The atmosphere in the academy had recently become exceptionally vibrant, primarily because those who had passed the Prefecture Examination, alongside those who had failed the initial Academy Examination during the last Children’s Examination, were now all preparing for the current Academy Examination. Passing this test meant securing the coveted title of xiucai—achieving scholarly distinction and entering the ranks of the gentry.

Spurred by this immediate prospect, how could anyone in the academy not strive fiercely for their future? Gaining official recognition and entering the bureaucracy was the ultimate dream for every scholar in those days.

The tutors were naturally delighted; enthusiastic students naturally fueled their own motivation to teach.

Wang Qingchen was working even harder. He knew he couldn't participate in this year's Children’s Examination, but he was determined to qualify for next year’s. When he shared this ambition with Li Yuntai, he was thrilled to discover Li Yuntai held the exact same plan. Now, they had a partner in their endeavors.

Of course, it wasn't just Wang Qingchen and Li Yuntai; several others in the academy were setting their sights on the next year's Children’s Examination, or were tongsheng who had failed the lower-tier Academy Examination and were resolved to pass the next one.

Recently, Madam Zhang had been constantly mentioning Zhao Jing, praying he would pass the xiucai exam. She longed for her daughter to marry into a scholar’s household, a matter of immense prestige in a farming community.

As for Wang Caixia, though she said nothing aloud, she appeared perfectly serene while engaged in her needlework. Yet, upon closer inspection, her recent stitches lacked their former precision. This betrayed the turmoil beneath her calm exterior. In her heart, Wang Caixia silently wished for Zhao Jing to succeed. It wasn't the desire to be a scholar's wife that drove her, but rather the understanding that achieving academic success was the dearest wish of any scholar; she could not bear to see Zhao Jing's hopes dashed. Thus, while Wang Caixia maintained a reserved silence—as propriety demanded of young women in this era—her heart ached with concern for Zhao Jing.

Putting aside the anxieties surrounding Zhao Jing's bid for xiucai, Wang Youliang mulled over matters until he finally decided to arrange a meeting between Huang Shi and Wang Qingchen at the Wang Family Food Stall. However, Huang Shi was to be introduced to Wang Qingchen under the guise of a cook hired by Wang Youliang.

When Wang Qingchen was led to the Wang Family Food Stall, he was curious about the sort of cook his uncle had engaged. To his surprise, upon entering, he saw a woman in her early twenties, perhaps not yet thirty. She possessed a remarkably comforting presence, suggesting a very gentle nature. Although her clothes were simple, they were impeccably clean, and her nails were neat, indicating a woman who took great care in her personal hygiene.

Wang Qingchen was quite pleased with the cook Wang Youliang had hired, inwardly musing that his uncle possessed a surprisingly good eye for talent. At that moment, Wang Qingchen noticed nothing amiss; influenced by his memories of his past life, he saw nothing unusual in a woman taking on the role of a cook. It was only later, listening to the exchange between Huang Shi and Wang Youliang, that a sense of unease crept in. Shaped by the romantic dramas he recalled from his previous existence, Wang Qingchen had developed an intuition for the subtle cues—the tone of voice, the lingering glances—exchanged between people with complicated connections. Just then, he sensed that the relationship between this cook and Wang Youliang was far from purely professional.

This feeling suddenly triggered a memory: a conversation he had once overheard between Zhang Wenbing and Wang Youliang. According to Zhang Wenbing, Wang Youliang maintained a mistress in town. Could this woman be the one?

Wang Qingchen looked at Huang Shi, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. If his suspicion was correct, then Huang Shi’s judgment regarding men was truly questionable. After all, the former Wang Youliang was far from admirable—selfish and utterly lacking in responsibility, that much was certain. For example, in the overheard exchange, when Zhang Wenbing threatened to expose him, how had Wang Youliang responded? He had planned to shift the blame entirely onto Huang Shi, claiming she had seduced him. Yet, the woman before him seemed utterly incapable of such an act. Furthermore, Wang Qingchen was convinced that if Huang Shi hadn't been forced into a relationship with Wang Youliang due to her widowhood, she would surely stand as a model of a virtuous rural woman. Because he held such a favorable impression of her, Wang Qingchen felt deep sympathy. He decided to pretend he knew nothing of the situation and interact with her normally, resolving not to reveal what he suspected.

Wang Qingchen was unaware that Wang Youliang’s feelings for Huang Shi had undergone a profound transformation. Previously, Wang Youliang had only been drawn to Huang Shi's beauty; now, he found himself unable to live without her. She had become an indispensable part of his life.

Wang Qingchen meticulously described the general concepts of the various foods he remembered from his past life, detailing the primary ingredients, and then watched as Huang Shi began preparing dishes based on his descriptions. It had to be said, Huang Shi possessed exceptional skill. With only a rough outline from Wang Qingchen, she managed to create approximations of the dishes. While there were still minor differences from the originals—partly because his description was vague or he had omitted certain ingredients—the results were undeniably innovative and likely to sell well.

Huang Shi was delighted by the success of creating these new items; their income would increase, and they wouldn't have to worry about competitors seizing their supply sources.

The items Wang Qingchen described included shaomai, cake, savory multi-grain pancakes (zajianbing), and thin, crispy biscuits (xibing). Although the final appearance and taste differed slightly from his memories, the resulting flavors were uniquely appealing in their own right.

Subsequently, the Wang Family Food business indeed prospered again, as many customers flocked to try the newly introduced delicacies. Seeing the thriving trade, Wang Youliang later began selling congee along with small, appetizing side dishes in the stall, which were equally popular, leading to booming business.

Witnessing his father’s success, Wang Qingtong grew ever more resolute in his own ambition to open a shop. In truth, having spent so much time learning at the stall, he had already absorbed almost everything necessary. If he were to open his own business now, he felt he could manage the core operations without major issues. However, he hadn't yet decided what kind of shop to open, how much capital he needed, where to source supplies, or where to rent premises. Therefore, he continued working odd jobs at Wang Youfu’s mill, which conveniently allowed him to save up initial capital rather than relying entirely on his family.

The Old Master beamed, dreaming of the industriousness of both Wang Youliang and Wang Qingtong. He no longer needed to fret over his eldest son’s prospects. In his free time, he enjoyed visiting neighbors and playing with his great-grandchildren, living a life of profound ease.

In stark contrast to the Old Master’s contentment was Luo Yin. Luo Yin had recently discovered a heartbreaking truth: the son she had painstakingly carried and birthed favored his paternal grandmother over her. How could this bring her joy?

Since finishing her confinement period, all the household chores had fallen squarely onto Luo Yin’s shoulders. Her son remained by her side only during feeding and sleep; for the rest of the time, he was largely monopolized by the Old Madam and her mother-in-law, Madam Tian. The Old Madam, being elderly, couldn't supervise a child for extended periods, so most of the time, her grandson was with Madam Tian. Sometimes, Madam Tian even insisted on taking the infant to sleep with her at night. This deeply dissatisfied Luo Yin, who spent the entire day toiling and then lacked the chance to bond with her child in the evening. Was even this nighttime intimacy to be usurped by her mother-in-law?

Luo Yin was not naturally inclined toward pettiness; indeed, she was a model country gentlewoman, which explained why so many families had sought her hand in marriage back then. But a woman changed profoundly once she had a child. Every child was a piece of the mother's flesh; what mother didn't adore her own offspring? Initially, Luo Yin welcomed her mother-in-law and the Old Madam taking charge of the baby, as she lacked the energy to manage both chores and childcare simultaneously. Now, however, she simply didn't have enough continuous time with her son, spending her days drowning in domestic labor. Had she not given birth, she would have no complaints; but with a child, everything was different.

Luo Yin harbored her grievances, uncertain whom to confide in. She knew that even if she spoke to Wang Qingyun, given his temperament, he would never risk quarreling with his own mother on her behalf. Thus, Luo Yin bottled up her feelings, and gradually, she began to draw unfavorable comparisons.

Lately, Luo Yin found herself constantly thinking of her cousin, Luo Qing, who had married into the Wang family as well. In the past, Luo Yin neither envied nor was jealous of Luo Qing; she believed everyone had their own predetermined fortune, and it was impossible for everyone to secure an excellent match—in other words, some found better in-laws, and others found slightly lesser ones.

But now, Luo Yin envied Luo Qing intensely. Never mind the disparity between their husbands—one managing a shop, the other farming—even regarding household duties, Luo Qing’s mother-in-law, Madam Yang, did not delegate everything to her. Madam Yang helped with chores herself. Furthermore, the remaining work wasn't solely Luo Qing's burden; Madam Wu shared some of it, and even some heavy labor was undertaken by Luo Qing's father-in-law. This, she conceded, was perhaps expected, as every daughter-in-law did housework; it was merely a question of quantity. Yet, a few days prior, her own mother had visited and secretly informed her that Luo Qing and her husband were permitted to openly save personal funds; apparently, half of the monthly earnings from their family mill went directly to the young couple. Luo Yin viewed this with deep longing. She, on the other hand, lived under the strict management of Madam Tian, having to request money from her mother-in-law, a process she knew was rarely smooth. Luo Qing, however, could access their joint savings whenever needed.

Luo Yin even speculated that if Luo Qing had a child, her situation would certainly be different; her mother-in-law, Madam Yang, surely would not act as Madam Tian did. Now, Luo Yin was beginning to truly understand the difference her mother had always pointed out between their two in-law families.