Cultivo? Exames imperiais? Fantasia? Antiguidade? Wang Xuezhou estava prestes a alcançar o auge da vida quando foi transportado. Boa notícia: nesta vida, os pais se amam e os irmãos são harmoniosos. Má notícia: a família está apertando o cinto para apoiar o tio nos estudos, a casa está vazia, só comem farelo. No entanto, antes que ele pudesse se revoltar e desistir, os pais foram os primeiros a não aceitar. A mãe: "A escola não é só para a família do irmão mais velho, por que eles podem ir e nossos filhos não?" O pai: "Ninguém me ama~ ninguém me quer~ sou como um repolho abandonado no campo~" Wang Xuezhou: "Pai, quando eu passar no exame e me tornar um acadêmico, nossa família terá uma página só nossa no livro da vila, o senhor será único por aqui!" Vendo a família de três fazendo escândalo, brigando e prometendo milagres, o velho Wang enxugou o rosto e concordou com dificuldade em deixar Wang Xuezhou estudar. Já que é assim, então como um grande pássaro, ele vai voar alto e longe. Apertem os cintos, ele vai levar os pais para voar junto!
Great Qian Dynasty, Xilang Village.
Under the setting sun, waves of wheat rippled, golden spikes exuding their fragrant promise. The fields and their edges buzzed with activity. From the village houses, thin curls of smoke drifted upward—it was the time when every household was preparing their evening meal.
In the Wang family courtyard, Wang Xuezhou was squatting with a stick, teasing a bug on the ground, watching as it frantically changed direction, desperate to escape his clutches.
A girl passing by, his cousin, caught sight of him and, with a trace of disdain, remarked, “Five years old and still playing with bugs? How useless!”
Wang Xuezhou looked up lazily at his older cousin. “And you wet the bed at seven!”
Girls are proud, especially Daya, who was already ten this year. His words stung so much she nearly died of shame. “You—you’re making things up!” Her cheeks flushed red, and, furious, she stamped her foot, unable to bear staying a moment longer, and dashed off.
Wang Xuezhou gave a snort, dropped his head, and continued to tease the ant.
“Ugly Egg! Come here to Mother!” From the kitchen, a head poked out furtively, beckoning him in a hushed whisper.
At his mother’s call, Wang Xuezhou glanced down at the struggling insect, mercifully set it free. We are all just struggling to survive, he thought. Why make things difficult for each other?
He entered the kitchen. Zhang, his mother, quickly pinched a piece of egg and stuffed it into his mouth, urging, “Eat quickly—don’t let anyone see you.”
He hurried to swal