The day broke early. At the third crow of the rooster, Lin Heyu opened her eyes. She first glanced at Ji Huai sleeping soundly on the bed, then carefully lifted the blanket to check his arm. Seeing the bruise had noticeably faded, she finally felt relieved and tiptoed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

The simple meal she had made last night remained untouched by either of them, which conveniently served as breakfast now.

The rising cooking smoke mingled with the village’s tranquil mist.

“Little Bird.”

A Hua stood at the kitchen door at some unnoticed moment, wrapped in Ji Huai’s slightly oversized clothes, her hair still tangled with messy hair accessories. She looked as haggard as a dying withered tree.

Lin Heyu’s heart ached. Just days ago, this young girl had been smiling brightly, yet today even her smiles seemed bitterly forced.

“Breakfast will be ready soon.”

Lin Heyu handed A Hua a small stool before returning to preparing breakfast for three.

Ji Huai arrived at the sound, first spotting A Hua obediently sitting on the stool, then his gaze shifting to Lin Heyu – broad-shouldered with a narrow waist, bustling about in short sleeves as she cooked.

Before he could speak, Lin Heyu, as if she had eyes in the back, reached out and handed him another stool, gesturing for him to wait seated.

Taking the stool, Ji Huai sat down and pouted slightly, feeling an odd sensation – as if he were being treated like a child needing care, just like A Hua.

Ji Huai clicked his tongue softly, but considering he truly had no role to play in the kitchen, he obediently took the stool and sat beside A Hua.

“Teacher…” A Hua’s eyes reddened, tears threatening to fall.

Without a word, Ji Huai comforted her with gentle pats, then carefully began removing the hair accessories from her head, smoothing out her beautiful hair.

A Hua held back her tears, her thin shoulders trembling slightly as she desperately suppressed her sobs.

Soon, under Ji Huai’s skilled hands, her messy hair regained its softness. A Hua’s emotions reached their breaking point, and she couldn’t help but throw herself into Ji Huai’s arms, crying uncontrollably.

“Waa teacher, teacher ”

A Hua’s sobs were filled with fear and lingering terror. A child of only about ten years old, yet forced to endure such suffering.

Ji Huai patiently comforted her, his secure embrace fully enveloping A Hua.

“That man, that man is the one who killed my young sister. The Wang family are prominent landowners in town. Wang Qingkun, Wang Qingkun ” Just saying the name made A Hua tremble with fear. Huddled in Ji Huai’s arms, she continued with his encouragement: “He’s a bully. When one wife dies, he just gets another. My poor young sister died while giving birth to his child. They just rolled her up in a ragged mat and threw her into the mass burial ground. I was so scared. I thought I would be next. If teacher hadn’t saved me, I’d just be another corpse wrapped in a ragged mat.”

Tears and mucus streaming down her face, A Hua became too choked with emotion to speak at the most heartbreaking parts. Her gut-wrenching sobs rose again, making Ji Huai’s heart feel as if being sliced by knives. His fists clenched tightly, wishing he could have landed more punches on that beast.

“My father loves to gamble and rarely comes home. Somehow he found out I was studying at the schoolhouse and shouted so loudly all the neighbors heard. He called me unfilial, snatched all the money I earned from selling flowers, and somehow this reached Wang Qingkun’s ears. He said he’d never married an educated woman and insisted my father marry me off to him.”

“Since someone was offering money, my father naturally agreed. He tricked me into returning home. Grandma was already in poor health, and when she learned my father had sold me off, she became so enraged she passed away.”

A Hua wiped her endless stream of tears, her large eyes filled with pain and sorrow.

“Teacher, thank you, thank you. From now on, A Hua will work like an ox or horse her whole life to repay your lifesaving kindness.”

With a thud, A Hua knelt down and performed a deep bow to Ji Huai.

Ji Huai quickly helped her up, both pitying A Hua’s circumstances and worrying about her future.

With a troubled expression, Ji Huai smoothed her now-tamed hair, wondering whether A Hua’s life could ever return to normal.

Unexpectedly, A Hua proved stronger than he imagined. Her tear-streaked little face showed both fear and determination as she said, “Teacher, could you take me in? I can wash clothes and cook. I’ll repay you someday. I can also grow and sell flowers – I’m very good at gardening. Please take me in. I can’t go back. My father would just sell me again.”

“Don’t worry, A Hua. Since I’ve taken up this matter, I’ll see it through to the end.”

Not to be outdone, Lin Heyu made his promise while serving rice: “Don’t worry, Teacher. I can protect both you and A Hua.”

True to his word, from that day on Lin Heyu followed Ji Huai and A Hua everywhere, fearing someone might harm them.

Meanwhile, Ji Huai’s “bridal kidnapping” became known throughout Li Village.

Once again, Ji Huai understood how terrifying public opinion could be.

Villagers began keeping their children from attending the schoolhouse, and even Xiao Hu was forbidden by his family from studying at “such a place.”

Gossips gathered at both ends of the village, spitting sunflower seed shells while cursing the once highly respected Cultivated Talent Ji Huai.

“Who would have thought Ji Huai was this kind of person?”

“Kidnapping a bride in public – is this something an educated person should do?”

“Shameless! I always knew Ji Huai had ulterior motives, constantly eyeing that young girl.”

“A Hua’s no better, clinging to a grown man’s household instead of leaving. Her father found her such a good match – the Wang family is so powerful, yet she still refuses.”

“Exactly! She’s throwing away her good fortune.”

“Would you like this ‘good fortune’ for yourself?” Ji Huai had come to fetch medicine for Aunt Li when he overheard these remarks. Unable to stomach it, he retorted, drawing scornful looks from the crowd without flinching.

Ji Huai had no intention of arguing, wanting only to buy the medicine and leave quickly. He couldn’t control what people said behind his back, so he could only ignore it by not listening or looking.

But someone else felt differently.

“May your gossiping tongues rot! Teacher Ji isn’t at all what you say! Aren’t you disgusted with yourselves?”

A Hua jumped out from behind Ji Huai with a fierce expression, pointing at these idle villagers as she unleashed her tirade.

Forgetting all about respecting elders and moral propriety, her small mouth opened with firepower comparable to a machine gun.
“Half-buried in the yellow earth already, yet still finding leisure to gossip about others. Never studied a day in your life, so you don’t even know how to write ‘shameless,’ do you? Teacher Ji is a Cultivated Talent – the kind you couldn’t beg your ancestors to grant you even after eight lifetimes of pleading!”

Ji Huai’s lips curved slightly as he quietly watched A Hua ‘battle the village women with her tongue.’ He didn’t know when A Hua had developed this fearless, unflinching, and spirited personality, but Ji Huai thought it was excellent. Only with such temperament would she not be easily bullied.

As the crowd grew larger, Ji Huai wisely took A Hua’s hand and quickly left. With Lin Heyu not accompanying them today, they felt somewhat insecure.

On their way back, A Hua continued chattering indignantly. Recently, no one had been attending the Schoolhouse except her, Lin Xiaoniao, and Li Yuanyuan.

Though Ji Huai showed nothing on his surface, he felt troubled in his heart.

A Hua keenly sensed Ji Huai’s melancholy, so she kept chirping about amusing incidents from her flower-selling ventures throughout their journey, attempting to cheer him up.

Ji Huai played along, smiling when she mentioned funny occurrences, but his spirits remained low.

Until A Hua shared a rumor she’d heard.

“Teacher, I heard there was cheating in this year’s imperial examinations. The emperor was furious and executed a group of officials. They say there might be a retest.”

Ji Huai, who had been distracted, instantly became interested upon hearing this. “Really?”

If this were true, wouldn’t he have the chance to take the provincial exam using his own abilities? Since transmigrating to this unfamiliar dynasty, he had studied its imperial examination system and discovered many procedures resembled those of the Song Dynasty. This meant that passing the provincial exam would qualify him to take the local government exam for Recommended Man, after which qualified Recommended Men would be sent to the imperial court.

The current dynasty implemented a three-tier examination system: preliminary exam, imperial exam, and palace exam. The preliminary exam included various methods such as the provincial exam, transport commission exam, and National Academy exam. During examination years, testing would begin on June 18th and continue for three consecutive days, with elimination after each stage.

Those who passed the preliminary exam would be recommended by their prefecture, transport commission, or National Academy to the Ministry of Rites to participate in the imperial exam.

The imperial exam was administered by the Ministry of Rites in the spring, testing Recommended Men from various regions over three consecutive days in different subjects. Those who passed would have their names reported to the court by the Ministry of Rites and would proceed to the palace exam.

The original Ji Huai had failed at the provincial exam level. But did he himself possess the capability to successfully pass it?

The more Ji Huai thought about it, the more excited he became. With his talent as a twenty-first century child who had undergone over twenty years of rigorous Chinese education, how could he possibly fail a mere provincial exam?

If he passed the provincial exam and became a Recommended Man, he could leave Li Village and progress through the examination levels. Then he could take A Hua and Lin Heyu to broader horizons where no one would bully or curse at them anymore.

Moreover, in ancient times, the status of a Recommended Man was already highly respected. He was still young – why fear being unable to properly care for two children?

“A Hua, A Hua, where did you hear this news?” Ji Huai asked excitedly. He had thought he would need to waste many more years in Li Village before the next examination cycle, never expecting opportunity to arrive so suddenly.

A Hua thought for a moment before answering: “I heard it from some scholars while I was selling flowers. They said they came from the Prosperous Capital for study travel – right from under the emperor’s feet, so the news should be reliable. They said official notices would be posted soon.”

Hearing this, Ji Huai could hardly wait to rush to the town to see if such a notice existed. “Let’s go, A Hua. Bring Lin Heyu along we’re heading to town to check.”

His excitement was hard to contain. Ji Huai breathed deeply, trying to calm his racing heart. As he looked at the disgusted and mocking faces of the villagers in Li Village, his desire to take the two children away from this place reached its peak.

He had overestimated himself. He realized that this ignorant, unenlightened village was no place for him to impart wisdom especially with two homeless children by his side. If they stayed in Li Village any longer, A Hua and Lin Heyu would surely come to harm.

By then, it would be too late for regrets.