TTTQF Chapter 72

Skipping School Is Not An Option

When Jiang Miao arrives at the Wen family's place, he sees a woman, about forty or fifty years old, carrying a large bucket of clothes into the house. Although her face looks a bit tired and weathered, her hair is meticulously arranged. Although her clothes are patched up, the blue and white fabric looks particularly clean. The clothes she carries are of various styles and fabrics, suggesting they don’t belong to the same household. Based on the information he gathers earlier, Jiang Miao speculates that this must be work she takes from somewhere else.

“Excuse me, is Aunt Wen living here?” Jiang Miao asks politely. Though he thinks this is Aunt Wen, he cannot be sure after all.

The woman looks up in surprise. “Young man, what do you need from me?”

"Ah, so you are Aunt Wen. I am the owner of the small shop on Mingfeng Street that serves breakfast. I am looking for a quick and efficient cleaner to help out. I heard that you are very capable, so I came to find you."

Aunt Wen pauses for a moment, brings the clothes into the yard, then wipes her hands and comes back out.

“It’s a bit inconvenient inside, so I won’t invite you in. Young man, are you saying you want me to work as a cleaner in your shop?” Aunt Wen confirms.

“Yes, that’s right. My shop needs a washer. We open around the time the morning bell rings and close around the hour of the dragon. After closing, you would help with washing and cutting. Two meals are provided, and the pay is temporarily set at eight hundred wen.”

Jiang Miao understands her concerns. As a widow, she faces many difficulties, and with other young women in the yard, it’s not appropriate for outsiders to enter casually, so he discusses the matter with her at the door.

Eight hundred wen might seem trivial for a young and strong man, but for a woman of advancing age, it is already quite a good amount. She works hard every day, doing laundry and miscellaneous tasks, and can only earn about five to six hundred wen a month. With eight hundred wen and two meals provided, it sounds like a good offer.

"Manager Jiang, I can do this work, but I need to make one thing clear first,” Aunt Wen does not immediately agree.

Jiang Miao says, “Go ahead.”

“I am a widow. After marrying, my father-in-law and husband both pass away one after another. Over the years, people say that I bring bad luck and misfortune. I have tried to find work in shops before, but I am eventually driven away by the Managers." Some even refuse to pay her wages.

Jiang Miao notices that Aunt Wen speaks without sadness or joy in her eyes, as if her past suffering and the way people use it to hurt her again are insignificant. She waits quietly for Jiang Miao's decision, without a trace of resentment.

“Life, old age, sickness, and death are all predestined; how can we blame others for them? As for misfortune, just look at how healthy your children are, and you'll know it's nonsense,” Jiang Miao says.

Aunt Wen pauses for a moment and then smiles, “Since the Manager doesn’t mind, I’ll start work tomorrow.”

“Great, my shop is located at the east end of Mingfeng Street. There’s an open space in front with a canopy,” Jiang Miao tells her the location in detail, worried that Aunt Wen might have trouble finding his shop.

Aunt Wen asks, “Does the sign say Jiang’s Shop? I can recognize a few characters, so I should be able to find it.”

Jiang Miao smiles and says, “That’s the best way.” He finds it a bit strange; in ancient times, families with girls who could read generally had fairly good conditions. No wonder Aunt Wen's manner of speaking sounds a bit different from that of ordinary women.

Because he is so curious, Jiang Miao is somewhat absent-minded until he brings the two children home. As a result, he doesn’t notice that someone is standing by the side door at that moment.

“Brother Pei Che is here!” Xiao Shitou is the only one who excitedly announces, having noticed Pei Che.

Jiang Miao is startled and looks up to see Pei Che, whom he hasn't seen for several days, standing by the door and looking this way. As their eyes meet, Jiang Miao feels uncomfortable and quickly averts his gaze.

“Xiao Mu, your brother is here,” Jiang Miao nudges Pei Mu forward.

Pei Mu looks up at him and then walks over to Pei Che, grabbing his hand. Pei Che pats his head, holds his hand, and waits for Jiang Miao to open the side door.

Jiang Miao walks over awkwardly. Pei Che slightly moves aside, but they are so close that it feels like a slight movement would bring them together. Jiang Miao fumbles with the key, struggling to find the lock hole. Pei Che sighs, takes the key from him, opens the door, and then, as if he were the owner, takes out another key, opens the main door, and walks in.

Jiang Miao and Xiao Shitou follow them inside. Once inside, Jiang Miao pretends to be casual and says, “I’ll go prepare dinner. Xiao Shitou, Xiao Mu, do you want to come with me?”

Before Xiao Shitou can respond, Pei Che speaks first, “Xiao Shitou, take Mu’er to the study to practice writing.”

“Oh,” Xiao Shitou obediently replies, taking Pei Mu’s hand and heading to the study. He glances back at them with a worried expression, sensing something is off between the two.

Jiang Miao watches them leave, feeling pained as the awkwardness remains between him and Pei Che.

“Uh, Pei Che, I’m going to prepare dinner; make yourself at home.” After quickly throwing out this line, Jiang Miao hurries into the kitchen, only to find that Pei Che also lifts the curtain and follows him in.

Normally, this gentleman rarely enters the kitchen, but now that he’s here, he doesn’t offer to help; he just stares intently at Jiang Miao’s back without saying a word.

Jiang Miao tries to ignore the gaze behind him but finds it impossible. He sighs and turns around, saying, “What exactly do you want?”

“Why haven’t you come to the Imperial Academy?” Pei Che looks at him with a somewhat lonely expression and eyes that contain an indescribable emotion. Since that day, Jiang Miao hasn’t been to the Imperial Academy again. Although things are still delivered on time, Pei Che always feels an emptiness in his heart.

“I’ve been busy,” Jiang Miao says with an awkward smile. “The shop has just opened, and there’s so much to do.”

“Don’t you have time to reply to letters?” Pei Che had taken too long a leave before, so it is not easy to ask again. Since Jiang Miao didn’t come, he could only write letters.

“Didn’t I reply? I sent it along with the pickles.” Jiang Miao insists that he did reply, even though the letter wasn’t quite what Pei Che had hoped for.

“Is this what you call a reply?” Pei Che pulls out a piece of paper from his chest, revealing the four characters “Safe and well, do not worry” written on it. That night when he received the reply, he spends an entire hour staring at this piece of paper.

“If that’s not a reply, what is it…” Seeing Pei Che’s face darkening, Jiang Miao’s voice becomes increasingly quieter. “I only recognize a few characters. I’ve never really been to school.”

He quickly comes up with a good excuse. Although it might be a bit unfair to Father Guojia, who works hard to promote nine years of compulsory education, he really hasn’t attended school in this ancient era!

Pei Che sneers, “If that’s the case, then pack your things and come with me to the Imperial Academy to study.” Pei Che doesn’t know where Jiang Miao learns to read, but the characters he knows are definitely not as few as he claims.

Seeing that Pei Che doesn’t seem to be joking, Jiang Miao is bewildered, “You… you’re joking, right?”

"How can this be a joke? How can the future wife of the heir be uneducated? If others find out, it would shame the Duke’s residence,” Pei Che says coldly.

Jiang Miao is stunned and slams the knife onto the cutting board, saying fiercely, “Say that again!”

Pei Che sighs, his entire demeanor suddenly relaxing. "Ah Miao, this is the real you. What I said earlier wasn’t my true intention; I just wanted to know if you really think of me as someone who would say such things. I don’t understand why you’ve been so polite to me recently. If it is because of those two incidents, I sincerely apologize again and hope you’re no longer upset.” Pei Che feels a bit disheartened; from the very beginning, Jiang Miao has never shown him a good face.

Jiang Miao is stunned. He looks at Pei Che, who is filled with sadness, and isn’t sure what to say. After a long silence, he finally speaks.

“I know you’re not that kind of person, and I’m not angry. I just feel a bit awkward. The last time with the shop, I was being pretentious. You might have found it strange that I accepted the house but refused to take the shop, acting all high and mighty. I don’t even know what I was thinking. Anyway, at that time, I just didn’t want it!"

Jiang Miao scratches his head irritably and speaks incoherently. “Later, when you said a few things, I accepted it again. I felt pretty pathetic. I’m a grown man, and I can’t do anything without help… Maybe it’s inferiority. You have everything and think of everything for me, while I can’t do anything myself.”

Pei Che gazes at Jiang Miao gently. He thought Jiang Miao was only upset because of the lies and his unilateral decision to buy the shop. Pei Che doesn’t have many friends, and even fewer who understand him deeply. Jiang Miao’s presence has allowed him to explore areas he has never ventured into before, making him feel that his life is no longer stagnant. Pei Che has thought a lot these days, and every thought tells him he doesn’t want to lose Jiang Miao as a friend.

Before coming here, he is prepared to be met with coldness and has thought about how to make amends for the displeasure his lies have caused Jiang Miao. But he doesn’t expect Jiang Miao to say such things.

“If you couldn’t do anything, I wouldn’t be standing here now. You’ve helped me out of difficulties, helped me educate Mu'er, and prepared delicious food for me. In my heart, I’m the one who can’t do anything,” Pei Che says. “I have nothing but money. But to you, money is something that’s dispensable. Without ornate decorations, you can still live happily in a rental house. Without rich and savory dishes, even the most ordinary food becomes delicious in your hands. You support your younger brother, pay for his education, and teach him how to be a man. All of this is not something that only wealth can achieve.”

Jiang Miao grows more and more confused as he listens and looks at Pei Che in disbelief, wondering if he’s lost his mind. Who is this person who thinks money is insignificant?

Pei Che continues to analyze his feelings, “I have nothing to repay you for your help, so I can only give you what little I have. I didn’t expect it to make you misunderstand. I’m not someone who has everything.”

"Alright, let’s not keep bringing it up. Let’s just let the past be the past and not mention it again in the future, okay?" Jiang Miao feels that the prolonged dilemma is finally resolved.

Their thoughts are completely different, and it is the lack of communication that causes the trouble. He wants to slap his past self across the face. Next time, if he doesn’t communicate properly and instead uses sarcasm or keeps things to himself, he’s just a fool.

"Then you promise you won’t ignore me like before,” Pei Che immediately seizes the opportunity, as if he wasn’t the one who was feeling down just moments ago.

“Then you also need to promise that next time you’ll consult with me before doing anything and that you can't lie to me.”

The two happily exchange promises, and the atmosphere returns to its usual warmth. Jiang Miao turns back to chopping vegetables and casually asks, “By the way, why are you free today? Is the Imperial Academy on holiday?”

“Yes, it’s on holiday,” Pei Che replies offhandedly, but then suddenly realizes and corrects himself, “No, actually, it’s not on holiday.”

"Is it on holiday or not?” Jiang Miao feels very strange. He turns his head and looks at Pei Che. “You didn’t skip school, did you?”

Pei Che’s gaze drifts, and he doesn’t answer.

He really skips school?!

…

In the Imperial Academy, Han Qin bravely hands over the leave request to Li Siyue, who is frowning and scrutinizing him. “This is written by Ah Che and asked me to pass it on to you. He couldn’t ask for leave in person due to sudden matters at the Duke’s residence. I hope you can forgive him.”

“This handwriting?”

“It was urgent, so he wrote quickly,” Han Qin explains smoothly, having prepared an excuse for the hasty handwriting.

Li Siyue stares at him for a long time and can only say, “This is a one-time exception.”

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