Sure enough, Xingyun heard her words and quickly went to get water.
Just as Nian Jiaojiao breathed a sigh of relief, Tong Ziyao and Tong Fu came over.
“I’ve already booked a restaurant to welcome you,” Tong Ziyao said, his gaze burning.
Even Nian Jiaojiao, no matter how slow-witted, couldn't ignore the intense stare.
At this moment, a figure blocked Nian Jiaojiao. Tong Ziyao’s line of sight was obstructed. He merely frowned slightly and watched the other person quietly.
Nan Qing smiled and said,
“Young Master Tong is thoughtful. However, Yuchuan hasn’t come out yet. I’ll have to trouble Young Master Tong to call him.”
Upon hearing this, Xingyun was about to say, "I can go call Brother Yuchuan myself," but before the words could leave his mouth, his elder brother, standing beside him, stopped him.
He looked up and saw his elder brother shake his head at him. Although he didn't quite understand, he, who had always followed his elder brother's words, stopped his actions.
Tong Fu, oblivious to the undercurrents between them, went to hold Nian Jiaojiao’s arm and said coquettishly,
“Jiaojiao, I’m starving to death. It’s good that you came back early.”
The business at Qinglian Bookstore was too good. She had been busy all day. Today, because she was treating guests to a meal, she had specifically returned early.
Then, Tong Fu turned and said to her elder brother,
“Third Brother, hurry up and call them! Quickly!”
Tong Ziyao: …
He didn’t want this troublesome sister anymore.
…
Zhuangyuan Restaurant.
The Nian family members and the Tong siblings sat in the private room.
Nian Jiaojiao sat in her seat, thinking that since she had an exam today, Tong Ziyao had booked this Zhuangyuan Restaurant, likely for good luck.
So, she said,
“It must have been difficult to book a table at this restaurant today.”
Tong Ziyao, sitting opposite her, smiled and said,
“There were quite a few people trying to book, but luckily we were fortunate enough to get the last room.”
In reality, it wasn’t that coincidental.
The name Zhuangyuan Restaurant was too auspicious, making it the top choice for candidates who had just finished their exams.
All of this was thanks to "the power of money."
Nian Jiaojiao, believing it was just good luck, smiled and said,
“It seems I’d be letting down such good luck if I don’t get on the top list this time.”
Tong Fu, standing beside her, disagreed and said,
“Jiaojiao, don’t be modest. Let alone the top scholars, it wouldn’t be surprising if you even took the top spot, okay?”
Nian Jiaojiao looked at Tong Fu with amusement.
She seemed to have a strange confidence in herself.
After a brief chat, the dishes began to arrive one after another.
At this time, the restaurant also became lively.
As the candidates from the examination institute officially finished their exams, many of them headed directly to restaurants after leaving the institute, with Zhuangyuan Restaurant being the first choice.
“It seems the candidates have all finished their exams.”
Yuchuan said as he served food into Nian Jiaojiao’s bowl.
Nian Jiaojiao nodded. She looked at the “virtuous” Yuchuan and said,
“Chuan’er, stop putting food in my bowl. Eat yourself.”
Yuchuan merely smiled gently, staring at Nian Jiaojiao without speaking.
Nian Jiaojiao conceded.
Fine, if you serve me, I’ll serve you too!
Nian Jiaojiao rolled up her sleeves and continuously served food into Yuchuan’s bowl, quickly piling up a small mountain in his bowl.
Looking at the “mountain of food,” Yuchuan could only surrender helplessly.
“Hehe!”
Nian Jiaojiao smiled triumphantly, like a victorious hen.
This was the first time Tong Ziyao had seen such a “childish” side of Nian Jiaojiao. He was somewhat surprised, and a pang of loss crossed his heart.
This was because people only revealed their childish side to those they were closest to, and he was clearly not one of them…
This was the first time Tong Ziyao had envied a man so much in his life.
A man named “Yuchuan”…
At this moment, the entire Zhuangyuan Restaurant was filled with people.
And in the private room next to Nian Jiaojiao’s, a group of candidates naturally arrived.
The private rooms at Zhuangyuan Restaurant were not entirely separate but shared a common space, with a long screen serving as a partition.
Therefore, when people in the adjacent room spoke loudly, Nian Jiaojiao’s room could hear them clearly.
Candidate A: “Hey! Something big happened at the examination institute, did you know?”
Candidate B: “No, but I felt something was off as soon as I entered the restaurant. Every year everyone discusses the exam questions, but today I haven’t heard any…”
Candidate C: “Alas, it’s normal that you don’t know. Weren’t you in the examination hall at the East Gate of the institute? The incident happened on the southwest side. Only those who came out from the West or South Gates would know about it.”
Candidate A: “That’s right. I was at the West Gate, and she was at the South Gate, so we knew about this news.”
Candidate D: “I was at the North Gate, I don’t know either. What exactly happened? Hurry up and tell us!”
Candidate C: “Someone died at our examination institute while we were taking the exam! It’s said they kept it quiet to avoid delaying our exams!”
Candidate B: “Is that true!?”
Candidate A: “Of course, it’s true! I was unlucky and happened to see the body being carried out when I left. Bah! To encounter a corpse right after the exam, this is really a great ill omen!”
After Candidate A finished speaking, the other candidates instinctively distanced themselves from him.
Candidate A: “Damn it! Are you guys still my friends? Is it that serious?”
Candidate B: “Heh, don’t mind me, it’s just a primal reaction. But, who exactly died?”
Candidate A: “I don’t know. The body was covered, and even if it wasn’t, who would want to look!”
Candidate B: “…Makes sense.”
Candidate C: “Forget it, let’s not talk about it. What is this? This is the first time I’ve heard of a murder during an exam at the institute. Talking about it is just bad luck!”
…
Inside Nian Jiaojiao’s private room, after hearing what was said in the next room, the others all turned their gaze towards her.
Their eyes sparkled with something called “gossip.”
Nian Jiaojiao’s mouth twitched slightly.
She did know.
Moreover, she knew what others knew, and what they didn’t know.
For instance, who the real killer was…
However, she still shook her head, indicating that she had submitted her paper early and didn’t know the inside story.
Not to mention that there were too many people and it was inconvenient for her to explain how she knew so much.
Also, she did not want to talk much about dark matters like murder and assault, as listening to them would not improve anyone’s mood.
At the same time.
At the Prefect’s Mansion, the Leng Estate.
After Leng Xiangtao’s body was carried in, the various husbands of the Leng Estate wailed around the body.
However, although they were all crying, their grief was not the same.
Except for the eldest husband of the Leng family, who was truly crying for the death of his wife, the others were not crying for Leng Xiangtao’s death, but rather for their own unseen future.
With Leng Xiangtao dead, these husbands who had not given birth to any children could no longer stay in the Leng Estate.
The wealth and honor they had enjoyed in the Leng Estate would vanish.
Not only that, but if conscription were to occur, regardless of who they were husbands to before, widowed men without heirs would be taken to the military camp!
Their fate was predictable!