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Later on, the mother and daughter were no longer seen, with rumors suggesting that Yunniang had left with her daughter after separating from her husband.
One could only wonder how they were doing at that moment.
Feeling nostalgic, Jiang Mixia sighed and swallowed the wonton on the spoon in her mouth.
The robust flavor of the chili oil, the thin wonton skin, generous filling, and delicious meat… It all reminded her of the spicy wontons she once had in the capital city.
Her eyes lit up, “These spicy wontons…”
“Do you also find them delicious, my dear?” Song Jingyun chuckled.
“Was the stall run by a young mother and daughter, with the daughter being about six or seven years old? The woman was slender and appeared gentle?” Jiang Mixia inquired.
“Oh, so my wife has already tried their spicy wontons,” Song Jingyun’s initial excitement dissipated.
He had thought he had discovered a delectable treat even his wife didn’t know about, only to find out she had already tasted it. Moreover, she never considered letting him try these delicious spicy wontons.
Could it be…
Could it be…
That his wife simply wasn’t thinking about him at all?
Song Jingyun suddenly felt dejected.
Meanwhile, Jiang Mixia couldn’t help but suppress a smile.
It truly was them, the mother and daughter.
Selling spicy wontons here likely meant they had indeed separated from the husband and moved out completely, settling in this distant county town after leaving the capital city.
With delicious spicy wontons and their diligent work ethic, this mother-daughter duo was sure to thrive in the days ahead.
Feeling reassured, Jiang Mixia nodded with a slight smile.
Seeing himself so disheartened, instead of offering comfort, Jiang Mixia laughed. Feeling even more neglected, Song Jingyun reached out and tugged at her sleeve.
“What’s wrong?” Jiang Mixia snapped out of her thoughts.
She even… asked him what was wrong?
“Are you in a rush to eat grilled meat? Patience is key. The charcoal needs to burn brightly, the meat needs to marinate well, only then will the grilled meat taste delicious,” Jiang Mixia advised, lowering her head to prepare the marinated lamb slices. Once the charcoal fire was ready, she began grilling the meat on the rack.
So she thought he was only focused on food?
Song Jingyun felt inexplicably sulky, his cheeks puffed up as he grabbed a nearby stool and sat down.
Sulking.
Humph, let’s see when you’ll notice that your husband is upset!
Unaware of his mood, Jiang Mixia continued grilling the meat attentively. Once the lamb skewers were ready, she handed them to Song Jingyun, saying, “Try these and see how they taste.”
“I know you prefer cumin on your grilled meat and not chili powder. So, I skipped the chili powder and only used a hint of black pepper. The flavor should be excellent,” she explained.
Initially hesitating to accept the skewers to show his annoyance, Song Jingyun’s thoughts shifted upon hearing that Jiang Mixia had grilled the lamb exactly to his liking. He quickly took the skewers and said, “Thank you, my dear.”
The lamb skewers were perfectly cooked—crispy on the outside, tender inside, juicy, and incredibly flavorful.
Song Jingyun’s bad mood vanished completely.
The lamb skewers were delicious.
My wife…
She does care about him after all!
Song Jingyun happily finished eating the skewers and then helped Jiang Mixia tidy up the remaining grilled meat and vegetables.
Seeing the smile return to her husband’s face, Jiang Mixia tilted her head.
Well, it seems it was all because he was hungry after all. She had thought something serious had happened.
Truly, there’s nothing that a few lamb skewers can’t solve, and if there was, they would just grill a few more!
A few days later, the exam results at the academy were announced.
Song Jingyun had secured the first place in the academy.
This outcome came as no surprise to the senior scholars, including the headmaster. Given Song Jingyun’s performance in the provincial examination and his diligent study habits, along with his exceptional talent, solid work ethic, and unique insights, his success was entirely expected.
For most students at Wende Academy, this result seemed entirely fitting.
Given their limited exposure to such exceptional memory, witnessing someone with this ability firsthand was indeed quite shocking for them.
However, Zhang Yaosheng remained deeply perplexed.
Hadn’t the scholars emphasized that success required a combination of talent and effort, with even those lacking natural abilities able to achieve success through hard work and dedication?
Then why, in his case, did this not seem to hold true?
Despite his considerable efforts, why did he still end up with a third-from-last rank in this exam? After ranking poorly for two consecutive years, he was now facing transfer to the county school, losing the privilege of receiving the academy’s stipend.
Zhang Yaosheng, feeling aggrieved, raised his voice defiantly in front of everyone, declaring, “I object! Examinations should be anonymous, with sealed papers for fair evaluation. The current method of grading papers in the academy lacks impartiality!”
Silence fell around him as his words hung in the air.
After a long pause, someone coldly retorted, “Are you questioning the fairness of the scholars and the headmaster?”
“Indeed, since its establishment, the scholars and headmaster of Wende Academy have been esteemed figures. How dare you tarnish their reputation?”
“Or perhaps you believe your poor performance is due to the scholars intentionally targeting you?”
The barrage of questions felt like heavy blows to Zhang Yaosheng’s heart.
Especially when Headmaster Yue approached, hands clasped behind his back, and asked in a clear voice, “Do you have doubts about the ranking in this exam?”
Zhang Yaosheng, feeling a bit flustered, but determined, pressed on, “I don’t doubt the fairness of the scholars and the headmaster. I simply believe in my own diligence and hard work. I study diligently every day until late at night, while some others seem to relax and effortlessly achieve the top spot. I just want to understand the reasons for this discrepancy.”
“Oh?” Headmaster Yue tilted his head slightly, “You suggest that Song Jingyun indulges in leisure activities rather than studying? Whenever I see him, he is deeply engrossed in his studies. I’m curious as to why you have this perception?”
“It’s just a façade when he’s in front of you, Headmaster,” Zhang Yaosheng retorted, “During the recent heavy snowfall, I observed clearly at home. Song Jingyun only starts studying late in the morning, reads for a short while, then takes tea and snacks. If not, he helps with gardening. He has a long lunch break, takes a nap, resumes studying in the afternoon, breaks for dinner, and extinguishes the lights by nightfall.”
“Throughout the day, the total time he spends studying doesn’t even add up to two hours. I can’t fathom how someone studying for less than two hours a day could produce exemplary work and secure the first place.”
“I’ve even heard that Song Jingyun seems to have a close relationship with the county magistrate. During the provincial examination, the official in charge of overseeing the exam seemed to inquire about Song Jingyun. I wonder if there’s more to their connection.”