Chapter 9: I’d Like To See Which Fool Dares To Compete With Me For Someone

“You’re saying that you were so drowsy last night while writing that you confused my article with Liu Quan’s, and mistakenly put my name on the one you ghostwrote for him?” Xiao Jin summarized after listening to Lu Shujin’s explanation.

She nodded.

“Nonsense!” Xiao Jin shouted, looking at the paper in his hand. “This is clearly written in my handwriting—how could it be meant for Liu Quan?”

“When I ghostwrite for you, Young Master Xiao, I imitate your handwriting and hand it directly to the teacher. For Liu Quan and the others, they copy it themselves before submitting it. So it doesn’t matter what handwriting I use for them. To better imitate your style, I’ve been using your handwriting for all their essays these past few days,” Lu Shujin replied calmly.

Of course, this was complete nonsense. Liu Quan wouldn’t even recognize handwriting like this, let alone copy it. But there was no way Xiao Jin could confront Liu Quan about it now.

Xiao Jin thought the same, but saying it out loud would be admitting that his handwriting was ugly.

The vain young master waved the paper and found another angle to nitpick: “This is the kind of essay you write for him? Even the piglets at the pig farm in the southern suburbs could write better after a few years of schooling. Are you sure you’re fit to ghostwrite?”

For some reason, Lu Shujin felt an urge to laugh at that. She lowered her lashes to hide her expression and said, “I only wrote according to Liu Quan’s level of knowledge. What I wrote for you, Young Master Xiao, is naturally different.”

That pleased Xiao Jin. “Let me see it.”

Lu Shujin took out the paper she had prepared earlier and handed it over. Xiao Jin glanced at it, then immediately closed his eyes and handed it back. “Read it to me.”

So picky about his own handwriting—why not take some time to practice? Lu Shujin grumbled inwardly, then read the essay aloud in a calm tone. To match Xiao Jin’s usual writing style, the essay was mostly filled with fluff, with the occasional quote from ancient sages and a few seemingly profound statements. That was enough to make a complete essay.

Xiao Jin listened quietly and nodded seriously. “Not bad. It’s well written. Some of the phrasing really shows off my scholarly flair.”

Lu Shujin shifted her gaze from the paper to Xiao Jin’s face, studying him closely to see if he would blush while saying such things.

Clearly, he wouldn’t. He spoke with complete confidence, as if he truly believed himself to be a great scholar.

“Young Master Xiao can explain to the teacher that the papers were mixed up earlier,” Lu Shujin said, folding the essay and handing it to him.

Right now, in Qiao Bailian’s eyes, Xiao Jin was like mud that couldn’t stick to a wall—his essays were so bad even his own backside would reject them if used as toilet paper. He was seen as a good-for-nothing young master who only cared about food, drink, and fun. He desperately needed this paper to save face, so he took it from Lu Shujin.

Although Lu Shujin had just explained in detail that she was forced to ghostwrite for those people because of Liu Quan’s threats—leading to poor rest and mental exhaustion, which caused the mix-up—Xiao Jin had still been harshly scolded. Naturally, he wouldn’t let it go so easily. After thinking for a moment, he issued a punishment: “This mistake is entirely your fault. To make up for it, from today onward, you’ll continue ghostwriting without pay for a full month.”

Lu Shujin fell silent upon hearing this and lowered her head slightly.

She hadn’t wanted to get involved with Liu Quan, but trouble had found her not long after arriving at Haizhou Academy. Liu Quan was no easy opponent—narrow-minded and ruthless. Life would be difficult from now on. But she had nowhere else to go besides Haizhou Academy, so she had to find a way to drive Liu Quan out.

She had thought that after being beaten three times by Xiao Jin shortly after classes began, Liu Quan would either be dealt with by the teachers or would leave on his own, or at least stop bothering her. But she hadn’t expected Xiao Jin to go so far as to break Liu Quan’s arm, which escalated the situation completely.

Xiao Jin was a legitimate son of a noble family—she was not. Lu Shujin opened her mouth to speak but, under Xiao Jin’s gaze, didn’t dare say anything. She only murmured, “As it should be.”

Xiao Jin turned to leave, but after a few steps, he stopped, turned his head slightly, and looked at her. “If anyone ever asks you to ghostwrite again, tell me.”

The ink-black and gold robe he wore shimmered under the blazing noon sun. His handsome features carried the proud air of youth, and his tone was commanding. “Did you hear me?”

Lu Shujin was suddenly reminded of the day classes began at the academy—when she turned around after being hit by a steamed bun and saw him for the first time. That strange, inexplicable flutter in her chest returned.

She nodded.

Xiao Jin turned again and walked off, muttering, “I’d like to see which fool dares to compete with me for someone.”

Once he was gone, the courtyard by the pond was quiet again. Lu Shujin stood alone by the water, watching the fish dart back and forth. Even under the scorching sun, she seemed completely unaware of the heat.

Lu Shujin simply sat down, took a small piece of dry biscuit from her sleeve, and began chewing on it. Then she broke off a bit and scattered it into the pond, watching intently—only to see that the fish completely ignored it.

“No blame on you all. This biscuit really isn’t tasty,” she said, continuing to eat it piece by piece until it was gone.

Meanwhile, Haizhou Academy was in complete chaos. When Liu Quan was carried out, half-covered in blood, his screams echoed throughout the campus, startling both teachers and students. And when they saw Liang Chunyan, barely alive, being carried out behind him, the place erupted. Both were rushed to receive medical treatment.

The incident caused a huge stir in the academy. Students gathered in groups, speculating wildly. The students who had carried Liu Quan out were taken into a room by Qiao Bailian, and when they came out, their mouths were tightly shut. No matter who asked, they all claimed to know nothing.

The main culprit, Xiao Jin, skipped class and went straight home, not showing up for the rest of the afternoon.

As for the other party involved, Lu Shujin, she appeared completely calm, quietly attending class as usual. Everyone in Jiazi Hall had seen Xiao Jin storm in earlier, kicking the door and calling her out by name, yet she returned unharmed. This became a mystery that piqued everyone’s curiosity. But since Lu Shujin wasn’t close to anyone, no one dared to ask her directly.

Wu Chengyun was especially anxious, scratching his head in worry. He wanted to say something several times but hesitated out of guilt. Finally, at the end of the day, he asked, “Lu Shujin, are you okay?”

Lu Shujin packed up her writing tools, looked up, and smiled at him. “I’m fine.”

In the west, the sky was ablaze with fiery clouds, painting most of the heavens red. Shadows of people overlapped on the ground as groups of students laughed and chatted on their way to dinner. It was a lively scene. Lu Shujin walked alone among them, her gaze falling on the crisscrossing shadows. Occasionally, she would take a big step to quietly step on someone else’s shadow, strolling leisurely back to her dorm.

---

Yuhua Pavilion, East of the City.

In a private room, the air was filled with the scent of incense and the soft sound of a zither. Scarlet gauze curtains hung down, veiling the graceful dancer within. The swirling smoke added a touch of elusive beauty.

Ji Shuoting held a fan in one hand and a piece of paper in the other, smiling so widely his eyes curved like crescent moons. “This commentary on ‘great wisdom appearing foolish’ is brilliant. Honestly, Dean Qiao shouldn’t be angry.”

“Then go reason with him,” Xiao Jin said lazily, reclining at a low table, leaning against a smooth silk pillow. He held a book in his hand, eyes half-lowered. His apricot-colored robe trailed on the floor, and behind him, two women in gauzy dresses knelt, fanning and shading him.

“No thanks, I wouldn’t dare,” Ji Shuoting said, folding the crumpled paper and tapping his palm with the fan. After a long pause, he added, “But that Lu Shujin—he used you like that, and you just let him off so easily?”

Xiao Jin replied casually, “Who said I let him off? I punished him—he has to ghostwrite for me for a whole month without pay.”

“That’s it?”

“Not enough?” Xiao Jin shot back. “That bookworm’s scrawny body wouldn’t survive a single punch from me. If I scare him off, who’s going to handle all those after-class essays for me?”

Ji Shuoting said, “Still, you didn’t have to cripple Liu Quan’s right arm. Breaking the left one would’ve been enough. His granduncle is still the Assistant Magistrate of the Yun Prefecture.”

Xiao Jin replied, “Lu Shujin wanted to use me to teach Liu Quan a lesson, so I granted his wish.”

“And wasn’t it you who said you’re not some monk handing out free porridge?”

Xiao Jin paused, then looked up with a trace of impatience on his face and finally spoke the truth. “Liu Quan deserved a beating. Crippling his arm was already being lenient.”

Ji Shuoting changed the subject with a smile. “What book is Young Master Xiao reading?” He reached over and flipped the book in Xiao Jin’s hand. “Oh? A Widow’s Affairs? With all these lovely girls around, you’re only interested in this book? Don’t tell me none of them catch your eye?”

Xiao Jin smacked his hand hard. “Get lost.”

Ji Shuoting wasn’t offended. He waved his fan and said to the girls kneeling on either side, fanning Xiao Jin, “You can go now. No need to keep working.”

Xiao Jin and Ji Shuoting were regulars here, and the girls knew the rules. When serving other patrons, they could flirt and earn some tips, but with these two young masters, they had to follow orders strictly and never talk back.

As soon as Ji Shuoting gave the word, the girls put away their fans, stood up, and quietly left.

Once outside, they all let out a breath of relief. One girl in a green dress fanned herself and muttered with a dissatisfied look, “I thought we got lucky today, but who knew Young Master Xiao, so young, would be into widows? Not one of us could compete with a cheap romance novel?”

“Stop dreaming,” another girl said. “Young Master Xiao has never stayed overnight at Yuhua Pavilion, nor taken any girl out. Every time he comes, it’s just to listen to music. Maybe he just doesn’t care for girls from a brothel like us.”

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