Lian Musu looked toward Lin Yuejuan beside her and made small talk, "Clan Aunt, how did your market day go?"
Lin Yuejuan, beaming with joy, said, "Wonderful, beyond anything I’ve ever experienced. Nephew, you don’t know, we gained quite a lot today, especially your mother..."
Suddenly rembering the crowd around them and the saying ’wealth should not be flaunted’, she hurriedly lowered her voice, suppressing the urge to share and show off, and instead said, "Oh, let’s talk about those things when we get back. Nephew, looking at you and Wu Sheng like this, you must be exhausted, right? There were so many people today. Wipe your sweat and co sit down."
The mont Lian Wanzhen confird that it was his elder brother and Wu Sheng, he started bustling about, rearranging the large and small packages they bought to make so room.
Hearing the conversation among the three, he candidly spoke, "Mother, Clan Aunt, seeing my big brother like this, I think he must have been blocked by soone. Didn’t we run into a similar situation before? But big brother, there were a bunch of show-offs outside, luckily you didn’t et them. They were so scary, I don’t know who was so unlucky to get surrounded by them and couldn’t get out. I didn’t even dare to look."
Wu Sheng wanted to say sothing but then held back. They had just co from that very situation... and had only managed to get away after much difficulty...
Before they could respond, Lian Wanzhen poured two cups of water and continued talking on his own, "Anyway, big brother, Wu Sheng, how did you guys end up here? Have a drink of water first. We just got these dishes and haven’t eaten much. We’ll order a couple more dishes soon and eat together. Wu Sheng, bring over that stool. Mother, Clan Aunt, you might need to sit over here later, I’ll sit with my brother on this end. Old Ladies Wu, young girl, you don’t mind adding my brother and I to your table, do you?"
Er Ya felt a wave of dizziness, as if she were standing on cotton, the sensation so unreal. She excitedly watched the man approaching, saw him talk to the people next to her, and even when her mother tugged at her with a question, she couldn’t hear a thing, overwheld with happiness, as if she were about to faint from joy. He was just too handso, even better looking than his portrait, and how could soone be so handso and have the appearance of a Top Scholar.
Lost in her infatuation, she suddenly heard Lian Wanzhen’s words and reacted quicker than she ever had before, eagerly replying, "Not at all!" Her voice was both sharp and excited, clearly longing to sit beside him.
Lian Wanzhen looked at her in surprise, thinking, wasn’t this little girl cold as ice just now? Why is she so warm all of a sudden? But it’s a good thing she doesn’t mind. After all, she’s a young lady and they have to be careful about their reputations. Even though nowadays customs are more open than before, it’d still not be right to force anyone against their will, especially if she had objected, we could have looked elsewhere for food.
Wu Sheng ca over to assist Lian Wanzhen and, after placing the stool down, saw an intense gaze fixed on him and couldn’t help but cry out, "Old Lady Wu, what are you doing here?"
Old Lady Wu had been waiting for this mont and eagerly began to engage in conversation.
Seeing that it was soone he knew, Lian Wanzhen thought, that makes things easier.
The Elder Sister-in-law was the only one out of the loop, she only noticed a very handso Scholar with a young lad enter, and her daughter seed to be enchanted, blurting out "Top Scholar" unexpectedly, which even left her astounded.
She looked closely at the man, thinking could this be the Top Scholar himself? He’s even more handso than the rumors say, with an indescribable aura... It’s like... like... ah, it’s hard to put into words. No wonder Er Ya kept talking about him non-stop, even a woman her age found herself staring in amazent.
She initially wanted to tug at Er Ya to confirm if this was the Top Scholar she always talked about, but Er Ya was ignoring her, which was irritating. Rembering that Old Lady Wu had ntioned knowing the Top Scholar, she turned her head wanting to ask Old Lady Wu, only to find her in a state of delighted disbelief, chatting enerously with the young lad who had just arrived.
Well, it seed she was the only one left out.
When Elder Sister-in-law heard Lian Wanzhen’s words, she wanted to speak but saw her own daughter’s infatuated look and answered so quickly that she couldn’t help but feel annoyed and helpless, waving her hand to indicate it didn’t matter. She took the bowls and chopsticks from the waiter and arranged them, anwhile asking a few questions to confirm that this was indeed the Top Scholar from the re-examination. She hadn’t expected soone from her family to be so cultured and unassuming, truly worthy of being the family that raised a Top Scholar.
Soon, Lian Wanzhen arranged the seats and told his mother and elder brother to stop whispering and co sit down.
Su Ran asked Lian Musu privately about seeing Divine Doctor Huang, and hearing that all was well and that they would visit him in three days, she felt relieved.
Lian Musu saw the ease in his mother’s brow and the absence of any gloom, thinking it was still best to get out and about, as it would broaden his mother’s mind and be beneficial to her health.
The two approached and took their seats with good words, and Su Ran began to introduce them to Old Lady Wu and the others with a smile. But before she could say much, Old Lady Wu and Er Ya beca extrely excited.
Old Lady Wu’s eyes sparkled as she earnestly said, "Talented Lian, do you rember ? I’m Old Lady Wu, the one with the old yellow ox, and who traveled with your uncle and Wu Sheng from outside of Taiyuan Prefecture to the Capital City."
Er Ya was so excited she couldn’t speak and just stared straight at Lian Musu, until Elder Sister-in-law pinched her a few tis and she composed herself a bit.
Only then did Lian Musu notice, it was an old acquaintance—Old Lady Wu. His face lit up with surprise and a smile as warm as a spring breeze, leaving Er Ya utterly astonished.
He hurriedly bowed in apology, telling Old Lady Wu that he had been too busy lately and hadn’t had the chance to visit her and Old Man Wu, asking them not to take offense.
Old Lady Wu was so delighted she couldn’t stop smiling. She said it didn’t matter at all, that she had heard about the re-examination and it was truly nerve-wracking. Considering the timing, there was hardly any ti to rest, all due to those damned examinees who had nothing better to do than cause trouble after eating too much. Luckily, justice was served as the heavens saw fit.
As the two caught up on old tis, Su Ran and Lin Yuejuan looked sowhat puzzled. Wu Sheng quickly explained, and Lian Wanzhen suddenly understood, realizing he had forgotten to ask.
By now, both groups had joined at one table, chatting away happily. Lian Wanzhen added several more dishes, and the eight of them ate with great gusto.
In the midst of their al, Old Lady Wu ntioned the parting words from before, saying that the vinegar she had ntioned was ready and that she had saved a jar for Lian Musu to collect whenever he was able to.
Lin Yuejuan interjected, asking what kind of vinegar it was. She had faintly slled the aroma of delicious vinegar earlier but didn’t want to be rude by asking about soone’s livelihood.
Old Lady Wu then introduced the vinegar to her, and Elder Sister-in-law joined in the conversation, living quite close to Old Lady Wu’s ho and thus knew quite a bit.
At this mont, Er Ya suddenly beca shy, sneaking glances at Lian Musu, containing her inner excitent. She couldn’t wait to go back and share this with her friends, to recount the joy of sharing a table with the Top Scholar for a day.
Lian Musu watched with a smile, his gaze passing over Er Ya and nodding gently, causing her eyes to widen and her hand to cover her mouth, almost letting out a shriek. That would have been too embarrassing for her to bear.
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