Chapter 31: A Different Kind of Life

After seeing Qin Zhao off, Cao Xi staggered back to the shop to help out.

The preparations for the business were already done, and Cao Xi went to the courtyard to bring a basket of vegetables inside.

Xiao Rui ran over to Cao Xi and cheerfully asked, “Sister Xi, Brother Zhao is taking the exam today, why is he back so soon?”

Cao Xi replied, “He’s already entered the exam hall.”

“Oh, Brother Zhao is so smart. He must have done well,” Xiao Rui said confidently. She had always believed in Qin Zhao’s intelligence, and after finishing her sentence, she teased Cao Xi by asking if there was anything for her to eat. She even suggested Cao Xi send her to the academy.

Meanwhile, her older brother wasn’t as reliable. She shot a fierce glare at Xiao Chuan, who was busy working. Xiao Chuan, feeling inexplicably confused by her stare, chose not to argue and continued working.

Cao Xi turned around and saw Li Feng nearby, so she asked him, “Brother Li, what are you doing?”

Xiao Rui answered for him, “I don’t know. He’s been gone half the time for the past two days.”

Water Buffalo knew what Li Feng was up to but chose not to tell Cao Xi, as what Li Feng was doing couldn’t be easily explained.

Cao Xi noticed that Li Feng had been doing well for himself recently and hadn’t been spending money unnecessarily.

As time passed, more customers came to the shop, and Cao Xi became busier.

Li Feng returned around noon, looking visibly tired.

“Brother Li, have you eaten?” Cao Xi asked, setting down the account book she was working on.

“Is there anything to eat?” Li Feng replied. He had been busy the whole night and hadn’t had a chance to eat.

“There’s some leftover rice. Sit down, and I’ll make you fried rice,” Cao Xi said as she began preparing the ingredients.

Li Feng followed her to the courtyard, squatting by the stove to help with the fire.

Seeing his tired expression, Cao Xi urged him to go rest inside.

“I’ll be fine, you go rest first,” Li Feng insisted.

“No, I’ll help with the fire,” Cao Xi said, squatting down and adding more wood to the stove.

Cao Xi worked quickly, chopping some meat and mixing it with eggs to make fried rice for Li Feng.

Li Feng kept glancing at her while she cooked.

After several glances, Cao Xi finally said, “It’ll be ready soon.”

She stirred the rice a few more times, then scooped it into a bowl and handed it to Li Feng with a pair of chopsticks.

“Eat first, I’ll make some soup for you,” she said, using the leftover heat from the stove to prepare a simple soup.

Li Feng replied, “No need, it’s fine. I’ll just eat the fried rice.” The smell of the fragrant rice made him even hungrier.

Cao Xi did as he asked, quickly making a simple radish soup. By the time the soup was ready, Li Feng had already eaten half of the fried rice. She placed the soup in front of him and said, “Drink some soup to warm your stomach.”

A full bowl of soup, topped with floating scallions, and shredded radish settled at the bottom. The soup was clear and fragrant. Li Feng stared at it for a moment before taking a sip. He looked up at Cao Xi and softly said, “Thank you.”

“Why are you being so polite? Just eat. I should be the one thanking you for helping in the kitchen,” Cao Xi replied.

Though Cao Xi took off her apron and walked toward the kitchen, she felt a bit puzzled. Li Feng had no problem eating the food she made, but his thanks felt somewhat awkward to her, as it wasn’t something he was used to.

The exam Qin Zhao had taken went smoothly. By dinner time, he was already back at the stove, following Cao Xi’s instructions step by step as he cooked. He cracked an egg into the pot, and as the noodles cooked, a delicious aroma filled the air.

His neighbor seemed to catch the scent and sniffed the air, realizing it was coming from next door. It must be a picnic, he thought. After all, the food being cooked smelled so inviting.

He grimaced and moved his chair further away, trying to distance himself from the tempting fragrance. But not long after, the smell of roast chicken from the other side reached him. The scent was even more unbearable, and he quickly moved back.

He bit down hard on a steamed bun, feeling frustrated. It wasn’t fair. Why did the others get to enjoy food while he was stuck in the exam?

The supervising officer noticed Qin Zhao’s choice of noodles and cast a disapproving glance at another examinee, who was munching on a roast chicken. The officer swallowed hard, his gaze now fixed on the student eating the bun.

The student eating the bun, startled by the officer’s look, burped and shifted uncomfortably, avoiding the officer’s stare.

The evening exam continued. The night air was cool, and Qin Zhao, wearing a jacket Cao Xi had given him, adjusted the oil lamp and continued his work.

As Qin Zhao was not home, Cao Xi had finished her meal and left, just as Li Feng had earlier.

“Li Ge, I feel like you’ve been saying less and less lately,” Cao Xi remarked. She noticed that Li Feng had been getting quieter and more mysterious lately.

“Isn’t it normal for men to be quieter?” Li Feng answered casually, his gaze focused elsewhere.

“Maybe, but it’s a bit hard to get used to,” Cao Xi replied.

She felt like Li Feng had become more distant, his warmth fading. It seemed as if he had lost the spark for life.

Li Feng, his voice indifferent, responded, “Get used to it.” It was unclear if he was speaking to Cao Xi or to himself.

“Let’s go inside. The courtyard door is still open; make sure it’s closed tonight,” Li Feng said, signaling it was time to leave.

“I understand, Li Ge. You should head back too, I’ll lock the door,” Cao Xi said, feeling a bit unsettled.

The two of them locked eyes for a long while before Li Feng finally said, “Why isn’t the door closed?”

Cao Xi sighed, feeling a bit frustrated, and said, “I’ll close it once you’re gone.”

Li Feng insisted, “No, I’ll close it once you lock it.”

Cao Xi did as he asked, securing the courtyard gate, and said, “It’s locked now. Li Ge, you should go home. I’m heading inside.”

Just as she finished speaking, she felt Li Feng push the door from the outside, as if testing if it was truly locked. After a brief pause, he finally walked away.

“That’s really considerate of you,” Cao Xi muttered, heading to the kitchen to boil water and prepare for bed. The courtyard was quiet in the cool night air.

Inside, Qin Zhao continued to stoke the fire by the stove, his solitary figure illuminated by the flickering flames.

At the exam site, Qin Zhao’s thoughts were far from the test. He stared up at the moon, wondering how he could get through this exam quickly. It all felt unreal without Cao Xi by his side. He wished it were over so he could see her again.

The second round of the exam began, and Qin Zhao quickly finished preparing, sitting at his desk with a cup of brown sugar ginger tea, waiting for the papers to be distributed.

His efficiency left the invigilators impressed. They had never seen an examinee answer so quickly. It was as if Qin Zhao was doing a practice test rather than an actual exam.

At noon, when the sun was high in the sky, the invigilators were sweating under the intense heat. In contrast, Qin Zhao sat comfortably, occasionally glancing at his test paper and then looking up at the sun, seemingly unaffected by the heat. His calm demeanor caught the chief examiner’s attention.

As the sunlight shifted, the chief examiner appeared by Qin Zhao’s side. Qin Zhao immediately straightened up, feeling the pressure of the examiner’s scrutiny. The invigilators shared a quiet laugh, amused by his composure.

The chief examiner leaned down to review Qin Zhao’s test paper. After a moment of silence, he gave Qin Zhao a deep look before turning and walking away.

The invigilators were left talking among themselves, realizing that Qin Zhao was not someone to be underestimated.

As it was time to collect the papers, the invigilators quickly organized the tests and prepared for the next subject.