Chapter 12: Lowering One’s Head

“What did my cousin just say to you?” Yan Ruyu deliberately positioned herself at the back of the queue to observe their every move.

Judging from Yan Jiyue’s reaction yesterday, there were signs of a thaw in the relationship between this husband and wife.

This couldn’t be allowed. If their relationship were to reconcile, her future chances of obtaining the Yan family’s assets would become even more remote. She hated that, as a respectable woman, she had to live a life looking at the faces of two men, Yan Jiyue and Yan Zhujun.

“Nothing much.” Su Mu’s eyes were calm as she spread her hands, ready to be inspected.

“Hmph, don’t think that just because Yan Jiyue brought you a box of pastries today, he’s being good to you. Look who was present just now. His gentle and virtuous demeanor was all for show in front of Miss Shen. Everyone in the city knows that Yan Jiyue admires Shen Yuxue. As a live-in son-in-law, don’t indulge in wishful thinking,” Yan Ruyu snickered beside her.

As soon as Yan Ruyu finished speaking, the bailiff inspecting them couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

The bailiff couldn’t help laughing because the social status of a live-in son-in-law was indeed low, and even being mocked in public was nothing.

The smile on Yan Ruyu’s lips widened, her brows filled with smugness. “You see, a live-in son-in-law, not to mention you can’t pass the scholar examination, even if you did, what good would it do? People who look down on you will still look down on you.”

“Yan Jiyue and I are already divorced.” Having finished the inspection, Su Mu adjusted her clothes as if their earlier mockery had no impact on her.

“What a thick-skinned person, born to be a live-in son-in-law… What did you say? Divorced!” Yan Ruyu’s voice cracked with excitement.

Even the bailiff beside them looked at Su Mu with disbelief.

“Mm.” Su Mu picked up the inspected brush and ink and strode towards the examination hall.

Yan Ruyu reacted and quickly caught up. “Su Mu, are you serious? You really divorced Yan Jiyue? If you dare to deceive me, watch out—”

Su Mu brushed off the water stains on her clothes. “I signed the divorce agreement with Young Master Yan long ago, and I moved out of the Yan residence long ago. Miss Yan doesn’t even know this, it seems your information isn’t very timely.”

“You’d better be telling the truth.”

Although Yan Ruyu disliked Su Mu, Su Mu had no reason to lie to her about the divorce. It seemed highly likely to be true.

Since Yan Jiyue had already divorced Su Mu, what reason did that father and son have to occupy the Yan family’s property? She had to hurry and tell her father.

But now they were in the examination hall, and the news couldn’t be passed out.

Yan Ruyu was anxious, wishing she could skip the examination and rush out to drive that pair of dog father and son out of the Yan family.

Thinking of how Yan Jiyue, who had once ridden on her head and ordered her around, would soon be reduced to wandering the streets and being bullied by others, Yan Ruyu’s heart gave rise to a twisted pleasure.

“Miss Yan, don’t forget about our previous bet.” Su Mu’s voice, like a gentle breeze, pierced through Yan Ruyu’s distorted fantasy.

“What bet?” Yan Ruyu’s voice was shrill, already intoxicated by the impending victory.

“Oh, Miss Yan forgot so quickly? You made a bet with this live-in son-in-law that whoever passes the scholar examination first will give the other 100 taels of silver! We’re keeping track of it for you!” The surrounding scholars laughed loudly.

Who didn’t know that the two women of the Yan family, one illiterate and the other having taken the examination for ten years and failed for ten years, were both unsuitable for studying.

Therefore, they joined in the fun, not minding causing trouble.

“Go away, who says I don’t remember? A bet is a bet. You talk as if you can pass. I’m well-versed in the Four Books. What about you? I’m afraid you haven’t even memorized the Analects.” Yan Ruyu sneered.

Su Mu coiled her dampened hair behind her ears, a faint smile spreading in the misty rain. “It’s good that Miss Yan remembers.”

A beauty is a beauty, not needing the embellishment of rouge and powder. Even drenched in rain, she was so stunning that it made people’s hearts tremble.

The people who were just loudly mocking her had a moment of distraction upon seeing Su Mu’s eyes.

After a moment, someone reacted first. “That live-in son-in-law is really taking it seriously. What a joke!”

The group burst into laughter again.

Yan Ruyu suddenly said, “Su Mu is not a live-in son-in-law! Listen up, everyone. Su Mu has already divorced my cousin. Now she has nothing to do with our Yan family.”

“What? She dared to divorce?”

“It must have been Yan Jiyue who took the initiative. I’ve always said that Yan Jiyue, a young master from a wealthy family, couldn’t possibly take a fancy to a woman like Su Mu, who only has looks. He likes Shen Yuxue.”

“Exactly, exactly. Now that Shen Yuxue is also participating in the imperial examination, with her ability, she’s sure to become a scholar this time. Then, in the autumn examination, she’ll likely be the first ranked scholar in our Dullsville in many years. How could Yan Jiyue bear to watch his beloved become more and more successful while he has to be stuck with an illiterate and crude woman? He must be preparing to divorce and then pursue Shen Yuxue.”

“Forget it. Shen Yuxue is a talented woman with countless men waiting to share her bed. Would she even look at a twice-married man?”

“Well, it’s still better than being with Su Mu! If Su Mu can pass the scholar examination in this lifetime, I’ll go back and burn all my books.”

Su Mu listened to the mocking and ridicule behind her without saying much. She knew that ability was always the best way to prove oneself.

Moreover, she had already informed Yan Ruyu of the divorce news. There was no need for her to make further efforts to spread the word. After Yan Ruyu finished the examination, she would run out and spread the news herself.

The examination began.

The first round tested scriptural interpretation; the second round’s topic was “Foolish but Fond of Self-use”①; the third round tested poetry, with the topic “Ten Linked Poems on the Imperial Folding Screen”②.

The invigilators patrolled outside repeatedly. It felt not much different from a modern mock examination, with the only difference being the slightly poorer environment.

When Su Mu finished writing and put down her brush, she realized her shoulders and arms were sore.

After the examination time was over, Su Mu followed the crowd out of the examination hall. The scholars who had been in high spirits before the examination now looked like frost-bitten eggplants, listless. Yan Ruyu was the same, dejected, seeming to have done poorly.

At this time, the rain had become very light, like silkworm threads that could be blown away by the wind.

Outside, anxious relatives rushed up, surrounding their daughters and wives, nervously inquiring about the examination situation. The lowered voices gathered together, surging and buzzing like ocean waves.

Amidst the crowd of people approaching, Su Mu saw Yan Jiyue still standing by the willow tree, in the same position as when she had left, as if he had never moved.

Yan Jiyue’s gaze wandered left and right in the crowded crowd until finally, his eyes met Su Mu’s. His narrow phoenix eyes instantly lit up, and with a smile on his lips, he walked towards her. His white robes were so ethereally beautiful that they made people turn their heads.

“Sister Mu!” Suddenly, it darkened above Su Mu’s head as an ink-painted umbrella was held over her.

Su Mu looked to her side and met a pair of dark green eyes, brimming with laughter.

“Why are you here?” Su Mu took the umbrella from Xie Yi’s hand.

“I waited for you for a long, long time at home. When you didn’t come, I wanted to see you sooner.” Xie Yi naturally leaned close to her, his clear smile like a spring of water without a trace of impurity.

“My goodness, when did Su Mu have such a remarkable young gentleman by her side?”

“Look at his eyes, he seems to be of mixed Western blood.”

“Married Yan Jiyue as a husband, and still has a beautiful young man by her side. Su Mu’s luck is too good.”

“What? Didn’t you hear Yan Ruyu say that they’ve been divorced for a long time?”

“What?!”

“No wonder Su Mu was willing to divorce. Although Yan Jiyue is beautiful, he has a bad temper. This young man seems gentle and adorable, and his appearance is on par with Yan Jiyue’s. If it were me, I would also divorce.”

Compared to Yan Jiyue’s low-key but exquisite silk and gauze, Xie Yi only wore a plain white coarse garment, with narrow sleeves that were worn by people who often worked, not as wide and flowing as Yan Jiyue’s, clearly showing that he was a young master who enjoyed a life of luxury.

But Xie Yi’s beauty had a strong exotic flair, with a powerful visual impact, as if the wind from the Western regions had blown into Jiangnan, and the clear tinkling of copper bells on the waists and ankles of the Hu slaves could be heard, making it an enchanting sight.

Everyone’s gaze was instantly captured by Xie Yi, and the smile on Yan Jiyue’s face was instantly suppressed. He tightly gripped the umbrella Su Mu had given him, nearly tearing the umbrella’s surface.

“Wife…” Yan Jiyue finally managed to compose himself and walked up to Su Mu with a gentle and proper smile.

“Sister Mu…” Xie Yi lowered his head, tightly clutching Su Mu’s sleeve.

There was no need to look at his expression to know that he was afraid.

How could he not be afraid? The scar on his face was still there.

Su Mu was also afraid that Yan Jiyue would lose control and hit Xie Yi again, so she moved her body to shield him behind her.

This action deeply pierced Yan Jiyue’s eyes, like sharp needles ruthlessly stabbing into his pupils, making his entire body tremble and tense up in pain.

He couldn’t get angry, couldn’t be jealous, couldn’t make another mistake, or else Su Mu would truly never pay attention to him again.

“I’m sorry, yesterday was my fault.” Yan Jiyue’s thin lips were nearly bitten through, turning a shocking red.

Su Mu was shocked. What was he doing?

Apologizing? My goodness, she actually lived to see the day Yan Jiyue apologized.

Despite her shock, she could see that for someone as prideful as Yan Jiyue to apologize in front of everyone, he had already lowered himself considerably.

She looked at Xie Yi.

Xie Yi’s gem-like green eyes flickered, and then he smiled magnanimously at Yan Jiyue. “It’s alright, it doesn’t hurt anymore. Xie Yi greets Big Brother.”

Xie Yi greets Big Brother.

It was that phrase again! A thick, bloody taste accumulated in Yan Jiyue’s chest.

In their previous life, when they first met, Xie Yi had also said this phrase.

Lowly thing, who was his big brother? They didn’t even have any blood relation.

Calling him big brother in front of Su Mu, firstly, was to show off that he was younger than him, and secondly, wasn’t it to flaunt to him that the rumors outside were true, that Su Mu had already taken his body?

Back then, he was young and impulsive, seeing through Xie Yi’s provocative intentions, and on the spot, he scolded Xie Yi as a lowly thing.

But he had forgotten to consider Su Mu. At that time, Xie Yi was favored by Su Mu, which the entire Yan family knew.

By scolding Xie Yi, wasn’t he scolding Su Mu?

By the time he realized it, it was too late. Su Mu’s gaze was cold and disappointed as she took Xie Yi’s hand and left without looking back.

He wanted to call out to Su Mu and explain to her, but Su Mu didn’t turn back. The one who turned back was Xie Yi, with his pair of provocative eyes.