Chapter 7: The Scholarly Gentleman

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Luo Jiaorong was overwhelmed with excitement. The joy of seeing her younger brother succeed, the thrill of pride, was written all over her face.

Li Zhengshan was also very happy and proud.

"Big Head, Pillar, Boss, I told you last time I’d treat you all to a drink, right? Tonight, we’re going! No, no, not tonight—I have to get home early tonight to celebrate my scholar little brother-in-law! Hahaha..."

"Boss, stop laughing, save it for later. Come stand guard, the elders are all coming out!"

"Oh, oh, oh!"

Li Wenzheng quickly greeted the siblings, grinning as he squeezed through the crowd.

"Aunt Wang, Aunt Wang! Where’s the red envelope? Your two taels of silver red envelope? Hurry up and give it to your nephew, the scholar!"

Luo Jiaorong was still showing off, tugging Aunt Wang to demand the red envelope.

Aunt Wang’s face flushed with shame, utterly embarrassed. She hurriedly covered her head, rolling her eyes, and muttered, "Oh dear! Oh dear! I’m dizzy, my old ailment is acting up again. I have to go home and take medicine! I can’t hear anything, I can’t hear anything at all..."

With that, she forcefully pried Luo Jiaorong’s hand away and fled in a panic, covering her face and head.

Luo Jiaorong stood with hands on her hips, laughing brazenly amidst the crowd.

At that moment, the scholar’s nameplates bearing the official seal of the magistrate’s office were being rapidly produced and distributed to everyone.

Prefect Xu Songwen personally handed them out, encouraging each recipient.

After receiving the nameplate symbolizing his scholar status, Luo Zijun was pulled away by his sister, following her proud, high-stepping pace.

"Sis, you go back first. I’ll go help at the pharmacy?"

"Help at the pharmacy? You’re a scholar now! Stay home and study properly. The provincial exams are in a month! Don’t you want to enter the academy?"

Luo Jiaorong looked at him in puzzlement.

This child was already a scholar, yet still wanted to do manual labor? Had his studying made him silly?

"I promised my master. Besides, we can’t forget our debts of gratitude. When you asked Master to accept me as a disciple, you said all the right things. Now that I’ve passed the scholar exam, leaving immediately wouldn’t look right."

Luo Jiaorong studied him seriously for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Zijun, be honest with me. Do you have your eye on the girl at the shop?"

Luo Zijun quickly shook his head.

A smile appeared on Luo Jiaorong’s face as she whispered, "She really is pretty—face, figure, skin—much better than that Sun family girl. Plus, she’s well-endowed and shapely, surely she’ll have an easy time bearing children. Back then, I didn’t dare think much because we were dependent on others and didn’t want them to think we coveted their pharmacy. But now it’s different—you’re a scholar. If you like her, I’ll help you propose tomorrow!"

Luo Zijun laughed in disbelief. "No, I just think of her as a senior sister."

Luo Jiaorong winked. "Really? Then why were you clutching a blanket between your legs last night in your dream, saying, ‘Senior sister, your chest is so big’?"

Luo Zijun was speechless.

"Haha, I’m joking with you. Go on, we can’t be ungrateful like the Sun family. You’re grown up now; matters like this should be up to you."

She laughed as she ruffled his hair, then waved off any embarrassment and left.

Luo Zijun’s cheeks burned.

Did he really talk in his sleep last night? Did he really say that?

Impossible.

His resistance to women was at least 90%, probably 99%. His sister must have been joking.

Comforting himself thus, he went to the pharmacy.

The moment he entered, his gaze involuntarily drifted toward the counter.

Su Qingling was there, wearing a grayish-white dress, bent over with her shapely hips raised, her proud bosom resting on the counter, hand propping her chin, seemingly daydreaming.

Her expression, her demeanor, her posture—both charming and serene, yet seductive.

Su Qingling seemed to catch his gaze and was about to speak when Luo Zijun preempted her.

"Senior sister, could you be a bit more careful? Every time I come in, you’re showing off your chest on the counter. It’s not good for the customers to see."

Unexpectedly, Su Qingling replied expressionlessly, "I only do it when you come in."

Luo Zijun: "??? Why?"

Su Qingling said coldly, "Because grandpa said he’d give you eighty wen a month, I said fifty wen is enough, and the remaining thirty wen is for you to look at my chest every day—one wen per day."

Luo Zijun: "..."

"Anyway, you can only look on helplessly. I save thirty wen—it’s a bargain!"

Su Qingling idly toyed with the abacus on the counter with slender fingers, a strand of hair hanging at the corner of her red lips, looking particularly enticing.

Luo Zijun was speechless.

"Um, where’s Master? Out again?"

He changed the subject.

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Su Qingling lowered her head, fiddling with the abacus, ignoring him.

"Then I’ll go read."

Luo Zijun went inside.

The books Su Bie had sent last time contained a lot of useful knowledge for the provincial exams.

"Did you fail the exam?"

Suddenly, Su Qingling approached and asked.

Luo Zijun raised his head. "Fail what?"

"Scholar exam. Didn’t you take it today?"

"How do you know I failed?"

"If you passed, you wouldn’t be here now. You should be at home celebrating, right?"

Su Qingling said with certainty.

Luo Zijun decided to tease her, lowering his head and remaining silent.

Seeing his expression, Su Qingling snorted coldly. "I told you, you’re not cut out for studying. If you want to learn medicine, you should focus on that. Suddenly wanting to take the scholar exam? It’s not easy. People have been studying since childhood to dare take it. You? You’ve only studied a few days."

Luo Zijun still didn’t answer.

Su Qingling glanced at him again, then sat down in front of him, placing her proud bosom on the table again, smiling generously.

"Seeing you so sad, I’ll let you have a proper look today."

Luo Zijun twitched his mouth and, on impulse, said, "Can I look at your feet too?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to slap himself.

Was his mouth not under his control? Did it have its own mind?

Su Qingling was momentarily stunned, then narrowed her eyes. "Look at my feet?"

Luo Zijun was about to say "just kidding," but Su Qingling said suddenly, "Then lower your head."

He looked down.

"Ah!"

A scream.

He covered his eyes.

Su Qingling’s face was cold, fists clenched, voice icy. "You lecher!"

With that, she stood and went behind the counter without another word.

As evening approached, Su Bie came to the shop, fanning himself, smiling broadly.

He entered and clasped his hands in greeting. "Congratulations! Congratulations! Brother Luo passed the scholar exam today. I told you, with your talent, that title is within easy reach."

Su Qingling, busy with the abacus at the counter, immediately looked toward Luo Zijun.

Luo Zijun pretended not to notice, quickly invited Su Bie to sit and served tea, intending to inquire about the academy.

He also subtly asked about Xu Xian’s recent situation.

Relieved to hear Xu Xian had no beautiful women around recently, he relaxed.

"There are three academies in Lin’an City—one downtown, two in the outer city. Since we live in the outer city, you’ll naturally attend one of those. One is called Linfeng Academy, the other West Lake Academy."

"Each has its pros and cons, and enrollment is very strict. But for girls, if they can read and write and pay some money, they can attend. Boys must pass the provincial exam or have great fame to be admitted exceptionally..."

Su Bie spoke openly and thoroughly.

Luo Zijun listened attentively.

Su Qingling, resting her chin on her hand behind the counter, seemed lost in thought, unconsciously playing with the abacus. Her proud bosom was hidden beneath the counter.

Su Bie glanced at her secretly, then lowered his voice.

"Brother Luo, may I ask something?"

"Please, Brother Su."

"Does Miss Su have a sweetheart? Or is she betrothed?"

Luo Zijun did not answer immediately.

Su Bie chuckled awkwardly. "I have a friend who fell in love at first sight with Miss Su, so... he asked me to inquire."

A friend out of nowhere?

Luo Zijun immediately saw through it. "Brother Su, that friend isn’t you, is it?"

Su Bie chuckled and rubbed his hands. "Please help me out, Brother Luo."

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Just as Luo Zijun was about to reply, the abacus on the counter suddenly clattered.

Then Su Qingling’s cold voice came from inside: "We’re closing up now."

They were clearly trying to get them to leave.

Su Bie smiled awkwardly, stood, and bowed in farewell.

At the door, he suddenly turned back.

"Oh, Brother Luo, almost forgot. Three days from now, there will be a literary gathering by West Lake. I plan to invite you to join and meet other friends. Xu Xian will be there too."

Hearing this, Luo Zijun’s heart leaped. "I’ll definitely go."

West Lake? Xu Xian?

Tsk tsk, could it be that he’d meet the White Lady and Little Green then?

"Alright, it’s settled. Brother Luo, I’ll wait for you by the Broken Bridge at West Lake at dusk in three days. Don’t miss it."

Su Bie glanced once more at the girl behind the counter, waved goodbye, and left.

Luo Zijun saw him out, then stood at the door, lost in thought.

If the White Lady appeared this early, things would be difficult.

Just as he was about to turn back into the shop, the wooden door behind him suddenly slammed shut and was bolted.

Luo Zijun was stunned. "Hey, Senior Sister, what are you doing?"

No response from inside.

He waited a while longer, muttered to himself, and was about to go home.

Suddenly, Su Qingling’s cold voice came from inside: "Scholar sir, please take care."

Luo Zijun had no choice but to call inside, "Senior Sister, I was just teasing you, no harm meant. I apologize."

"Don’t be so modest, you’re a scholar now."

"And you’re still the scholar’s senior sister. You have all the power here!"

"Really?"

"Of course."

The door suddenly opened.

Su Qingling, tall and beautiful, stood in the doorway, looking at him coldly. "Then come in, and let me pinch your butt."

Luo Zijun: "..."

"What, you don’t want to?"

"Senior Sister, can I pinch your butt too?"

"Heh, you try."

Not that he hadn’t tried before!

Luo Zijun stepped inside.

Su Qingling immediately grabbed his butt, eyes sharp and fierce. "If you dare fight back, I’ll—ah—"

Without hesitation, Luo Zijun pinched her butt back.

"Luo Zijun! How dare you... I’ll pinch you to death!"

"Senior Sister! How dare you... I’ll pinch you to death too!"

"Ah..."

They screamed in unison.

Not wanting to disturb the neighbors or the pharmacy’s reputation, they even closed the door together, then continued pinching each other.

Occasionally, sounds of a quarrel drifted from inside.

When Su Dafang returned with the medicine box, the door opened just as Luo Zijun limped out, holding his butt.

Su Qingling lay on the counter, hair disheveled, groaning while clutching her butt.

"Master, Senior Sister pinched my butt!"

Luo Zijun immediately complained, turning to show his backside. "Look, it’s bleeding; my pants are red."

That girl’s nails were really sharp.

Inside, Su Qingling groaned, "Grandpa, kill him."

Su Dafang looked at them, twitching at the corners of his mouth, waving his hand.

"You two continue; I’m going home first."

Without entering the shop, he turned and left, carrying his medicine box.