He raised his at the sound of the door opening and was surprised to see when he saw Su Wan bringing him a bowl full of stir-fried water chestnuts and vegetables.
When she saw that he was looking at her, she smiled brightly at him and said, ” You seem to be working hard, Ah Rui.”
Lin Rui blinked his eyes…
He hated to say this but after staying with Su Wan for so long, he was very much aware of her antics, and he knew that when she smiled like this, there was something hidden behind that big smile of hers. However, he still smiled at her and said, ” You are here? Thank you for working hard for me.”
” Oh this is no trouble at all,” said Su Wan as she strode inside the room and placed the bowl that was filled with water chestnuts next to him. ” I was thinking that you have been working hard these days, that was why I thought of making something nice for you.”
Lin Rui turned his attention to the water chestnuts, as far as he knew his second brother has barred Su Wan from entering the kitchen and he was even bent on learning the new dishes even though it meant bathing in ink every time he tried to butcher the squids. So, how come Su Wan cooked for him and why? Because given her lazy attitude these days, she only liked eating and sleeping like a chubby panda.
” I see,” Lin Rui stared at the water chestnuts as a feeling of pressure rose in his heart, he had an inkling that Su Wan didn’t bring him these water chestnuts just because she wanted to boost his mind, there must be something else.
” Ah Rui,” she began hesitatingly and Lin Rui narrowed his eyes as he looked at her ever so slightly, there it was. He knew she was going to say something, most probably she wanted to ask him for something. ” Are you sure that you will pass these elementary scholar exams with flying colours?”
Lin Rui: “…..” ??? What kind of question was that?
” As long as nothing unexpected happens, I am sure that I will be able to rank in the top three,” after studying with Headmaster Yuan, not only has Lin Rui gotten more quick wit, he has even grown more confident. Now he was able to speak his mind properly without doubting himself or getting scared by overthinking. Sometimes he did get a bit terrified but then he would draw in a deep breath and tell himself that there was no point in thinking like that, he should pay attention to what he had to do and just focus on his goal.
And in case he got too overwhelmed, he would close his books and take a walk in the backyard where he will enjoy the calm and serenity for a while before starting again.
” But why are you asking this?” There was no way she asked that just for the heck of it right?
Su Wan smiled at him embarrassingly, as she twiddled with her fingers and said, ” You know that I have been looking for a way to invite the imperial physician for Ah Yu right? It just so happens that the letters that god grandfather has been sending were all intercepted by that evil Concubine that’s why I …” she explained the matter of her making a deal with Fei Qinfan to Lin Rui as she concluded, ” So, I am banking on your reputation to get me a good foothold in the capital, you will make me proud right?”
Lin Rui: “….”
So he was basically sold off before he could come of age? No wonder his wife came looking for him with these water chestnuts. He turned his head to look at the bowl of water chestnuts before he turned his head to look at Su Wan, who innocently looked at him. Seeing her like this, he was both amused and slightly helpless.
In the end, he could only shake his head and say, “It’s all right, I will definitely work hard so that you wouldn’t have to be embarrassed in front of the young master.”
What else can he do? She was his wife, he has to be indulgent towards her no matter what.
” That’s good,” said Su Wan with a smile. ” If you pass the exams then I will be able to look in the eyes of that young master without any qualms, you have no idea, he was looking at me like I was going to scam him out of his pants.”
” Do not talk about scamming a man’s pants,” said Lin Rui with a helpless expression. ” If you want to scam something then you might as well scam a house or manor in the capital.”
He knew Fei Qinfan’s reputation.
Though he was a prince, he was the youngest child of the Emperor and the Empress, his elder brother was the crown prince and with the backing of his maternal family, he did not have to worry about anything at all. Even the Emperor and the Empress doted on him, though the Crown prince was strict with his brother, he too would dote on the third prince by taking care of his mess.
It could be said that the third prince was like a naive princess who was scammed by someone every once in a while, the last time if not for the crown prince he would have lost his own palace to a third-grade official’s son.
With his foolishness and his wife’s wits, she might as well try to scam a big mansion out of the prince, that way they won’t have to waste money in the future. What was she going to do after scamming the third prince’s pants?
