The first step in the book is to start selling tofu

After taking a hot shower, the two brothers felt that most of their fatigue had disappeared.

The steaming hot water seemed to have magical powers, washing away the sleepiness and fatigue in their bodies bit by bit, and every inch of their skin was rejuvenated under the soothing of the hot water.

Lin Zhi asked the employees who were taking the exam to eat in her yard. She closed the main door and the small door so that outsiders could not find out what was going on inside.

The tightly closed door is like a barrier, isolating the noise and chaos from the outside world and creating a quiet and warm space for the people in the yard.

These people who were taking the exam were really hungry.

They looked so hungry, as if they could swallow a cow. Their eyes were full of desire for food, and their impatient expressions seemed as if they had not tasted a full meal for a long time.

They also brought food into the examination room, but it was hard to describe the food.

The food was either too dry to be swallowed, or had gone bad and emitted a foul smell, which made people lose their appetite just by looking at it.

The environment they lived in was humid. Even though it was only February, the weather was not cold. It was even a little hot at noon, and food was extremely easy to spoil.

The humid air seemed like an omnipresent demon, corroding everything and making the already difficult journey to the exam even more arduous.

Without good preservation measures, the food should be made as dry as possible and without too much salt.

Because there is too much salt, it is too salty and you will want to drink water.

Drinking too much water will make you want to go to the toilet.

It’s okay for a small child, because there is a urine bucket at his seat and he can go to bed anytime and anywhere.

But you have to report when you go to the toilet, and the number of times you go to the toilet is limited.

Basically, if you have diarrhea during the exam, you will not succeed.

This series of restrictions and inconveniences put tremendous physical and mental pressure on those taking the exam.

Several people wolfed down all the food on the table.

Lin Zhi was terrified, afraid that they would choke.

The way he devoured the food so quickly made Lin Zhi unable to help but remind him again and again: "Eat slowly, eat slowly, don't choke!"

"Sit for a while after eating before going to sleep." Lin Zhi told the two brothers, and then said to the employees: "You too, sit for a while before going to sleep. I'll give you a few days off, so rest well first."

Several of them were about to fall asleep while sitting, and nodded weakly when they heard this.

Their bodies were extremely tired and they seemed like they would collapse to the ground at any time. Their weak appearance was heartbreaking.

Lin Zhi asked Madam Zhou to keep an eye on them while she went to the store to help.

After the new employees in the store gradually got the hang of things, Mrs. Zhou returned to her original position and was responsible for the employees' three meals a day.

However, now she doesn’t need to prepare the ingredients herself. The store employees will prepare the ingredients for her, and Madam Zhou only needs to be responsible for cooking.

Madam Zhou skillfully waved the spatula, and the smell of fireworks filled the entire kitchen, bringing warmth and satisfaction to everyone.

The exams have just ended, and almost all of the people who came to take the exams have not gone back.

Examination is a very tiring thing. Unless you really have no money and have to go back immediately, the rest will rest for a while before leaving.

Some people even wait until the test results come out before going back.

This means that all the food shops around here will be busy in the next few days, especially those selling soups.

The lively scene seemed like a grand festival, with people busying themselves while looking forward to unknown results.

Lin Zhi was busy, so the two brothers slept for two days in a row.

On the third day, the two of them got up early. Today was the day when the county exam results were released.

The early morning sunlight shone through the window onto their faces. There was anticipation and a hint of nervousness in the brothers' eyes.

Seeing them getting up and preparing to go out, Lin Zhi couldn't help but remind them, "There will definitely be a lot of people looking at the list, so don't go too close. Wait until there are fewer people around before you go forward, okay?"

Her tone was full of concern and worry, but she didn't ask much about the test results.

"Don't worry, mother. We know what we know." Dalang answered quickly.

Jilang just nodded. It was the first time for both of them to play, so they attached great importance to the results.

Don't be fooled by their calm appearance; they are extremely nervous inside.

Although they pretend to be calm, only they themselves know the ups and downs in their hearts.

If it was two years ago, they would definitely show some clues.

After two years of studying abroad, they have learned to restrain their expressions. However, their slightly trembling hands still betray their inner anxiety.

The two were very nervous and wanted to fly to the top of the list immediately.

However, in order to relieve their nervousness, they finally chose to walk slowly.

Along the way, their steps seemed steady, but in fact they were hurried, and each step seemed to carry a heavy burden.

When they went over, the list had already been posted, but there were still many people at the top of the list.

There were many students taking the exam, their family members, and ordinary people who came to join in the fun.

The bustling crowd made the two brothers even more nervous.

The two brothers stood nervously and anxiously not far away, suppressing their curiosity and waiting until the crowd dispersed around noon before going forward.

Dalang: "How is it? Did you see it?" There was a slight tremor in his voice.

Jilang: "Not yet. How can it be that fast?" His forehead was already covered with sweat.

The two of them raised their heads and started from the last name on the list.

No matter how confident they were, they did not dare to compare themselves with those who had studied for many years and had extraordinary talents, so they never thought of starting from the beginning.

The last one, no.

Second to last, no.

Third from last...

......

The ninth person from the bottom was not the brothers’ name, but they were familiar with the name. He was an employee in the store named Feng Mo.

......

The 17th from the bottom, still without the names of the two brothers, made them feel anxious and sank. Their sinking hearts seemed to have fallen into a bottomless abyss, making them feel desperate.

......

The 23rd from the last, Lin Wenyang finally appeared.

Last one... Wait, Lin Wenyang?!

"You are here, 23rd from the bottom." Erlang tugged at Dalang's sleeve.

Dalang became impatient after looking at the list at the back, so he ran to the front to look at the list. When Erlang pulled his sleeve, he happened to see Erlang's name.

"You are here, the sixth place Lin Chengjun."

The two brothers looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief when they heard this.

At that moment, it seemed as if the whole world had quieted down, and all the tension and anxiety turned into joy and relief.

The first hurdle in obtaining official title was passed successfully.

As long as they pass the provincial examination in April, they will become students.

Knowing that they were on the list, the two of them finally took the time to look at the entire list.

The top of the list was a student who always ranked first in their class, and the two brothers were quite familiar with him.

It should be said that they are all familiar with the top ten on the list.

They are all my classmates.

The largest college in the county is their college, and about 60% to 70% of the students in the entire county study here.

The remaining 30 to 40 percent of the candidates are either in private schools or studying at home.

So they are not surprised at all that they took the top ten spots on the list.

----------Two-in-one dividing line----------

The two of them looked focused, their eyes moving slowly across the list, reading it carefully, and carefully checking whether the employees in the store who were used as reference were on the list.

After confirming, they looked at each other, nodded slightly, and then hurried home.

In addition to the two brothers, there were three other people in the store, including Feng Mo, Li Zhishang, etc., a total of five people.

They usually perform their respective duties in the store and get along well with each other.

When they got home, the brothers were so excited that they couldn't wait to tell Lin Zhi and Daya the exciting news.

After hearing this, Lin Zhi and Daya smiled with satisfaction and praised the two brothers highly.

Although such straightforward and enthusiastic praise made the two brothers feel a little embarrassed and their cheeks flushed slightly, it was also like a warm current that warmed their hearts and filled them with joy.

After praising the two brothers, Lin Zhi walked briskly to the next room and told the other three the good news that they had passed the county exam.

When the three heard the news, they did not dare to laugh out loud at first, because the other two people who went with them failed to pass the county examination.

However, they themselves may have had a premonition. When they did not hear their names, they were disappointed for a moment, but they quickly adjusted their mood and sincerely congratulated those who passed the exam.

In the following days, the two brothers studied even harder and devoted themselves fully to prepare for the upcoming provincial examination.

They get up early before dawn every day, read aloud, practice calligraphy meticulously, rack their brains when writing articles, and dare not slack off for a moment.

The employees in the store saw it all and felt sad. They all cheered them on and hoped that they could achieve good results again in the provincial examination.

In this dynasty, scholars were envied by everyone.

Although the two brothers are not their relatives, as the sons of the Dong family, they have long been like family members in their hearts. They sincerely hope that the two brothers can succeed in their studies and bring honor to the family.

Time flies like a white horse, and in the blink of an eye it is March and the day of the provincial examination is approaching.

It takes four or five days to travel from the county town to the provincial capital. In order to get there early and rent a house to have a quiet and comfortable environment for exam preparation, the college requires students to set off one month in advance.

This is not a mandatory requirement. After all, many students come from poor families and they cannot afford the travel expenses to the provincial capital for a month.

So this is just a suggestion made out of consideration, and the college will not force students to follow it.

In this kind of matter, Lin Zhi naturally listened to the advice of professionals. She packed the bags for her two brothers and three employees early in the morning, carefully selecting and preparing every item.

Then, on the morning of the sixth day of March, when the sky was still light and the mist had not yet dissipated, she personally escorted them to the carriage.

In order to prevent Feng Mo and the others from being known by outsiders, the carriage had been waiting quietly at the door early in the morning. Along the way, unless there was an emergency, the three of them followed the instructions and would not get off the carriage to be seen by outsiders.

The carriage galloped along, and the sound of horse hooves echoed on the silent road.

The two brothers and three employees had mixed feelings in the car. They were looking forward to the provincial exam, hoping to show their talents and achieve excellent results; at the same time, they were nervous about the unknown, worrying that they were not well prepared and would not be able to cope with the various difficulties in the exam.

After several days of long-distance travel, they finally arrived at the provincial capital.

The two brothers had no time to rest. After a quick tidying up, they began to look for a suitable place to live.

Fortunately, I was lucky. After some searching, I quickly rented a quiet and tidy small courtyard.

They originally wanted to rent an inn, but thinking about the situation of Feng Mo and the others, and taking into account the frequent and complicated comings and goings of people in the inn, they finally chose this relatively independent and quiet courtyard, and hired a woman to help them cook, so that they could prepare for the exam with peace of mind.

In the following days, they were even more focused and studied hard.

Every book was read over and over again by them, and every article was repeatedly studied and revised.

Occasionally, the two brothers would exchange ideas with the three employees, encourage each other, and share each other's learning methods and experiences.

At such times, other students would gather in lively places such as inns, restaurants, and teahouses to communicate with each other.

The two brothers were also itching to go over and join in the fun, but they finally thought that going out would greatly increase the chances of accidents, so in order to avoid complications, they gave up the idea.

As the day of the provincial examination drew closer, more and more students and relatives came from other counties.

Even if they didn't go out, the two brothers could tell from the hustle and bustle outside the yard that it was very lively outside.

There is always a constant stream of people coming and going in front of the small courtyard where they live.

Many students also moved in on both sides of the courtyard.

"There are so many scholars outside, and many of them can't find a place to live. Let me ask if they can share a house with you young masters." The old woman who was cooking hurried over to help pass the message.

The two brothers refused without a second thought. Dalang said to her seriously:

"Mother-in-law, please help me turn it down. My brother once shared a room with someone when he was preparing for the exam, and he was bullied by someone. Now he can't walk. My mother warned us many times before we left, and she didn't let us go out until we finished the exam."

When the old woman heard this, her face suddenly changed. She immediately went out and persuaded the man to leave.

From then on, whenever someone came to ask, the old woman would not ask for permission but would just refuse directly.

In order to protect these children from harm, the cook worried herself to death and spontaneously did all the trivial things in their lives.

The day of the provincial examination finally arrived.

The examination process is similar to the county examination.

The atmosphere in the examination room was so solemn that it seemed as if water could drip out of it. Everyone looked focused and concentrated.

The brothers took a deep breath, calmed themselves down, and then began to answer the questions.

After the exam, they walked out of the examination room feeling relieved, their steps were unsteady, as if all the strength in their bodies had been drained.

No one came to pick them up, so after they came out they stayed in a corner where there were few people. When most people had left, they dragged their tired bodies slowly back to the rented courtyard.

The cook had already prepared steaming hot water and delicious food. As soon as they got home, they could take a comfortable bath and then feast on the food.

"Studying is really a torment. Look how thin you are..." The old woman who was cooking felt so distressed that she just wanted to stuff the food into their mouths.

These children were plump and energetic a few days ago, but now they look like they will fall down at the slightest breeze. Anyone can feel heartbroken when seeing this.

After eating and drinking, they asked the maid to lock the gate to the yard and then fell asleep.

No matter what the result is, they have tried their best. The most important thing now is not to recall the content of the exam, but to have a good rest and let the body and mind be fully relaxed and recovered.

The days of waiting for the results to be announced are hard to endure, and each day seems to be infinitely stretched.

But they still did not relax their studies and always kept learning in case of emergency.

After the exam, the two brothers did not stay in the yard. They asked three employees to lock the yard door at home, and they went out to socialize with other examinees.

They know very well that these students may become their connections in the future and they have to manage them carefully.

Finally, the day of announcement of the results arrived.