As soon as Su Li arrived at the village entrance, she saw a familiar figure standing at the gate of the Su family courtyard, looking in her direction.

Upon closer inspection, they realized that the person was Lin Yuanzhou.

He was tall and straight, and his figure appeared exceptionally slender in the afterglow of the setting sun.

"Brother Yuanzhou!" Su Li's eyes lit up, and she called out in a clear voice.

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Yuanzhou's face lit up with a bright smile, and he rushed over to greet him.

"Come in, Yuanzhou, have a seat. Why have you been standing at the door for so long?"

As soon as Hu got out of the car, she greeted him warmly, "I saw you from afar. I heard that you took the same exam as Xiang Ming and also passed the county-level exam. I haven't had a chance to congratulate you yet."

Lin Yuanzhou bowed slightly, as humble and gentle as ever.

"Auntie, you're too kind. This is all thanks to the teacher's guidance and everyone's encouragement. I've come here mainly to thank Sister Li'er properly."

"During the time I was away preparing for the exam, I was very grateful to her for taking care of my mother, chatting with her to keep her entertained, and helping her with household chores."

“My mother often tells me that if it weren’t for Li’er, she would be so lonely and helpless at home all by herself. I have always kept this kindness in my heart, and I must thank you in person today no matter what.”

Everyone looked surprised and curious as they turned to look at Su Li.

Why haven't they heard about this?

Su Li waved her hand earnestly and said in a sincere tone:

“Brother Yuanzhou, it’s really nothing. We grew up together. It’s only right that I take care of your aunt while you’re not home. Neighbors should look after each other, so please don’t take it to heart.”

Lin Yuanzhou looked at Su Li with sincere eyes and said, word by word, "I've seen and remembered all the kindness you've shown my mother. If it weren't for the herbs you brought her, she wouldn't have recovered so quickly..."

"Yuanzhou? What brings you here?"

Just then, Su Xiangyang returned from working outside. He had a hoe on his shoulder, his forehead was covered in sweat, and his clothes were soaked and stuck to his body.

Upon seeing Lin Yuanzhou, his eyes instantly lit up.

Ignoring the mud and grime on his hands, he strode forward, patted Lin Yuanzhou's shoulder heavily, affectionately hooked his arm around his shoulder, and even lightly punched him in the chest, saying with a smile:

"Hey kid, I knew you were good! You've been good at studying since you were little, and to be honest, I'm not surprised you passed the imperial examination this time!"

Hearing the commotion outside, the members of the Su family all peeked out to look.

When Uncle Su saw Lin Yuanzhou at the door, his expression changed slightly, revealing a strange look. He then went back into the house with a sheepish expression.

Seeing this, Su Li said to her older brother, "Brother, you chat with Brother Yuanzhou for a while, I'll drive the car back to the backyard first."

Su Xiangyang nodded, warmly pulled Lin Yuanzhou along, and the two began chatting enthusiastically in the courtyard.

Su Xiangyang then realized that his dirty hands had soiled Lin Yuanzhou's clothes. A look of embarrassment crossed his face, and he scratched his head, saying:

"Oh dear, Yuanzhou, look at my hands, I've gotten your clothes all dirty, I'm so sorry."

Lin Yuanzhou glanced down at his clothes, waved his hand dismissively, and maintained his cheerful smile.

"You're still talking to me like that? Isn't that being too formal? When I was little, I fell into the river in winter, my pants were soaked, and I was shivering from the cold. You took off your pants and gave them to me without saying a word. Back then, weren't you afraid I'd be disgusted by your dirty pants?"

Upon hearing this, Su Xiangyang couldn't help but burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the courtyard.

"Yes, yes, you're still the same Yuanzhou, and I haven't changed either..."

Su Li drove the mule cart to the backyard.

She skillfully brought the mule cart to a stop, untied the mule's reins, and carefully added hay and water to its food.

After settling it in properly, he dusted off his hands and turned to walk quickly towards the front of the yard.

Seeing Su Li approach, Lin Yuanzhou's smile gradually faded, and his expression became somewhat solemn. He said to everyone:

"Actually, there's another matter I've come to discuss. I passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, and fortunately, I received the headmaster's recommendation to study at the academy in the prefectural city. So, I've also come to say goodbye..."

Upon hearing that Lin Yuanzhou was going to study in the prefectural city, a flash of joy crossed Su Li's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a thin mist of worry.

Su Xiangyang, however, was already all smiles.

"This is wonderful! Being able to study in the prefectural city is an opportunity that many people dream of. However... the world is not peaceful these days, so you must be extra careful when you are traveling alone."

Su Li raised her head, stared intently at Lin Yuanzhou, and asked softly, "Brother Yuanzhou, when are you leaving?"

Lin Yuanzhou sighed softly, a hint of longing for his hometown and family flashing in his eyes, and said, "I'll be leaving in three days. Time is tight, and I need to go to the prefectural city to report as soon as possible so as not to delay my studies."

Su Li nodded solemnly, her expression resolute, and patted her chest as she assured Lin Yuanzhou:

“Brother Yuanzhou, you can go to the city to study without worry. Don’t worry about your aunt. I will visit her often and help her as soon as possible if there is anything.”

Su Xiangyang chimed in, "And me too! Just focus on your studies. If you ever achieve great success, don't forget your old friends from the past!"

After saying that, he couldn't help but burst into laughter again.

Lin Yuanzhou looked at the brother and sister who had been together since childhood and was deeply moved. He smiled and joked with them for a few moments before getting up to take his leave.

"It's getting late, I should go home now, so I won't bother you any longer..."

Late at night, amidst the chirping of insects and birds, Lin Yuanzhou sat quietly at his desk, gazing out the window in a daze.

After an unknown amount of time, he stood up, opened the cabinet, took out a pair of exquisite silver hairpins, and gently caressed them.

He had saved up money to buy this and had been thinking of giving it to Su Li at the right time.

Now that I'm about to embark on a long journey, this may be my last chance...

After returning home, Su Li didn't have a moment to rest and began to pack her things carefully.

She rummaged through her belongings, preparing some dry food to stave off hunger on the road. She also carefully packed some commonly used medicinal herbs into bottles and jars, and wrote down the effects of each herb in detail on a piece of paper on each bottle and jar.

After packing, Su Li, keeping to the beat of the moment, hurried towards the Lin family home with her bundle in her arms, just in time to bump into Lin Yuanzhou, who was all ready to depart.

He saw Su Li carrying a package and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"Luckily, you made it in time, Brother Yuanzhou. I don't know when you will return from your studies in the city. Take these things with you; you might need them on the way."

Su Li was bent over, panting heavily.

Lin Yuanzhou hesitated before taking the package, opened it, and was immediately filled with warmth.

His gaze fell on the crooked, illegible writing on the bottle, and his eyes involuntarily reddened slightly.

"Li'er, you are so thoughtful, you've thought of everything for me. I... I don't know how to thank you enough..."

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