Chapter 277: Chapter 277

Today Song Wei went to the Imperial Academy for work, and on the way, he took Song Yuanbao for a stroll inside. They returned home by sunset.

Wen Wan had already woken up and was busy with the assignments given by her teacher in the study. Next to the desk was a rattan cradle, with the sleeping Jinbao inside.

Hearing some movement outside, Wen Wan put down her pen and stood up. Before she could move, the tall and handsome figure of Song Wei had already appeared within her sight.

Even though they shared the bed every night, at this moment, seeing him, she felt a different kind of emotion, as if something in her heart had been filled. The indescribable sense of security and warmth made her eyes slightly moist. She didn’t step forward, but stood still, eyes unblinkingly fixed on him.

Song Wei casually closed the door and walked over with light steps, just about to see what she had written today, when he noticed a figure flash before him.

Wen Wan had proactively thrown herself into his arms, and tightly embraced the lean waist and back of the man.

Song Wei lowered his gaze, seeing that her head barely reached his chest.

He lifted his large hand and gently patted her back, speaking softly, "Today’s writing didn’t go well, is something on your mind?"

Wen Wan did not speak, sniffed, and buried her head in his chest.

Seeing she didn’t want to talk, Song Wei didn’t press further, his palm moving up to rest on her shoulder.

After a long while, Wen Wan finally raised her head, the soreness in her eyes having faded away.

Seeing that her mood was not good, Song Wei gently consoled, "Feeling any better?"

Wen Wan nodded, a smile forming on her lips, "Seeing you makes everything better."

Though the words seemed a bit coaxing, Song Wei’s lips still curved slightly, reminding her, "Since everything is better, you’ll have to rewrite the previous work, it won’t pass me , let alone the teacher."

Wen Wan felt her face heat up and her heart pound with guilt, "I’ll rewrite it after supper."

The previous rendition was indeed an eyesore.

Without waiting for Song Wei to ask about her troubles, Wen Wan explained by herself, recounting her encounter with Lin Xiaoyue at the Hongwen Academy and finally emphasizing their status.

"Although I am not very clear about the Su Family, nor do I know where her husband holds a position, from her reaction, she should be implicated in the Coal Mine Case. When she left, she didn’t even say goodbye, evidently determined to sever ties with me."

Song Wei asked her, "Wanwan, does your heart ache?"

Wen Wan lowered her eyelashes, silently confirming it.

It’s only been since February that she joined the Hongwen Academy. Among this year’s freshmen, except for a slightly closer relationship with Lin Xiaoyue, others were just classmates, with no one she could truly converse with.

Lin Xiaoyue was pregnant, and Wen Wan only thought that after her three-month leave, she might not return to class. She never expected to stand on opposing sides because of a case.

Song Wei said, "If you can set aside family and interests, I don’t oppose your interactions with her."

Knowing her husband was being considerate of her feelings, Wen Wan’s heart surged with indescribable gratitude and sweetness. But she couldn’t be so selfish, hugging his waist without letting go, she shook her head fiercely with her little face upturned.

"What’s wrong?" Song Wei’s tone carried a smile.

Wen Wan replied solemnly, "Friends can be made again, but once a husband is gone, he can’t be married again."

Amused by her, Song Wei’s handsome features showed a comforting joy.

Seeing no response from him, Wen Wan insisted earnestly, "I’m serious!"

The Coal Mine Case isn’t a small matter, it’s widely implicated. No matter how pure her friendship with Lin Xiaoyue is, one day it would be tainted, as such grievances are not something two women could simply put aside.

Her husband had been in the Hanlin Academy for merely half a year, his foundation unstable and his experience shallow, yet he had already offended so many people. As his wife, she couldn’t in times like these prioritize selfish desires over the bigger picture.

Just like she said before, friends can be made again, but if she were to push her husband into the limelight for a friend, it wouldn’t just be a moral issue.

Having been watched growing up by her husband since the age of three and married at Sixteen, Wen Wan’s maturity in thought leaned undeniably towards Song Wei’s.

Seeing the bright glint in his little wife’s eyes, Song Wei was moved, unable to utter any words of refusal, "As long as you’re at ease, do as you please."

These words carried such indulgence and pampering, Wen Wan couldn’t describe it. She only knew that the loneliness from losing a friend was smoothed over by his gentle words.

Wen Wan slowly released him and asked about today’s trip to the Imperial Academy.

"Isn’t it said that one must hold at least a fifth-rank position to secure a quota? You’re only a Standard Sixth Rank, how could you get Yuanbao in?"

Song Wei said it was possible.

He handled the Coal Mine Case, and was considered a sharp tool by the Emperor Guangxi, causing the Su Family unprecedented damage. Apart from promotion, Emperor Guangxi had to show some gesture.

A few days ago, when he went to give a lecture to Emperor Guangxi, the Emperor asked if he had a son.

Song Wei didn’t hide, saying it was his brother’s child, but due to special reasons, was raised under his care, and over time, treated as his own son.

Emperor Guangxi took note and did not inquire into Song Wei’s private affairs. Upon learning that Song Yuanbao was already twelve years old, he immediately promised another opportunity for him.

Song Wei did not refuse.

Having just received a promotion, unless he achieved outstanding political achievements within a year or two, Emperor Guangxi would not promote him again. The performance assessment took place every three years, and at the next one, even if he could be promoted, at most he would reach the Secondary Fifth Rank.

Advancing to the fifth-rank wasn’t easy.

He personally wasn’t afraid of the wait; he was merely considering the age of Yuanbao, as delaying further would hinder his future prospects.

Wen Wan asked, "When can he go?"

"Today, I’ve already taken advantage of my position to talk to the School Principal and the Chief Officer inside. As long as Yuanbao is ready, he can go anytime," Song Wei said.

"Then from now on, Yuanbao can accompany me when I go out," Wen Wan said happily.

The Imperial College is just across the street from the Hongwen Academy, making it convenient for our family not to fret about acquiring another carriage.

The carriage would not be a concern, but Wen Wan was worried thinking about the presence of more than just one noble son like Lu Yanqing inside, "Yuanbao is only twelve, wouldn’t he be too young? I’m afraid he might suffer if he enters so early."

Song Wei held Wen Wan’s hand and sat her down, speaking comforting words to her, "Yuanbao is going in as a supervisor, not as a local-selected scholar. Generally, noble sons don’t trouble supervisors. Moreover, people like Lu Yanqing are rare. There are still many earnest and ambitious official’s sons inside; otherwise, the runner-up from the last term wouldn’t come out of the Imperial College. That person was also a noble son with a strong background."

Wen Wan straightened up, lowered her head in a humble posture, appearing open-minded and receptive, "It seems I was narrow-minded."

With one Lu Yanqing ahead, hearing terms like "official’s son" and "noble son" made her subconsciously label them as "ignorant," leading to substantial resistance.

After listening to her husband, she realized how deep her bias against noble sons was.

Seeing her deep in thought, Song Wei asked, "What are you thinking?" Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝙣𝙚𝙩

Wen Wan touched her mouth in a bashful smile, "I was thinking that if I hadn’t married you back then, but someone else, I might be destined to work in the fields until old age, and my husband surely wouldn’t teach me these principles."

Song Wei’s gaze softened with laughter, playfully asking her, "So, should it be said that you have good taste, or that I made a wise choice?"

Wen Wan pondered for a moment, then looked at the man with brows and eyes smiling, "It should be said that my husband has good taste."

Seeing him laugh, Wen Wan’s mood lifted as well.

Song Wei raised his hand, gently brushing her brow with his fingertips, his voice incredibly tender, "You only had one chance to choose. Choosing me means there’s no ’if’."

Though it sounded a bit domineering, Wen Wan did not find it offensive, smiling as she wrapped her arm around his neck, "Then, if I hadn’t been proactive back then, who would you have planned to marry?"

Perhaps in these matters, a woman’s thoughts are more sensitive, sometimes the more she gets, the more she demands.

Even Wen Wan couldn’t escape this.

Song Wei looked at her with a smile, "Since you didn’t proactively say you wanted to marry me, why care who I would marry?"

Wen Wan knew she couldn’t win the argument, so her once justified tone softened, "I just purely wanted to know."

Song Wei removed her hand from his neck and placed it securely, "Even if you knew, it’s no use; we’ve been married for four years, and it’s too late to turn back."

He refused to say more, and Wen Wan didn’t get angry, instead boasting, "No matter who you intended to marry, once you agreed to marry me, there wasn’t any chance to regret."

Song Wei laughed but said nothing, his gaze seemed to travel back four years, freezing in that crimson September moment when a slim young girl crouched before him, desperately writing six words on the ground with a thin twig to change her fate — ’You marry me, I bring prosperity.’

Thinking of this, Song Wei asked the long-unspoken question in his heart, "Since you have such an unknown ability, with so many options back then, why did you choose me in the end?"

Actually, Wen Wan had carefully thought about this question.

Initially, she believed it was because her foresight ability could help Song Wei.

But later on, she realized it wasn’t entirely because of that.

During their first meeting outside the school, the feeling Song Wei gave her was different from others; besides having a compelling appearance that charmed the girls, his mature and steady demeanor was equally noticeable.

Ordinarily, such bad luck would have long driven others to despair, but for him, you couldn’t see a bit of self-pity, whether facing frequent misfortunes or enduring criticisms and insults from villagers; he maintained a steady mindset.

Before the marriage, Wen Wan didn’t have much contact with Song Wei, but each time, she could feel an unprecedented sense of stability and reassurance from him.

Clearly, he was the one who needed her protection.

Wen Wan snapped back, looked at the man and laughed, "Because you are handsome!"