Chapter 1313: Chapter 1310: Invitation

“Was your health issue before the exam affecting your performance?”

“Not really, it’s an old problem. I tend to have irregular meals, so my stomach isn’t great,” Chu Sheng casually mentioned, having already prepared this excuse.

“That’s a relief. I thought it might have been due to poor hosting on my part,” Zhong Yan said, folding his fan, and sighed softly, “It’s a pity that we missed the academic exchange we had planned.”

“If we had had a proper exchange, who knows, we might have done even better.”

Chu Sheng shuddered slightly, inwardly bitter but showing a look of regret on his face, “That is truly regrettable. We’ll just have to exchange ideas another time.”

“However, there are still five days until the results are out, and other scholars have prepared a banquet. Do you have time to attend, Brother Chu Sheng?” Zhong Yan asked with a smile.

Chu Sheng did not want to spend time with Zhong Yan, especially on scholarly matters.

As he pondered an excuse to refuse, Zhong Yan seemed to sense his hesitation and said, “Brother Chu Sheng, to tell you the truth, this banquet isn’t really about exchanging knowledge. We’re actually going to a temple outside the city to admire the peach blossoms. If luck’s on our side, we might just encounter…”

He didn’t finish his sentence, but the hint in his smiling eyes couldn’t have been clearer.

Such outings are mostly used as an excuse to meet members of the opposite sex.

Chu Sheng’s cheeks flushed red, and he waved his hands dismissively, “That’s not appropriate, not at all. If you’re not busy, Brother Zhong, I’ll treat you to a meal at the restaurant next time.”

“Brother Chu Sheng, this is a rare opportunity, especially considering your age, right?” Zhong Yan said, somewhat dissatisfied with his reaction, seemingly surprised that any man would reject such an opportunity.

“Besides, Huo and Ye are also going.”

Huo Yun and Ye Rao were sons of noble families from the Prefectural City. Not only were their social statuses higher than that of ordinary scholars, but they were also renowned for their scholarship, having passed the elementary scholars’ exam on their first try. Their compositions were always exceptional in school, and given the competitive nature of the upcoming exam, their mock test papers were highly sought after.

Chu Sheng was indeed interested in befriending scholars with knowledge.

However, when it came to Zhong Yan, he really did not wish to interact, nor was he interested in visiting the peach orchard.

Seeming to have something else to attend to, Zhong Yan reminded him before leaving, “You don’t have to rush to decide now. The banquet won’t be held until five days after the results are released anyway. If you decide to come, just meet us at the restaurant.”

“I have urgent matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first.” Zhong Yan handed over some silver and tasked a servant boy with fetching Oil Smoke Ink before he hurriedly departed.

Chu Sheng didn’t take this matter to heart.

After some thought, he decided to discuss it with Chu Zhang first, but not urgently; they could talk after the results were out.

After before noon, the number of guests dwindled.

Chu Lin called Shopkeeper Zhang to join him and Chu Xing for lunch, celebrating the successful opening of their business. The food, prepared by a newly-hired cook, was complimented by a special jar of wine for the occasion.

“Congratulations, elders, on a successful opening day. Business is promising. I estimate it won’t be long before our reputation spreads,” Shopkeeper Zhang toasted.

Chu Xing accepted with a beaming smile, “I can’t drink much, so I’ll just have a bit to share in the joy with everyone.”

“Let’s all drink in moderation. We still have to go back to the shop to keep busy this afternoon,” Chu Lin said. Though Shopkeeper Zhang was happy, he knew his limits and nodded repeatedly, saying, “The elder master is right.”

As the shop did well, Chu Xing was in no rush to return home, choosing instead to inquire about the happenings of the Prefectural City.