Chapter 354 - That Nightmare (2/2)

Yu Xiaocao praised him, “Not bad! Other than one’s own knowledge, one’s mentality is also very important for exams. You need to learn how to destress yourself! Headmaster Yuan also said that, with your capability, if you perform like normal, you definitely won’t have a problem passing the exam to be a county-level official! If you do well enough, you might even receive government grain! You’re still young, so even if you don’t do very well, you can just wait for the next college examination. Maybe you can place first in the college examination…”

“Pah, pah, pah! The words of a child carry no harm. Deities, please don’t listen to her…” Yu Caifeng put her palms together and bowed in four directions, and then she had Yu Xiaocao spit three times. She chided, “Is there an older sister like you? Why are you saying such unlucky words? Our Shitou will definitely pass the exam this time!!”

Yu Xiaocao touched her nose and awkwardly said, “Aren’t I just trying to not give Younger Brother too much pressure? One can achieve success if one goes into a battle with a light heart! Younger Brother, do your best on the exam! Show your true capabilities. I’m waiting to show off that I have a younger brother who is a county-level official ah!”

Little Shitou smiled and said, “Second Sister, don’t worry. I’m not nervous at all. Thank you for doing so much for this family, and making sure that I can study at ease. For your sake, I will definitely pass the exam to be a county-level official this time. I’ll let you know that all your hard work was not done in vain!!”

Little Shitou understood very clearly within his heart! He couldn’t imagine how this family would end up like without his second sister! Since his second sister got her head hurt and toured around the netherworld, she had turned into a completely different person. Her previously timid and cowardly personality was gone.

Before they separated from the family, she dared to play mind games with Madam Zhang and fought for welfare for her family. After the separation, she used her endless recipes to gain the respect and collaboration with Third Young Master Zhou. The family also planted vegetables, watermelons, corn… Outsiders all complimented his father as an expert in farming, but he knew very clearly that all of his family money-making businesses came from his second sister.

He once had a dream, in which his second sister didn’t survive and died in the hands of Eldest Paternal Aunt. After his father was bitten by a bear, he didn’t get treated for his severe injury and died! Older Brother was accused of stealing. After he was beaten to death by the shopkeeper, the murderer got away unpunished. His mother worked hard to support the family with her sickly body, and finally spat out blood and died in the winter when he was eight.

For his sake, Eldest Sister sold herself to be a maidservant. Afterwards, she was ‘promoted’ to be the master’s concubine by the mistress. After she got pregnant and gave birth to a child, they killed the mother and kept the child. She died at a young age.

As for him, since the age of twelve, he had been doing manual labor at the docks, barely earning enough for a living. But, when the two factions on the docks were fighting for territory, he was injured by mistake and broke his legs. Without any money for treatment, he ended up being disabled for life and could only beg for a living. On a cold winter day, he froze to death on the streets. That year, he had just turned twenty years old…

When he woke up from the nightmare, he couldn’t stop himself from crying, for fear that his current happy life was just a mirage. He feared that it was just an illusion he had before he froze to death. That morning, for the first time in his life, he, the headmaster’s favorite pupil, skipped class and fled to his family’s farmstead. He knew that, during the busy farming season, his father and second sister would stay at the plantation to supervise the autumn harvest and autumn planting.

From afar, he saw the thin and delicate yet very energetic figure of his second sister. Under the radiant morning sun, his second sister was full of energy as she directed the tenant farmers to take all the grain to the granary. Her ruddy and lively face, as well as her sweet and bright smile, warmed up his frightened and cold heart.

So fortunate. It was so fortunate that the miserable life was just a nightmare. His second sister was still alive. With her around, that nightmare definitely wouldn’t come true! At this moment, Yu Xiaocao became the pillar of support within his heart. Upon seeing her, all the black clouds instantly dispersed.

That day, he just watched his father and second sister from afar. While everyone was busily working at the farmstead, he just stayed there motionlessly for the entire day. He didn’t eat lunch, but he wasn't hungry at all. It wasn’t until the evening that his heart finally calmed down completely, and he quietly left the plantation. When he got back to the academy, he was scolded severely by the headmaster. The next day, the teacher had even hit his palm with a ruler.

Holding his swollen palm, he felt incomparably calm within his heart. In the following days, he studied even harder. Second Sister changed their lives, so he also had to work hard for his second sister and support her in the future…

“Hey, why are you in a daze!!” Yu Xiaocao smacked the back of her younger brother’s head and shouted, “Tomorrow is the exam, so you need to completely relax for today and don’t read books! The glass windows that we ordered have arrived, so come check it out with me!”

Little Shitou grinned brightly at her and nodded, “Alright! Second Sister, if there’s anything that I can help with, just tell me!”

“What can you do with your thin limbs? Stay on the side and don’t cause trouble!”

“Second Sister, I can work! I have strength…”

“Go away, go away! Stop hindering our work…”

‘Second Sister, thank you!!’