Chapter 21
A Man with a Very Alluring Smile
T/N: Sponsored chapter! Thank you MajorQuinn, Gilly, and Nancy for sponsoring!
Since the decision was already made, then it should immediately be put into action. The morning of the next day, Du Xiao Li dragged Du Xiu Heng to the county seat.
Because their place was quite remote, and there were rather few literate people, the village didn’t have a school. If Du Xiu Heng wanted to study, then he needed to attend the school in the county seat. Taking into consideration that some of the students came from rather remote places, the school prepared living quarters and dining hall. Those that lived far away can chose to live at the school, and every five days they can return home for two days, more or less similar to modern day boarding schools.
That’s why if Du Xiu Heng wanted to attend school, he needed to live at school, and could only come home once every half a month. This was also the reason why he was hesitant.
Du Xiao Li directly dragged Du Xiu Heng with her to the school hall. Because Du Xiu Heng had quit midway, at the start of the year, he’d already enrolled. That’s why they only needed to hand over some money, and he can thus continue attending cla.s.s.
After they finished discussing with the scholar of the school, the person in charge of managing students’ living arrangements prepared a room for Du Xiu Heng. One room, two beds. Placed on top one of the beds was a neatly folded quilt, and also two sets of wash-worn clothes folded and placed at the bedhead. Looks like the person living together with Du Xiu Heng is also from a not that well off family. However, should be someone that rather likes cleanliness.
They had the quilt they brought placed onto the bed, then found a cloth, wetted it, and had the bed wiped cleaned. After wiping clean the dust, they spread the bedsheets and quilt. When Du Xiao Li was doing these things, she suddenly felt like one of those mothers who’d came to the dorms to send off their children to school when she’d just started attending college.
“Pfft–” When she thought of this, Du Xiao Li couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
Du Xiu Heng, who was currently tidying up the desk, heard Du Xiao Li’s sudden laugh, and asked with a smile, “Younger sister what are you laughing about?”
“Nothing.” Du Xiao Li shook her head. She couldn’t say that she felt like an old mother, right!? “When you’re done tidying, let’s go see if you’re still missing anything. We can go buy them later.”
“Alright.” Du Xiu Heng’s mood today was very happy. He thought that he wouldn’t be able to enter the school halls ever again in this lifetime. He never thought that there would actually be a day where he would come back.
After taking care of everything, Du Xiao Li and her brother went out to buy some things. Du Xiao Li bought some life necessities for Du Xiu Heng, and also bought two sets of spare clothes. When it was almost noon, the two of them returned carrying small and large bags of things. As soon as they entered the door, they saw sitting on the other bed a delicately handsome boy. He was in the middle of eating with his head lowered. When he heard someone entering, he raised his head, took a glance, and stood up, saying with a smile, “You must be cla.s.s two’s Du Xiu Heng? I’m cla.s.s three’s Zhang Rui. In the future, we’ll be roommates, please to meet you.”
“How did you know it was me?” Du Xiu Heng somewhat surprisingly looked to Zhang Rui.
“Earlier when I went to the dining hall to buy food, heard someone say that the number one student in the academy returned. Thus, everyone knew it was you. When I came back, I saw that the other bed was sorted out, and guessed it was you.”
“So big brother was actually this famous at school?!” Du Xiao Li said with her mouth covered while laughing. This really was somewhat unexpected.
“Of course, in the past, when Du Xiu Heng was in cla.s.s one, his grades were that good. This was something everyone all knew. Because he’d quit school midway, he could only enter cla.s.s two at the moment. However, the people of cla.s.s two are all very impressive too. You must be his younger sister.” Zhang Rui’s personality was rather outgoing, with a pair of bright and clean eyes.
“h.e.l.lo big brother Zhang Rui, I’m Du Xiao Li. In the future, trouble big brother Zhang Rui to look after my big brother in the academy.” Du Xiao Li said with a smile.
“Haha, I still need Du Xiu Heng to take care of me!” Zhang Rui said with a laugh.
Zhang Rui was very entertaining in conversation. While talking to him, they sorted all their things. Du Xiao Li and Du Xiu Heng decided to go eat out to celebrate.
They went to a restaurant near the school and ordered two dishes. There were talks and laughter, as they ate their afternoon meal. Soon after Du Xiao Li saw off Du Xiu Heng at the school entrance. She gave him five taels of silver, letting him use in emergencies, and at the same time also reminding him to not show off his money.
The things Du Xiao Li said, Du Xiu Heng already knew, but he still earnestly listened, not the least bit impatient.
“Alright, quickly go back then. You’ll be starting cla.s.s in the afternoon today, you have to work hard! I’m going to head back home now. I’ll be waiting at home for you to come back!” Du Xiao Li said.
“Will you be find heading home alone?” Du Xiu Heng said worried, “How about I send you back home first.”
“No need, nothing will happen to me. I’ve told you before, in the past, I was once a taekwando master.” Du Xiao Li said with a smile. Waving her hand at him, she turned and left.
When she was teaching Du Xiu Heng some simple self-defense techniques, he’d once asked her what this was. It wasn’t good for her to say that this was what she’d learned in the organization in her past life, so she said this was taekwando, and that she was a taekwando master.
Du Xiu Heng watched Du Xiao Li’s figure leaving in the distant, muttering to himself, “Don’t worry younger sister, I’ll definitely work hard studying.”
Meanwhile, two people came out from the best inn in town. The one dressed in all black was Leng Er, and the other one was a fifteen sixteen year old boy wearing an aqua blue brocade gown with a distinguished and elegant appearance and bright eyes, making one unconsciously sink. He carried a fan in his hand, waving it as he followed Leng Er onto the carriage.
“Young master Ji, suddenly coming to such a remote place like this, aren’t you afraid of getting skinned by the General when you go back?” Leng Er said with a laugh.
“He won’t be concerned about me. Besides, on the letter I left, I said I was going to protect the fifth prince. When the time comes, I’ll head back together with the fifth prince. I just don’t believe father will still dare to beat me.” Ji Liu Feng got on the carriage and sat down, not the least bit worried.
“Hehe, is that so? Gentlemen Ji really came to protect our young master? And not having been scared out of the capital by those young ladies?”
Ji Liu Feng struck Leng Er’s head and said, “Now your guts have fattened? Daring to make fun of this young master? Hurry up and drive!”
“Haha, alright, young master Ji, sit tight, these mountain roads can’t be compared to the streets in capital. They’re somewhat b.u.mpy.” Leng Er sat at the front of the horse carriage, picked up the whip, and whipped the horse. The horse carriage slowly began to travel along the path.
The horse carriage traveled pretty slowly inside the town. When they arrived at the city gates, Leng Er immediately saw Du Xiao Li who’d just went out.
“Young master Ji, in a while, I’m going to pick up someone along the way.” Leng Er said to Ji Liu Feng who was inside the carriage.
“Oh? Who?” Ji Liu Feng pulled open the curtains at the front of the carriage and asked.
Leng Er pointed to Du Xiao Li.
Ji Liu Feng looked to Du Xiao Li, and with an ill intentioned look, mockingly asked, “Your little friend?”
Leng Er heard Ji Liu Feng’s words, and his lips instinctively twitched, “No.”
“Han Ming Yi’s little friend?” Seeing Leng Er denying, Ji Liu Feng continued to guess.
“No.” Leng Er continued to deny, “That’s someone from Imperial Physician Niu’s village. Her relationship with Imperial Physician Niu is very good. Right now, she’s currently learning how to distinguish medical ingredients with him.”
“So she’s Niu old man’s little friend. Than this young master is correct.” Ji Liu Feng said, waving his fan.
Leng Er was defeated by Ji Liu Feng’s line of thought, thus chose to ignore him. He drove the carriage out of the city, and stopped next to Du Xiao Li.
Du Xiao Li was just thinking about how long it would take for her to walk back, when a horse carriage stopped next to her, following which she saw Leng Er’s smiling face, “Little girl, get on the carriage.”
Du Xiao Li sensed there was another person inside, and thought it was Han Ming Yi. She originally wanted to refuse, but then looking to the scorching sun overhead, she might just get a heatstroke halfway back. Thus she quickly climbed onto the horse carriage. Pulling open the curtains, she didn’t see Han Ming Yi’s cold face, but rather, saw a face smiling very alluringly.
Thinking for a moment, she put down the curtains and sat down next to Leng Er, asking quietly, “Leng Er, who is that person smiling very alluringly inside? Your young master’s friend?”
Du Xiao Li thought that her voice was very soft, but she didn’t know that the person inside was quite skilled and had heard her words very clearly.
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