The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 87: Summer Preparations

Chapter 87: Summer Preparations

Since May, the city had endured several days of unrelenting rain. But instead of bringing relief, the showers only seemed to intensify the heat, each day hotter than the last.

By the time the roses and wisterias in the courtyard had mostly wilted, the air was so stifling that even in the absence of sunlight, the oppressive warmth was unmistakable. Qiu Huanian knew then—summer had truly arrived.

Though not as punishing as winter, summer still demanded its own kind of diligence.

He had old lady Jin wash, air, and stow away all the winter garments and heavy quilts. The heaters, too, were cleaned and stored in the warehouse.

The Zhu family’s merchant caravan had just returned from the south, and Qiu Huanian was invited to bring Jiu Jiu to peruse the newly arrived goods before they were sent out to various shops.

Among the most coveted southern wares was gauze—jade water gauze, as sheer as a cicada’s wing; qianyan gauze, which resembled mist from afar; and the iridescent gold gauze that shimmered with light.

Qiu Huanian selected two bolts of jade water gauze for window coverings. Its breathability, translucence, and elegant color made it far superior to paper for summer windows.

He also purchased four rolls of standard gauze and four of specially woven, high-quality gauze. The former would be fashioned into thin summer quilts, while the latter was reserved for clothing.

Old lady Jin and Coral busied themselves with the sewing, with Jiu Jiu lending a hand in her spare time so everything could be finished swiftly.

When it came to clothing design, Jiu Jiu always had a discerning eye. She chose the hues of gauze for each family member, ensuring that Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse shared a matching primary color, and carefully selected flattering shades for everyone else.

In addition to fabrics, Qiu Huanian purchased bamboo garments inspired by Su Xinbai’s wardrobe, sandalwood fans that released a faint, woody fragrance when waved, ice basins to cool rooms, and heat-repelling cooling beads.

These premium goods, freshly sourced from the south, had not yet been distributed to retail shops. On Zhu Jingcheng’s orders, the caravan leader gave Qiu Huanian a generous discount—almost southern-market prices.

As the heat mounted, so did cravings for ice. Though ancient times lacked the variety of modern frozen treats, chilled refreshments still existed.

One such delight was Su Mountain—a dessert crafted from finely shaved ice, piled high into a miniature peak on a large dish, then drenched in creamy milk and adorned with fresh seasonal fruits.

A single spoonful delivered a burst of chilled sweetness—the silky richness of milk mingled with the fruity tang—easily rivaling the offerings of any modern ice cream parlor.

To indulge properly, Qiu Huanian commissioned a large ice shaver. On the day it arrived, Meng Yuanling skipped his business commitments, and Su Xinbai showed up as well, drawn by the prospect.

“I can’t believe the Zhu family doesn’t make Su Mountain. Is mine really that much better?” Qiu Huanian teased.

Su Xinbai replied mildly, “Eating alone is never enjoyable. I can’t finish it all myself.”

Dian Mo chuckled, “The young master hasn’t had much appetite lately. The eldest young master has to coax him into eating. They were supposed to go out today, but something came up, and the eldest had to leave. The young master doesn’t like staying home, so when he heard that Su Mountain was being made here, he decided to visit.”

With no outsiders present, Dian Mo spoke freely.

“So the eldest young master bailed, and I’m just a consolation prize,” Qiu Huanian quipped.

Su Xinbai’s composed facade wavered, but Qiu Huanian didn’t press him.

“The main hall is chilled with ice. Let’s go in—you came just in time. The Su Mountain will be served soon.”

Soon, old lady Jin arrived with a large, dark ceramic plate piled high with glistening ice shavings. Thick milk cascaded over the peak, soaking every flake, while tiny cubes of green plum, cantaloupe, and grape gleamed like jewels. Qiu Huanian had her finish it with a spoonful of diluted osmanthus honey.

Just the sight of it was enough to awaken dulled appetites in the sweltering heat.

Even Su Xinbai, who’d planned to eat little, found himself tempted.

Old lady Jin brought three small plates and spoons, and the trio gathered around to dig in.

Meng Yuanling, overeager, took several quick spoonfuls and then slowed, chilled to the core.

“Careful,” Qiu Huanian warned. “Eat too fast and you’ll regret it. What will you tell Yun Cheng then?”

Meng Yuanling muttered, “I’m not afraid of him,” though he still set his spoon down.

Qiu Huanian focused on the fruit-laden, honey-drizzled sections. Since it was homemade, he could always add more—there was no need to hold back.

But unexpectedly, it was Su Xinbai, not Meng Yuanling, who grew visibly uncomfortable after a few bites.

His complexion paled, one hand resting on his abdomen as he tried to mask his discomfort with composure.

Startled, Qiu Huanian quickly sent for a doctor. Since he and Meng Yuanling were unaffected, it likely wasn’t the dessert—but the Su Mountain was taken away regardless and shared with the servants.

Su Xinbai was guided to a recliner. Once he lay down, his discomfort eased slightly.

Cream Frost, the house cat, had been lounging beneath the flowering trees but crept inside to enjoy the cool air. Qiu Huanian scooped her up and placed her on Su Xinbai’s lap.

“The doctor’s on the way. Petting the cat might help distract you.”

Cream Frost extended her pink tongue to lick Su Xinbai’s fingers, then curled up obediently.

The Zhu family’s servants quickly fetched a physician. The elderly man entered, respectfully silent, and placed a cloth over Su Xinbai’s wrist, feeling the pulse with experienced fingers.

He asked a few questions, which Dian Mo answered in detail. After a second check, the doctor spoke:

“Young master, it seems you are pregnant. The cold dessert aggravated your condition, but rest should remedy it.”

The room fell into stunned silence.

Su Xinbai froze, speechless.

Dian Mo recovered first. “Pregnant? How long?”

“Over a month,” the doctor said. “At this stage, the pregnancy pulse is faint—easily missed. But with my years of experience and the symptoms, I’m confident in the diagnosis.”

Su Xinbai’s hands trembled faintly. He inhaled deeply to steady himself.

“Dian Mo, tip the doctor. And… notify Jingcheng.”

“Of course. I’ll make arrangements immediately.”

Once the others had departed, only Su Xinbai, Qiu Huanian, and Meng Yuanling remained in the main room.

Qiu Huanian and Meng Yuanling turned to Su Xinbai, who, though composed, had flushed ears and neck.

Qiu Huanian laughed, “Over a month… so right after the Shangsi Festival, when we prayed to the Goddess of Fertility. The eldest young master was quite efficient.”

“Qiu Huanian!” Su Xinbai exclaimed, mortified.

Even Meng Yuanling flushed. He glanced at his own belly, then looked quickly away.

Though he and Yun Cheng were young and affectionate, their families had advised caution. Aside from their wedding night, they had never crossed that final line.

Ironically, those with actual experience now looked like innocents compared to Qiu Huanian’s theoretical expertise.

Zhu Jingcheng soon arrived, breathless, drenched in sweat, his composure utterly lost. His eyes fixed on Su Xinbai with blazing intensity. He hesitated to approach, mindful of the dust and heat clinging to him.

Su Xinbai looked away. “So… you know?”

“I know,” Zhu Jingcheng said. “I’ve summoned our family’s best physician to confirm the pregnancy and prescribe stabilizing medicine. From now on, I’m staying with you.”

Su Xinbai frowned. “If you just stick around looking foolish, people will talk.”

Indeed, Zhu Jingcheng now seemed like a lovestruck novice—an image that would shock the seasoned merchants he had bested in business.

Qiu Huanian cleared his throat, reminding them of their audience.

Zhu Jingcheng composed himself and bowed. “Thank you both for taking care of Xinbai.”

“It’s nothing,” Qiu Huanian replied. “But don’t forget to treat us later.”

“Once the baby’s born, we’ll throw a feast for the whole town.”

The physician soon arrived, confirmed the diagnosis, and offered detailed instructions. Zhu Jingcheng listened more intently than he ever had at a negotiation.

Once Su Xinbai felt better, a more comfortable carriage was arranged to take him home.

Inside the cool carriage, Zhu Jingcheng couldn’t stop grinning.

Su Xinbai finally gave in and lightly smacked him. “Can you tone it down? People will get suspicious.”

“I’m just so happy! My wife’s carrying our child—I want the world to know. I’ll write to your father, to all our friends…”

Zhu Jingcheng pulled him close, still rambling until at last he sighed with relief.

“Thank goodness I’ve been too busy lately to… well, I mostly just held you and kissed you. It didn’t affect the child.”

Su Xinbai covered his mouth with trembling fingers, his face glowing scarlet.

…

As days passed and the autumn examination drew near, anxiety gripped every household with a candidate.

Qiu Huanian received several invitations to pray at temples and shrines for Du Yunse’s success. Some temples even sent envoys offering blessings in exchange for generous oil donations.

While Qiu Huanian was not particularly devout, he saw no harm in reasonable offerings. Still, he had no interest in being swindled.

Ever since Su Xinbai’s pregnancy was confirmed, he had become the Zhu family’s most cherished figure, rarely leaving home due to his symptoms.

Meng Yuanling was overwhelmed managing the Six Staples, especially with knockoff oyster sauce flooding the market. With Qiu Huanian devising the strategies, Meng Yuanling handled the logistics, working tirelessly.

Left with little company, Qiu Huanian occasionally accepted invitations to socialize. Temple visits were the most common, though he typically declined—unless one caught his attention.

“This Qingwu Nunnery is ten miles from the city, and I’ve barely heard of it. Why’s everyone suddenly being invited there?”

He read the postscript. “Strange. It’s from the prefect’s wife.”

Back from a short break, Du Yunse frowned as he read the invitation.

“Don’t go.”

“Of course I won’t,” Qiu Huanian said. “It’s miserably hot, and the nunnery is far. No ice, no cold drinks—who’d suffer that?”

He teased, “But if you’re afraid of failing, just beg me. As your husband, I might be persuaded to go on your behalf.”

Du Yunse laughed and placed the invitation aside. “If I begged, I’d just beg you.”

“For what?”

“Your words mean more to me than a thousand prayers.”

Qiu Huanian paused, then smiled.

“So, can you be the top scorer this year?”

The provincial exam’s top scorer is the Jieyuan; the highest scorer of the metropolitan exam is the Huiyuan; the palace exam’s top scorer, the Zhuangyuan. To win all three—a Lian Zhong San Yuan—is a feat rarely seen in centuries.

“I’ve told you—I want to be top scholar for you, Brother Hua.”

Every exam, he would pass—without fail.

It was the greatest gift a poor scholar could offer the one he loved.

As Qiu Huanian leaned closer, he noticed mosquito bites on Du Yunse’s neck and faint heat rashes on his arms.

Though Qingfeng Academy was the best in Liaozhou, it had limited resources. With so many students, especially from modest means, it was impossible to keep classrooms and dorms cooled.

While he enjoyed cold drinks and breezes behind gauze screens, Du Yunse toiled in stifling heat, studying diligently.

A wave of guilt swept over him.

He gently blew on a red mark at Du Yunse’s collarbone. The cool breeze tickled like a feather, making Du Yunse stiffen.

Still unaware, Qiu Huanian tapped the welt.

“Didn’t the mosquito-repellent beads I gave you work?”

The beads were crafted from crushed medicinal herbs blended with honey, worn on the body to repel insects and invigorate the mind. Qiu Huanian had procured the finest ones available.

“They are effective, but in the mountains, there are simply too many mosquitoes—complete protection is impossible.”

Du Yunse, born into a humble farming family, had left home at the age of ten to traverse the land with his mentor, enduring countless hardships. He had never paid much attention to physical comfort.

So long as Qiu Huanian, Jiu Jiu, and Chun Sheng were safe and well, he had no concern for his own condition.

Qiu Huanian fell into thoughtful silence. Du Yunse, noticing the furrow in his brow, reached out with slender fingers to smooth the crease, his other hand resting gently at Qiu Huanian’s waist.

“I have an idea!”

“Oh? What is it?”

“I want to make medicated oil.”

“Medicated oil?”

“To protect you, my little dragon, from insect bites.”

Momentarily caught off guard, Du Yunse gave a soft laugh and shook his head. “Then I shall wait for Hua to make it for me.”

Though the ingredients required to make traditional medicated oil were costly, they weren’t difficult to obtain, so long as one had the means. It was too late to begin that day, so Qiu Huanian resolved to start the next morning.

Having sorted through his thoughts, Qiu Huanian returned to the subject from earlier.

“Something’s off about the invitation from the prefect’s wife. You told me not to go, and quite firmly at that.”

Qiu Huanian sensed there was more to the situation. While the prefect’s lady was known for her devout worship of deities and the Buddha, it was unusual for her to extend a mass invitation—especially to a secluded place like Qingwu Nunnery.

Perhaps he was overthinking, but Qiu Huanian couldn’t help connecting this to the lingering human trafficking case.

After Prefect Si Jing led a raid on a criminal hideout, the traffickers’ activities had dwindled. No new incidents had surfaced, but that only made it harder to bring the case to a close.

Presently, the matter was handled almost entirely by Si Jing, with only nominal support from the Judicial Commissioner’s Office. The Judicial Commissioner, a known adversary of Si Jing, had conveniently taken to feigning illness to avoid involvement.

In the ancient world, temples—especially nunneries—often bore dark ties to human trafficking.

To the uninformed, the prefect’s lady’s actions may have seemed impulsive, but given Qiu Huanian’s understanding of the case, he saw deeper implications.

Du Yunse calmly stated, “The prefect has secretly mobilized troops under the Military Commander’s command.”

“Ah—”

So that was why Du Yunse had warned him against going. Trouble was surely afoot.

“Is Qingwu Nunnery really connected to the traffickers?”

“Not necessarily. But it’s a clear diversion.”

Qiu Huanian nodded solemnly, silently hoping the traffickers would soon be brought to justice, and the victims restored to their families.

…

The next day, Qiu Huanian and Meng Yuanling ventured out together to purchase dried mint, camphor, cinnamon, cloves, camellia oil, and beeswax. They deliberately visited different shops to avoid drawing attention.

In the modern era, medicated oil was first developed during the late Qing Dynasty by a father and son from Fujian, who operated a pharmacy in Myanmar. Given the region’s hot and humid climate, rife with insects, they had combined Chinese herbal medicine with local remedies to create a potent oil.

This “universal balm” served many functions: repelling insects, soothing itches, refreshing the mind, stimulating blood flow, reducing swelling, and treating minor burns. It remained a staple in both home life and travel.

Even today, mentholated balm retained widespread popularity. As a seasoned lifestyle content creator, Qiu Huanian naturally took on the task of reproducing it.

Upon returning home, he set to work.

First, he crushed the dried mint, camphor, cinnamon, and cloves using a heavy iron herb grinder. There was far too much for one person to manage; his arms soon ached, and he handed the task off to Jin San while he supervised.

Once the ingredients were ground into fine powder, he mixed them in precise proportions and soaked them in camellia oil, stirring the mixture until it formed a thick, uniform paste. He let it steep for a full day to extract the active components from the spices.

Afterward, he covered the mixture and steamed it over a fire for half an hour to complete the infusion.

The next step was to filter the oil. Using a fine white gauze, he strained the paste and wrung out every last drop of infused camellia oil.

Now rich and aromatic, the oil closely resembled modern mentholated balm in both scent and consistency.

However, camellia oil alone was not ideal for long-term use or preservation. One final step remained.

He gently heated the oil over a low flame and stirred in purified beeswax. Once fully melted and blended, he poured the liquid into small, wide-mouthed jars—each roughly the size of a copper coin. Upon cooling, the substance solidified into smooth balm.

In terms of color, texture, fragrance, and efficacy, the balm was nearly indistinguishable from its modern counterpart.

Eager to test the result, Qiu Huanian dipped his pink-tinted fingertip into the jar and dabbed a bit on his temples. Instantly, he felt a rush of clarity and coolness.

Satisfied with the outcome, he bundled up a large batch and headed to Qingfeng Academy to deliver it to Du Yunse.

Although the raw materials were costly, they yielded a high volume. Qiu Huanian estimated that one tael of silver’s worth of ingredients could produce ten jars, each of which could last one to two months with regular use.

He had brought so many not only for Du Yunse but also for Yun Cheng and Min Leyi. He also hoped Du Yunse would distribute them among his teachers and close peers—a small, thoughtful gift in exchange for goodwill.

In the outer corridor of Qingfeng Academy, Qiu Huanian found a quiet corner to speak with Du Yunse.

He opened a jar, dipped a slender finger into the greenish balm, and, rising on tiptoe, gently rubbed it onto Du Yunse’s temples.

Qiu Huanian noticed that Du Yunse had grown taller of late, whereas he himself seemed to have stopped, making their height difference even more pronounced.

A light breeze swept by, and the balm’s cooling sensation immediately took hold. Though it was midsummer, Du Yunse felt a crisp, refreshing chill.

“If you get bitten, just apply a bit to the area—it’ll stop the itching. And if you’re feeling lethargic, apply some to your temples. The scent also keeps bugs away.”

Qiu Huanian carefully instructed him, “It’s inexpensive, so don’t worry about conserving it. I can always make more.”

“These are for Yun Cheng. I’ll visit Min Leyi later to deliver his share. The rest are yours—feel free to give them to your instructors and classmates. If you run out, just come home.”

Du Yunse nodded with a quiet smile, committing every word to memory.

Once Du Yunse returned to class, Qiu Huanian made his way to visit Min Leyi.

He had sent several invitations in recent days, but Min Leyi had only visited once. The governess appointed by the Yu clan had a strictness that troubled Qiu Huanian.

He recalled that the Zhu family had also hired a palace-trained matron for their daughters, and, growing concerned, he asked Jiu Jiu about her experience.

According to Jiu Jiu, the Zhu family’s governess was much more reasonable.

“She teaches us etiquette and rules, but also tells stories she personally witnessed, explaining the social subtleties behind each.”

“She said it’s enough to understand these things and use them when necessary. No need to learn everything rigidly like some ceremonial idol.”

“But she also mentioned that if we were to marry into strict households—like the palace, princely manors, or families like the Yu clan—what we’re learning now wouldn’t be enough. Still, we’re young, and our families haven’t demanded such standards, so she’s been lenient.”

Hearing this, Qiu Huanian felt somewhat reassured. He patted Jiu Jiu’s head and told her not to worry—she would never end up in such a place.

Yet at the same time, his worry for Min Leyi deepened.

Min Leyi believed that once the provincial exams passed, his ordeal would end. But based on what Jiu Jiu had relayed, Qiu Huanian feared life in the Yu household might be even more stifling than it was now.

Arriving at the Min residence, adjacent to Qingfeng Academy, Qiu Huanian stated his purpose to the gatekeeper.

But the man informed him that Min Leyi had already accepted the invitation and gone out.

With no other choice, Qiu Huanian left the balm with the gatekeeper and departed, heavy-hearted and disappointed.