The Chen family, including Chen Xu, now consists of six members.
From top to bottom, there are Father Chen Qianshan, Mother Luo Shi.
Eldest brother Chen Ping, second son Chen Xu, third brother Chen An, and lastly, little sister Chen Xuan.
Although the family’s size is not small, its structure is quite simple.
It is precisely because of this simplicity that the family has always been united, enjoying a harmony that many village families lack.
Of course, this doesn’t mean there are no family conflicts at all.
For instance, Chen An’s lively and playful nature sometimes gets him reprimanded by their parents.
Chen Xuan is clever and loves to eat, putting all kinds of strange things into her mouth, and she likes to run out to play in the mountains with the village girls.
When Luo Shi sees this, she often scolds her a few times.
Elder brother Chen Ping is the only one who is a silent workhorse, most similar in temperament to Chen Qianshan.
Luo Shi, on the other hand, is unlike anyone else, as she has a slight stutter. When speaking slowly, it’s not noticeable, but when she gets emotional, her stutter reveals itself.
Thus, Luo Shi is also usually silent.
However, today Chen Xu came back, and together they experienced an indescribable strange event.
The Chen family experienced a rollercoaster of emotions that day, and even the usually silent ones were talking, gathering in the main room and chatting lively.
"Second Brother." Chen Xuan leaned next to Chen Xu, blinking her bright eyes and curiously asked Chen Xu, "Were you and Uncle the village head playing some kind of riddle game earlier?
I thought your conversation was strange, why was Uncle the village head laughing so heartily later?
Also, why did he say you were transparent?"
Chen Xu did not dismiss her just because Chen Xuan is only an eight or nine-year-old girl, but rather answered her: "Because I mentioned brother Lihui, aiming to tell Uncle the village head.
If I can indeed achieve success and pass the exams, I can take Lihui with me. The source of this content ɪs 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝙣𝙚𝙩
Uncle the village head has two sons at home, the eldest being from his original wife, and most of Uncle’s land and property will be left to the eldest son.
If Uncle the village head’s position can be passed down, it can only be to the eldest son.
Lihui, however, is the son of a subsequent wife. Although Uncle the village head loves him, he cannot leave too much inheritance for him over the eldest son.
Now that I have offered Uncle the village head another possibility, of course, he is happy."
Chen Xu did not mention that he had just made a deal with Fang Lihui and village head Fang Xinbai.
Chen Xuan suddenly exclaimed: "Oh, so that’s it, Second Brother, you observe so carefully, how did you think of so much all at once?"
"This is not something thought of all at once, but rather a result of paying attention daily. The relationships between people are a great subject, and when you pay attention, you can use it when needed."
Chen Xu taught Chen Xuan: "In the future, when we walk out of this village, Xiao Xuan, you’ll have to make connections with all kinds of people.
Some are friends, some are passersby, some can be ignored, but some you must pay more attention to.
Even if you don’t need to do anything about it, it’s better than being confused when necessary and knowing nothing."
Chen Xuan exclaimed again: "Second Brother, do we have to leave the village in the future? But if we leave, where will we go?"
Chen Xu said: "That day will come, but there’s no need to rush now. When the time comes, you’ll naturally know where to go and how to get there."
After a lengthy conversation, the somewhat strange atmosphere caused by the arrival of Cui Fu and others finally dissipated.
Luo Shi slowly said: "Second Son, don’t worry too much about us, focus on your exams first."
"I know, don’t worry, Mother,"
Chen Xu said as he took a large food container from the things he brought back.
The food container has three tiers, tightly packed with three big bowls of porridge.
If these three big bowls of porridge were divided into small bowls, it could fill at least a dozen.
Chen Xu asked Chen An to get bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen to distribute the porridge and told everyone: "This porridge has some effect of nourishing the Qi blood. Let’s eat it together, and when I have free time, I’ll find some martial arts for the elder brother and third brother to practice."
The topic suddenly shifted to martial arts.
Chen Ping and Chen An were caught off guard, not expecting Chen Xu to mention practicing martial arts.
The two brothers were stunned, Chen Ping’s tongue-tied, while Chen An stammered in surprise and doubt: "Second Brother, what did you say? Martial arts? Did I hear wrong?"
Chen Xu lifted his eyes to look at him and smiled: "What? You don’t like reading, and you don’t like martial arts either?"
This time Chen An finally confirmed he hadn’t heard wrong. He was about to stand up and cheer but was stopped when Luo Shi said: "Practicing martial arts requires money... it’s more expensive than studying."
Chen An’s joy was immediately dampened.
Chen Xu pushed the bowl of porridge in front of himself and told everyone: "Father, Mother, Elder Brother, Little Sister, drink the porridge."
What he brought, of course, wasn’t ordinary porridge.
Ordinary porridge wouldn’t be worth bringing from the county back to his hometown, this porridge is actually the Five-Red Blood Nourishing Soup, which Chen Xu made himself last night.
He has attribute points to freely add and doesn’t need the Five-Red Blood Nourishing Soup.
But for his family to use, this is just right.
The Chen family actually found Chen Xu’s act of bringing porridge somewhat strange, but ever since he enrolled in study, his status in the family is quite extraordinary. With his urging, everyone obediently picked up the porridge to eat.
Afterwards, as the Five-Red Blood Nourishing Soup entered their stomachs, the taste was undoubtedly delicious.
More importantly, a strange warmth gradually flowed into everyone’s limbs and bones.
Every family member uttered: "Good porridge!"
And they said: "This porridge is clearly cold, why does it feel warm in the stomach?"
[Consuming spiritual food, the daily like limit is 100].
On this day, Chen Xu gained a lot of likes.
Counting those from earlier from Cui Fu and others, and today from family, his cumulative likes first broke the 2000-point threshold, pressing towards 3000 points.
Chen Xu spent a fulfilling afternoon at home, but suddenly felt restless in the evening.
His original plan was to return to the county town in the morning, however, as the sun was setting, he felt a sudden rush of urgency.
This indescribable anxiety urged him to say goodbye to his family immediately: "I must return to the county town tonight, and in a few days, I’ll go to Prefecture City myself. There’s no need for you to see me off. Father, Mother, wait for my good news."
Since he said so, although Luo Shi and others were reluctant, they couldn’t keep him.
Luo Shi was worried about him traveling at night, originally suggesting for Chen Ping and Chen An to accompany him for a bit.
With just a few words, Chen Xu refused the brother’s offer to accompany him. Then he left thirty taels of silver at home, seized the moment before the sun completely set, and left alone in long strides.
Halfway through his journey, it started to drizzle lightly.
Chen Xu suddenly felt a stirring of his heart and called forth a wisp of gentle breeze around him.
The wind seemed like the earth and sky’s breath.
In the drizzle, Chen Xu accompanied by that wisp of wind, stepped into the city like a shadow just before the city gates closed.
The soldiers guarding the city wondered aloud: "Strange, it seemed like someone just went in, yet it also seemed like no one did. Did I just see wrong or what?"
Others said: "It must be your eyes playing tricks, there’s no one there?"
Chen Xu, however, took advantage of the slanting wind and drizzle to return to Ping’an Lane.