After days of jostling travel, Wang Qingchen and his company finally reached the provincial capital. Liu Hao instructed the coachman to stop outside an inn, and the group unloaded their luggage.

With over a month remaining until the Provincial Examination, they had ample time. On the road, they had already agreed that upon arriving in the capital, they would find a suitable house to rent together. This arrangement was both economical and allowed them to look out for one another. However, since it was their first arrival, finding a residence immediately was impractical, and everyone was utterly exhausted from the carriage ride. Thus, they ultimately decided to stay at the inn for two days.

Wang Qingchen requested hot water from the attendant and indulged in a long, hot bath, which greatly alleviated the fatigue clinging to his body. After bathing, Wang Qingchen didn't go back downstairs; instead, he had the attendant bring his meal directly to the room. Once the attendant served what Wang Qingchen ordered, he began to devour the food ravenously.

After finishing his meal, Wang Qingchen immediately succumbed to exhaustion and collapsed into sleep in the guest room. He slept soundly until the following morning.

Upon waking, Wang Qingchen felt completely refreshed and invigorated. After tidying himself up, he headed downstairs to the main hall. There, Liu Hao and Li Yuntai were already waiting, which caused the usually composed Wang Qingchen considerable embarrassment, as he thought he was quite early.

Li Yuntai, oblivious to Wang Qingchen's slight shame, inquired with genuine concern whether he had rested well the previous day. Once Wang Qingchen sheepishly confirmed his excellent rest, the group resolved to start searching for a house to rent that very day.

After breakfast, the group gathered information from the inn attendant and then set out together, leaving only Madam Huang behind at the inn.

They located the real estate agent (Yaji) recommended by the attendant, stated their purpose, and requested the agent help them find a residence matching their requirements.

The Yaji listened and then presented several properties that fit their description. The men deliberated briefly before selecting three locations for the agent to show them in person.

The Yaji raised no objection and led them to inspect the three houses. The group found the conditions of all three to be quite similar, even the rental prices were comparable. Hesitating over the choice, it was finally Qi Jintang who spoke up, suggesting they choose the one closest to the examination venue for the Provincial Examination.

They made their decision on the spot, much to the delight of the Yaji, who had secured another deal for the day. The Yaji helped them finalize the rental paperwork. Afterward, each person contributed some silver, pooling enough to cover the rent.

The rent was certainly not cheap, but when compared to the expenses of staying at the inn, they all felt renting a house was a much better option.

Since Zhao Cheng was not living alone—his mother, Madam Huang, was with him—Zhao Cheng felt obligated to contribute double the amount. However, as soon as he proposed this, the others immediately objected. Liu Hao and the others believed Zhao Cheng’s family was already struggling financially, so contributing a single share was more than enough. Liu Hao had actually considered suggesting Zhao Cheng pay nothing at all, but then worried that doing so might wound Zhao Cheng’s pride, so he kept that suggestion to himself. Therefore, when Zhao Cheng insisted on paying twice, Liu Hao naturally disagreed.

Li Yuntai and Qi Jintang shared the same sentiment. Though they rarely discussed the matter openly, they were all mindful of Zhao Cheng's situation.

As for Zhao Cheng, despite his inherently shy nature, he was quite stubborn. Even though the others disagreed with him paying double, he clung to his conviction that he ought to contribute two shares.

Since neither side could persuade the other, Wang Qingchen finally stepped in with a suggestion, unable to watch the impasse continue. Wang Qingchen recalled when he, Liu Hao, and Li Yuntai first settled in the county seat. Because they focused all their energy on their studies, they neglected trivial matters like laundry and general upkeep. They eventually hired Aunt Xu to resolve these issues. Now, with Madam Huang staying with them, why not have her assist with the housekeeping? This would give him a legitimate reason to persuade Zhao Cheng not to pay double, while simultaneously saving them the trouble of hiring someone new. After all, having just arrived in the provincial capital, they were unfamiliar with the local situation. Hiring someone rashly might—if they were lucky—yield a competent helper, but if they accidentally hired a deceitful person, the consequences could be severe.

With this thought, Wang Qingchen quickly voiced his proposal. Liu Hao and the others, who had been arguing, immediately agreed that it was an excellent idea. With this arrangement, Zhao Cheng would have no valid reason to refuse. Zhao Cheng, however, still felt slightly uneasy after hearing the suggestion, but seeing everyone else agree, he finally conceded, saying that if his mother consented, it would be settled.

Wang Qingchen and the others promptly dispatched Liu Hao to rush back to the inn to ask Madam Huang her opinion. Liu Hao was highly enthusiastic, and after receiving his instructions, he dashed off toward the inn.

Soon, Liu Hao returned with Madam Huang’s agreement, and the group resumed the rental procedures. Everything was finalized quickly, and they could move in that very day.

After concluding their business, they returned to the inn together and informed Madam Huang that the house had been successfully rented.

Upon hearing the news, Madam Huang remarked, "That house hasn't been occupied for quite some time; I imagine it hasn't been cleaned. Perhaps I should go over there first and tidy things up so we can move in sooner."

"Auntie, although the house certainly needs cleaning, I suggest we eat lunch first," Qi Jintang proposed. "After lunch, we can all pack our belongings, settle our accounts with the inn, and then go to the house together to clean. If things go smoothly, we might be able to sleep in the new residence tonight."

Madam Huang looked slightly embarrassed upon hearing this. "Look at me; I completely forgot it was almost lunchtime! Then let’s go eat first!"

So, everyone ate lunch together at the inn. Following the meal, they packed their respective belongings, checked out of their rooms, and proceeded together to the house they had just rented.

Upon arriving at the residence, Madam Huang surveyed the interior and knitted her brows slightly.

Seeing this, Wang Qingchen inquired, "Auntie, is there an issue?"

Madam Huang replied, "Several necessary items are missing. We might not be able to stay here tonight."

When Wang Qingchen and the others heard Madam Huang’s words, they inspected the contents of the house and confirmed that several essential everyday items were indeed lacking.

"Auntie, that's no problem," Wang Qingchen assured her. "I'll head out shortly to purchase whatever is missing. If we truly can't gather everything, we can make do tonight; after all, it’s better than sleeping separately on the road like we were coming here."

Madam Huang looked apologetic upon hearing Wang Qingchen’s offer. "Let me go instead. You all start tidying up here!"

"No, no, I’m hopeless at organizing things," Wang Qingchen laughed. "I’m much better suited to buying what we need!"

Seeing Wang Qingchen’s insistence, Madam Huang said no more, instead listing the items they needed to buy. Because the list was long, Wang Qingchen pulled Liu Hao along with him.

Liu Hao had been wondering if he’d be stuck cleaning later, so Wang Qingchen’s action of taking him out filled him with unexpected joy; it was certainly more enjoyable to be out and about.

Neither of them was familiar with the provincial capital, and they only managed to locate the necessary goods after constantly asking people along the way. For Liu Hao, this task proved surprisingly easy, and he felt he had finally found a place where his skills were useful.

After spending most of the afternoon searching, Wang Qingchen and Liu Hao finally managed to acquire all the required items. Since they couldn't carry everything themselves, they hired an ox cart to transport the goods to the house.

When they returned to the residence, they found that Madam Huang and the others had already done a substantial amount of cleaning and organizing. The newly purchased items were perfect for filling the empty spaces.

By dinnertime, since the house lacked any provisions, Madam Huang couldn't prepare a meal, so the group had to go out to eat.

They found a small eatery near the house and had a simple meal before returning to bathe and rest. They were exhausted after a busy day, but they felt it was worthwhile. With the house settled and organized, they could now dedicate themselves entirely to their studies without worrying about domestic matters.

Subsequently, Wang Qingchen and his companions stopped eating out. From then on, Madam Huang prepared every meal, allowing the scholars to focus solely on their reading and studies, a service for which Wang Qingchen and the others were deeply grateful.

Madam Huang, however, did not feel she had done anything extraordinary. After all, she was accustomed to cooking daily. While preparing meals for several people was more work than preparing for two, the labor involved was comparable—whether cooking for two or for six was still cooking. Moreover, they were letting her live there rent-free. Helping out with meals seemed perfectly reasonable. Furthermore, although she never brought it up, Wang Qingchen and the others proactively gave her money for groceries, and they even gave her extra.

Madam Huang had intended to return the surplus money to Wang Qingchen and the others, but they adamantly refused to accept it. They argued that hiring a servant would cost far more than what they were currently spending. Considering they were already gaining a significant advantage by having her help, they saw no reason to take back the money she offered.

Once everyone was settled, Wang Qingchen penned a letter home. Seeing his action, the others followed suit, writing letters to report their well-being.

Over at the Wang household, upon receiving his younger brother’s letter, Wang Qinghua immediately returned to Wangjia Village. Wang Youfu and Madam Yang had been anxiously awaiting this letter for days, fearing some calamity might have befallen their son on the journey. In the preceding days, they had been unable to sleep or eat properly, causing Wang Qinghua great worry. Now, his brother’s letter arrived like timely rain.