She turned to Cui Zhi and said, “Tell Buyan to take Zong Jincheng back to sleep.”
“Yes.”
Zong Wenxiu heard her voice and looked over, greeting her softly, “Madam.”
Xu Wan smiled at him.
Buyan picked up Zong Jincheng, letting the boy’s arms rest on his shoulders and his head nestle against his neck. The little troublemaker drowsily opened his eyes, catching a glimpse of a blurry female figure, but the weight of sleep was too much, and he clung to Buyan, drifting back into slumber.
After the little rascal was gone, Xu Wan remained where she was.
Zong Wenxiu was somewhat surprised. He had assumed that the madam had come to fetch his younger brother, as she was his stepmother.
Xu Wan walked over, helped him up, and said with a smile, “Come on, get up. With your stubborn nature, if the ancestors saw you like this, they’d think I was a cruel aunt, bullying a child.”
Zong Wenxiu had been kneeling for too long, and when he stood up abruptly, he wobbled unsteadily. Xu Wan steadied him and had him sit on the prayer cushion until the numbness in his legs subsided.
She then sat down on Zong Jincheng’s cushion, aligning her gaze with Zong Wenxiu’s. Between adults and children, there is a gap in age and height, but when their eyes meet at the same level, the relationship feels much closer.
Zong Wenxiu had never felt as close to the madam as he did at that moment, as if she were a good friend, making him feel at ease both physically and emotionally.
Xu Wan said, “All this trouble was caused by Jincheng. I know it’s hard for you to let it go, but don’t dwell on it too much. Otherwise, following this little troublemaker, you’ll be kneeling in the ancestral hall forever.”
Zong Wenxiu chuckled awkwardly, “That won’t happen, Madam. Jincheng just promised me that he won’t prank the teacher anymore, won’t cause you any trouble, and won’t lie to me again.”
Xu Wan smiled, “That’s indeed the best outcome. But knowing that little troublemaker, there are more than just three kinds of mischief in this world.”
Zong Wenxiu: “…”
The glimmer of hope he had just seen was instantly snuffed out.
Seeing his stunned expression, Xu Wan couldn’t help but laugh and reminded him, “Of course, don’t be too pessimistic. At least these three things are important. Once he fixes these, the rest will be easier.”
Hearing this, Zong Wenxiu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, “Yes, my brother is very smart. He grasps things quickly. He’s just stubborn and soft-hearted. He might say harsh things, but his actions are always good. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come to kneel in the ancestral hall with me.”
Xu Wan smiled, “Yes, smart. His intelligence is both a blessing and a curse. Such children are a mix of love and frustration, and raising them requires a lot of mental effort.”
In truth, she had met a child like Zong Jincheng before, one whose intelligence and emotional maturity far surpassed his peers, even leaving many adults in awe. But such children are harder to guide than ordinary ones. They have an insatiable curiosity, a restless mind, and a knack for causing trouble. Yet, adults often try to educate them using conventional methods, leading to more and more chaos.
Xu Wan recalled the last time she saw that child—in a police station visitation room. He was sixteen, arrested for breaking and entering. He smiled innocently at her and said, “Don’t you think this is fun?”
Xu Wan closed her eyes, refusing to dwell on the memory.
Now, encountering another overly intelligent child, she didn’t want to see him go down the wrong path again.
Zong Wenxiu spoke up at the right moment, “Madam, I also want to help my brother stay on the right path.”
Xu Wan smiled, “You’re already helping him. Today’s outcome is largely thanks to you. Because you were here, because I know your character, and because I know you can influence him, I chose not to punish him. Staying on the right path doesn’t always require force; the influence of those around you is also crucial. In your books of wisdom, it’s called ‘one takes on the color of one’s company,’ right?”
Zong Wenxiu was momentarily stunned, then smiled, “Yes.”
Xu Wan patted his shoulder and helped him up, “Let’s go, it’s time to sleep. Tomorrow, you two have to go to Qingbo Academy to check the results of the Four Academies Joint Exam. Don’t oversleep.”
Zong Wenxiu, reminded of this, felt a pang of worry despite his earlier relief, “My brother seems very confident that he’ll outperform Qin Ye…”
Xu Wan snorted, “Not just that. Didn’t he also boast about taking first place in the Four Academies Joint Exam?”
Zong Wenxiu chuckled, “He’ll have his chance in the future.”
“Well, let’s see if he cries tomorrow,” Xu Wan said with a hint of nostalgia, “Actually, Jincheng looks quite adorable when he cries, with his round face and tearful eyes… It’s a shame he doesn’t cry often. What a pity.”
Zong Wenxiu: “…”
The madam has quite the peculiar taste, actually enjoying seeing his brother cry.
The next morning, the little troublemaker woke up and immediately demanded that the bandage on his hand be removed.
After a few days of care, his hand, which wasn’t seriously injured to begin with, had almost healed. However, the young master was quite pampered, yelping every time the medicine was applied and insisting that the physician wrap it thickly, afraid that even the slightest bump would cause pain.
Shunzi asked, “Young Master, there’s still a small part that hasn’t fully healed. Should we wrap it with a smaller bandage?”
Zong Jincheng pushed him away with his arm and refused, “No, no! It looks terrible. How can the genius who’s going to take first place in the Four Academies Joint Exam have his hand wrapped up like a dumpling?”
Shunzi: “…”
The results aren’t even out yet, and you’re already calling yourself the top scorer. Where on earth did you get such confidence?
The results of the Four Academies Joint Exam were posted at each academy, so Xu Wan took the two boys to Qingbo Academy early in the morning. How could she miss out on checking the results?
If the little troublemaker failed and decided to cause a scene at the academy, she’d need to be there to mediate.
Qingbo Academy was bustling with activity early in the morning. Before even entering, they could hear the students inside shouting:
“They made it! Two students from the eight-year-old class made it onto the Four Academies Joint Exam ranking list! That’s the top 120 in the entire capital!!!”
“The top scorer in the Four Academies Joint Exam is from our Qingbo Academy!!! This is incredible!!!”
“Heavens! Our academy’s reputation as the eternal fourth is finally being washed away!!”
“Quick, quick! Set off the firecrackers! Hang up the banners!!!”
“…”
As Xu Wan and the two brothers got out of the carriage, they were greeted by the lively commotion inside. She picked out the key details and raised an eyebrow, “Two eight-year-olds made the list, and one of them took first place in the Four Academies Joint Exam.”
Zong Jincheng declared confidently, “It must be me!”
Although Qin Ye probably also made the list, it was surely by luck. As for him, Zong Jincheng—smart, hardworking, and talented—he was the only one capable of surpassing the students of the capital’s three prestigious academies!
