113 Life
Zhu Qiaoyu went to her family’s rented courtyard. Seeing her pale and tear-stained face, Madam Liu’s heart ached as she led her into the house. “Qiaoyu, did your old woman scold you again?”
“Mother.” Zhu Qiaoyu threw herself into Madam Liu’s arms and cried her heart out.
Madam Liu hugged her daughter and patted her back sadly. She comforted her gently, “Sigh! Why don’t you stay here for a few days and go back after Young Master finishes his exam?”
Zhu Qiaoyu looked up at Madam Liu and said sadly, “Mother, Guisheng’s parents said that there’s something wrong with my birth characters. They complained that I’m a jinx and that I’m going to end the Zhang family’s lineage. They even said that they’ll let Guisheng divorce me when he has passed his examinations. Mother, what should I do?”
When Madam Liu heard this, she wiped her tears and said sadly, “Back then, your father and I said that the Zhang family deceived us and even broke off an engagement. That’s not something a good person can do. We didn’t want to become in-laws with them but you threatened us with your life. You were the one who chose the path. What should we do? We’ve already given them a lot of money. Sigh! With your father’s temper, he won’t allow you to return home and ruin the family’s reputation. What do you think you should do in the future?”
Zhu Qiaoyu lowered her head and her heart turned cold. Her maiden home was no longer a place for her to be sheltered from the wind and rain. It was better not to drag others down with her.
Zhu Qiaoyu stood up and walked out. Madam Liu chased after her and persuaded her gently, “Qiaoyu, just stay here for a few days and go back when Guisheng comes back, okay?”
Zhu Qiaoyu turned around and glanced at Madam Liu. She took her collar out of Madam Liu’s hand and said indifferently, “I have to go back sooner or later. Let me go!”
Madam Liu watched as Zhu Qiaoyu left without looking back. She wiped her tears and shouted, ” Qiaoyu, don’t blame me. That’s your life!” When Zhu Qiaoyu heard this, she covered her mouth and ran away.
Li Yu went home and washed a piece of thin cloth. She scalded it with boiling water, burned some charcoal, and placed it in a furnace. After drying it with a furnace, she cut it out and made some sanitary pads before sleeping peacefully.
Zhou Jia entered the examination hall and got to the examination room. When he saw his examination room, Zhou Jia realized that it was indeed as Young Master Lin had said. Zhou Jia opened the examination room and put down the examination basket. He took out a piece of cloth and wiped it clean before picking up the items from the examination basket and setting them up. He sat down.
An hour later, a bailiff shouted, “The exam papers are being distributed. Everyone, please sit properly and don’t move.” After half an hour, Zhou Jia received the exam papers. The examiner locked the door with a bang.
Zhou Jia opened the test paper and looked at it. He put the test paper into the test basket, laid out the wooden board, lay on it, closed his eyes, and began to rest.
Li Yu woke up early in the morning and went to the courtyard. She said to Ji Xiang, who was guarding outside, “Ji Xiang, I’ll guard here. Go eat something and rest before coming back.”
Ji Xiang bowed and smiled. “Miss, you should go back! I just arrived and said that nothing will happen on the first day of the first round.”
Li Yu nodded. “Alright, I’ll go back and exchange for you before noon.”
The next day, at the end of the day, the bell in the examination hall began to ring to indicate the collection of the papers. The examiner opened the door of the No. 1 room and informed the students to start handing in their papers. Zhou Jia carried the examination basket on his back and handed in his papers. He walked towards the door and waited for the bailiff to open it.
Li Yu and Ji Xiang were waiting outside the tribute courtyard. Zhang Defa rushed over and stood behind the crowd, looking forward to seeing his son.
Ji Xiang saw Zhou Jia standing in the crowd. He pointed at Zhou Jia and said to Li Yu, “Miss, Young Master is out.”
Li Yu stood on her tiptoes and saw the exhausted Zhou Jia. Ji Xiang waved at Zhou Jia and shouted, “Young Master, we’re here.”
When Zhou Jia heard the voice, he saw Li Yu and Ji Xiang standing in the front row walking toward him with smiles.
Li Yu smiled and went up to him. “You’re tired, right? Give me the exam basket.” Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu and shook his head.
“Let me, let me.” Ji Xiang hurriedly took the test basket from Zhou Jia’s back and pushed through the crowd to protect Zhou Jia.
When Zhang Defa saw Li Yu and the other two come out, he hurriedly squeezed towards the entrance of the tribute courtyard. Just as he squeezed to the front, he saw Zhang Guisheng coming out with a pale face.
Zhang Defa was shocked and hurriedly went up to take the examination basket. “Guisheng, what’s wrong? You look so terrible.”
Zhang Guisheng said weakly, “I vomited twice. It was too unbearable in the room.”
“Lean on me.” Zhang Defa walked out of the courtyard with Zhang Guisheng.
Li Yu and the other two went to the alley beside the Teacher Temple and got on the mule cart. Zhou Jia smiled and said to Li Yu, “I can’t smell anything anymore. Can you smell if I stink?”
Li Yu pursed her lips and smiled. “I’m not afraid. It’s fine if you stink a little more.”
Zhou Jia leaned against Li Yu and said softly, “Yu’er, I don’t think the questions are difficult after this exam. It’s just that the room is too small and not soundproof. I can even hear the person next door snoring and grinding his teeth.”
“In the next round, I’ll prepare some cotton for you. At night, you won’t be afraid of noise if you stuff your ears with cotton.” Li Yu waited for a while and didn’t hear any reply. She looked down and realized that Zhou Jia had already fallen asleep.
It was not until August 14th that the last round was over. Li Yu and Ji Xiang picked up the exhausted Zhou Jia, who sat in the car and leaned against Li Yu before falling asleep.
When he reached home, he ate a bowl of meat porridge in a daze and lay on the bed to sleep. He slept until the next morning when he was awakened by hunger.
When Li Yu saw Zhou Jia come out, she asked happily, “You’re awake? You’re hungry, right?”
Zhou Jia touched his stomach and smiled exaggeratedly. “Yes! I think I can eat a cow.”
Li Yu smiled at Zhou Jia. “Sure! As long as you can eat it. But you should eat something digestible first to take care of your stomach. I asked Mrs. Zhao to make some porridge and steamed buns. Go and eat some first.”
After the two of them finished eating, Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu with confidence. “Yu’er, I think I should be able to get on the rankings. Do you think we should wait here before leaving or go back first?”
Li Yu thought for a moment. “I think you can wait here and see how Ah Qing’s studies are going. We have only started harvesting rice these two days. I plan to go back and see how the harvest of the two breeding fields is?”
Zhou Jia nodded. “Alright, I’ll get Zhao Cai to send you back. I’ll go look for Young Master Lin to check the questions first.”
The two of them split up after dinner. Zhou Jia went to check the answers. Zhao Cai rushed to send Li Yu back to Phoenix Village. Phoenix Village was filled with busy scenes.
“Cousin, I have a brother.” When Laidi saw Li Yu, she shouted and rushed over. She pounced on Li Yu and hugged her. Tears of joy flowed down her face.
Li Yu hugged Laidi happily. “That’s great. Aunt and Uncle got what they wanted.”
Laidi chattered. “My mother had an attack just after she sent you and my cousin-in-law away. She didn’t give birth until it was dark. She scared my father so much that he paced around the house. My sister even cried.”
Li Yu looked at Laidi and smiled. “Only you, the silly sister, didn’t cry, right?”
“I’m not stupid. I cried too.”
“Yes! You know how to cry. You’re not stupid.”
Li Yu washed up and went to Li Mei’s house.
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