After all, second aunt is already thinking about what to prepare for her visit next winter.
For Jiang Yu and Liu Ze, the academy exam next winter is when they will truly give it their all!
Just as they were about to make their way through the crowd, they heard soone calling their nas.
"Xiaomi! Uncle Jiang and Auntie, Xiaoxue, Xiaowei!"
The voice ca from above. Looking in that direction, they saw Yingying standing at the window on the second floor across the street, waving her arms vigorously at them.
"Sister Yingying!" Xiaomi quickly waved back.
The two of them had been in the mountains almost every day for the past few days, and their relationship had beco as close as sisters.
"I’ve been waiting for you guys for so long, co on up."
Yingying indeed had been waiting here for quite a while. Her brother was also taking part in the academy exam this ti, and she had co with her eldest brother early in the morning to see the results.
However, her brother left right after checking the results. She thought that Xiaomi and the others would co over soon too, so she waited at the teahouse across the street.
She knew Xiaomi and the others were going back soon, and the next ti they would et would be at the academy exam next year, so she wanted to bid farewell to her dear friends once more.
Xiaomi spoke to her parents, then took Xiaoxue to look for Yingying, while the others went back first.
"Sister Yingying, what are you doing here?" Xiaomi, dragging Xiaoxue along, ran upstairs and imdiately spotted Yingying by the window.
Xiaoxue also called out, "Sister Yingying."
Yingying quickly gestured for a waiter to bring over so food.
"I ca with my brother. He participated in the academy exam this ti too, but he left early. I figured you guys would surely co too, so I waited here."
After a brief explanation, Yingying curiously asked, "How did your brother and the others do in the exam?"
Earlier, judging from their expressions, it seed like they weren’t too disappointed, but not particularly happy either, so she couldn’t tell if they passed or not.
Xiaomi waved her hand, "Not yet, but my brother and the others are still young, only twelve years old, so they’ll be back next year."
This had been ntioned during their hunting trips, so Yingying wasn’t surprised.
At this mont, the waiter brought up so food, and Yingying asked the others to stand farther away, before reluctantly letting go.
"Xiaomi, are you leaving right away?"
It wasn’t just that she wanted to hunt with Xiaomi, but she also craved the als Jiang Hu and Auntie cooked, especially their roasted at, not sophisticated at all, but hearty and incredibly satisfying!
While at ho, she had even told the chef about it, but the chef just couldn’t replicate that taste.
The dishes made by the ho chef were always exquisite and well-presented, yet they always seed to lack a little sothing. Although they tasted good, she always felt full after just a bit.
Completely unlike the appetite-inducing als Auntie made!
After several days of enjoying the als Xiaomi’s mother prepared, she had beco entirely enamored, feeling that only such als matched her desire to beco a heroine.
Xiaomi imdiately guessed what was on Yingying’s mind.
"Sister Yingying, you can’t bear being away from my mother’s cooking, can you?"
Caught out, Yingying wasn’t embarrassed and cheerfully said, "That’s right, Auntie’s cooking is delicious."
Xiaomi nodded, "That’s true; mom’s cooking is the best!"
No denial at all.
"Oh well, let’s not talk about that. When will you be coming next year, and will you still be staying in the sa place?"
She wanted to spend the more than a year practicing hunting hard, so next year she could invite Xiaomi and Wei Ziang to join!
It’s rare to have peers—well, not exactly, but close enough—and another girl to join in, how wonderful!
"Half a month before the academy exam next year, we’ll head to Dianhuai Prefecture. Not sure where we’ll stay yet, but that shop should always be there. If we don’t stay there, we’ll leave an address at the hot pot shop, so you can co find us, okay?"
Xiaomi really liked Sister Yingying too, and of course wanted to see her again next year.
"Okay, okay, no problem. I’ll have soone check at the shop every day, half a month before the academy exam!"
Thus, the two agreed, even planning next year’s hunting together.
After having breakfast, the three chatted for a while before a maidservant-looking person ca to call Yingying ho.
Yingying kept turning back to say goodbye to Xiaomi and the others, repeatedly ntioning their hunting plans for next year.
Once Yingying had gone off into the distance, Xiaoxue and Xiaomi returned ho together. By now, there weren’t many people downstairs, but on the streets, discussions about the candidates’ results were still buzzing.
At this mont, the roadside teahouses and taverns were packed with people. So were talking animatedly, others shaking their heads and sighing, and so were utterly devastated.
It wasn’t hard to see that so had passed; others had failed. Those shaking their heads yet remaining calm were mostly boys around seventeen or eighteen.
Young people are always filled with confidence, with ti and energy to continue their studies. Their minds are more agile, and their ideas more developed. If not this ti, perhaps they’ll succeed next ti.
In contrast, those a bit older, having taken the exam multiple tis and still failing, have much bleaker prospects.
Furthermore, once older, they are almost certainly married. If their family is wealthy, that’s fine; but if not, whether they can keep studying until the next academy exam is uncertain.
However, most of the older candidates fall into the latter category.
Apart from those truly gifted and quick learners, most choose their academy and ntors based on their family’s financial situation when studying.
Children from wealthy families can not only attend better academies, they also have tutors specifically for guidance and start reading and writing as early as age three or four. How can the average person compete with that?
Xiaomi watched the people on the street with varying expressions, feeling a bit worried for her brother and Liu Ze.
Even though their academy’s headmaster and ntors think highly of them, there’s still no telling if they will succeed next year.
The only reassurance is that they are still young; next ti they join the academy exam, they will only be thirteen or fourteen, so there’s still plenty of opportunity.
Lost in thought, the sisters returned to the hotpot shop, only to see everyone already packing up.
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