Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Thanks to Song Jitong, I didn’t take a liking to a single shop in the county seat.

He always managed to pick out one or two flaws just as I was becoming satisfied, making the agent’s face turn dark with frustration.

In fact, this man even managed to make me want to go to the Provincial City to see the sights even more.

Because of this, I could only end the trip hastily and head back.

“When are you returning to the Academy?”

I glanced at Song Jitong, whose expression was becoming increasingly smug, and couldn’t help but ask.

The smile on his face froze, and his eyes suddenly widened. “Are you chasing me back to the Academy?”

“The Autumn Imperial Exams are approaching; you should head back early to prepare properly. Your mother is counting on you to make something of yourself. She hasn’t had it easy all these years.”

I had intended it as well-meaning advice, but I forgot that Song Jitong was naturally temperamental. Moreover, he was currently at that age where a young man’s pride is at its peak; hearing my words, he felt both aggrieved and displeased.

“You’re lecturing me again-”

He pursed his lips and abruptly cut himself off, walking ahead with quick strides.

He was clearly sulking.

Habitually, I wanted to go and soothe him, but then my eyes caught sight of a pastry shop.

Perhaps because he had been sickly as a child and was constantly drinking bitter medicine, Song Jitong had loved sweets since he was little. He was very easy to coax with sugary treats.

Meanwhile, after walking for a bit and realizing I hadn’t followed to appease him, Song Jitong stopped in his tracks, fuming. The slightly upturned corners of his eyes were even tinged with red.

An inexplicable fire rose in his heart, mingled with a faint, imperceptible sense of bitterness and grievance.

“Oh, isn’t this Scholar Song?”

Someone passing by recognized Song Jitong and immediately stepped forward with a smile to strike up a conversation.

Song Jitong instantly composed himself and gave a slight nod.

Even if there was something unusual about his demeanor, it was well-hidden.

Thus, by the time I finished buying the pastries and went to find Song Jitong, he had just finished his conversation with the passerby, but he wouldn’t give me even half a glance.

Knowing his temperament well and seeing this act of intentionally ignoring me, I softened my tone first. “I tried the pastries from this shop; they taste quite good. Kongchu, do you want a taste?”

Seeing that I had proactively offered him a way out, Song Jitong accepted quite readily.

He took a bite and nodded slightly. “It is indeed not bad.”

His words were reserved, but his hands didn’t slow down in the slightest.

Suppressing a smile, I bought a few more things before we returned to the village.

When we got back, Aunt Song was a little surprised to see Song Jitong. She scolded him a couple of times in an annoyed tone but didn’t say much else.

However, Song Jitong hurried back to the Academy the very next day.

Before leaving, he looked at me several times as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.

I didn’t take it to heart. After he left, I packed some things to go check on the fields.

Unexpectedly, I overheard some major gossip halfway there.

“That little scholar from the east end of the village looks so honest, but who would’ve thought he’d get involved with Widow Sun! Miao’er, you have no idea-when the Village Head brought people over, those two were still right in the middle of it!”

Life in ancient times was truly a bit dull; a little gossip was enough to make me listen with great interest.

“…But that little scholar was quite unlucky. He was beaten up by someone while walking past a haystack. That’s why he hurried to Widow Sun’s place to seek some comfort!”

I nodded in deep agreement.

But halfway through my nod, I suddenly sensed something was off.

“I remember that little scholar lives next door to Song Rou’er?”

“That’s right.”

I blinked, recalling Song Jitong’s strange behavior yesterday, and felt a faint sense that something wasn’t right.

However, when I returned to the Song Family home, another piece of big news was waiting for me-

“You want me to go to the Provincial City?”

I didn’t react for a moment, my face a mask of bewilderment.