Finally, the annual exam season arrived, and Hongling was about to enter the exam hall.
Before, her cousin Wang Lianqi would co every few days, bringing so ingredients he had gathered from unknown places, such as spring crabs, river fish, and small chickens, big fat geese, wild rabbits, along with dishes made by their aunt and sister-in-law like February beans, Qingming eggs, salted eggs, and fragrant toon buds with tender shepherd’s purse.
The day before Hongling was to enter the exam hall, Wang Lianqi ca again, bringing a basket of sweet lons, honey peaches, and two big roosters.
It is said that the majestic roosters symbolize a victory without fighting.
The two-day exam happened to be on Saturday and Sunday. Ling Chengyan decided to give the boys who had been overworked for half a month two days off. She herself concentrated on accompanying the exams.
Nowadays, parents don’t accompany their children to the exam sites, nor do they book hotels or suites. It is all about making so good food and paying attention to the students’ rest and diet.
Wang Liansheng was not as lucky; after their investigation, the intention letter was finalized, and an appointnt was set for that day to et with the capital side, the representative sent by Mr. Lian, to discuss the developnt contract after the factory establishnt.
Starting the processing plant and developing the shellfish on the tidal flats and purchasing the fish catches are essential, needing negotiations to determine the developnt thods and quantities involved.
Developnt can’t be done endlessly and should follow plans and rotational thods to ensure the profitability and long-term resource utilization of the tidal flats.
Ling Chengyan took two days off to focus on accompanying the exams, which eased Wang Liansheng’s mind. Sohow, his wife made him feel that he could entrust anything to her with confidence.
This was Ling Chengyan’s first ti accompanying a family mber to an exam since coming here, reminiscent of people in Great Qi Country escorting soone to the examination room. She confird ahead of ti that the necessary stationery and admission ticket were intact, and took Hongling to check out the exam venue the day before, effectively completing the preparations.
On the morning of the exam day, Wang Liansheng prepared breakfast.
He boiled eggs, bought fried breadsticks, aiming for a symbolic hundred percent score.
At breakfast, no one brought up the exam, and Wang Liansheng quickly ate a little before heading out. Ling Chengyan and several children were left, eating breakfast till full. The older ones packed up their backpacks and left for school, including Hongling, who went to the exam hall by herself.
The only difference was that when Hongling left, Ling Chengyan double-checked her exam stationery and admission ticket.
Little Wang Wenzhang was sent to the nursery as usual.
After sending her son off, Ling Chengyan unusually went to the vegetable market with a basket.
In July, all kinds of vegetables were available, and the vegetable market was abundant and complete. Ling Chengyan bought a large black-skinned waterlon, and also bought tender cucumbers and a few kinds of vegetables like tomatoes.
Back ho, she started slaughtering chickens, boiling water to pluck chicken feathers... After a busy session, she stewed the chicken pieces in the pot, then turned to prepare vegetables.
Cucumber and fungus stir-fried with eggs, sugared tomatoes, vegetarian stir-fried beans, plus a pot stewing aromatic country chicken—the children clamored excitedly about the great sll and their hunger when they ca in.
Hongling didn’t clamor, but her face held a smile, appearing more relaxed than when she left in the morning. Without asking, Ling Chengyan knew the girl was performing well in the exam hall.
The carefully prepared lunch by Ling Chengyan naturally received unanimous praise from the children.
Two consecutive days of exams with als prepared by Ling Chengyan included various chicken, duck, fish, and at dishes—seemingly contributing to the children’s cheeks looking a bit chubbier.
On Wang Liansheng’s side, the eting negotiations finally reached unanimous agreent, and an intention letter was signed, just waiting for Mr. Lian to co and sign the formal docunts and then asure and determine the contracted tidal flat developnt.
After many days of busy work, Wang Liansheng took over household chores and looked after the children, preparing to win them over with so goodwill. These past two days, he’d been hearing the children complint their mom’s cooking, feeling a bit of envious pangs.
On Monday, after sending off the group of kids, Hongling, who wanted to do chores, was shooed away by Wang Liansheng to unwind with her classmates on a shopping trip.
After handling so affairs, he finished work early to shop for groceries and returned ho. Today was the exam for the other kids, and it was Wang Liansheng’s turn to accompany them, intending to show his skills.
Incidentally, cousin Wang Lianqi ntioned coming by for dinner that night. He couldn’t help with the children’s studies, but as a reward after the exams, he wanted to co over for dinner—and bring good news. When Wang Liansheng asked him what it was, his cousin claid it was a reward for the children’s good studying but wouldn’t reveal the details.
Recalling his cousin’s mysterious teasing, Wang Liansheng couldn’t help but laugh and shake his head again.
As he biked back to the courtyard entrance, a countryside old man in a white shirt and black pants walked out from the shade: "Liansheng, you’re off work?"
Wang Liansheng was startled and looked carefully, finally recognizing Guo Zhanrong, the forr security director and current secretary of Nanli Team, who had stepped forward. He quickly got off the bike and greeted with a smile, "Uncle Zhanrong, how co you’re here? Are you in the district for business?"
Guo Zhanrong’s smile seed a bit forced as he held onto the bike handle, saying, "I indeed have sothing, and there’s no choice but to co looking for you... Ah, Guizhang, are you still hiding there in the corner, co out quickly."
Following his voice, Wang Liansheng saw Wang Guizhang squatting in the shadow of the wall.
After the hawthorn incident, he had severed ties with the Wang family’s second branch, which already took two years in a blink of an eye.
Two years ago, Wang Guizhang was worn-out, and though his back remained straight and his hair was black. Yet now, having not seen him for years, as he slowly stood up, Wang Liansheng barely recognized the elderly man.
Even though just past fifty, Wang Guizhang wasn’t too thin, but his back was hunched, and his short hair clung to his scalp, half of which turned white, the rest grayish and seed to have been dusted in flour. Coupled with a dark and aged face, he looked particularly old, soone saying he’s nearly seventy would be believable.
"Cough." Wang Guizhang didn’t look at Wang Liansheng, turning his head to cough.
"Dad." Wang Liansheng called once, and then invited them, "Co on, let’s talk inside."
Back ho, Wang Liansheng invited them to sit in the yard, and while brewing tea for them, he started to prepare at and vegetables, chatting with the two elderly gentlen as he worked.
Wang Guizhang watched Wang Liansheng busily cooking with an apron on, frowning deeply: "Where’s your wife, why’s a man cooking?"
Wang Liansheng smiled nonchalantly: "She also works... Whoever has ti cooks. In a dual-inco family, both have jobs, so that’s how it is."
Wang Guizhang snorted, clearly dissatisfied with his son’s ekness. After a shift in thought, he grumbled: "Since you two are busy, why invite so many outsiders..."
If there’s spare money, why not take care of your own nephews!
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