Shi Wuxiang immediately got up to open the door, while Yuan Zhao paused mid-slurp of noodles and then suddenly burst out laughing.
He had almost forgotten how wildly they had been making things up on the road.
The door opened—and Cheng Du, Fu Ying, and Hu Lu squeezed inside. The first thing they saw was Yuan Zhao sitting properly dressed, calmly eating noodles.
They immediately felt a bit awkward. They had barged straight into someone else’s room—two spouses, no less. It was fortunate Yuan Zhao was dressed properly; otherwise, they would not even be able to kneel in apology and make up for it.
Shi Wuxiang, however, did not seem bothered at all. In his eyes, Yuan Zhao was just another man in a male body anyway…
…aside from the fact that he could also bear children.
“You all can sit,” Shi Wuxiang said, gesturing politely.
Yuan Zhao obediently moved to a small couch nearby, where there was also a small table. He continued slurping noodles while listening to them talk.
“Have you found rooms already… slurp…” Shi Wuxiang asked with a faint smile, continuing his sentence naturally despite the interruption.
Cheng Du replied, “We already booked rooms. We brought our luggage just in case… slurp… nothing much happened on the road, though we heard plenty of ‘dramas.’ How many stories did you two even make up?”
He glanced at Yuan Zhao, who was still eating.
Sensing the gaze, Yuan Zhao looked up, met everyone’s eyes, then awkwardly swallowed, grinned, and slowed down. After that, he carefully ate in complete silence—no more slurping.
“Then let’s rest early tonight,” Shi Wuxiang said. “We’ll depart tomorrow afternoon.”
That was clearly the signal for them to leave.
Cheng Du and the others immediately understood and stood up to go. They would be traveling together anyway—there would be plenty of time to talk later.
Once they left, Yuan Zhao finally let out a breath.
“My noodles got cut short,” he complained. “That’s bad luck—you’re not supposed to cut noodles like that. Long noodles mean long fortune. You’re supposed to slurp them loudly!”
Shi Wuxiang looked at him helplessly. “Fortune isn’t that petty. A lucky person doesn’t lose fortune over this. You’re already the most fortunate one.”
Yuan Zhao did not understand. “How is eating noodles not something serious? Back when I couldn’t even eat noodles, I didn’t feel wronged—but I did feel sad when I couldn’t feed Wen Ge’er enough.”
“Wen Ge’er will have enough to eat in the future,” Shi Wuxiang said gently. “Mother is at home taking good care of him. Don’t worry.”
“He’ll have endless noodles too?” Yuan Zhao still held onto that resentment from earlier times.
“Not just noodles,” Shi Wuxiang said, wiping a bit of scallion from his lips. “White rice, sugar cakes, pork… anything he wants, he can eat.”
“Mm!” Yuan Zhao nodded vigorously and went right back to noisily eating his noodles.
Shi Wuxiang then ate his own slightly softened noodles. He was not picky about food at all, especially since Yuan Zhao ate so happily—it was strangely appetizing.
After dinner, they wandered casually inside the room. Before long, Yuan Zhao became drowsy again, yawning nonstop and barely able to walk.
Naturally, Shi Wuxiang went to sleep with him.
Sharing the same bed brought a rare sense of peace.
Yuan Zhao slept deeply, likely because knowing they would soon be joined by their companions made him feel more at ease.
The next morning, the five of them gathered in their room, shared a hearty breakfast, and strolled around briefly to buy supplies for the road before continuing their journey.
Traveling together felt livelier. They would travel during the day when it was safer, and at night they would find inns to rest, buying more food along the way. As the weather cooled, buns and flatbreads could now last several days.
After three or four days, they finally reached the provincial capital.
The city gate was crowded with people. Looking at the towering gates and long lines ahead, everyone felt a little nervous.
Fortunately, after inspecting their documents and letters, the guards let them through politely. Many candidates had already arrived, so inspections were stricter than usual.
Once inside, they were stunned by the city’s prosperity. Tall buildings, wine shops, inns, and stores lined the streets. The roads were twice as wide as those in county towns—wide enough for three or four carriages to pass side by side.
Even nobles and wealthy young masters occasionally glanced at street stalls as they passed.
“What should we do now?” Cheng Du asked, visibly nervous. Everyone instinctively looked to Shi Wuxiang for guidance.
“We came early,” Shi Wuxiang said. “Let’s find an inn to rest for the night. Tomorrow we’ll look for a small house to rent. We’ll be staying here for more than a month.”
“Alright.”
“Let’s find a good inn or restaurant then.”
Yuan Zhao was the most eager. Even if it was just for one night, he wanted Shi Wuxiang to stay somewhere comfortable.
They asked around many inns, but all the rooms were fully booked.
They had assumed they arrived early—but they had forgotten that those who lived closer naturally arrived sooner.
“What do we do?” Cheng Du became visibly anxious.
Fu Ying patted his back. “Calm down. We’ll keep looking.”
Hu Lu, coming from a poorer background, also began worrying that they might end up sleeping on the streets.
“Guests! Honored guests! Are you looking for a place to stay?”
A light, somewhat eager voice cut through the crowd.
Shi Wuxiang smiled faintly. “When you’re sleepy, someone always brings you a pillow.”
The newcomer was thin, poorly dressed, and somewhat disheveled—completely out of place in the prosperous capital. Yet he wore a flattering smile as he approached carefully.
“Most inns and restaurants are fully booked due to the exams. If you came one day earlier, you would’ve found rooms!” the thin man said. “The cheaper inns still have rooms, but prices are rising because of the exams!”
Shi Wuxiang frowned slightly. “We come from humble backgrounds and arrived late. What are we supposed to do now? Do you have a place?”
“I have a small house!” the man quickly said. “It’s small, but my mother can cook meals for you. Just a little extra money!”
He hurried to add, “My mother talks a lot, but she’s not bad. She can cook decently. You’ll be staying until the results are out anyway—it’s better to stay with us. I’ll even give you a discount!”
Shi Wuxiang narrowed his eyes slightly. “If your house is really that good, why hasn’t it been rented out already? And if you’re offering a discount, how cheap can it really be? We’re poor scholars—don’t try to deceive us.”
The man looked embarrassed but insisted the house was real. After some hesitation, he quoted the price: seventy-five taels for over fifty days.
That came out to fifteen taels per person.
For provincial capital standards, this was still overpriced. Clearly, he was trying to take advantage of their unfamiliarity.
“Let’s go,” Shi Wuxiang said calmly, taking Yuan Zhao’s hand.
The man hurriedly chased after them, lowering the price bit by bit, down to seventy taels.
Another passerby laughed. “Don’t believe him. That house is real but not worth the price. You should check other inns instead.”
The man immediately protested loudly, but Shi Wuxiang had already seen through it. He decided to stop wasting time.
After a brief exchange of looks with the others, Cheng Du and the rest pretended to be displeased, following Shi Wuxiang’s lead as they walked away.
They had already heard so many stories along the way that they had long since learned how to make up nonsense without revealing their weaknesses.
“If we stay in an inn and take a lower room, it’s only fifty wen a day. If we eat simply, it’s just a little over a hundred wen a day. At most it’s only four taels a month. But now it’s fifteen taels a month—we simply can’t afford it,” Cheng Du said first.
Though he looked indulgent and carefree, he was actually quite calculating.
Hu Lu went even further into self-pity. “I only have a little over ten taels left. That’s all my savings. I might as well just find a cheaper room.”
“I am the same. But since Senior Brother wants to take a look, we’ll just accompany him,” Fu Ying followed along smoothly.
Poor scholars relied on the imperial examination to change their lives. If they were already scraping by, how could they afford such expensive lodging?
Shi Wuxiang sighed softly. “Then I suppose we shouldn’t go. Let’s continue looking for cheaper rooms.”
With that, he did not even look at the thin man again. The group turned and left in perfect coordination.
“W-wait! I can make it cheaper! Two hundred wen per person per day, including three meals! Fifty taels total!” the thin man shouted urgently as he chased after them. “Or at least come look first! We can negotiate after that!”
“Then let’s take a look,” Shi Wuxiang finally said.
“Good, good! I’ll take you there right away!”
The thin man did indeed have a small courtyard. It was tucked away in an inconspicuous alley, cramped and modest. As he said, it only had two rooms—not large, but enough for their group.
His mother immediately came out upon hearing the noise, followed by another woman. The two of them chatted excitedly, clearly exchanging gossip.
The rooms inside were clean, the beds and cabinets carefully wiped down. For them, it was already decent enough. Wealthier scholars might have disliked it, but that was likely because they cared too much about appearances.
The price, however, still needed discussion.
After a quick look, Shi Wuxiang said calmly, “We’re done. Let’s go.”
“Ah? Five people, fifty taels really isn’t expensive! If you go to inns now it’ll be even more! The cheaper rooms are already taken!” the thin man panicked. “You won’t find anything better!”
His family lived modestly, and renting out the empty rooms during exam season was supposed to be a rare source of income. Yet every group he met either couldn’t afford it at all or looked down on him and left immediately.
None of them stayed.
“We still have two coachmen,” Fu Ying added.
“They can stay in the woodshed for free! Just pay a bit for meals! One meal with meat a day is fine!” the thin man hurriedly said. “Really, it’s already cheap!”
That part actually sounded reasonable.
Shi Wuxiang glanced meaningfully at the woman still chattering in the courtyard.
The thin man immediately understood and quickly said, “I swear! During your stay, aside from meals, my mother won’t disturb you at all!”
“And how would you guarantee that?” Shi Wuxiang asked curiously.
The thin man shouted, “Mother!”
“If you keep talking, we won’t earn a single coin!”
The mother froze, then immediately clamped her mouth shut. She grabbed the other woman, dragged her outside, and shut the door firmly behind her—locking herself inside her own room to ensure silence.
She clearly understood priorities.
Now everything was settled—except the price.
It would be ten taels per person.
Shi Wuxiang glanced at Hu Lu. He did not doubt Hu Lu, but among the three of them, Hu Lu did have the weakest financial situation. His mother had recently fallen ill, and their embroidery shop had been closed for some time.
If Hu Lu showed any hesitation, they would leave immediately.
But Hu Lu nodded. It was acceptable.
“Then let’s make things clear in advance,” Shi Wuxiang said seriously. “First, you must not disturb us during this period. Second, meals must be as promised, with proper meat. Third, no sudden price increases. If anything happens, we will report it to the authorities.”
The thin man hurriedly agreed. “Don’t worry! Everything during the exam period will prioritize you! Just don’t make things difficult for us!”
With that settled, they paid half the money and were led inside.
Shi Wuxiang naturally shared a room with Yuan Zhao, while the other three shared another. The beds were large enough that even more people could have fit.
The cupboards were sufficient, and locks were provided. All keys were handed over to them.
The coachmen stayed in the woodshed. Though cramped, they were used to hardship, and with meals included, they already considered it excellent treatment.
After settling in, Shi Wuxiang instructed the coachmen, “Stay here and keep watch. Don’t let anyone sneak in and search our things.”
They were carrying a significant amount of silver. Losing it would be disastrous.
“Don’t worry,” the coachmen replied. They were experienced travelers and immediately settled into the courtyard to keep watch.
The provincial capital was prosperous. Street vendors earned well—even simple hairpins could sell for dozens of wen, yet people still bought them because they were cheaper than shop prices.
As they walked through the streets, they frequently saw scholars carrying luggage, desperately searching for inns or asking where they could rent rooms.
They had been lucky to arrive early; otherwise, even this shabby courtyard might have been unavailable.
After wandering for some time, Cheng Du suggested, “Shall we eat at a restaurant? We’ve come all this way—it would be a shame not to enjoy ourselves. Starting tomorrow we’ll be staying indoors anyway.”
“Agreed.”
Hu Lu was the first to agree. He knew his family background was poorer, and he also knew his friends were being considerate of him. But he did not need that.
His mother’s embroidery skills were valuable, and though they lived modestly, they were not destitute. Still, he always tried to save wherever possible.
“Then let’s eat,” Shi Wuxiang smiled.
“I’m hungry too,” Yuan Zhao sighed. They had arrived at midday, dealt with negotiations, and only now had time to eat.
Shi Wuxiang naturally took his hand. “We’re going to eat now. You can have anything you want.”
“I could eat an entire donkey!” Yuan Zhao grinned.
“Is that so?” Shi Wuxiang laughed softly. “If you can’t, I’ll deal with you.”
Yuan Zhao quickly fell silent, sticking close to him like a shadow.
The streets were lined with restaurants. Without much thought, they entered one.
Because of the upcoming exam, the place was crowded. They were lucky to find a table just as someone left.
The waiter greeted them warmly. “What would you like to order?”
“Bring all your specialties,” Shi Wuxiang said. “And five large bowls of rice.”
“Right away. Please wait, and enjoy some tea—it’s complimentary.”
As the waiter left, the five of them suddenly felt like rustic villagers in a refined place. Even Cheng Du, usually lively, did not dare act freely.
“This is embarrassing,” Cheng Du muttered.
“Just focus on your own affairs,” Shi Wuxiang said calmly. “Once we finish eating, we won’t be going out again. No one will pay attention to us.”
But Yuan Zhao felt otherwise.
He could feel people glancing at them—perhaps because their group of four men and one omega stood out.
“I feel like everyone is looking at us,” Yuan Zhao whispered.
“Don’t overthink,” Shi Wuxiang said gently, patting his back.
He noticed Yuan Zhao shrinking into himself like a frightened chick and suspected mild social anxiety.
“Breathe slowly. In through the nose… out slowly… good, just like that.”
Chengdu looked a bit strange. “Actually, I’m also pretty nervous. How about you pat me like this too?”
“Let Fu Ying pat you.” Shi Wuxiang had a smile at the corner of his mouth, looking relaxed and casual, not the least bit uncomfortable because of the change in environment.
He was someone with very strong adaptability, always carrying a kind of calmness as if Mount Tai collapsed in front of him and his expression would not change.
Probably influenced by him, the others gradually became steadier as well. During the waiting time for the dishes, they chatted casually and lightly, no longer as restrained and nervous as at the beginning.
The dishes were quickly served. The waiter saw that there were many of them, so he brought six dishes along with a complimentary bowl of clear soup—more than enough to eat.
“I need to hurry and eat my fill. Starting tomorrow, I won’t be able to be this relaxed anymore.” Chengdu said as he took the lead in picking up food. With one chopstick down, the duck meat was crispy on the outside and tender inside, the meat still glistening with oil, so fragrant it almost made him lose himself.
“Everyone, eat quickly. Let’s go back and rest early after we’re done.”
Shi Wuxiang spoke while helping Yuan Zhao pick dishes. Since his husband was socially anxious, he had to take care of him in every way.
A meal later, with things from land, water, and even seafood like shrimp and shellfish, it was all very flavorful.
Of course, the price was also quite beautiful.
But splitting it five ways made it not seem like much.
On the way, they passed by a bookshop and originally wanted to go in and see what was being sold, but the items inside were extremely expensive, so they immediately gave up the idea.
Hu Lu was even straightforward: “I brought a lot of paper with me. If you don’t have enough, just come ask me. We can still save where we can.”
“I brought ink sticks,” Fu Ying said.
“I brought extra brushes.” Chengdu, who was the most particular, liked buying those nice-looking brushes and slowly using them.
Shi Wuxiang smiled lightly. “Since you’re all well prepared, I will respectfully accept. We brought more clothes when we came out. If you don’t have enough, feel free to take some.”
Ordinary people traveling for exams usually preferred to travel light. The luggage had been packed by Yuan Zhao, afraid that he would be cold.