Chapter 34: I’m Counting on You, Bro.

Upon hearing the news, Old Man Wang could not sit still. Having originally stepped out of the house to spread the word, he had a change of heart and decided to take Wang Xuezhou along with him.

Old Man Wang had a bit of a boastful impulse. He took Wang Xuezhou from his brothers' homes all the way to the village head and the clan elders, making sure to push Wang Xuezhou forward to explain the source of the news every time he mentioned it.

Wang Xuezhou answered the elders honestly, saying exactly what he was asked. By the end of the day, when his throat was finally parched, Old Man Wang took him home. On the way back, Old Man Wang was in an unusually good mood, humming a little tune under his breath.

"Chou-dan, do you know why Grandpa brought you out today?"

Wang Xuezhou thought to himself, *Probably to show off, right?* Every time he explained the source of the information, the villagers would praise him, and Old Man Wang’s back would straighten with pride. However, if he voiced that thought, his backside would surely suffer for it.

"I don't know."

Hearing this, Old Man Wang chuckled. "I know you’re thinking Grandpa was just bragging, but that was only a small part of it. Years ago, when your eldest uncle went to take the exams, the village chipped in some money. But he proved to be hopeless, making no progress for so many years. Your grandma and I were unwilling to give up and kept supporting him, which made our family's life harder and harder, leading to quite a bit of gossip in the village."

"Today, Grandpa did feel a sense of vindication, but I was also thinking of you. If you are to walk this path in the future, having this incident today will improve your reputation in the village. When it comes time for you to go take the exams, people will be more willing to help out with funds, and you won't be held back by your uncle's failures."

Wang Xuezhou looked at Old Man Wang in surprise. Was this support for him to pursue the imperial examinations?

Seeing his expression, Old Man Wang retorted with a huff, "What's with that look? While your grandmother and I might be a bit biased, there are only three grandsons in this family; why wouldn't I hope for you to do well? It’s just that our family's circumstances didn't allow for it before."

*But things are different now,* Old Man Wang thought to himself. He had seen the potential in his young grandson and had firmly decided to cultivate it with all his might.

Wang Xuezhou, unaware of these thoughts, simply felt a great weight lifted from his heart. After dinner, he checked his siblings' progress in their studies as usual, rewarding or punishing them accordingly. Wang Xuewen watched from the side, snorting, torn between envy and jealousy at his cousin's displays of authority. Wang Xuezhou couldn't help but admire him.

The boy had nerves of steel. After being kicked by his own father and bedridden for two months, he acted like nothing had happened the moment he recovered, showing no signs of sadness or resentment.

That evening, the family of five fussed over Wang Xuezhou, asking everything from what he ate at the academy to what he was studying. He didn't find the chatter tiresome and vividly recounted everything that had happened at school.

Mrs. Zhang pulled him into her arms, heartbroken. "Your teacher is too much! Why make you study so much? Can your brain handle it?"

Seeing his son leaning against his wife, Wang Chengzhi pulled him away. "This shows the teacher values our boy; why else wouldn't he do this to the others? He must think our Chou-dan is smarter than the other children and capable of learning so much!"

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Zhang realized it made sense and grew excited again. "This teacher has a good eye! I’ve always said the Wang family might one day have to rely on our Chou-dan!"

Pausing, Mrs. Zhang’s face darkened as something crossed her mind. "Your eldest uncle has become increasingly unreliable these past few years. This time, Chou-dan caught him and he couldn't make it to the gambling den, but what if no one is there to see him next time? Is that something you can get hooked on? If he squanders the family fortune, what will our Chou-dan have to study with?"

Wang Chengzhi's expression grew grim as well. "You're right. I’ll have to keep an eye on my brother from now on."

As the adults talked, the three children chatted happily. Wang Yaoyue asked with longing, "Little brother, what does the Crane Pavilion look like? Is it grand inside?"

"It’s very grand! The restaurant has three whole floors! The entrance..." Wang Xuezhou described it to his sister in as much detail as possible. Mao-dan listened intently, and when Wang Xuezhou finished, he said regretfully, "If our uncle hadn't lied to us, I could have gone there to learn the trade and brought back some of their food for you all to taste!"

Hearing this, Mrs. Zhang turned and patted her son’s head. "Don't worry, my good son. I'll go to your maternal grandfather's house later and pull some strings to see if I can find you something else."

Wang Xuezhou, watching his brother, felt a spark of hope. He remembered that the young master still owed him a favor. That man clearly had connections to the Crane Pavilion; perhaps he could ask him for help.

Thinking of this, he asked, "Brother, do you like cooking? Do you want to go to the Crane Pavilion to learn?"

Mao-dan scratched his head. "I'm always busy in the fields, so I don't have time for anything else. I don't know if I like it, but if I learn to cook, I won't have to worry about food or drink, and I’ll get to eat good things often. Why wouldn't I like that?"

Wang Yaoyue nodded repeatedly from the side. "Exactly! That's right!"

What he said... was hard to argue with. When he thought about it, children in the countryside rarely had the luxury of talking about hobbies.

"Then wait for my word. I'll see if I can find a way for you."

He hadn't spoken to anyone yet, so Wang Xuezhou didn't dare make any grand promises.

"Alright, I'm counting on you then, brother." Mao-dan grinned, not taking it too seriously.

...

Time at home always flew by. When Wang Chengzhi sent him back to the academy, he hesitated before pulling twenty copper coins from his pocket and reluctantly handing them over. "Here’s some pocket money. Keep it for whatever you need."

Wang Xuezhou looked at him in surprise. "Mom already gave me some. Where did you get this money?"

Wang Chengzhi’s eyes darted away. "Just take it. Your father will keep an eye on your uncle at home. You just focus on your studies."

"You... you didn't hide some private money, did you?"

Wang Chengzhi fled without looking back.

Upon returning to school, Qi Xian seemed to have set down a heavy burden, looking much more relaxed. Although he remained quiet and reserved, he would occasionally chime in when his classmates were chatting.

After classes ended, Zhao Xing and Qi Xian’s enthusiasm for digging in ash pits had waned, and they were no longer eager to go out. However, their relationship with Wang Xuezhou had progressed rapidly during this time. Hearing that he needed to go to the Crane Pavilion for an errand, they naturally accompanied him.

The two waited outside while Wang Xuezhou went in alone. He found Manager Qiu and explained the purpose of his visit.

Manager Qiu looked at him apologetically. "The young master is currently in seclusion, studying hard for next year's provincial examinations. I'm afraid he cannot meet with you, young master."

Wang Xuezhou felt a tinge of disappointment.

"However, for a small matter like this, I can agree on behalf of that young master," Manager Qiu said with a smile.