953: Chapter 932: Return 953: Chapter 932: Return Bai Shan and the others had to take exams for three consecutive days, from the first to the third of July, with only forty-eight students participating, but there were plenty of teachers, so the results could be announced on the fifth.
Although it was a three-day exam, it was held only in the mornings; the afternoons were free from testing.
As Manbao left the pharmacy, she climbed into Daji’s carriage and soon arrived at the main entrance of the Imperial Academy.
After class, the students from the Six Academies gradually erged from the school.
Bai Shan and his group were handing in their papers and tidying their desks.
By the ti they ca out carrying their exam baskets, Manbao had already been waiting at the entrance, chin propped on her hand, for nearly fifteen minutes.
When Manbao saw Bai Shan erge from the gate opposite, she lazily lifted her eyelids and waved her hand to signal them over.
Upon seeing her, Bai Shan, pulling Bai Erlang along, headed over; Bai Dalang shook his head and followed behind them.
Before the three of them got close, Manbao’s mind buzzed with the sound of electricity.
Her eyes sparked with excitent, and after several buzzing noises, she heard a familiar voice in her mind, “Host…”
With a jubilant “Yay,” Manbao jumped down from the carriage shaft, bouncing excitedly on the spot.
Not only were Bai Shan and the others stunned on the spot, but even Daji was shocked, tensing his back and looking towards Manbao.
The passing scholars nearby were also startled by Manbao’s loud cry, with one nearly going weak at the knees and almost kneeling.
Radiating joy and excitent, Manbao bounced twice on the spot and then cheerfully clapped her hands on her chest towards Bai Shan and the others, “Senior Sister is treating you all to a al.”
Everyone: …
Keke: …
After a long silence, Keke said, “Host, the daffodil can be collected.”
It was then that Manbao responded to Keke in her mind, “Keke, are you alright?”
“I’m fine, just experienced a program anomaly.
Nothing a virus scan couldn’t fix,” Keke steered the conversation back, “Daffodils are a rare species, both in terms of ornantal and research value, we recomnd that the host collects them.”
“Collect them, collect them, I’ll do it once we get back,” Manbao was overjoyed.
Bai Shan and the others finally snapped back to reality, seeing Manbao smiling so broadly that her eyes nearly disappeared, mouth wide open, they couldn’t figure out what she was so happy about.
Bai Erlang, holding his heart, asked apprehensively, “Could it be, she has been upset these past few days because we had exams?
So now that we’re done, she’s happy?
But she seems too happy, even I’m not that happy…”
Bai Shan started looking around, especially at the empty space between him and Manbao, scrutinizing it carefully, half-suspecting that Uncle Zhou might have returned.
Manbao finally composed herself a bit, but she couldn’t suppress the smile on her face, “Just say whether you’re coming or not.”
“Yeah, where are we eating?” Why wouldn’t soone go if they’re being treated?
Bai Erlang even pulled his elder brother along, “Big brother, let’s go together.
Where do you think has tasty food?”
Bai Dalang felt that his younger brother was really lacking manners.
Manbao was the youngest and a girl at that; how could they let her treat?
Little did he know, Manbao also looked at him, passionately asking, “Senior Brother Bai, you ca to the capital before us, which restaurant do you think has good food?”
Daji, having already surveyed the surroundings and reconfird there was no danger, also glanced at Manbao before saying, “Young masters, Miss Man, let’s get on the carriage and head ho first.
Mr.
Zhuang is still waiting at ho.”
Only then did everyone rember Mr.
Zhuang waiting back ho, and they hurriedly climbed into the carriage to go ho.
The ride ho was lively, with laughter floating around the carriage.
Although Bai Shan had so private concerns, seeing Manbao laugh so happily made him relax as well.
These past several days, Manbao had been tense, and both Bai Shan and Bai Erlang had been troubled by the exams, hence the atmosphere had been sowhat strained.
The exams had ended today, and once Manbao let go, everyone began to feel joyful.
Bai Erlang, getting carried away, turned to Manbao and said, “Why don’t we go to Primus Pavilion to eat?
I’ve heard their wine is particularly good.”
Manbao heard the na “Primus Pavilion” for the second ti and couldn’t help asking curiously, “How do you know Primus Pavilion has good wine?”
Bai Erlang pointed at Bai Dalang and betrayed him by saying, “My elder brother told .”
Bai Dalang: …
Manbao asked, “Is it only the wine that’s good, or is the food good too?”
Primus Pavilion was not cheap, and considering Manbao’s wallet, Bai Dalang reluctantly said, “It’s average.”
Looking at his expression, Manbao, along with Bai Shan and Bai Erlang, silently stared at him.
Could he not be a bit more sincere when he said that?
Did he think they were fools?
Bai Erlang looked at Manbao.
Manbao said irritably, “You don’t even drink alcohol, so why look for a place with good wine?”
“Just for the experience, and even if I don’t drink, the teacher does,” Bai Erlang said.
“The teacher likes to drink.”
That was indeed true, Manbao thought.
Although the teacher rarely drank alcohol and mostly drank tea, on the few occasions he did, Manbao noticed that the teacher was indeed very happy when he had good wine.
Bai Shan said, “The teacher has been working hard these days, let’s all chip in and treat the teacher to so wine.”
Bai Dalang imdiately said, “Count in.”
So, as they talked, it turned into everyone chipping in to raise money, and neither Manbao nor Bai Erlang had any objections.
After discussing, they all agreed on Primus Pavilion.
Daji brought a carload of enthusiastically chattering people back ho.
Mr.
Zhuang was waiting in the study.
As soon as the children arrived, he sensed sothing was off; everyone seed very happy today, the atmosphere was good.
His gaze swept over the four of them and finally settled on Manbao, and he couldn’t help but smile slightly.
It seed he didn’t need to have a heart-to-heart with this kid.
Mr.
Zhuang pointed at their table and said to Bai Shan and Bai Erlang, “Co, write down the questions.
Do you still rember the poems you composed?”
The last exam had been about poetry.
Bai Shan nodded slightly and stepped forward to write down the questions.
The poems he had composed himself, Bai Erlang still rembered at this mont.
Seeing they were discussing the exam, Manbao quietly slipped into the yard to look for her daffodil.
Since bringing the daffodil ho, she seed to have neglected it quite a bit.
The daffodil was no longer under the original eaves.
Manbao turned around on the spot and couldn’t find where the flower had gone.
Lijun was sitting under the eaves sewing when she saw the young girl spinning around like a cat chasing its own tail.
She couldn’t help asking, “Young lady, what are you looking for?”
Manbao asked, “Where is the daffodil?
The one that looks like garlic.”
“I moved it under a tree in the small garden,” Lijun said.
“Didn’t the young lady say it grows by the water?
It must like shade then.
The sun is so strong right now, I was afraid it would die under the eaves, so I moved it under the tree.”
It was cooler there.
Manbao nodded and began looking around again, “Lijun, do we have any empty flower pots at ho?”
There were no flower pots, but there were so chipped jars or large pots, as well as a wooden basin with a leaking bottom, all left by a previous tenant.
Liu Gui and the others had piled these up in the front yard when they were cleaning.
Lijun had seen these and hadn’t thrown them out, thinking it would be good to fill these wooden basins and jars with soil to plant so green onions and garlic.
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