TSWPF -Chapter 278 Choice

“Wow, the top scholar is so handsome!”

“Top scholar, look here, look here…”

As they spoke, the handkerchiefs kept flying toward Liu Zhimou.

Sitting on the horse, Liu Zhimou was breaking out in a cold sweat. He hadn’t expected the people here to be so enthusiastic—it was almost intimidating.

Shen Changsheng watched from the side, chuckling, “Top scholar, are you happy that so many people like you?”

“You must be feeling great, right?” As the second-place scholar, Shen Changsheng was also favored by quite a few young ladies.

Although fewer handkerchiefs were thrown at him than at Liu Zhimou, there were still quite a few.

Shen Changsheng choked on his laughter and dared not tease Liu Zhimou any further; his own situation wasn’t all that good.

The most relaxed of them all was the second-place scholar. Seeing Liu Zhimou and Shen Changsheng being showered with handkerchiefs, he laughed heartily.

“Brother Liu, Brother Shen, looking so handsome, it’s no wonder the young ladies like you.”

“Brother Min, don’t tease us! We’re speechless as it is!” Shen Changsheng thought, if it weren’t for being in public, he might have rolled his eyes.

Min Xing smiled, saying, “It’s a rare occasion—let’s just enjoy ourselves a bit!”

From Fengman Tower, Li Qingling and the others saw the scene. Li Qingning curiously asked, “Why are those people throwing handkerchiefs at my brother-in-law?”

Mr. Luo stroked his beard and smiled, “Because the young ladies like your brother-in-law!”

Hearing this, Li Qingning loudly protested, “No way! My sister is his wife—no one else can take him!” She snatched the handkerchief from Li Qingling’s hand and shouted toward Liu Zhimou passing by Fengman Tower, “Brother-in-law! Brother-in-law! We’re here!”

While shouting, she threw the handkerchief down with all her strength.

Li Qingling couldn’t stop her in time and could only watch helplessly as the handkerchief fell. “You little rascal…” she scolded, tapping Li Qingning on the head.

“Sis, I’m just declaring your ownership!”

Declaring ownership? She didn’t even know where she learned that phrase, yet said it so confidently.

As if sensing it mentally, Liu Zhimou looked up toward the second floor of Fengman Tower and saw Li Qingling and the others standing by the window.

Of course, he didn’t ignore the handkerchief that floated down. He reached out to catch it, then raised it and smiled at Li Qingling.

Seeing Liu Zhimou catch a handkerchief and smile at the second floor, the crowd also looked up in that direction.

Li Qingling, embarrassed, slammed the window shut with a loud “snap.”

She closed it so quickly that no one managed to see her properly.

“Look at how happy the top scholar is smiling—that handkerchief must have been thrown by his sweetheart.”

“Not necessarily…”

The crowd began whispering and discussing this bit of news.

Even Shen Changsheng, curious, asked Liu Zhimou, “Brother Liu, who is she to you?” Though the distance was a bit far, he could see that she was a very lovely young lady.

“My wife…” Liu Zhimou said, tucking the handkerchief back into his chest with a smile.

“Ah?” Shen Changsheng stared in disbelief. “Brother Liu, you’re married already?” From talking with Liu Zhimou before, he knew Liu Zhimou was two years younger than him and hadn’t married yet—he didn’t expect Liu Zhimou to already have a wife.

Liu Zhimou nodded, “We’ve been childhood sweethearts. When we came of age, we married.”

Shen Changsheng looked at him with some envy. He also wished for a childhood sweetheart—but that kind of thing isn’t something one can envy into existence.

If he hadn’t insisted on waiting until after the spring exams to consider marriage, his parents would probably have already arranged a match for him.

Now, he had no excuse left; he would really be forced to marry. Just thinking about marrying someone he’d only met a few times made him feel uneasy.

All he could do was pray that his parents chose a good wife for him.

“Shen second-place scholar, have you married yet?” Min Xing asked curiously.

Shen Changsheng shook his head, “Not yet.”

“Then after today, your doorstep will be trampled by matchmakers,” Min Xing laughed. Luckily, he was already married with two children, so he didn’t have to worry about such things. “Choose well—pick a wife whose heart resonates with yours. That’s how life will be enjoyable. Don’t marry a troublemaker who disrupts the household; then no one can get anything done.”

He’d seen such cases in villages: a troublesome wife could harm generations. Marrying a virtuous wife isn’t without reason.

His own wife wasn’t particularly beautiful, but she managed the household well, kept everything in order, and educated the children properly. That allowed him to focus entirely on his studies and earn second place in the exams.

From now on, he could let his wife relax, no longer endure the hardships of the past years.

“Brother Min is right,” Shen Changsheng nodded earnestly. “It seems your wife is very capable, which is why you have such feelings of appreciation.”

Speaking of his own wife, Min Xing puffed out his chest proudly, “Of course! If my wife hadn’t run the household and supported me in my exams, I wouldn’t have achieved today.” Many must have secretly laughed at him, but whenever he felt like giving up, it was his wife supporting him that kept him going.

This time, he finally didn’t disappoint her and could face those who looked down on him with his head held high.

“My wife is the same. Without her support over the years, I wouldn’t have made it this far,” Liu Zhimou said, nodding appreciatively.

He truly couldn’t imagine what he would have become without Li Qingling.

Min Xing looked at Liu Zhimou in surprise. “So, Brother Liu, you’re also from the countryside?” Seeing Liu Zhimou’s noble bearing, he never would have guessed he was from a rural area.

Liu Zhimou smiled and confirmed it. Regarding his true identity, he didn’t reveal anything more—there was no need. After all, he really had grown up in the countryside.

Min Xing clicked his tongue twice, shaking his head, “Doesn’t seem like it. Handsome and refined, how could you be from the countryside?”

Seeing Min Xing skeptical, Liu Zhimou added that he was from Qingyang Qingfeng Town.

“Ah, Qingyang isn’t far from where I am. I never expected Top Scholar Liu to come from the countryside. I couldn’t have guessed!” Min Xing still found it incredible. “If you hadn’t said, I would have thought you were some nobleman’s son!”

Truly, one shouldn’t judge by appearances; he had misjudged.

Liu Zhimou didn’t know what to say, so he just smiled politely.

Shen Changsheng looked at Liu Zhimou deeply, then turned his head and pursed his lips, smiling.

…

After the parade, Liu Zhimou, Shen Changsheng, and Min Xing went to a restaurant to eat before heading home.

Upon returning, the servants of the Xue household congratulated him, and he thanked them all along the way.

“Brother-in-law, you’re so impressive!” Li Qingning ran to the door, holding her head high in admiration. “Brother-in-law, did you catch any other handkerchiefs?” If he dared to take someone else’s handkerchief, she wouldn’t speak to him.

Liu Zhimou ruffled her head. “No, I only took your sister’s handkerchief.”

Hearing this, Li Qingning grinned and nodded, reminding him never to take other people’s handkerchiefs—taking someone else’s handkerchief meant marrying them. Her brother-in-law was her sister’s—he couldn’t marry anyone else!

“I won’t take any. Only your sister’s, okay?”

“Okay…”

Hearing their conversation, Li Qingling blushed. This girl had to be properly scolded—she couldn’t just speak so freely.

“Well done, seeing you succeed like this makes Grandpa very happy,” Old Liu said, patting Liu Zhimou on the shoulder. “Remember to offer incense to your parents and tell them you’ve become the top scholar.”

“I will, Grandpa…” Liu Zhimou helped the old man sit back down, then solemnly bowed to Mr. Luo, “Thank you for your teachings, Master.”

Without Mr. Luo’s guidance, he could never have achieved such results.

Mr. Luo’s mood was evident today. Smiling, he said, “If you weren’t smart, my guidance wouldn’t have helped. Some people are hopeless, no matter how you teach them. Have you decided what to do next? Will you follow the Emperor’s arrangement to enter the Hanlin Academy?”

He could tell this young disciple, like his father, didn’t care much about fame or fortune. If he guessed right, the disciple wouldn’t enter the academy.

Liu Zhimou said directly that he didn’t want to.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Luo nodded knowingly—it was just as he expected.

Hearing that his grandson didn’t want to enter the Hanlin Academy, Old Liu became anxious. “Mo’er, why don’t you want to go? Is the academy not good? Or do you want to go somewhere else? Just tell me, and Grandpa will find a way for you.” He didn’t want his grandson to waste such a bright future.

“Grandpa, I don’t want to serve in the court.”

Oh no, this grandson was just like his father—not wanting an official position.

Old Liu asked disappointedly what he wanted to do.

Without hesitation, Liu Zhimou said he wanted to be a teacher.

“Good, being a teacher isn’t bad. One day, you’ll have students all over the world.” Mr. Luo clapped his hands and glanced at Old Liu, “I say, Old Liu, just let Mo’er do what he wants. As long as he’s happy.”

“But—”

“No ‘but.’” Mr. Luo interrupted. “Mo’er is like his father; he doesn’t like scheming. Let him do what he enjoys.”

Old Liu sighed, “Alright, then. Let Mo’er decide.”

Liu Zhimou looked at Mr. Luo gratefully. The master’s words carried much more weight than his own.