CHAPTER 129: CHAPTER 129: HE’S PROBABLY GETTING A STEPFATHER

Han Muchi was hit hard by a high fever, which truly frightened Lady Han.

After Doctor Li administered medicine, there was no effect. Fearing it could lead to more serious issues, he suggested to Lady Han that she take her son to the town clinic to prevent any brain damage.

Her son’s studies depended on his good mind, so Lady Han dared not delay. She had the servants prepare the carriage and hurried off to town.

After staying in town for two days, Han Muchi’s fever finally subsided.

However, he looked thinner from the ordeal, and the once radiant boy now appeared somewhat gloomy.

In her heart, Lady Han was furious with Zhao Xiaohua, but in front of her son, she dared not say anything.

Meanwhile, Meng Yao with the others, including Li Chang’an, waited outside the examination hall, watching the time. In two quarters of an hour, the doors would open.

While Meng Yao kept her excitement contained, appearing calm, Wen Nuan was different. Being young, she couldn’t hide her emotions, and her face showed her anxiety.

With three bells ringing, the doors of the examination hall slowly opened.

Candidates began to emerge one after another.

People rushed forward eagerly.

Indeed, the examinees who had entered so full of spirit now looked utterly dejected.

Each one seemed as if they had just suffered a grave illness.

Wen Nuan became even more worried.

"Ma’am, why haven’t Sir and my brother come out yet? Could something have happened?" Wen Nuan asked nervously.

"Don’t worry, there are so many people, how could they come out all at once?" Meng Yao comforted Wen Nuan, though her own eyes never left the doorway, afraid to miss Zhao Dahe.

"Hey, there they are, my brother and Sir." Wen Nuan, sharp-eyed, spotted Wen Shu being supported by Zhao Dahe.

Zhao Dahe looked somewhat disheveled too, but compared to Wen Shu, whom he was supporting, he was in a much better state.

As Li Chang’an and Qin Zheng rushed forward to assist, they were nearly overwhelmed by the smell.

The group hurried onto the carriage, and Zhao Dahe only felt alive again after drinking some hot soup given by Meng Yao.

Wen Nuan also fed Wen Shu a bit of hot soup, which seemed to ease his pallor a bit.

After listening to their account of events, everyone’s gaze turned sympathetic towards Wen Shu.

What rotten luck he had.

The examination booth next to the latrine had only two seats, and Wen Shu was assigned to one of them.

The other occupant was carried out during the third round.

Wen Shu held on until the last exam was over.

If nothing else, his perseverance was truly admirable.

Wen Nuan started to cry, choking back sobs as she comforted Wen Shu, "Brother, don’t think too much. You gave your best, and that’s what matters, not the outcome."

Wen Shu managed to force a smile, "Ah Nuan, I’m fine."

"Let’s get them cleaned up and let them rest first. We’ll discuss anything else once they’ve recovered their energy," Meng Yao suggested.

The exams were over, and no amount of discussion now could change what had already occurred.

Yueke Inn provided excellent service, having already sent hot water, clean towels, and thick rice porridge to each scholar’s room.

Among these scholars, there might be some who make the list. By doing this, they were also fostering good relationships.

Zhao Dahe, after washing and drinking two bowls of porridge, felt revitalized.

Although Meng Yao urged him to sleep, he refused.

Enthusiastically, he recounted the events inside the examination hall to Meng Yao.

Meng Yao was amused and a bit exasperated; anyone hearing him might think he went on a mere five-day trip around the examination grounds.

"Thanks to the things Mother prepared for me, it was all quite complete," Zhao Dahe said delightedly. Truth be told, aside from the cramped space making sleep uncomfortable, he hadn’t suffered much otherwise in the hall.

Speaking of that bag-like thing, one could crawl inside to sleep.

When writing, arms could extend from both sides, providing warmth without hindering writing.

The scholar opposite him shivered from the cold, draping himself with a quilt, which ended up hindering his writing and even spilled ink on the exam paper, voiding his test in that round.

Just as excitement was building, Wen Nuan entered.

"Has your brother rested?" Meng Yao asked.

"He fell asleep as soon as he finished bathing, hadn’t even dried his hair," Wen Nuan replied, "I dried it for him before coming over."

"Ma’am, you need to change your bandage," Wen Nuan added.

Zhao Dahe, already quite alert, perked up even more at Wen Nuan’s words.

"Change bandage, what bandage?" Zhao Dahe questioned, puzzled.

"You’re really not sleeping?" Meng Yao asked him.

"Mother, if you need a bandage change, how can I sleep?" Zhao Dahe exclaimed nervously.

"It’s nothing serious, just a small injury," Meng Yao calmly said, rolling up her sleeve as Wen Nuan cautiously unwrapped the bandage.

The wound looked rather gruesome, startling Zhao Dahe. "Mother, what did you do? How did it even bleed?"

With everything looking like this, Meng Yao knew she couldn’t withhold the truth, so she explained everything in detail to him.

Stunned, Zhao Dahe kept his mouth open from start to finish.

He cared little about those teach this and teach that matters, as with the Government present, it hardly concerned common folks.

What he cared about was that man named He Yan.

He had always said that He Yan had intentions towards his mother.

And now, it seemed obvious. He hadn’t guessed wrong.

Life-saving grace deserved life-long gratitude.

No problem with that.

So, even if he confirmed his father was alive, his father probably wouldn’t stand a chance, would he?

In the end, he failed to keep his mother for his father.

"We should properly thank Master He when he returns," Zhao Dahe expressed, seriously.

"Alright, it’s your decision," Meng Yao replied.

"Mother, what do you think of Master He?" Zhao Dahe inquired.

Meng Yao glanced at him. How could she not see through this adopted son’s thoughts?

"He’s competent; otherwise, why would the County Magistrate give him such an important role?" Meng Yao replied calmly.

"But I find his looks a bit less than pleasing," Zhao Dahe mumbled.

"Since when did you start judging by appearance?" Meng Yao retorted.

"It depends on the person, depends on the person," Zhao Dahe sighed. "Other people’s looks don’t matter much to me. But... ugh, the more you look, the more he seems not so bad."

"Zhao Dahe, maybe instead of studying, you should consider becoming a matchmaker?" Meng Yao teased him, "Then you can openly go around arranging people’s marriages."

Zhao Dahe: ...

"Enough, enough, you may not be tired, but I am. The doctor said I need more rest for the wound to heal quickly." Meng Yao stood, "You go rest now. I’ll head back to my room too."

He was tired, mentally exhausted.

He wasn’t so young as to not notice earlier, when he had misunderstood Ren Zhong, how Mother treated it like a joke. But now, when talking about He Yan, her eyes showed approval.

Though Mother didn’t show any tender feelings outwardly, that approval confirmed He Yan’s uniqueness.

He was likely going to have a stepfather.

Sigh.