Chapter 43
Perceiving the hint of displeasure from his Mother's utterance, Wen Ting Zhou did not mind the surrounding maidservants and Mamas in the slightest as he strode over to hold Wen furen's arm affectionately.
"What are you doing? Don't think I will let go of this matter just because you're being coquettish."
Wen furen issued a heavy snort.
The maidservants and Mamas in the room were people that Wen furen trusted. Upon seeing their Furen show such an attitude, they lowered their heads simultaneously without prior agreement to laugh secretly.
Wen Ting Zhou did not mind at all. A faint smile lined his brows and eyes as he spoke in a soft and gentle tone.
"Mother, I didn't tell yõu about this, isn't it only because I was afraid yõu would say that I'm not attending to my proper duties and I'm delaying my studies?"
"Is that so?" Wen furen was brimming was disbelief, "Tell me then, when did you learn to carve wood?"
Wen Ting Zhou held onto Wen furen's arm as he sat down beside her, and he offered her a white lie, "Three years ago, when I went away from home to study and gain experience."
Truth to be told, he started learning how to carve wood from Wu shifu ever since he was six years old, albeit for disjointed intervals over the course of ten years. He would make some mechanical small wood carvings during his leisure time, hence why apart from paternal grandmother who had accidentally stumbled upon it, no one had discovered it.
Wen furen was greatly shocked. She remembered that Ting Zhou had placed first for the provincial imperial examinations back then, but his father did not allow him to join the metropolitan civil service examination which was being held the following spring. Instead, he had sent Ting Zhou abroad to study for two years.
She did not expect that Ting Zhou would learn how to carve wood secretly.
"You only learned for three years and now you're capable of making such an exquisite small wooden loft? It seems like you've expended a great deal of effort. Have you forgotten about the imperial civil service examination that is soon approaching?"
Wen furen was angry and envious. Ting Zhou was going to participate in the metropolitan civil examination right after Wen lao-furen's longevity feast, and yet he still had the heart and headspace to think about cultivating his romantic relationship; it would be stranger if Wen furen was not angry.
This year's imperial civil service examination was going to held on the last third of the fourth month, because all of the imperial sons who had grown into adulthood had been conferred the title of Wang and the Emperor had called for a special examination. The candidates rushing to the capital to attend the metropolitan examination were innumerable, and each candidate was making their preparations for the examination, except Ting Zhou who was frequently writing letters and interacting with Ruan si xiaojie.
But that was nothing, because who did not have their moments of relaxation? The fact that her son had a good relationship with his future wife was a rare find, but Ting Zhou had made an exquisite small wooden loft while she was none the wiser.
Hence, Wen furen was unhappy.
If you had to speak bluntly, Wen furen was jealous, was stifled in her heart, and felt that she had raised her son for nothing. For the imperial civil service examinations, passing successfully was like adding flowers on brocade; even if he was not listed, the Wen family could use their influence to help him seek a good official position, and she did not really care to be honest.
