The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The Face-Slapping Time-Traveling Farming Girl 19

Qi Wenshao appeared very honest, standing there with folded hands answering Qi Wenwei’s questions.

”I came to take part in the imperial examination.”

Qi Wenwei was amused: ”You take part in the imperial examination? What a joke! You can barely recognize all the characters, yet you want to...”

He hadn’t finished speaking when the examination venue opened, and candidates entered in order.

Qi Wenwei had no time to care about Qi Wenshao; he stepped into the examination venue first.

Qi Wenshao wasn’t inclined to respond to Qi Wenwei either.

What he was doing now was trying hard to do well; he didn’t want to disappoint his mother.

At home, Anning continuously talked about Qi Wenshao, who was in Jinling. She counted the days, eagerly awaiting each one.

Soon, the county examination passed, the Prefecture Exam passed, and the college examination passed.

Anning calculated the time, waiting for Qi Wenshao’s return.

However, before Qi Wenshao could return, Mrs. Hao’s son Yu Tong, who served Qi Wenshao, returned first.

Upon his return, he went to see Mrs. Hao first, and then she took him to see Anning.

Upon seeing Anning, Yu Tong hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed: ”Congratulations, Madam, Mr. Qi has succeeded—he achieved the Little Trivium.”

Anning was overjoyed: ”Good, good...”

It took her a while to compose herself before she asked Yu Tong: ”What about Master?”

The look of joy on Yu Tong’s face faded, and after hesitating for a while, he finally said: ”Master also succeeded, but ranked seventeenth.”

Anning nodded: ”That’s not easy either.”

She waved her hand: ”Go and tell this to the master.”

After Yu Tong left, Anning said to Mrs. Hao: ”Go to the accounting room and tell them to give all the servants an extra month’s salary, as a celebration for Mr. Qi.”

Mrs. Hao chuckled and congratulated Anning: ”I never expected Mr. Qi to be so promising, achieving the Little Trivium in one go. From now on, Madam will surely live a life of luxury.”

”Mhm.”

Anning nodded: ”Also, get someone to tidy up Mr. Qi’s room, wash what needs to be washed, air out what needs to be aired. Mr. Qi said he would return in a few days.”

Mrs. Hao went off to carry out the orders, with Anning’s eyes and brows both carrying a smile. She spread her hands: ”It seems, it’s time to step up the plans.”

On the road back to Suzhou from Jinling, Qi Wenwei was constantly causing trouble.

He couldn’t believe that Qi Wenshao, a complete illiterate, had performed better than him.

Thinking about what he had said before the examinations, Qi Wenwei felt his face hurt and harbored even deeper resentment towards Qi Wenshao.

Many times, Qi Wenwei harbored malicious thoughts, contemplating killing Qi Wenshao outright.

But with Qi Wenshao’s martial master always by his side, Qi Wenwei could not find an opportunity to strike, and could only sulk in private.

Finally arriving home, Qi Wenwei didn’t even change his clothes before going to pay respects to Anning.

He saw Anning and kowtowed: ”Your son pays respects to mother.”

Anning sneered inwardly. Qi Wenwei really knew when to be humble and when to be assertive. When Zhou Zhenniang was alive, he always called her Madam, but now seeing Anning treating Qi Wenshao well, he deliberately adopted a close demeanor, starting to call her mother.

”Rise.”

Anning nodded slightly with indifference: ”You must be tired from the journey.”

Qi Wenwei stood to one side, his face wearing a forced smile: ”Your son is not tired, your son...”

Anning waved her hand: ”Go and freshen up. I’ve had someone prepare things for you, take a hot bath, eat some warm food, then have a good sleep. We’ll talk after you’ve rested well.”

Qi Wenwei didn’t know what to say for a moment and could only leave awkwardly.

After he left, Qi Wenshao came to pay his respects.

Anning saw Qi Wenshao, her eyes and eyebrows filled with smiles.

”Shao’er, you’ve lost weight. Did you not eat well in Jinling? I know studying is hard, but you also have to take care of yourself. Look at your thin face. Later, I’ll have the kitchen prepare some delicious food to nourish you. For the next few days, don’t study, just relax.”

Qi Wenshao and Anning were especially close. He sat beside Anning and pulled out two boxes from his bosom, handing one to Anning: ”These are some trinkets your son bought in Jinling. Mother, take them and enjoy. The other is for sister, give it to her when she comes.”

After receiving the items, Anning asked Qi Wenshao in a soft voice, ”The other day your father spoke to me about looking for suitable matches for you and your elder brother, intending to arrange your marriages first. What do you think?”

Qi Wenshao’s face immediately turned red, and he stood up and said, ”Your son has no wish to marry yet; I’m still young. All my attention is on my studies right now, how could I spare the time to get married?”

Anning laughed, ”That’s what I said as well, so we postponed the matter for now. Let’s wait until after you’ve become an Advanced Scholar before finding a good girl for you.”

At this, a hint of pity flashed in Anning’s eyes.

She pulled Qi Wenshao closer: ”It’s not that Mother doesn’t want to find you a good match. It’s just that your current status is awkward. Even though I dote on you as a legitimate son, everyone knows you’re a bastard, and many families are unwilling to marry their daughters to you. Let’s wait a bit longer. Once Mother has made arrangements, you’ll have a more distinguished status, and then what kind of girl couldn’t you have?”

Qi Wenshao frowned.

He had always heard Anning mention making arrangements but never quite understood what she was planning.

He wanted to ask but feared slipping up because of his youth, so he had been holding back his questions.

Now, he dared not ask even more.

Yet Qi Wenshao knew that Anning truly adored him. Even if she was making plans, she would never harm him.

Anning liked this about Qi Wenshao; he never asked about things he shouldn’t.

She turned around to take a small chest and handed it to Qi Wenshao.

Qi Wenshao opened it and was immediately startled.

He quickly pushed the chest back: ”Mother, this... Your son doesn’t dare to accept this.”

Indeed, the contents of the chest were too frightening.

Inside the chest were gold notes amounting to more than ten thousand taels, as well as several deeds for shops and manors, along with a silver token.

All these items were exceedingly valuable, and just one look made Qi Wenshao’s heart pound wildly.

Anning smiled and pushed the chest back to Qi Wenshao: ”If it’s for you, take it.”

She whisperingly said to Qi Wenshao: ”You’re grown up now and have become a Scholar. In the future, you can’t simply stick to your books. I’m giving you these things to practice with, so you’re not only good at studying but also understand some human affairs and have some savvy in handling matters.”

She patted Qi Wenshao’s hand: ”Mother has plenty of money; this is just a small amount. Take it and have fun with it. Even if it is all lost, Mother still has nice things for you.”

Qi Wenshao knew this was Anning’s private money.

He also knew that Anning had really made a lot of money in recent years; even a slight leak from her fingers was more than the entire Qi Mansion’s public treasury.

Still, it was Anning’s money, and Qi Wenshao had never been greedy nor imagined that Anning would give it to him.

Holding this money gave Qi Wenshao a burning sensation in his heart.

He lifted his robe and knelt down: ”Mother’s kindness to your son is heavier than a mountain, your son... can hardly repay a fraction...”

Anning smiled and helped him up: ”We’re mother and son; why speak of such things? Make sure you keep this money well and don’t tell your elder brother, nor let your father know. This is our little secret, understand?”

Qi Wenshao nodded in agreement.

While he had received so much money here, Qi Wenwei was still troubled over purchasing something.

He had his eye on a famous painting, which he wanted to buy for Qi Rui’s birthday celebration, but he didn’t have enough money, which made it especially difficult for him.

With no choice, Qi Wenwei had to ask Qi Wenjuan for a loan.

Who would have thought, as soon as he mentioned borrowing money, Qi Wenjuan shut him down firmly: ”Elder brother, you receive five taels of silver monthly, while I only receive two taels. I need to buy rouge, to tip the maids and old women; I can barely make ends meet every month, let alone save any money. If you really need to borrow, you might as well pawn some of my jewelry.”

Even with a thick skin, Qi Wenwei couldn’t possibly pawn his sister’s jewelry for money.

Embarrassed and flushed, he went to ask Anning for money.

However, when he visited Anning’s room, she was not there, and only after asking Qing Mei did he find out Anning had gone off to enjoy herself at the manor.

A few days later, when Anning returned, the painting that Qi Wenwei wanted to buy had already been purchased by someone else.