Wang Youliang scolded Mrs. Tian a few more times before finally letting her go. Mrs. Tian breathed a sigh of relief; thank heavens Wang Youliang’s anger hadn't flared too intensely, or she wouldn't have escaped so easily today. While counting her blessings, Mrs. Tian resolved never again to heed the words of Zhang Yunzhu's family, wondering what schemes they truly harbored, especially since they had caused her such misery this time.

Having reached a clear conclusion, Mrs. Tian went to buy the household necessities, then stopped by her son Wang Qingtong’s shop, happily taking a few items for free before finally heading home contentedly.

Just as she reached her doorstep, Mrs. Tian saw a man standing stiffly outside, seemingly lost in thought, not entering, and the man looked vaguely familiar.

Mrs. Tian approached him. “Hey, I say, who are you looking for? Why aren't you going in?”

The man turned, glanced at Mrs. Tian, then turned back and walked away without a word, leaving Mrs. Tian utterly bewildered. Watching the receding figure, she muttered, “Honestly, why are so many people with questionable minds showing up at our house these days!”

With that, Mrs. Tian started toward the courtyard. After only a few steps, something suddenly struck her, and she realized with a jolt, “I know who that is—isn’t that the man whose eye was injured when the Liu family trashed the place that time? Could it be that something is wrong with his eye, just like that Zhang family boy, and he’s here to extort us!”

The more Mrs. Tian considered it, the more plausible it seemed, causing her to feel a pang of dread. “Goodness, why have I been entangled with people having eye problems lately? Well, I really must find a day to visit a temple to pray.” As she thought this, Mrs. Tian planned when she could carve out time to make the trip.

Meanwhile, Wang Qingchen’s temporary study group was nearing its end because they would soon be heading to the county seat. Since their location wasn't terribly close to the county, they needed to depart early. Moreover, upon arrival, they first had to secure lodging and familiarize themselves with the surroundings, necessitating a departure several days in advance.

Upon hearing the news, Wang Qingchen stretched luxuriously. “Wonderful, we’re finally going for the County Examination. How long have I waited for this day!”

Li Yuntai, standing nearby, chuckled. “Come on, you dare say how long you’ve waited? If we’re counting, we’ve all been waiting longer than you!”

“Heh heh, that’s true, that’s true. I wasn’t just speaking for myself; I was voicing all of your sentiments!” Wang Qingchen joked.

“Haha, you’re right, you spoke our minds!” Li Yuntai was caught between laughter and tears at Wang Qingchen’s flawed logic.

After returning, the two began packing, preparing to leave for the county seat in a couple of days. The haste was partly to avoid the rush when many others would arrive, making it difficult to find an inn.

Wang Youfu’s family worried when they learned Wang Qingchen was traveling so far to the county seat. Despite being accompanied by others, they were uneasy, given Wang Qingchen’s young age. Wang Youfu even decided he would accompany him, but fortunately, Wang Qingchen managed to dissuade him.

“Father, Mother, please don’t worry. Everything will be fine. Several of us are going together. Besides, I’m grown now; I must venture out on my own sometime, otherwise, how will I ever truly mature?” Wang Qingchen reasoned persuasively.

Although Wang Youfu and Madam Yang understood the logic in Wang Qingchen’s words, intellectual acceptance was one thing; emotionally, they were still uneasy. Finally, after much persuasion, Wang Qingchen convinced his immediate family to drop the idea of accompanying him, and he finally relaxed.

However, Wang Qingchen soon realized he had relaxed too soon, because when the main household learned he was attending the County Examination, they were equally worried. Especially the Old Master; the County Examination was a major event for their Wang family, something that could elevate the family’s standing. Thus, no mishap could be tolerated. Consequently, the Old Master also intended for Wang Youfu to accompany him. Wang Qingchen then had to embark on yet another round of persuasion. After finally placating the Old Master, Wang Qingyun chimed in, saying he had nothing pressing at home and could accompany Wang Qingchen.

The truth was, Wang Qingyun offered to go because of Luo Yin’s suggestion. In Luo Yin’s view, Wang Youfu’s branch was the wealthiest among the three Wang family lines, and maintaining good relations with them was always beneficial. Furthermore, since Wang Qingchen was now participating in the County Examination—a tremendous achievement in the eyes of farming folk, signifying he was a scholar, unlike those who worked the soil—and especially if he later achieved the title of Xiucai (Scholar), it would be even more significant! Therefore, Luo Yin strongly urged Wang Qingyun to accompany him, thinking that if Wang Qingchen succeeded, Wang Youfu’s family would certainly appreciate Wang Qingyun’s gesture.

But Wang Qingchen was absolutely unwilling to let any family member accompany him! Knowing several others were traveling together, being seen requiring an escort for the County Examination would invite ridicule for ages! Thus, he was adamant about having no family accompany him.

Wang Qingchen exhausted nearly every argument he possessed to politely refuse his family’s well-intentioned offer, making them drop the matter. Only then did Wang Qingchen truly feel relieved.

Two days later, Wang Qingchen finally set off for the county seat with his companions. Wang Qingchen observed that indeed, none of the others had family accompanying them. He was glad he had stood firm in his refusal, otherwise, he would surely have been mocked. What Wang Qingchen didn't realize was that several others were in the same boat; although they were slightly older than him, they weren't much older and hadn't traveled far alone before, so their families were equally reluctant to let them go unaccompanied, and they, too, had firmly refused any escort. Moreover, upon seeing that no one else had brought family, those few individuals breathed sighs of relief, grateful they had refused back home.

The group set off, each harboring their own thoughts. Upon reaching the county seat, while they were awestruck by its prosperity—so unlike their Qingshan Town—they did not forget the purpose of their journey. Thus, they did not linger on the bustling streets but quickly found an inn to settle into.

Naturally, the inn they chose was not random; it had been recommended by those who had attended the County Examination from their academy. Most students from their school attending the County Examination usually stayed at this particular inn, which also had an excellent reputation.

Since they arrived early, they managed to secure some of the better-situated rooms, all of which were relatively quiet and less likely to be disturbed—ideal accommodations for examination candidates.

Once their belongings were unpacked, a few suggested going out for a walk. As it was their first day, the others weren't in the mood to study anyway, so everyone agreed.

Wang Qingchen naturally went along with the flow. And indeed, the county seat was clearly different from Qingshan Town; not only was it much larger, but there were significantly more shops and foot traffic. There were also things unavailable in the town, which made Wang Qingchen understand why people from the capital in his previous life might call outsiders 'country bumpkins'—the gap between a big place and a small place was immense.

Evidently, the others noticed this too, but fortunately, they were all broad-minded individuals, showing no signs of inferiority or timidity; they treated everything with a steady mind, which was somewhat surprising to Wang Qingchen.

They merely strolled and bought nothing, eventually stopping at a humble food stall for noodles when they grew tired.

After eating their fill, they sauntered back to the inn. Those who felt calm enough resumed their reading; those still buzzing with excitement simply lay down, not bothering with books, as they wouldn't have been able to concentrate anyway.

Wang Qingchen fell into the former category. Although he marveled at the difference between the county seat and the town, he wasn't overwhelmingly impressed by the county's splendor; after all, he had seen far grander places.

So, Wang Qingchen opened his book. Most people were already asleep, and the surroundings were quiet, making it perfect for study. Channeling the spirit of a night owl from his past life, Wang Qingchen read late into the night before finally resting, which inevitably led to him oversleeping the next day.

“Oh dear, Qingchen, don’t tell me you were too excited last night to sleep?” one of his companions inquired.

Wang Qingchen shot him a look, annoyed. Was he such an inexperienced country fellow? Still, he managed to reply, “I’m not used to the bed here; it’s not like the kang at home, so I couldn’t sleep well.”

As soon as Wang Qingchen finished speaking, the others burst into laughter. “Oh, Qingchen, so are you planning to bring your family’s kang with you every time you travel from now on?”

Well, this teasing wasn't going to end. Wang Qingchen lowered his head to eat, ignoring them. After laughing, the others knew when to stop and did not press the mockery further.

Li Yuntai, however, expressed relief for Wang Qingchen. “It’s a good thing we arrived early; you have these few days to get used to sleeping here. Otherwise, if you kept sleeping poorly, how could you focus on the County Examination?”

The others, feeling a bit guilty, nodded in agreement. “Yes, thankfully we came early; there’s time for you to adjust. My grandmother says that getting used to a strange bed only takes a few nights.”

Wang Qingchen hadn't expected such a long discussion over a simple case of not sleeping well. He nodded, feigning gratitude. “Is that so? That’s wonderful news.”

The matter passed then, but what Wang Qingchen didn’t expect was that Li Yuntai took this minor issue to heart. For the subsequent Prefecture Examination and Academy Examination, Li Yuntai always arrived early with Wang Qingchen, fearing that unfamiliar bedding might affect his performance. This genuine concern deeply moved Wang Qingchen, who knew the real reason he slept poorly.