When Wang Qingchen returned, most of the Lunar New Year provisions had already been procured, leaving him only to participate in tasks like pasting the couplets on the door. Afterward, the household happily settled back into the rhythm of the New Year celebrations.

If there was one notable difference this year compared to previous ones, it was Wang Qingchen himself. Now that he was a Xiucai, the Old Master placed immense importance on him. This reverence was evident not only during ancestral worship but also when visiting relatives during the New Year—the grandfather would proudly boast to others about his grandson who had passed the scholar examination, and so on. Consequently, during this holiday, Wang Qingchen had to meet and greet numerous elders.

Moreover, on Madam Yang’s side, some relatives subtly inquired whether Wang Qingchen had mentioned finding a suitable match for marriage. Madam Yang was unsure how to respond. Truthfully, neither parent knew how far Qingchen might advance on the path of the imperial examinations, so they certainly weren't planning to arrange his marriage now. If their son achieved great things in the future, the pool of potential marriage partners would widen considerably. Thus, Madam Yang could only pretend not to understand the insinuations, skillfully steering the conversation away.

Soon, the New Year break was drawing to a close, and Wang Qingchen was due to return to the county seat. This time, Madam Yang packed several bulging bundles for him, more than half of which were filled with food—ranging from large slabs of cured meat to small candies.

Watching Madam Yang pack, Wang Qingchen felt an urge to tell her that he could buy all these things once he arrived in the county. But considering the depth of his mother’s love for her son, he kept the words to himself and simply allowed her to accumulate several large bundles.

Following this, Wang Qingchen departed for the county seat, accompanied by Li Yuntai and Liu Hao.

As the three sat in the carriage, Liu Hao inquired, "Say, are you two planning to sit for the Autumn Provincial Examination next year?"

Wang Qingchen hadn't expected Liu Hao to ask this question. After a slight hesitation, he replied, "I'm not certain yet. If, by that time, I feel my learning and talent are sufficient, then I will participate. But if I sense there is still room for improvement, I will wait another three years. After all, I’m only thirteen this year, so waiting three more years is still quite feasible."

"That makes sense. You are still young; there’s no need to rush," Liu Hao agreed.

"Cousin Jintang seems determined to participate in next year's Xiangshi. He’s been preparing for it since the year before last!" Li Yuntai mentioned.

Wang Qingchen nodded. "Indeed. If one passes the Xiangshi, it's far superior to just being a Xiucai. It's no wonder so many people strive desperately to enter that examination."

"Hey, do you two think Zhao Cheng will participate then?" Liu Hao suddenly mused.

Wang Qingchen and Li Yuntai both shook their heads. "That's truly hard to say, but judging by the momentum from his performance in the Tongzi Shi, even if he participates, he’d likely have a very strong chance," Li Yuntai commented.

Wang Qingchen considered this and concluded that Zhao Cheng’s chances of entering the Xiangshi were quite high. Speaking of which, Zhao Cheng possessed immense natural talent for scholarship. If Wang Qingchen hadn't carried over twenty years of past life experience, he would surely have been left leagues behind by the other. This thought made Wang Qingchen feel a little sheepish, so he abruptly decided that he would participate as well, just to use it as practice.

Li Yuntai and Liu Hao watched Wang Qingchen drift off into thought, assuming he felt somewhat disheartened after mentioning Zhao Cheng. After all, back at the academy, both students and tutors constantly compared the two of them. Now that Zhao Cheng had pulled so far ahead of them, anyone would feel ill at ease.

Thus, the two considerate friends picked up their books to read, not wanting to disturb Wang Qingchen. When Wang Qingchen snapped back to the present, he saw the other two pretending to read. It would have been better, he thought, if their eyes weren't constantly darting in his direction.

"Alright, you two. Am I such a petty person? How could I be upset because Zhao Cheng tested well? In fact, I truly admire him. Look at his circumstances; they are far worse than ours, yet he has managed to excel so much more in his studies. I have immense respect for that," Wang Qingchen declared with feeling.

Listening to him, Li Yuntai and Liu Hao concluded that Wang Qingchen indeed possessed a broad-minded nature and stopped doubting him.

Afterward, the group chatted about other matters until they finally reached the county seat. Upon descending, Wang Qingchen immediately began preparations for the following year's Xiangshi.

Time flew, and a year passed in the blink of an eye. During this past year, over at the old homestead, Wang Youliang continued to drink whenever the mood struck him. Meanwhile, Wang Qingyun managed the food stall in Qingshan Town exceptionally well. The couple, delighted by the success, grew even closer to Wang Qingshan and his wife. As for Wang Qingtong, he was constantly cornered by the Old Madam and Madam Tian, the conversation inevitably revolving around what kind of girl he preferred so that a matchmaker could search according to those standards. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, Wang Qingtong would flee at the mere mention of the topic, leaving his marriage prospects unsettled to this day.

In the Third Branch, Madam Zhang was also helping Wang Caidie look for a suitable husband’s family. Since Wang Caixia’s in-laws were exceptional in every aspect, Madam Zhang inevitably used the Zhao family’s standing as a benchmark during her search. This wasn't because Madam Zhang was materialistic and only sought wealthy in-laws; rather, she feared that if her second daughter’s future in-laws were not as good as the eldest daughter’s, or if the gap was too wide, the second daughter might resent them as parents after marrying. This worry was why Madam Zhang had not yet finalized a match. Fortunately, her daughter was only thirteen, so there was still time to search.

Wang Guifang, over the past year, had lived wonderfully with Li Wu. Initially, when she first married into the Li family, she had been rather anxious, but Li Wu’s subsequent actions completely dissolved her wariness, allowing her to dedicate herself wholeheartedly to their life together. Now, Wang Guifang had nothing to worry about. Even her daughter, Liu Qian'er, was highly favored by Master Shen after bearing him a son, which made Wang Guifang feel even more secure.

And the household of Wang Youfu? The returns from their lands and shops were thriving, and their lives were quite prosperous. Aside from Wang Qingchen having to consistently leave home for studies at the county school, everything else was fine.

One day, Madam Yang was in the courtyard playing with little Nian’er, who had only recently learned to walk. Since she was still unsteady, the little chubby girl, despite her passion for walking, refused to be carried and insisted on walking herself, much to the amusement and slight exasperation of the adults. Out of concern, a family member always accompanied Nian’er whenever she walked.

Nian’er toddled ahead with her short legs, but soon growing dissatisfied with the slow pace, she began to hasten her steps, startling Madam Yang, who was following behind. She rushed forward and scooped the child up. "Oh, my little ancestor! You’re still wobbly on your feet, and now you want to run!"

Nian’er, feeling pleased with her increased speed, hadn't even managed to express her joy before she was caught and lifted. She immediately showed discontent, wriggling in Madam Yang’s arms like a caterpillar. "Down... down... Walk, walk..."

"Absolutely not, Nian’er. You've walked plenty today. No more walking! How about Grandma takes you to eat some steamed egg custard?" Madam Yang suggested.

The mention of egg custard stopped Nian’er’s struggle instantly. She stuck out a chubby little finger and said, "Egg... egg... Eat..."

"Yes, we'll make egg custard for Nian’er, okay?" Madam Yang coaxed.

"Mm..." Nian’er agreed, then began chattering away in her own unique language, mumbling incessantly. Madam Yang obviously couldn't understand, but she didn't mind, as long as Nian’er stopped trying to get down and walk. Madam Yang was terribly afraid she might bump herself somewhere.

Arriving at the kitchen, Madam Yang handed Nian’er over to Madam Wu and began preparing the custard herself, making more than just one bowl, because...

"Mom... Mom... Eat custard..." A voice drifted over, followed by the sight of a little chubby boy toddling in on short legs. He ran to Madam Yang, hugged her leg, and looked up, saying, "Mama, eat custard..."

This little chubby boy was Xiao Qinghe. He was now proficient in walking and speaking, no longer needing to be carried around constantly, though he still required supervision because his potential for destruction was not to be underestimated.

Madam Yang looked at her son’s upturned, plump, smiling face and laughed. "Alright, alright, your mother is making it right now. Nian’er and Qinghe can eat together, okay?"

Xiao Qinghe, now capable of understanding much, turned to look at Nian’er, who was being held by Madam Wu. After watching for a moment, he adopted a look of deep contemplation and then reluctantly conceded, "Okay, eat together."

Madam Yang smiled and patted Qinghe’s head as praise. It was well known that most small children were possessive of their food. For Xiao Qinghe to be so obedient and willing to share at such a young age was remarkable. Madam Yang had put considerable effort into nurturing him to prevent any negative tendencies from developing later.

Afterward, the two little ones ate their custard together. Madam Wu fed Nian’er while Madam Yang spoon-fed Qinghe.

Madam Yang had intended to put Nian’er to bed after the custard, but after finishing, Nian’er showed no signs of sleepiness and began struggling again, insisting on getting down to walk.

Seeing this, a wave of exhaustion washed over Madam Yang. Sigh, she thought, why do these little ones have so much energy?