Chapter 384: Chapter 384: Cried
The days flew by in a blur of travel between Yeyang and Dafeng Village. In the blink of an eye, it was the seventh day of the eleventh month.
The only reason Ji Huan remembered the date so clearly wasn’t because of any grand festival, but because on this very day, the joyous news that Song Jing had become a scholar reached Dafeng Village.
The messenger bearing the good news first went to village chief Meng’s house. When they didn’t find him there, Meng Laosan dragged the messenger straight to West River Gully.
The village chief had been spending a lot of time at West River Gully recently. It was the largest of the several workshops, bustling with people and activity. You could spend half a day just chatting.
As it happened, Ji Huan was also there today. The two of them watched the workers for a while and took the opportunity to chat about the future.
"Wuan, about those spices you’re growing on Nanshan... if they really take off, do you think the village could start growing them too? I was thinking it’s better than everyone just planting crops..."
"Dad! Song Jing passed! Song Jing became a scholar!"
Meng Laosan hadn’t even arrived yet, but his voice carried across the river.
The sudden shout startled the village chief, interrupting him mid-sentence.
He cupped a hand to his ear, wondering if his old age was making him hear things.
"Wuan, what in the world is my third son hollering about? Did you catch what he said?"
Ji Huan seemed taken aback for a moment as well, but she quickly recovered.
"I think he said Song Jing became a scholar."
For some reason, even though his own son was shouting himself hoarse, the village chief was still skeptical. But hearing it from Ji Huan, he believed it instantly.
"Really?! Oh, my... this is just..."
Overcome with a sudden, immense joy, the village chief had no idea what to say or do. As he was scratching his head in bewilderment, Meng Laosan arrived with the messenger.
The messenger was a young man from Song Jing’s clan who owned a horse. He said that as soon as the official announcement reached Song Family Village, Song Jing hadn’t even had time to properly greet the official before entrusting him with delivering the good news to the village chief in Dafeng Village.
The workers all stopped what they were doing and came over to congratulate the village chief.
They all said the village chief hadn’t doted on his nephew for nothing; the first person Song Jing wanted to share this monumental news with was him.
Those words truly warmed the village chief’s heart!
He was grinning from ear to ear. After bowing to everyone in a circle, he hurried away with the messenger and Meng Laosan.
Once the village chief left, the atmosphere immediately became a little strange.
After all, there had been that whole affair between Ji Huan and Song Jing. True or not, who knew? But in life, nothing stings more than comparison. To see her miss out on such a fine gentleman, only to marry a crude man from the countryside—who wouldn’t feel the bitterness of such a reversal?
As people’s perspectives change, their attitudes follow suit. Plus, after spending these days together, the workers had gotten to know Ji Huan. They naturally wouldn’t jump on the bandwagon to mock her or spread rumors anymore.
But in a situation like this, it was impossible to avoid a sense of awkwardness.
Some wanted to comfort Ji Huan, but they didn’t know how.
’What could they say? Console her by saying that even though Guan Shan is a bit of a cold loner and his face is a little scary, at least he knows how to dote on her?’
’And what good is doting on her anyway? Song Jing is on the verge of becoming an official. There’s simply no comparison.’
But Ji Huan, on the other hand, acted as if nothing was wrong. She chatted idly with them, saying the village chief was very fortunate and that Song Jing was very impressive.
Just now, when the village chief was here, she had also offered her congratulations gracefully, showing no signs of being upset.
The workers’ taut nerves gradually began to relax.
’It seems the old rumors were most likely baseless. Seeing Ji Huan chatting and laughing so freely, she probably never took it to heart at all.’
After the workers returned to their stations, Ji Huan wandered around a bit more.
The first branch of the family lived nearby, so Daya and Erya often came over to play. Today, they had brought Sanyang on their back, because Yang was busy cooking and couldn’t look after her.
Ji Huan played with the three sisters for a while before finally heading home.
Ji Mingfang and Dabao were lying on their stomachs in the courtyard, writing while basking in the sun. Dahuang was dozing at Dabao’s feet.
Guan Shan wasn’t there. A look in the backyard showed that Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding were also gone, so she knew they had gone to the back mountain again.
Whenever he wasn’t going to Yeyang, Guan Shan would always disappear for a while after finishing his chores at home. Ji Huan knew he was eager to recover his original strength and martial skills, so she only reminded him to be careful and didn’t ask too many questions.
Guan Shan didn’t return until it was almost time for lunch.
At the dining table, the three of them ate with their heads down, no one saying a word.
After the meal, Guan Shan washed the dishes as usual, while Ji Huan went to the backyard to feed the rabbits and play with the silly dogs with a small wooden ball.
Watching Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding scrambling over the ball, Ji Huan was lost in thought for a moment.
She could still clearly remember how tiny the four little ones were when they were born. Now, they had grown into big, boisterous dogs, even taller and stronger than their own mother.
’Time really does pass so quickly.’
She stared blankly, her chin in her hand, not noticing Guan Shan around the corner, who had been watching her for quite some time.
In the space of a single afternoon, the news of Song Jing becoming a scholar had spread throughout the entire village.
It was like a drop of water falling into a hot oil wok—it exploded instantly.
People heard he hadn’t placed first, but considering everything he had been through recently—his own mother hanging herself, and then his wedding—to still be able to pass under such circumstances was an incredible feat.
No matter how you looked at it, Song Jing was practically one of Dafeng Village’s own. Rounding up, it was as if Dafeng Village itself had produced a scholar—that was the kind of fortune you’d have to burn incense for several lifetimes to earn!
And so, the entire village was filled with a sense of shared honor and pride.
Passing the exams to become a child student or even a Scholar might still draw some sour grapes, but becoming a scholar? You wouldn’t hear a single jealous word.
The gap was just too wide. It was beyond envy, and jealousy was pointless. All that was left was endless admiration and flattery.
Of course, Ji Huan’s name was also mentioned, but with her workers now in more than half the village’s households, there were more than enough voices to speak up for her and set the record straight, sinking the gossip before it could float.
While no major storm brewed outside, a small squall was rising at home.
After dinner, Ji Huan washed up and went to the west room as usual to tell Dabao a story. Only after he had fallen asleep did she return to her own room.
Pushing open the door, she froze for a second.
"You’re not asleep yet?"
Guan Shan was actually there, leaning against the windowsill with his arms crossed, gazing out the window at some unknown thought.
Hearing the door open, he turned to look at her, his eyes as dark and deep as the night itself.
"Is there something you want to say?"
Ji Huan walked over to the desk and sat down. She started to let her hair down but was suddenly struck by a headache. Closing her eyes, she began massaging her temples with the pads of her thumbs.
Guan Shan’s gaze shifted downward, fixing on Ji Huan’s slightly furrowed brow. His own brow wrinkled in response.
"Song Jing became a scholar."
The sudden statement made Ji Huan’s hands freeze.
After a long moment, she just hummed in acknowledgment.
Guan Shan’s thin lips slowly pressed into a tight line, a shadow creeping into his eyes.
"Are you sad, or do you have regrets?"
The question was inexplicably tinged with anger.
Normally, Ji Huan would have bristled and shot back a retort.
But today, Ji Huan was uncharacteristically quiet.
"Say something."
The fire in his heart burned hotter, but Guan Shan forced himself to hold it back and asked again.
Just as his patience was about to run out, Ji Huan’s shoulders suddenly began to tremble slightly.
Her posture didn’t change, her elbows still propped on the table, but now she had buried her face in her hands.
’Is she crying?’ Guan Shan froze.
He watched as Ji Huan’s frail shoulders shook more violently, and a few choked sobs escaped from between her fingers.
Guan Shan’s brows drew tighter and tighter. The dark fire in his chest had vanished, replaced by confusion and helplessness.
He had never seen Ji Huan cry before, and he had no idea how to handle a situation like this.
’Maybe I shouldn’t have brought this up...’
He opened his mouth several times but couldn’t think of anything to say that would make her stop crying.
At first, Ji Huan’s weeping was quiet, but as time passed in Guan Shan’s silence, her sobs grew louder until, finally, they were completely unrestrained.
Guan Shan straightened up. He stiffly reached a hand toward Ji Huan, stopping just above her right shoulder.
Just as he was about to let it fall, he suddenly heard Ji Huan choke out:
"Fine! I am sad! And I do regret it! So what!"
His broad palm instantly clenched into a fist.
Guan Shan pulled his hand back behind him. A vein throbbed on his temple, and his gaze turned cold, deep, and dark in an instant.