"Jingzhe from my family found an insecticide formula in a book when he went to the provincial capital, and I just put it together," Tong Huaqiong said nonchalantly.

Gu Jingzhe found the formula in a book?

Gu Ruinian’s eyes darkened.

This cousin is not simple. Could it be that he also traveled from the future?

He always wondered how his uncle and aunt, this pair of groundhogs, could produce a dragon.

He didn’t believe that Gu Jingzhe found a pesticide formula in any ordinary book.

Only people of this era would believe that.

"Cousin is amazing." Gu Ruinian laughed dryly twice, insincerely praising him.

"What’s amazing about it; it was written by people in books before. Other people in the village can’t read, only he can. Otherwise, even if he saw it, he wouldn’t remember it," Tong Huaqiong replied indifferently.

Jealousy burned fiercely in Gu Ruinian’s heart.

Gu Jingzhe’s luck is unexpectedly good.

In his previous life, Gu Ruinian was born into a farming family with three sisters, and he was the only Yaozu.

He had good grades from a young age, and all the family’s resources were devoted to him. His three sisters, who had better grades, went to work in electronics factories in the south after junior high school to support him.

As the only Yaozu, although born in the countryside, he never did farm work and didn’t even recognize the weeds and crops in the field.

Gu Ruinian regretted it very much.

If he had learned more about agriculture in his last life, would this pesticide formula have fallen to Gu Jingzhe?

"Why did you think of asking this? Rui Nian, let me tell you, this formula is my business, authorized by the government. Don’t think about taking the formula," Tong Huaqiong said unceremoniously.

Gu Ruinian replied lightly, "Aunt, you’re overthinking it. I’m just curious."

He felt disdain for Tong Huaqiong in his heart.

Isn’t it just a pesticide formula?

Let them enjoy their moment of pride for now; eventually, he would stir up the situation.

Thinking he had grasped a key piece of information, Gu Ruinian saluted Tong Huaqiong and bid farewell, "Aunt, it’s almost time for lunch, I should head home. By the way, when will Brother Jingzhe be back? I want to ask him for some advice on my studies."

Tong Huaqiong replied, "It’s uncertain when he’ll be back. The township exam is next month, and he’s in town reviewing. Why aren’t you studying?"

Gu Ruinian smiled faintly, "Studying isn’t about time, but about efficiency."

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself, just keep pretending.

After leaving the pig farm, Gu Ruinian was instantly sobered by the biting spring wind.

Is Gu Jingzhe really a transmigrator or not?

He couldn’t judge just based on the pesticide formula since ancient alchemy might accidentally produce a pesticide and have it recorded.

Whether Gu Jingzhe just stumbled upon a book with the pesticide formula by sheer luck or came with agricultural knowledge from the future, he needed to confirm.

At this moment, Gu Ruinian was more eager than ever to have a deep conversation with Gu Jingzhe.

If Gu Jingzhe really came from the future like him, he didn’t plan to reveal himself; he wanted to gather strength in the shadows.

In this era, only one transmigrator could stir up the situation, and it had to be him.

If Gu Jingzhe was purely an ancient person, then he must recruit him as a follower.

...

Tong Huaqiong was pretty sure that Gu Ruinian was a transmigrator like her.

She deliberately pushed Gu Jingzhe to the forefront to confuse Gu Ruinian.

The conversation at the pig farm probably made Gu Ruinian suspicious that Gu Jingzhe was a transmigrator.

Now it was up to Gu Ruinian’s next move. If he planned to acknowledge his connection with Gu Jingzhe, it meant he wasn’t trying to oppose Tong Huaqiong and the others; she wouldn’t mind revealing herself to him.

If he didn’t acknowledge their connection, but instead probed Gu Jingzhe, it meant he had bad intentions and wanted to step over her and the others to succeed, then she wouldn’t hold back against him.

That evening, Gu Jingzhe returned home from the private school.

He immediately told Tong Huaqiong that he was stopped by Gu Ruinian on the way, who asked him a bunch of puzzling questions.

Tong Huaqiong laughed heartily, "What did he ask you?"

Gu Jingzhe replied, "He asked which book I found the pesticide formula in, if I could make anything else besides pesticides, and what I thought about the court."

This was clearly probing Gu Jingzhe.

Tong Huaqiong asked, "How did you respond?"

Gu Jingzhe responded, "I thought he had dishonest intentions. That pesticide was a formula you found in the treasure space, so how could I tell him the truth? I just gave some vague answers. I also brushed off his other questions. I don’t care to talk to him; the township exam is next month, and I need to focus on studying."

Tong Huaqiong laughed, "If he asks you any bizarre questions again, just make something up."

Gu Jingzhe nodded.

If it weren’t for his late father’s face, he wouldn’t even want to engage with this cousin.

Gu Ruinian tried probing Gu Jingzhe, but ended up more uncertain about whether Gu Jingzhe was a transmigrator. Whether Gu Jingzhe was good at pretending or there was another transmigrant in Aunt’s family, he desperately wanted to find out.

He remembered from his original self’s memory that this cousin was good at studying and rather proud from a young age.

Apart from his academic prowess, Gu Jingzhe didn’t exhibit any other talents.

And the way Gu Jingzhe talked to him now was no different from what he remembered in his original self’s memories.

Feeling defeated, Gu Ruinian walked home.

The village children were on their way home from the private school.

One child said to Man Er, "Man Er, my birthday is in a few days. My mother said she has already ordered a birthday cake from your family’s shop, so you should come to my house to celebrate my birthday with me."

Man Er replied with a smile, "Okay." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Wait a minute.

Birthday cake.

Does this era have birthday cakes?

The cake was ordered from the big house’s shop.

The clan leader’s letter to Grandpa before the New Year mentioned that Aunt had opened a pastry shop, which was doing quite well not only in Yan Guan Town but even in Pingchuan County and the provincial city.

In the past few days since their return, due to the family’s entertaining and negotiating the recovery of previously leased land, nobody thought to actually visit the big house’s pastry shop in town.

The idea of a birthday cake stirred Gu Ruinian’s thoughts. He decided to visit Aunt’s pastry shop in town tomorrow.

"Grandpa, can I have a tael of silver? I want to go to town to buy some books," Gu Ruinian said during dinner to the old Mr. Gu.

The old man paused.

The family’s finances were tight, with only a dozen taels left for a coffin fund.

Even so, there were urgent expenses that couldn’t be ignored.

When they went south, the land given to the second son was leased to other clan members, and now they disagreed on taking it back.

After all, wheat was still growing on the land, and taking it back would require compensation.

Also, essentials like oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar were needed, and buying chicks and ducklings required money.

Mrs. Jia noticed the old man’s reluctance and quickly said, "Rui Nian’s township exam is next month. Jingzhe can focus on reviewing at the private school, but Rui Nian can only do so at home. These books aren’t bought in vain; they are for the Scholar exam."

Gu Ruinian swallowed and said, "Grandpa, once I pass the Scholar exam, there will be a monthly grain quota, and our family will have an extra income."

These words moved the old man.