As the adults were talking, Xiao Huzi sidled up to Meng Anci, clutching the hem of his clothes with his little hands, tilting his head back, and asking with bright, sparkling eyes.
"Big brother, can we go ride a big horse later? Like that really imposing one from yesterday!"
Meng Anci helped him up and said with a smile, "Not today, brother still needs to study."
"Huh?" Xiao Huzi was stunned. "You... you want to read books too?" In his mind, a great hero who could ride a horse and fight bad guys should be out there doing good deeds all day long.
Wang Jinlian, who was listening nearby, was both annoyed and amused. "Do you think everyone is like you, with all they think about is playing? Your older brother is a scholar, he's very learned!"
"A... a student?" Xiao Huzi suddenly turned his head to look at Meng Anci, his eyes filled with shock and admiration.
Looking at her son's dazed expression, Wang Jinlian suddenly had an idea. This child was too stubborn; ordinary lectures went in one ear and out the other. Perhaps... letting him see what a scholar looked like with his own eyes would be more effective than a hundred nagging words.
She looked at Meng Anci, her tone pleading and expectant, " Anci, if it's convenient, could you take this Xiao Huzi to your study for a look? Let him absorb some scholarly atmosphere and know what it means to study hard."
Meng Anci understood, a smile flickering in his eyes, and took Xiao Huzi's little hand. "Let's go."
The slight joy on Xiao Huzi's face when he first entered was completely replaced by utter despair upon hearing those words.
He was led along dejectedly, his inner scheming mind shattering into pieces.
Riding a horse to read a book, visiting a hero's study... you might as well visit a stable!
Xiao Huzi followed Meng Anci into the study. As soon as he pushed open the door, he froze. The room was filled with books, not only on the ceiling but also on the floor.
He stood on tiptoe and peered inside. The layers upon layers of book spines were like an impenetrable wall, so heavy that he dared not even breathe.
"Big brother... do you really want to read so many books?"
This study is twice the size of his house, no... three times the size! It even has two more desks than his house. My King of Hell, it's like he's stumbled into hell.
Meng Anci and said, "The desk in the middle and the bookshelf behind it belong to my aunt, the one on the left belongs to my sister, and the one on the right belongs to me."
Xiao Huzi swallowed hard, refusing to take a single step inside. His eyes darted around nervously. "Big brother... I need to pee, I need to use the restroom."
Xiao Huzi squeezed his legs together and turned to run, but Meng Anci grabbed him by the collar. "Didn't you need to use the restroom? Big brother will take you."
Xiao Huzi couldn't break free. He thought that if he squatted in the outhouse for half an hour, his mother should be able to go home. But as soon as he got to the outhouse, he was stunned again.
He pointed to the cell, "Brother... doesn't your outhouse have a door?"
Meng Anci raised an eyebrow, "Hmm... this is the examination cell, where the candidates take the entrance exam. I usually study here..."
"What... you have two studies? No..." Xiao Huzi quickly shook his head, "I mean, you read by the outhouse."
He looked at Meng Anci with pity, "Brother... you've had such a miserable life."
Xiao Huzi sighed. Comparing the two situations, he felt that his parents were very good to him, at least they didn't let him read books next to the latrine.
He untied a small pouch from his waist and handed it to Meng Anci, "I suppose you don't have much pocket money... Take this."
Seeing that Meng Anci was hesitant to take it, she shoved it into his hand, turned around, and darted into the shop. Anzhi Hall was too scary... Luckily, I didn't stay here.
When Wang Jinlian saw her son come out, she was about to reach out and grab him when the boy suddenly swerved and disappeared into her third uncle's house next door, moving so fast it looked like a ghost was chasing him.
Wang Jinlian cursed him as a rascal, then Jin Shanyao, " Shopkeeper Jin... my shop is located at the intersection of East and West Streets. Please feel free to come over if you need anything in the future."
Jin Shanyao smiled and responded, seeing Wang Jinlian off. She then had Qing He put away the cloth and went alone to the backyard, where she found Meng Anci reading in the cell.
"What happened to Xiao Huzi? He's scared out of his wits..."
Meng Anci and said, "Having seen our study, I can't accept it... I'm afraid I won't be willing to step into the Anzhi Hall again."
Jin Shanyao couldn't help but laugh when she imagined the little guy's desperate escape.
Xiao Huzi, who had run out of the shop, quietly crept back in. He lay on the doorframe of the Anzhi Hall's shop, calling out, "Sister Anzhi... Sister Anzhi, come out."
Meng Anzhi walked forward suspiciously, bent down and smoothed his collar, " Xiao Huzi, what do you want?"
Xiao Huzi pursed his lips, "Sister Anzhi, you're a girl, you don't need to read every day... If your aunt lets you read, you should resist, understand?"
" Xiao Huzi is home..."
"Okay... I'm coming," he replied hastily, brandishing his fist at Meng Anzhi, his tone firm, "Resist... Remember to resist..."
After saying that, he ran to Wang Jinlian, looked up and said, "Mother... I want to eat candied fruit."
"You look like candied fruit to me..."
Meng Anzhi smiled helplessly, got up, and saw a cart parked in front of the shop.
A gaunt old man lay on the cart, his face ashen, his chest barely rising and falling, barely breathing.
As soon as the man pushing the cart saw her come out, he said urgently, " Doctor Meng, please take a look at my father."
Meng Anzhi stepped forward and first lifted the old man's eyelids... His eyes were cloudy and their luster had faded. She placed her fingertips on the old man's wrist and felt his pulse was weak and faint, like a thread about to break.
She withdrew her hand. "Sir, the old man is probably... coming within the next few days. You should prepare early."
"What nonsense are you spouting?" the man's voice suddenly rose. "My father is just seriously ill. Prescribe medicine, the best medicine. I have money."
Hearing the commotion, Shopkeeper Wang, who was seeing off a customer at the door, rushed over to smooth things over, " Licentiate Candidate Li, don't get angry. Everyone knows your father's health... it's been dragging on for more than a year or two."
Doctor Meng is just telling the truth; you should keep that in mind.
Li Yuan was a renowned scholar in the prefectural city, and also a famously filial son. When he was young, his mother remarried, and his stepfather, Old Man Li, treated him as his own son.
Not only did she grit her teeth and send him to a private school, but she even gave up her own children in order to raise him wholeheartedly.
Earlier, some people gossiped, thinking that Old Man Li was foolish and that he would suffer after Li Yuan's mother passed away. Unexpectedly, after Li Yuan's mother died Li Yuan treated Old Man Li even better.
Everyone in and around the village has witnessed this. Putting aside everything else, after Old Man Li became paralyzed, Li Yuan took him to the city for medical treatment, and he did so for two whole years. That's something no one else could do.
Nowadays, when neighbors mention Li Yuan, everyone sincerely praises him, saying, "He was a truly filial son."
But at this moment, the filial son's eyes were red as he stared intently at Meng Anzhi, his voice trembling with emotion, "My father will be alright... he can't be alright! Take another look! Use ginseng! Use lingzhi! I'll pay any price!"
His shouts drew Jin Shanyao. She stepped forward to shield Meng Anzhi behind her and glanced at the old man's face.
He said in a deep voice, "Birth, aging, sickness, and death are inevitable for everyone. Your father... only has half a month left to live... go back and spend some quality time with him."
Upon hearing this, Licentiate Candidate Li's legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground. Old Man Li, lying on the cart, shed tears and reached out to hook his son's hand.
He struggled to speak, "Son... Father... can't hold on anymore... I'm the one who's dragging you down... Don't blame me!"
Licentiate Candidate Li's eyes were red, and he choked out, "Father, what are you saying? Don't worry... I will definitely cure you. If this place isn't good, your son will take you to see another one."
He got up, wiped away his tears haphazardly, and pushed the cart away unsteadily.
Meng Anzhi looked up at Jin Shanyao, "Auntie... does he really only have half a month left to live?"
Jin Shanyao comforted her, "To be precise, it's fourteen and a half days."