Yu Shu: “…You misunderstood, I didn’t mean to fight you for food.”

Yan Jin glanced at Yu Shu, her tone sincere. “I believe you.”

Although she said that, Yan Jin ate much faster, clearly afraid a certain someone would fight her for food.

Yu Shu: “…”

[Hahahahaha Yan Jin is killing me with laughter. She actually thought Yu Shu wanted to fight her for food.]

[Isn’t the funniest part that Yan Jin says “I believe you” but then turns around and eats like a hurricane?]

After finishing that bowl of wontons, Yan Jin belatedly realized she had been too obvious, so she changed the subject. “I want to go check out the academy the day after tomorrow. Do you want to go with me?”

“Sure.” Yu Shu nodded. “I haven’t seen what the academy looks like either.”

With that, Yu Shu asked Yan Jin, “Do you know how to get to the academy?”

Yan Jin shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“But don’t worry.” Yan Jin: “We may not know the way, but others in Yongning County do. We can just ask the boss here when we pay later, it’s not a big deal.”

Yu Shu asked Yan Jin again, “The academy management is probably quite strict. Did you bring a letter of recommendation?”

“It was so chaotic yesterday, I only remembered to bring you to see the doctor and left the letter at home.” Seeing the hint of disappointment on Yu Shu’s face at not being able to go explore, Yan Jin said, “It’s fine if we can’t get into the academy. I inquired, there’s a Taoist temple near Qingsong Academy. We can go play there too.”

Yu Shu’s eyes lit up. “Great, great.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Shu realized he had acted too excited just now. He coughed in embarrassment. “We’re going to scout the location, not to play.”

Yan Jin’s lips curled up slightly. “Taking my little brother out to scout the location, isn’t that playing?”

“I’m an adult already,” Yu Shu protested. “Not a little brother!”

“I heard they sell really delicious candied hawthorn in front of that Taoist temple.” Yan Jin asked Yu Shu, “Adults don’t eat candied hawthorn, only little kids eat candied hawthorn. Will you eat it later?”

Yu Shu, who loved sweets, protested, “Adults can eat candied hawthorn too!”

“But I won’t eat it.” Yan Jin spread her hands. “Go grab any adult on the street and ask if they eat candied hawthorn.”

“I don’t care.” Yu Shu pouted. “I’m going to eat it.”

[They’re really arguing like elementary school kids. Oh no, it’s a one-sided elementary school kid argument.]

[I found Yu Shu is really quite silly. Did he forget he has money and can buy it himself if he wants, without needing Yan Jin’s approval?]

[It’s not really being silly, right? Feels more like the dependence Yu Shu unconsciously developed after getting familiar with Yan Jin.]

Although Yan Jin felt Yu Shu’s behavior at the bookstore was quite suspicious, she didn’t think to get to the bottom of it. After all, everyone has secrets, and being too curious isn’t good.

Yan Jin didn’t pursue it, but the next day, the suspicious point was glaringly placed in front of her eyes, making it hard for her to ignore even if she wanted to.

“Why are you showing me this?” Yan Jin looked at the book with “The One-Armed Bigshot Wants to Give Me His Life” written on it that Zhou Nong Yun had mysteriously pulled out, momentarily at a loss for words. “Didn’t you just thump your chest and say you were going to study hard? How come you’re reading novels now?”

“Change of plans.” Zhou Nong Yun shook the novel. “You don’t know, all the young men in our entire Yongning County are reading this novel now.”

“I read a few pages, it’s tooth-achingly sweet, especially this line.” Zhou Nong Yun’s face was sour. She struggled to say, “‘She cornered him against the wall, the corners of her eyes red. She spat out a few words through gritted teeth: I’ll give you my life.’ It’s so sour my cheeks hurt, but those young men just love it and stay up late every night to read it.”

[??? Popularity goes in circles? Isn’t this the line that made Ah Jiang literature a sensation for a while? It actually got popular in the An Kingdom too.]

[I see the author of this book is Peach Wine…I have a feeling this popularity might have been brought over by Ah Jiang literature.]

Yan Jin felt she might have figured out the reason for Yu Shu’s odd behavior yesterday. But since Yu Shu didn’t say it himself, it wouldn’t be ethical for her to expose him.

So Yan Jin didn’t snatch the book from Zhou Nong Yun’s hands to look for clues. Instead, she deliberately played dumb. “The target audience isn’t you anyway. As long as the young men think it’s good, that’s fine.”

“But putting aside that sour line, this book is quite interesting.” Zhou Nong Yun chuckled. “Reading it makes me want to find a cute husband like the male lead too.”

Seeing Yan Jin’s lack of interest, Zhou Nong Yun rubbed her hands. “Ah Jin, you don’t know how cute the male lead is. It was worth sneaking this novel from my father’s room.”