Half an hour later…

Ji Huai returned to his schoolhouse drenched in sweat, having expended tremendous effort just to find a water vat for a drink.

By late morning, only scattered villagers could be seen hurriedly carrying meals to the fields. Few paused to exchange words with Ji Huai as they passed.

After circling around with no results, the heat became unbearable, forcing Ji Huai back to the schoolhouse.

Just then, Aunt Li from next door called out to him over the wall.

“Xiao Ji, come quickly for lunch!”

With her booming voice, Ji Huai heard her immediately, and his stomach cooperatively rumbled in response.

“Coming!”

Without any embarrassment, Ji Huai jogged over to Aunt Li’s house next door. The aroma of food assaulted his senses, making his empty stomach – which hadn’t been fed since morning – growl even more fiercely.

Aunt Li heard it too and laughed heartily, grabbing Ji Huai by the sleeve to seat him before swiftly serving a plate of stir-fried vegetables with steamed buns and pickles.

Though simple fare, Ji Huai ate with great relish.

Between bites, he made conversation: “Auntie, do you live here alone?”

Aunt Li sat down to eat as well, looking at him with surprise and uncertainty. “Ahuai, did… did you lose your memory from falling in the water?”

Ji Huai: …

Damn, had he been exposed?

Ji Huai forced an awkward laugh to conceal his guilt. “What are you talking about, Aunt Li?”

Aunt Li’s skeptical eyes scanned the slender Ji Huai twice before she slowly replied, “This old woman has one remaining sprout – Yuan Yuan. She went to town with that Xiaoniao kid to listen to storytelling.”

“Oh, right, of course.” Ji Huai swallowed his food and nodded repeatedly. “Ah, must be the fever talking – my words aren’t going through my brain.”

Aunt Li nodded understandingly, then showed genuine concern for Ji Huai’s health.

While accepting the care from this unfamiliar acquaintance outwardly, Ji Huai’s thoughts drifted to Lin Heyu.

Seriously, was this kid Lin Heyu completely thick-skinned? They’d been having deep soul-searching conversations in the morning, yet he could just casually go listen to storytelling in the afternoon? This child’s heart was far too carefree.

Ji Huai had no energy left for complaints.

After lunch, Ji Huai bid farewell and returned to the schoolhouse. He dozed off and woke to find two hours had passed.

Not a single student was in sight.

Ji Huai nearly laughed in exasperation at these lawless students. After restraining himself repeatedly, he finally snatched the feather duster from the table and stormed out, only to collide with someone entering the doorway at that exact moment.

“Oww!” A round-faced child fell to the ground, clutching his bottom and moaning pitifully.

Ji Huai also staggered from the impact. Steadying himself, he helped the child up and couldn’t help but remark inwardly:

This kid was really round.

Rounder than Big Ear Tutu even.

It was Li Yuanyuan from neighbor Aunt Li’s household.

Putting on a stern expression, Ji Huai demanded: “What time do you call this, arriving only now?”

Yuan Yuan let out a confused “Ah?”, appearing rather dull-witted. It took him a moment to remember his purpose here before slapping his forehead exclaiming: “Teacher! Come quickly! Lin Xiaoniao’s been detained by a tavern in town!”

Hearing Lin Heyu’s name made a vein throb at Ji Huai’s temple. As Yuan Yuan pulled him along, he pondered how to properly discipline this mischievous child.

Yuan Yuan trudged along with her head down while Ji Huai looked around. As the crowd grew in the afternoon, he found this simple countryside quite charming, and his restless heart actually felt a trace of peace.

Ji Huai’s greatest strength was his adaptability he could quickly settle into unfamiliar environments. Since he couldn’t change the fact that he couldn’t return, he might as well pour his passion into Qing Country’s Li Village, a place awaiting revival.

With a smile at the corner of his mouth, Ji Huai greeted everyone he saw, whether he knew them or not, always asking, “Have you eaten? Where are you headed?” His beaming expression made many villagers respond with smiles, though they couldn’t help wondering to themselves: Did failing to die by suicide yesterday drive him mad? How could the reclusive Cultivated Talent Ji, who never liked talking to people, suddenly initiate greetings?

Yuan Yuan sniffled and said naively, “Teacher, they all say you jumped into the water yesterday and damaged your brain, since you’re smiling at people today.”

Ji Huai closed his eyes and smiled helplessly. “Yuan Yuan, I heard them. You don’t need to repeat it.”

“Oh.” Yuan Yuan looked a bit dazed, clutching Ji Huai’s hand tightly. After walking for half the day, they finally reached the town’s tavern.

Though just a tavern in a small town, its decor was still luxurious. The four-story building stood out like a crane among chickens, with a plaque at the entrance reading “Spring Delight Pavilion.”

Full of spring vitality what a delightful ambiance.

Ji Huai first praised the tavern’s name, then glanced at his own patched robe. Having lived frugally for so long, he felt no shame and strode confidently inside.

As soon as he looked up, he met the eyes of his little nemesis, Lin Heyu.

The boy was trapped in the tavern, fuming with indignation, glaring at the people around him as if he wished he could use all his strength to knock them over.

“What’s going on here?” Ji Huai stepped forward to intervene.

The tavern waiter, judging people by their appearance, saw another shabby Cultivated Talent and nearly rolled his eyes to the sky. Spreading his hands, he said, “Pay up.”

Damn, straight to the money. The ancient times really weren’t subtle at all. Ji Huai complained inwardly but could only keep a smile on his face, especially since the circle of guards around them didn’t look easy to deal with.

“I’m this boy’s Teacher. What did he do to make you detain him here?”

Ji Huai was well-practiced in rescuing students from the principal’s office; saving an ancient troublemaker was a piece of cake.

As angry as he was, Ji Huai couldn’t just stand by and watch. After all, this was his student. If he didn’t help, what if the boy got sold to a brick kiln?

Parentless and already pitiable enough.

“This kid smashed our storyteller’s setup and tried to beat him up,” the waiter said impatiently. “No more nonsense. Pay up one tael of silver. Hurry, you’re holding up our business for the whole day.”

Lin Heyu retorted indignantly, “That storyteller was talking nonsense! The Fenglin Army only lost one battle, and there were reasons for it. How could ignorant people like him blather about them being cowardly and greedy? Everyone says that storyteller is eloquent, but I think it’s all hot air just random lies!”

Lin Heyu was furious. These people were slandering his heroes, and that’s why he lost his temper.

Ji Huai didn’t know what expression to use facing this student. Now he finally understood the boy’s sore spot: the Fenglin Army. No one was allowed to criticize them.

The power of idols was indeed formidable.

He sighed, honestly patting his pockets for silver to compensate the other party.

After searching his entire body, he pulled out eight copper coins.

He widened his eyes, staring at the culprit, Lin Heyu.

The waiter looked at his shabby appearance and spoke unpleasantly: “That kid already gave us all his money. You still owe one mace.”

Ji Huai rummaged through his pockets and produced another copper coin.

He looked at little Yuan Yuan and said kindly: “Yuan Yuan, do you have…”

A chubby little hand extended half a candied hawthorn to him. “Want some?”

“Never mind…”

Watching the surrounding enforcers’ expressions grow increasingly hostile, as if they might skin him and sell his bones for money at any moment.

“Wait!” Ji Huai, being someone who knew when to yield and when to stand firm, urgently stopped the approaching enforcers. Having such an unlucky student was his misfortune. “I’m a Cultivated Talent. How about I stay and tell stories to repay the debt?”

Because of Lin Heyu’s commotion, the original storyteller had long been frightened away, and today’s tea money would be unrecoverable.

The waiter thought for a moment, then went to find the manager.

Impressed by this loyalty, Lin Heyu looked at his pedantic Teacher with renewed respect. Grinning, he whispered to Ji Huai: “Don’t chicken out. I’ll help you fight our way out later.”

Ji Huai expressionlessly gave him a sharp knock on the head and scolded in a low voice: “Behave yourself! If you cause any more trouble, I’ll send you back to the steward.”

Upon hearing he might be returned to the steward his father had sent to supervise him, Lin Heyu immediately shut up and behaved.

His father could hit harder than today’s enforcers.

Soon enough, the waiter returned and agreed to Ji Huai’s compensation proposal.

Lin Heyu sat down feeling somewhat guilty. Having no relatives or friends here, he could only turn to Ji Huai when trouble occurred. Fortunately, Ji Huai had accepted his family’s money and was doing his best for him. Thinking this, Lin Heyu’s guilt dissipated somewhat, and he swaggered as he sat down waiting for his Teacher to tell him stories. But then he saw his eccentric Teacher giving him a malicious smile.

“Have him wash dishes in the kitchen to repay the debt.”

Ji Huai wasn’t that kind-hearted – why should he suffer while the troublemaker relaxed? Ji Huai smiled faintly, dragging this unrepentant Lin Heyu down with him.

“Excellent idea,” the waiter chuckled, waving his hand. A group of enforcers crowded around. Lin Heyu dared to be angry but not speak out, and under Ji Huai’s threatening gaze, obediently followed to the back kitchen.

As he left, he mouthed viciously at Ji Huai:

Just you wait!

Ji Huai wasn’t intimidated by him, not even bothering to give him a glance. Picking up his tools, he began his working journey in ancient times.

No, his debt-repayment journey.

Lin Heyu refused to give up either, quietly calling Yuan Yuan’s name and signaling for him to come help wash dishes.

Yuan Yuan shook his head, looking at his taken-away good friend, then at the kind Master Ji. Plopping his bottom down, he settled at Master Ji’s feet to listen to stories.

Lin Heyu nearly choked on his breath, glaring hatefully at the two before unwillingly returning to the back kitchen to wash dishes.

The entire kitchen was piled with countless bowls, chopsticks, cups, and dishes. Lin Heyu stood frozen in place.

He, the son of a Prime Minister’s household, had been raised in luxury since childhood. If he hadn’t made mistakes this time, his father wouldn’t have exiled him here. Coming here was bad enough, but now he had to wash dishes?

Lin Heyu gritted his teeth, his eyes fierce with rage. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and his movements grew increasingly rough. The bowl in his hand seemed to be Ji Huai’s round head with a little more force, he could crush it.

Fine. He had initially thought this was just a pedantic Cultivated Talent, someone he could manage until his father came to take him home. Who would have guessed that beneath that pedantic facade lay such a black heart?

A glint of interest flashed in Lin Heyu’s eyes as he peered through the narrow kitchen door at Ji Huai, who was speaking eloquently in the front hall. Bathed in sunlight, the pedantic Cultivated Talent’s faintly flushed face seemed to glow.

Ignoring the flicker of admiration in his heart, Lin Heyu curled his lips into a sinister smile.