Chapter 12: Constantly Distracted, She Couldn’t Help But Glance Sideways

The skinny monkey-like boy’s name was Jiang Su. His father had passed the imperial exam as a juren at the age of thirty and now held a post in the Huainan region, being one of Xiao Yunye’s associates.

As a result, Jiang Su was also a loyal follower of Xiao Jing. Having seen Lu Shujin writing an essay for Xiao Jing before, he had already considered her one of their own. So he readily agreed, taking the paper and examining it carefully, “Why are you looking for this person?”

Lu Shujin replied, “He borrowed some silver from me but disappeared without returning it. My family is poor, and I’m relying on that silver for meals. I must get it back.”

Jiang Su was furious. “What a scoundrel! I’ll call a few brothers, and we’ll teach him a lesson!”

Lu Shujin was a little surprised, unsure if he was genuinely loyal or just eager for excitement. She said, “Finding him is the priority right now.”

“Do you know where he lives?” Jiang Su asked.

Lu Shujin shook her head. “But I often saw him around Changqing Alley in the northern part of the city.”

“Changqing Alley should be in the Changqing District of the north,” Jiang Su said. “That’s not difficult. My uncle works in the western district, but he knows the constables in Changqing. We can ask them for help. But if he has left Yuncheng, then we might not find him.”

Lu Shujin was worried about that too, but she had to try—this was the only way to save Peier.

She thanked him and took out a small silver ingot, handing it to Jiang Su. “Consider this a treat for a drink.”

Jiang Su’s family was well-off, thanks to his official father, so he didn’t care about such a small amount of silver and immediately refused. But Lu Shujin insisted, pressing it into his hand.

It wasn’t that she had plenty of money. But in a relationship where they were neither relatives nor close friends, without a token of gratitude, others might not have the generosity to help her. At such a critical moment, it was better to secure their help with some money, even if Jiang Su didn’t really care about the silver.

Jiang Su laughed heartily, patting her shoulder. “Don’t worry, brother. I’ll get this done for you.”

After a few more words, they both returned to the classroom.

The summer heat was oppressive, and even with the doors and windows wide open, there was no breeze. Xiao Jing’s little followers stood by his side, fanning him attentively. Someone even brought a rosewood box, which opened to reveal two layers of ice, with plump, glistening grapes in the center. They peeled them and fed them to Xiao Jing.

Lu Shujin never expected to witness such a scene in the classroom.

Feeling hot, Xiao Jing tugged at his collar, exposing a bit of his fair neck. His handsome face was tinged with a faint blush, and a light sheen of sweat gave him a slightly refreshing charm.

Sitting down, Lu Shujin pulled out the sesame bun she had bought earlier. Surrounded by the sweet scent of fresh grapes, she took a big bite of the dry bun.

“That’s all you’re eating?” Xiao Jing seemed irritable from the heat, frowning tightly at the bun.

“It’s cheap and filling,” Lu Shujin replied.

These past few days, silver came and went quickly. She didn’t mind spending money to save someone, but with every coin spent, her remaining funds dwindled. Until she found a source of income, she had to be frugal.

Xiao Jing merely curled his lips in disdain and asked no more.

The heat had killed his appetite, and just looking at that dry bun made him feel nauseous. Yet Lu Shujin slowly but steadily finished it, then lowered her head and continued writing.

It was as if she didn’t feel the heat at all. Her collar was neat and clean, her loose hair lay softly behind her ears and along her forehead, without a single drop of sweat—dry and fresh.

Xiao Jing’s thoughts were wandering when Jiang Su’s voice pulled him back. “Boss, are you staying in the Jiazi Hall from now on?”

The mention of this topic instantly irritated Xiao Jing. He snorted coldly, “Of course not. I’m just putting on a show here for a few days until Old Man Qiao cools down, then I’ll be out of here.”

The others immediately understood. “We knew Brother Xiao wouldn’t stay in Jiazi Hall. This place is unbearable.”

Lu Shujin continued copying the annotations but kept an ear on their conversation. In her mind, Xiao Jing didn’t seem that serious about his studies—after all, he spent his time reading The Affairs of the Flirty Widow in class, and the teacher didn’t even scold him. How was this place unbearable?

The group’s chatter grew louder and more chaotic. Xiao Jing’s patience quickly wore thin, and he shooed them off. “Shoo, shoo. Why are you still here? Aren’t you going to eat?”

Realizing they couldn’t stick around any longer, they quickly left. After all, Jiazi Hall was different from Dingzi Hall. After exchanging a few more words with Xiao Jing, they grouped up and left together.

As soon as they were gone, Lu Shujin immediately felt cooler and quieter around her.

Xiao Jing pushed the rosewood box filled with ice and grapes to the center of the table, took out a book to read, but never reached for the box again, abandoning the glistening grapes inside.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lu Shujin could see the grapes’ luster and couldn’t help but glance over occasionally.

She had tasted grapes before—only once, at a family banquet where she met the lame man she was supposed to marry. The grapes were plump, sweet, and tangy—a truly delicious fruit.

But Lu Shujin convinced herself she wasn’t being greedy. She was merely curious why the grapes in Yuncheng were slightly larger than those she had seen in Yangzhen.

In the afternoon, the lesson was taught personally by Qiao Bailian.

He rarely taught classes anymore and even less so in Jiazi Hall. Everyone knew the reason for his appearance today.

Xiao Jing behaved impeccably, putting away his miscellaneous books and listening attentively to Qiao Bailian’s lecture. Once the lesson ended, Qiao Bailian instructed the students to write their understanding of the text they had just learned. The room immediately filled with the sound of paper rustling as everyone prepared their ink and brushes.

Xiao Jing, unwilling to get ink stains on his hands, pushed his inkstone toward Lu Shujin and naturally ordered, “You grind it for me.”

Lu Shujin wanted to ask, Don’t you have hands? But she didn’t dare, so she pushed her inkstone closer to him instead. “Young Master Xiao, if you don’t mind, you can use mine for now.”

Xiao Jing’s handsome face instantly scrunched up in disdain. “This thing can be called ink? It’s probably watered-down charcoal sludge with a whiff of cow dung. Keep it away.”

Lu Shujin silently moved her inkstone to the other corner of the desk, thinking, With your chicken-scratch handwriting, you have the nerve to be picky? Even watered-down ink is a waste on you!

Despite her thoughts, she obediently rolled up her sleeves again and picked up his ink, starting to grind it properly.

The ink block was secured in a special wooden groove. As water touched it, a faint yet rich fragrance filled the air—a smooth and mellow aroma from premium ink, worth its weight in gold.

Soon, the ink was ready. Xiao Jing dipped his brush and began writing his “masterpiece.”

Seeing Lu Shujin still staring at him from the corner of his eye, he paused and frowned. “What are you looking at? Want me to hit you?”

Lu Shujin blinked in surprise. “You… write with your left hand?”

“Is that not allowed?” Xiao Jing countered.

Lu Shujin shook her head blankly but continued sneaking glances—sometimes at his left hand holding the brush, other times at the bold characters appearing on the paper—utterly puzzled.

Xiao Jing didn’t indulge her. He dabbed the brush against her face, growling, “Mind your own work. Keep staring, and I’ll paint your entire face.”

The soft, damp brush tip left a mark on her cheek. Startled like a frightened bird, she instinctively rubbed her face, unaware that she smeared a long black streak on her fair cheek. Quickly, she turned away and began writing.

But she couldn’t shake her confusion—Xiao Jing flipped through books, grabbed things, and even hit people with his right hand. How could he write with his left hand?

As she puzzled over it, she continued writing her essay, unaware that their little exchange had been observed by Qiao Bailian.

Qiao Bailian had come to Jiazi Hall today, worried that Xiao Jing, upset about being transferred, might bully the other students. But to his surprise, Xiao Jing seemed to get along well with Lu Shujin. Though they didn’t talk much, Xiao Jing had chosen this seat himself. When Lu Shujin ground ink for him earlier, she did so calmly and naturally—hardly the behavior of someone being bullied.

Seeing this, Qiao Bailian was very pleased, feeling that transferring Xiao Jing to Jiazi Hall had been the right decision.

As the bell rang to end class, Qiao Bailian left the classroom with a satisfied smile. Xiao Jing carelessly tossed his brush aside, stretched with a crisp crack of his neck, and casually shoved the table forward. The expensive brushes, ink, and paper were left scattered carelessly on the desk as he stood up and left.

Lu Shujin had no desire to meddle, but seeing such valuable items treated so roughly made her heart ache. Even if she used cheap feather brushes, she always kept them neat. So, unable to bear it, she tidied the items, cleaned the white jade brush, and placed everything neatly before leaving.

Jiang Su’s uncle moved faster than she expected. Lu Shujin thought it would take two days for any news, but Jiang Su told her the very next day that they had found the person.

After school that day, Lu Shujin ate a quick dinner and immediately left Haizhou Academy, heading straight for the Yuhua Pavilion.

Yuhua Pavilion was a well-known brothel in the Changqing District of the northern city, opening at dusk and operating until morning, brightly lit with music and dance all night long.

The sun hadn’t set yet, but the streets were bustling with people.

As soon as she paid the coachman with a copper coin, a familiar voice called out beside her, “Well, if it isn’t our little talent Lu? What are the odds of meeting you here?”

Startled, Lu Shujin turned around to see Ji Shuoting speaking. But almost immediately, her gaze met Xiao Jing’s.

Several young masters dressed in luxurious clothes stood a few steps away. Xiao Jing, at the center, frowned slightly, his handsome face filled with confusion. It was clear that he couldn’t understand why this pale, scholarly-looking bookworm would show up at a brothel.

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