“You’re really not taking the exam?”
At noon, while eating, Song Ye announced the news in front of the whole family, shocking everyone in the Tang household.
Everyone had been starving, but once they heard Song Ye’s decision, they forgot about eating entirely and all turned to look at him.
Tang Guo’s older brothers, Tang Tianyu and Tang Tianhang, widened their eyes. After a moment of stunned silence, the looks they gave Song Ye became much more approving.
A brother-in-law who didn’t plan to take the college entrance exam clearly intended to stay. He was different from those educated youths in the village who were secretly preparing to run off.
It wasn’t that they had anything against the exam. On the contrary, the Tang family valued culture, but most of the educated youths hadn’t left a good impression.
The first ones who came down couldn’t carry a thing, ate more than they worked, and acted arrogant. Few villagers liked them.
Later, reality humbled them. Those who accepted their fate began working hard. They had no choice. Now, they only got food if they worked, otherwise, they would starve.
Some of the female educated youths couldn’t take it and married local villagers just to avoid going hungry. A few of the men managed to marry village girls from better-off families, and people laughed at them for it.
Their impression of Song Ye was generally average.
He didn’t work particularly hard, but he wasn’t lazy either. He just seemed to only do the things he was willing to do.
Now that he was officially their brother-in-law, and from what they’d known from the beginning, he was an educated man. His past status probably hadn’t been low. According to Tang Shouguo, this young man had likely once been the young master of a wealthy family.
So when he suddenly said he wasn’t going to take the exam, everyone was stunned.
Tang Tianyu couldn’t hold back and laughed. “Not taking it is great! Brother-in-law, from now on, you can settle down in Tangjia Village and live a good life with my sister.”
“Yes, yes! Work hard. My sister’s so well-behaved. Marrying her is your blessing. Not taking the exam is the right choice.”
“Shut up! What do you two brats know?”
Tang Shouguo slapped the table. Tang Tianyu and Tang Tianhang didn’t dare say another word and shrank their necks, but their eyes clearly read: “Dad, it’s really great that he’s not taking the exam, now he won’t run off.”
There were enough people in the Tang family. Even if their brother-in-law was just a pretty face, as long as he treated their sister well, they could afford to support him.
“Xiao Ye, you need to think this through carefully.”
Tang Shouguo was initially also afraid that Song Ye would use the college entrance examination as an excuse to run away, leaving his precious daughter to suffer.
But glancing at Song Ye, who was now gazing at his daughter with nothing but tenderness, Tang Shouguo couldn’t help but twitch his mouth. As soon as they sat down, the man had been doting and attentive, as if holding a treasure. Tang Shouguo’s expression was hard to describe.
Then he thought again, as expected of his precious daughter. She was even able to win over the most aloof educated youth in the village.
Song Ye gave a small smile. “Dad, I’ve already made up my mind. I’ll stay here in Tangjia Village.”
Tang Shouguo still wasn’t entirely in agreement. The first time he’d seen Song Ye, he could tell the young man wasn’t simple. Given a chance, he’d definitely soar. But after that, his performance had been average, which made Tang Shouguo think he wouldn’t stick around for long.
Now, suddenly giving up the college entrance exam, he felt it was a shame.
“If you’re giving it up for Guo Guo, I can’t support that. If it comes to it, starting tomorrow, you and Guo Guo can study together. We have plenty of people in this house, we can feed the both of you. You can take the exam together.”
Luo Chunli also chimed in beside him. “Yes, you can take it together.”
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