Chapter 38: Honor His Virtue and Deeds

When Ji Yuan finished his practice and stood still, the fallen leaves and dust in the small courtyard were still swirling endlessly.

With no clocks, watches, internet, or mobile phones, Ji Yuan's biological clock had become incredibly precise. This wasn't due to any special quality in him, but because most people in this place lived this way. People with regular routines align with natural rhythms and develop a precise sense of time, a phenomenon observed even on 21st-century Earth.

It was now almost evening, and Ji Yuan planned to go out for dinner. In his previous life, Ji Yuan only knew how to make egg-fried rice and rarely cooked. He hadn't learned in this life either, and disliking the trouble, he always ate out. A meal typically cost only a few coppers, or at most a dozen or twenty.

Straightening his clothes and smoothing his hair, Ji Yuan headed out. He didn't need to lock the small courtyard, as no one dared to come to this place anyway. Weaving through Tianniu Ward, Ji Yuan chose the familiar shortcuts. When he occasionally encountered residents, most would avoid him, and some wouldn't even offer a greeting if they passed him directly. After half a month, everyone had pretty much figured out that Ji Yuan lived in Jū'an Pavilion, and it was generally considered best to avoid having anything to do with such an inauspicious place.

Ji Yuan didn't mind, and with his hands clasped behind his back, he walked onto the street with his distinctive Ji-style swagger. Once he exited the ward, the outside world suddenly seemed to burst into activity, with the clamor of the street everywhere.

After practicing martial arts, Ji Yuan's walking speed had greatly improved. After walking for seven or eight minutes, he arrived at Sun's Noodle Stall, one of his regular eateries. The stall was topped by a large sheet of oil-paper cloth, with four small tables and a wooden cart — Old Master Sun's entire livelihood.

From a distance, Old Sun saw Ji Yuan walking towards his stall. "Oh, Mr. Ji! It's been two days since I last saw you. Please, have a seat!"

Before Ji Yuan even got close, he could smell the delicious aroma from the noodle stall. Hearing the familiar greeting, he responded with a smile. "Do you have any offal today?"

"Yes, yes, yes! I just had a feeling you'd come today, Mr. Ji, so I saved the good stuff for you! Someone outside the city lost an old ox, and I got a lot of beef offal — it's much rarer than lamb offal!" Old Master Sun was very good at conversation; small businesses thrived on repeat customers, after all. Moreover, Mr. Ji seemed to be an educated man. Regular customers secretly speculated that his eyes might be blind, yet he walked no differently than others. This was a rare sight for ordinary people, leading some diners to privately comment that Mr. Ji was an extraordinary individual.

"Excellent, excellent! I'll have a bowl of braised noodles and a bowl of beef offal!" Ji Yuan smiled and sat down, ordering his dinner. Although Old Master Sun's offal had simple seasonings, the quality ingredients and the braising process made it non-fishy, flavorful, and very delicious.

"Coming right up!" Old Sun quickly got to work.

Not far away, the Yin family father and son, having finished their school matters, happened to be heading home. With the school opening soon, Yin Zhaoxian had been leaving early and returning late every day, and Yin Qing often went to help. Today was a rare early return for them. As they passed this street corner, Yin Qing's eyes sparkled as he spotted Ji Yuan at the noodle stall. He quickly tugged his father's sleeve, drawing his attention to Ji Yuan as well.

Yin Zhaoxian had wanted to visit Ji Yuan for a long time. Now, half a month later, Mr. Ji looked healthy and unharmed, which strengthened Yin Zhaoxian's slight suspicion about the changes at Jū'an Pavilion. Seeing that Ji Yuan seemed not to have noticed them, and believing there was no time like the present, Yin Zhaoxian thought for a moment. He pulled Yin Qing and deliberately took a detour, re-approaching from a distance, with Sun's Noodle Stall as their new destination.

"Master Sun, two bowls of braised noodles, please!" Yin Zhaoxian, also beaming, called out from near the noodle stall. Old Sun, who was busy preparing noodles for Ji Yuan, saw Yin Zhaoxian and became extremely enthusiastic. "Oh, it's Scholar Yin! Come, come, please have a seat!" The opening of a school in the county was a big event for the people of Ning'an, and as a prospective scholar, Yin Zhaoxian now knew many people.

"Mm!" Yin Zhaoxian gave a mild reply, dusted off his clothes, and led Yin Qing to an empty table. Then, as if suddenly noticing Ji Yuan, he exclaimed, "Oh, aren't you Mr. Ji? I heard a refined scholar recently moved into the ward. If it weren't for the heavy workload with the new school opening, I would have visited you much sooner!"

Yin Qing's small face flushed; it was the first time he had seen his father act so dramatically. Ji Yuan had already noticed the Yin father and son earlier, but he hadn't understood why they walked past only to turn back. Only when they approached the noodle stall did he realize they were staging a "chance encounter," and he almost burst out laughing.

"Indeed, that's me. I've long heard that Scholar Yin of Tianniu Ward is very learned!" Ji Yuan turned his head toward the Yin father and son, allowing Yin Zhaoxian to clearly see for the first time those pale, clouded eyes. "This must be little Yin Qing, your son? Truly worthy of a scholarly family, to raise such a fine child!"

"Mr. Ji, you still remember me!" Yin Qing looked at this esteemed gentleman with a mix of curiosity and shyness.

"Hahaha, I've always remembered the kindness of that load of water! If you two don't mind, why not join me at my table? Of course, if little Yin Qing is scared, then just disregard my suggestion!" Yin Qing awkwardly scratched his head, understanding that Mr. Ji still remembered his fear of entering Jū'an Pavilion that day.

"How could we refuse Mr. Ji's invitation? Qing'er, let's sit there!" Yin Zhaoxian couldn't have wished for more and immediately led his son to the table.

"Noodles are ready! Mr. Ji, Scholar Yin, Young Master Yin, here are your braised noodles! The beef offal will be a moment longer!" Old Sun placed the food on the table.

"Good, good, thank you!" Ji Yuan smiled and nodded to Master Sun. Yin Zhaoxian, who was still sitting, froze for a moment, then quickly thanked Master Sun as well. As the saying goes, "scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants." As a prominent figure among Ning'an County's scholars, Yin Zhaoxian wouldn't explicitly look down on a street vendor like Old Sun. However, deep down, he considered himself superior. Besides, it was the vendor's duty to provide service, so why give thanks? But Ji Yuan had thanked him, and if Yin Zhaoxian didn't, it would make him seem to place himself above Ji Yuan.

"Oh, no, no, you're too kind." Old Sun said this, but his face was beaming. He worked much more swiftly preparing the food. While Mr. Ji always showed such courtesy, being thanked by Scholar Yin made Old Sun feel incredibly honored.

Ji Yuan smiled, said nothing, then picked up his chopsticks and began eating his noodles. Thanking enthusiastic service staff, delivery drivers, and food delivery riders was a habit Ji Yuan had in his previous life. In fact, after seeing some disheartening news in the past, people with Ji Yuan's habit had become increasingly common. However, in this world, through his observations, Ji Yuan found that class-consciousness was very serious. Some people might be educated and courteous, but only to certain individuals. This was also why Ji Yuan increasingly felt that the County City God deserved respect.

Seeing Mr. Ji quietly eating his noodles, Yin Zhaoxian hesitated and didn't speak, instead motioning for his son to eat with him. The atmosphere throughout the meal was a bit awkward. Mr. Ji seemed to have no intention of chatting, merely inviting the two Yin family members to share when the beef offal arrived.

Ji Yuan didn't consider himself a saint, and judging by Yin Qing's character, Yin Zhaoxian was certainly not a cold person. It was just that Ji Yuan felt a scholar should do better, especially since students taught by him, if they passed the imperial examinations, would become officials and contribute to the nation's development.

When they were almost finished eating, Yin Zhaoxian insisted on paying the entire bill. Ji Yuan didn't say anything, merely offering Yin Zhaoxian a parting remark before leaving. This left Yin Zhaoxian stunned for a long time, the words still echoing in his mind.

"Scholar Yin, peddlers and common laborers are the mirrors of the nation. Those who teach should uphold their virtues and serve as a model for others!"

Yin Qing, a little impatient by the noodle stall, tugged at his father's hand. "Father, Mr. Ji has left. When are we going home?"

Yin Zhaoxian snapped back to reality. He looked at his son, then at Old Sun, who was now bustling around as more diners arrived. "Let's go, home. Tomorrow morning, we'll visit Mr. Ji at Jū'an Pavilion."