Chapter 77

Chapter 77

Because of Madam Shen's doting, it wasn't just Shen Qinglan who had been raised to be naive—Shen Huaizhi's temperament was also somewhat childish. Both brothers were like kids who never grew up.

But that was normal, really. People who are loved tend to stay emotionally immature.

So when dealing with the Shen brothers, you often couldn't treat them like adults. Instead, you had to coax and guide them like children.

Brother-in-law needs validation? Then give it to him.

Brother-in-law needs compliments? Then give them to him.

In short, whatever emotional support brother-in-law wanted, Han Zhang had it covered!

"Han... Brother Han, shouldn't you be in the front hall discussing classics and history with my father? Why did you come to the back courtyard?"

Seeing Han Zhang follow him, Shen Huaizhi hastily wiped away the tears and mucus from his face, his expression full of embarrassment and awkwardness. He could only force himself to act with the dignity of an elder and speak in a stiff tone.

Making a fool of himself in front of others was one thing, but to lose face in front of Han Zhang—his brother-in-law and sworn brother—what authority or dignity would he have left as the elder brother-in-law?

Pull it together. The dignity of the elder brother-in-law must be maintained.

Madam Shen, standing nearby, was also a bit embarrassed that her son-in-law had witnessed the scene of her and her sons weeping in each other's arms.

However, she was a seasoned old hand. She quickly composed herself and smoothed things over, greeting him warmly:

"Huaizhi! What nonsense are you talking, child? Young Zhang came to the back courtyard naturally to visit me, his mother-in-law, specifically. If you can't speak properly, keep your mouth shut."

"Come, Young Zhang, sit down and keep your mother company. We're family here, no need for all that formal stuff."

Shen Qinglan, who ditched his brother the moment he saw his lover, immediately forgot all about him. Seeing his beloved, he ran over like a baby bird flying back to its nest, grabbed Han Zhang's arm, and called out happily: "Husband~"

"Careful, slow down."

Han Zhang instinctively reached out to pull him close, but then realized they were in public. In the end, he could only settle for holding his lover's hand, leading Shen Qinglan over to the table to sit down.

Madam Shen took in all the little intimate gestures between the couple, putting a smile on her face.

If the young couple couldn't hide their affection even in public, you could imagine how lovey-dovey they were at home. Her son-in-law's instinctive protective behavior said it all.

Although Shen Huaizhi was a bit sulky that his brother, who had just said they were best friends in the world, had immediately "gone back on his word," seeing his brother look so happy was still heartwarming.

He couldn't be there for his brother forever, after all. Now that his brother and brother-in-law were so in love, that was a good thing.

After Han Zhang sat down, he first poured tea for Madam Shen and asked how she was doing before turning to his elder brother-in-law, who still had a stiff face, and speaking gently:

"Second Brother, are you still angry about what happened in the front hall earlier?"

"Angry? I'm not angry! What would I be angry about? I wouldn't take that old bastard's bullshit to heart..."

Speaking of what had just happened, Shen Huaizhi bristled like a cat with its tail stepped on, his emotions starting to flare up again: "What, is Brother Han here to laugh at me too? Do you think I was wrong too?"

If Brother Han dared to take his father's side, he would never talk to Brother Han again.

He didn't need to hear who was right or wrong, or get a lecture. He just needed a brother on his side!

Shen Huaizhi's face was set, his expression stubborn.

Han Zhang gave a helpless smile, but his tone was firm and affirming: "No, I think Second Brother wasn't wrong just now. In fact, you did very well."

Those words instantly calmed Shen Huaizhi's agitated emotions.

He hadn't expected Han Zhang to not only agree with him but actually praise him for doing well.

Shen Huaizhi immediately perked up: "Really? Brother Han, you really think I wasn't wrong and did well?"

"Yes. Allow me to say something presumptuous—in the eyes of the world, Second Brother contradicting your father might seem unfilial, but the sages also said: 'A father should be kind, and a son should be filial.'"

"The father comes first, the son after; the father is the example, the son follows it. If the father is not kind, how can the son fulfill his filial duty?"

"One should not reprimand a child in public. Today, indeed, father-in-law overstepped his bounds. A man's dignity is as heavy as gold—how can it be casually trampled upon? Especially in front of so many people. What happened earlier truly cannot be blamed on Second Brother."

After criticizing Shen Fu, Han Zhang then spoke words of comfort to his elder brother-in-law: "Second Brother, you... have been wronged."

Such words would be highly inappropriate in front of others—how could a son-in-law speak ill of his father-in-law?

But to Shen Huaizhi, these words were music to his ears!

Because a person who has been wronged doesn't need comfort or reasoning—they just need someone to stand on their side and validate their feelings.

"Brother, you truly understand me!"

Shen Huaizhi's heart ached, and the grievance surged back like a tide. Unable to help himself, he reddened and began to pour out his bitterness:

"Brother Han needn't make excuses for me. I know it wasn't right to contradict my father in public... but I truly feel stifled inside."

"When I was young, my father wasn't like this. He treated me very well then—I remember clearly—he would hold me in his study while handling official business, teaching me to grip a brush and write with his own hand..."

"But ever since I started my studies, when the tutor said I had little talent for scholarship, my father's treatment of me grew worse day by day..."

"They say a son doesn't despise his mother's ugliness, and a father doesn't despise his son's dullness, but my father is truly too heartless..."

"Scolding me on ordinary days is one thing, but today, in front of so many younger brothers and sisters-in-law, he showed me no respect at all. How am I supposed to hold my head up among my siblings from now on?"

He was a man, and he had his pride too, damn it.

But his father had shown him no face at all, and he was utterly humiliated.

Madam Shen, listening to her son's pent-up grievances over the years, couldn't help wiping her tears and complaining: "Only the one who bore the child truly cherishes them. Your father never suffered the pain of childbirth, so he so casually despises the son I struggled to bring into this world..."

Shen Qinglan also teared up with grievance.

Because he and his second brother were in the same boat—because he wasn't obedient enough, didn't listen to his father and study poetry and classics diligently, every time the siblings gathered, he was the one his father scolded.

Han Zhang listened patiently to the mother and her two sons' complaints and grievances.

When they had vented enough,

Han Zhang spoke again: "So, Second Brother, you can't continue muddling through life like this. You should rouse yourself and prove to father-in-law that he was wrong about you."

"Rouse myself and strive? No no no, I can't, I really can't. If hard work alone could guarantee success in studies, why would there be so many failed candidates in every imperial examination?"

At the mention of studying, Shen Huaizhi immediately shook his head like a rattle drum and waved his hands repeatedly.

In an instant, all the grievance, sadness, and complaints flew to the nine clouds.

Clearly, Han Zhang's earlier persuasion had only a three-minute effect on this poor student. A poor student would never truly start working hard just because of a few bowls of chicken soup for the soul.

If a slacker student had that kind of self-awareness, they wouldn't be a slacker student in the first place.

Han Zhang wasn't surprised or discouraged.

He immediately started buttering up his brother-in-law: "Second Brother, why are you selling yourself so short? As the son of a Fifth-Rank Minor Official, you've become the recognized 'Big Brother' among Brother Pan, Brother Zhao, and Brother Wu—how could any ordinary person pull that off?"

"It's just the imperial exam—Second Brother, I believe in you, you've totally got this!"

"Or... could it be that you were just putting on a show in front of me before, just puffing yourself up to look bigger than you are?"

With that, Han Zhang shot him a look that said, 'If you're lying to me, bro, we're done,' and waited for an answer.

Shen Qinglan also shot him a skeptical look: "Second Brother, you weren't just blowing smoke before, were you? All those impressive stories you told me—were they all made up? Are you actually the one who's the errand boy for Brother Pan and the others?"

Shen Huaizhi: "..."

No way!

He was already a total loser at home; if he was also some lackey outside, how much face would he lose in front of his younger brothers and brother-in-law?

This was a matter of manly pride, so he immediately puffed out his chest and blustered back:

"Lan Geer, Brother Han, do you really have that little faith in your big bro? I may not be book-smart, but I'm great with people! Who doesn't respect me for being loyal and righteous? Whenever there's a dispute, I'm the big bro who steps in to settle things!"

"I'm just a low-key guy who doesn't like to show off, so my dad always thinks I'm out causing trouble—little does he know that I, Shen Huaizhi, am a big deal among all the young men in the capital..."

Even if it was just among the rich slackers, that still counted for something, right?

Shen Huaizhi guiltily polished his own image.

In front of his younger brother and brother-in-law, this was the last shred of dignity he had left—he couldn't lose it, no way, no how.

Han Zhang didn't call him out on his BS. After softening his expression, he continued to build him up: "Second Brother, you're so good at handling people and social situations—that proves you're far from stupid. Geniuses can do anything; it just depends on whether they're willing to put in the work."

"If you don't believe me, Second Brother, let's make a bet."

Shen Huaizhi didn't want to bet, but he couldn't back down either, so he gritted his teeth and asked, "Bet on what? How?"

"I'll bet I can tutor you for a month. After a month, if you get praised by the instructor in the Imperial Academy's monthly exam, you'll do whatever I say from then on. If not, I'll do whatever you say and take your orders—deal?"

Shen Huaizhi grimaced: "..."

No deal, no deal at all.

Either way, win or lose, he'd still have to hit the books, right?

But it wasn't about what he wanted anymore.

At this, Shen's mother and Shen Qinglan exchanged a glance—

Shen Qinglan immediately declared on his behalf with enthusiasm: "A bet it is! Husband, just get ready to take orders from my second brother! My second brother is amazing—there's nothing he can't do."

"Second Brother just didn't like studying before. As long as he's willing, I'm sure he can do it."

With that, he looked at his elder brother with hopeful eyes, eagerly seeking confirmation: "Second Brother, you can do it, right?"

Shen's mother, though, was full of worry and forced a smile: "Forget it, Lan Geer, don't put your second brother on the spot. Your father has looked down on the three of us for a long time now. I don't expect you to win any glory—I just want you to live smoothly and healthily."

"Besides, if Huaizhi can't pass the exams, isn't there still Little Zhang? Let Little Zhang earn face for me, his mother-in-law, in the future—I'll be just as happy..."

She wiped the tears from her eyes as she spoke.

Though her words were pleasant, her eyes were filled with the desolation and worry of a mother whose son had no prospects.

This silent sorrow magnified Shen Huaizhi's guilt infinitely.

He didn't care if others looked down on him, but his mother loved him so dearly—how could he let her be mocked because he was a failure? And at her age, still worrying about his future?

He was truly unfilial!

And Lan Geer—besides him, his second brother, who else in the household could support Lan Geer in the future?

This family would fall apart without him.

With that thought.

Shen Huaizhi could only nod heavily and reluctantly brainwash himself:

"That's right! I'm a genius, I'm a genius who learns everything instantly. I just didn't like studying before—I'm actually incredibly talented, so talented I could die. I'm going to go memorize texts right now!"

Then.

Three minutes later.

Shen Huaizhi was weeping over his lifelong nemesis, the *Thousand Character Classic*: "Heaven and earth, dark and yellow, universe... universe vast... what comes after vast... vast is too hard, Mother!"

The academic genius, Han Zhang: "..."