They rarely steam rice in the morning here.
Lu Yang hasn’t been eating well lately, and he doesn’t know if the pills will make him feel bloated. Taking advantage of the fact that he doesn’t have to take his medicine today, Xie Yan washes the rice and steams it for him. He also stir-fries a plate of bamboo shoots and pork slices and makes a tofu dish.
Xie Yan was still inexperienced at stir-frying, but his knife skills were gradually improving. The slices and strips were thick and coarse, but no longer oddly shaped. Becoming a master chef was just a matter of time.
The sky was overcast in the early morning, and it looked like it might rain today.
He ran into Mr. Ding again. Xie Yan didn’t ask him if he had eaten yet, but instead struck up a conversation with him and said with a smile, “Mr. Ding, I’m going to school soon. If my husband needs any help, please give him a hand. I’ll find some time to draw you a door god image, and you can just stick it up when the New Year comes!”
These words were quite pleasant to hear, and Mr. Ding smiled happily, asking him where he was studying.
Xie Yan shook his head.
He didn’t think he was considerate; he was just a trouble-maker.
Sigh.
Shortly after opening the shop, Wu Pingzhi came to pick him up for school.
The Wu family had a carriage, so the two could travel together. They loaded all their luggage onto it and took it all at once, saving themselves the trouble of making multiple trips.
Lu Yang also got up around the same time.
He didn’t even have time to wash up, just wiped his face so he could be seen, and helped him move the luggage.
He had already instructed him once last night, but this morning he sorted the luggage again and gave Xie Yan two taels of silver.
These two taels of silver were taken from the savings Lu Yang had accumulated.
He had promised that no matter what, he would not touch the tuition money.
Even if Xie Yan enrolled in school, he would keep it as a reserve.
Now that he really couldn’t hold out any longer, he would use the two taels of silver first, and then when the shop generated some cash flow, he would replenish it and settle the account.
The silver had a specific purpose. Lu Yang said, “Use it to repay the instructor, then see what else is needed and buy it nearby. There’s not much at home, so I can’t give you everything. When you want to eat or drink something, don’t hold back. Eat and drink as you should. I won’t let you go hungry.”
Xie Yan accepted it.
Since he had to repay the instructor, the two taels of silver were only one small silver ingot, with the rest being copper coins, totaling ten strings. It was convenient for him to repay the money.
These were quite heavy, so Lu Yang put them in his schoolbag.
In the morning, he wanted to give them two baskets of buns to take with them, but Xie Yan only took half a basket, which had ten buns.
He ate breakfast with Wu Pingzhi and still had a few left over.
Before leaving, Xie Yan went back to the house to talk to Zhao Peilan and asked her for the land deeds.
He took all the land deeds with bloodstained fingerprints.
He wanted to carry them with him and look at them every day to remind himself of the consequences of weakness.
Wu Pingzhi ate the buns while waiting and chatted with Lu Yang: “Xie Yan really hasn’t grown up yet. You’ve had a hard time.”
Lu Yang thought Xie Yan was quite good: “He’s not that old, and he used to be too naive. I’ll teach him at home, and you can teach him outside. He’s smart and willing to learn, so he’ll be fine in the future.”
Wu Pingzhi truly admired him: “I thought I was the only one who could tolerate his temperament, but it turns out there are others.”
Lu Yang laughed: “Of course, you can’t be his husband.”
Wu Pingzhi was taken aback.
This morning, he didn’t even want to talk to Lu Yang.
He even started seriously considering marriage.
Xie Yan came out of the house, bid Lu Yang a tearful farewell, got into the carriage, turned the corner, and went to the private school with Wu Pingzhi.
After passing another street, he said to Wu Pingzhi, “Can we take a day off today and go to the county school first?”
He explained the reason. Wu Pingzhi wasn’t sick and was in good health, so Xie Yan wasn’t afraid of upsetting him and explained all three things clearly.
“I thought about it all night and can’t swallow my pride. We also owe the instructor money, so let’s go pay him back.”
Wu Pingzhi didn’t get angry and asked him, “What if you can’t swallow your pride? Are you going to the county school to debate with the scholars? You can’t even speak properly.”
Xie Yan said, “I’ve been thinking about it all night, and I know what to say.”
He repeated, “I’ve been thinking about it all night.” Wu Pingzhi saw that he was calm and nodded, “Alright, I’ll accompany you. If you lose the argument, I’ll help you out with a few choice words.”
He instructed the driver to turn toward the county school, then said to Xie Yan, “The good thing about private schools is that they pay well. Even if the teacher scolds you a bit, they won’t threaten to expel you.”
Once they arrived at the county school, they could have the driver run to the private school to request a leave of absence for them.
Xie Yan took note of this and said, “Money really is a good thing.”
Wu Pingzhi took the opportunity to put psychological pressure on him: “Do you remember how you felt when you wanted to take the collateral money last time? Money is a good thing; it can save lives.”
Xie Yan remembered.
This made him even angrier.
He didn’t spend the silver recklessly; he used it to buy medicine for Lu Yang.
If he had no power to resist, would they come to his house to rob him?
These were things he had experienced, and thinking about them made him feel uneasy.
“I must teach them a lesson today.”
Wu Pingzhi was really looking forward to it.
How would a bookworm teach someone a lesson?
Lu Lin casually asked, “What business?”
“Hurry up while they’re still hot, so people can eat some warm buns!”
There was a time difference between the two, but Xie Yan still arrived first by car.
The gatekeeper asked him, “Is your husband Xie Xiucai?”
It was rare for the county school to make a commotion, but yesterday afternoon’s incident quickly spread throughout the academy.
Lu Yang nodded and said, “Yes, it’s him. I’ve been thinking about it, so I came early this morning. Please let him know, or have the instructor come out. I’ll leave after I pay back the money.”
He wanted to ask the person himself.
The doorman was munching on the meat bun, dazed by the aroma, and didn’t let him go. He asked in confusion, “But Xie Xiucai just came, and he was also paying back the money.”
Lu Yang heard this and became anxious.
His son, that fool, wasn’t studying properly and had come here to show off. What if he got bullied again?
He blurted out, “That’s right, I saw he didn’t have his money bag, so I hurried out to give him some silver. Look at him, how can he pay back the money without it?”
Xie Yan had already gone inside, and he couldn’t just wait outside. Lu Yang added, ” I also brought some buns for the instructors. I often hear Xie Yan mention them; they are all my mentors. Now that he is no longer studying at the county school, I can’t pay my respects. Today, my husband is here too, so please let me go in. I’ll give them the buns, pay the money, and come out with my husband. Is that okay?”
He was a family member with connections.
The county school instructors are quite kind to Xie Yan; even the gatekeeper knows that.
Lu Yang slipped him two more buns, which he tucked into his pocket. He agreed to let Lu Yang enter and took him to find the instructors to repay the money.
The instructors’ duty room was bustling with activity.
Xie Yan dared to come to the county school today, bringing a group of people along to check the situation.
