Chapter 103: Chapter 102: The Writing Reflects the Man
The smoked meat and sausages were taken to the kitchen by Wen Wan.
Granny Song, upon seeing guests at home, had already gone inside with Song Fang to busy themselves.
Seeing Wen Wan coming over, Song Fang eagerly asked, "Sister-in-law, who was that person? Is he Third Brother’s classmate or friend?"
Wen Wan nodded.
Though not exactly classmates, the fact that her husband let him stay implied he considered him a friend.
Song Fang had a sudden realization and smiled, "After all these years, it’s the first time I’ve seen someone actively come to visit Third Brother!"
To be precise, apart from Xie Zheng and Xie Tao, Third Brother really didn’t have any friends.
Due to his notorious bad luck, those who knew of it were unwilling to get close to him.
In Song Fang’s memory, Third Brother always kept to himself, which resulted in his silent and reserved personality.
Listening to this, Wen Wan felt an inexplicable sadness.
Just how strong must her husband’s heart be to endure being isolated for over twenty years because of an unchangeable fate?
Song Fang thought it was good for her Third Brother to make friends, but their mother worried about her son’s safety.
Granny Song was fiercely protective, especially concerning matters related to Song Wei; no matter who was right or wrong, her first concern was whether her son was hurt, felt uncomfortable, or needed a doctor.
It’s not that she’s naturally hypersensitive, but the experiences Song Wei had from a young age forced her, as a mother, to be alert and cautious at all times.
Even if she wouldn’t admit it, she knew her youngest son lived on a precariously thin line, easily reclaimable by King Yan due to his bad fortune.
Once the meal was ready, they kept a small portion in the kitchen for the three of them to eat, and the rest, Granny Song personally delivered to the main room.
Song Wei was pouring wine for Xie Zheng and Hao Yun; Old Song had been called away to do some furniture work and wasn’t home today.
While setting the dishes, Granny Song overheard Xie Zheng mention he was giving his students a break and then would invite Song Wei to share his experience with the exams. She couldn’t help but chime in, but she only reminded Song Wei to be extra careful.
Xie Zheng and Hao Yun knew about Song Wei’s infamous luck, so they understood a mother’s sincere concerns.
——
Once everything was settled, Xie Zheng quickly gave his students at the private school time off to make room.
Every day after his breakfast, Song Wei would go to the Xie Family, teaching the two.
He didn’t teach the classic texts, instead, he focused on an in-depth analysis of the county and provincial exams.
Song Wei’s writing might not be ornate, but it was solid, with every word precise and meaningful, devoid of any fluff meant to please the examiners.
As the saying goes, the text mirrors the person, it was apt in this case.
This was why his essays in both the county and provincial exams stood out among numerous students’ papers—there was no foul play; such writing inevitably caught attention among stacks of papers, making it unforgettable.
Compared to Song Wei, Xie Zheng and Hao Yun seemed narrow-minded in their approach; after just one class, both benefited immensely.
Hao Yun exclaimed excitedly, "I told you, Brother Song is truly my Noble, just one lesson from you surpasses over ten years of my hard study!"
Xie Zheng also felt deeply moved; if not for today’s insights from Song Wei, he wouldn’t have realized the gap between himself and his Third Brother.
However, Xie Zheng was different from Hao Yun; his gratitude for Song Wei wasn’t expressed verbally—a look between lifelong brothers was enough.
Song Wei packed up briefly and told the two, "I have some things to do in the county this afternoon; please, feel at home."
Teaching wasn’t his primary role, so he couldn’t conduct classes at scheduled hours.
Moreover, the morning’s lesson was sufficiently dense, enough for them to digest over several days.
When Song Wei stepped out of the Xie Family Private School, he saw Wen Wan waiting outside, carrying a bamboo basket, shaded with a cloth to avoid the sun.
Inside the basket was the lunch she had personally prepared for him.