Chapter 11 The Long Road to Pursuing a Wife

On the day of the exam, candidates lined up to enter the venue. To prevent cheating, the inspection upon entry was extremely strict.

The candidates’ clothes, shoes, and socks had to be single-layered, with no interlining allowed. Even the pens required for the exam had to be specially prepared with hollow bodies, all to prevent candidates from smuggling in contraband.

After all, cheating in the imperial examinations was a serious crime, with punishments far more severe than in modern times.

If a candidate was found cheating, not only would the candidate be punished, but even the presiding officials would be directly taken out and beheaded.

It was the plum rain season, and a fine drizzle fell from the sky. Su Mu stood silently at the back of the queue, holding an umbrella, surrounded by mist.

“Miss Su!” Shen Yuxue waved at her with a smile. She wasn’t carrying an umbrella, dressed in white with a black belt embroidered with silver lotus patterns around her waist. Her long hair was simply tied in a high ponytail, and her originally heroic face, now touched by rainwater, appeared even more spirited.

“Miss Shen.” Su Mu held the umbrella to shield her from the rain.

Shen Yuxue slipped under her umbrella like a swimming fish, shaking off the water droplets on her clothes, and asked, “How’s your preparation for today’s exam, Miss Su?”

Su Mu replied, “It’s alright, I’ve only thoroughly read the Four Books. How about you, Miss Shen?”

Shen Yuxue sighed, “Me? Ah, I’m planning to turn in a blank paper.”

Su Mu wasn’t actually surprised, as in her previous life, Shen Yuxue had indeed submitted a blank paper. The imperial examination wasn’t something she could pass just by memorizing a few famous poems.

But her reaction couldn’t be too calm, so she pretended to look slightly surprised and asked, “Why?”

Shen Yuxue helplessly said, “Those Four Books and Five Classics, I actually don’t understand them at all.”

“Miss Shen is really being modest. How could a great talent who wrote the masterpiece ‘Water Melody’ not understand the Four Books and Five Classics? I think you’re being too humble. Unlike some people who, having just learned a few characters, rush to the exam hall to make fools of themselves, truly bringing shame to my Yan family.”

Yan Ruyu walked up to the two with a cold smile. A frail-looking little attendant stood on tiptoes to hold an umbrella for her, his body half soaked.

“You know each other?” Shen Yuxue asked.

Yan Ruyu raised her chin proudly, “Miss Shen doesn’t know, this Su Mu is the married-in husband of our Yan family, and I am the cousin of her wife-master. This person barely knows a few characters, she’s just here to embarrass herself today.”

Shen Yuxue smiled, “The exam hasn’t started yet, Miss Yan shouldn’t speak of Miss Su like this. I find Miss Su to be intelligent and polite.”

In contrast, she herself was more like an embroidered pillow – pretty but useless.

“Miss Shen, you—”

Just as Yan Ruyu was about to speak, a carriage stopped in front of them, its wheels landing right in a mud puddle, splashing mud all over Yan Ruyu.

Yan Ruyu was furious, “Where did this blind thing come from?”

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Xiao Ping was the first to step down. Seeing Xiao Ping, Yan Ruyu instantly knew who was in the carriage and became mute in an instant.

Xiao Ping came before Su Mu, bowing slightly in greeting, his attitude much more respectful than before: “Young Mistress, the young master invites you to come in and sit for a while.”

Su Mu stood quietly in place and said softly, “I’m about to enter the exam hall. Take your young master back.”

Xiao Ping didn’t dare to speak, timidly glancing into the carriage.

The next moment, a pair of perfectly flawless hands parted the carriage curtain. Yan Jiyue alighted from the carriage, wearing a snow-white robe with only the hem dyed in a deep sea blue. His entire being was cold and ethereal, untouched by worldly dust.

The surrounding students in the queue were stunned when they saw Yan Jiyue’s appearance. After all, he was the most beautiful man in Juancheng, his looks truly superior.

While everyone was shocked by Yan Jiyue’s beauty, Su Mu lowered her head, watching as Yan Jiyue’s hem fell into the mud, becoming soiled.

He loved cleanliness the most, unable to tolerate even half a speck of dirt, and would never go out in the rain. But now he stood quietly in the rain, allowing his hem to become wet.

“Wife-master,” he called her softly.

Su Mu frowned, “What did you call me?”

Has Yan Jiyue gone mad? Shen Yuxue is standing right next to her now, doesn’t he always like Shen Yuxue?

What is he trying to do now?

Yan Jiyue tightly gripped his sleeves, taking a food box from Xiao Ping’s hands: “The exam will be long, I made some pastries for you to eat in the exam hall.”

Su Mu frowned even deeper: “Pastries you made?”

“Mm.” Yan Jiyue pressed his lips tightly together, his fingertips slightly red from nervousness.

At this point, not just Su Mu, even Yan Ruyu looked as if she had seen a ghost.

What did he just say? He made pastries?

Laughable, how could Yan Jiyue possibly cook? The possibility of him poisoning someone was higher than this.

Su Mu originally didn’t believe it, but when she saw the obvious burn marks on Yan Jiyue’s fingers, her mind wavered.

“Come with me,” Su Mu said flatly, holding her umbrella and leaving the queue, stopping under a willow tree not far away.

Yan Jiyue’s eyes lit up, thinking Su Mu had finally softened towards him. He hurriedly followed, even ignoring the umbrella Xiao Ping offered.

Though the rain was light, Yan Jiyue’s long hair was still soaked on the way. But he didn’t care, only feeling his heart beating as fast as a drum at this moment.

“Wife-master—”

“Don’t call me wife-master.” Su Mu coldly interrupted him.

The joyful smile on Yan Jiyue’s face instantly froze, slowly turning into dejection. The drizzling rain poured on his body, water droplets condensing on his long hair, his eye corners also wet, the alluring corners of his eyes like a broken rose.

Looking at his drenched appearance, Su Mu gripped her umbrella handle tightly, steeling her heart to look away. It was his own fault for not bringing an umbrella.

“We’re already divorced, don’t come looking for me in the future.” She said bluntly, without a trace of emotion.

“…No.” Water dripped from the ends of his hair, but the look in his desolate eyes was extremely determined.

“You—” Su Mu gritted her teeth and sneered, “Fine, if you want to be so spineless and throw yourself at me, suit yourself. It’s not me who’s being embarrassed anyway.”

She knew that even if Yan Jiyue had been reborn, he was still an extremely proud person at his core, who would never allow anyone to demean him with such humiliating words.

Sure enough, she saw Yan Jiyue’s tightly clenched hands trembling, his face losing color in an instant.

After all, Su Mu had been married to Yan Jiyue for ten years and knew he was holding back his anger.

Why are you still enduring? Get angry, scold her, then give up on her. After that, they could go their separate ways and he wouldn’t have to entangle with her anymore.

Just when she thought Yan Jiyue wouldn’t be able to hold back any longer, he forced out a smile. The smile contained a humility and eagerness to please that she had never seen before.

“Yes, I am indeed spineless.” He tremblingly reached out and grabbed her sleeve, a drop of water sliding down the corner of his eye, indistinguishable whether it was rain or a tear: “That box of pastries really was made by me. Even if you don’t like them, just try a bite, okay?”

Su Mu shook off his hand: “Young Master Yan, haven’t you missed the point? You shouldn’t be inexplicably trying to please me now. You should be thinking about how you and your father, two men, will keep hold of the Yan family’s property after the divorce.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a heavy clap of thunder sounded in the sky.

The rain suddenly intensified. Yan Jiyue’s clothes were soaked through, rainwater flowing along the contours of his face, finally dripping from the tip of his chin.

“What else can be done? All Father can do is have me marry again, bring in another woman to marry into the family,” Yan Jiyue’s forced smile carried a hint of bitterness. His clear, moist eyes looked at Su Mu, his pale face in the chilly wind appearing desolate, but even so, it didn’t diminish his beauty: “…But I’d rather die than marry again. I won’t be that kind of fickle man.”

He would only ever have one wife-master.

Su Mu recalled when she first met Yan Jiyue, dressed in red, beautiful as a dazzling fire, a flower that made her fall head over heels.

Even though their relationship wasn’t good in their previous life, she still didn’t want to see Yan Jiyue being forced to remarry again and again.

Having lived two lives, she had seen through it all. Although he was Yan Zhujun’s son, like her, he was just a handy tool in Yan Zhujun’s hands.

His father, seemingly kind and amiable on the surface, was actually cold-hearted, disregarding even blood ties and family affection.

She still softened her heart and moved the umbrella over him to shield him from the rain.

Yan Jiyue’s eyes widened, the wet and resentful corners of his eyes instantly gaining a bright color.

Su Mu looked away: “Yan Jiyue, I’ll point out a clear path for you so perhaps you won’t have to remarry. Go find Yan Ting.”

“My elder sister? Hasn’t she already died?”

Su Mu said, “No remains found means life or death is uncertain, there might still be a glimmer of hope. I heard someone say that at the bottom of the cliff Yan Ting fell from, there’s a village. You might as well send someone to inquire. Perhaps Yan Ting was picked up by someone in the village?”

In her previous life, when the poison hadn’t yet spread throughout her body, Yan Zhujun had come to see her, putting on a facade of care. In her half-conscious state, she had heard Yan Zhujun telling Ling Hua that they had found news of Yan Ting.

“So you’ve always…” Yan Jiyue looked at her with emotion.

“Alright, I need to go in now. After the exam is over, I will announce our divorce to the public. As for whether you can find Yan Ting before those relatives make their move, that depends on your luck.” Su Mu said.

If Yan Ting could be found, Yan Jiyue wouldn’t have to be forced into marriage, he might even have the right to choose his own marriage. Perhaps he could still successfully marry Shen Yuxue whom he had always deeply loved, and naturally wouldn’t come to bother her anymore.

She had intended to enter the exam hall with her umbrella, but seeing Yan Jiyue’s drenched appearance, she ultimately couldn’t harden her heart. She handed the umbrella to him and ran into the rain herself.

“Young Master, the Young Mistress has already entered the exam hall, let’s go back,” Xiao Ping came to his side.

Yan Jiyue held the umbrella handle, which still retained Su Mu’s body warmth, warm as if holding a small sun, melting his bones.

“Go back and send a message to Father,” Yan Jiyue said in Xiao Ping’s ear.

Xiao Ping was shocked beyond measure, never imagining that the eldest young lady might still be alive.

“Then… what about you, Young Master?”

Yan Jiyue stood quietly in the rain, holding the umbrella. The soft branches of the willow slid past his shoulder.

“I’ll wait for her here.”

They had missed ten years, and now he didn’t want to miss a single moment of being able to stand together with Su Mu.