GBP Chapter 973 Post-Exam Control Group
Chapter 973 Post-Exam Control Group
Supported by Zhuzhu, Madam Xu stood to the side, listening to others address her as "Old Madam" and showering her with compliments and envy. She was overjoyed, her smile almost reaching her lips. Her mood was cheerful, and she felt refreshed all over, more effective than any magic pill!
I still feel that my life has not been in vain.
When we see Xiaoyuer get married and have children, his life will be even more complete. Who would have known that he would have such good fortune!
Zhuzhu smiled broadly, feeling proud. "Grandma, you've been so lucky in your life. My uncle is now very successful, and Xiaoyuer has a bright future ahead of him. You have nothing to worry about anymore!"
Hearing this, Madam Xu felt relieved, her eyes crinkling with laughter. While responding to the congratulatory people, she patted Zhuzhu's hand and sighed as she instructed:
"In this life, the hardships we endure are limited, and the blessings we enjoy are also limited. I am truly content with the life I have now. But I think you, Zhuzhu, will definitely have even greater blessings than me in the future. Judging from your face, you are a blessed person. You must live your life well from now on, and no matter what others say, as long as you keep your husband and raise your son well, you have nothing to fear!"
Zhuzhu nodded upon hearing this, her face beaming with a sweet and happy expression: "You're absolutely right, I'll keep it in mind!"
No sooner had the words been spoken than a commotion suddenly arose from the alleyway in the distance. Everyone looked over and saw that today's protagonist had returned.
Despite the lively atmosphere, everyone tactfully made way for the carriage to pass.
Seeing the scene outside from inside the carriage, Xiaoyuer understood what was happening. He lifted the curtain, got off the carriage, and greeted everyone with composure and grace.
He was not arrogant or complacent because he had passed the imperial examination and achieved a good ranking.
His eyes and brows still held the spiritedness of youth, making him not at all unpleasant to look at. On the contrary, it made people feel that he had an outstanding presence and was capable of great things.
The atmosphere became even more enthusiastic when the main character appeared.
Everyone chattered amongst themselves, crowding around Little Fish as they walked forward.
Being around the spirited and ambitious Xiaoyuer, Pengpeng was naturally disappointed by his failure to pass the exam. However, he knew in his heart that he had his own abilities and that it was normal for him not to pass.
After Xiaoyuer walked ahead, he followed and got off the carriage, lagging behind by a step. He covered his face with his sleeve, feeling very embarrassed to face the questions from others.
Upon arriving at the door, Xiaoyuer respectfully bowed to Madam Xu and Zhang Ping'an before saying in a deep voice, "Grandmother, Father, I'm back. Heming has lived up to the family's expectations this time and was fortunate enough to be on the list of successful candidates, ranking third!"
With trembling hands, Xu helped Zhuzhu forward, raised her hand to touch her eldest grandson's face, and couldn't help but shed tears of joy. "Good, good, good! I knew my eldest grandson would do well! You've done a great job this time, bringing honor to the family and making our ancestors proud!"
Upon hearing this, Xiaoyuer smiled modestly, clearly satisfied with her ranking.
Compared to Xu's straightforward praise, Zhang Ping'an's compliment was more subtle: "Not bad, worthy of being my son!"
Xiaoyuer knew that his father was always low-key and humble in front of outsiders, so it was not easy for him to praise him so openly in front of so many people, so he didn't mind.
After smiling, she helped her father deal with the guests.
At this moment, the steward led the servants out carrying firecrackers and began to set them off.
Amidst the crackling sounds, some were happy while others were sad.
Pengpeng didn't know how to write back to Lin'an to tell them that he had failed the exam. He didn't know whether to continue to hone his skills in the capital or return to Lin'an to find a job. He was not yet thirty years old, and he could still try harder, but he was really afraid of the constant exams and didn't want to waste his precious time on them.
Feeling depressed, his eyes showed some anxiety, but no one cared about him at that moment.
Zhang Ping'an was unusually happy and also unusually high-profile. He waited in front of the door for most of the morning. A total of more than a dozen groups of messengers came to report the good news and ask for rewards, and he rewarded them all!
The copper coins on the ground in front of the door never stopped falling until almost noon. When Zhang Ping'an saw that the sun was high in the sky, he and his son politely saw off the congratulatory crowd at the door.
He promised that when he held a banquet for the successful candidates in the imperial examinations in the future, he would definitely send someone to invite everyone to come and enjoy the festive atmosphere.
In just a short while, nursery rhymes about the father and son, Xiaoyuer, being two child prodigies have already been published.
Two scholars sat facing each other, trying to identify mosquitoes and flies.
With autumn frost on his nose, he roams the sea of words with ease.
He was able to study the Erya at the age of seven and master the Nine Chapters at the age of nine.
Laughing and chatting about the shallow inkstone, reading aloud in the night.
After listening to it, Zhang Ping'an found that it was written by the children of the neighbors. There was nothing wrong with the words or metaphors, so he just smiled and ignored it.
Once back at the manor, Xiaoyuer finally dropped her airs, slumped her shoulders, and rushed into the main room, gulping down three large cups of tea. "Phew, I was so thirsty! These people are such good talkers!"
After saying that, she looked around and said, "Hey, Dad, Grandma, is Grandpa still resting? I wanted to tell him this good news in person! He'll definitely be happy!"
Zhang Ping'an was also exhausted and sat down to rest. "Didn't I just tell you? Your grandfather caught a bit of a cold. It's the time of year when the weather is cold in early spring, so it's not suitable for him to see guests. Besides, his back and legs aren't good, and he's getting old. His emotional ups and downs can easily harm his health. Let's wait until later. I'll take you to your room to see your grandfather later!"
Little Fish was a little confused. "I've been resting for half the morning. I thought Grandpa must be eager to see me too."
At this point, he keenly sensed something and frowned, asking, "Dad, tell me the truth, is it possible that Grandpa has some health problem again?!"
Zhang Ping'an knew his father didn't want his grandson to worry about him, and was about to reply when Xu Shi waved her hand wearily and said, "Alright, son, just tell the truth, it's nothing."
After saying that, he looked at his grandson and said, "Your grandfather was so happy when he heard the good news that you came in third place that he almost had a stroke. Luckily, your father had prepared medicine in advance and arranged for a doctor to stay at the mansion, so nothing went wrong. But he still can't handle the shock right now. When he calms down tonight, you two should go see him. The old man must be very happy!"
Xiaoyuer's heart tightened at first, but she breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that everything was alright. She was quite helpless and didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Grandpa has too little confidence in me. What's a mere provincial examination? It's a piece of cake! Luckily, everything's alright. I'll go see him tonight and have a good talk with him!"
“Yes, Grandpa loves you the most. He’ll be so happy if you go to see him,” Zhuzhu said with a smile.
Afterwards, Zhang Ping'an rewarded all the servants in the mansion with half a year's wages, which made the servants kowtow and thank him repeatedly, their faces beaming with joy.
The atmosphere in the main room was relaxed.