Chapter 48

Since returning from Qingzhu Academy, the Zhou Shi has been restless and lost her appetite. She also become thinner.

This is normal. Although Mu Yunchuan didn’t often return home before, at least they knew he was in the city. If they wanted to see him, they could meet in half an hour. Moreover, they could occasionally learn about his recent activities from Wei Shu.

But now that he’s gone to the capital, they really can’t see him or learn about his whereabouts.

Even if Mu Yunchuan finishes the exam and rushes back as soon as he gets the results, they won’t see him until May at the earliest.

Shen Cui has added her to the system as a general worker. She only moves her out when she needs to cook herself.

So, her mood value and physical condition can be seen.

Mrs. Zhou is thin and has had a very difficult time recently.

Her physical condition has never been very good, just slightly better than Wei Xi, but still barely passing.

And she is not a cultivated target. In the system, her identity as a general worker is far inferior to the teacher, Luo Buyu.

So most of the things purchased in the system’s mall are of no use to her.

Shen Cui had to make her eat more at every meal, reminding her to take a few more bites under the pretext of not wasting food, and to go to bed early, saving on lamp and oil expenses.

She didn’t have any symptoms, she just ate more carefully, and didn’t stay up all night, so she didn’t get sick.

In April, Wei Shu came to see Wei Xi again, looking at Mrs. Zhou who was even more haggard than Wei Xi, who was missing her husband dearly.

After he came a few times, his attitude towards Shen Cui and Luo Buyu improved. Shen Cui, as the elder, didn’t argue with him about his previous attitude. Now they could be considered to have a relationship where they could talk.

But Wei Shu would definitely not confide in him. One day at dinner, Shen Cui called Wei Xi aside.

Since coming to the academy, Wei Xi has always been very obedient. But when Shen Cui said she wanted him to comfort his older brother a bit, Wei Xi didn’t agree right away. Instead, he said, “He’s not the one I’m closest to. I asked him before, and he didn’t want to say. If I say more, he’ll get annoyed. Mu Yunchuan will be back soon, and he’s much better asking him than I am.”

For the first time, there was a hint of childishness in his demeanor.

These two brothers, clearly neither of them could let go of the other, but they always showed their worst side to each other, often out of spite.

Shen Cui couldn’t help but smile. Wei Xi had already regarded her as an elder in the academy, and he said what he thought directly.

After saying it, his fair face also showed a blush, feeling that what he had just said was very naive.

“When family members are distressed, you are their best comfort. If you can’t ask, then try other ways. Our clever little Xi has other ways, naturally.”

Blushing, Wei Xi said softly that he understood.

Later that evening, Luo Buyu told stories to Mu Er Pang, while the Wei brothers sat in the other half of the room as usual.

Wei Shu absentmindedly picked up a book to read, while Wei Xi turned his head several times to look at him, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

Wei Shu, no matter how carefree he was, noticed and laughed, lightly tapping his head with the book, “Just say it, why are you acting like a thief?”

Wei Xi pushed away his hand and pushed the words he had written in front of him.

Wei Xi had been practicing calligraphy for many years. By now, he no longer needed to deliberately imitate famous artists and had developed a little style of his own.

He wrote casually, with only one line of poetry on the paper— “Do not forget your original intentions, as heaven and earth are one.”

“Why are you suddenly writing poems by Lu You? Didn’t you dislike his private life? When you were young, you said he was too immersed in love, didn’t balance the relationship between his wife and mother, which led to that tragic story.”

“I just felt like writing it.” Wei Xi turned his face to look at him seriously.

The two looked almost identical, but Wei Xi was frail, looking two or three years younger than him.

His face lacked the ruggedness of Wei Shu, but the dark eyes of Wei Xi held a firm light that Wei Shu did not have at the moment.

Realizing that this poem was written for himself, Wei Shu put away his smile.

“Do not forget your original intentions,” indeed, he returned to his hometown, entered the Qingzhu Academy, not for others, but to revive the family and shoulder the responsibility of the future family head.

Lu You was trapped in love, to the point where his mother thought Tang Wan had delayed her son’s studies, so she ordered him to divorce and remarry.

What was he now? Because he valued friendship, he had been indifferent to studying for some time. Not much different from those who are immersed in love.

Even though he regarded Mu Yunchuan as his best friend, he should not let his affairs affect his ‘original intentions’ of entering the imperial examinations and reviving the family.

A simple line of poetry was more effective than any comfort or persuasion!

Wei Shu felt thunderstruck, unable to speak for a long time.

Seeing him awake, Wei Xi didn’t say much either, focusing on his work.

As brothers, seeing his sickly younger brother working so hard made Wei Shu even more ashamed of himself.

He no longer thought about Mu Yunchuan or the rumors outside, but instead spoke up, “I just read a passage from a book these past few days that I can’t quite understand. How about we discuss it together?”

Debating among literati was the most common way of exchanging ideas, but Wei Shu had always treated Wei Xi as a child who needed his guidance in everything. Every time he talked to him, it was in a paternalistic tone that even outsiders wouldn’t believe. They had never communicated like this before.

Wei Xi pursed his lips, showing a hint of a shallow smile, but quickly suppressed it and softly said, “Master is teaching Brother, let’s go inside and discuss.”

Mu Er Pang stood up at this moment and said, “I need to go to the restroom, you two can discuss here. It’s a good opportunity for Master to listen and help evaluate who is right.”

After he finished speaking, he went out.

Wei Shu and Wei Xi didn’t change their location and began to debate in front of Lou Buyu.

…

On the Mu family’s side, Shen Cui was sitting on the kang by the window as usual, Zhou Shi was doing needlework, and she was leaning against the pillow with her eyes closed, chatting with the system intermittently.

The system had been stubborn before and actually went through a crash course in Blue Star’s legal knowledge.

After finishing the course, he realized something was wrong. The law he studied was from Shen Cui’s era, so why was it discussing the fifty-year copyright term, which was relevant to this era?

This era didn’t have such strict laws; pirated books were common in various bookstores, and there was no concept of legitimate or pirated editions. If they really talked about copyright, then seventy to eighty percent of the bookstores would have to close.

So, regardless of the era, the system selling books would not lead to any copyright disputes.

It seemed that as long as Shen Cui spoke, she could twist things in her favor!

Because of this, for several days, Shen Cui found him sulking and moody whenever she tried to chat with him.

Seeing that he had figured it out, Shen Cui felt a little embarrassed and promised not to exploit this loophole to make money in the future, but only to help Wei Shu, who was half her family, occasionally earn some money to help with household expenses.

The system couldn’t argue with her and after she coaxed him for a while, he finally relented.

So, the two of them were able to chat occasionally during breaks in their tasks.

There was a slight noise from the window, and Zhou Shi immediately put down her needlework to open a seam in the window.

Shen Cui also looked up and saw her chubby son’s smiling face.

Without much words, Shen Cui raised an eyebrow, and he extended his finger, making the “ok” gesture that Shen Cui had taught him.

Shen Cui smiled lightly, knowing that Wei Xi had already pacified Wei Shu.

The two of them laughed together, and Shen Cui motioned with her lips towards the room, asking if he wanted to come in and sit for a while.

Mu Er Pang shook his head calmly, patting his sturdy shoulders—now that he was a senior brother, he had responsibilities and couldn’t just report and take a break!

Then, mother and son both smiled in unison again. Mu Er Pang waved to her and went back to the academy.

Zhou Shi watched their silent interaction and couldn’t help but smile along, even though she didn’t understand it. She was not a talkative person and didn’t ask much, but as she looked at the needlework in her hands, she couldn’t help but sigh softly, thinking of Mu Yunchuan, who was still unaware of the situation.

…

In late April, the results were announced in the capital.

Mu Yunchuan had not returned yet, but the Qingzhu Academy was well-informed, and news of his leading performance in the prefectural examination had spread back to the county.

After becoming the head of the case, he had already become a celebrity in the county. Now, with another top score in the prefectural exam, the city was abuzz with rumors. For him, the subsequent academy exam was like picking up something from a bag.

Although the exams became harder as they progressed, and the competition became fiercer, Mu Yunchuan might not even score in the top three in the next exam, but his success as a scholar was assured!

On the day when Wei Shu came to share the good news, Zhou Shi was still busy with her work.

All the money they had saved was given to Mu Yunchuan, so she dared not stop working. If it weren’t for Shen Cui’s advice, she would have hated to even sleep and would have done more work.

After hearing the good news, Zhou Shi’s eyes were red, her thin lips trembling, and for a moment, she forgot to even thank him.

As for Shen Cui, her face was also somewhat solemn—Mu Yunchuan had said before that he would return home before the academy exam.

Every time they met before, it was just a few casual words, a brief encounter.

But now that Zhou Shi had moved here and the old house had been given to Lou Buyu and the others, Mu Yunchuan would naturally come back here to live.

In other words, she was about to face Mu Yunchuan’s first formal confrontation very soon.

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