Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 186 - 185: You Want to Cheat

As the atmosphere was melancholic, Qin Yao looked at the mountains opposite and said enviously, "The view from this place is really expansive."

Looking as if she was hoping that she could be buried in such a place after she died.

The three mournful father and sons paused in unison, ah, well—indeed, she’s the atmosphere ender!

After clearing away the weeds and using a hoe to add some earth to the collapsed grave mound, the wooden sign was cleaned, and the grave finally looked like a proper burial site.

Even Liu Ji, who seldom appeared solemn, showed some guilt in his eyes as he led the four children to pay respects.

Qin Yao stood by patiently waiting for them and casually picked some wild vegetable sprouts that had just emerged, planning to take them home to make soup.

Da Lang and Sanlang stood before their biological mother’s grave as if she were right there, saying many things.

They spoke of how well they were doing now, learning many skills from their stepmother, and told their mother to rest assured and not to worry about them.

Liu Ji also hurriedly added, "Mrs. Mo, you can go and reincarnate at ease, don’t worry about me. In the next life, find a good family to be born into and marry a nobleman."

Si Niang couldn’t bear to hear her father being so self-absorbed, frowned, tilted her little head, and appeared in front of Liu Ji, "Dad, you’re shameless."

Liu Ji waved his hand, "Go, go, stay over there."

What would a little kid know, it’s not like she has nightmares.

The father and sons paid their respects again, then packed up their things and called Qin Yao to go home.

On the way home, Liu Ji could feel Qin Yao observing him, feeling uncomfortable under her gaze, he couldn’t help but ask, "Why do you keep staring at me?"

"Liu Ji, I’ve discovered that you have some humanity," Qin Yao said casually.

Liu Ji was startled, "Huh?" Are you sure you’re not insulting me?

Qin Yao curled her lips into a smile but did not continue to explain, quickened her pace, and entered the house first.

Liu Ji followed her in, bewildered, first setting the things down, then leading the four children to wash their hands clean, before awkwardly standing in front of Qin Yao, looking at her.

"Um, can I say something without you getting angry first?" he asked weakly.

Qin Yao slightly raised her head. Although she was sitting and he was standing, with just this look, Liu Ji felt himself instantly shrink by a head.

Knowing that she had little patience, he quickly spoke, "I want to refurbish Mrs. Mo’s grave. Can you lend me some money first? I promise to repay you as soon as I earn it!"

After speaking, Qin Yao just looked at him like that, making Liu Ji feel uncertain, thinking she wouldn’t agree.

Unexpectedly, Qin Yao directly stood up, went to the bedroom, took out some silver, and threw it into his arms, a piece weighing two taels.

Liu Ji was shocked, hurriedly catching the small silver coin, looking at Qin Yao in disbelief, "Wife, you, you..."

"Hurry up, there’s only a few days before you go to the academy," Qin Yao interrupted his unnecessary words, coldly instructed.

Liu Ji quickly agreed, said "Thank you," and turned to go out to find help with the silver.

On his way, he thought about the people and matters around him now and gave a self-mocking laugh, it seems everyone has more conscience than him, he’s the only scoundrel!

Qin Yao yawned, feeling a bit sleepy, walked out of the main room intending to take a nap in the afternoon.

"Thud, thud, thud, thud" four dull sounds, Da Lang brought his three younger siblings, kneeled down in front of her, and kowtowed three times firmly.

When they lifted their heads, Da Lang and Sanlang’s eyes were red, while Sanlang and Si Niang, who were pressed to kowtow by their brother, hissed, the kneeling really hurt.

Qin Yao took a step back, jumped back into the main room, "What are you doing?"

Da Lang, holding his siblings, stood up and said solemnly, "Aunt Yao, thank you for refurbishing my mother’s grave."

He couldn’t bring himself to say any words about repaying in the future, nor did he want to say such useless words.

In any case, from now on, the four Liu siblings would only recognize two mothers, one deceased biological mother, and the other was her.

Qin Yao asked, "Are you finished?"

Da Lang nodded.

Qin Yao said, "Then you’re welcome. I’m going to rest now."

Qin Yao calmly walked past the four siblings, but when she returned to the room and closed the door, the corners of her mouth slightly turned up, somewhat unexpectedly.

Who knows what kind of woman Mrs. Mo was, to let the four children maintain a kind heart in such a survival environment.

The text continues...

After Liu Ji fixed his late wife’s grave, he returned to the city academy to prepare for the county exam in February.

To do this, before leaving, he went to the village head and clan leader to get the identity verification needed for the exam, planning not to come home midway to avoid wasting time.

Whether he could pass the county exam in such a short time, Qin Yao thought was quite uncertain.

But before Liu Ji left, he mysteriously told her, "Wife, don’t worry, I already found out that the county exam is easy to pass, as long as we know someone..." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

He said this while rubbing his fingers together and winking at her.

Qin Yao raised an eyebrow, "You want to cheat?"

"My dear... shh shh shh!" Liu Ji was terrified, we are plotting secretly, why are you speaking so loudly!

He quickly went outside to look, good, the kids were all out, only the two of them were in the house.

This time Liu Ji was much more cautious, closing the door and opening the windows, watching the main entrance carefully in case anyone passed by, and continued the conversation.

Qin Yao was right, he did want to cheat, and since the county exam location is in their county, he’s not the only one with such intentions, those with means would generally prepare just in case.

Moreover, the county exam has all candidates in the same room, as long as he’s placed next to a good student, his chances of passing the preliminary exam would be greatly increased.

If luck was on his side and he guessed the questions right, he would surely pass.

Passing the preliminary exam makes subsequent exams much easier, allowing him to sprint forward whenever he was ready.

But the formal exam in May, with both monitoring and question difficulty greatly increased, even if he could cheat by sitting next to a good student, it would be hard to pass.

So, for the May exam, he’s just going to go through the motions, like Qin Yao said, to accumulate experience.

Seeing his clear and logical analysis, Qin Yao knew he must have thought it through carefully.

"Liu Ji, you’re amazing, you even know how to design a cheat sheet for passing," Qin Yao circled him, clicking her tongue in praise.

Being praised for once, although this little cleverness was not proper conduct, Liu Ji still proudly puffed out his chest, "That’s right, you’ve got to learn from experience, being poor like us, if we want to make it, we have to use some tricks."

"What’s the risk?" Qin Yao asked.

Liu Ji excitedly replied, "Almost no risk, because no one will admit to taking any advantages, and the preliminary exam isn’t strict anyway, do you know how Fan Xiucai passed the preliminary exam back then?"

Qin Yao guessed, "Swapped seats too?"

Liu Ji nodded heavily, otherwise, how would he know about this route?

Therefore, when Liu Ji returned to the academy, he had an extra ten taels of silver in his pocket.