherwise, "There are only three spots total, you probably won't get any."
Then looking at Teacher Lü: "As for you, an eternal student, there's no need to get your hopes up."
"What are you saying?" Song Zhe retorted unhappily, "My brother Wang will definitely not fail the exam, that would be a huge joke."
"Then we'll just wait and see."
Li Xian didn't linger after speaking, directly entering the academy.