He had never considered family background as the most important factor in accepting students—character was what mattered the most.

If a person lacked good character, then no matter how well they studied, their knowledge would only become more dangerous.

“I guess Dean Mo must be wondering why a mere woman like me would know Shopkeeper Wu, right?” Jian Xiu asked with a smile.

“Hahaha…”

As soon as she said this, Mo Shanhua burst into laughter.

Seeing his reaction, Jian Xiu proceeded to explain how she had come to know Wu Mingtang.

From the very first glance, she had felt that Mo Shanhua was a man of both virtue and talent.

Hearing her words, Mo Shanhua grew curious and asked, “So, Miss Jian, does that mean you have quite some knowledge about food?”

In truth, it wasn’t just that Jian Xiu had a good first impression of him—Mo Shanhua also found Jian Xiu quite impressive.

Having met countless people in his life, he could tell at first sight that Jian Xiu was a person of upright character.

Hearing Mo Shanhua’s question, Jian Xiu immediately took out a cake from the basket on her back.

She handed it to him and raised her eyebrows.

“This pastry is called a cake. It’s something new that I recently developed. I don’t even know how it tastes yet, so why don’t you try it and give me some feedback?”

Jian Xiu’s words were carefully chosen. She neither appeared to be currying favor nor forcing him to accept it.

At the same time, she was able to get him to try her cake.

But in truth, Jian Xiu genuinely wanted Mo Shanhua to taste it. If there were any issues, she could make improvements.

The more people who tried it, the more suggestions she could gather.

“Oh, this does look like a novel treat!” Mo Shanhua said with a bright smile.

As he spoke, his eyes kept glancing at the pieces of cake, clearly eager to try them.

Seeing this, Jian Xiu raised her eyebrows.

It seemed she had made the cake just right—this Mo Shanhua was clearly a foodie!

“Here, Dean, please try it. But once you’ve eaten it, I hope you can give me some pointers so that I can continue to improve.”

“Hahaha…”

Upon hearing this, Mo Shanhua laughed heartily.

He quickly picked up a piece and took a small bite.

The moment he tasted it, his eyes filled with disbelief as he looked at Jian Xiu.

“This… this doesn’t taste like an ordinary pastry! It’s made of flour, but… but…”

At this moment, Mo Shanhua was so astonished that he couldn’t even find the right words.

There was no doubt—the cake was delicious. So delicious, in fact, that he found himself at a loss for words.

When Jian Xiu had first taken it out, he had already smelled its unique fragrance.

But smelling it was one thing—he hadn’t expected it to taste so incredible.

“Well, Dean Mo? How does it taste?”

“It’s delicious, absolutely delicious! Young lady, did you really make this yourself?” Mo Shanhua asked in disbelief.

“Of course. I made it myself this very morning. Do you think I would lie to you?”

“You truly have a pair of skillful hands, young lady.”

Seeing that Mo Shanhua enjoyed it, Jian Xiu felt relieved.

She then took off her basket, pulled out another portion of cake, and handed it to Mo Shanhua.

“If you like it, I have a little more here. Please don’t mind—there’s not much I can offer as a simple woman…”

“Oh, that’s not true at all! It’s the thought that counts. This gift is exactly to my liking. I love it—hahaha!”

Mo Shanhua burst into laughter again.

After this conversation, the atmosphere in the courtyard became noticeably more relaxed.

“Come, follow me inside!”

With that, everyone followed Mo Shanhua toward the main hall.

As soon as Jian Xiu stepped inside, a faint scent of ink filled her nose, giving her a feeling of tranquility.

The hall was simply yet elegantly furnished—not extravagant, but exuding a profound sense of cultural heritage.

At the back stood a screen with three large characters inscribed on it: Xue Wen Zhai (Academy of Learning).

The calligraphy was bold and powerful, with sharp strokes that fully embodied the grandeur of Mo Shanhua’s academy.

As the saying goes, “A person’s writing reflects their character.”

At a glance, Jian Xiu could tell that the inscription was personally written by Mo Shanhua.

“You can read, young lady?”

Seeing Jian Xiu staring at the screen, Mo Shanhua curiously asked.

Based on her attire, she clearly dressed like a rural woman.

But her mannerisms were anything but that of a simple village woman.

Her speech and demeanor were poised and composed, qualities that most rural women did not possess.

Moreover, she carried a natural air of confidence, as if she radiated a unique charm wherever she went.

From the very first moment, Mo Shanhua had felt that she was extraordinary.

He had met countless people, yet he couldn’t quite pinpoint exactly what made her different.

“Yes, I can read,” Jian Xiu replied confidently.

For some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to downplay her knowledge with something like, “Just a little.”

She had answered without hesitation.

“Hahaha, young lady, you are quite straightforward! Since that’s the case, I won’t beat around the bush either. Even though you brought me this delicious treat today, if the two young boys fail my test, then they fail. I won’t accept them just because I find you agreeable. Do you understand?”

“Of course. If they can’t pass your test, it simply means they lack the talent for this field. I, Jian Xiu, would never force them into something they aren’t suited for. There are many paths to success—if this one doesn’t work, we’ll find another. I believe there is always a path that will suit them.”

Hearing this, Mo Shanhua was momentarily stunned.

He hadn’t expected such a response from her.

After a long pause, he finally came to his senses and muttered, “Many paths to success… Good! Well said! Young lady, your perspective is truly unique—it’s refreshing to hear.”

“You flatter me, Dean Mo. I’m merely speaking my humble opinion. But I heard from Shopkeeper Wu that there will be a scholarly competition soon, is that right?”

“Indeed. In a few months, the academy will send some of its well-trained students to compete. If they win, not only will the county government reward them, but the academy will as well. Why? Are you thinking of having them participate?”

As he spoke, Mo Shanhua glanced at Zhang Feixuan and Zhang Feiyi.

So far, he found their behavior quite satisfactory.

At the very least, they had been obedient and well-mannered since arriving.

“Why not? There are still three months left. Besides, I heard that this competition mainly focuses on poetry and arithmetic,” Jian Xiu said confidently.