Dean Fan lay on the soft couch like a large salted fish, groaning incessantly.
The thing stung as if it were tearing his skin, hurting terribly. He also felt a bit breathless.
Seeing that the time was right, Xiao Xitian removed all the cupping jars and helped Dean Fan put on his clothes. "Be careful, you can't catch a cold!"
Dean Fan stood up and stretched his limbs.
Indeed, after the cupping, he felt much more relaxed. His back pain had also lessened.
"Oh my, Miss Yun, who did you learn this from? It's truly miraculous!" Dean Fan beamed. If he had a granddaughter or daughter like this, he could die happy in his dreams.
Xiao Xitian pouted. "I saw it in a medical book!"
"What?" Dean Fan's eyes widened. "Miss Yun can read?"
The Yun family must have done many good deeds in their past lives to have such an excellent and adorable little daughter.
Xiao Jinheng smiled faintly. "If she couldn't read, how could she have designed the waterwheel?"
"Oh, oh, right, right!" Dean Fan's eyes disappeared as he happily patted his forehead. "Look at me, I'm babbling nonsense when I get excited..."
He then crouched down, took Xiao Xitian's small hand, and said, "Miss Yun, would you be willing to sell your cupping jars to this old man? I'll give you this much!" He made a scissor gesture with his fingers.
Xiao Xitian blinked slightly. "Is it twenty copper coins?" That seemed a little low. But since Dean Fan liked them, she could just give them to him... With Uncle Dean's care, her eldest nephew would have a smoother time at the academy.
Dean Fan chuckled. "Two taels of silver, how about that?" How could he, the esteemed dean of the academy, offer a mere twenty copper coins?
Xiao Xitian: "..." That was too much! She realized that with the brat around, Dean Fan would be willing to pay twenty taels, let alone two.
"No need, these cupping jars are a gift for Uncle Dean. Please keep them well!" Xiao Xitian rummaged in her small satchel and placed the cupping jars on the desk.
Dean Fan was stunned, his eyes fixed on Xiao Xitian's satchel. "No, is this bag of yours a sack? How can it hold so many things..."
Xiao Jinheng couldn't help but chuckle. What was this? If he saw her pull out a large wooden plank from her small satchel, he'd probably faint. Earlier, when she was on a small boat with her fourth brother and they were being chased, Xiao Xitian had produced a large plank to block a volley of arrows.
Dean Fan rubbed Xiao Xitian's head. "That wouldn't be right. How about this, you two don't leave. When I finish my class, I'll treat you to a meal, how about that?" Like Prefect Chen, he didn't have many hobbies, except for dabbling in wild game... The academy had children from many high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants, and the wild delicacies they sent every month had almost filled the storeroom.
"Really, no need!" Xiao Xitian smiled and refused. They still had to rent a house for Jinhe later.
Seeing that they were determined to leave, Dean Fan didn't insist and instructed his servants to escort them out of the academy.
At the same time, Shangguan Fang'er, sitting in the carriage, began to wail.
"Wuwuwu, I want to find Sanman, I'm hungry, where is he, where is he, wuwu!" Shangguan Fang'er lay sprawled in the carriage, rolling back and forth. Kong Xingzhuo had bought her hand-grabbed pancakes and Jianbing Guozi, but she refused to eat them, insisting on finding Yun Sanman.
"Hey, what do you want, really?" Kong Xingzhuo was annoyed by her shouting. "If you're hungry, eat! Why are you acting up with me?" He wondered what charm Sanman had that this girl was fixated on him and trusted no one else. Kong Xingzhuo touched his face. He wasn't unattractive himself, so why didn't Shangguan Fang'er give him a second glance...
Murong Qing smiled and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Young Master Kong. My sister is like this when she's unwell, no one can persuade her. I'll watch her here, so you don't need to worry!" Kong Xingzhuo wanted to take care of her, but Shangguan Fang'er wouldn't let him.
Xiao Ying and Xiao Jun huddled together, giggling.
"Hey, look, that Fang'er girl must have a crush on Sanman. Slowly, she'll become Sanman's wife, hehe..."
"What nonsense are you talking about? Although Sanman is divorced, he can't marry a silly wife, can he? Look at her half-crazy appearance, what can she do if she's brought back to Dashui Village?"
"Forget it. It's like choosing between different vegetables. Fang'er is so young and beautiful, and she can have more children. Doesn't the old Yun family lack little daughters? Maybe she'll give birth to girls as soon as she arrives..."
"It's really strange. You say Fang'er is crazy and foolish, but Murong Qing is like a clever person. Are they really sisters?"
Seeing them squatting by the wall, chattering endlessly, Kong Xingzhuo reprimanded them, "Are you all so idle? Why aren't you going to the academy to welcome the young master?" These two useless fellows were already old enough, yet all they did was loaf around and do nothing productive...
Xiao Ying and Xiao Jun stood up and were about to head towards the academy when they saw Xiao Jinheng and the others returning.
As soon as she heard Yun Sanman's voice, Shangguan Fang'er jumped out of the carriage, tears streaming down her face. "Wuwuwu, Sanman, my tummy is hungry, wuwu!"
Xiao Xitian and Xiao Jinheng exchanged a glance. It seemed this Miss Fang'er had set her heart on her third brother.
Yun Sanman: "..." He looked at the Jianbing Guozi and hand-grabbed pancakes in the carriage and asked, puzzled, "If you're hungry, eat the pancakes!"
"Wuwuwu, I want you to feed me!" Shangguan Fang'er hugged Yun Sanman tightly, rubbing her snot and tears on his clothes.
Yun Sanman: "..." This girl was too clingy!
"Commander Kong, see if there are any suitable houses nearby, preferably with a private courtyard!" Xiao Jinheng instructed. He didn't want the village boy to worry if Yun Jinhe wasn't settled.
Kong Xingzhuo smiled and nodded. "Certainly, your subordinate will go look right away!"
"N-no need!" Yun Jinhe scratched his head. "As long as there's a place to live, it's fine. No need to find anything too fancy..." The better the house, the higher the rent. He didn't want to burden his family.
Hearing this, Xiao Jinheng glanced at Xiao Xitian, letting her decide.
"It can't be too dilapidated!" Xiao Xitian patted her small satchel. "I'll pay the rent for my eldest nephew!" Besides, Murong Qing was going to be a companion student, so they couldn't just rent one room, could they...
Yun Jinhe lowered his head, tightly clenching the hem of his clothes. He vowed that when he achieved success, he would treat his little aunt well. Even if he didn't get married, he would treat his little aunt exceptionally well.
Meanwhile, a group of people arrived at the prefectural county, led by a middle-aged man with a weathered face.