All Were Right
Great.
His younger brother was all right.
Remembering what the homeowner had said earlier...
The woodcutter still felt uneasy.
"Little brother."
The woodcutter withdrew his hand.
"Now can you tell your older brother..."
The woodcutter's voice faltered.
"This time..."
"Why did you react so strongly?"
"Of course I know how important this exam is."
The woodcutter hurried to add,
"And I know you've been preparing for it for a long time."
As someone who lived under the same roof, the woodcutter had seen his younger brother's efforts clearly.
But he was truly confused...
Something didn't seem right.
Knowing his younger brother...
"You're not someone who would so easily..."
The woodcutter thought back to how the Young Scholar had looked in the house just now. "Give up on yourself."
"I thought..."
"Even if you failed this exam, you'd be disappointed, dejected, and sad..."
"But you'd soon pull yourself together."
"You'd work even harder."
"You'd tell your older brother..."
"Next time, you'd definitely pass."
The woodcutter had always thought his younger brother would do just that.
He hadn't expected...
He didn't understand.
He truly didn't understand.
"Have I never understood you well enough?"
Though he really didn't want to think that way, the woodcutter couldn't help asking.
The Young Scholar stared blankly at the woodcutter.
For a long while...
The Young Scholar shook his head.
"No..."
The Young Scholar's voice was hoarse.
"Big brother, you understand me very well."
"If..."
The Young Scholar's lips trembled slightly. "I were like you said..."
"One failure wouldn't be enough."
"To keep me down for long."
"Back then, I failed several times trying to get the teacher to accept me."
"I didn't give up."
"This exam is important."
"I've worked hard for so many years..."
"I was full of confidence..."
"But