USWHC -Chapter 248 Why Is It You? (Part 8)

“Found it! Found it!” Zhu Jie suddenly screamed, her excitement practically overflowing. But right after shouting, her voice abruptly fell silent.

“Found it? That can’t be right! Who’s blind enough to pass someone like him?” Ji Yi was the first to shout in disbelief.

The moment Zhu Jie heard that, she shot him a fierce glare. What kind of reaction was that? He passed and he wasn’t even happy?

Their commotion immediately stirred up Old Madam Ji and the others, who had been about to leave.

“Is there really one? Really? Where?” Ji Mei hurried over.

But after she asked, Zhu Jie’s expression actually grew even worse. She quickly pointed at the list like a flash of lightning and said, “There! Right there!”

Ji Mei followed her finger, but it was just a feint—she couldn’t see clearly at all. Still, since Zhu Jie insisted there was one, she stubbornly started looking again, this time beginning from the bottom half of the list.

“Is there really?” After a long while, Ji Mei still couldn’t find it.

“You must be seeing things!” Old Madam Ji had already started getting impatient.

But in the very next moment, Ji Mei suddenly screamed.

“Ah! There really is one! Here! Here!”

As she spoke, she excitedly pointed at the list.

Old Madam Ji couldn’t read, but she looked where Ji Mei was pointing. Then Ji Mei added:

“Mother, look at the last place!”

Well… it was technically first—just the first from the bottom.

Zhu Jie suddenly felt like she wanted to crawl into a crack in the ground. How could he be dead last? He was just one step away from failing entirely!

Sob… wasn’t Ji Yi supposed to be a genius? Didn’t he memorize the Analects overnight? Then how did he end up ranking last?

That didn’t make any sense!

“Ah, what a pity!” While Zhu Jie was secretly feeling miserable, Ji Yi behind her also let out a deep sigh.

Zhu Jie immediately assumed he was upset.

No, she couldn’t keep feeling sorry for herself!

Taking a deep breath, even though she was sad, she forced herself to comfort him.

“Yi, don’t be upset. You just didn’t perform well this time. There were too many things going on recently, and I didn’t properly review with you. Next time—when you take the next exam—we’ll definitely do better!”

“There’s another one?” Ji Yi’s voice instantly rose an octave. “With my level, I still have to take another exam?”

But Zhu Jie assumed he was discouraged by this failure. She even jumped a little as she solemnly patted his shoulder.

“It’s okay. With me here, you’ll definitely pass!”

Ji Yi nearly burst into tears.

I don’t want to take any more exams, okay?!

“Tch, he just got lucky this time and barely made the list. Next time he won’t be so lucky. What’s the point of going again?” Old Madam Ji said dismissively.

But Old Master Ji was overjoyed.

“Oh my! Our family finally has an educated man! Yi passed the exam—does that mean he’s a xiucai now?”

“Not yet,” Zhu Jie replied, already dreaming happily with Old Master Ji. “Next time, if he passes the prefectural exam, he’ll become a xiucai! But it’s soon anyway. Father, when registration opens later, I’ll definitely sign him up!”

“Good! Yi truly married a good wife!” Old Master Ji kept praising Zhu Jie nonstop.

Zhu Jie was delighted and continued happily, “Once he becomes a xiucai, and later passes the provincial exam to become a juren, life will be worry-free!”

“Not just worry-free!” Old Master Ji added dreamily. “That would be living the good life! Ah… at least I’ll have done right by him.”

Behind them, Ji Mei and Old Madam Ji shook their heads while laughing.

“Are these two fools? That second idiot isn’t even as smart as a child, and they’re dreaming about him becoming a xiucai. Just wait till he falls flat on his face!”

The Ji family continued chatting as they walked away.

Yet none of them noticed that their backs were straighter than when they had arrived.

Yes—no matter what they said, their family now had an educated person, and that quiet pride still rose naturally from their hearts.

“Ah, Mother, this will make it easier for Meizi to find a husband now!” Sister-in-law You suddenly said excitedly.

Old Madam Ji widened her eyes.

“That’s right! Our family is now a cultured family too! What’s that fancy phrase again?” She even patted Zhu Jie’s shoulder to ask.

“A… scholarly family?” Zhu Jie replied hesitantly.

“That’s it! We’re a scholarly family now! Our Meizi is the sister of a xiucai! At the very least she should marry a juren, don’t you think?” Old Madam Ji said seriously.

Hearing this, Zhu Jie couldn’t help sneering inwardly.

A scholarly family? How many people in your household can even read? You’ve barely seen a few books. That old almanac propping up the table leg is probably one of the only books in the house!

But at this moment, everyone in the Ji family was in high spirits.

Even Zhu Jie felt completely satisfied.

Everyone, that is—except one person.

Ji Yi, the one who had unexpectedly passed the exam.

How on earth did I pass?

It was simply too strange.