Seeing Wang Fugui’s remorseful expression, Scholar Li finally let some of his anger subside. He waved his hand, signaling the boy to sit down.
With a grave expression, he addressed the class. “Studying is like rowing upstream—if you do not advance, you will fall behind. Since you have chosen to learn from me, you must abide by my rules. If anyone cannot do so, then I will have no choice but to ask him to leave this school.”
He narrowed his eyes and swept his gaze across the room, as if trying to read each child’s thoughts.
The children, seeing their teacher truly angry, didn’t dare utter a single word. Being expelled would not only be humiliating, but would surely earn them a harsh beating at home as well. Liu An, too, sat upright and behaved.
Satisfied that everyone had fallen in line, Scholar Li nodded. He called on several students. Though their answers were halting, they managed to respond.
After that incident, everyone paid closer attention for the rest of the day. Liu An did the same. Although he had long memorized the Three Character Classic, he still followed along obediently, reading aloud in rhythm with the teacher.
He had already decided on a clear strategy for himself—he would appear only slightly more capable than the average child. If he progressed too quickly or shone too brightly, it would be difficult to explain. Being a child prodigy sounded impressive, but it could easily attract trouble. As long as he could sit for the imperial examinations two years earlier than usual, that would be enough.
Even so, despite his effort to stay low-key, his performance inevitably stirred envy among some of the students.
Whenever the teacher explained a lesson, Liu An grasped it almost instantly and could repeat it with ease. His remarkable learning speed made the other children jealous—especially Wang Fugui.
Watching Liu An absorb knowledge so effortlessly, Wang Fugui felt both frustrated and envious, almost to the point of tears. He muttered to himself, “Why can’t I do what Liu An does?”
Zhang Heng, sitting nearby, rolled his eyes. “If it’s memorizing recipe books, you’d definitely beat Liu An.”
Wang Fugui brightened instantly. “You’re right! I am great at memorizing recipes. When we get the chance, I’ll compete with Liu An!”
Zhang Heng quietly scooted his stool farther away, afraid Wang Fugui’s foolishness might somehow be contagious.
Wang Fugui’s father, Wang Youcai, was a well-known wealthy landowner in the region. His family owned hundreds of acres of fertile farmland, along with numerous shops and houses. Though immensely rich, the family line was thin—Wang Fugui was their only treasured son. Unwilling for his son to grow up merely as another landlord, Wang Youcai gritted his teeth and spent a considerable sum to send him to school.
In truth, given Wang Fugui’s aptitude, Scholar Li had no interest in accepting him. But Wang Youcai visited repeatedly and had long been known for his charitable deeds. Unable to refuse outright, Scholar Li reluctantly agreed.
Zhou Shen’s family background was similar. For generations, they had run silk businesses, with shops across several counties. Zhou Shen’s father hoped his son would one day expand the family enterprise, so he was sent to school for literacy before eventually learning the trade.
Next came calligraphy practice.
Though Liu An had majored in Chinese language and literature in his previous life, he truly did not know how to write with a brush. Back in school, he had been an exemplary student—strong in math and sciences, but with a passion for reading that consumed most of his time. If he’d known transmigration was possible, he would have practiced brush calligraphy ahead of time.
Still, whether he liked it or not, he had to learn.
When Liu An picked up the brush, his hand trembled slightly. He steadied it with effort and began writing carefully. But the result was disastrous—crooked, uneven, and painfully ugly, like wriggling worms crawling across the paper.
Scholar Li frowned slightly at the sight. The other students covered their mouths, snickering. So Liu An excelled at memorizing texts—but his handwriting was worse than theirs. That realization restored a bit of balance in their hearts. He wasn’t a flawless genius after all.
Liu An himself flushed red with embarrassment. For the first time that day, he wished the ground would swallow him whole.
During the midday break, Wang Fugui blocked Liu An’s path.
“Do you dare compete with me in memorizing recipes?”
Zhou Shen looked exasperated. “Wang Fugui, this is a school, not a cooking academy. Why are you always thinking about food? Maybe reflect on why you got smacked by the teacher earlier.”
Zhang Heng chimed in, “No need to compete. You win this round. After all, none of us eat as many different dishes as you do every day.”
The other students nodded. Most of them came from humble backgrounds; only Zhou Shen and Wang Fugui were truly well-off.
Embarrassed, Wang Fugui puffed up and said, “Hmph. Fine. I’ll let you off this time.”
Everyone stared at him speechlessly. Liu An, however, didn’t take it to heart. The boy just wanted to save face—there was no real malice in him.
From Wang Fugui’s perspective, Liu An simply smiled and nodded at him. That unexpected kindness made Wang Fugui scratch his head awkwardly. After all, he was two years older—continuing to pick on Liu An would feel petty.
At that moment, Liu An took out the braised egg his family had prepared and began eating it in small bites.
The aroma quickly spread.
Wang Fugui caught the scent and instantly forgot his earlier jealousy. He edged closer, curiosity lighting up his face. “Liu An, that egg smells incredible! Where did you buy it?”
The other children had smelled it too, but pride had kept them from asking. Now that Wang Fugui had spoken first, they all perked up, silently resolving to remember the shop name and ask their families to buy some later.
Liu An shook his head with a smile. “We didn’t buy it. My family made it ourselves. We were planning to sell some at the market.”
Wang Fugui’s eyes lit up immediately. He waved the plump chicken drumstick in his hand. “Then can I trade my drumstick for one of your braised eggs?”
Liu An thought briefly before shaking his head again, still smiling politely.
“Sorry. I’d rather not trade.”
Wang Fugui’s face fell in disappointment. Pouting, he grumbled, “But this is a chicken drumstick—so tender and delicious!”
Liu An only smiled. He calmly picked up a braised egg and held it out to him. “Since you really want to try it, I’ll give you one. Have a taste and see if you like it.”
The gloomy look on Wang Fugui’s face instantly vanished, replaced by a bright grin. “Thanks! Then this drumstick is for you!” Without waiting for a response, he plopped the drumstick straight into Liu An’s bowl.
Watching Wang Fugui happily devour the braised egg, Liu An bit into the drumstick himself. So fragrant… Meat really is the best. He silently resolved, Once I start earning money, I’ll make sure my family can eat more meat.
After finishing one egg, Wang Fugui still wasn’t satisfied and looked hopefully at Liu An again. Liu An shook his head. “That’s all I brought—just two.”
Though disappointed, Wang Fugui suddenly remembered what Liu An had said earlier about selling the eggs. “Liu An, can you bring a few more tomorrow? No—bring several! How much per egg? I’ll buy them.”
“Yeah! I want two!”
“I’ll take one!”
“I want two as well!”
The other students eagerly chimed in.
Liu An felt delighted inside, but hesitated. Selling food at school—wouldn’t that upset the teacher? Lowering his voice, he said, “If the teacher finds out, that might not be good…”
Zhou Shen spoke reassuringly, “Don’t worry, Liu An. We won’t tell anyone. We’re buying willingly. Even if the teacher somehow finds out, he won’t blame you. Right?” He looked around at the others.
“That’s right!”
“We promise!”
“Just agree already,” Wang Fugui urged. “I’ll even pay now. How much?”
After thinking it over, Liu An said, “Raw eggs cost one coin each. The spices aren’t cheap either. Since we’re classmates, I’ll sell them for two coins each. Any less and I’d lose money.”
Wang Fugui immediately pulled out ten copper coins and handed them over. “Bring me five tomorrow. Don’t forget!”
“Five? Can you really eat that many?” Liu An asked.
With a rich young master’s air, Wang Fugui waved a hand dismissively. “Three for me. The other two are for my parents.”
Zhou Shen stepped forward as well and handed Liu An ten coins with a smile. “Five for me too.”
The other children weren’t as well-off as Zhou Shen and Wang Fugui. They agreed to pay the next day when the eggs were delivered. Some ordered one, others two. Liu An carefully kept track of each order.
Before school had even ended, he’d already earned twenty copper coins. He was overjoyed.
When classes were dismissed, he immediately spotted his father waiting beneath the big tree outside. “Dad, how long have you been here?” Liu An asked with concern.
Liu Sanzhuang reached out to take the cloth bag from him. Liu An shook his head. “I left my inkstone at school. The bag isn’t heavy—I can carry it.”
Seeing that his son truly had no trouble, Liu Sanzhuang held his hand and asked gently, “An’er, how was class today? Can you understand the teacher?”
“I can understand everything,” Liu An replied confidently. “But my handwriting isn’t very good. Dad, could you make me a sandbox? I want to practice writing in sand first and only use paper once I improve.”
Looking at his thoughtful son, Liu Sanzhuang felt a pang in his heart. His boy was clearly trying to save paper to spare the family expense. I need to work harder to earn more money, he told himself. “Alright. I’ll make one when we get home.”
Liu An beamed. “Dad, did Uncle Dazhuang and Uncle Erzhuang leave already?”
“They just finished work and are waiting for us. Let’s hurry so we don’t keep them waiting.” Liu Sanzhuang scooped Liu An into his arms and quickened his pace. Liu An flushed in embarrassment—luckily they were already some distance away from the school. Hopefully no one had seen.
He calculated silently. There were still dozens of eggs at home—enough to meet tomorrow’s orders. He would ask his mother to prepare more that evening. The smell of pig offal from his father’s load was strong, but Liu An didn’t mind. It was their family’s new source of income—pure money in the making.
“An’er! How was your day? Did you miss Uncle?” uncle Dazhuang laughed as soon as he saw him and reached out his arms. “Come here—don’t let your father’s stinky load rub off on you.”
“I’ll carry him,” Uncle Erzhuang chimed in. “It’s getting late—we should get home quickly.”
“Hmph. First come, first served. I called dibs. And I’m the eldest!” Without waiting, uncle Dazhuang lifted Liu An and strode ahead.
Seeing uncle Erzhuang’s mock disappointment, Liu Sanzhuang offered, “Want to carry the pig offal instead?”
Uncle Erzhuang shot him a look. “After a full day’s work, you want me to carry that smelly stuff too? You carry it.”
The others burst into laughter. Realizing he’d been teased, Liu Sanzhuang just smiled. His brothers had done so much for the family—treating them well was only natural.
Chatting and joking all the way, they soon returned to Liu Family Village. Dinner was already prepared. As soon as they stepped into the yard, sharp-eyed Little Qi Ya shouted, “Mom! My little brother, the uncles, and Dad are back!”
Hearing the call, Xiao Chen and Old Madam Liu hurried out to greet them.
“Come in, come in!” Old Madam Liu said happily. “Wash up and get ready to eat. We’ve been waiting for you.”