“Sister, I’m not going to the bookstore. I want to go play with Gou’er.”
She was still worried about Gou’er, who had been scolded and beaten yesterday and cried so pitifully.
She wanted to check on him today.
Shen Miao thought for a moment. “Alright, then you and Youyu stay home. Leitang will stay too. I’ll be back after buying the things. If I’m not back by the time you’re done playing with Gou’er, go to Auntie Gu’s house and wait.”
“I’ll let her know to keep an eye on you. You and Gou’er can play in the alley, but don’t go out into the street, understand?”
Xiangjie chirped, “Got it! I won’t run off.”
With that, she grabbed Youyu and ran toward the Li family’s backyard.
Auntie Li was still napping, and the Li household was quiet.
Shen Miao peeked out and saw Xiangjie mimicking a dog’s bark at the Li family’s door.
Soon, Li Gou’er poked his head out, his eyes swollen from crying.
The two whispered for a moment, and then he sneaked out.
They grabbed Youyu and darted into the drainage ditch behind the water room to talk.
It hadn’t rained in days, so the winding ditch was dry, and the neighborhood kids loved playing hide-and-seek there.
Shen Miao went to the Gu family to let them know, and Auntie Gu brought a stool to the door, picking vegetables while keeping an eye on the kids.
She waved, “Go ahead. I’ll sit here, and they won’t leave the alley.”
With that, Shen Miao quickly packed up, closed the shop, and took the large umbrella and charcoal stove off the cart.
She and Ji Ge pushed it out.
Although there were closer bookstores in the inner city, Shen Miao preferred going to Manager Zhou’s shop.
First, to support his business; second, because his bookstore was near the Imperial Academy, and many students frequented it.
Manager Zhou knew a lot about the academy, and Shen Miao could gather information for Ji Ge; third, the instant noodle workshop and catering jobs were unexpected windfalls.
She was too excited to keep it to herself but couldn’t flaunt her newfound wealth, so she wanted to take a walk and let the breeze and sunlight calm her joy.
By the time they reached the Lanxin Bookstore, Shen Miao had mostly regained her composure.
As she lifted the half-rolled reed curtain at the entrance, she thought self-deprecatingly that she was still a common person, swayed by her own sorrows and joys.
But being a commoner wasn’t so bad-these mundane, money-driven memories filled her heart with contentment and happiness.
Shaking off her musings, she entered the store, calling out, “Manager Zhou!”
Inside, she was met with several pairs of eyes.
The usually quiet bookstore was unusually lively, with several students in wide-sleeved robes sitting or standing around the counter.
Her voice drew their attention, and one baby-faced student immediately exclaimed, “Madam Shen!”
“Madam Shen, are you here to buy books? I’ve been locked up at home by my father and haven’t been to your shop for noodles. I’m so hungry I’ve lost weight!”
He tossed aside the book he was holding and began rambling excitedly, trying to push past his classmates to talk to Shen Miao.
But Shang An quickly pulled him back, prompting the student to complain,
“Brother Shang, why are you stopping me? You don’t understand. I’ve been locked up at home and wrote three essays praising your noodles specifically Shen’s noodles! Let go! You don’t get it. Madam Shen is the patron saint of foodies, the beacon in the night, the harbor for the lonely boat…”
“Ning Da, stop with your sappy poetry…” Shang An shivered.
Shen Miao also felt a chill run down her spine.
She remembered now.
This guy had once tried to buy egg yolk pastries from her but was refused.
Later, when instant noodles became popular, he had rallied a group of students from the Imperial Academy and the Imperial College to sneak out at night to eat noodles, only to be caught by Dr. Yao.
He hadn’t been seen for a while after that.
It seemed his truancy had been discovered, and he’d been grounded until today.
Ji Ge, after parking the cart outside, quietly entered the shop and stood behind Shen Miao, eyeing the oddly excited “Ning Da” with suspicion.
At that moment, Manager Zhou emerged from the back room, talking to a tall, thin figure behind him as he stepped over the threshold.
“Ninth Brother Xie, why do you need sand for your studies at the academy? I have some river sand, originally for raising turtles. I’ll give you a basin.”
The two turned and saw Shen Miao, both exclaiming in unison, “Madam Shen, what brings you here?”
Shen Miao greeted Manager Zhou first, then looked up to see that the person behind him was Xie Qi.
Xie Qi’s leg had finally healed.
Though the splint had been removed earlier, walking had still been painful.
Now, he could walk and run without issue, and his family had urged him to return to the academy.
Today, he had come to Lanxin Bookstore to buy some stationery and other supplies before heading back.
Shen Miao was always happy to see Xie Qi.
She stepped forward and gave a slight bow.
“I just saw Ninth Brother at the night market yesterday, and now we meet again here. By the way, I haven’t told you yet, Ji Ge passed the exam! He ranked sixth!”
She pulled Ji Ge forward, looking up at Xie Qi with genuine gratitude.
“If it weren’t for your guidance and the books you lent him, Ji Ge wouldn’t have achieved this.”
“Brother Ji, I think it might not be so smooth for him to take the exams in the future. When Ji is at the Biyong Academy, I hope Brother Jiu can take care of him when he has time.”
“There’s no need to keep thanking me. My books are just the icing on the cake. All of this is the result of Brother Ji’s hard work in studying. He should thank himself,” Xie Qi said modestly, shaking his head with a smile.
He then turned to Jie Ge and added,
“Congratulations. Although we won’t be in the same study hall in the future, we can still consider ourselves half-classmates. Once you start school, I’ll show you around.”
“Thank you, Brother Jiu,” Jie Ge replied, his face slightly red.
Shang An couldn’t help but glance at the unusually gentle Xie Qi, wondering when Xie Jiu had become so friendly with others.
Lending books?
Showing someone around?
Ning Yi, on the other hand, leaned in closer, tiptoeing to hook his arm around Xie Qi’s shoulder.
He whispered mysteriously to the Shen siblings,
“You don’t know this, do you? Xie Jiu is the favorite of all the lecturers at our academy. He was the top scorer in the child prodigy exam back then, and ever since he entered Biyong Academy, he has never taken second place in any exam.”
“The books he reads and the annotations he writes are something few people know about, but I do. His insights are sharp and precise. Hehe, every time I have an exam-whether it’s a monthly, quarterly, or annual one— I borrow Xie Jiu’s books to read at the last minute.”
“And every time, I manage to pass and avoid being kicked out of the top class. Your brother, Jie Ge, was lucky to get his hands on Xie Jiu’s books. It’s like finding treasure.”
Shen Miao looked at Xie Qi in surprise.
So Brother Jiu was this impressive in his studies?
He never mentioned it, nor did he boast about his knowledge in front of her.
She had never imagined he could be so accomplished.
Xie Qi felt his cheeks heat up under Shen Miao’s clear, dark gaze.
He turned away uncomfortably and said softly,
“Miss Shen, don’t believe him. He tends to exaggerate. I’m not particularly talented in my studies; I’m just more diligent than others.”
Jie Ge, however, had read every annotation Xie Qi had written in the margins of his old books.
He knew Ning Yi wasn’t exaggerating and nodded silently.
The brilliance of Xie Jiu didn’t lie in the complexity of his words but in their precision, like a sharp blade that always hit the mark.
When Jie Ge answered exam questions, he had unconsciously adopted Xie Qi’s approach, which he believed was the key to his success.
“Regardless, one must never forget their roots or their debts of gratitude. In the future, if Brother Jiu ever needs my help, please don’t hesitate to ask. As long as it’s within my power, I won’t refuse,” Shen Miao insisted.
Xie Qi’s heart stirred.
Shen Miao’s eyes were earnest, but her words seemed to pass through him like a gust of wind.
All he caught was the sound of her name, “Shen Miao,” and he couldn’t help but ask,
“Miss Shen, your name… which character is it? Is it the ‘Miao’ from ‘the skillful hand that paints,’ or the ‘Miao’ from ‘the vast expanse of clouds and sails at Baling Ferry’?”
He felt a rush of heat to his head as soon as he finished speaking, realizing he had shamelessly asked for her personal name.
A flush crept up to his ears.
Shen Miao, however, didn’t mind.
A name was meant to be called, after all.
She had no parents or husband now, so why should her name be off- limits?
There was no such rule!
She replied openly, “It’s the ‘Miao’ from ‘the vastness of heaven and earth.’ “
So it was the “Miao” from “vast and boundless.” Shen Miao.
Water is soft and vast, gentle yet powerful.
A good name.
It suited her.
He silently repeated it in his mind several times.
After discussing her name, Shen Miao naturally turned to talk to Shopkeeper Zhou, asking him to pick out some good brushes and ink for Jie Ge and inquiring about the types of stationery most students at the academy used.
Although she didn’t want to encourage a culture of comparison, Shen Miao hoped Jie Ge would have the same things as his peers, so he wouldn’t be ostracized or subjected to gossip for being different.
He would soon be living at the academy, adapting to many new people and things.
Fortunately, Brother Jiu would be there too.
Shen Miao felt much more at ease because of this.
As soon as she asked, Ning Yi eagerly stepped forward to recommend which ink sticks were good, which brushes were firm, and which inkstones produced the darkest ink…
He went on and on.
This time, Shen Miao listened attentively and even asked Shopkeeper Zhou to bring out a few items for Jie Ge to try.
Meanwhile, Xie Qi, still holding Shen Miao’s name in his heart, stood in place for a while.
He glanced at her lively, spring-like eyes and found Ning Yi, standing beside her, suddenly seemed so noisy.
After a moment, he looked away and quietly walked over, standing two steps away from Shen Miao, subtly putting some distance between her and Ning Yi.
He also began to gently help her choose items.
“Brother Ji is learning Yan style calligraphy, so the wolf-hair brush Ning mentioned isn’t quite suitable. This purple bamboo brush with a mixed tip would be better. Medium-sized, it’s perfect for someone his age to write with…”
Shang An stood to the side with his hands in his sleeves, listening to Xie Qi’s voice, which was so gentle it could drip water.
He thoughtfully scratched his chin.
Things were getting lively.
***
At the same time.
In the eastern alley of Willow Lane, Li Gou’er sat by the drainage ditch, head down, idly scratching the ground with a small stick. He muttered gloomily to Xiangji,
“I really don’t want to stay at home anymore.”
Xiangji asked with concern, “Did your mother really hit you?”
“Worse than hitting me,” Li Gou’er said with empty eyes, pulling at the corner of his mouth.
“My mother told me that starting today, I have to practice calligraphy, memorize poems, and write five essays every day, just like your brother. From morning till night, except for a break at noon, she watches me like I’m in prison.”
Xiangji clicked her tongue. “Wouldn’t that wear someone out?”
“My mother said, ‘Jie Ge can study like this, so why can’t you? You’re no less talented than him. If you study like this, you’ll definitely get into the top class next year, and you’ll do even better than him.’ “
It felt like a stone had been tied to his chest, making it hard to breathe.
Li Gou’er exhaled.
Though he was still young, he already felt a heavy weight in his heart.
Xiangji propped her chin on her hand, glancing at Youyu, who was squatting nearby pulling weeds.
She turned back to Li Gou’er and spoke up for him,
“But my brother only studied like that for a little over a month. During that time, he was so focused that his eyes would glaze over. Sometimes when we talked to him, he wouldn’t even know what we were saying.”
“He often seemed dazed and absent-minded. My sister said it wasn’t good and later forbade him from studying so hard, saying it would ruin his health. If you study like that for a year, you’ll definitely collapse.”
“But if I don’t do it, my mother will cry and make a scene, saying I’m useless and unfilial. I have no choice but to listen to her.”
Xiangji’s face scrunched up.
She didn’t know how to comfort Gou’er, so she imitated the adults and let out a heavy sigh.
Propping her chin on her hand, she leaned back against the drainage ditch and looked up at the wispy clouds in the sky.
Li Gou’er followed her gaze.
They were small, squatting in the drainage ditch, so the sky they saw was just a rectangular patch.
Today, the sky was a deep, clear blue, like a piece of glazed glass that tightly sealed them in this deep trench.
For no reason, Li Gou’er felt a wave of sadness.
“Why isn’t my mother as open-minded as your sister?” Li Gou’er hugged his knees to his chest.
Xiangji thought for a moment and answered honestly, “I don’t know.”
After a pause, she couldn’t help but add proudly,
“My sister is the best sister in the world. No one can compare to her.”
Li Gou’er felt even more dejected.
They sat in silence, watching the sky, while Youyu focused on pulling weeds.
After she had cleared all the grass around her, she started stacking stones.
As she turned to look for more stones, she suddenly tilted her head.
At the end of the drainage ditch, where it extended into a dark underground hole, there seemed to be a pair of glowing eyes hidden in the shadows, watching them.
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