Wang Qingchen listened to Liu Hao's question and replied, "Of course not. It's not just because they share rooms in twos at the county school, but also because there are quite a lot of people living there. If the person next door to you is fond of quiet, that’s one thing, but what if they’re loud and boisterous? How could you possibly concentrate on your studies then with all that racket?"

Li Yuntai seemed quite surprised upon hearing this. "No way? Isn't the whole point of going to the county school to prepare for the examinations? Surely no one would be making noise instead of studying?"

"Not everyone’s only path leads through the imperial examinations. Some families can afford to purchase an official post, so whether they study diligently or not makes no difference to their prospects. Think about it: if you were one of them, able to become an official whether you passed the exams or not, would you still pore over your books?" Wang Qingchen inquired.

Li Yuntai shook his head. "I don't know. Probably not!"

"So, it's better for us to live outside!" Liu Hao concluded.

Li Yuntai nodded in agreement.

The three of them reached a consensus. Afterward, they discussed a series of issues regarding their plans once they arrived in the county town, quickly settling many matters. Discussing things this way, the journey didn't feel long at all.

Upon reaching the county town, the three first settled into an inn. Since it was their arrival day, they were all somewhat exhausted. After grabbing a quick bite, they went to sleep, postponing the search for a rental house.

The next day, having rested well, the three inquired with the innkeeper about available rentals near the county school.

As it turned out, the inn was not close to the county school; in fact, it was quite a distance away. Thus, the innkeeper wasn't entirely clear on the local housing situation but did recommend a highly reputable real estate agent, suggesting they consult this agent.

After breakfast, the three set off for the address provided by the innkeeper. Upon locating the agent's establishment, they began inquiring about renting a place.

The agent sized up their attire and guessed they might be county school students who preferred not to live on campus and wanted lodgings nearby. In truth, many students were like this, their main requirements being quiet surroundings and close proximity to the county school.

Having assessed the situation, the agent asked what kind of accommodation they were looking for—a portion of a house or an entire residence.

Wang Qingchen felt that renting the whole place would be better. After confirming with the other two, he informed the agent of their intention to lease an entire house.

The agent was quite pleased upon hearing this, as renting an entire residence meant a larger commission. The agent then recommended several properties that were close to the county school and situated in relatively quiet areas.

The three were quite satisfied with the agent's descriptions. In the end, they narrowed their choices down to two locations. After some deliberation, they decided to have the agent take them to see both properties before making a final decision.

The agent, not minding the trouble, personally escorted them for viewings. After inspecting both sites, the trio settled on one. Although the chosen house was not large—only a single courtyard compound—the furnishings inside were excellent. Wang Qingchen and the others wouldn't need to bother acquiring new items, much to their satisfaction, and they finalized the deal immediately.

Next came the rent negotiation. The annual rent for the house was originally seven liang of silver. Wang Qingchen managed to haggle it down to six liang and five hundred wen, making the landlord exclaim that he was taking a loss. Even so, Wang Qingchen inwardly winced. The shop he owned back in Qingshan Town, which was much larger and included a courtyard behind it, only rented for seven liang a year. The fact that this small house commanded nearly that much seemed exorbitant to him. However, since rental prices in this area were generally this high, the three agreed to the terms.

After completing the rental paperwork, the three returned to the inn to collect their luggage. Each picked out a room and began unpacking and settling in. Once their own rooms were tidy, they tidied up the remaining rooms and designated a space for receiving guests.

With everything set up, they went out that evening to celebrate. Wang Qingchen and Liu Hao shared some wine, but thankfully neither got drunk and both could walk normally. After returning, however, they were asleep shortly after lying down on the kang.

The next day, the three reported to the county school and went through the necessary procedures. By the time they were done, it was already noon. They quickly ate lunch and rushed to attend the master’s lectures that afternoon.

In the days that followed, the three shuttled between the county school and their new residence. However, a problem arose: with three young men living together, managing the cleaning and upkeep of the house became an issue. They held a discussion on the matter and ultimately decided to hire someone, but they worried about being cheated if they hired someone they didn't know well.

It was at this point that the family living next door proactively approached them. When the neighbors learned that the house was occupied by three students, they immediately anticipated this very problem. They had expected the trio to hire help soon, at which point they would naturally ask their locally experienced neighbors for advice. Instead, these three seemed oblivious to such social niceties and never inquired. This made the neighbors anxious, prompting the family next door to take the initiative.

The visitor was the wife from the adjacent household. She had previously worked as a maid in a wealthy family until she saved enough money to buy her freedom. She later married her current husband and they had a son, now five years old. The couple had been living reasonably well until two years prior, when her husband fell ill. Not only did his illness wipe out their savings, but it also incurred considerable debt. While he recovered, his health deteriorated, leaving him unable to perform heavy labor. Consequently, his wife had to seek employment. Yet, in those times, aside from working as a maid or a wet nurse for a large household, good jobs for women were scarce. Coincidentally, this was when Wang Qingchen and the others moved in.

This wife was no fool. As soon as the three students arrived, she recognized a potential source of work. However, after waiting and waiting without seeing any movement from Wang Qingchen and his companions, she felt compelled to visit them herself.

Wang Qingchen and the other two had been somewhat puzzled by the visit from the neighbors until they heard the woman’s explanation, which clarified the situation.

The three had indeed intended to hire help, but their hesitation stemmed from the fear of encountering deceitful or dishonest people, so the matter had been postponed. Now that someone was offering their services unsolicited, they were quite receptive. After all, since the woman lived right next door, she offered a high degree of trustworthiness, making her a suitable candidate.

Subsequently, Wang Qingchen and the others questioned the woman about her circumstances. Learning that she needed the work due to family hardship, and judging by her composed and straightforward answers, she did not seem like someone who would shirk her duties or try to cheat them. Thus, they decided to hire her. The tasks they required included sweeping and cleaning the house daily, laundering their clothes, and preparing breakfast and dinner—they would handle lunch at the county school.

The woman’s surname was Xu, and the three addressed her as Auntie Xu. Her monthly wage was set at five hundred wen, which greatly pleased the woman, considering the scope of work the three required.

With help secured, the lives of Wang Qingchen and his companions immediately became lighter, freed from worrying about domestic chores. Wang Qingchen could now turn his thoughts to other matters.

After writing a letter home, Wang Qingchen also composed one to Steward Xu. In the letter to his family, Wang Qingchen meticulously detailed his arrival in the county town: how he rented a house, enrolled in the county school, and hired help for cleaning, concluding by reassuring them that he was settling in well and they should not worry. The letter to Steward Xu began with greetings, mentioned his arrival in the county, offered his assistance should Steward Xu or others need anything by having them come directly to the county town, and concluded with his current address.

Once both letters were complete, Wang Qingchen asked Liu Hao and Li Yuntai if they wished to write home as well, noting that they could be sent together.

Li Yuntai and Liu Hao also wanted to ease their families’ minds, so they each wrote a letter, and these were dispatched along with Wang Qingchen's via the same courier.

Over in Qingshan Town, upon receiving the letters, Wang Qinghua first read the one addressed to the family. Finishing it, he felt significantly relieved. Then, following the instructions in Qingchen's letter, he first delivered the letter intended for Steward Xu before taking Qingchen's letter to the Wang household.

At home, Yang Shi and Wang Youfu had been extremely anxious. Upon learning that Qingchen had written, they eagerly asked Wang Qinghua to read it aloud. Hearing that Qingchen was safe and handling matters competently, their worries eased considerably.

"Qingchen, though still young, is truly promising. To have settled everything so quickly—this lets me rest easy," Yang Shi remarked with satisfaction.

"Indeed. When one is away from home, having everything managed well means less worry for us. Hahaha, my son is truly capable!" Wang Youfu beamed happily.

Wang Qinghua and Luo Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief as they watched Wang Youfu and Yang Shi calm down. They knew that since Wang Qingchen had left for the county town, Wang Youfu and Yang Shi hadn't managed a smile, consumed by worry. Now that peace of mind was restored, Wang Qinghua and Luo Qing felt less burdened as well.