Transmigrated Into an Ancient Filial Piety Novel as a Scumbag Alpha (GL) - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Ji Ming finally returned home feeling frustrated.

For lunch, Ji Huan naturally had no intention of eating with the Ji family, especially since she had put senna leaves in the water tank. She and Jiang Yubai had already prepared a small pot, used it to cook coarse grain porridge, and steamed eight potatoes.

After the potatoes were cooked, Ji Huan found a newly bought large porcelain basin, peeled the potato skins, and put them inside. Then she used a wooden pestle for pounding garlic to mash all the potatoes into a puree. She added seasonings like soy sauce, and finally sprinkled a layer of chopped green onions. The aroma of the mashed potatoes soon wafted far away.

The Ji family was curious why Ji Huan, after just arguing with the family, went to the kitchen to cook. But after what had just happened, no one dared to come out and make trouble.

After Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai finished cooking, they carried the porridge and mashed potatoes back to their room.

After they left for a while, Liu Fengmei dared to come out and look. She saw the kitchen was completely empty. Even the pot Ji Huan had used was washed clean, leaving not a single bit of food.

Liu Fengmei was so angry she took several heavy breaths. But she couldn’t bear to let her son come out to work, so she had to fetch water from the outside bucket to cook herself.

In Ji Huan’s room, Ji Qiao drank a few sips of porridge and cautiously asked, “Sister, did you cook your own meal because you saw Mother was angry?”

Ji Huan sat there, chuckled for a moment, and looked up at Ji Qiao. “You’ll find out soon enough. Eat quickly.”

Ji Qiao nodded, completely unaware of why Ji Huan was so happy.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yubai ate heartily. The mashed potatoes, mixed this way, had a unique flavor, and paired with the coarse grain porridge, it was incredibly satisfying.

After eating, Ji Qiao took on the task of washing the dishes, while Ji Huan lay on the bed, holding her Little White Rabbit.

Little White Rabbit snuggled comfortably in Ji Huan’s arms, rubbing against her. She was full and now felt a bit sleepy.

Ji Huan held Little White Rabbit for a while and soon fell asleep. About an hour later, noises started coming from outside.

“Ji Yuan, are you occupying the latrine without doing anything? Hurry up and get out, I can’t hold it anymore,” Ji Sen shouted, banging on the latrine door.

“Do you think I don’t want to get up? I just came out of the latrine, and now I need to go again. No, it’s coming again, I need to stay longer,” Ji Yuan’s weak voice came from inside.

Ji Ming and Li Yulan, along with their two kids, came out too. Seeing the latrine was still occupied, the four of them decisively went to the small grove to find a place to relieve themselves. Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei were the same, having already gone twice in a short time.

Ji Mantun lay on the bed, feeling like he was about to collapse from exhaustion.

By the afternoon, the Ji family members were weaker with each trip, and dinner was eventually abandoned.

Ji Huan, in a great mood, used the water she had saved earlier to make pan-fried noodles, but only for the three of them. Since the others had bad intentions, she figured she’d help them clear their stomachs.

At bedtime, Ji Mantun lay weakly on the bed and asked, “Mother, did you mix something unclean in the food? Look, Ji Huan and the others cooked their own meal today and are fine.”

“Who knows? I was so angry with Ji Huan today, I don’t even know if I put something wrong. Oh no, here it comes again, I have to go again,” Liu Fengmei said, grabbing a wooden stick from the room to use as a crutch, as her legs were too weak to walk.

The next morning, it was Ji Sen’s turn to work. After spending half the day in the latrine, Ji Sen was starving by early morning. The household water was almost used up, so he and Wang Xiuxiu went early to fetch water and then prepared breakfast in the kitchen.

Jiang Yubai saw that the water they had stored in their room was also used up and quietly asked, “Sister, are we going to the river to fetch water today?”

“No need. Yesterday, the water tank only had less than half left. With what was added today, it’s already diluted and won’t affect the stomach much. We can just drink from the tank,” Ji Huan said.

Hearing this, Little White Rabbit nodded.

When Ji Huan went to the kitchen to get breakfast, she saw the Ji family members looking pale and gaunt, clearly having successfully “cleansed” themselves yesterday. Ji Huan had a smile on her face all morning.

The next few days passed peacefully, but Ji Yuan went to the county town to study. Before leaving, Ji Mantun gave Ji Yuan three taels of silver, holding his hand and repeatedly saying, “Third son, the spring exam is getting closer. Your mother and I are counting on you.”

“Father, don’t worry, I’ll definitely work hard this time,” Ji Yuan said, but in his heart, he thought he needed to quickly find a rich Kunze. If he didn’t act soon, he might not get another chance.

Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei were very reluctant to see Ji Yuan go, accompanying him to the village entrance before turning back.

After Ji Yuan returned to the academy, he saw his roommates Sun Tiancheng and Wang Lu had already returned. Because of a previous encounter with Ji Yuan in the county town, Sun Tiancheng’s attitude toward him was no longer as warm as before.

When he saw Ji Yuan arrive, he only gave a faint greeting, “Brother Ji Yuan, you’re here?”

“Yes, you all came back quite early too,” Ji Yuan said, pretending to be a refined gentleman. Sun Tiancheng didn’t feel like engaging with him.

While they were talking, another person arrived—Li Renjie, Ji Yuan’s roommate. He ran in excitedly, “You’re all back? Yu Bin was just asking about me. He’s hosting tonight and inviting everyone to Qingfeng Tower for drinks and dinner. Do you all have time?”

“Since it’s Brother Yu’s invitation, we must go,” Ji Yuan said eagerly. He needed such social occasions to find a rich woman.

“Alright, I’ll let him know. Remember to come tonight. I heard Yu Bin say his sister will be there too,” Li Renjie said, winking at his roommates.

Ji Yuan could barely contain his smile, and the others in the room felt the same.

Wang Lu closed the dormitory door and whispered, “Yu Bin’s family only has him and his sister. His parents would do anything for her. I heard they don’t plan to marry her off but are looking for a son-in-law to join the family.”

Sun Tiancheng nodded, glanced at Ji Yuan, and said, “I heard that too, but I also heard his sister has very high standards. The wealthy families in our county don’t want their sons to marry into her family, and the Yu family looks down on less prominent households.”

The three of them were each making their own calculations. Ji Yuan’s heart raced even faster. The Yu family was one of the richest in Qingyuan County. If he could win over Miss Yu, he could live comfortably for the rest of his life.

With that in mind, Ji Yuan hurried to his bed to pack, pulling out his best-looking white cotton robe.

Sun Tiancheng glanced at Ji Yuan and sneered. His own family ran a small business in the county, while Ji Yuan’s family was so poor they could barely afford food. And yet, Ji Yuan thought he could impress Miss Yu?

Sun Tiancheng scoffed but said nothing. After all, they all looked about the same, and Ji Yuan was only decent-looking, not an outstanding Qianyuan.

That evening, it seemed word had spread. The invited Qianyuan men dressed extravagantly, like peacocks showing off their feathers, leaving Yu Bin somewhat overwhelmed.

His sister had recently read many romantic stories about scholars and ladies and insisted he invite some of the closer students from the academy so she could take a look.

Of course, Yu Bin wouldn’t let his sister dine with such a large group of Qianyuan men. Instead, he arranged for his sister, Yu Ting, to sit in a private room nearby, where she could see them through the window and hear their conversations clearly.

At the dinner table, someone couldn’t hold back, “Brother Yu, didn’t you say your sister was coming too?”

“Oh, she doesn’t like crowds and finds it noisy. Let’s eat our meal and not worry about her,” Yu Bin said, picking up his chopsticks. Everyone else started eating too.

But scholars have always been competitive. After a few rounds of drinks, some at the table began to mock each other.

“Brother Sun, how’s business at your family’s little stall? If it’s not doing well, we can come by tomorrow and buy something to support your family,” someone said.

Sun Tiancheng forced a smile and quickly changed the subject, “No need for that. My family may be struggling, but it’s nothing compared to Ji Yuan. You all don’t know, but before the New Year, I saw Ji Yuan and his family in the county buying goods.”

Ji Yuan’s face showed panic when he heard this. He was separated from Sun Tiancheng by another person and couldn’t stop him.

“Ji Yuan’s sister and brother were covered in patches. I glanced at his sister and saw more than a dozen patches on her clothes, right, Ji Yuan?” Sun Tiancheng said, deliberately smiling at Ji Yuan.

A woman in the nearby private room heard this and seemed to take an interest, frequently glancing at Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan swallowed his anger. Thanks to Ji Huan at home, he was getting better at holding his temper. “Brother Sun is exaggerating. My second sister is always frugal. Farmers don’t lack clothes; they just don’t want to waste them.”

“Oh, really? You seem to dress quite well. I thought your family must be landlords in the village,” Wang Lu said, his tone slightly mocking, surprised that Ji Yuan’s family was so poor.

These scholars studied for exams, but if they failed, they needed to build connections while still in school. Since Ji Yuan seemed useless, there was no need to be friendly with him.

“Yes, Brother Ji, you don’t seem poor at the academy. We didn’t expect this. How about I ask my family to buy grain from your family when we return? Haha,” someone said.

“I’ll do the same,” Li Renjie joined in, adding to the teasing.

Ji Yuan was about to defend himself when Yu Ting came out from the private room. “I think he’s diligent and hardworking. Though his family is poor, he hasn’t given up. That’s much better than those who like to mock others.”

“Why did you come out?” Yu Bin saw his sister and quickly smiled, waving at her. After saying a few words to the group, Yu Ting smiled at Ji Yuan and returned to the private room.

Sun Tiancheng and the others were almost dying of jealousy. Could Ji Yuan, this toad, really eat swan meat?

From then on, Yu Ting often asked Yu Bin to invite Ji Yuan out. With Ji Yuan’s acting skills, he perfectly played the role of a hardworking scholar from a poor family, fooling Yu Ting completely. She truly believed Ji Yuan was an earnest and upright scholar.

Miss Yu, like her brother, had been pampered at home since childhood and hadn’t faced many setbacks. When not spending time with other wealthy Kunze in the county, she liked staying in her room reading romantic stories about poor scholars and noble ladies. That’s why she fell so hard for Ji Yuan.

One day, Yu Ting invited Ji Yuan to go fishing and introduce him to a few of her friends. Ji Yuan arrived early, deliberately choosing a less new outfit to maintain his humble scholar persona.

Besides Ji Yuan, Yu Ting invited a few other friends. Song Xue arrived early too, but she felt Ji Yuan seemed fake and didn’t want to engage with him.

To maintain his persona, Ji Yuan intentionally kept his distance from other Kunze, which, in Yu Ting’s eyes, made him seem loyal in love.

While fishing on the boat, Yu Ting suddenly had an idea and smiled at Ji Yuan. “By the way, isn’t your academy off tomorrow? I want to visit your Dongniu Village.”

As a sheltered young lady curious about everything, she had never been to a village and was especially excited.

Ji Yuan’s calm facade nearly cracked. He clenched his hand at his side, barely managing a smile. “There’s nothing to see in the village. How about we go to the new bookstore in the city to read and have tea tomorrow?”

Yu Ting shook her head. “Just let me go. I’ve never been to a village my whole life. Besides, we’ve known each other for almost a month. I want to bring some gifts and visit your family.”

“No way,” Ji Yuan blurted out instinctively. Realizing his mistake, he quickly added, “I mean, you come from a noble family, and the village is full of uneducated people. I’m afraid you’d be uncomfortable, and my poor family might disappoint you.”

Saying this, Ji Yuan sighed with a dejected expression. To Yu Ting’s friend Song Xue, it seemed affected. She rolled her eyes and muttered loud enough for everyone to hear, “Maybe he’s hiding some secret he doesn’t want you to know. That’s why he’s being so evasive.”

“Miss Song, that’s not what I mean. The village is just too simple, and I’m worried Tingting won’t be comfortable,” Ji Yuan quickly explained.

Yu Ting, smitten, nodded in agreement. “Don’t say that about Ji Yuan, or I’ll really get mad.”

Song Xue looked at her friend and sighed. “Fine, you’ll regret it later. You guys fish, I’m leaving.”

With that, Song Xue had the boatman take her and her servants to shore.

Yu Ting looked at Ji Yuan, then at Song Xue, torn between them.

Ji Yuan, eager to change the subject, generously said, “Miss Song is your friend. Go cheer her up. I don’t want to cause a rift between you two because of me.”

Yu Ting’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Ji Yuan. “You’re so kind.”

Ji Yuan smiled politely at Yu Ting, maintaining his gentlemanly demeanor.

Yu Ting hurried to comfort her friend. “Xuexue, don’t be mad. Ji Yuan is really a good person. Though his family is poor, he works hard and doesn’t belittle himself because of his status. He’s very diligent, just like the scholars in those stories.”

Song Xue was nearly exasperated by her friend. “Stories, stories! You’ll be ruined by those romantic tales someday. Stop reading about scholars and noble ladies.”

“Come on, Xuexue, don’t be mad. I know you mean well, but Ji Yuan is really great. I gave him gifts, and he never accepts them. Last time, he even got upset with me. He’s not after my family’s money,” Yu Ting said, her face full of smiles.

Song Xue rolled her eyes and exchanged a glance with Gu Yingying nearby. “See? She doesn’t believe me at all. Fine, Ji Yuan is the best, the finest scholar in Qingyuan County, alright?”

“Of course he is,” Yu Ting replied with a smile, earning eye rolls from both Gu Yingying and Song Xue.

Shi Yan, a male Kunze nearby, tried to smooth things over. He wasn’t particularly close to Yu Ting and her friends, but because of business dealings, they sometimes invited him along. “I think Master Ji is quite nice,” Shi Yan said with a smile.

“See? Shi Yan has good taste. This spring exam, Ji Yuan will definitely pass as a scholar,” Yu Ting said sweetly, already planning to ask her father to arrange their engagement.

Song Xue gave up talking. Her friend was too infatuated to listen, completely charmed by Ji Yuan.

She and Gu Yingying couldn’t stand Yu Ting anymore. After the boat reached the shore, they took their servants and left.

Song Xue pulled Gu Yingying aside. “Yingying, do you think I misjudged him? Is Ji Yuan really as good as Tingting says?”

“I don’t think so. Ji Yuan seems polite and aloof, but there’s something off about him. I feel like he’s pretending,” Gu Yingying said, sharing her thoughts.

“I feel the same. He doesn’t seem genuine,” Song Xue quickly agreed.

“I don’t know if Tingting will really be fooled by him. I feel like he’s after her family’s money. He says he’s diligent, but the spring exam is coming, and he’s always out with Tingting. I don’t think he’ll pass,” Gu Yingying said. If he truly cared about the exam, he’d stay at the academy studying even on breaks, unless he was extremely confident he’d pass.

“I think so too. Even if she doesn’t listen, we should keep trying to persuade her,” Song Xue said.

On the boat, only Yu Ting, Ji Yuan, Shi Yan, and a few servants remained.

Yu Ting returned to Ji Yuan’s side, picking up their earlier conversation. “Just take me. We’ll go by carriage and return in the afternoon. It won’t delay your studies the day after. If you don’t take me, I’ll go myself.”

Ji Yuan broke into a cold sweat. With his family’s reputation, if Yu Ting went alone, how could he carry out his plan to win her over? It was better to go with her and manage any issues. But he needed to return home today to prepare, especially to appease Ji Huan if Yu Ting visited.

With that in mind, Ji Yuan smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll go with you tomorrow morning. There’s a river there too, and we can fish together.”

“Great, you’re the best,” Yu Ting said, smiling at Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan wanted to hug Yu Ting but held back to maintain his aloof scholar persona. Yu Ting was lovely, with crescent-shaped eyes when she smiled, the kind of girl anyone would like. Ji Yuan had long been interested in her, but for a secure future, he restrained himself. Once married, not only would Yu Ting be his, but her family’s wealth would be too. The thought made all his patience and effort worthwhile.

After fishing for a while, Yu Ting had the carriage take Ji Yuan back to Zhibo Academy. As soon as he got off, he ran into his roommates.

Sun Tiancheng was fuming. If he’d known Miss Yu liked poor men, he would’ve pretended to be one. He had meant to mock Ji Yuan but ended up helping him instead.

“Well, Brother Ji, out with Miss Yu again? How nice to have a rich Kunze who likes you. Free meals, free outings, and a free carriage ride. What a heavenly life,” Sun Tiancheng said sarcastically.

Ji Yuan, feeling smug, retorted, “I should thank you all. If you hadn’t mentioned my family’s situation, Miss Yu wouldn’t have noticed me. When we get married, I’ll treat you all to a big meal. I have things to do, so I’ll take my leave.”

With that, Ji Yuan strode into the academy gate, head held high. Once he became the Yu family’s son-in-law, he’d be above everyone. These small fries would come begging him. He was smart—marrying a rich Kunze was far easier than passing the imperial exams. Why bother with the exams when he could secure Yu Ting and live comfortably?

“What’s he so smug about? A toad dreaming of swan meat. Miss Yu must be blind to fall for someone like him,” Sun Tiancheng cursed angrily.

“Brother Sun, let it go. If he really becomes the Yu family’s son-in-law, we might need to rely on him. Let’s not ruin our relationship with a classmate,” Wang Lu advised.

“Tch, if you want to curry favor with that son-in-law, go ahead. I won’t. A pheasant dreaming of becoming a phoenix? He’ll expose himself sooner or later,” Sun Tiancheng said, cursing as he walked away.

Ji Yuan didn’t stop. He took some silver to the southern market, bought pastries and candies, and two pounds of fatty pork. He also got a hairpin for Liu Fengmei and fine tobacco for Ji Mantun. With bags of goods, he hired a donkey cart to take him back to the village.

As soon as Ji Yuan entered the courtyard, he shouted, “Father, Mother, I’m back to see you!”

Having won Yu Ting’s favor, Ji Yuan felt confident this time.

Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun didn’t expect Ji Yuan to return now, especially since it was almost April, and the preliminary exam was at the end of the month.

They hurried out to meet him. Seeing Ji Yuan with so many things, Liu Fengmei asked, “Third son, why are you back at this time? And you bought so much?”

“Father, Mother, I have great news to tell you,” Ji Yuan said, barely containing his smile. He continued, “Big brother, second sister, fourth brother, and fifth sister, I brought things for all of you. Come to the dining hall to divide them.”

Ji Huan rubbed her ears and looked at Jiang Yubai, who was drinking water. “Did I hear that right? Ji Yuan called me second sister?”

Jiang Yubai nodded. “You heard correctly. I heard it too. He said he bought things and wants everyone to go divide them.”

Ji Huan tapped her fingers lightly on the table. “Something’s off, very off. Ji Yuan, the type to willingly share? He’d rather not come back at all. There’s definitely something fishy. Let’s go join the fun.”

“Okay,” Jiang Yubai said, following Ji Huan to the dining hall.

The dining hall was already a lively scene. Ji Yuan was handing out the things he bought. “Big brother, these are pastries for your family. I got two packs since you have more people.”

You don’t hit a smiling face. Regardless of where Ji Yuan got the money, Li Yulan smiled and said, “Third son, looks like you’ve made it big. Ji Dong, Ji Xi, your third uncle bought these for you. Take them and eat.”

“Thank you, Third Uncle,” Ji Dong, the older one, said before pulling Ji Xi back to their room to eat the pastries.

Ji Yuan looked at Ji Huan, quickly putting on a smile. “Second sister, these are for you. Freshly bought pastries, still warm.”

Ji Huan glanced at Ji Yuan, a slight smile on her lips, but made no move to take them. “I don’t accept unearned rewards. Keep them for yourself.”

Ji Yuan’s smile nearly faltered, but he held it together. Ji Huan was the hardest to deal with in the family. Seeing she wouldn’t take it, he pushed the pastries closer to her.

Ji Huan pretended not to see, tapping her fingers lightly on the table, smiling faintly at Ji Yuan.

Seeing Ji Huan refuse, Ji Yuan moved on. “Fourth brother, these are yours.”

Ji Sen coughed lightly. Though he didn’t like Ji Yuan, free food was worth taking.

“Ji Qiao, this is yours,” Ji Yuan said, handing it to Ji Qiao.

Ji Qiao sneaked a glance at Ji Huan. Seeing Ji Huan didn’t touch the pastries, she didn’t either. Instead, she sat next to Ji Huan. “Third brother, those are expensive. Keep them for yourself. I don’t need them.”

Ji Yuan gritted his teeth but held back. Liu Fengmei, seeing Ji Qiao’s reaction, was unhappy. “Ji Huan, Ji Qiao, what are you two pretending for? Third son kindly bought things for everyone, and not only do you not thank him, you give him attitude and refuse. Ji Huan, what’s your problem?”

Ji Huan’s smile widened. “No problem. We just think accepting gifts makes us indebted. We’d rather hear what he really wants to say. Otherwise, we won’t feel at ease.”

“Second sister is thorough as always. I’ll get to it. Father, these two packs of pastries are for you and Mother. Oh, and this is the tobacco I bought for you,” Ji Yuan said.

“Oh, you’ve really grown up. The family doesn’t need you to worry about us. Just focus on your studies,” Ji Mantun said, almost moved to tears.

“Thank you, Father,” Ji Yuan said, then turned to Liu Fengmei. “Mother, this is a sandalwood hairpin I picked for you. Do you like it?”

“I love it. I love anything you buy,” Liu Fengmei said, tears welling up.

Ji Huan gritted her teeth watching their filial performance. She reached for Jiang Yubai’s fingers, giving them a light pinch, and pouted at Little White Rabbit. Jiang Yubai nearly laughed, mimicking Ji Huan by pinching her palm.

Ji Qiao, sitting nearby, couldn’t help but notice, feeling stuffed with their affection.

Finally, the emotional scene ended. Ji Yuan looked at everyone and said, “This is really great news. A month ago, at a friend’s gathering, I met a girl. Her family is one of the top merchants in Qingyuan City, with all kinds of businesses and wealth that could last generations. We’ve been getting along for a while, and she’s very satisfied with me. We might get engaged soon.”

In Ji Yuan’s mind, Yu Ting was completely under his spell. Even if he failed the spring exam, she’d comfort and encourage him. If he acted disappointed, she’d try even harder to cheer him up, maybe even marry him right away.

Ji Huan scoffed lightly, wondering who could possibly fall for Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan glanced at everyone’s expressions and continued, “She doesn’t mind our family’s poverty. Tomorrow, I’ll bring her to visit. Father, Mother, please entertain her well and say nice things. If I can marry her, our family will never worry about money again.”

Hearing about money, Ji Sen’s eyes lit up. He’d been to the county’s gambling dens and had heard of the Yu family. “Third brother, is it really that Yu family from the county?”

Ji Yuan nodded proudly. “Of course. If I can marry into the Yu family, I’ll naturally support your children’s education and build a blue-brick house for our family in the village, just like the village head’s.”

Li Yulan’s eyes brightened. If Ji Yuan married into the Yu family, her son Ji Ming would be the most favored at home. They’d live in a new blue-brick house, and someone would pay for her sons’ schooling, with connections in the county. It was a win-win.

“Ji Ming, our third son is so loyal. I thank you on behalf of Ji Dong and Ji Xi,” Li Yulan said, beaming.

“No need to thank me. What are you talking about, sister-in-law? It’s what I should do,” Ji Yuan said with a smile.

Ji Sen quickly chimed in, “Third brother, you can’t forget me. The Yu family is so wealthy. Can you get me an easy job?”

Ji Yuan glared at him. “You’re my brother. Can’t you have some ambition? The Yu family’s business is huge. When the older generation is gone, Yu Ting’s brother Yu Bin won’t be able to manage it alone. I’ll have to help. Not just a job—running a shop as a manager won’t be an issue.”

Ji Sen’s eyes sparkled, as if he were already a shop manager. “Thank you, third brother! I knew you were the most loyal.”

Ji Yuan basked in everyone’s praise, practically floating. Seeing Ji Huan across from him, he shivered. “Second sister, is there anything you want? Once I marry Yu Ting, I’ll make it happen for you.”

Ji Huan gave Ji Yuan a friendly smile. “Painting big dreams, huh? All this talk is just empty promises. I don’t want anything. I’m stubborn and get what I want through my own efforts, not others’ charity. Your tricks don’t work on me, Ji Yuan.”

“Second sister, it’s just for tomorrow. Take care of Yu Ting, don’t say anything you shouldn’t. Once we settle the marriage, when I have money, how could I not take care of you?” Ji Yuan said urgently.

Ji Huan lazily tapped the table. “Hard to say. Your character isn’t exactly great.”

“Ji Huan, why are you so stubborn? Ji Yuan is thinking of you, his sister. Didn’t you hear he’s building us a blue-brick house?” Liu Fengmei said, displeased.

“Where’s this blue-brick house? Just empty promises to fool greedy people like you. Is Ji Yuan usually this generous? He’s just scared of being exposed tomorrow,” Ji Huan said.

“Second sister, we’re family. If I do well, you all benefit,” Ji Yuan said.

Ji Yuan scanned the dining hall. The family seemed to have sided with him. Ji Huan thought for a moment and said, “Oh, right, what about your preliminary exam? Are you just preparing to get married now?”

Ji Mantun, reminded by Ji Huan, realized, “Yes, Ji Yuan, how’s your exam preparation?”

At first, Ji Mantun was thrilled, but hearing about marrying into another family dampened his mood. Ji Yuan was his most promising child, meant to carry on the family name and care for him in old age. If he married into another family, he’d become their son, and any children might not carry the Ji surname. Besides, he always believed Ji Yuan could become a high official, not just be handed over to someone else.

Ji Yuan’s smile froze. He glanced at Ji Mantun, confused why his father wasn’t supporting him. “Father, honestly, what’s the use of passing as a scholar? Even if I become a juren and qualify as an official, I’d start as a low clerk with a meager salary. Marrying into the Yu family is much faster.”

“But all your studies would be wasted. You’d live under the Yu family’s thumb as a son-in-law,” Ji Mantun said.

“Father, why are you talking like that? Do you know how many people at the academy are dying to marry Miss Yu? Men and women, any Qianyuan wants a connection with her. But she only likes me. Father, this chance to rise is once in a lifetime. I have to seize it to make something of myself,” Ji Yuan said passionately.

“Exactly, I think third brother’s right,” Ji Sen added.

“Yes, yes, Father, your old thinking needs to change. Even if he marries in, he’s still a Qianyuan. Won’t he end up running the Yu family? Then it’ll practically be our Ji family’s. Right, third brother?” Li Yulan said eagerly, acting as if their families were close.

“Big sister-in-law is absolutely right. Yu Ting only has one brother, who doesn’t like managing the family business. If I marry in, the power will naturally fall to me in time. Father, don’t be foolish now,” Ji Yuan urged.

“Yes, dear, Ji Yuan finding a rich wife is great. He could even bring us to live in the county,” Liu Fengmei said.

Ji Huan laughed at the Ji family’s scheming. Nothing was settled, yet they were all planning to take advantage. This Miss Yu was truly unlucky, falling for someone like Ji Yuan—worse than falling into a pit. Ji Huan wasn’t sure which was more disgusting.

“Alright, let them keep plotting. Let’s go rest,” Ji Huan said to the two girls beside her.

Seeing Ji Huan about to leave, Ji Yuan quickly said, “Second sister, tomorrow is really important. I don’t ask much, just don’t say anything out of line.”

Ji Huan stood up straight and glared back. “You’re wrong there. I only speak the truth, always say what’s real, and never talk nonsense. You can rest assured of that.”

Ji Yuan nearly ground his teeth to bits. That was exactly what he was worried about!

Seeing Ji Huan leave with Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao, Ji Yuan hurriedly said, “Tomorrow’s matter depends on everyone. If Ji Huan says something wrong, you must stand by me.”