But Jiang Rao didn't want the piece of meat he took.

She pushed his chopsticks back, while picking up pieces of meat from her bowl and putting them into his. She glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention to her, and said in a very small voice, almost as if she was lip-reading, "I don't want to eat."

“I’m too fat.”

“…”

Jiang Rao lowered her eyes to glance at her fake belly, then raised her hand to touch it.

She remembered clearly that Jiang Youfu was a sickly, slightly fat little mute.

He was deeply immersed in the role, with a serious expression.

Rong Ting's dark eyes were deeply fixed. Seeing that she was serious and somewhat cute, a faint smile appeared in his eyes.

A few tables away, Liu Heguang and Xie Tongyan were unable to eat the food on the table. One of them looked in Rong Ting's direction and sneered, "That cripple made us go without a good meal for a few days, and yet he's smiling so happily."

Another person said, "If it weren't for coming to see him, the father-in-law wouldn't have advocated that the academy take the lead in frugality."

"What a jinx! I'll have to find a chance to teach him the rules of the academy."

…

Jiang Rao usually eats a lot of delicacies from land and sea, and occasionally she would have simple meals, but she enjoyed them and her small bowl would be empty soon.

But if he eats this kind of food every day, let alone whether he will get tired of it, it will at least be detrimental to the recovery of his leg injury.

After she put the used dishes aside, she faced Rong Ting and wanted to ask him a lot of questions.

Rong Ting had finished his meal long ago and was looking at her silently.

Jiang Rao raised her eyes to speak, but he opened his lips and said, "Why are you so careless?"

Rong Ting raised his finger and tapped the corner of his lips, signaling Jiang Rao, "It's stained with rice grains."

If Jiang Rao were her usual self, she would definitely be ashamed of the rice grains on the corners of her mouth, which was really unsightly.

But today she is Jiang Youfu

Not only was he not ashamed, he even rubbed the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, trying to wipe off the rice grain.

But there was nothing stuck to the back of my hand.

She rubbed it twice but nothing happened.

He looked at Rong Ting for help.

Where is it?

Rong Ting pursed his lips slightly, seemed helpless, and stretched out his hand.

His fingertips touched her cheek. There was a layer of calluses on his fingertips, and the joints were slender and clear. When he rubbed her cheek, Jiang Rao shrank back because her cheek was itchy.

Jiang Rao's face reflected in his pupils had nothing on it except the makeup that covered her true appearance.

But when he put his hand down.

The calloused fingertips are indeed stained with

Looking at a grain of rice, "This is it."

Jiang Rao didn't know how she managed to eat the rice grains to the corner of her lips. She was clearly eating very slowly in small bites, but the evidence was stuck there, so she had to admit it.

I lowered my head and realized that my cheeks were a little red, but fortunately they were covered by thick makeup and not noticeable.

Rong Ting lowered his eyes and looked at the tip of his finger.

When his fingertips touched her cheek just now, they were noticeably trembling and tense.

At this moment, a faint blush appeared behind his ears.

…

Jiang Rao wanted to find out why the food in the academy was so bad, but after lunch, Rong Ting was called by a scholar to copy a rare copy of an ancient book.

Jiang Rao was vaguely dissatisfied. She was waiting for Rong Ting's leg to get better, and she wished she could let him rest whenever she could.

But the task of copying could not be avoided by using the leg injury as an excuse.

Although Jiang Rao was dissatisfied, she could only watch Rong Ting enter the study.

She wanted to help, but was stopped by the servant and was not allowed to enter.

The door of the study creaked open and a man walked out.

Huai Qing looked at Jiang Rao and paused for a moment before calling her the right name. However, the address was a little awkward. "Master Jiang, I have something to tell you."

…

Jiang Rao frowned as she listened to Huai Qing's words.

She had always thought that as long as Uncle Yan was around, Rong Ting would not stand being bullied.

It was her fault.

Although Uncle Yan was the most prestigious scholar in the academy, he was too stubborn and only cared about books. He didn't care whether his students could eat and sleep well or whether they were bullied.

Unless someone brings these things to his attention.

She took a small wooden stick and wrote on the ground

"I'll go ask my Uncle Yan."

She was going to be the one to bring the matter to his attention.

She said that the food in the academy was so bad and it was obvious that someone was playing tricks on her.

When she left the courtyard where the study was located, several people walked into the courtyard and passed by her.

Jiang Rao hurried past, but one of them stopped and looked back.

Looking at Jiang Rao's back, he seemed to be thinking about something.

The book boy beside him asked, "Sir, is that young man someone you know?"

Pei Songyu withdrew his gaze calmly, "Yeah."

He said, "The Fourth Master brought his adopted son to the academy today and asked me to take good care of him. This should be him."

At this time, Yu Yinxue also stopped walking and asked, "Master Jiang Si has an adopted son?"

Pei Songyu nodded, "I just found out about this, too."

Yu Yinxue became thoughtful.

At noon today, he had seen this righteous man at his dining place.

Son side.

At that time, he was staying with Rong Ting.

…

"Your Highness, please stay."

When Rong Ting finished copying the rare copy and was about to leave the study, Yu Yinxue quickly caught up with him.

Although his attitude could not be described as one of complete respect, compared to the opposition and hostility hidden in his eyes before, what was hidden in his eyes now was a hint of flattery.

He cupped his hands.

"Your Highness, I have a favor to ask of you."

At the last birthday party for the old lady in the Bo's Mansion, he was unable to find a chance to talk to Fourth Master Jiang from beginning to end.

Nowadays, Fourth Master Jiang occasionally comes to teach a few calligraphy and painting classes, but unfortunately he is not good at painting, and there are many scholars in the academy, so he still has no chance to talk to Fourth Master Jiang.

When it comes to marriage, parents only decide and matchmaker only speaks. It is always right for him to please the person he wants to be the son-in-law of.

Rong Ting glanced at him.

The curve of her thin lips looks kind.

But there was a coldness in his eyes, as if he was smiling but not laughing.

Yu Yinxue looked at this junior fellow apprentice whom he had looked down upon in the past, and was extremely reluctant to ask him to do this.

His mother, who came from a humble background, couldn't find any way for him, so he had no other choice.

But when he was asking for help, he couldn't help but put on aloof airs, and spoke in a tactful way, not directly, "Mr. Fourth Jiang has been teaching in the academy these days..."

Yu Yinxue wanted Rong Ting to introduce him.

He had originally intended to entrust this to Pei Songyu, but at noon today he saw that it was the mute adopted son of Fourth Master Jiang who was having dinner with Rong Ting, and it was not Pei Songyu.

It is clear at a glance who has a better relationship with the Jiang family.

Yu Yinxue was not sure whether Rong Ting would help him, but if he didn't, that was fine, he could go to Pei Songyu for help, "If His Highness the Ninth Prince ever meets Fourth Master Jiang, or the young lady and young master of the Jiang family..."

"Brother."

Rong Ting interrupted him.

He blinked his fox-like eyes, but his pupils seemed to be covered by a thick fog, making them look a little cold and indifferent, making it impossible to see what he was thinking.

"Don't worry, Senior Brother. If that happens, I will definitely say something good for you."

Yu Yinxue was overjoyed.

Only then did he understand why Yan Nanxun always said that Rong Ting was smart.

He had only said half of his words when he understood everything.

She has a sharp mind and is considerate and can speak with understanding.

In exchange for being willing to help him without holding grudges.

Yu Yinxue pondered in his heart

Some people are naive and easy to deceive.

Although he still looked down on him in his heart, he thanked him sincerely on the surface, "Thank you, Your Highness the Ninth."

Rong Ting slowly raised his eyes and glanced at him,

He smiled, "You're welcome."

Yu Yinxue turned and left.

He had no idea that the gentle smile on the boy's face was more like the hook of a poisonous scorpion.

There was coldness hidden deep in his eyes, just like the tip of a scorpion's tail, which was filled with poison.

…

Yan Nanxun went out to buy books and was not in the academy. He would not be found until the afternoon. Jiang Rao came back to the study with her head down. Seeing someone talking to Rong Ting, she stopped and waited.

After Yu Yinxue left, she walked over to Rong Ting and wrote a few words on his palm, "Who was that person just now?"

It was the first time she saw him chatting with someone for so long.

It's quite rare.

Rong Ting lowered his head and looked at the words she had written.

His sight gradually sank.

When he raised his eyes, he looked a little embarrassed and hesitant, as if he wanted to say something but stopped.

Seeing his expression, Jiang Rao had some bad guesses in her mind.

"What's wrong?"

Rong Ting still hesitated to speak.

Jiang Rao frowned.

I hope he didn't get bullied by that scholar just now but didn't dare to say anything.

Rong Ting stammered, "I..."

It seems like there is something hard to express.

Jiang Rao's heart sank.

Could it be that she guessed it right?

Rong Ting lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes cast a shadow, "If I tell you, I'm afraid you will think I'm the kind of person who talks nonsense about others."

Jiang Rao shook her head decisively.

How could that be?

She believed him just because he shared the only piece of meat left in his bowl with her out of friendship.

But there was an unconcealable worry in her eyes, fearing that it would really be like what she had guessed.

Then his life in the academy would be too difficult.

Rong Ting secretly curled his thin lips, the arc was very small and difficult to be noticed.

The deep voice, still with a hesitant tone, sounded innocent.

"My senior brother is not a very good person."

"He is opportunistic and dissolute."