Chapter 85: Extra Story 6

Chapter 85: Extra Story 6

The villagers had long since noticed something between Shen Yun and Shen Liang. The two brothers had no blood relation to begin with, and as they aged—one never taking a wife, the other never marrying—wasn't it obvious they were up to something?

Some people spoke like they were fortune-tellers: "See, I said all along they weren't innocent. Shen Liang even pretended to help Shen Yun find a match a few years back. Who knows what he was really up to."

"With such a good-looking person right under his nose, how could he let that go?"

"They've probably already..." someone winked at the person beside them, making a crude gesture with two fingers.

When the two were still perfectly innocent, these people never hesitated to speculate wildly about their relationship. But now that the two had openly declared it before everyone, they all acted like holier-than-thou types, sneering at the couple.

One said: "This Shen Liang's got some nerve. When his old man first saved the kid, he said he'd raise Shen Yun like his own brother. Now they've got their good name, and he keeps Shen Yun at home to be his husband. That's just filthy."

Another said: "They may not be blood-related, but they've been brothers for years. Shen Yun might not know any better, but Shen Liang's just going along with it—isn't that incest? Aren't they scared of making his sickly old mother so mad she drops dead?"

Someone else said spitefully: "I bet his mother's all for it. Look at her condition—what decent family would marry their son or daughter into that house to suffer? Keeping Shen Yun at home means he can take care of her. That old lady's sharp, alright."

Shen Yun and Shen Liang had expected people to react this way. But from the day they decided to be together, they stopped caring.

As long as their mother and friends had their backs, everyone else's opinions didn't matter.

Wen Xi also knew their relationship would stir up gossip, so he made a point of asking his father-in-law and brothers to head over early and lend a hand.

On the day they left, Yan Shichang hollered over to a few neighbors, and before long, a bunch of people followed him to the Shen house to help out.

A lot of villagers had expected to see the couple become a laughingstock, but on the day they were moving furniture and setting up the wedding canopy, the Shen courtyard was packed.

Some were regulars who bought from Shen Liang, while others came out of respect for the Yan family. This forced Shen Liang, who'd originally wanted to keep things low-key, to rush someone into town to buy more banquet supplies.

Wen Xi and Yan Fengan came back a day early with Peng'er. As soon as the helpers at the Shen house saw them, they crowded around—the men greeting Yan Fengan warmly, while the women and husbands chatted with Wen Xi and fussed over the baby in his arms.

Peng'er had lived in the city since birth. Waking up somewhere new left him a bit dazed. After yawning and rubbing his eyes, his little eyes darted around, like he was trying to figure out all the unfamiliar faces.

Babies change every single day. Compared to when he was a month old, Peng'er had clearly grown. His cheeks weren't all wrinkly anymore—now they were soft and fair. Dressed in light, smooth little clothes with a silver neck ring and silver bracelets, he clearly looked like a young master raised in the city.

If anyone in the Yan family was born lucky, it was this little one. With a juren for a dad and a big house in the city since birth—wasn't he a golden phoenix?

Wen Xi and Yan Fengan already doted on their son, and hearing all that praise, even the most reserved people couldn't help but smile.

Someone reached out to pinch Peng'er's cheek, but Wen Xi was quick to dodge.

It wasn't that he was being picky—just cautious. A baby can't talk, so if something hurt him, he could only cry without being able to tell his parents what was wrong.

Call him cautious or call him overprotective, but aside from family, he wouldn't let anyone touch his kid.

Yan Fengan finished talking and turned to see his son still wide awake. He took the baby from Wen Xi's arms.

He played with Peng'er every day, and the kid was used to his smell. In his arms, the baby didn't cry or fuss—when coaxed, he even let out a little smile.

At this age, a baby's emotions barely showed beyond crying. Even that faint little smile was enough to make Yan Fengan and Wen Xi happy for a long time.

They'd come back specifically to show support for Shen Yun. Yan Fengan had taken on the job of gift registrar, and Wen Xi had generously given two camphor wood trunks and a set of silver jewelry.

The trunks were specially made by his father-in-law, and the silver pieces were made at a silversmith's with Wen Xi's own silver. Once back in the village, he had his two brothers carry the trunks into Shen Yun's room in front of everyone.

The hairpins, bracelets, and neck ring were all engraved with delicate plum blossom patterns—not too fancy, not too flashy, perfect for everyday wear.

They were also solid silver, so if Shen Yun ever found himself short on cash, he could pawn them or trade them in at a silversmith's for money.

Shen Yun was so touched he didn't know what to say: "You didn't have to bring all this. These are so precious—how am I ever supposed to repay you?"

Wen Xi pretended to give him a dirty look: "Who said anything about repaying? Just take them and keep them safe."

After so many years of friendship, being too polite would just make things awkward. Shen Yun broke into a smile through his tears: "Only a fool would refuse. Once I'm married, I'll wear them and show them off everywhere—gifts from my friend, the juren's husband."

Wen Xi laughed too: "Of course you should show them off. With me backing you, let's see who dares gossip about you behind your back."

Though he already knew how much Wen Xi had changed, seeing him like this still made Shen Yun sigh inwardly.

The pitiful soul who once suffered bullying had finally reached a position where he could protect others. Thinking of Wen Xi's past made not only Wen Xi himself sad, but Shen Yun's heart ached like needles pricking it.

But thankfully, all that was over. Now they had each found their own happiness.

Shen Yun held back his tears and took Wen Xi's hand with a smile: "My brother said after we marry, he'll take me and Mother to the city to rent a general store. From then on, we can meet up often in private."

"Really?" Wen Xi said happily. "My husband and I live in the south of the city. When you look for a shop, come check out the southern district. If you run into any trouble, just say the word—my husband is capable and knows many people. He can definitely help."

Shen Yun snorted, taking advantage of their private conversation: "Your husband is capable—isn't mine? If we needed help renting a shop, it'd be a waste of all his years traveling around."

Shen Liang had worked as a peddler for years, saving up both money and connections. Renting a shop in the city was no trouble for him.

He'd planned this long ago. Leaving his mother and Shen Yun at home while he went out to earn money never sat well with him. Better to bring them both to the city, run a proper business with Shen Yun, find a good doctor nearby for his mother, and escape the village gossip.

On the joyous day, Shen's mother still forced herself to sit in the main hall to receive the bows of respect from Shen Yun and Shen Liang. Perhaps due to the happy occasion, the old woman looked to be in decent spirits.

Wen Xi had once worried she wouldn't last much longer, but he never expected her to make it to this day.

If Shen Yun and the others could bring her to the city to see some good doctors, maybe she really could recover.

With so many students waiting at the private school, Yan Fengan couldn't stay in the village long. Before returning to the city with his husband and child, he once again brought up the matter of the whole family moving to the city.

At first, Yan Shichang was hesitant and conflicted. Living in the village might not be as leisurely as the city, but for a man who'd spent decades in the countryside, no matter how nice the city was, it couldn't match the freedom of rural life.

He was still hale and hearty, able to grow his own grain and vegetables. In the city, everything cost money. With such a large family, they couldn't rely on Sanlang and his husband for meals, could they?

Moving to the city would just be a burden on them.

Wen Xi reassured him: "Father has his skills, and the brothers have theirs too. Rent a shop in the city and you can still do carpentry—no more fieldwork. In a year, you'd earn enough to cover the household expenses."

The old had their concerns, and the young had their ideas. In Yan Fengan and Wen Xi's view, moving to the city was simply more convenient.

The mountain roads were hard to travel, and with such a young child, making the trek with Wen Xi and their son for every holiday weighed on Yan Fengan's heart.

Seizing the moment when his parents were reluctant to part with Peng'er, he said: "Tiezhu is already ten, and Tao'er is at the age to start learning. Since we run our own private school, we can't have them studying elsewhere. Bringing them to our place—Xiao Xi and I don't mind, but will Dage and Jin Geer be willing to part with them?"

He Jin and Li Wan naturally hated to be separated from their children. In their hearts, they also thought moving to the city would be better.

In the city, they wouldn't have endless chores from dawn to dusk.

When Wen Xi was recovering from childbirth, He Jin had stayed with him for a while with Little Stone. After returning home, everything felt uncomfortable and inconvenient. If not for missing her husband, she would have found some excuse to take the two children back to the city long ago.

Li Wan felt much the same, but neither of them could make such a decision. Though they'd whispered plenty in their husbands' ears, such a major matter still required Yan Shichang's final say.

Yan Shichang could guess what everyone was thinking. Besides, he also wanted to see his little grandson often. After Yan Fengan's persuasion, he relented.

"With such a big family, cramming into your house every time we visit is inconvenient. Take a look when you have time—if there's a suitable place, buy another house. I'll cover the cost."

Yan Fengan said: "I've already found one, right next door on Tingyu Lane. So close, we can live separately without any trouble."

The residence was shared by his eldest brother, second brother, and their parents, so he made a point of choosing a large two-courtyard house. The owner wasn't particularly familiar with him, but when he heard who wanted it, he was willing to do him a favor.

Although the price was somewhat higher than what the Lu family had asked for, it was still within the Yan family's means.

Upon hearing that Yan Fengan had already found a suitable residence, Yan Shichang added, "Since there isn't much work in the fields these days, the eldest and second sons can start moving their stuff in gradually. Once this year's harvest is done and we've leased the land out, we'll make the official move."

As he finished speaking, Peng'er, nestled in Chen Lanfang's arms, suddenly let out an "mm," prompting Chen Lanfang to laugh and say, "Grandpa and Daddy are talking—what's that 'mm' for? Is our little Peng'er sad about leaving Grandma and Grandpa, and wants to live with us? Don't worry—Grandma and Grandpa will soon bring your older brothers and sisters to come keep you company."

Peng'er yawned lazily and smiled at her, much to Chen Lanfang's delight. No matter what Yan Shichang thought, she'd made up her mind to move to the city.

Since his parents had already agreed to move to the city, Yan Fengan didn't dwell on the matter further.

With July arriving, the third examination for the tongsheng (child scholars) was approaching. Last year, Yan Fengan felt that the students in the Classics Class still lacked sufficient preparation and didn't let them take the exam. This year, six students from the Classics Class had passed the first two rounds, and if they passed the third, they would become official Xiucai.

This exam was not only a test for the students but also a reflection on Yan Fengan as their teacher. With some time remaining, he reviewed the material he had previously covered from the beginning.

The day before the exam, as classes ended, Yan Fengan gave them a few encouraging words. After everyone had left, he kept Lu Xiuyuan behind for a few extra words.

Back in the academy days, Lu Xiuyuan had already been studying diligently, and he hadn't slacked off since joining the private school.

When Yan Fengan graded his assignments, he could clearly see his progress. As long as he maintained a steady mindset and applied what he had learned in daily study, he should have no problem this time.

After two years of tempering, Lu Xiuyuan had also become more composed. He didn't make any grand promises to Yan Fengan, only saying, "I'll do my best on the exam."

Striving not to disappoint his family's expectations, nor the guidance Yan Fengan had provided.