Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 76

Chapter 76

 

By the time Xiaodou’s letter reached the capital, half a month had passed. Early in the morning, Lin Zijian got up to practice the Five Animal Frolics while reciting The Great Learning.

 

“Young master, a letter from Pingzhou has arrived.”

 

“Where is it?”

 

The servant handed him the letter. “The postman delivered it first thing this morning.”

 

Lin Zijian carefully examined the envelope. It was indeed written in Beidou’s handwriting—his friend had finally replied!

 

He didn’t open it immediately but instead dashed excitedly toward his grandfather’s room.

 

“Grandfather! Beidou wrote me back!”

 

Lin Jingxian was drinking medicine. Though his health had significantly improved, he continued to take tonics regularly, which had made him noticeably more robust.

 

“Oh? What does the letter say?”

 

“I haven’t had a chance to read it yet!” Lin Zijian opened the letter and handed it to his grandfather first before reading it himself.

 

The letter detailed Beidou’s experience in the county-level examination, from registration to entering the examination hall.

 

The cold weather had made it difficult for him to hold his brush, and freshly ground ink would freeze almost immediately, requiring him to breathe on it to thaw it before he could write.

 

Lin Zijian couldn’t help but exclaim, “Beidou is amazing! I don’t think I could endure three days like that.”

 

Lin Jingxian nodded approvingly as he stroked his beard. “It’s truly impressive for someone so young to persist through such hardship. I remember when I took the county-level exam during a late spring cold snap. It snowed for three days straight, piling over a foot deep. Many people gave up because of the cold. Just being able to persevere meant you were already halfway to success.”

 

Lin Zijian obediently sat and listened to his grandfather recount the past. The Lin family, after all, was a family that valued both farming and scholarship. In his youth, Lin Jingxian had earned his scholar title purely through his own efforts.

 

“Studying is hard work. The county-level exam is only the first step. If you can’t endure this level of difficulty, it will be hard to achieve great things in the future.”

 

Lin Jingxian continued reading the letter. Beyond everyday updates, Beidou also shared the exam questions he had answered. His responses to the classics were naturally flawless, and his explanations of Confucian principles were adequate. However, on the final question—”What you do not wish done to yourself, do not do to others”—he strayed slightly off-topic, failing to fully connect it to the theme of governing the country and achieving peace. Nonetheless, the impact shouldn’t be significant, and he would likely pass.

 

After reading Beidou’s answers, Lin Zijian’s expression grew serious. Objectively, Beidou’s responses were much better than what he thought he could produce. If he were to take the county-level exam now, he wouldn’t do nearly as well.

 

This realization made Lin Zijian feel anxious. He had wasted several days playing around after returning home. If this continued, Beidou would surely surpass him!

 

“Grandfather, I’m going to study now!”

 

Lin Jingxian smiled approvingly. “Go ahead.”

 

—

 

At the end of February, the results of the county-level exam were about to be announced.

 

Over the past few days, Lu Yao had been closing up shop and going to the town’s yamen to check if the results were posted. He was even more nervous than Xiaodou, fearing failure.

 

This year, twenty-seven people from Qiushui Town took the county-level exam. Lu Yao learned from others that, in previous years, one or two people might pass, and sometimes none at all. The difficulty was exceptionally high, leaving him increasingly uneasy.

 

Zhao Beichuan, however, was relatively calm. He hadn’t set high expectations. After all, the other candidates were adults who had studied for many years. It was understandable if Xiaodou, being so young, couldn’t compete.

 

On February 28, as usual, the Zhao family lit their lamps shortly after the Hour of the Ox.

 

Steam rose from the pot of soy milk as it boiled. Lu Yao ladled it into a cloth for filtering.

 

From the moment he woke up, his left eye had been twitching uncontrollably, making him anxious. He pressed a small piece of grass against his eyelid in an attempt to calm it.

 

Zhao Beichuan entered, carrying the second bucket of soy milk. “The beans are all ground.”

 

“Got it,” Lu Yao replied as he curdled the soy milk into tofu pudding and started cooking the next pot.

 

Once two wooden buckets were filled, Zhao Beichuan carried them out to the cart, while Lu Yao brought the soup base and a basin of dough.

 

Second Sister-in-law Liu was already waiting at the door. When she saw the mule cart approach, she climbed into the empty seat at the back.

 

In the days when the shop was closed, she had taken odd jobs washing clothes. Her hands, exposed to cold water, had developed painful and itchy sores, making it difficult to sleep at night. She appreciated working for the Zhao family even more—she earned more, worked less, and often got leftovers to take home.

 

When they arrived at the shop, Second Sister-in-law Liu diligently cleaned the tables and tidied up.

 

Lu Yao lit the fire while Zhao Beichuan poured oil into the pan. As the night soil collector’s clapper sounded in the distance, another busy day began for the Zhao family’s breakfast shop.

 

Despite the hiatus, business remained as brisk as ever. Loyal customers refused to go elsewhere, preferring the Zhao family’s soy milk and fried dough sticks.

 

By the Hour of the Dragon(7-9am), the soy milk was sold out. Only a bit of tofu pudding remained, which Lu Yao let Second Sister-in-law Liu take home.

 

After washing his hands and removing his apron, Lu Yao hurried to the town’s yamen.

 

Before he even arrived, he saw a crowd gathered around. His heart raced as he quickened his pace.

 

The results of the county-level exam were out! Eleven names were listed, each followed by their place of origin and age.

 

Lu Yao carefully read each name, starting from the top.

 

First place: Chen Zhongjing, from Changning Town, 21 years old.

 

Second place: Liu Haiqui, from Pingyang County, 27 years old.

 

…

 

The further he read, the heavier his heart became. But then, at the very last name, he saw it: Zhao Beidou, from Wangou Village, Qiushui Town, 7 years old.

 

“He passed! Douzi passed!” The joy was overwhelming, akin to winning the lottery. Lu Yao’s mind buzzed; he couldn’t even hear the chatter around him. All he could see was his younger brother’s name.

 

“Congratulations!”

 

“Who would’ve thought our town would have a pass this year?”

 

“Even though it’s the last place, that child is only seven—quite remarkable.”

 

Scholar Xu was also in the crowd. His expression was complicated as he looked at the list. He hadn’t expected the Zhao family’s child to actually pass.

 

Back when he was sixteen, passing the county-level exam had brought him immense pride. People in town believed he would surely become a scholar-official someday, and so did he.

 

But after failing the provincial exam twice, his confidence was shattered. This year was another year for the provincial exam, yet he didn’t even feel capable of trying again.

 

“Douzi passed! Douzi passed the exam!” Lu Yao rushed home to share the news with his family.

 

“Really?” Xiaonian leaped off the kang in excitement.

 

“He ranked eleventh and is now a tongsheng!”

 

The two children hurriedly put on their shoes, eager to see for themselves.

 

Zhao Beichuan ran into the house upon hearing the commotion. “He really passed?”

 

Lu Yao nodded firmly. “I told you Douzi could do it! This saves us 500 taels of silver!”

 

Zhao Beichuan was overjoyed. He grabbed Lu Yao and gave him a hearty kiss. Feeling it wasn’t enough, he kissed him on the lips. When they parted, Lu Yao was breathless, his cheeks flushed.

 

“Enough, stop messing around. Go kill a chicken. I’ll buy two catties of ribs and a jar of wine. Let’s celebrate properly!”

 

“Got it!” Zhao Beichuan grabbed a cleaver and headed to the chicken coop, while Lu Yao, carrying two strings of coins, happily went to the market.

 

He greeted everyone along the way, his face brimming with joy.

 

“Shopkeeper Lu, good news at home?”

 

“Well, I took my younger brother to the county exam a few days ago.”

 

“He passed?”

 

“He did, just barely making it.”

 

The man exclaimed, “That’s incredible! Your little brother is so young. Someday, he might even become a scholar-official!”

 

Lu Yao waved modestly but couldn’t hide his smile. “It’s not that easy. One step at a time.”

 

At the butcher’s shop, Lu Yao called out, “Boss, give me two catties of fresh ribs!”

 

“Sure thing.”

 

As a regular customer, the butcher chatted with him while preparing the ribs.

 

“Got guests at home?”

 

“No, just celebrating. My younger brother passed the county exam.”

 

“Your Xiao Douzi?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Wow! How old is he?”

 

“He just turned seven after the new year. Only started studying a year ago.”

 

“That’s a child prodigy!”

 

Lu Yao smiled humbly. “He just worked hard and got lucky.”

 

The butcher picked out two meaty ribs and handed them over. “That’s extraordinary. My kids are ten and eight, and they can’t even count properly. Your Douzi’s got a bright future ahead—he might even become a top scholar!”

 

Beaming, Lu Yao carried the ribs to the wine shop.

 

“Two jars of good yellow wine, please.”

 

The wine shopkeeper, half-asleep, prepared the jars and handed them over. Seeing Lu Yao’s cheerful demeanor, he asked, “Shopkeeper Lu, celebrating something?”

 

“Oh, it’s nothing major. My younger brother passed the county exam.”

 

“Ah! That’s wonderful news. Congratulations in advance on his future success!”

 

“Thank you, thank you,” Lu Yao said as he carried the wine jar and hummed a tune as he left.

 

After he was gone, the wine shop owner scratched his head, unable to remember who Lu Yao’s younger brother was. Didn’t he recall that their family only had two little children?

 

When they got home, Xiaonian and Xiaodou had already returned, bouncing with excitement.

 

Though Xiaodou claimed he wasn’t nervous, deep down he had been worried. Several times, he had woken up from nightmares of failing the exam, quietly wiping away tears, too embarrassed to tell anyone.

 

Now, the burden in his heart had finally lifted, and he could help his elder brother be exempted from labor duties!

 

They lit the fire and began cooking! Zhao Beichuan cleaned the chicken thoroughly, and in the evening, Lu Yao showcased his culinary skills by preparing six dishes.

 

Braised pork ribs, yellow stewed chicken, fried eggs, stewed chicken giblets, tofu stew, and a plate of peanuts.

 

Everyone sat around, chatting about the future.

 

Zhao Beichuan, picking at his food, said, “Now that Douzi has passed the county-level exam, we can forgo the gentry’s levy. We might even be able to afford a new house.”

 

Lu Yao replied, “Building a new one wouldn’t be bad either.” Houses for sale always have something less than ideal. Now that they had some money, Lu Yao planned to design a big courtyard house himself.

 

“That works. When we do, let’s build a two-courtyard layout like the Xu family. In the future, when Xiaodou gets married, he can live in the front, and we’ll live in the back with Xiaonian.”

 

Xiaonian’s eyes lit up. “Big brother, I want to raise a puppy.”

 

“Fine, but you have to take care of it yourself.”

 

“Okay!” She had managed to take care of the pigs they raised before, so looking after a puppy wouldn’t be a problem.

 

Xiaodou said, “I’d like to get a cat.”

 

“That works too. A cat can catch mice.”

 

Lu Yao rested his chin on his hand. “We can plant some flowers in front of the house and a few fruit trees in the back. By autumn, we’ll have fresh fruit to eat.”

 

Zhao Beichuan took a sip of wine, his eyes reluctantly leaving Lu Yao’s face. Thinking about their future life filled him with energy!

 

After dinner, Xiaonian and Xiaodou cleaned the table and washed the dishes, while Zhao Beichuan fed the livestock and locked up the main gate before heading straight to the east room.

 

Lu Yao, having drunk a bowl of yellow wine earlier, was now feeling a bit tipsy and lay dozing against the bedding.

 

Suddenly, a rough, icy hand slid in through his collar, making him shiver. Opening his eyes, he saw his husband and, like a cat, nuzzled his face against Zhao Beichuan’s arm.

 

“Beichuan, I’m so happy,” he said. Happier than when he had gotten into university in his past life.

 

Zhao Beichuan pulled him into his arms.

 

“I’m happy too.”

 

“Back then, you said Xiaodou was as dumb as a pig. Look at how amazing our little pig has turned out now.”

 

Zhao Beichuan kissed his ear. “Amazing, all thanks to a wise and discerning sister-in-law.”

 

Lu Yao trembled from the kisses, clutching Zhao Beichuan’s shoulders as he gasped, “What does this have to do with me? It’s still because our child is smart and hardworking. Both are essential for studying… Ah… slow down.”

 

That night, the candlelight flickered, and it wasn’t until nearly dawn that the sounds of water stopped.

 

—

 

The next day, after finishing the work at the shop, Lu Yao took Xiaodou with a teacher’s gift to the local school. Though the schoolteacher’s level wasn’t particularly high, it was this teacher who had introduced Xiaodou to formal studies and set him on the path of learning.

 

When they arrived, the children at the school were all outside, crowding around Xiaodou with questions, looking at him with eyes full of admiration.

 

Lu Yao went straight to the teacher, placing the gift items on the table.

 

The previously arrogant old scholar quickly stood up upon seeing him. “Lu Langjun.”

 

“A small token of appreciation. I hope the teacher will accept it as thanks for the guidance you’ve given Xiaodou this past year.”

 

“Not at all, not at all.” The old scholar had only recently learned that Lin’s young boy was actually the grandson of Lord Lin.

 

The Lin family of Qiushui, with Lin Daru as its head, was renowned throughout Pingzhou Prefecture. Who would’ve thought he’d have the privilege of teaching a child from that family?

 

It was said that Zhao Beidou had also studied under Lord Lin in his youth. No wonder he could pass the county exam at such a young age. The old scholar dared not claim full credit for this achievement.

 

“Beidou is a talented child. Staying in a small town like Qiushui might stifle his potential,” the old scholar sighed. “I’ve studied my whole life and only barely passed the scholar’s exam. I fear there’s little more I can teach him. For the upcoming prefectural exam, you’d best start planning early. If possible, keeping him in Pingzhou would be ideal. At the very least, he should attend the county school for further education.”

 

Lu Yao pondered for a moment. “I’ll carefully consider the teacher’s advice.”

 

After leaving the school, Xiaodou’s face was still radiant with joy. The thought of soon being able to see Lin Zijian and Grandpa Lin in Pingzhou made him indescribably happy.

 

“Sister-in-law, when will we leave for Pingzhou?”

 

“In a few days.” The prefectural exam was usually held in mid-April each year, leaving them a little over a month. Lu Yao needed time to plan carefully.

 

At dinner that night, Lu Yao shared the teacher’s advice with Zhao Beichuan. “We definitely can’t stay in the town. Do you think we should go to the county seat or the prefectural city?”

 

“You decide; I’ll follow your lead.”

 

Lu Yao took out the money jar and once again counted its contents. There were 510 taels of silver and three strings of copper coins. This amount would be enough to buy a good house in the county seat. But he had never been to the prefectural city and didn’t know the cost of living there, making him hesitant.

 

Seeing his indecision, Zhao Beichuan said, “When I did labor duties, I visited Pingzhou City once. The city walls are six or seven zhang tall, and it’s incredibly bustling inside…”

 

Gritting his teeth, Lu Yao decided, “Then let’s go to Pingzhou!”

 

Back when he graduated from university, he had dared to venture alone into big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou without hesitation. Why was he being so cautious now over a small prefectural city?

 

The larger the city, the greater the population—and the greater the business opportunities. Worst case, he could return to selling tofu. Either way, he could support Xiaodou through his studies!

 

“Alright.”

 

Now that they had decided to go to Pingzhou, preparations had to begin early.

 

Lu Yao planned to return to Lujia Village the next day to hand over the breakfast shop to his second brother and sister-in-law. Running a business was far more profitable than farming, and since they were leaving, it wouldn’t make sense to let outsiders benefit.

 

Moreover, if they couldn’t make it in the prefectural city, they would still have a fallback plan.

 

Naturally, Zhao Beichuan had no objections. Early the next morning, the two hitched their mule cart and took the children straight to Lujia Village.

 

When they arrived, Lu Lin had gone out for work, and Lu Miao and Hu Chunrong had gone to sell tofu. Only Lu’s mother was at home, looking after Xiaoshitou.

 

Since the death of Lu’s father, the old lady’s spirits had noticeably waned. Her once salt-and-pepper hair had turned almost entirely white, and she often dozed off while sitting on the kang.

 

Lu Yao knocked on the door, but she didn’t hear it. It was Xiaoshitou who woke her up. “Grandma, Grandma, someone’s knocking at the door!”

 

Startled, she quickly put on her shoes and went to open the door. Seeing that it was Lu Yao and his family, she beamed. “What brings you all back today?”

 

“We’re here to bring you some good news. Our Douzi took the imperial exam and ranked eleventh, earning the status of a scholar!”

 

Lu’s mother was dumbfounded for a moment before she recovered, taking Xiaodou’s hands and looking him over. “My goodness, how incredible!”

 

Xiaodou smiled so widely that his teeth showed. “It’s only the last rank in the county exam, nothing much.”

 

“Oh, my dear child, such talent at such a young age—you must be a star of wisdom reborn!”

 

Zhao Beichuan said, “Mother, don’t praise him too much. These days, anyone who meets him heaps on the compliments, and his tail is already sticking up to the sky.”

 

The family laughed and entered the house. “When your sister-in-law gets back, we’ll have her butcher the big rooster so we can have a proper meal at noon.”

 

Lu Yao waved his hand. “We just killed a chicken yesterday, and there’s still plenty left.”

 

“Chicken gets old? You’ve come back, and there’s not much else in the house. Let’s treat the children.”

 

Lu Yao sent Xiaodou and Xiaonian to play with Xiaoshitou in the west room, then took Lu’s mother’s hand. “I see you’ve lost weight. Did you not eat the ginseng I brought last time?”

 

“Why would I eat something so expensive without being sick?”

 

Lu Yao gave her a mock glare. “Do you have to be sick to eat it? When we stew the chicken later, throw the ginseng in too and nourish yourself.”

 

Lu’s mother patted his hand. “Ever since your father passed, I keep dreaming about the past at night. We spent a lifetime together, quarreled all the time, and yet now that he’s gone, it hurts so much…”

 

Lu Yao couldn’t help but tear up. “Don’t dwell on those things. The living have to look forward.”

 

Lu’s mother wiped her eyes. “Enough about him. Xiaodou is promising. Who would’ve thought he’d go down the path of learning?”

 

“Speaking of which, it’s all thanks to the Lin family’s help.”

 

Lu Yao recounted the story of Xiaodou and Lin Zijian to the old lady, who clapped her hands repeatedly. “It’s true our Xiaodou is blessed to have such remarkable people guiding him in his studies!”

 

“There’s one more thing I want to discuss with you,” Lu Yao hesitated for a moment before continuing. “In a few days, Beichuan and I plan to take the two kids to Pingzhou City. Xiaodou will participate in the prefectural exam, and I want to hand over the breakfast shop to my second brother and sister-in-law.”

 

“You can tell your second brother when he gets back. It’s not planting season yet, so watching over the shop for a few days won’t be an issue.”

 

“Mother, I’m not asking them to watch it for a few days. I plan to transfer the shop to them. We’re not coming back.”

 

In ancient China, Tongsheng (童生) referred to the lowest rank of a scholar who passed the county-level imperial examination, known as the “Tongshi” (童試). Achieving the Tongsheng status was the first step toward becoming a scholar-official and gaining further eligibility to participate in higher-level exams, such as the provincial exam (乡试) or metropolitan exam (会试).