Chapter 951: Self-awareness

Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations

In the evening, Qiao Xuan prepared a nourishing feast for Shao Yunduan. She stewed black chicken soup with red dates, white fruits, lotus seeds, and gastrodia elata, made a beef wild mushroom griddle, steamed river eels, and braised pork. They also opened a small jar of strong and fragrant Double Ninth Liquor to celebrate and replenish his body.

Even the most accomplished individuals would feel nervous and anxious in such a high-pressure test environment.

After enduring the ordeal, everyone felt exhausted and drained. They needed some replenishment.

The delicious food brought a sense of contentment to Shao Yunduan as he looked at Qiao Xuan.

There was nothing more satisfying than a home-cooked meal with its familiar taste after a challenging compet.i.tion! Gathered together as a family, with warm lighting, even the idle chatter became a source of great satisfaction in the world.

The next day, Lu Min and Gu Zhiyou came to visit together.

Although they had rested for a day, they still appeared weary. Their faces showed signs of fatigue, with dark circles under their eyes from lack of rest.

The couple greeted Qiao Xuan with a smile, addressing her as “Mrs. Qiao!” Qiao Xuan sensed their anxiety, as if they lacked confidence in their performance on the examination.

She didn’t dwell on it and invited them to stay for lunch, hoping they could sit down and chat with Shao Yunduan. She went to make the necessary preparations.

During their conversation, Lu Min and her husband seemed to be in a better mood after lunch. Their smiles grew wider. Qiao Xuan couldn’t help but ask Shao Yunduan about the Eight Trigrams.

Shao Yunduan chuckled. “It should be fine, but it depends on the examiner!”

Qiao Xuan sighed. “Yes, it all depends on the examiner!”

Unlike the college entrance examination, where there were standardized answers, points, and clear steps, here it was different. The outcome relied on whether the essays appealed to the taste of the examiners, and that element was subject to luck.

However, if the essay was written with steadiness, it was unlikely to be faulted. There was a chance for Shao Yunduan to become an intermediate Advanced Scholar, but his exact ranking was uncertain.

After taking a few days of rest at home, Shao Yunduan decided to accompany Qiao Xuan as they ventured out.

There were numerous gatherings among the candidates, but Shao Yunduan, Lu Min, and Gu Zhiyou were not interested in partic.i.p.ating, so they chose not to attend.

The couple set out towards the outskirts of the capital together. Shao Yunduan wanted to keep his wife company since he had no other pressing matters to attend to.

Unfortunately, luck was not on their side, as they unexpectedly ran into Qiao Hongxi once again.

Both parties fell into an awkward silence. They were about to ignore each other and continue enjoying the scenery on their boat when Qiao Hongxi refused to let them be. He sneered and said, “Leaving as soon as you see me? Feeling guilty, are you?”

Qiao Xuan replied, “…Who are you?”

“It’s you!”

Qiao Hongxi grew even more irritated. He sneered at Shao Yunduan, saying, “Why are you so arrogant? The rankings will be released soon. Are you confident that you’ll make it to the intermediate level?”

Shao Yunduan smiled. “I have no idea.”

“Hah!” Qiao Hongxi became even more smug. “At least you’re self-aware about your abilities!”