Spotlight Moment (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

As Mother Wang's voice trailed off, the courtyard fell into a momentary silence.

Old Fang stood by the veranda, still holding a bowl of porridge in his hands.

Hearing Mother Wang's words, the wrinkles on his face bunched together, and his lips moved twice, yet no words came out.

He knew Little Fang must have passed the exam.

But as for the score or the ranking, Little Fang hadn't told him, and he hadn't dared to ask.

What if it wasn't good?

Old Fang turned this thought over and over in his mind, the porridge bowl held in his hands, forgotten.

"Old Fang, say something!"

Seeing him like this, Mother Wang became even more certain that Little Fang's results must be mediocre; otherwise, why wouldn't Old Fang speak up?

"How did Little Fang do? Sigh, at the end of the day, no matter the score, being able to stay at the school is a good thing..."

Though she said it was a "good thing," the smugness in her tone could not be hidden.

Cuicui stood behind Mother Wang, head bowed in silence, the tips of her ears turning slightly red.

Fang Shuwen had placed ninth.

Far better than her own results.

But she had no intention of saying that.

"Mother Wang, please, don't ask anymore."

Hu Da poked his head out from the kitchen, flour still clinging to his apron, and smiled to smooth things over.

"It's a good thing Little Fang passed; what does the score matter? Old Fang, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, yes..."

Old Fang nodded hurriedly, his wrinkles squeezing out a smile, though the expression looked forced no matter how one viewed it.

He lowered his head to take a sip of porridge; the porridge was hot, but his heart felt somewhat hollow.

Little Fang left early and returned late every day, sometimes even smelling of sweat when he came home.

He knew Little Fang was working hard and that he had changed, but grades were not something one could catch up on in just a few days of effort.

Before the exam, he had worried Little Fang wouldn't pass the assessment.

Now that he had passed, he worried that Little Fang hadn't done well.

Seeing this, the smile on Mother Wang's face grew even wider, and she was just about to say something more.

Just then, "Old Fang! Old Fang!"

A flurry of hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, followed immediately by a young servant running in, breathless and flushed with excitement.

"Steward Chen is here! He's brought quite a few people! He says someone in our courtyard got into the Elite Class at the Public Middle School, and Master Zhao heard the news and sent him over to offer congratulations."

Before the words had even faded, a group of people walked through the courtyard gate.

Leading them was Chen Zhong, wearing a navy blue gown that was neither new nor old.

His hair was combed meticulously, and he held two wooden boxes wrapped in red silk, one large and one small.

Behind him followed two sturdy young servants, one carrying two boxes of pastries, the other holding two bolts of silk, bright red and strikingly eye-catching.

Trailing behind them were several servants looking on, whispering to each other with faces full of curiosity.

"Steward... Steward Chen?"

Hearing this, Mother Wang looked at Steward Chen and the others, her body trembling; the composure she had been maintaining nearly shattered.

Coming to congratulate someone on getting into the Elite Class—that must be to congratulate her Cuicui.

Everyone knew Fang Shuwen's results were mediocre.

Her Cuicui had done well this time and made it into the Elite Class.

"What is this..."

"Mother Wang, congratulations, congratulations!"

Chen Zhong chuckled upon hearing Mother Wang's words.

He immediately handed the smaller box in his hand to Mother Wang.

He thought to himself that this Mother Wang was truly lucky.

Ever since he had telegraphed Master Zhao about Little Fang's ninth-place finish, his admission into the Elite Class of the Public Middle School, and his martial arts cultivation of two bone-cracking sounds, he had received a reply very quickly.

He had been ordered to bring gifts and offerings to visit Little Fang and his father.

Of course, since Cuicui had also passed, even though she ranked fortieth.

Even for Little Fang this time, twenty silver dollars were wrapped up.

"Although the master of our Zhao Estate has moved to Shenghai, he has always kept the old servants of the estate in his heart. Someone in the estate passed the examination this time and entered the Elite Class of the Public Middle School. Upon hearing this, the master specifically instructed me to deliver a congratulatory gift."

Mother Wang took the small wooden box, her fingers stroking the red silk, her smile blooming like a chrysanthemum.

"Oh my, Steward Chen, you are too kind! That the master still thinks of us servants here in the estate while he is in Shenghai, it is truly... truly..."

She was so excited she became incoherent, unable to stop herself from feeling guilty; last time, when the master sent a fountain pen to Little Fang, she had secretly thought the master was blind.

She never expected such a generous gesture this time.

The master is truly a good man.

Thinking of this, Mother Wang hurriedly turned to beckon Cuicui, her voice rising several octaves:

"Cuicui! What are you standing there for? Come over and thank Steward Chen! Take those pastries and silks!"

Cuicui froze for a moment, a trace of awkwardness flashing across her face. Her lips moved as if to say something, but Mother Wang yanked her forward.

"You silly child, are you stunned with joy? Steward Chen came personally to deliver a gift to us; what an honor this is!"

Cuicui stumbled as her mother pulled her. She opened her mouth, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum: "Th... thank you, Steward Chen."

Mother Wang had already turned to greet the two servants behind her, reaching out to take the two bolts of silk.

"Oh my, this silk is fine stuff, from Shenghai, isn't it? It looks so smooth..."

Old Fang stood to the side, clutching his porridge bowl, his cloudy eyes filled with envy.

He stole a glance at Fang Shuwen, feeling a sour ache in his heart mixed with guilt.

When someone else's child does well on an exam, the master even sends someone to congratulate them.

Although his own Little Fang passed, his grades...

He dared not dwell on it, lowering his head to take another sip of porridge. It had gone cold, tasting bland and flavorless.

Hu Da leaned against the kitchen doorframe, rubbing his hands repeatedly on his apron. His gaze fell on the bright red bolts of silk, and he couldn't help but click his tongue.

"Mother Wang is really showing off this time. That girl Cuicui really brought honor to her family."

"It's a pity for Little Hu; his grades were top-notch back in the day."

His voice was not loud, but everyone in the courtyard could hear him.

Mother Wang heard him, and her back straightened even further, the smile lines on her face deepening.

"You're right, Hu Da. Our Cuicui has been sensible since she was small. Now that she's in the Elite Class, in the future..."

"Mother Wang."

Chen Zhong's voice was not loud, but it steadily cut off Mother Wang's words.

He stood where he was, not following Mother Wang forward. His smile remained unchanged, but his tone carried an unquestionable seriousness.

"Don't be in such a hurry to move the things."

Mother Wang's hand had already touched the silk. She paused at these words and turned her head, her face full of confusion:

"Steward Chen, what is the matter?"

Chen Zhong raised a finger to point at the pastries and silks held by the two servants, his tone unhurried:

"These things are not for you."

The courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Mother Wang's smile froze on her face, her fingers still resting on the silk, as if someone had pressed a pause button on her entire being.

"Steward Chen, what... what do you mean by that?"

Her voice was tight.

"Not for us? But you just said..."

"I said, 'Someone in the estate passed the examination and entered the Elite Class of the Public Middle School'."

"That's exactly right, my Cuicui is the one who got into the Elite Class. If it's not for us, who else could it be for?" Mother Wang asked, bewildered.

Chen Zhong, standing opposite her, let his gaze drift past Mother Wang to the young man in the blue-green school uniform standing not far behind her.

"These things are not for Cuicui; they are for Fang Shuwen."

As the words fell, The courtyard went completely silent.

Even the sound of boiling water in the kitchen seemed to stop.