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Upon hearing Ruan Gaofei’s words, the expressions of the onlookers changed instantly.
To excel after just a year of studying? That’s quite impressive!
Besides knowledge, luck must have played a significant role!
Their eyes sparkled with admiration. When they looked at Song Jingyun, it was as if his eyes were shining brightly, almost bursting with light. They even moved closer to him, seeking to absorb his aura!
Absorb his luck!
Since Song Jingyun’s luck seemed so good, conversing with him and spending time with him would surely bring some luck their way, helping them stand out in this Autumn Examination.
After all, after years of hard study, this Autumn Examination would determine their fate.
Especially for those who failed the major examination three years ago, they now eagerly wished to grab Song Jingyun’s sleeve to bask in his glory.
Initially, Ruan Gaofei was stunned and then had a complex expression on his face. He felt a sense of satisfaction, but when he noticed everyone crowding around Song Jingyun like he was a rare treasure, his expression fell.
He couldn’t help but wonder.
Were these people all losing their minds? Rather than considering one’s scholarly abilities, were they solely focused on someone’s luck?
In theory, these were all well-read individuals, so why did they believe in such intangible things?
Feeling suffocated by the crowd surrounding him, Song Jingyun couldn’t help but say, “Sometimes luck isn’t that great…”
For instance, during exams, some people brought extra delicious food that made his stomach growl with hunger.
Or, whenever results were released, the things he wanted to buy were always sold out, leaving him empty-handed.
Seeing his good friend Yang Anning also surrounding Song Jingyun, Ruan Gaofei felt even more frustrated. He stomped his foot in annoyance and swiftly left the teahouse.
After finishing their conversation with Song Jingyun, Yang Anning scanned the area but couldn’t find Ruan Gaofei. Worried, he hurriedly went outside to search for him.
Spotting the visibly upset Ruan Gaofei on the street, Yang Anning hastened to catch up. “Brother Ruan, what’s the matter?”
“Others may not understand, but how could even you, Yang, be like this?” Ruan Gaofei grumbled. “Those people, especially as scholars, placing their hopes on luck rather than diligent studying—it’s truly absurd!”
“Don’t you see, Brother Ruan?” Yang Anning chuckled. “Throughout history, literary figures have been critical of each other. Looking at the candidates preparing for the Autumn Examination, each boasting of years of hard study and vast knowledge, if they fail, they won’t attribute it to their lack of learning but rather blame it on bad luck.”
“So, when everyone hears about Song Jingyun’s exceptional luck, naturally, they are willing to associate with him, hoping to share in that luck and achieve a good ranking in this Autumn Examination.”
“But then again, Song Jingyun is quite interesting. If it were someone else with good luck, they would likely keep it to themselves, but he openly talks about it…”
“If you ask me, this Song Jingyun might turn out to be quite a character.”
Understanding the dynamics of literary figures being critical of each other and attributing exam failures to luck, deliberately mentioning his good fortune could be a strategy to gain prestige and attract admiration?
Ruan Gaofei immediately grasped this concept, his teeth grinding audibly. “Such meticulous thinking!”
Such a deep level of scheming!
A person with such traits, if successful in the future examinations and ventures into officialdom, could potentially create unimaginable chaos in the political arena!
Ruan Gaofei stood on the street, gazing up at the teahouse with intense eyes, almost wishing to glare fiercely at Song Jingyun in the crowd.
Then, he gave Yang Anning a sidelong glance. “Since you’ve seen through this, why did you also approach Song Jingyun earlier?”
Yang Anning, “…”
Rubbing his nose, Yang Anning chuckled, “Since everyone else was going, it would have seemed odd if I didn’t join in, so…”
In reality, he also hoped to see if he could catch a bit of luck!
After giving Yang Anning a glance and coldly huffing, Ruan Gaofei left in a huff.
Yang Anning once again rubbed his nose, glanced at the teahouse, then at Ruan Gaofei’s departing figure, shook his head with a smile, and leisurely walked away with his hands behind his back.
Over the next few days, due to consecutive rain showers, Song Jingyun didn’t visit the teahouse but instead focused on studying and practicing calligraphy in the inn.
Xun Yuanbai came three times a day to look for him, insisting on having meals together—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Even after dinner, he wouldn’t leave immediately but kept talking to him.
This situation left Song Jingyun feeling a bit frustrated.
Being constantly bothered by Xun Yuanbai, Song Jingyun couldn’t have a quiet chat with his wife in bed.
Therefore, Song Jingyun decided to “fake illness.”
He claimed to have caught a cold and needed plenty of rest, advising Xun Yuanbai to make fewer visits to avoid catching his “illness.”
Xun Yuanbai, “…”
This young man seemed to have forgotten that not only was he a diviner but also a highly skilled physician.
Without even checking his pulse, just by observing Song Jingyun’s healthy complexion and the sparkle in his eyes, Xun Yuanbai knew he was as fit as a fiddle!
However, since the young man claimed to be sick and didn’t want Xun Yuanbai to catch anything, he must have felt the old man was being a bit of a nuisance. Thus, it was better to play along.
Xun Yuanbai didn’t expose Song Jingyun’s act; he simply nodded silently, instructed Jiang Mixia to take good care of him, and then returned to his room to rest.
After returning to his room, Xun Yuanbai sighed deeply for a long time.
*Sigh*…
If he had made a mistake, he believed that it should be up to the heavens to punish him, not to be stuck here, eating in silence while being ignored by the young couple.
Feeling extremely frustrated because of this incident, Xun Yuanbai tossed and turned all night, unable to get a good night’s sleep. It wasn’t until dawn that he finally closed his eyes and slept until nearly noon.
Feeling too lazy to go out, Xun Yuanbai asked the inn’s waiter to bring some soup and dishes over, wanting to have a warm meal.
Before long, the waiter brought scallion pancakes and a steaming hot pot of pickled fish.
Xun Yuanbai, “…”