As soon as his smiling words fell, the atmosphere in the room shifted again. Even the earlier tension and annoyance vanished completely.
Shi Wuxiang also showed a faint smile. He liked how Yuan Zhao always supported him without hesitation.
“Buying a house in town—how much silver would that take? I’ll check how much we’ve deposited in the money bank. We can withdraw some then. Let’s buy a bigger one,” Yuan Zhao said excitedly, leaning closer with a stream of questions.
“Houses in town depend on location. Good locations with spacious courtyards are naturally expensive. We’ll need to ask around to know the details,” Shi Wuxiang said.
In his mind, however, he already knew who to ask. Before looking at new houses, it would be best if they could reclaim the original Shi family residence. That courtyard was also quite large.
The Shi family had three siblings, and they could not all live together. When they bought the house back then, this had already been considered, so the bedrooms were sufficient, though the courtyard was slightly small.
For them, it had been enough to live in. There was no need to buy something overly large—what mattered most was that the family could live together.
Madam Shi Zhang clearly thought the same. After some consideration, she spoke.
“I’m afraid we can’t buy back our old courtyard.”
“Why not?” Shi Wuxiang asked in surprise.
“After your father’s incident, the shop business couldn’t continue smoothly. The house was used to settle debts and has already been taken by someone else. No matter how much we miss it, it belongs to another family now,” Madam Shi Zhang said helplessly.
Hearing this, Shi Wuxiang remembered as well. Later they had rented a house in town, and after his accident, the family returned to the village.
He did not mind it.
“Then we’ll just buy a new one. We’ll also set up Father’s memorial tablet again. With a new place to live, he would be happy,” Shi Wuxiang said.
“Good, good,” Madam Shi Zhang wiped her tears, smiling faintly. “Your father is the same wherever he is. It’s the living who matter.”
Shi Qingran silently went to wipe her tears, and Madam Shi Zhang pulled her into her arms, patting her gently, also holding Yuan Yuan.
Shi Wuxiang said, “Then it’s decided. Tomorrow I’ll ask my academy classmates. Yuan Zhao, you also ask around in town. If there’s anything suitable, tell me when I arrive at the academy.”
“I know!” Yuan Zhao said cheerfully.
They were really going to buy a house in town.
—
The next morning, the whole family went to town as usual.
Yuan Zhao sent Shi Wuxiang to the academy and did not return to the shop. Instead, he wandered leisurely around town for once, enjoying rare free time.
He walked toward the busy streets, greeting familiar people and chatting a bit here and there. From these conversations, he learned quite a bit.
But for more specific information, he still needed to look at actual houses. Some were being sold through real estate brokers, while others belonged to the government and had to be purchased through the county magistrate. The prices were also different.
Yuan Zhao found this somewhat troublesome. Since he had nothing else to do, he decided to ask the brokers in town.
He told them the number of people in his household and their basic requirements. Any broker with suitable properties would take him to see them. If not, he would move on to another.
By midday, Yuan Zhao had visited many places and seen many houses, and he had also gotten a clearer sense of the prices.
He returned to the shop. Noon was the busiest time, so Yuan Zhao stood behind the counter, drinking tea noisily.
Lu Xiu glanced at him and teased, “What has the boss been up to? I almost thought you lost yourself while sending Master Shi off.”
“How could that happen!” Yuan Zhao chuckled proudly. “The boss naturally has important matters to attend to. This is family business—I can’t tell you.”
Lu Xiu’s smile deepened, but a trace of disappointment flickered in his eyes for a brief moment before he quickly composed himself again.
He smiled and said, “Then I’d better plug my ears. It would be a sin to hear the boss’s secrets.”
“You’re slacking off. The accountant will deduct your wages,” Yuan Zhao said with a grin. “Let you deduct your own wages.”
He laughed to himself, then quickly covered his mouth and slipped behind the counter to continue looking at the account books with him.
Yuan Zhao studied the ledgers, calculating their profits over the past two months. Together with their savings in the money bank, they could afford a reasonably good house.
“Is there something wrong with the accounts?” Lu Xiu became tense when he noticed his distraction.
“No, no, I was just thinking,” Yuan Zhao quickly reassured him, even praising his bookkeeping.
Lu Xiu did not say anything further. Though Yuan Zhao was the boss, he still needed to maintain proper boundaries, so he returned to his work.
Yuan Zhao eagerly waited until the agreed day finally arrived. He went straight to the academy, told the gatekeeper, and entered. Carrying a heavy food box, he waited under the same corridor as before.
The spring noon sun was bright, making Yuan Zhao feel drowsy. He sat there, listening to the academy teachers scold Shi Wuxiang—or rather, today it was more like criticism.
He listened for a bit, then quietly moved to the window to eavesdrop. He did not understand the talk of scholars, but he could tell from the tone that the teacher, Master Zhu, was displeased, seemingly accusing Shi Wuxiang of not studying properly.
What a fierce teacher. Clearly, Shi Wuxiang was the most diligent student!
As the bell rang, Yuan Zhao immediately ran back to the corridor. Just as he stood up and looked toward the window, he met Shi Wuxiang’s gaze.
He quickly covered his mouth, eyes curving in a smile, his silent laughter only visible to Shi Wuxiang.
“Oh—”
“Eh—”
“Yo—”
Just as Shi Wuxiang walked up to Yuan Zhao, passing students deliberately made strange teasing sounds.
Yuan Zhao smiled awkwardly but still reminded them to write down what they wanted to bring; he would come collect it when he left.
The students naturally would not forget. Originally, they had a ten-day break, but now it was only once a month. Without some good food, life at the academy would be too dull.
Shi Wuxiang brought Yuan Zhao to the dormitory. As the weather had warmed, students were more willing to wash and ventilate their rooms, and with Shi Wuxiang keeping watch, the dormitory no longer had any unpleasant smells.
So Yuan Zhao often followed him to the dormitory to eat meals. Chengdu, Fu Ying, and Hu Lu were not very thick-skinned about freeloading food, so they only occasionally came once, and this time they did not follow along.
“I only have to cook less for myself,” Shi Wuxiang said as he ate from the dishes. “They’ve been too embarrassed to come and eat recently.”
Yuan Zhao blinked and smiled. “It’s fine. I don’t have anything to do right now anyway, so cooking for you doesn’t feel tiring… Oh right, I asked around about house prices these past two days and even went with a broker to look at a few courtyards. I was just waiting to tell you.”
Shi Wuxiang nodded and picked up a piece of meat to feed him. “Talk while you eat.”
Yuan Zhao chewed happily. “Let’s use the size of our shop as a reference. A place about the same size as our shop without a small courtyard is cheaper, just over a hundred taels. But that kind doesn’t seem very convenient for us.”
Shi Wuxiang nodded, and Yuan Zhao continued.
“I also looked at a courtyard house. It’s a two-entry residence. The bedrooms are enough, and there’s a separate small courtyard with side rooms. There’s even a well in the back courtyard. I checked the well myself—it’s very clean. The only problem is it’s been empty for a long time, so it needs repairs.”
Hearing him describe it so clearly, Shi Wuxiang already knew Yuan Zhao liked this place.
He asked, “The price?”
“Eighteen hundred taels,” Yuan Zhao said, glancing at his expression. “The broker said if it feels too much, we can pay part first and treat the rest as monthly payments. Or we can pay it all at once—I can afford to pay it all.”
They could earn it back in at most two months.
Shi Wuxiang asked again, “Then the repairs—are we paying for that as well?”
“The broker said so…” Yuan Zhao hesitated. “Is it too expensive? Or is it wrong that we’re supposed to pay for repairs? Did I get tricked?”
He looked genuinely shocked. The broker had clearly told him it was an honest price!
“I’ve asked Chengdu and Fu Ying,” Shi Wuxiang said calmly. “The market price they described doesn’t match what you were told. Since the price is already this high, we should not be the ones paying for repairs.”
He continued, “House purchases cannot be rushed. Wait until I have leave before we decide.”
Those brokers likely saw Yuan Zhao as an easy target and tried to trick him. Once the deal was settled, it would be hard to reverse.
Even as a scholar, Shi Wuxiang could not avoid the constraints of signed agreements.
“I understand,” Yuan Zhao said, relieved. “Good thing I didn’t pay a deposit.”
“You did well,” Shi Wuxiang praised him while feeding him another bite of meat. “If you had, we would have been at a disadvantage. We might have been forced to buy at an inflated price.”
Yuan Zhao sighed softly. “But that courtyard really was nice. It even had a swing in the back. It wasn’t even that big, but it had everything. It’s all that annoying broker’s fault.”
Shi Wuxiang rarely saw him so fond of a place. He had assumed Yuan Zhao would object to moving since their village house had only recently been built.
But since he liked it so much, they could properly negotiate later. At least they should move in before summer, otherwise the rainy season would delay repairs.
“I’ll handle it later,” Shi Wuxiang said.
“Okay,” Yuan Zhao replied obediently.
As long as Shi Wuxiang said he would handle it, it would definitely be resolved. Everything Shi Wuxiang said had a definite outcome; Yuan Zhao trusted that.
After eating, there was still some rest time. Shi Wuxiang washed the bowls outside and packed them back into the food box.
He raised an eyebrow. “Did you make this food box yourself?”
Now that the weather was warm, there was no need for the insulated box from before. This bamboo one looked freshly made. Thinking of the bamboo shoots in the dishes, it was clear they were freshly dug.
“It looks good, right? I made it to fit our bowls and chopsticks exactly so nothing spills when I carry it,” Yuan Zhao said proudly, holding it up. “The handle is tightly woven too, so it doesn’t hurt the hand.”
“You’re very skilled. Everything you make looks good,” Shi Wuxiang praised without hesitation.
Yuan Zhao lifted his chin in satisfaction, then turned away and secretly grinned so hard his shoulders trembled.
If not for being in the academy, Shi Wuxiang would have pulled him into his arms and rubbed him properly.
Yuan Zhao did not stay long at the academy. Shi Wuxiang also needed a short rest, so he left quickly, taking the paper list with him.
After sending him off, Shi Wuxiang returned to the dormitory and was about to open the window when a loud snoring interrupted him.
“Stop! Let me smell it! Huh… it’s the scent of bamboo shoot stir-fry, fish-flavored shredded pork, and salted chicken!”
“Brother Wuxiang, you eat really well!”
A jealous voice rang out. Shi Wuxiang turned to see Chengdu and Fu Ying, with several other students behind them.
They had all smelled the aroma, and every one of them looked at him with envy. Some even started thinking about getting married early, though they quickly suppressed the thought—none of them had achieved success yet.
Shi Wuxiang smiled faintly. “My spouse is considerate, so naturally I eat well.”
“Only Zhao-ge cares about you. If it were me, I’d eat from the canteen, and if I didn’t eat, I’d starve!” Chengdu said dramatically, clearly also envious.
“Did you pass him the order list?” Shi Wuxiang asked.
Chengdu nodded. “I did. I personally handed it over. It’ll be a while before the next batch.”
Shi Wuxiang frowned slightly. “Is there a lot of demand?”
Chengdu raised a brow. “Of course. Now that they only get one break a month, they’re even more willing to spend money. Everyone wants to eat well—just like me.”
Shi Wuxiang couldn’t help but laugh. That was indeed true.
—
After that, Shi Wuxiang rarely returned home during breaks. Yuan Zhao stayed busy at the shop and went to the academy every three days to deliver meals and improve food for Shi Wuxiang, while also having the assistants deliver items to students.
Lu Xiu eventually noticed something off.
When Yuan Zhao leaned over the account book, he casually asked, “You haven’t gone back to the village to stay for the past ten-plus days?”
He meant returning to rest for a day before coming back.
Yuan Zhao sighed and lay on the counter, resting his head on his arms. “The academy is very strict this year. They only give one day off per month now. So annoying.”
“Is that so?” Lu Xiu raised a brow, then strangely looked pleased as he smiled. “Then you should make use of the time. There aren’t many months left.”
“That’s true. They say they’re going to take the provincial exam,” Yuan Zhao said carefully. “Have you ever been to the provincial capital, Mr. Lu?”
Lu Xiu smiled. “I went once and failed the exam. After that, I realized my talent wasn’t enough to pursue a higher path. There was no need to insist further. My current title is already enough for me to live comfortably.”
Yuan Zhao blinked, unsure whether he felt shock or regret. He only felt that Lu Xiu was truly remarkable.
Not many people could calmly admit their limitations. Many others would avoid mentioning their shortcomings altogether.
Yuan Zhao felt he could learn a lot from him. If he could learn what scholars know, would Shi Wuxiang see him as someone on the same path—and perhaps truly like him in return?
“Mr. Lu is amazing,” Yuan Zhao said. “Would you be willing to teach me how to read when you’re free?”
“You want to study?” Lu Xiu was surprised.
“Yes. Reading more is always good, right?” Yuan Zhao tilted his head, eyes bright with expectation.
Lu Xiu thought for a moment. “I can teach you after the shop closes each day. But don’t disturb me while I’m settling accounts.”
“Okay!” Yuan Zhao immediately agreed and ran upstairs.
If he could earn money, then he could afford to spend it.
Now he could finally spend money—though only cautiously, not freely yet.
“Brother!”
“Sister-in-law!”
Yuan Yuan and Shi Qingran rushed into the private room and hugged him.
“What’s wrong?” Yuan Zhao gently patted their backs.
“Brother… I’m bad… I broke a customer’s porridge…”
Yuan Zhao’s heart tightened. He quickly checked them over. “Are you hurt? Did you cut yourself? Qingran, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Shi Qingran said nervously. “Mother sent us up after we broke the bowl. Is Mother angry with us?”
In the shop, breaking dishes was minor, but breaking a customer’s order felt like a serious mistake.
“No,” Yuan Zhao said softly. “Mother just asked you to come up and rest, and for me to check if you’re hurt. It’s just a bowl of porridge. Just apologize properly and compensate the customer. Don’t cry over something like this.”
Yuan Yuan held tightly onto his waist. Even though he had been coaxed into calming down, he was still hiccupping softly, his thin shoulders trembling. He looked especially pitiful.
Yuan Zhao’s heart ached so much it felt like it was breaking.
He simply lifted Yuan Yuan onto his lap and pulled him into his arms, gently patting his back—just like in all those countless nights before, when the child had been bullied by the Yuan family.
“Let me think… did you properly apologize just now?” Yuan Zhao asked softly.
“I did… but I spoke very quietly. Maybe the customer didn’t hear it,” Yuan Yuan said, thinking about it made him even more upset. He should have spoken louder.
Yuan Zhao smiled. “It’s already very brave that you apologized. Next time, if something like this happens, just speak a little louder when you apologize. Customers won’t mind, and Auntie won’t mind either. Don’t be afraid.”
“Okay…” Yuan Yuan nodded obediently.
His eyes, washed clean by tears, looked especially bright and clear.
Looking at those eyes, Yuan Zhao’s own expression softened as well. That gentleness and affection made Yuan Yuan feel safe enough to cry freely in his arms.
After coaxing them for a while, he left the two children upstairs with snacks and toys, then went back downstairs to check on the situation.
Even though he knew his mother would handle it properly, as the shop owner, since his younger sibling had made a mistake, he still needed to step in.
Downstairs, Madam Shi Zhang was apologizing to a customer named Chen Yishu at a table. Yuan Zhao hurried over. Fortunately, the customer was a regular and familiar with them, and after accepting the apology and compensation for the meal, he did not make any further trouble.
“Is Yuan Yuan alright?” Madam Shi Zhang asked softly. “He seemed quite frightened.”
“He cried a little, but he’s upstairs now eating snacks with Ranran,” Yuan Zhao said with a smile. “He kept worrying because he spoke too quietly when apologizing.”
Madam Shi Zhang couldn’t help but laugh. “Even if it was quiet, the customer still heard it. He even praised him a bit—he was probably just too nervous to notice. As long as he’s fine.”
Yuan Zhao’s eyes curved. That little one didn’t even hear the praise he received—really.
Life continued as usual, and before long, it was the end of the month.
Yuan Zhao first brought the whole family back together and picked up Shi Qingyu, then went to the academy of Zhenlan to wait for Shi Wuxiang.
Outside the academy, many carriages and sedan chairs were already lined up. It looked like families waiting to pick up their sons for the break. They had arrived a bit late, so they could only park farther away.
“Mother, you wait here. I’ll go check the academy gate. A-Xiang should be coming out soon,” Yuan Zhao said before quickly heading over.
“Brother, I want to go too!” Yuan Yuan shouted and ran after him. Yuan Zhao slowed down a little so he could catch up, and the two of them arrived at the gate together.
The gate attendants were all stretching their necks, eagerly watching inside, but the gate was only so big—no amount of peeking helped if people weren’t coming out yet.
Yuan Zhao casually took out a packet of pastries and handed it to Yuan Yuan. “Eat while you wait.”
“Isn’t this for Brother A-Xiang?” Yuan Yuan blinked in surprise.
“You’re more important. Your A-Xiang brother can wait a bit,” Yuan Zhao said, bringing a piece of hawthorn cake to his mouth. “Eat. There’s more in the carriage—he won’t go hungry.”
“Okay!” Yuan Yuan happily took a bite.
Yuan Zhao also ate while watching, his clear eyes scanning the crowd carefully for the person he wanted to see.
Then, a familiar figure appeared in his sight.
“Ah Xiang!!!”
He jumped up and waved enthusiastically, instantly drawing attention from nearby attendants, who had never seen such a lively and bold young man. Then they realized—this was the owner of the Duowei Food Shop.
Shi Wuxiang waved back and walked over quickly, carrying a bundle.
Yuan Zhao immediately took it. “Why did you only bring these two sets of clothes? Where are the others? I’ll wash them when we get home!”
“The rest have already been washed and put away. These just didn’t get washed in time,” Shi Wuxiang replied. “I have hands and feet. It’s not like I can’t wash clothes properly like Yuan Yuan.”
Yuan Yuan, still eating cake, nodded. “I can do it too!”
Without hesitation, Shi Wuxiang lifted him up. The three of them quickly moved through the crowd and headed toward the carriage. He placed Yuan Yuan inside first, then held Yuan Zhao’s hand but did not get on.
“Where are you going?” Madam Shi Zhang asked in confusion.
“A-Zhao and I have something to handle. You go back first. Don’t wait for us,” Shi Wuxiang said.
Madam Shi Zhang didn’t ask further and instructed Shi Qingyu to drive the carriage back.
After watching them leave, the two of them walked toward town.
“Where are we going?” Yuan Zhao asked.
“I don’t want to keep traveling back and forth during these two days of break,” Shi Wuxiang said seriously. “We’re going directly to the broker you mentioned before to look at houses—and negotiate the price.”
That didn’t sound like negotiating a price. It sounded like going to fight.
Yuan Zhao laughed. “What if we can’t lower it?”
“Then we buy it anyway. You like it.”