The roads in the village were not easy to traverse, especially the path that led to Xiao Liulang and Gu Jiao’s house. There were too many potholes that it was easy for the wheels to get stuck in them.

Hence, the cart stopped at the entrance of the village.

"Brother Xiao." The schoolmate jumped out of the cart first and helped Xiao Liulang down with his hand. Then he carried down Xiao Liulang's bundle.

Xiao Liulang stood still and looked back at Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao jumped down from the cart, carrying the basket on her back.

Xiao Liulang withdrew his gaze and said to his schoolmate, "You can go back, no need to escort me further."

It was really late, and the cart driver was also a little impatient.

The schoolmate then said, "All right. I’ll take my leave now. Don't forget the exam in three days' time. There is no holiday in the academy that day, so I can’t come to pick you up. Remember to go yourself."

"I know." Xiao Liulang nodded lightly and took the bundle from him.

Since it was difficult to walk at night and they didn’t even have a lantern in their hands, Gu Jiao waited for Xiao Liulang silently.

The schoolmate glanced at her coldly and pulled Xiao Liulang further away, then whispered, "Brother Xiao, be sure to take the exam three days from now. Once you pass the exam, you will be able to live in the academy and no longer be bullied by this wicked woman! You don't have to worry about treating your leg. I'll keep asking about Physician Zhang. Oh, and by the way, eat the osmanthus cake yourself. Don't let that wicked woman get unearned gains!"

Gu Jiao was sweating when she came back from the market with the basket on her back, but it was all blown dry on the mule cart. Her little flushed face, which was now white with cold, was somehow eye-catching in the moonlight.

Xiao Liulang swept her a glance from the corner of his eyes. The schoolmate wanted to say more, but Xiao Liulang interrupted him and said, "I know. You go back.”

His schoolmate still tried to open his mouth, but Xiao Liulang ignored him. Clutching the bundle in one hand and leaning on a crutch in the other, he turned and headed home.

Gu Jiao kept pace with him as she walked. She maintained just enough distance from him so that it wouldn’t make people feel too close, but she could catch him in time if he ever fell down.

But Xiao Liulang knew the path well enough to get home without any trouble.

It was dark now and the doors of every household were closed. Only Xue Ningxiang came out to pour the bath water and stood at the door for a while.

"Ah Xiang, why are you not coming in? What are you looking at?" Inside the house, Xue Ningxiang's mother-in-law, who was lying sick in bed, asked in a hoarse voice.

Xue Ningxiang blinked her eyes before saying, "No, it’s nothing."

She must have seen it wrong. Why would Xiao Liulang walk together with that little fool? Although they were husband and wife, they were more like enemies in reality.

…...

Old residence of the Gu Family.

Today was the first branch’s turn to prepare the meal. Zhou shi and her daughter, Gu Yue'e, took the steaming hot food to the central hall and set the table.

In the Gu Family, women were not allowed to dine at the table. Hence, only Old Mister Gu, his eldest son Gu Changhai, his second son Gu Changlu, and his three grandchildren sat around the table to eat.

Old Lady Wu, along with her two daughters-in-law and granddaughter Gu Yue'e, sat by the stove in the kitchen to have their meal.

Old Mister Gu, as the Village Chief, was more successful than most villagers who only knew how to plough crops in the fields. Everyone else could rarely eat meat in a year, but the Gu Family could eat meat twice a month.

Today was the day to eat meat.Stewed cabbage with pork belly. Even the soup exuded a strong aroma of meat. However, there wasn’t much pork belly. One person could only get a piece.

After Gu Changhai and Gu Changlu had each taken a piece of meat, they dared not think about this bowl of meat again and instead turned to pick some salt and soy sauce pickles under the majesty of their father.

Old Mister Gu himself did not eat much. He only took a small piece, as well as a medium-sized piece for Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Ershun, then the rest was given to Gu Dashun.

Gu Xiaoshun counted them carefully and found that there were five pieces, and all of them were big!

"Why should he eat everything?" Gu Xiaoshun grumbled as he picked up some rice.

Gu Ershun said softly, "That's because eldest brother is a scholar. Our family needs to depend on eldest brother in the future."

As he said this, he couldn’t help but glance at the meat in Gu Dashun's bowl.

He was also craving.

Really craving it.

But he was used to such differential treatment.

With this many men in the family, only the eldest brother was good at studying. This year, eldest brother passed the entry-level imperial exam and was admitted to the county government school, which was even higher than grandfather's original achievement.

"Yeah right." Gu Xiaoshun rolled his eyes, "My brother-in-law is also a scholar. Why don't you call him to eat meat too then?"

"How can that be the same? Eldest brother has been admitted to the county government school. How can he compare with eldest brother?"

"My brother-in-law just didn't take the exam."

As the two brothers continued to argue, Old Mister Gu slammed his chopsticks on the table, so that the two people shut up in an instant.

Not to mention his three grandchildren, even Gu Changhai and Gu Changlu couldn’t handle the anger of Old Mister Gu.

The room was eerily quiet.

"Second brother, have you read the book I gave you? I put some annotations in it. Take a good look at it and ask me if you don't understand anything.”

The one who spoke was Gu Dashun.

He was the only one who dared to speak out under Old Mister Gu’s anger.

His voice was clear and smooth, his tone was calm and unhurried. He truly had the demeanor of a scholar.

Old Mister Gu found this precious grandson pleasing to the eye. Looking at him, his anger soon dissipated.

Gu Ershun smiled and said flatteringly, "Then I’ll thank eldest brother in advance!"

Old Mister Gu taught all three grandchildren at the beginning, but only Gu Dashun passed the exam. After Old Mister Gu passed down all his knowledge to him and could no longer teach him anything, he sent Gu Dashun to a private school in the town.

Private schools were too expensive, and the Gu Family could only afford to support the most outstanding one.

Gu Ershun dreamt to be like Gu Dashun.

Old Mister Gu said, "Don't disturb your eldest brother these days. He has an exam."

Gu Ershun nodded respectfully, "Understood, grandfather."Gu Xiaoshun didn't want to stay there any longer. After eating a couple of bites, he left.

He wanted to go out, but it was impossible to get out from the front door in the main hall or the back door in the kitchen. Old Lady Wu was no easier to deal with than Old Mister Gu.

Gu Xiaoshun decided to climb over the wall.

But he was just halfway up when Liu shi caught him, "Gu Xiaoshun! Get down here!"

Gu Xiaoshun was pulled down by Liu shi.

Liu shi slapped him on the head and scolded, "Your grandparents are here! You don’t want to live anymore, do you?"

“Don't hit me on the head!” Gu Xiaoshun said without enduring it.

"Why do you want to go out this late?"

"My big sis hasn't come to have a meal all day today. I'll go and check on her."

Liu shi snorted, "It's good that she didn’t come. What are you checking on her for? She’s already a married person but still runs to her parental home every single day. Does that look proper?!"

Gu Xiaoshun twitched his mouth and said, "That’s not what you all said to Third Uncle and Third Aunt before they died! Grandfather and Grandmother promised Third Aunt that they would let their son-in-law marry into our family. That man surnamed Xiao is a son-in-law that married into our family, so big sis is still a member of the family."[1]

Liu shi, unable to retort, could only pinch him hard.

Gu Ershun was useless but at least he was obedient. Meanwhile, Gu Xiaoshun was neither obedient nor useful. She really gave birth to two handfuls!

…...

Gu Jiao, who had bought rice flour at the market, didn’t expect Xiao Liulang to buy it as well. He also bought several steamed buns.

Gu Jiao walked to the kitchen to heat up the steamed buns.

Xiao Liulang started the fire. Gu Jiao was not pretentious either.

The injury on her wrist was not serious when she went out, but she did something at the market, causing the wound to open up. Fortunately, she felt it wasn’t safe to leave her medicine chest at home so she brought it along. Hence, she was able to bandage up the wound on the spot.

Neither of them mentioned the three cornmeal buns. Xiao Liulang did not explain, and Gu Jiao did not question either.

"Let’s eat here. It’s nice and warm here." Gu Jiao said. She was so cold that she was still shivering.

Xiao Liulang hesitated for a moment before letting out a sound of agreement and sitting down on the small stool beside Gu Jiao.

This was the first time they had been in such close proximity to each other. He sat on Gu Jiao's left side so closely that he could clearly see the birthmark on her left face.

Gu Jiao used to cover her face with thick makeup, but now her face was completely bare, brimming with confidence even without any cover.

The corners of Xiao Liulang's good-looking lips moved slightly, but he didn't make a sound in the end.

Just as she wouldn’t ask about him, he wouldn’t ask about her either.

In the first place, they were two unrelated people, so there was no need to be deeply involved with each other.

The steamed buns made of white flour was kind of tasteless, but Gu Jiao had been hungry all day, so she was not picky about it.

Gu Jiao choked on her food and went to get a drink of water. When she got back to the kitchen, Xiao Liulang was gone and there was a small package on the wooden stool.

Gu Jiao opened it and looked.

It was osmanthus cake.1. ↑ — Usually, it’s the woman that marries into the man’s family, and once they are married, the women are practically no longer part of their original family at least according to the law. It isn’t proper for them to frequent their original family’s house since their loyalty should already be to their husband’s family. Since it is Xiao Liulang who married into the Gu Family, not the other way around, Gu Jiao is still a member of the Gu family. So there shouldn’t be anything wrong with her going to the Gu Family’s house.