The man was stunned for a mont after being scolded by the woman. When he realized what had happened, he widened his eyes and opened his mouth as if to say sothing. The young woman calmly said with a smile, "I’m just a woman."
He was wearing a scholar’s robe, likely a student. Scholars are always particular about courtesy and virtue. Behind closed doors, he might be a different person, but bullying won in public was not sothing he would do.
Even if he did, she wasn’t afraid. She was skilled in "trickery."
The man indeed had concerns, glaring at her fiercely before walking away.
Lin Qiao raised her eyebrow, and at that mont, a boy’s voice sounded beside her, sowhat excitedly, "Sister-in-law, I guessed one more."
"Little Brother, I picked one, not sure if it’s right." Lin Qiao’s expression turned gentle and sowhat embarrassed as she showed him the wooden token.
Song Tingfan praised her clumsily, "Sister-in-law, you’re amazing."
They had grabbed about a dozen tokens and guessed seven correctly, winning a wish lantern. While choosing the lantern, Song Tingfan looked at Lin Qiao with anticipation and asked, "Sister-in-law, what color do you like?"
Lin Qiao pondered seriously for a mont, "Red, perhaps. Red is festive."
So Sister-in-law liked red.
Song Tingfan told the person handing out the lanterns, "Uncle, we want a red one."
The person handing out the lanterns glanced at Lin Qiao several tis before saying, "I’ll give you one." He then handed them two lanterns.
Song Tingfan only took one, saying stiffly, "Just one, thank you."
He didn’t want others giving his sister-in-law lanterns, these people were "bad."
Lin Qiao didn’t bother to ponder his thoughts. One lantern was enough; as long as the antagonist was happy.
They took the wish lantern to the riverside. Many people were setting them afloat. Song Tingfan took out a fire stick to light the lantern, his nose high in the firelight, "Sister-in-law, make a wish."
Lin Qiao glanced at him, clasped her hands, and softly murmured, "May Grandpa and Grandma, and Little Brother have good health, free from sickness and disaster."
She deliberately said it out loud, knowing that the antagonist couldn’t know her silent wishes.
Song Tingfan was taken aback, his nose tingling slightly. Seeing Lin Qiao about to place the lantern on the lake, he hurriedly grabbed her wrist, "Sister-in-law, wait a mont, and also... Sister-in-law, may you have good health, free from sickness and disaster." He quickly withdrew his hand after saying it.
Lin Qiao chuckled, "Alright, we will all be healthy, and Little Brother’s wife will be healthy too." With that, she squatted down and placed the lantern in the water.
"Sister-in-law." Song Tingfan’s face turned red with embarrassnt, afraid that the wish lantern might be "startled," he called out softly.
Lin Qiao couldn’t help but laugh, "Alright, alright, I won’t say anymore."
The wish lantern in the lake floated far away without sinking, and they watched until it disappeared. They strolled for a while by the lakeside before returning to the inn.
The night was quite deep.
From the room ca a slight sound of soone turning over. In the moonlight, the boy could faintly see the woman on the other bed with her back turned to him, her silky hair spread across the pillow, a few strands dangling by the bedside.
After a while, he pulled up the quilt and closed his eyes to sleep.
Next day, there was the county examination in town, making it rather lively. Everywhere you went, the county examination could be heard.
While Lin Qiao and Song Tingfan were having breakfast in the main hall, they overheard the conversation between two n at the adjacent table.
"Do you know why the county examination is one year earlier? The court is in turmoil and needs a big change."
"Where did you hear that from?"
"I have a relative who works as a waiter in the Capital. He recently visited my ho and ntioned that three major officials in the Capital were beheaded."
"Why?"
"A village in the Southern Land was massacred by troops from Ning Country. Shh, don’t spread it around. The court is afraid of causing unrest, so they sealed the information."
Although she didn’t hear everything, Lin Qiao got the gist. Her hand holding the porridge paused. She recalled that in her dream, the ti when the antagonist joined the army was also when An Yuan faced the greatest turmoil.
The war lasted for three months, and that was the ti when forced conscription happened, rendering people destitute and panic-stricken.
The current Emperor was a sage ruler, a benevolent Emperor who loved the people, but not exactly one who could strengthen the nation.
Thinking about this, she recalled sothing: after Song Tingfan joined the rebellion with that Prince, An Yuan returned to stability in a very short period of ti.
But speaking of it, in which year does the war start? Next year, or the year after?
She now could be certain that the plot of her dream would unfold, but so aspects could be relatively altered.
The Ya Po appeared, and the leg-breaking incident on the mountain happened, but the unpleasant events in the brothel didn’t occur, which was a relative change.
So, would Song Tingfan eventually join the army and go to war?
The biggest turning point now was the rebellion.
If there was a rebellion, wouldn’t that an he was still becoming the antagonist?
Seeing his sister-in-law holding the porridge without moving, Song Tingfan lightly called out twice, "Sister-in-law, Sister-in-law."
Lin Qiao snapped out of it and took a sip of porridge, "Little Brother, the porridge here is tasty."
Although sowhat misleading, it wasn’t a lie either. The five-cents porridge ca with minced at and vegetables.
Hearing this, Song Tingfan tilted his porridge bowl, pouring more than half into hers, grinning clumsily, "Sister-in-law, eat more."
"You eat it yourself."
Lin Qiao raised her hand to pour it back, but Song Tingfan covered the bowl and shook his head, lying, "I-I... I’m full."
Once again stamring, making it hard not to know he was lying. Lin Qiao picked up a bun for him, "With such a large bowl of porridge, I can’t eat a bun now. Little Brother, help finish it."
Song Tingfan obediently accepted it.
...
By the ti they returned to the village from the county town, it was already afternoon. The day was sunny, making it easier for hunting.
As soon as Song Tingfan got ho, without even catching his breath, he changed into tattered clothes, picked up his bow and arrow, and headed up the mountain.
Today was indeed a good day for hunting; he caught two wild rabbits and a wild chicken.
Tying them up with grass vines, just as he was about to head down, he heard Zhou Tiedan and the others’ voices and looked in their direction, seeing Zhou Tiedan struggling to climb a tree.
He was a bit chubby, making the tree sway back and forth.
The tree was easily broken after being exposed to the sun, and although Song Tingfan didn’t like to ddle, he still shouted, "Tie Dan, stop climbing, co down."
Hanging on the branch, Zhou Tiedan looked up when he heard the voice, seeing it was him, he imdiately got delighted, "Tingfan, co and help get the bird eggs, I can’t climb up."
Probably from climbing too long, his hands felt weak, and he suddenly let go, falling to the ground with a "thud," fortunately not from a great height.
Zhou Tiedan exclaid "ouch," and quickly flipped over to get up, seeing Song Tingfan coming his way, "Tingfan, you caught so many things, amazing!"
Before Song Tingfan could respond, he continued, "Tingfan, help get the bird eggs, I promised Zhou Baoying I’d roast the bird eggs for her."
Song Tingfan pursed his lips, handing over his catch to him, "Hold this for ."
"Sure, sure." Zhou Tiedan delightedly took the things.
After rolling up his sleeves, Song Tingfan started climbing the tree, quickly reaching a height of two adults. Reaching out, he saw the nest with three bird eggs, which he grabbed and tucked into his sleeve before climbing down.
A group of kids gathered around, chattering, "How many bird eggs, how many?"
Song Tingfan took out the three bird eggs and handed them to Zhou Tiedan. Then he picked up the rabbits and wild chicken, ready to head down the mountain.
Zhou Tiedan hurried after him, pointing to a tree not far, saying, "Tingfan, help us get eggs from another nest, there’s a nest in that tree too."
"No, my sister-in-law is waiting at ho for dinner." Song Tingfan continued walking forward.
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