Chapter 229: It seems like we've known each other for many years
Zhuang Rui was cleaning leisurely. He put down the broom, changed to a duster, and soon the place was spotless.
He did not feel tired, but rather happy. For the first time, he felt that doing rough work had a unique kind of fun.
Seeing that he was still unsatisfied, E-lan tried to dissuade him.
"Wait a minute, Jiang Shaolang, it's fine, it's already clean."
Zhuang Rui stopped as he was told. He didn't care how clean the school was. His eyes were still filled with E'lan.
"Then I'll take you home."
"It's getting late, and it's dangerous for a woman to travel alone."
E-Lan smiled shyly and nodded.
"it is good."
Seeing sweat on his forehead, she took out her silk handkerchief and gently wiped it off for him.
"Jiang Shaolang has suffered."
Zhuang Rui smiled brightly.
"No, I'm happy."
"What about you?"
"Is it hard to wait?"
The silver hairpin is delicate, and matched with a small flower bud, it makes E-Lan look even more soft and graceful.
"I'm happy too."
Feiyaoxuan was not far away, so they chose to walk instead of using a carriage.
The path is winding, and the fields on both sides are intertwined and fresh, warm after the rain, which is intoxicating.
Zhuang Rui slowed down his pace according to his heart.
"Do you live alone or with your parents?"
O-lan followed, walking very slowly.
"I live alone."
"As far as I can remember, I have never seen my father. My mother passed away when I was young, and I followed my father to reunite with him."
Under the setting sun, Zhuang Rui's leisurely look seemed even more free and unrestrained.
"Living alone is good, you can be free and casual. But, losing your parents so early, you must feel lonely and helpless, right?"
"My parents can give you some."
"I live with them. Jiang Jiaya's house is not far ahead. Next time, I'll take you there to get to know the way, okay?"
E-Lan smiled helplessly and corrected him concisely.
"You should say politely, I live with them."
"It's okay to be a good person, but how can you disrespect your parents?"
Zhuang Rui asked with concern.
"Are you very fond of etiquette and rules?"
O-lan answered truthfully.
"do not like."
Zhuang Rui waved his sleeves very quickly.
"Then just abandon it. We are not from the palace, so why should we be so restrained and bound by etiquette?"
"Even if I enter the palace, I will not observe etiquette..."
He stopped talking midway.
Elan was surprised.
"Have you ever been to the palace?"
Zhuang Rui smiled awkwardly and tried to smooth things over.
"What I meant is, even if, if... hehe."
"I am just a commoner, how can I enter the palace at will?"
E-Lan did not doubt it and smiled with her red lips covered by her sleeves.
"I thought you had actually been to the palace."
After thinking for a moment, Zhuang Rui asked tentatively.
"Uh... do you care about being well matched?"
Olan answered firmly.
"Of course I care."
Zhuang Rui couldn't help feeling lost.
"Why do you care about this?"
"Even King Dijin said that everyone is equal."
Elan disagreed.
"That is the prince's benevolence, not that you and I can ignore the etiquette."
Then she explained what was on her mind.
"I am of humble origin, so no matter who I marry, I will be considered marrying above my station. I shouldn't care about the idea of being well-matched. I am afraid that the man's family will be dissatisfied or the man himself will despise me."
It sounded promising, and Zhuang Rui was delighted.
"What if the man's parents agree and the man himself is happy to see it happen?"
"Will you marry?"
Speaking of this, O-lan felt a little shy.
"If we both like each other, I will naturally marry you."
Zhuang Rui couldn't hide the sweetness in his heart and he could hardly stop smiling.
"That's good."
"Tomorrow, you must not eat breakfast."
Olan asked doubtfully.
"Why?"
Zhuang Rui kept the question in suspense.
"You'll know then."
"Anyway, don't eat it, otherwise, I will be unhappy."
E-lan didn't think much about it and nodded in agreement.
"it is good."
The night passed.
As agreed, E-lan did not make breakfast. After washing up, she went out.
When the door was opened, Zhuang Rui was seen waiting at the door, with a row of servants standing behind him, each holding two food boxes in their hands.
Elan looked shocked.
"Jiang Shaolang?"
"How did you come?"
She guessed that perhaps he wanted to go to school together with her.
Zhuang Rui's relaxed smile contrasts beautifully with the morning sun.
"Bring you breakfast."
As he said this, he motioned for his servants to open the food boxes.
E'lan turned her head and saw that the food box was filled with a variety of breakfasts. Almost all the delicacies within the civilian norms were bought by him.
It turned out that not allowing her to eat breakfast was not meant to be harsh, but was to deliver breakfast to her.
I thought that most of the kids from rich families were playboys, but I didn't expect that there were such thoughtful people.
Thinking of this, E-lan's lips unconsciously showed a sweet smile.
Zhuang Rui explained patiently.
"I don't know what you like to eat, so I'll buy more. Don't worry about wasting it. You can give them the leftovers."
"Today's breakfast was made by the restaurant chef, so it's bound to be heavier in oil and salt."
"If you like light food, I will ask the cook in my house to make it tomorrow. Just tell me in advance what you should avoid eating."
The sweetness on O-lan's lips became even stronger.
"Thank you, Jiang Shaolang."
Zhuang Rui expressed his feelings generously without hiding anything.
"Between you and me, there is no need to be polite."
“Although this was our first meeting, I felt like we were familiar friends, like we were close friends and we’ve known each other for many years.”
E-lan was shy and responded honestly.
"Me too."
After breakfast, they went to school together.
When reciting an article, O-lan made a small mistake and was punished by the teacher to stand.
Zhuang Rui took the initiative to step forward and take the punishment.
Seeing that E-lan only had a partial understanding and had not yet fully comprehended the subject, Zhuang Rui personally taught her after school, giving her earnest guidance and tireless instruction. He explained each article until E-lan understood it, and only then did he take time to drink water to quench her thirst.
"With your talent, even if you can't reach the sky in one step, you won't fall so far like you are now."
"Are you a freshman in school?"
E Lan sighed softly.
“Not really a beginner.”
"I went to school when I was young, but then my mother passed away, and I gave up halfway."
Zhuang Rui couldn't help but feel distressed.
"Too."
"When your mother passes away, you will have to support yourself and naturally won't be able to take care of your studies."
"It's okay. I'll teach you. It won't be a problem to take the state governor's examination or to become an official."
Olan pursed her lips and smiled.
"You are so confident that you are more knowledgeable than me, aren't you?"
"I heard that Mr. Xun took part in the imperial examination, but failed before he even reached the Shengjing Prefecture Governor's Office. This shows how difficult the imperial examination is."
Thinking about the examination questions of the provincial governors in the past, Zhuang Rui made a casual comment.
"I guess it shouldn't be difficult. As for why Mr. Xun failed the exam..."
He paused and smiled lightly.
"Maybe he is only interested in teaching and learning, and doesn't care about this."
"Commoners, without any recommendation, can only rush to various levels of examinations and enter Shengjing step by step. Only by registering your name on the list of the governor of the state will you have a chance to be noticed by a high-ranking official and be recommended to the governor of the state for the examination with a piece of paper."
"Or perhaps, Mr. Xun has enough knowledge, but his character is not right, so no high position is favored by him."
Elan made a wild guess.
"It seems like someone is deliberately targeting you. Could it be that Mr. Xun has offended some powerful person?"
Zhuang Rui smiled happily.
"It is true that he offended me a little, but that powerful nobleman is not so petty. It is absolutely true that Mr. Xun failed the exam."
Elan was stunned.
"From what you said, you know that powerful person?"