They bought things as they walked, and by the time they had gone down an entire street, the cart was already more than half full. After all, their home had been completely bare—everything needed to be purchased.
Just as Qin Ke was preparing to head back, the familiar signboard caught the corner of his eye, and he suddenly stopped.
Following his gaze, Lu Youqing immediately guessed his intention. Sure enough, Qin Ke jumped down from the cart, tied the donkey to the side, and pulled her along toward the shop.
The bookshop owner, who had been buried in a book, looked up when he saw them and immediately greeted them with a smile.
"You've come again, honored guests. What can I help you with this time?"
Though Lu Youqing had covered her face during their last visit, Qin Ke was unmistakable beside her. The owner still vividly remembered the calligraphy she had demonstrated that day.
Qin Ke had noticed it before—every time Lu Youqing entered the bookshop, her gaze lingered on the books with unmistakable longing.
"Is there a book you want?" Qin Ke asked softly, lowering his head toward her.
Lu Youqing pressed her lips together, hesitated for a long moment, then stepped forward and said quietly to the owner,
"About the copyist work we discussed last time—could you bring me the Four Books and Five Classics? Is there a deadline?"
"Generally, there's no strict limit, but it's best not to exceed two months."
Watching Lu Youqing speak with the owner, Qin Ke opened his mouth, then swallowed his words.
Originally, he hadn't wanted her to take on copyist work. But thinking it over, he realized it might be better for her to have something to do. Copying books was still better than working in the fields, and besides, he could keep an eye on her and make sure she didn't overwork herself.
After paying a five-tael deposit, Lu Youqing also bought brushes and paper. No wonder supporting a scholar was such a burden—brush, ink, paper, and inkstone alone cost several taels each month.
By her former standards, the quality of brushes in the shop wouldn't even have made it into her study. But she knew times were different now and simply chose one she was accustomed to using.
Holding the books in her arms, Lu Youqing's eyes curved into a smile.
On the way home, as they entered the village, the villagers stared in shock at Qin Ke driving a donkey cart.
"Am I seeing things? Is that Qin Ke?"
"That's him! Where did he get a donkey cart?"
"Did you notice? That cart is piled full of stuff—has he struck it rich?"
Unable to contain his curiosity, someone stepped forward with a grin.
"Qin Ke, you've been shopping, huh? Bought quite a lot."
Qin Ke gave a low "Whoa," pulled the reins, and stopped the donkey cart. He looked at the man's fake smile with a blank expression.
Seeing Qin Ke didn't respond, the man rubbed his hands awkwardly and pressed on.
"So… where did you make your fortune?"
Qin Ke let out a soft scoff. So that was it—people who usually avoided him were suddenly eager to talk because of this.
"Well, I did make a bit of money," Qin Ke said, stroking his chin with a teasing smile. "Want to know? I can tell you."
The man hurried closer and leaned in to listen.
"Me? I had good luck today—won several rounds in a row. Want to try your hand? If you do, come find me. I'll take you."
"What?!"
The man froze in place.
Watching his expression, Qin Ke's lips curved upward. He flicked the reins lightly, and the donkey cart rolled right past him.
Not content with that, Qin Ke even raised a hand and called out loudly,
"Remember—if you want to try it, come look for me!"
"Why tease him like that?" Lu Youqing asked softly, having watched the entire exchange.
"Since we spent so freely today, it was bound to draw attention. If he hadn't asked, someone else would have. Might as well give them an answer and shut them up."
Besides, the excuse perfectly matched the original owner's past behavior—no one in the village would find it strange.
And even if some people grew envious, anyone with half a brain wouldn't actually follow him gambling.
Lu Youqing looked at him in surprise. Over the past few days, she had realized that this man was completely different from the one described by the villagers.
He was steady and diligent, thoughtful and attentive, occasionally witty and humorous, with refined manners—nothing like the illiterate, rough farmer they spoke of.
How could someone like this possibly be the gambler the villagers claimed?
Once home, they went back and forth several times before finally moving everything inside.
The only trouble was where to park the donkey cart. Looking at the narrow, dilapidated courtyard, Qin Ke sighed.
"Why are there so many things that need to be done?"
"Meals are eaten one bite at a time, and tasks are done one by one. There's no need to rush," Lu Youqing replied calmly.
"Alright. Tomorrow I'll ask the village head whether the empty lot next door has an owner."
Their house was in a remote location, surrounded by wasteland. Qin Ke planned to build a new house next door if the land was unclaimed.
After everything was put away, the once-empty house suddenly felt much more crowded.
With more ingredients and seasonings in the kitchen, Qin Ke indulged himself that night—steaming rice and braising pork in red sauce.
Lu Youqing helped beside him while he cooked, watching his every move without blinking.
"This is the first time I've seen a man cook. They always say 'a gentleman stays away from the kitchen'—you're… quite rare."
As Qin Ke poured the cut pork into the pan to caramelize the sugar, he laughed.
"'A gentleman stays away from the kitchen'—that's just an excuse scholars made for themselves. Does staying out of the kitchen automatically make someone a gentleman? If I go into the kitchen, does that mean I'm not one? A gentleman is defined by his character. And why should women be the ones trapped in the kitchen doing all these trivial tasks, while men get to go outside and pontificate?"
He spoke casually, but deep down, he genuinely sympathized with women confined to household life. Men held power, made the rules, blocked women's paths upward—and then, as beneficiaries, looked down on them.
This was the first time Lu Youqing had heard such ideas.
She had long felt wronged—why her younger brother could study the Four Books and Six Arts, travel freely, and make friends, while she was confined to the inner courtyard learning things she had no interest in.
(The "Four Books" are core Confucian texts for moral education (Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, Analects, Mencius), while the "Six Arts" (Li, Yue, She, Yu, Shu, Shu), or skills, were essential for ancient Chinese scholar-gentlemen, covering Rites, Music, Archery, Charioteering, Calligraphy, and Arithmetic, fostering well-rounded character. Together, these formed the foundation of classical Chinese learning, blending intellectual, spiritual, and physical development. )
Hearing someone explain it this way for the first time overturned her previous understanding. Yet unexpectedly, she accepted it with startling ease.
Listening to Qin Ke speak at length, her understanding of the man before her deepened even further.
"Alright, take it out—be careful not to burn your hands."
Looking at the plate of glossy, fragrant braised pork, Lu Youqing paused. Fine—this man's cooking was truly impressive.
"Now this is living," Qin Ke sighed contentedly. After more than ten days since transmigrating, he was finally eating rice and meat again.
Especially when he noticed that Lu Youqing—who usually ate very little—had finished half a bowl more than usual, his smile grew even wider.
Quietly setting down her chopsticks, Lu Youqing stood up to clear the table, avoiding his teasing gaze.
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Currently at chapter 110 for advance chapters
https:// ko-fi.com/rabi08