Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

Chapter 18: The Zhou Residence's Show of Power

The door slammed shut right in front of them, the gust of air it created ruffling the disheveled hair on Zhao Rui's forehead.

The purplish-red flush hadn't even fully receded from his face before a new layer of humiliated fury painted it a sickly green.

"Snobbish bastards who judge people by their appearance!" Zhao Rui cursed under his breath at the tightly shut wooden door, though his voice lacked any real conviction.

Old Qian stood to the side, wringing his hands, his expression uglier than if he were crying.

Su Ming stood quietly, his eyelids lowered, as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with him.

The sun slowly moved from the eaves in the east directly overhead.

The stone lions flanking the entrance grew hot under the sun. Occasionally, servants dressed in decent clothes would enter or exit through a side gate nearby. Spotting the three "country bumpkins" standing at the main entrance, they would cast looks of disdain or curiosity before deliberately walking around them.

Zhao Rui's emotions shifted from initial rage, to restless anxiety, and then to unease. He paced incessantly, like a wild beast trapped in a cage.

Outside the gate was the dusty reality; inside was the glamorous, respectable home of the relatives he had fantasized about.

"*Creeeak—*"That side gate finally opened again.

It was the same servant in the blue clothes and small cap. He sauntered out, his face wearing undisguised mockery.

"Follow me." He snorted through his nose, turned, and walked inside without even bothering to give them a proper look.

He didn't lead them along the wide, smooth main path. Instead, he guided them onto a narrow, crushed-gravel service path meant for servants.

The path was very narrow, bordered on one side by a high courtyard wall and on the other by the rear walls of various compounds.

Through gaps in the foliage, Su Ming could catch glimpses of the exquisite pavilions, terraces, and towers within the main courtyards and hear the faint sounds of laughter and conversation drifting from within. It all seemed so distant.

After traversing the long service path and rounding a corner piled with miscellaneous items, the servant stopped before a small courtyard that looked particularly remote and desolate.

This courtyard wasn't much larger than Su Ming's own home courtyard. A few sickly, crooked-neck trees grew within, making it appear bleak and oppressive.

"Second Madam, your nephew is here," the servant called towards the house, his voice dripping with perfunctoriness.

The door curtain was lifted, and a woman emerged. She wore a slightly worn sapphire-blue robe, with only a single silver hairpin in her hair.

She appeared to be in her thirties, her face somewhat haggard. Seeing the three disheveled figures in her courtyard, especially taking in Zhao Rui's bruised, swollen face and tattered clothes, her eyebrows immediately knitted tightly together.

"Rui'er? You... how did you end up in such a state?"

Rui's paternal aunt, the wife of the Second Branch

a familiar relative, Zhao Rui's nose stung with sudden emotion. All his grievances surged up, and his eyes instantly reddened. "We...

changed color. She hurried over, pulling Zhao Rui to check if he was injured, and

all robbed," Zhao Rui's voice dropped

Chunlan's face instantly turned

room was lifted again, and a middle-aged man with a goatee, dressed in scholar's robes, walked

eyes held the scrutinizing arrogance of someone long

is this!" The man's opening words seemed to make the air in the

was precisely Zhao Chunlan's husband, Zhou Kang, who served as a Record

Su Ming. The look in his eyes was as if he were viewing two piles of annoying rubbish. Finally, his eyes landed on Zhao Rui, and his frown

his tone flat

Zhao Rui hurriedly

from his nose. "I heard from your aunt that you received a recommendation from that old Xiucai in your village, and you've come to register for

"Yes, Teacher Zhou said..."

for the imperial examinations relies on family scholarly tradition and guidance from renowned teachers. What real accomplishment can possibly come from studying

made Zhao Rui's face alternate between red and white. He couldn't utter a single

gaze, like a bestowed favor,

"You too?"

Ming. Greetings, Sir." Su Ming imitated the manner he'd learned at

up and down. Seeing his faded old clothes and patched shoes, the disdain in his eyes intensified.

Zhao Chunlan, "Alright, take them to stay in that empty room next to the woodshed in the backyard. Don't let them wander around the front areas. They might

turned and went back into the house, as if looking at them for a moment longer would

was full of embarrassment and humiliation, but she didn't dare offer the slightest rebuttal. She forced a smile and said to Old Qian, "Old Qian,

sleeve and handed them over. Old Qian, as if granted

and Zhao Rui to a low, small building in the

the woodshed. A damp, musty smell assailed their nostrils. Inside was only a bare wooden plank bed

darting around, unable to

as if staying there a

a deathly

than his family's pigsty. Recalling his uncle-in-law's scornful gaze and his

*BANG!*

the broken table, sending

wounded beast. "My father is the Village Chief! My aunt is the Second Madam

Su Ming didn't speak.

silently walked over, righted the broken table, then took a few of the hard, dry black wheat buns from his small bundle and placed them on

he began to

to wipe the dust off the wooden plank bed and swept away the

didn't work quickly, but