Chen Zhong left, and the courtyard fell quiet for a moment.
Hu Da leaned halfway out of the kitchen doorway, flour still dusting his apron.
Watching in surprise as Fang Shuwen and his father headed out through the courtyard gate, he couldn't help clicking his tongue.
"Old Fang's always been honest and hardworking all these years, keeping his head down and never fighting for anything. I never expected the master, all the way off in Shenghai, still had him in his thoughts."
Old Fang had been working for the Zhao Family for a long time.
He'd worked as a coachman for years, and only after he got old was he assigned to the gatehouse.
Quite a few people who'd started around the same time as him had been promoted.
But Old Fang hadn't.
Hu Da had always thought Old Fang was too timid, never fighting for anything.
How could he ever get ahead that way?
He hadn't expected that Old Fang's ways had caught the master's eye.
A person really did need to be honest and keep to his duties.
Little Fang had gotten a Parker Pen this time. If he got into the Elite Class, he'd truly be going places.
But then Hu Da thought it over and couldn't help shaking his head.
What kind of person was Little Fang? He'd failed six out of seven subjects.
He was arrogant and conceited, looked down on people, and on top of that, he didn't know how to apply himself.
How could someone like that possibly pass the examination?
It was only Old Fang who always thought Little Fang was capable and would surely amount to something.
The rest of them usually just went along with Old Fang, unable to bring themselves to shatter his illusions.
Surviving in these chaotic times wasn't easy. If a person lost the hopes they held in their heart,
they'd crumble completely.
And to Old Fang, Little Fang was all the hope he had.
Mother Wang was leading Cuicui toward the covered walkway, but her ears had been perked up the whole time.
When she heard Hu Da say that,
she stopped and couldn't help pursing her lips.
"Brother Hu, that's all well and good, Old Fang is hardworking, but which of us isn't? I've been scrubbing and washing at the Zhao Estate all these years. I've worn several layers of calluses onto my hands."
"The master just doesn't know how hard my Cuicui studies. She gets up before dawn to review her lessons, and does practice problems by lamplight at night. She's practically worn out her eyes. If the master knew, he'd definitely give Cuicui a Parker Pen too."
As she spoke, she looked down at the Golden Star Fountain Pen in her hand.
Then she remembered the glossy black Parker Pen in the velvet box, and felt even more aggrieved.
Five silver dollars versus fifteen silver dollars—a full three times as much.
Why had the master given such an expensive pen to that good-for-nothing Little Fang?
Who would have thought Old Fang had quietly built a connection with the master!
"Cuicui, you've suffered because your mother has no standing."
Mother Wang sighed and reached out to stroke Cuicui's hair.
"Your mother's just a servant who washes clothes and cooks. I can't compare to Old Fang, who has respect in the master's presence. If you'd been born from the madam's womb, you wouldn't just have a Parker Pen—you could use a gold pen."
Cuicui blushed at her mother's words and tugged on Mother Wang's sleeve.
"Mother, why are you saying all this? This Golden Star Pen is enough for me. I can do just as well on the exam with it."
Mother Wang snorted, said nothing more, and led Cuicui away.
Hu Da watched Mother Wang's retreating figure.
He shook his head and turned back to the kitchen.
At the entrance to the alley, a carriage with blue curtains was already waiting.
Old Sun, the Zhao Estate's coachman, was holding the reins. When he saw Fang Shuwen come out, he grinned and raised his whip.
"Little Fang, Steward Chen told me to take you to school for today's entrance examination."
Fang Shuwen didn't refuse. He thanked Old Sun, gathered up his robe, and climbed into the carriage.
Old Fang stood at the entrance to the alley, watching until the carriage turned the corner.
Only then did he raise a hand to wipe the corner of his eye and turn back to the courtyard.
He'd wanted to go along, but he was always a little afraid.
He remembered Little Fang once telling him that his clothes were shabby, and that if his classmates saw him there, it would embarrass him and look improper.
So even though he wanted to go,
he didn't dare.
The carriage wound through the streets and alleys of Xikou County Town. After about half an hour, it reached the gates of Xikou County Public Middle School.
Today was the entrance examination, and quite a few students had already gathered outside the school.
Some wore school uniforms, while others were dressed casually.
Some had walked there, while others had come by rickshaw.
Every so often, a black automobile pulled up by the roadside. Only Xikou's truly wealthy families could afford one.
The Guo Ziming the original owner had once fawned over was one such example. His father was the vice president of the Xikou Chamber of Commerce.
The Guo Family was one of the biggest merchant families in Xikou County Town.
They didn't just own a car; the Guo Family even had a textile mill.
Fang Shuwen jumped down from the carriage and cupped his hands toward Old Sun.
"Uncle Sun, you can head back. I'll make my own way home after the exam."
Old Sun acknowledged him and drove off.
Fang Shuwen straightened the collar of his school uniform and was about to enter the school.
Just then,
beep! Beep!
A shrill car horn sounded behind him.
Fang Shuwen turned around. A black four-wheeled automobile was turning in from the street, its streamlined body gleaming in the morning sun.
It was an imported Ford.
Fang Shuwen recognized it as the car belonging to Guo Ziming's family.
The car stopped at the school gates. The front passenger door opened first, and a servant in a black short jacket jumped out.
He hurried around to the back seat and bent to open the door.
The first thing to emerge was a pair of gleaming black leather shoes.
Then Guo Ziming climbed out in a brand-new gray Paramount suit, dressed to show off.
A gold pen was tucked into his breast pocket, its gold cap flashing in the sunlight until it hurt the eyes.
Guo Ziming.
The man the original owner had fawned over for two years.
Guo Ziming got out and swept his gaze across the crowd. He spotted Fang Shuwen standing by the school gates at once.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. He raised his hand and tossed the leather schoolbag he was holding toward Fang Shuwen.
"Take it."
The two words came lightly, like an order to one of his own servants.
Fang Shuwen didn't move.
The schoolbag flew past his side and hit the ground with a smack, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The smile froze on Guo Ziming's face.
He frowned and strode over to Fang Shuwen, looking down at him.
"What's going on?"
His voice had turned cold.
Fang Shuwen looked at the face before him.
Guo Ziming was good-looking enough, with thick brows, a high nose, and regular features.
Add his finely tailored clothes, and he did stand out from the crowd like a crane among chickens.
But Fang Shuwen knew all too well what showed in those eyes.
It was the look one gave a dog.
In the original owner's memories, Guo Ziming had never treated him like a classmate.
He'd often ordered him to run errands and buy things, and sometimes kicked him when he was in a bad mood.
And the original owner?
Not only had he never felt humiliated, he'd thought it a tremendous honor to win Young Master Guo's favor.
Fang Shuwen sighed inwardly.
That was the original owner, not me.
"You've been gone all summer and gone deaf?"
"And after I even had someone bring you fifty silver dollars for your medical bills, this is how you repay me? You really don't know how to appreciate a good thing!"
Guo Ziming's ear-splitting voice rang out again.
Fang Shuwen couldn't help touching his nose. What fifty silver dollars?
But then he thought about it. Liu Mang had probably pocketed that money.
No wonder.
Still, that so-called generosity had been nothing but charity, and it had nothing to do with him.
After all, the original owner had been injured because of Guo Ziming in the first place.
Besides, he hadn't received any money.
"Classmate Guo."
"Your schoolbag's yours, so pick it up yourself. The exam's about to start. I'm going in."
With that, Fang Shuwen turned and walked away without the slightest hesitation.
Several students nearby had already noticed what was happening and started whispering among themselves.
"Isn't that Fang Shuwen? Wasn't he Guo Ziming's lackey?"
"Yeah, how come he dares to talk back to Young Master Guo today?"
"Tsk, tsk. This should be good."
Hearing them, Guo Ziming's expression darkened further.
"Fang Shuwen!"
"You've really grown some nerve!"
He took the schoolbag from his servant and stared at Fang Shuwen's retreating figure, his eyes so dark they looked ready to drip ink.
"Young Master, want me to find a chance to teach him a lesson...?"
The servant edged closer and asked in a lowered voice.
"No need."
Guo Ziming raised a hand to stop him.
"This examination decides whether he gets to keep studying. Unless that idiot wants to quit school, I'll just see how he plans to stay here without my help!"
With that,
he set off toward the school gates at an unhurried pace.