When Li Qingyuan arrived at Xu Fu’s place, nearly a quarter of an hour had passed since the second period had begun.
Xu Fu was holding a cup of tea, lounging comfortably in a round-backed chair. Upon seeing Li Qingyuan enter from outside, he chuckled and said, “I thought you had gone back to your own room to sleep.”
As he spoke, he set down his teacup, poured another cup for the newcomer, and when Li Qingyuan approached, he pushed the cup to the opposite side of the table and said, “Sit. This tea was just sent over from Anji. I find it quite good.”
Li Qingyuan didn’t stand on ceremony. He sat down, took the cup, and after just one sip, his brows furrowed. “So bitter. Only you would like something like this.”
With a hint of distaste, he placed the cup back on the table, leaned back, interlocked his fingers over his abdomen, tapped his heels against the ground, and tilted the chair onto two legs. As he rocked slightly, he lifted his chin, glanced at the man, and said lazily, “Alright, speak.”
Just as he finished speaking, he yawned, his face full of exhaustion, and added, “Once you’re done, I’m going back to sleep.”
If he had acted this way in front of any other teacher, they would likely have been so enraged that they’d slam a ruler onto the desk. But Xu Fu remained as benevolent as ever. Smiling, he looked at Li Qingyuan and said warmly, “How have you been these past few days at the academy? If you’re feeling cold, I can send some silver charcoal over from my place.”
What Li Qingyuan disliked most was exactly this about Xu Fu. The worst part was, the man wasn’t even pretending. That made it all the more frustrating.
When faced with malice or mockery, he could simply ignore it.
But when faced with such goodwill, his only option was to evade it. Yet, Xu Fu always had a way to prevent him from escaping…
Over the past few years at the academy, he had done almost nothing that a proper student should. Fighting, skipping class, ranking last in every subject, refusing to listen to authority—Pan Shu and his group had frequently complained to Xu Fu, wanting him expelled.
But each time, Xu Fu would reply with the same words: “We are educators. How can we act like this? Every student deserves to be properly guided. No matter how bad he is, we have a responsibility to lead him back onto the right path.”
At first, he had resisted, behaving as recklessly as possible. But every time, Xu Fu would just smile and let him be. He wouldn’t scold him afterward either, only sitting and chatting with him like this…
After enough times, Li Qingyuan started to feel a little guilty about pushing things too far.
“Old man.”
Li Qingyuan stopped rocking the chair, placed both hands on the table, and looked at him helplessly. “Just say whatever it is you want to say.”
“You already know what I want to say, don’t you?” Xu Fu still wore that ever-smiling expression. “If I say it again, you’ll just complain that I’m getting old and nagging more and more.”
“Then why did you call me over?” Li Qingyuan was exasperated.
“I called you over for another matter—”
Li Qingyuan had no interest in the tea, but Xu Fu, on the other hand, treated it like a treasure. He cradled the cup in both hands and took another sip, savoring the fragrance as it spread through his throat, his eyes narrowing in contentment.
Li Qingyuan asked, “What is it?”
“Your father came by this morning.”
As soon as Xu Fu spoke, he saw the young man’s handsome face darken slightly. Knowing the deep rift between father and son, he sighed inwardly, but his expression remained unchanged. Smiling, he continued, “He had two things to say.”
“The first is that your grandmother’s birthday is coming up. Your father wants you to remember to go home.”
That, of course, was something Li Qingyuan wouldn’t forget. He responded with a light “mm” and then asked, “And the other?”
“The other—”
Xu Fu placed his teacup on the table, pausing for a moment before continuing, “Your father wants me to persuade you to enlist in the military.”
“Impossible!”
Li Qingyuan’s face darkened. Without even thinking, he stood up and said, “If that’s why you called me here, then don’t bother. I won’t go, no matter who tries to convince me.”
With that, he turned and strode out.
Watching him go, Xu Fu merely chuckled.
He chuckled as he watched Li Qingyuan’s retreating figure. “You child, why won’t you even let me finish my words?”
Seeing him pause in his steps, Xu Fu softened his voice. “Sit down first.”
Li Qingyuan didn’t return to his seat, but neither did he leave. He turned his face slightly to the side, his expression cold as he looked at Xu Fu, as if saying, If I don’t like what you say next, I’m walking out right now.
Xu Fu didn’t force him. Still seated in his old position, he said, “I didn’t agree.”
Li Qingyuan was stunned. The tension on his face loosened, and he looked at Xu Fu blankly, completely unprepared to hear such words from him.
But Xu Fu acted as if he didn’t notice his shock and continued smiling. “I believe that everyone has their own path to walk. Perhaps, as elders, we may not like the path you choose, but we should still respect your decision.”
“So, I didn’t agree.”
“…Old man.”
When Li Qingyuan finally spoke, his voice was uncharacteristically hoarse.
Xu Fu chuckled. “I only came to understand this principle in recent years.”
He refilled his cup of tea. The taste was bitter, but the aroma was rich. With the doors and windows shut, the entire room was steeped in the scent of tea.
“Do you know Gu Rong?”
The third brother of that little pepper. He was also a classmate of his uncle’s. Li Qingyuan had met him several times at his uncle’s house when he was younger, so of course, he knew him.
Raising a brow, he nodded. “I know him.”
“He was once classmates with your uncle and was also my most accomplished student. One became the top scholar, the other ranked third. Back then, they were the envy of countless people. At the time, I always thought he would follow the same path as your uncle and enter officialdom, but unexpectedly…”
Xu Fu seemed lost in old memories, his voice trailing off.
After a long moment, he emerged from his recollections and smiled at Li Qingyuan. “That boy later chose to go into business instead.”
“When I first heard about it, I was so furious that I rode straight to the Gu family and scolded him harshly. But do you know what that boy said to me?”
“He said—”
“Sir, every path in this world must be walked by someone.”
“As long as I enjoy it, as long as I don’t feel I’ve wasted what I’ve learned, then it’s not a waste.”
Xu Fu repeated Gu Rong’s words word for word. After he finished, he laughed at himself. “At the time, I told him, ‘You speak so confidently now, but you’ll regret it one day.’ But after all these years, I’ve seen his business grow larger and larger, and I think… he truly never regretted it.”
“I’m telling you this to let you know that no matter what path you choose in the future, I won’t stop you.”
“If you want to join the military, go into business, or enter officialdom, follow your heart.”
“But, Qilang—” Xu Fu looked at him and paused briefly before continuing, “At the very least, you must have your own goal. You must remember that you live in this world not for anyone else, but for yourself.”
“For yourself. Just for yourself. Think carefully about what path you want to take in the future, then don’t regret it and don’t look back.”
Outside, everything was quiet, with only the sound of the wind gently rustling against the wooden windows. The room was silent as well.
Li Qingyuan looked at Xu Fu, unable to say a single word.
Not for others. Only for himself.
No one had ever told him that before.
From childhood to adulthood, his mother had always taught him, “Qilang, you must work hard. You must become like your father—an indomitable man who stands tall and protects his country.”
But later, he realized that although an indomitable man could protect the country and be revered by the masses, he couldn’t even protect his own family.
From that moment on—
He suddenly no longer wanted to be like his father. If his father was determined to defend the nation, then he would do the exact opposite!
So, he muddled through the next five or six years, gradually forgetting if he had ever had any goals or ambitions.
He just wanted to live a mediocre life. He wanted to disappoint that man.
Yet now, looking into Xu Fu’s smiling eyes, the words that had been at the tip of his tongue suddenly felt difficult to say.
Xu Fu, however, didn’t press him for an answer at this moment. Instead, he waved his hand in an understanding manner and smiled. “Alright, go on back for now.” Then, as if remembering something, he added, “It’s almost lunchtime. Don’t go back to your room—go have lunch first.”
“Get some rest in the afternoon, then pay attention in class. Stop skipping.”
“…Mm.”
Li Qingyuan nodded.
As he was about to leave, something surfaced in his tangled thoughts. He frowned slightly and reminded, “Old man, since you have the time, fix the academy’s environment. Stop letting all sorts of nonsense spread around.”
“Hmm?”
Xu Fu looked at him. “What nonsense?”
Li Qingyuan didn’t answer, only giving him a silent look.
Xu Fu let out an amused ‘oh’. “The matter about Princess Leping, huh? Don’t worry, I’ve already given instructions. No one will dare bring it up again. But…” He paused, then chuckled. “Since when do you care about these things? You’re usually the least patient when it comes to this kind of stuff.”
Li Qingyuan didn’t respond.
He himself didn’t know what had gotten into him, meddling in that little pepper’s affairs again and again…
Pressing his lips together, he remained silent for a while before simply leaving behind a curt remark, “I just find this kind of gossip annoying.”
Before Xu Fu could say anything, he added, “I’m leaving.”
With that, he turned and walked out.
The moment he pushed open the door, the cold wind hit him squarely in the face, jolting him awake. He had been about to step outside but suddenly hesitated, retracting his foot.
Resting his elbow against the doorframe, he unexpectedly turned back and looked at Xu Fu, flashing a grin as he called out, “Old man.”
“Hmm?”
Li Qingyuan looked at him, still smiling. “You made a mistake just now.”
“What?” Xu Fu was taken aback.
“Gu Rong didn’t choose that path because he wanted to. He had no choice but to take it, so that things wouldn’t end with brothers turning against each other.”
“But.”
Li Qingyuan raised a brow. “Still, thanks.”
Without waiting for Xu Fu’s response, he turned and walked away on his own.
Xu Fu watched his retreating figure for a while before shaking his head with a helpless chuckle. “That little rascal.”
After leaving Xu Fu’s place, Li Qingyuan didn’t return to his room.
He was someone who rarely made promises, but whenever he did, he made sure to keep them.
Judging by the time, there were still two quarters of an hour left before class at Buzhi Hall ended. Since he wasn’t going back to sleep, he simply wandered leisurely around the courtyard…
As he walked, his thoughts drifted once again to that little pepper.
He had been too far away just now.
But he still overheard that Gu Jiufei had come looking for her.
Thinking about Gu Jiufei’s shrewd and calculating mind, if that little pepper were to go up against him, she would undoubtedly lose miserably. He had no idea what the two siblings would talk about or how Gu Jiufei would treat that little girl.
As he thought about it—
His feet unconsciously carried him in the direction of Pingshuo Hall.
By the time he snapped back to his senses, he was already standing at the entrance, staring blankly at the signboard above the door.
Before he could do anything else, a familiar voice reached his ears. It was that little pepper’s voice.
Li Qingyuan didn’t know what came over him, but the moment he heard her, he immediately ducked behind a bush, concealing himself completely before peering toward the source of the sound.
His gaze landed on three figures.
Gu Wuyou was still the most eye-catching of them all. She wore a red cloak, but today, instead of embroidered peonies, a crane with its beak raised in song was stitched onto it. As she walked, the cloud patterns at the hem swayed gently, making it seem as though the crane was soaring through the clouds.
“All right, Ah Yu, don’t be mad anymore. I know you’re just looking out for me. I was wrong earlier. How about I treat you to something later?” Gu Wuyou clung to Gu Yu’s arm, speaking in a soft, coaxing tone.
Gu Jiufei stood off to the side.
Gu Yu still looked like she had quite the temper, but she didn’t shake off Gu Wuyou’s hand anymore. She simply gave her a grumpy look and muttered, “Do you think I lack a meal or something?”
She had been placated the entire way here.
Though she was still pouting, most of her anger had already dissipated. “I’m just upset. That messenger was clearly trying to ruin your reputation, and you just let her go like that.”
“Who said I let her go?”
“Huh?” Gu Yu was stunned, only processing her words after a moment. “Wait, does that mean you already know who it is?”
The moment she said this, Gu Jiufei, who had been silent all this time, also turned his gaze toward Gu Wuyou.
Though he didn’t say anything, his eyes were fixed on her.
“Mm…”
Gu Wuyou didn’t give a direct answer. “Something like that.” She had a good idea of who it was. “I just feel that I’m grown up now. I should handle my own affairs instead of always running to Father.”
“What do you mean ‘something like that’?! Who is it?!”
Gu Yu frowned, unwilling to play guessing games. With her fiery temper, she immediately shouted, “Tell me, and I’ll tear that person’s mouth apart! How dare they spread rumors about our Gu family!”
“I don’t have solid proof yet. I’ll tell you once I’ve confirmed it.” Gu Wuyou smiled, comforting her.
Gu Yu gave her a doubtful look, clearly not convinced that she was capable of handling this on her own. “If you ask me, you should just go straight to Second Sister or the headmaster. That’d be—”
Before she could finish speaking, something was suddenly stuffed into her mouth.
If not for the etiquette drilled into her since childhood, she might have spat it out on the spot.
She managed to hold back, but her face turned both pale and red as she stiffened, her voice hoarse as she asked, “What did you just put in my mouth?!”
“Candy.”
Gu Wuyou shook the small candy pouch in her hand.
It was from the large packet she had bought for the Great General. A few days ago, she had given some to Hong Shuang, but the rest remained in her satchel, ready to be taken out whenever she felt like having one.
After listening to Gu Yu’s grumbling for so long that her head ached, she had simply stuffed one into her mouth.
She didn’t look even the slightest bit embarrassed about it.
Smiling sweetly, she asked, “Is it good? This is candy from Fu Man Hall—it’s really delicious.”
Gu Yu glared at her angrily. “Couldn’t you have told me first?!” She had nearly been scared to death. Right now, she felt that Gu Wuyou was just as annoying as she had been in the past.
No—
Even more annoying than before!
So annoying!
Fuming, she shook off Gu Wuyou’s arm and stomped away.
Gu Wuyou, however, wasn’t the least bit afraid.
Gu Yu was just like the Great General now—a typical sharp tongue but soft heart. She always appeared short-tempered and difficult to approach, but deep down, she was incredibly soft-hearted. Otherwise, she wouldn’t care so much about her.
Still grinning, Gu Wuyou chewed on her candy. When her gaze fell on Gu Jiufei standing beside her, she thought for a moment, then took out another piece of candy from her little pouch and offered it to him. “Here, for you.”
Gu Jiufei looked at the candy in front of him and frowned, his expression full of disdain. “I don’t want it.”
This kid…
Feeling that she was already quite mature at heart, Gu Wuyou let out a helpless sigh.
Her little Ninth Brother was so difficult!
She had clearly caught him staring at her candy just now, obviously wanting one, yet he was still putting on an act. Without a word, she unwrapped the candy and stuffed it directly into Gu Jiufei’s mouth.
Gu Jiufei was caught off guard. By the time he realized what was happening and tried to back away, the candy was already inside.
“Cough—”
His face turned red as he tried to cough, but thanks to his impeccable upbringing, he instinctively covered his mouth to avoid spitting out the candy mid-cough. He could only suppress the urge, holding the cough deep in his throat.
Just from that muffled sound, it was obvious he was struggling.
His almond-shaped eyes, which were strikingly similar to Gu Wuyou’s, were now wide open, staring at her in shock and anger.
“You clearly wanted to eat it,” Gu Wuyou said, half guilty and half amused, as she playfully hid behind Gu Yu.
Gu Yu, who had still been sulking, instantly burst into gleeful laughter at the sight of Gu Jiufei’s misfortune.
Gu Jiufei’s face remained completely flushed, though whether from coughing or anger, it was hard to tell.
From childhood, he had always been the model child in the eyes of elders—the very definition of the perfect son. This was the first time he had ever been so flustered in public.
With one last glare at Gu Wuyou, he didn’t say a word and simply strode forward.
Yet deep down, there was a faint, inexplicable warmth.
That brief moment of closeness—
It was something he had never experienced before, not even with his own mother.
He had grown up accustomed to standing in front of his mother, shielding her, taking responsibility on his own.
And in doing so, at an age where he should have been cherished and coddled by his family, he had forgotten what it meant to be carefree.
The taste of the candy slowly spread in his mouth—a tangy sweetness, lemon-flavored…
Gu Jiufei furrowed his brows slightly, thinking to himself—
It was actually pretty good.
“Hey, Jiufei, slow down a little.”
Watching Gu Jiufei walk off without looking back, Gu Wuyou sighed to herself. Life was too hard. She had just finished coaxing her sister, and now she had to coax her little brother.
And to make things worse, these two were just as stubborn and prideful as the Great General had been in his youth—cut from the same cloth of being difficult and tsundere.
Sure enough, the tsundere cousin beside her, after laughing for a while, suddenly seemed to come to her senses.
Glaring at her, Gu Yu huffed, “Gu Wuyou, let me tell you, we’re not reconciled yet!”
“I’m only eating with you today because of Ninth Brother.”
With that, she followed Gu Jiufei’s steps, though noticeably slowing down to match his pace.
The entire courtyard echoed with the laughter and chatter of the three siblings.
Yet, hidden behind the shrubbery, Li Qingyuan seemed to hear only one voice and see only one figure.
His gaze was fixed on that red silhouette, darting ahead like a fluttering butterfly, as if she was born without the concept of sorrow.
Even with all those rumors circulating, she could still laugh so happily.
Her heart sure is big.
Li Qingyuan silently mocked her in his mind.
But seeing her so cheerful, that inexplicable sense of worry he had been carrying gradually faded away.
A face like hers—
It was meant to smile like this every day. That was how it should be.
Once they had walked far enough away,
Li Qingyuan slowly emerged from the bushes. He took a few steps forward, but then, something felt off.
He thought about it, thought about it some more—
And suddenly, he realized where the problem lay.
It was the candy.
Fu Man Zhai’s candy?
Wasn’t that the same candy she had wanted to give him that day?!
And she actually took what was meant for him and fed it to someone else?!
The previously smiling Young Master Li suddenly pressed his lips into a thin line, his expression dark and brooding.
Fiercely, he glared in the direction Gu Wuyou had disappeared, staring for a long time—
Then, wearing an utterly displeased expression, he turned and strode off toward Buzhi Hall.