Making money, taking exams and supporting the family

chapter 51: Young Gong, old fox

The brisk refusal was made, and after leaving Guo’s house, Lin Ze and the other three all sighed in relief.

Lin Ze was exhausted from the “battle of wits,” Zhang Xiu, He Xiangfeng and Luo Ger were stifled by all the official talk inside. As a result, it wasn’t until they left Guo’s house that the two young men remembered they had not collected their prizes yet, which made them regretful.

“We’ve missed out big time! We agreed to make up the numbers and get a set of stationery, but if we won first prize, the reward would definitely be much more!”

Luo Ger pounded his chest and stomped his foot in frustration.

Zhang Xiu also looked regretful, staring at Lin Ze with a touch of resentment, raising his finger with a pained expression. “Husband, a set of stationery is worth at least five taels…”

The two young men, who had grown up together, had a unified understanding when it came to their love for money.

Lin Ze could not help but laugh out loud.

He Xiangfeng did not know what had happened later, but judging from the expressions and words of the two young men, he knew they were lamenting over money. Luo Ger and the young man had always been particularly sensitive to money; they were both money lovers.

“All right, we’ve played all morning and our stomachs are empty. I asked Old Uncle Ji by the Willow River to save us a table. Let’s go have some meat and vegetable soup…”

With a smile, He Xiangfeng patted Luo Ger‘s head and suggested they go eat first. It was already noon, and they could talk while eating.

As the name suggests, meat and vegetable soup was a big stew made with various meats and vegetables. It was from an ordinary small shop by the Willow River, with moderate prices and good taste. It was the first choice for villagers to satisfy their cravings when they came to town, having been open for more than ten years.

Although Lin Ze was somewhat picky, he was not a person with a precious disposition. He did not disdain roadside stalls. Instead, he looked forward to small shops that could stay open for more than a decade and attract business through word of mouth. Often, roadside snacks would provide even greater surprises.

His expectations were not disappointed. Old Uncle Ji’s meat and vegetable soup was indeed good. He ate two bowls in one go before stopping.

After filling their stomachs, they did not stroll the streets anymore. Instead, they bought some snacks like roasted chestnuts and candied haws, then rented a small boat to play on the Willow River while discussing what had happened at Guo’s house earlier.

First, Lin Ze and He Xiangfeng criticized the two young men for ‘ignoring’ the two of them and treating them as if they weren’t there, focusing only on the matter of becoming officials on Temple Street!

Such a good day for talking about love and romance was wasted for a few hours. For a man who was eagerly looking forward to sweet moments with his wife, it was truly cruel and heart-wrenching.

While criticizing, the two “big wolves” naturally proposed many unequal treaties for after they got home…

Zheng Xiaoluo did not dare to argue at all, staring at He Xiangfeng with a guilty conscience, accepting the lesson.

Zhang Xiu felt guilty too, but then he thought something was wrong. He was trying to surprise his husband; his husband should be laughing and praising him. Why did he still look like he had done something wrong and was accepting criticism?

More importantly, the unequal treaties proposed by Lin Ze, the rogue, were too many! He still had not paid off the tragic “debt” he owed Lin Ze, letting him do as he pleased for two months, and now he was adding more “debt”… his husband was tricking him again.