When Chen De’an and Zhao Jing arrived home that evening, they were met with unparalleled enthusiasm.

If it weren’t for the fact that they had to return to the examination hall to continue their tests after a day of rest, Xu Suying would have prepared a feast of chicken, duck, fish, and pork. She held back only because she feared that eating too much rich food might make them unwell.

So, just in case, she stuck to their usual diet. After all, if they missed the exam because of an upset stomach... well, it would be one thing for De’an, whose chances of passing were fifty-fifty at best. But if Zhao Jing failed the county examination due to illness, Mr. Zheng would probably laugh himself to death in his jail cell.

To prevent such a mishap, tonight’s dinner was something of a paradox. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

On one hand, it was quite lavish. There was not only chicken, fish, and pork, but even beef.

On the other hand, you could also argue it wasn’t, because the old hen had been stewed with ginseng rootlets into a golden broth, and the crucian carp was simmered with tofu into a milky-white soup.

The pork was sliced and stir-fried with cumin, while the beef was braised with potatoes.

Aside from these two substantial dishes, the rest of the table was filled with simple greens and radishes. It looked only a little more special than their usual meals.

But ultimately, a meal is judged by its taste, not the number of dishes. Xu Suying’s own cooking wasn’t exceptional, but she had a discerning palate and was excellent at giving directions. Under her mother’s "demanding" taste buds, Chen Wanqing had developed exquisite culinary skills from a young age. As a result, everyone was quite satisfied with the evening meal.

After dinner, Xu Suying urged Zhao Jing and De’an to go to their rooms and rest, adding that she would have Chen Song bring them hot water shortly.

"It’s cold out. Just wash your hands and face and soak your feet. Don’t bother with a bath. All these years of hard study come down to these next few days. It would be a real shame if you caught a cold and it affected your performance."

Zhao Jing said, "Mom, I can carry the hot water myself. There’s no need to trouble Dad."

De’an looked at Zhao Jing. ’Weren’t you just calling them ’Father-in-law’ and ’Mother-in-law’ a moment ago? What, did a few words with Li Cun get to you? Now you’ve switched to calling them ’Mom’ and ’Dad’ directly.’

Apparently, only De’an and Chen Wanqing noticed this little change. No one else, including Yao’an, paid it any mind.

Hearing Zhao Jing, Xu Suying just said, "Don’t you worry about it. You’ve had a long day, so rest when you can. By the way, do you two want to write down the essays you composed in the examination hall today? We can find someone to look them over for you."

De’an was the first to speak. "Yes. Before I entered the exam, my teacher specifically told me to write out my essay afterward and bring it to him at the academy tomorrow."

Everyone then looked to Zhao Jing. After a moment of thought, he said, "I’ll write mine out as well and send it to Mr. Wang tomorrow."

Mr. Wang was the senior scholar who had sponsored him for the examination.

This Mr. Wang had an upright but fiercely independent nature. Of all the scholars in Qingshui County, the only one he truly respected was the late Mr. Zhao.

Because of this temperament, he wasn’t well-liked by most people, but Mr. Zhao had appreciated his character and frequently spent time with him.

After Mr. Zhao passed away, it was this same Mr. Wang who came every year without fail to offer incense. Worried that Zhao Jing’s studies might stagnate, he would test him on every visit. He would also leave behind specially annotated books, telling Zhao Jing to write to him directly if he ever had questions.

Mr. Wang had even offered to have Zhao Jing move into his home to be tutored personally, but Zhao Jing had politely declined, citing his duty to observe the mourning period for his father.

He had kept his distance before out of respect for the mourning period, but to remain formal now would seem cold and ungrateful.

Hearing Zhao Jing’s plan, Xu Suying and Chen Song nodded in agreement.

The couple had specifically asked about Mr. Wang’s reputation. He was known to despise injustice and could be somewhat arrogant, but he was also outspoken and straightforward—a worthy acquaintance.

This Mr. Wang came from a family of modest wealth, so he hadn’t opened a private academy to teach students. Instead, he was still pursuing his own studies and was rumored to be participating in this year’s provincial examinations.

While they were talking, Chen Song finished preparing the hot water.

There were two wooden buckets in total. He left one in De’an’s room and carried the other directly to the back courtyard.

Zhao Jing tried to take the bucket from him several times along the way, but Chen Song refused.

"You have your exam in a few days; you need to be careful with everything. What if this hot water spills on you? What would you do if you scalded your hands and got blisters?"

From the front courtyard, Xu Suying, busy with some task, overheard Chen Song’s words perfectly. She couldn’t help but shout, "Chen Song, you jinx! Why must you bring up the worst-case scenario! I’m telling you, if you don’t know how to talk, then shut your mouth! If you dare keep spouting nonsense and jinx my son-in-law, you’ll see if I let you get away with it!"