The students of the academy had already been listless for two days.
The dining hall food was always bad and expensive. They had been craving the taste of those wraps and egg pancakes so much that some with big appetites would even buy two at a time.
But for some reason, Master Cui Qi had been coming out during every break to scold them, forbidding them from leaving the academy grounds and strictly banning them from buying wraps.
Only later did they learn the reason from the steward of the dining hall, who told them in secret.
But Cui Qi was an old instructor of the academy—no one dared disobey him. They could only endure the tasteless meals, each of them growing more listless by the day.
So when one sharp-eyed student caught a glimpse of Yuan Zhao passing by, he instantly grew excited. But before he could react, the dining hall steward started shouting.
“Who allowed you to come here? You still dare set up a stall here? Get lost! No stalls allowed in front of the academy!”
Yuan Zhao immediately shot back, “Which eye of yours saw me setting up a stall? I’m just passing by. Is this road yours? Did you buy it?”
The steward froze, unable to respond. By the time he came to his senses, Yuan Zhao had already walked away.
Originally, no one had noticed him—but now everyone had. Yuan Zhao even subtly signaled them toward another direction, and the students instantly understood.
Madam Shi Zhang was already waiting near the secluded wall. Someone had even stacked stones and broken wooden boards there—just enough to climb and see inside.
Soon, a small stone was thrown out from inside, followed by excited voices. One by one, students began showing up.
Madam Shi Zhang quickly started making the food, handing them out as soon as each one was finished. There was no time for disputes now—everyone just wanted to eat.
Yuan Zhao arrived shortly after, and the two worked together quickly. Inside the academy, students were even calling for them to hurry.
Fortunately, things remained orderly. Once caught, the students took their wraps and left quietly.
“Boss, we’ll come back at noon!”
“Alright!”
Yuan Zhao responded, then quickly pushed the cart away to prepare for the next round.
Cui Qi soon noticed that the academy was still filled with the scent of wraps. It smelled even better than the dining hall food.
And the more he noticed it, the angrier he became.
“I’ve told you repeatedly—no buying those wraps! Do you even know what’s in them? If something goes wrong, you won’t even know who poisoned you! It’ll ruin your studies and your future exams!”
“If you continue disobeying, I’ll report this to the headmaster and have the constables patrol here. Anyone caught buying them will be expelled from my classes!”
This was a blatant threat.
Cui Qi knew he couldn’t punish everyone, so he tried to scare them into compliance. But he didn’t understand—his actions only deepened their resentment.
Before long, he stormed off angrily.
He pushed open the headmaster’s study door.
“Headmaster! These students are completely outrageous—”
But he froze.
The headmaster was sitting there, eating a wrap.
Cui Qi’s face stiffened. “Headmaster… you’re eating that roadside food too? It’s not clean!”
The headmaster slowly finished his bite, then looked at him calmly.
“Not a single person has fallen ill from eating it. Are your concerns genuine… or are you simply using this as an excuse to satisfy your own displeasure?”
Cui Qi’s expression changed instantly.
Cui Qi was stunned. “What do you mean by that?”
“What I mean is simple,” the headmaster said. “The students study hard every day and only get a single day of rest in a long stretch of time. If even these small comforts must be restricted, won’t they exhaust themselves to the point of collapse?” The headmaster continued, “And you know perfectly well what the dining hall food tastes like. Even you refuse to eat it yourself—so why force the students to endure it?”
Bringing a deity is easy; sending one away is difficult.
Back then, the headmaster had already been reluctant to appoint Cui Qi’s relative. It was only because the other party repeatedly guaranteed there would be no problems that he agreed to let them take over the dining hall.
He had originally believed the dining hall manager would improve the food out of consideration for Cui Qi’s influence. Instead, the quality had become even worse. The headmaster valued appearances and had repeatedly given subtle reminders, but nothing changed. If that was the case, why should he care what the students chose to eat?
Cui Qi hadn’t expected the headmaster to speak so directly and grew tense. “I will instruct the dining hall properly again. However, students truly cannot be allowed to eat food from outside. What if they fall ill?”
“Then bring the pancakes and wraps into the dining hall and sell them there,” the headmaster said calmly. “That way, it would no longer count as outside food.”
A steward named Ma had once mentioned introducing the wraps, and the headmaster had agreed. The business had been thriving, and it was made by the husband of Shi Wuxiang. It had been running for so long without a single incident, clearly clean and safe.
Yet the dining hall manager, relying on Cui Qi’s backing, had firmly rejected the idea—and even Cui Qi had supported him.
“Headmaster! The dining hall already has more food than it can sell—”
“You don’t need to tell me why it isn’t selling!” The headmaster’s expression darkened. “You know exactly why. Your relative takes monthly benefits from this arrangement, don’t they? I’ll say only this—don’t push the students too far.”
Cui Qi vaguely sensed something was wrong and hurriedly defended himself. “I have never taken a single coin. I only acted for the students’ health… Headmaster, I have taught in this academy for many years. Do you truly not trust me? I was your own student!”
The headmaster let out a soft sigh. “I have no such intention. Let the students choose what they wish to eat. Do not interfere too much in this matter anymore, or it will damage your reputation.”
“Yes… this student understands.” Cui Qi did not dare say more. He feared angering the headmaster further and causing a deeper investigation.
His face darkened as he left. In his heart, he already resented Shi Wuxiang and Yuan Zhao. If not for them, he would never have been reprimanded like this.
If they all believed those pancakes were so clean, then he would simply make them “unclean.”
In the following days, Yuan Zhao continued setting up his stall near the back wall of the academy. No one came to chase him anymore, and life had been unusually peaceful—so peaceful that it made him uneasy.
“A’Xiang!” Yuan Zhao pouted. “I feel uneasy. Talk to me. Aren’t you worried about our business at all?”
Shi Wuxiang thought for a moment. “Don’t go near the academy for the next few days. If what you said is true, Cui Qi will likely find ways to target you. Set up your stall on the street instead. With patrol officers passing by frequently, it will be safer.”
“I’ll listen to you.” Yuan Zhao immediately felt reassured again.
He trusted Shi Wuxiang’s judgment. He had predicted many things correctly before—this time would likely be no different.
So Yuan Zhao stayed away from the academy area. Cui Qi was an influential instructor, and if he truly wanted to cause trouble, it would be easy.
If he couldn’t afford to offend him, then he would simply avoid him.
That was Yuan Zhao’s plan—and he followed it.
But soon, trouble still came.
Someone claimed they had eaten Yuan Zhao’s wraps and suffered vomiting and diarrhea, and they came to make a scene.
“You’ve got proof it was my food that made him sick?” Yuan Zhao steadied himself and asked. “Everyone eats my wraps. Not a single person has ever fallen ill. What else did your son eat? Only mine?”
“My son only ate your wraps! It’s you who harmed him! Everyone come look—his food is dirty, don’t buy it anymore! Pay compensation!” the man shouted relentlessly.
“I won’t pay compensation. Let’s report this to the authorities,” Yuan Zhao said firmly. “And bring a physician too. Let’s see whether he really got sick from my food—or from something else.”
The crowd immediately sided with Yuan Zhao. They had watched him make the food daily and trusted him.
“Let’s report it! We’ll bring a doctor too!” someone in the crowd said.
Hearing this, the man’s expression visibly changed, but he still forced himself to argue. “Go ahead! Your food is dirty!”
Before officials arrived, Yuan Zhao refused to argue further.
Soon, Constables Zhang Dacheng and Wu Nian arrived with a physician.
After a quick inspection, the physician confirmed the ingredients were clean.
“Then please examine the child,” Yuan Zhao said urgently.
After checking the pulse, the physician frowned. “Are you certain he only ate your wraps? From my diagnosis, he has consumed something toxic.”
The man immediately panicked and began shouting again, but Constable Zhang angrily interrupted him.
After further questioning, the child finally broke down and admitted he had not only eaten the wraps.
The truth was clear: it was a frame-up.
When asked who instructed him, the man hesitated—then confessed it was a maid.
A maid?
Yuan Zhao blinked in confusion. He had never offended any young lady.
Unless—
“A’Xiang!” Yuan Zhao turned suddenly.
Shi Wuxiang had already arrived, holding Yuan Bo. He calmly assessed the situation, then addressed the constables.
“This person was bribed to frame us. He should be punished accordingly.”
The constables nodded and took the man away.
As they left, Shi Wuxiang glanced at the crowd and said softly, “I think I know who it is.”
The two of them dispersed the crowd that had gathered to watch the commotion before leaving with the man.
This small incident ultimately did not affect the customers who came to buy the wraps. Instead, they all went out of their way to comfort Yuan Zhao, saying it was simply because their business was doing well and had attracted jealousy.
After the crowd had mostly scattered, Yuan Zhao finally lowered his voice and asked, “Is it Cui XiuXiu?”
“It’s probably her. But most likely, it was her father who ordered it,” Shi Wuxiang replied. “The Cui father and daughter are just foolish. To think they would send a personal maid to do something like this.”
“How despicable…” Yuan Zhao’s tone carried a hint of grievance. “Why do they always target us? It’s all your fault…”
Shi Wuxiang sighed helplessly. “Fine, fine, it’s my fault. Then I’ll help you settle it, alright?”
“No need. You should hurry back to the academy. I could’ve handled this myself anyway. You’ve already taught me a lot—I’m not someone just anyone can bully!” Yuan Zhao pushed him, clearly not wanting him to get involved.
“Getting bold now, are you?” Shi Wuxiang clicked his tongue lightly. If that push had been any harder, he might have actually been shoved off balance.
Yuan Zhao immediately relented. “Fine, fine, you can help if you want. Just finish quickly and leave, everyone’s watching!”
A scholar helping run a street stall—there was nothing more novel than that.
Shi Wuxiang did not linger. After helping pack up the stall, he returned to Xiangxiang Restaurant. Fortunately, the restaurant owner did not dare to offend him; otherwise, constantly leaving like this would have earned him a scolding.
Yuan Zhao watched Shi Wuxiang’s departing figure with obvious reluctance. Just as he felt a little down, Shi Zhangshi spoke up faintly, “Are you going to stand there daydreaming? Aren’t you going to fetch the ox cart? Otherwise you’ll have to push everything back yourself.”
“I’m going right now!” Yuan Zhao immediately bolted off.
He quickly caught up with Shi Wuxiang. “Ah Xiang! Wait for me!”
Shi Wuxiang had not been walking fast to begin with. Seeing him catch up, he couldn’t help but smile. He still couldn’t understand what exactly went on in Yuan Zhao’s head every day.
The two parted ways in the backyard. Yuan Zhao hurriedly drove the cart back, packed up the stall, and bought some scrap cloth on the way before heading home.
As the cart entered the village, a group of people were basking in the sun near the entrance. This time, they greeted him warmly instead of falling silent as before.
“Zhao boy, did you hear about Yuan Daguang’s family’s Xiangxiang getting engaged?” one aunt called out mysteriously. The others also wore knowing expressions.
Yuan Zhao thought for a moment and shook his head. “I didn’t know. But she’s about the right age for marriage. Auntie, do you know who she’s engaged to?”
“Of course I do! It’s that widower in your village—you know the one!” the aunt began, then suddenly stopped herself. “Ah—no, no, I said the wrong thing!”
Yuan Zhao understood immediately what she had meant. He knew exactly which widower she was referring to.
He just hadn’t expected Wang Xiaohua to actually marry Yuan Xiangxiang off to that kind of man. Back then, just mentioning it had made Wang Xiaohua and Yuan Xiangxiang furious enough to want to tear him apart. Yet now, in the end, Yuan Xiangxiang still could not escape that fate.
No need to ask—Wang Xiaohua must have taken a hefty bride price. Otherwise, she would never have agreed. Clearly, she had already begun “selling off” her daughter for the sake of her two sons.
“Zhao boy, I heard that widower beats people. Is it true? Weren’t the previous wives beaten to death?” someone else asked.
Yuan Zhao felt uneasy speaking ill of others, but when it came to that widower, he could not help but say a few words. He nodded. “That’s what people in the village say. He never denied it either. No one can control him.”
Even though Yuan Zhao had not studied much, he still knew the saying: “Even an upright official can hardly settle family disputes.” Not to mention messy village affairs like this—no one would intervene. That was why the widower acted so brazenly.
Everyone knew it was the truth now. It seemed Yuan Xiangxiang would only suffer after marrying him.
“Alright, aunties, I’m heading back first!” Yuan Zhao did not linger and drove the cart home.
Just as they arrived home, Shi Qingyue ran out to greet them. “Sister-in-law, a young man named Zhou He came earlier. He said to come find him when you got back.”
“He didn’t say what it was about?” Yuan Zhao asked.
“No. But he looked quite cheerful—shouldn’t be anything bad,” Shi Qingyue replied.
Cheerful?
What kind of cheerful matter would Zhou He have that required coming to find him?
Wait—
There actually was one.
“Mother, help me light the fire! I need to make a few wraps!” Yuan Zhao said urgently.
Shi Zhangshi immediately went to start the fire.
“Ah Yue, take out some braised meat from the house and bring me six eggs!” Yuan Zhao instructed. “Ranran and Brother Yuan, help me bring the vegetables used for the wraps!”
“Okay!”
Everyone immediately got busy.
Yuan Zhao quickly started making the wrappers. He roughly guessed why Zhou He had come. Since the last time he sent bamboo shoots, they had not seen each other, and there had been many things left unsaid.
Deep down, he was reluctant to go to Xiahe Village. The harm the Yuan family had caused him could not be undone by simply severing ties. But Zhou He lived right next door to the Yuan family, and because of that, they had become close.
Even if the neighbor was a murderer, he would still have to go this time.
He made three wraps, each stuffed with meat and eggs until they were almost bursting. He wrapped them carefully in oiled paper, placed them into a basket, covered it tightly with cloth, and hurried out.
Shi Qingyue watched in surprise. “Little Yuan’er, who is that Zhou He? Why is sister-in-law so anxious?”
“He lives next door. He’s really nice to us. He even bought me candy. He always scolds people with us too—he says no one from the Yuan family is good, but he doesn’t include me and brother,” Yuan Yuan said cheerfully.
“Ah, I see.” Shi Qingyue suddenly understood.
So they were good friends.
Yuan Zhao hurried all the way to Xiahe Village. As he passed the Yuan family’s house, he could still hear loud arguing from inside, as if the roof might be lifted off.
He stopped in front of Zhou He’s house and called softly, “He’er! Zhou He!”
“I’m here!” Zhou He hurried out from inside and welcomed him in.
Once inside, Yuan Zhao saw several boxes of pastries—clearly gifts from a marriage proposal.
His good friend was getting married.