When Gu Wuyou arrived at the academy, she was neither early nor late, stepping into the classroom just before the first lesson began.
The rumors about the annulment of the engagement had been thoroughly stirred up by her and Li Qingyuan yesterday. Adding in Xu Fu’s prohibition, no one dared to bring it up anymore. Even if some people’s minds were itching with curiosity, no one dared to speak of it in class.
As for outside the academy, Gu Wuyou didn’t even need to say anything—those people’s elders would make sure they got a proper lesson.
And so, the engagement matter settled down just like that.
When she stepped into Pingshuo Hall, it was still as lively as ever. A group of people stood or sat, chatting. However, as soon as Gu Wuyou entered, everyone tacitly fell silent for a moment—especially the two girls who had spoken after class yesterday. They directly lowered their heads, not daring to meet her gaze.
Gu Wuyou paid them no mind.
She was in a good mood today and even planned to take advantage of the time before class to embroider a few more stitches and finish her sachet sooner.
Just as she sat down, Gu Yu, who usually sat in the front row, came over and sat in front of her, unhappily complaining, “Where have you been these past few days? You leave home so early every day and come to class so late.”
“Mm.”
This was her secret with the Great General. Aside from her second sister, no one else knew, and Gu Wuyou had no intention of telling Gu Yu either. She casually brushed it off, “I had something to do. Why?”
Gu Yu, taking advantage of the fact that Gu Wuyou sat in the back where no one could see her, rolled her eyes in exasperation. Of course, she knew there was something going on—what she wanted to know was what it was!
But she didn’t press further. Everyone had their own secrets and privacy, and her relationship with Gu Wuyou wasn’t close enough to warrant that kind of questioning.
Gu Wuyou tidied up the things on her desk, then took out her unfinished sachet from her bag. She glanced at Gu Yu, who didn’t look well, and asked in surprise, “Did something happen? You don’t look too good.”
“It’s nothing.”
Gu Yu muttered but, seeing Gu Wuyou still looking at her, pursed her lips and finally said, “Ah Yi didn’t come to class today, and I don’t know why. She rarely does this—she would come even when she’s sick.”
Xiao Yi…
Gu Wuyou glanced at Xiao Yi’s usual seat. Sure enough, it was empty.
Retracting her gaze, she casually reassured, “You can go check on her after class.”
She didn’t really want to talk about this person, so after offering a comforting remark, she didn’t continue. Gu Yu, not expecting her to say anything more, simply nodded. “Alright, I’ll go after class.”
Then, she sighed.
The teacher for the first lesson entered the room. Gu Yu didn’t say anything more and returned to her seat. Gu Wuyou also put down her sachet and focused earnestly on the lesson.
The teacher for the calligraphy and painting class was gentle and well-mannered, with a particularly good temperament.
His surname was Han, given name Ziqian. He was the second son of the Han family. His father held the position of Vice Minister in court, and in terms of seniority, he was no less than Jing Yubai’s father. Moreover, coming from a scholarly family, the Han family’s reputation among students far exceeded that of the Jing family, despite having less political influence.
Gu Wuyou had heard that this Mister Han had taken the imperial examination alongside her third brother and that top scholar from the Shen family, ultimately ranking second in the examination.
Yet, just like her third brother, he had not chosen an official career but had instead joined Luming Academy to teach calligraphy and painting.
She had also privately heard a rumor that Mister Han had a deep admiration for her second sister and had always wanted to marry her. It was said that he had even entered the academy for her…
But whether this rumor was true remained uncertain.
In any case, in her past life, Gu Wuyou had no impression of this Mister Han.
But if it were true…
She would feel very happy.
Second Sister, such a wonderful person, should marry a man of her choosing. After all, her illness seemed to be stable now. Perhaps… she really would be fine.
“In half a month, the holiday will begin.”
Han Ziqian, dressed in a blue robe, placed the booklet in his hands onto the lectern with a smile. Seeing the eager and expectant expressions in the students’ eyes, he pressed his lips together slightly and added with a smile, “But before that, we still have the biannual assessment.”
“Although the dean doesn’t set many requirements for the girls’ academy, that doesn’t mean you can slack off.”
His voice was gentle, but the students groaned in response. A bold one even tried to negotiate with him, “Mister Han, the exam topic you set last year was too difficult. I had no idea what to paint. Can you make it easier this year?”
Han Ziqian responded with a smile, “Alright.”
At those words, the room was immediately filled with jeers.
“Hmph, you say that every year, but we’ve never seen you go easy on us.”
“And yet, don’t you all ask the same question every year?” Han Ziqian chuckled. After hearing a few more sighs of despair, he opened the booklet and addressed the class, “Alright, settle down and get ready for the lesson.”
Some students prepared their brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, while others began mixing their colors.
Only Gu Wuyou propped her chin on her hand, lost in thought about the upcoming assessment. There were only fifteen days left. How would the Great General do? She still didn’t believe he was the kind of person who would end up at the bottom of the rankings in everything.
“Leping, what’s wrong?”
Han Ziqian walked over and gently asked as he noticed Gu Wuyou staring off into space.
“Ah?”
Gu Wuyou came back to her senses belatedly, looking around before glancing at Han Ziqian. Her face flushed slightly, and she murmured, “I was distracted.” Then, she gathered her thoughts and began organizing her desk.
Han Ziqian smiled but didn’t say anything else. He returned to the front and started teaching today’s painting topic.
Gu Wuyou had a fulfilling day. She paid close attention in class, worked on her sachet during breaks, and occasionally thought about the Great General.
She had been behaving well lately, and her efforts in class had even earned her a fair amount of praise. Hearing those words of recognition made her genuinely happy.
In her previous life…
She had never experienced this.
She disliked being around people. Whether in the capital or in Langya, she had never attended school. Her grandmother adored her and had only ever hired private tutors to teach her one-on-one.
But back then, she had a terrible temper and never paid much attention to lessons. Naturally, she had never received much praise either.
Even if she had, most of it was just polite flattery.
Near the end of the school day…
Gu Wuyou was just about to pack her things and find her Second Sister to go home together when a commotion suddenly erupted outside.
Then, someone burst in, breathless and in a panic, shouting, “Something’s happened! Something’s happened! Li Qingyuan beat up Zhou Changbai! There was blood everywhere! When I was passing by, I saw several teachers rush over. They’re even saying they want to expel Li Qingyuan from the academy!”
“What?”
“Li Qingyuan got into a fight?”
“What did Zhou Changbai do to offend him? Li Qingyuan is too arrogant! How dare he hit someone in the academy?”
…
The entire room was filled with chatter about Li Qingyuan.
But Gu Wuyou felt as though she had gone deaf. She couldn’t hear a single word they were saying.
Only one sentence kept echoing in her mind—
“Li Qingyuan got into a fight. The teachers have gone over. They want to expel him from the academy.”
The Great General—
The Great General is in trouble!
Gu Wuyou’s breathing became rapid in an instant. She didn’t even bother grabbing her things before lifting her skirt and dashing outside.
Everyone in the room was startled by her sudden movement. The person standing at the doorway was so shocked that they instinctively stepped back, afraid of being run into.
“What’s wrong with her?”
Someone had just voiced the question when, before anyone could answer, Gu Wuyou suddenly returned. She grabbed the person at the doorway by the arm, her small face tense, her voice hoarse as she demanded, “Where is he?”
“W-What?” The person was dumbfounded, completely confused by her question.
“I’m asking you—where is Li Qingyuan?!”
“H-He’s over there… by the Moon Gate…” The person stammered, frightened by her intensity, and pointed in a direction as if afraid she wouldn’t understand. “It’s at the boundary between Pingshuo Hall and Buzhi Hall.”
Before the words even fully left their mouth, Gu Wuyou had already taken off running.
The rest of the students in Pingshuo Hall stared blankly at her disappearing figure. Someone wanted to whisper a few words, but noticing Gu Yu was still present, they could only lower their voice, “What’s with her?”
“…I don’t know.”
Gu Yu was equally puzzled. She had no idea what was going on with Gu Wuyou, but she couldn’t help feeling that she was overly concerned about Li Qingyuan. The thought made her frown. She had originally planned to visit Xiao Yi after class, but given the current situation… She pressed her lips together, set her things down, and walked out.
Seeing Gu Yu leave, the others exchanged glances. “Should we… go take a look too?”
With that, the whole group followed suit.
Moon Gate.
Aside from the students from Buzhi Hall, even those from Changrong Hall—who rarely stepped out—had gathered. A large crowd stood on one side, while on the other stood the academy’s teachers.
Normally, it was hard to see all these people gathered in one place, yet today, they were all present.
At the center of it all stood Li Qingyuan.
And next to him lay a person—beaten beyond recognition.
The person on the ground was covered in blood, both face and body battered. His originally pristine white clothes were now stained a deep red. If not for his open eyes and the faint rise and fall of his chest, one might have thought he was dead.
“Where’s the physician? Has anyone gone to get him?”
The leading teacher was an older man, second only to Xu Fu in prestige at Luming Academy. His surname was Wang, and his given name was simply Zhi.
At present, Old Master Wang wore a deep frown as he turned to ask the people beside him.
“He’s already on the way. Should be here soon,” someone answered.
Old Master Wang nodded, then glanced at Zhou Changbai, who was still lying motionless on the ground, barely breathing. His brows furrowed further as he said, “Help him up. Leaving him sprawled on the ground like this—what kind of sight is that?”
At his command, a few students stepped forward to assist Zhou Changbai. Then, Old Master Wang turned his gaze to Li Qingyuan and asked, “What happened here?”
Li Qingyuan didn’t respond.
His head was lowered, making it impossible to discern his expression. He held a handkerchief, silently wiping away the bloodstains on the back of his hand.
Old Master Wang was a man of scholarly demeanor, typically uninvolved in petty disputes within the academy. If the incident hadn’t been so severe, and if Xu Fu hadn’t been absent, he wouldn’t have bothered to intervene. But since he was here now, he was determined to get to the bottom of it.
The surrounding students murmured among themselves.
Normally, they feared Li Qingyuan’s temper. But today, emboldened by the presence of the teachers, their resentment flared, and they hid among the crowd, voicing their indignation.
“What’s there to ask? It’s obvious that Li Qingyuan beat up Changbai!”
“Teacher, Li Qingyuan has gone too far! How could he beat up a fellow student like this?”
“If he stays, all of us will live in fear!”
At first, only a few voices spoke up, but soon more and more joined in, their accusations growing louder and louder.
Fu Xian and Qi Xu anxiously tried to defend him: “Qilang is not that kind of person. There must be a reason for this!”
Jing Yubai also stepped forward, bowed to Old Master Wang, and said, “Teacher, Qilang is not such a person. Please investigate thoroughly.”
Old Master Wang glanced at Jing Yubai before shifting his gaze back to Li Qingyuan. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
Before Li Qingyuan could speak, someone shouted from the crowd: “What’s there to investigate? Isn’t it obvious that Li Qingyuan was the one who beat up Changbai?”
Fu Xian was so furious that he raised his hand, about to grab the speaker by the collar.
The man immediately recoiled, his face full of panic, but his voice only grew louder. “Teacher, look! Even with you all here, they dare to act so arrogantly! If you weren’t here, we wouldn’t even dare to speak a word!”
“Having to be around people like this every day is terrifying!”
“You—!”
Fu Xian was livid, itching to punch him, but before he could make a move, Li Qingyuan grabbed his arm, his low voice sounding in his ear, “Enough.”
“Qilang!”
Fu Xian turned to look at him, eyes red with frustration. Qi Xu, standing beside him, was also visibly anxious.
Li Qingyuan glanced at them before shifting his gaze toward the group of students who had been shouting just moments ago. They had been loud and arrogant before, but now, none of them dared to meet his eyes. Their faces were pale, and they instinctively backed away, as if afraid they would end up like Zhou Changbai.
Seeing their reaction, Li Qingyuan merely let out a cold chuckle.
He had never paid them any mind and certainly wouldn’t bother taking their words to heart. His expression remained indifferent as he withdrew his gaze and released his grip on Fu Xian’s arm. Finally, he turned back to Old Master Wang.
Meeting the old man’s eyes, he simply said, “I have nothing to say.”
“Qilang!”
Fu Xian and the others called out at the same time, even Jing Yubai’s voice now carrying a hint of urgency.
Old Master Wang studied Li Qingyuan with a furrowed brow. He had heard of the boy’s reputation, and many of the academy’s teachers had spoken critically of him. Only Xu Fu had repeatedly insisted that this student was not as the rumors described—that he had great potential.
Old Master Wang and Xu Fu had been close friends for many years.
A person Xu Fu valued should not be like this.
His frown remained deep as he decided to give Li Qingyuan one last chance. “Are you sure you have nothing to say? No matter what it is, you can tell me. I will investigate the matter thoroughly.”
By now, the physician had arrived. Wiping sweat from his forehead, he crouched beside Zhou Changbai to examine him.
Li Qingyuan glanced in that direction.
Zhou Changbai happened to be looking toward him as well, but the moment their eyes met, Zhou Changbai’s entire body trembled violently, and he immediately averted his gaze in fear.
A rare trace of disgust flickered in Li Qingyuan’s eyes.
Yet his voice remained calm as he said, “Nothing.”
“You—”
Old Master Wang looked at him, seeming somewhat disappointed. But in the end, he merely sighed and said, “Do you understand the consequences of assaulting a fellow student? According to the academy’s regulations, do you know what your punishment will be?”
“Hmm.”
Li Qingyuan responded indifferently, “Expel me from the academy, then.”
After all, he had never particularly liked this place.
It was just…
He glanced behind him at Fu Xian and the others, then toward the direction of Pingshuo Hall.
This morning, he had promised that girl…
But now, it seemed that wouldn’t matter anymore.
After today, she would know what kind of person he truly was.
By then, she would likely never come near him again.
He couldn’t quite put a name to the feeling in his chest.
There was a sense of suffocation, some frustration, and even… a touch of melancholy.
“I’m leaving first.”
Li Qingyuan withdrew his gaze and spoke briefly to Fu Xian and the others. Ignoring their attempts to stop him, he turned and walked away. The crowd, which had formed a tight circle around him, instinctively parted to let him through as he approached.
Just as he stepped out of the encirclement—
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Gu Wuyou, panting as she ran toward him.
The moment he saw her figure, all of his indifference, his nonchalance, and his disregard for everything shattered.
He froze in place, his expression shifting, and for the first time, a strange emotion surged in his heart—the urge to hide.
He didn’t want her to see this.
He didn’t want her to witness this scene, didn’t want to see the trust and expectation that always filled her eyes turn into fear and hesitation.
But that thought had barely formed before he ruthlessly crushed it.
It was better this way…
If she saw, then she would finally understand what kind of person he really was. She would no longer see him as a good person.
Because he never was one.
A mocking smile tugged at the corner of Li Qingyuan’s lips. His fists clenched tightly.
Then, before Gu Wuyou could reach him, he turned and strode away, walking faster than he ever had before.