After the spiritual energy was restored: Goddess girlfriends came knocking.

After spending a few more days in Yujing City, Lin Chu's reputation had spread far and wide.

The storytellers in the teahouses had already incorporated the "Four Sentences of Hengqu" into their stories, and everyone in the streets and alleys was talking about this sixteen-year-old new top scholar.

The news is spreading along the official road, and it is estimated that it will not be long before the entire Great Zhou Dynasty knows about Lin Chu, the newly appointed top scholar.

These past few days, Zhou Caiwei has been going to the courtyard even more frequently.

Sometimes they deliver snacks, sometimes they deliver new tea, and sometimes they deliver nothing and just pass by.

She always had a legitimate reason for coming, but she would always stay in the yard a little longer.

Lin Chu remained the same as before—neither indifferent nor enthusiastic.

She asked three questions, and he answered one.

She pushed the pastries forward, he thanked her, and then continued looking at his map.

Zhou Tingfu saw this.

That evening after dinner, he sat in his study with a teacup in his hand and casually remarked, "Caiwei, Lin Chu is going back to her hometown in the next few days."

Zhou Caiwei paused for a moment while pouring tea, then continued pouring as if nothing had happened: "Oh."

Zhou Tingfu said nothing more.

He knew his daughter was smart, and there were some things he didn't need to say out loud.

He was naturally happy to see it happen, but he could also tell that Lin Chu had other things on her mind.

He didn't know what was going on, but having lived for over sixty years, he still had a good eye for people.

……

The day before his departure, Lin Chu went to say goodbye to Zhou Tingfu.

It was a long-standing tradition of the Zhou Dynasty for the top scholar to return home in glory.

"Teacher, I will be setting off to return to my hometown tomorrow." Lin Chu bowed deeply.

Zhou Tingfu put down his book, looked at him, and nodded: "You should. Go back and see your husband and your fellow villagers. Qinghe Village has been kind to you all this way. One should not forget one's roots."

He stood up, walked to the bookshelf, took down a thin booklet from the top shelf, and handed it to Lin Chu.

"These are the notes I've found over the years about water conservancy and waterways. They contain all the questions that were asked to me before."

Lin Chu accepted it with both hands and bowed deeply.

"Go ahead." Zhou Tingfu patted him on the shoulder.

Meanwhile, in Yushan County.

Magistrate Liu was reviewing official documents in the back hall when a yamen runner rushed in, stumbling and crawling, holding a gold-embossed document. "My lord! My lord! Urgent report from the capital! The results of the imperial examinations have been released!"

Magistrate Liu put down his pen, snatched the document, and unfolded it.

His gaze swept from top to bottom, and when it landed on "Top Scholar - Lin Chu of Qinghe", he slammed the document on the table and laughed three times.

"Good! Good! Good!" He stood up, paced around the room several times, then suddenly turned around. "Prepare the horses! To Qinghe Village!"

The constable hesitated for a moment: "Sir, now?"

"Now!" Magistrate Liu, who had already reached the door, turned back, picked up the half-finished wine jug on the table, and said, "Oh, and bring the gongs and drums from the county office too! The louder the better!"

When Magistrate Liu's cavalry arrived at Qinghe Village, it was just getting dark.

The village chief was squatting at the door smoking a pipe when he heard the sound of gongs and drums in the distance. He thought it was a wedding.

When he finally saw the figure in official robes on horseback, he almost dropped his pipe.

"Lord Liu—"

"Lin Chu has passed the imperial examination!" Magistrate Liu dismounted, his voice booming so loudly it could be heard throughout half the village, "The top scholar! This year's top scholar!"

The village chief opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, but couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

The sound of gongs and drums drew everyone out of the village.

When the news reached the small courtyard at the end of the village, Mr. Chen was sitting on the veranda drinking tea.

The village chief ran over himself, panting heavily, and leaned against the courtyard gate for a while before he could finish speaking.

Mr. Chen paused for a moment while holding the teacup, then slowly placed it back on the stone table.

His eyes reddened, but he smiled, turning to look at the old locust tree outside the door, remaining silent for a long time.

The village chief patted him on the shoulder, his meaning clear without a word.

……

Two weeks later, Lin Chu returned.

As soon as the carriage entered the village, people could be seen standing on both sides of the official road in the distance.

It wasn't just people from Qinghe Village—people from several neighboring villages also came, a dark mass that blocked the road.

Magistrate Liu stood at the front, followed by the village chief and several local gentry, and then Aunt Wang, Aunt Qin, and Aunt Sun—they were all dressed in their finest clothes today, their faces beaming as if it were New Year's Day.

The carriage stopped, and Lin Chu lifted the curtain and stepped down.

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a buzzing noise.

"The top scholar!" "He really is the top scholar!" "So young—" "And handsome too!"

Lin Chu straightened his clothes and bowed deeply to the crowd.

He straightened up, his gaze passing over the crowd and landing on the big tree at the village entrance.

Mr. Chen stood there leaning on his bamboo cane.

He didn't push his way to the front; he stood at the edge of the crowd, wearing a slightly worn blue cotton robe, his back slightly hunched.

Lin Chu walked through the crowd and stood in front of him.

"Sir, I'm back."

Looking at the boy in front of him, Mr. Chen suddenly noticed that he seemed to have grown taller, his shoulders were broader, and the childishness in his eyes had faded.

But the way he stood there and called him "sir" gradually overlapped with his appearance seven years ago.

Mr. Chen reached out and patted him on the shoulder with great force, as if he wanted to pat all the unspoken words into his bones.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with everyone at the village entrance, they were quite tactful and didn't press the matter too much, since I had just returned.

Lin Chu and Mr. Chen returned home.

The courtyard was still the same, only a little deserted.

Lin Chu put down the bundle and stood in the courtyard for a while.

Mr. Chen sat on the porch, watching him walk back and forth in the courtyard, and suddenly said, "Cangyao and Xiaoxiao have gone home."

Lin Chu turned around.

"She said something came up at home, and she'll be back by the time you get back." Mr. Chen paused, "If you want to go see them—"

"I know where she is," Lin Chu said calmly. "I'll go there this afternoon."

In the afternoon, Lin Chu left the courtyard and walked along the dirt road she had walked countless times toward the stream.

He stopped by the stream, took out the small conch shell from his pocket, and blew on it.

Before an incense stick could burn, a breeze arose on the stream.

Ao Tianxin appeared under the willow tree.

She was still wearing that plain white dress, and her hair was casually tied up with a jade hairpin.

This time, she had someone with her. Xiao Xiao was wearing a new light blue dress and stood next to Ao Tianxin. When she saw Lin Chu, her eyes immediately reddened, but she tried her best to hold back and pressed her lips tightly together.

Lin Chu walked over and ruffled her hair: "Where's your sister?"

"She went into seclusion." The small voice was a little hoarse. "She took the elixir and went in. She was still talking about you when she left."

Lin Chu nodded, her gaze passing over Xiao Xiao and landing on Ao Tianxin.

Ao Tianxin looked at him and sighed softly, "She has entered a meditative state, and everything is going smoothly. No one can help her with this step; she can only rely on herself. As for the rest, we can only wait."