Transmigrated as a Peasant Baby Who is Pampered by All

Chapter 463: Chapter 289: Examination Results Announced (Part 2)

After all, second aunt is already thinking about what to prepare for her visit next winter.

For Jiang Yu and Liu Ze, the academy exam next winter is when they will truly give it their all!

Just as they were about to make their way through the crowd, they heard someone calling their names.

”Xiaomi! Uncle Jiang and Auntie, Xiaoxue, Xiaowei!”

The voice came from above. Looking in that direction, they saw Yingying standing at the window on the second floor across the street, waving her arms vigorously at them.

”Sister Yingying!” Xiaomi quickly waved back.

The two of them had been in the mountains almost every day for the past few days, and their relationship had become as close as sisters.

”I’ve been waiting for you guys for so long, come on up.”

Yingying indeed had been waiting here for quite a while. Her brother was also taking part in the academy exam this time, and she had come with her eldest brother early in the morning to see the results.

However, her brother left right after checking the results. She thought that Xiaomi and the others would come over soon too, so she waited at the teahouse across the street.

She knew Xiaomi and the others were going back soon, and the next time they would meet would be at the academy exam next year, so she wanted to bid farewell to her dear friends once more.

Xiaomi spoke to her parents, then took Xiaoxue to look for Yingying, while the others went back first.

”Sister Yingying, what are you doing here?” Xiaomi, dragging Xiaoxue along, ran upstairs and immediately spotted Yingying by the window.

Xiaoxue also called out, ”Sister Yingying.”

Yingying quickly gestured for a waiter to bring over some food.

”I came with my brother. He participated in the academy exam this time too, but he left early. I figured you guys would surely come too, so I waited here.”

After a brief explanation, Yingying curiously asked, ”How did your brother and the others do in the exam?”

Earlier, judging from their expressions, it seemed like they weren’t too disappointed, but not particularly happy either, so she couldn’t tell if they passed or not.

Xiaomi waved her hand, ”Not yet, but my brother and the others are still young, only twelve years old, so they’ll be back next year.”

This had been mentioned during their hunting trips, so Yingying wasn’t surprised.

At this moment, the waiter brought up some food, and Yingying asked the others to stand farther away, before reluctantly letting go.

”Xiaomi, are you leaving right away?”

It wasn’t just that she wanted to hunt with Xiaomi, but she also craved the meals Jiang Hu and Auntie cooked, especially their roasted meat, not sophisticated at all, but hearty and incredibly satisfying!

While at home, she had even told the chef about it, but the chef just couldn’t replicate that taste.

The dishes made by the home chef were always exquisite and well-presented, yet they always seemed to lack a little something. Although they tasted good, she always felt full after just a bit.

Completely unlike the appetite-inducing meals Auntie made!

After several days of enjoying the meals Xiaomi’s mother prepared, she had become entirely enamored, feeling that only such meals matched her desire to become a heroine.

Xiaomi immediately guessed what was on Yingying’s mind.

”Sister Yingying, you can’t bear being away from my mother’s cooking, can you?”

Caught out, Yingying wasn’t embarrassed and cheerfully said, ”That’s right, Auntie’s cooking is delicious.”

Xiaomi nodded, ”That’s true; mom’s cooking is the best!”

No denial at all.

”Oh well, let’s not talk about that. When will you be coming next year, and will you still be staying in the same place?”

She wanted to spend the more than a year practicing hunting hard, so next year she could invite Xiaomi and Wei Ziang to join!

It’s rare to have peers—well, not exactly, but close enough—and another girl to join in, how wonderful!

”Half a month before the academy exam next year, we’ll head to Dianhuai Prefecture. Not sure where we’ll stay yet, but that shop should always be there. If we don’t stay there, we’ll leave an address at the hot pot shop, so you can come find us, okay?”

Xiaomi really liked Sister Yingying too, and of course wanted to see her again next year.

”Okay, okay, no problem. I’ll have someone check at the shop every day, half a month before the academy exam!”

Thus, the two agreed, even planning next year’s hunting together.

After having breakfast, the three chatted for a while before a maidservant-looking person came to call Yingying home.

Yingying kept turning back to say goodbye to Xiaomi and the others, repeatedly mentioning their hunting plans for next year.

Once Yingying had gone off into the distance, Xiaoxue and Xiaomi returned home together. By now, there weren’t many people downstairs, but on the streets, discussions about the candidates’ results were still buzzing.

At this moment, the roadside teahouses and taverns were packed with people. Some were talking animatedly, others shaking their heads and sighing, and some were utterly devastated.

It wasn’t hard to see that some had passed; others had failed. Those shaking their heads yet remaining calm were mostly boys around seventeen or eighteen.

Young people are always filled with confidence, with time and energy to continue their studies. Their minds are more agile, and their ideas more developed. If not this time, perhaps they’ll succeed next time.

In contrast, those a bit older, having taken the exam multiple times and still failing, have much bleaker prospects.

Furthermore, once older, they are almost certainly married. If their family is wealthy, that’s fine; but if not, whether they can keep studying until the next academy exam is uncertain.

However, most of the older candidates fall into the latter category.

Apart from those truly gifted and quick learners, most choose their academy and mentors based on their family’s financial situation when studying.

Children from wealthy families can not only attend better academies, they also have tutors specifically for guidance and start reading and writing as early as age three or four. How can the average person compete with that?

Xiaomi watched the people on the street with varying expressions, feeling a bit worried for her brother and Liu Ze.

Even though their academy’s headmaster and mentors think highly of them, there’s still no telling if they will succeed next year.

The only reassurance is that they are still young; next time they join the academy exam, they will only be thirteen or fourteen, so there’s still plenty of opportunity.

Lost in thought, the sisters returned to the hotpot shop, only to see everyone already packing up.