Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

Chapter 19: Can a scholar's affairs be called spending money?

The sky had brightened.

Not the kind of awakening brought by rooster crows and dog barks in the village, but a listless light that filtered through the gaps in the window paper, having been strained once by the high courtyard walls.

Zhao Rui hadn't slept all night, lying awake on the cold wooden plank bed like a fish thrown ashore.

His uncle's contemptuous words, the servants' mocking faces, and that bowl of watery porridge worse than pig slop—they pricked him like needles all over, making him utterly uncomfortable.

Su Ming was already up, practicing a strange set of fist movements in the corner of the courtyard with meticulous precision.

The movements were very slow, very clumsy, like elderly villagers stretching their joints.

Zhao Rui couldn't understand it, finding it only ridiculous, but looking at Su Ming's calm face, he couldn't bring himself to laugh.

That face held no anger, no humiliation, only a kind of focus completely unfamiliar to him.

"You... you're really going to the bookshop?" Zhao Rui finally couldn't help speaking, his voice dry and hoarse.

Su Ming finished his fist movements, exhaling a long puff of white breath, and nodded: "Yes.""...I'll go with you." Zhao Rui climbed off the bed plank, his voice as small as a mosquito's buzz.

He didn't know why he wanted to tag along either—perhaps simply because he couldn't stand this suffocating courtyard anymore, couldn't bear facing his shattered pride alone.

The streets of Qingshi Town awakened in the early morning like a giant beast yawning.

Early-rising shopkeepers removed their door panels, assistants splashed water to sweep the streets, steamers from bun shops emitted white heat, mingling with the aromas of meat and dough, making people's stomachs growl with craving.

Zhao Rui kept his head down, instinctively wanting to hide his face in his collar.

He felt like everyone on the street was watching him, looking at his shabby clothes, the bruises on his face.

But Su Ming walked steadily.

His gaze didn't linger excessively on the dazzling array of goods, but rather absorbed everything around him like a sponge.

The location of the carriage house, the prices at the grain and oil shop, the patrol routes of the street guards...

"Disciple, see that?" Lin Yu's voice sounded in his mind, like an experienced tour guide. "That cloth shop on the left displays fine cotton and silk fabrics, indicating many wealthy households in town. But the pawnshop on the right has a queue outside, meaning there are even more poor people."

"This is a typical feudal society model with clear class division. Our goal is to climb from the exploited class to the exploiting class as quickly as possible... no, to become self-sufficient independent individuals who aren't exploited by anyone."

"Remember, the prosperity is theirs, the dangers are theirs too. We're just passing through."

The two wound through the streets, following the route Su Ming had memorized yesterday, until they found the town's largest bookshop—Wenbao Zhai.

The shopfront was made of black lacquered wood, exuding a solemn air.

shopkeeper wearing a long gown with a mustache shaped like the character "eight" was lazily dusting the counter

Su Ming and Zhao

when he saw Zhao Rui's wretched state, the disdain

at books, but wash your hands before touching them." The shopkeeper's voice was neither warm nor cold. "Don't dirty the books—you couldn't afford to replace any

fists clenching, but he didn't dare lash out

hadn't heard. He walked to the wall, washed his hands meticulously in a

'Way of Survival' mindset has improved further," Lin Yu praised. "Enduring humiliation to preserve strength offers the highest return on emotional investment. Getting angry at irrelevant people wastes nothing but saliva

had many books, rows of shelves reaching the ceiling, the air filled with the scent of

took

was more fragrant

didn't look at the prominently displayed "Classics Collection Explanations" or "Key Points of Policy Essays"—those books

where some

pulled one out, squatted in the corner, and

place, not knowing where to put his hands and

strange looks from other scholars in the

Su Ming squatting on the ground reading with relish like a

this fire couldn't quite

could only imitate Su Ming, find a corner, pick

passed bit

became completely immersed in the

records, biographies, even some

windows for him, showing him the vast world beyond Su

to leave evidence," Lin Yu's voice chimed in timely. "Go,

money... we need to spend

Lin Yu's voice turned serious. "Can this be called spending? This is strategic investment! Let me ask you, where will our papermaking formula come from in the future? You can't

Su Ming froze.

insignificant miscellaneous book! Untraceable! What is this called? This is building an 'intellectual property firewall'! Spending a few

large sum on inn expenses. That money should be used where it's most needed! Knowledge is our sharpest blade right now! Go, find one book about regional customs and another

Ming's mind suddenly

searching through the pile of old

a heavily damaged "Essential Farming Techniques" buried at the very bottom,

a very clean hand, with slender fingers

looked up and saw a

Though the material

a lean face, tightly pressed lips, and eyes like deep pool water—unusually

Su Ming, he paused briefly, then silently

the youth had a small book box at his feet. The box was open, containing not valuable books but a stack of

had actually been here

from poor families

felt an

took out the "Essential Farming Techniques" and offered it:

shook his head, his voice cool yet clear: "No need, I've finished reading. You take

small book box and turned toward