Chapter Five: Metamorphosis

  A mysterious fruit completely changed Chen Jianchen's weak physique; while a small piece of the fruit's flesh made that old hen regain its vitality, laying three eggs in one day, which was extremely unusual and strange.

  This world is by no means simple!

  Chen Jianchen had made up his mind in a general sense, but as for the specifics, it was not that simple and would require further understanding. He vaguely felt that the world before him was actually much broader than he had imagined.

  The Spring Festival is approaching, the weather is getting colder, and finally on a night with dense clouds, it snowed heavily. The sky and the earth were suddenly wrapped in silver and white, and everything was covered in a thick layer of snow.

  A charcoal fire was burning in the study, which couldn't compare with those wealthy families, but was simply placed in a ceramic basin, emitting a warm and cozy heat.

  Charcoal, also known as ordinary charcoal, has a very strong smoky flavor.

  Chen Jianchen was not reading books, but writing words, writing couplets.

  Writing couplets is a "welfare" for scholars, who can help people write couplets before the Spring Festival every year and receive a certain reward, such as some money, a piece of meat, or a chicken, etc., to supplement their living expenses.

  "Behind thousands of doors and windows, a new year replaces the old one."

  Every year on New Year's Eve, almost every household tears off the old couplets and puts up new ones to pray for a new image in the new year. Even the poorest people will save money by eating frugally and accumulating it to ask someone to write couplets for them. The person asked is basically at or above the level of a scholar, which is considered dignified.

  Chen Jianchen is the only scholar in Jingyang Village, so this year's New Year couplets for the whole village were almost all taken care of by him alone - a win-win situation. The villagers no longer had to go to other places far away like previous years to find scholars, and for Chen Jianchen, he could help others while earning some household income, why not?

  In fact, many poor families' xiucai would rush to Jiangzhou City and set up stalls on the street to write couplets, which was a small business. When business was booming, they could earn dozens of coins a day.

  In the Tianyun dynasty, copper coins were the lowest denomination of circulating currency. One coin was one wen, and 1,000 wen equaled one guan. One guan was equal to one silver yuanbao ingot, and ten silver yuanbao ingots equaled one gold yuanbao ingot.

  The silver and gold ingots here are all customized standard currency of the dynasty, with exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful appearance.

  Of course, for Chen Jianchen, gold and silver were far too distant. He and his mother's monthly living expenses were only fifty cents.

  However, after Chen Jianchen obtained the title of Xiucai, the family's living conditions began to improve slowly. This year is definitely the "fat year" in the history of the Chen family. Chen Jianchen wrote couplets for others and received a total of 136 Wen coins, three chickens, two ducks, and a full 13 catties of meat as payment.

  These supplies will be enough for a big New Year's celebration.

  So Chen Jian felt very happy, he was no longer a parasite of his mother. And letting Mo Sanniang live a good life had always been one of his ideals.

  Self-reliance is glorious.

  Moreover, writing couplets is not a difficult task, the paper is all prepared by others and handed over to him, he only needs to spend ink and move his hand to write.

  Those spring couplets are very simple, no more than the old clichés like "Heaven adds years to our age and people add longevity", as long as they are neat and symmetrical, and can express good intentions.

  After mastering it, Chen Jianchen could write dozens of pieces a day.

  At first, he was not used to writing with a brush and ink, but after practicing for a few days, he gradually got used to it; and with the help of his previous life's memory, he could write beautiful characters.

  Writing is an important yardstick for measuring the depth of a reader's foundation.

  Chen Jianchen was able to take the top spot in all three exams, is this not a remarkable feat? His "regular script" calligraphy is so impeccable that it's been described as "five-stable-eight-solid, without a single drop of water leaking out", a standard that cannot be surpassed.

  ……

  "Spring breeze brings joy and wealth into the house, years renewed with good fortune filling the door."

  The last couplet has been written.

  Chen Jianchen put down the brush in his hand, blew gently on the paper surface, and after the ink was dry, he folded it lightly and set it aside, waiting for someone to come and take it.

  He stretched his waist and a hint of a satisfied smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

  These experiences, he had never done before; it seems that with the identity of a Xiucai, the way to make money has suddenly opened up. Unfortunately, writing couplets is only available when the Spring Festival arrives every year. As for projects such as inscribing and writing plaques, which are even more lucrative, how could they be his turn as a small Xiucai?

  At least one must have a reputation as a scholar or be famous in calligraphy to qualify.

  "Hmm, should I also set up a small stall in Jiangzhou City and make a fortune?"

  Chen Jianchen thought so, and his hand picked up the Bi Xie pen again - using this pen to write was purely a personal preference, anyway it felt very comfortable in his hand.

  "Liu Xian, I don't agree with you going to Jiangzhou to write couplets."

  "Your tone is very determined: 'You have been enrolled as a student of the Minghua Academy, with food and clothing taken care of. Therefore, you should devote yourself wholeheartedly to reading books and prepare for the imperial examination.'"

  Chen Jianchen fully understood her opposition and concerns, and couldn't bear to go against his mother's wishes in this regard. Even if he stayed at home, he had no heart to study anyway.

  The 66 well-written couplets were all taken away, and Chen Jianchen's life returned to its old state. However, under the seemingly stagnant life, his body became stronger and stronger - not that he was getting bigger or becoming a muscle man; but his energy and spirit were getting better, fuller, more vibrant, as if he would never get tired again.

  With his powerful physical condition as the foundation, his Jeet Kune Do became even more formidable, and he could even break a thick tree trunk with just one punch.

  This is the best proof of having strength.

  Unbeknownst to himself, Chen Jianchen had transformed from a weak and feeble scholar with no strength to bind a chicken, into a robust and powerful "strongman" - with the appearance of a scholar but the physique of a martial artist. It's truly unbelievable when spoken aloud. The mysterious fruit sent by the white fox was instrumental in bringing about such enormous changes in a short period of time.

  He used to have a delicate appearance, but lacked masculinity, giving people a weak feeling. Now he is full of a vigorous and healthy aura.

  This transformation, from an external perspective, is quite obvious. Not only Mo San Niang, but also other villagers have appeared. However, they didn't think much about it, and just thought that Chen Jianchen had passed the imperial examination for the first time, not only becoming a scholar, but also being accepted by Minghua Academy as a student, from then on his future was bright and promising.

  It's called being pleased as punch, and one's mood naturally becomes extremely good.

  Good mood, good food, good sleep, and one's physical condition will naturally be improved. A broad mind and a fat body, from this perspective, is perfectly normal.

  It's better this way, avoiding much trouble.

  However, every time it was late at night and quiet, Chen Jianchen lay in bed, he couldn't help but think of that clever little white fox. The fox's actions were undoubtedly very consistent with some unusual episodes from his past life - a kind-hearted scholar saving a stranded fox, and the fox repaying him with gratitude, just missing the part where it "transforms into a beauty and offers itself to him"...

  So what kind of world will it be when it appears?