Chapter 47

47 Probe

Su Xiaoxiao didn’t know that Jing Yi was at the door.

Young Master Xiang looked in the direction of the door and chuckled. “Yes, Jingyi has a bad temper. I’ll teach him a lesson for you later.”

Su Xiaoxiao quickly waved her chubby hand. “No need, no need. He’s your cousin after all. Don’t make your brother unhappy because of an outsider like me. He’s a little cold to me, but he’s quite good to you.”

....

After Su Xiaoxiao left, Jing Yi walked in.

“Cousin, are you really not planning to return to the capital?”

Young Master Xiang did not say anything and only handed Jing Yi a secret letter.

After Jing Yi opened it, his expression turned solemn. “He actually...”

Young Master Xiang said, “The people we sent out all failed. Before the mission is completed, we can’t return. And recuperating... is an extremely suitable reason. It won’t arouse the suspicion of the capital.”

Jing Yi hesitated.

Young Master Xiang asked, “What’s wrong?”

Jing Yi said bluntly, “You revealed a little too much to her.”

Young Master Xiang smiled and said, “Are you referring to how I told her that I’m from the capital? If she deliberately approached me, her expression wouldn’t be so natural when I said that I’m from the capital.”

Jing Yi was enlightened. “So Cousin was testing her.”

Young Master Xiang gently rubbed the prescription that Su Xiaoxiao had left behind. “Her medical skills are too suspicious. Back then, Aunt was also unfortunately infected with lung disease. The treatment process was much longer and more dangerous than mine. However, from the looks of it, I was overthinking. She wasn’t sent by any faction to approach me. She was just a little girl who had received guidance from an expert.”

“It’s a young woman. She’s married,” Jing Yi corrected.

Young Master Xiang frowned in surprise. “She’s not old, but she’s already married?”

Jing Y repliedi, “Hehe, not only is she married, but she also has three children!”

—

Su Xiaoxiao went to the room in front to find Shen Chuan.

Shen Chuan handed her the list of snacks he had reserved as usual. Su Xiaoxiao took the list and gave him three taels of silver.

“What’s this for?” Shen Chuan asked.

“A commission,” Su Xiaoxiao said.

“Huh?” Shen Chuan did not understand. “What commission?”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “It means that I can’t let you help for nothing. Just treat it as remuneration. You helped me book snacks and take care of Young Master Xiang’s medicine. I haven’t had the chance to thank you properly.”

Shen Chuan waved his hand. “It’s nothing. Do you think I’m the kind of person who does things for money? Besides, my father can’t wait for me to show my face in front of Young Master more often. I have to thank you for giving me this opportunity. This time, you cured Young Master’s illness. My father is quite grateful to you. He just doesn’t say it!”

Su Xiaoxiao pondered. “That young master...”

Shen Chuan looked around and whispered, “He has a powerful background. You’ve realized it too, right? Unfortunately, no matter how I asked, my father refused to reveal his ident.i.ty!”

Curiosity killed the cat. The less one knew, the better.

Su Xiaoxiao smiled. “Take it. Otherwise, I won’t dare to ask you for help again.”

Seeing how insistent Su Xiaoxiao was, Shen Chuan could only accept it.

Although he was the dean’s son, his father was actually very strict. He only had 500 copper coins a month. Including the one tael that his mother had secretly given him, he did not even have one tael a month.

The feeling of earning money... seemed pretty good!

Su Ergou treated the academy as a good place to sleep. He was sleeping soundly on a chair soundly.

Su Xiaoxiao patted her silly brother awake.

Su Ergou wiped his saliva and asked in a daze, “Sister, is the list ready?”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “We can go back now. Young Master Shen, farewell.”

“Goodbye.” Shen Chuan suddenly thought of something and stopped Su Xiaoxiao. “By the way, Miss Su, do you know a student called Chen Haoyuan? I heard from the old man that you two had a long conversation at the entrance of the academy.”

The old man he was talking about was the old man who wanted to rob a pancake from Su Ergou.

Su Xiaoxiao asked, “What’s the matter?”

Shen Chuan said, “The academy has to make recommendations for a few students study in the city. My father is considering choosing one between Chen Haoyuan and another student.”

....

Su Xiaoxiao brought the sleepy Su Ergou out of the academy.

Chen Haoyuan had just exited the bookstore opposite and saw the siblings at the entrance of the academy.

He frowned fiercely with a hint of disgust in his eyes.

His cla.s.smate followed his gaze. “Hey, aren’t those the siblings selling snacks? Recently, many people in the academy have reserved their snacks. I’ve eaten them once too. The taste is not inferior to Jin Ji’s, and it’s even cheaper! Brother Chen, do you want to buy snacks too?”

“No,” Chen Haoyuan said indifferently.

He already knew that Su Xiaoxiao had come to the academy to sell snacks.

The status of a farmer, worker, and merchant was very low. Chen Haoyuan looked down on peddlers who smelled of copper.

Besides, what could that pair of siblings do?

Were their snacks better than Jin Ji’s?

Who was the one who spread the rumors?

Chen Haoyuan warned, “Don’t buy anything from her in the future! Be careful not to eat anything bad!”

His cla.s.smate said, “No, the snacks they sell are not just delicious. They’re especially filling!”

Chen Haoyuan said calmly, “I can tell that you’ve never eaten good food!”

Coincidentally, Dean Shen came down from the study.

He was on the second floor just now, so the students usually couldn’t go up.

“Dean!” His cla.s.smate noticed Dean Shen first and immediately turned around to bow.

Chen Haoyuan quickly composed himself and turned around to bow respectfully. “Dean.”

“Why are you standing at their door?” Dean Shen asked.

“We... were just looking at the siblings selling snacks,” the cla.s.smate replied. He couldn’t say that they were talking about her behind her back.

Dean Shen looked at Su Xiaoxiao and Su Ergou, who were gradually walking away, and asked, “Do you know them?”

His cla.s.smate shook his head. “Not really. I’ve only eaten the wife cakes they sell.”

Dean Shen’s gaze landed on Chen Haoyuan’s face.

Chen Haoyuan composed himself and said seriously, “I don’t know either!”

—

Dean Shen returned to the courtyard and first visited Young Master Xiang, who had just recovered from a serious illness. When he learned that he still needed to recuperate in the academy for a while, Dean Shen expressed that it was his honor.

He immediately instructed the servants to prepare the New Year goods. The New Year would be different due this time due to Young Master.

“Dad!”

Just as Dean Shen left the study, he b.u.mped into the smiling Shen Chuan.

Dean Shen looked at the mud and snow on someone’s feet and said coldly, “Where did you go?”

Shen Chuan said, “No, I was tired from studying and walked around. I know what to do next year!”

Dean Shen could not understand. Shouldn’t a scholar be conscientious and focused? Why was his son like a monkey, running out every day?

If not for the fact that his son had attained some results in his learning, he would have tied him up and beat him up.

Shen Chuan smiled mysteriously. “Dad, let me tell you some news!”

Dean Shen was annoyed by his indecent appearance. He did not take after him at all.

Dean Shen said stiffly, “Speak.”

Shen Chuan smiled and said, “Chen Haoyuan from Cla.s.s A of the academy is Miss Su’s cousin! Do you want to consider recommending him to the prefecture city?”

Dean Shen frowned. “Are you saying that he’s Miss Su’s cousin?”