Chapter 91 Understanding "I've known her since I was four years old,"

In early spring, the Luming Academy is bathed in a warm breeze and surrounded by verdant mountains.

After not seeing her for several days, the girls in the west courtyard swarmed around Cui Ying as soon as they saw her, their cheerful chatter instantly drowning her out.

"Madam Cui, where have you been these past few days? We've missed you so much!"

"Yes, yes, I always feel like something's missing, and I've lost my motivation to practice."

"Madam Cui, will you continue to come and teach us polo? You can't abandon us!"

Surrounded by them, Cui Ying felt dizzy from their chatter, but a warm feeling welled up inside her.

"Okay, okay, everyone stop for a second, I'm going deaf."

Cui Ying casually made up an excuse and explained, "I caught a cold a few days ago and wasn't feeling well, so I rested at home for a few days. I'm sorry to have troubled you all."

Hearing her say this, the girls breathed a sigh of relief, but some of the more observant ones quietly asked Cui Ying, "Madam Cui, I heard that before you left, you had a fight with Scholar Xiao in the equipment room. Is it because of him that you couldn't come to teach?"

Upon hearing Xiao Qiyu's name, Cui Ying's heart skipped a beat, and the scene of her infatuation from that day flashed through her mind. She reached out and gently patted his shoulder, forcing a bright smile: "It has nothing to do with him. I have my own legs, and I can decide where I go."

As she finished speaking, her smile deepened, her gaze sweeping over the expectant faces, and she announced loudly, "As for polo, as long as the academy still invites me, and as long as you still want to learn, I will naturally come."

"We want to learn!" the girls shouted in unison, cheering.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Cui Ying raised an eyebrow, casually picked up a polo rack from the side, and deftly twirled it in a fancy pose. "Same as always, everyone run two laps to warm up, then review the mounting and rein control techniques I taught you last time. After that, I'll teach you how to hit the ball head-on today."

"good!"

Time flew by, and once everyone was able to mount their horses and control the reins with ease, Cui Ying personally demonstrated how to start hitting the ball, how to generate power with the wrist, how to twist the waist, and how to judge the trajectory of the ball and the speed of the horse with the eyes.

"The wrist must be steady. It's not about using brute force to swing it out, but about using the waist and abdomen to drive the force out."

As Cui Ying rode on her horse, she spoke while slowing her movements, the bright sunlight gilding her riding attire with a dazzling golden edge.

When a student's movements are not correct, she dismounts and walks over, patiently adjusting the student's hand position or gently supporting the student's arm to help them feel what the correct force application is like.

Those who could be admitted to Luming Academy were all extraordinary. The girls were all highly intelligent. After Cui Ying had been teaching them for a short time, they were already able to hit the grass ball with their clubs. They played in pairs, going back and forth, and their clear laughter echoed in the air above the training ground.

As the sun began to set, the bells rang.

The noise on the training ground gradually subsided. The students packed up their ball games, bowed to Cui Ying to say goodbye, and walked towards their dormitories or dining halls, chatting and laughing.

After watching everyone leave, Cui Ying looked down to check if any items had been left on the ground. After all, playing polo involves a lot of movement, and any accessories on one's body would definitely be shaken off.

Before long, Cui Ying had already collected quite a few trinkets, which she would have the students identify next time she taught a class.

Just as Cui Ying continued picking up the stones, a sound of arguing drifted into her ears from the bamboo grove at the edge of the training ground, carried by the wind.

At first, Cui Ying thought she had misheard and assumed it was just the students from the East Campus playing around, so she didn't pay much attention.

It wasn't until she heard a very clear and malicious insult that she frowned and walked towards the source of the sound.

In the dense bamboo thicket, three students from the East Campus blocked Yun Cheng from all sides, surrounding him in the middle.

Yun Cheng slumped to the ground, his robe covered in dust, his hair disheveled, and he glared angrily at the three of them, his handsome face full of suppressed resentment.

"Is it so great to get top grades every time? You're just a bookworm."

The tall, burly student at the head of the group crossed his arms and looked down at Yun Cheng, his tone full of sarcasm: "Look at you, so weak and frail, how dare you watch others play polo? You probably can't even lift a polo club, can you? You dare call yourself a man?"

A thin man chimed in, "Exactly! He probably can't even climb onto a horse's back. What else can you do besides flattering the gentleman?"

The third student scoffed, "Maybe it's because of his pitiful appearance that he's won the favor of those female students in the West Campus. Otherwise, how come wherever he goes, there are women peeking at him?"

Yun Cheng pursed her lips, her face pale, and argued forcefully: "Academic evaluations and interpersonal relationships are all based on one's own abilities. I have never offended any of you, so why do you keep pressuring me?"

"Do I need a reason to dislike you?" the tall, strong student said, reaching out to grab Yun Cheng's shoulder.

"stop!"

A sharp rebuke suddenly rang out, startling the four people, and the scene immediately fell silent.

Cui Ying approached the bamboo grove, her brows furrowed, her face frosty, and her gaze coldly swept over the three students from the East Courtyard.

The three were clearly not expected that someone would suddenly appear, and a hint of panic flashed across their faces when they saw that the person was Cui Ying.

Everyone knows that this Lady Cui comes from a noble family, is related to the imperial family, and even the headmaster cannot afford to offend her.

Cui Ying walked up to Yun Cheng, shielding him behind her. Her displeased gaze swept over the three of them, then fixed on the tall, burly student in the lead. Her voice was concise and forceful: "The academy is a place for studying and understanding principles. When did it become a place for you to form cliques and bully your classmates? Besides, do you think it's so great to bully the few with numbers?"

The tall, strong student forced himself to remain calm and said stiffly, "Madam Cui, this is a matter for our East Courtyard, and has nothing to do with your West Courtyard, right?"

Another thin student muttered quietly, "We were just joking with him..."

"A joke?" Cui Ying raised an eyebrow, her tone even colder. "What I see is only bullying and taking advantage of others. If the West Courtyard can't control the East Courtyard, then why don't I go and invite the Headmaster and the East Courtyard instructors over right now, and let them judge whether this is a joke or not?"

Upon hearing that the headmaster and instructors would be alerted, the three students immediately lost their arrogance.

They exchanged a glance, and the tall, burly student glared at Yun Cheng, muttered something resentfully, and then slunk away with his two henchmen without even looking back.

Only after the three figures had completely disappeared did Cui Ying turn around, look at Yun Cheng who was still sitting in the mud, and ask in a softer tone, "Are you alright?"

Yun Cheng raised his head and looked at the slender figure blocking his way. His pale face slowly regained color, and his eyes flashed with a complex mix of emotions: gratitude, embarrassment, and shame. Finally, he lowered his head and said in a very low voice, "Thank you for coming to my rescue, Madam. I'm fine."

"Do they often bully you like this?" Cui Ying then asked.

Yun Cheng remained silent, staring intently at the mud spots on his robe, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Cui Ying sighed, fully understanding, and subconsciously bent down and reached out to help him up.

But the moment he touched Yun Cheng's arm, he shuddered and gasped in pain.

Cui Ying immediately became alert. Ignoring his resistance, she rolled up his sleeve and saw several glaring bruises.

"They actually dared to make a move!"

Cui Ying was filled with shock and anger, and immediately turned to go find the headmaster!

Yun Cheng quickly stopped her, her tone almost pleading: "Madam Cui, please don't do this."

After struggling for a while, he finally said: "I come from a poor family. My parents died early and I grew up with my uncle. My uncle was struggling financially, and he had already given everything to send me to study in the capital. The backgrounds of those classmates are beyond my reach. It would be a small matter if I retaliated afterward, but I am afraid of implicating my uncle. I would rather die than live in peace."

A cool spring breeze swept through the bamboo grove, causing the straight, verdant leaves to sway in the wind, fluttering down and landing on the slender figure of the young man.

"As for what happened today," Yun Cheng slowly propped himself up, shook his head listlessly after regaining his balance, his expression one of suppressed pain, "madam Cui, just pretend you never saw it."

Looking at the young man before him, Cui Ying felt a surge of indescribable bitterness and anger. He calmed himself and said in a low voice, "The tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind, but this is not your fault, nor is it something you should have to bear. I will not go to the headmaster, but I will not stand idly by either. Don't worry, I have my own way of helping you."

Yun Cheng's eyes trembled, and she raised her face, staring blankly at Cui Ying.

Cui Ying said, "Now, don't think about anything. Come with me to the hospital clinic right away to see the doctor and get your injury treated first."

Her voice was calm and composed, a stark contrast to her usual cheerful demeanor, which was particularly reassuring.

Yun Cheng met her gaze, the shame in her eyes gradually replaced by another, more complex emotion. She lowered her face and nodded gently.

...

The academy's clinic is located in the southeast corner of the academy, forming an independent courtyard in a quiet environment.

Cui Ying helped Yun Cheng into the main hall of the hospital clinic and raised her voice, "Please come and take a look at this child. Are the bruises on his body serious?"

She subconsciously raised her head, her gaze falling on the hall, where she met the people inside.

But what I saw was not the old hospital doctor.

A faint aroma of medicine wafted in the air. An East Campus student sat on a consultation table, grimacing as he clutched his swollen right ankle, fine beads of sweat glistening on his forehead.

Beside him stood a tall figure, his narrow-sleeved brocade robe accentuating his slender waist, his ponytail swaying at his waist, his jade-like face and phoenix eyes exuding an air of nobility.

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Xiao Qiyu subconsciously turned his head and saw Cui Ying. A hint of obvious joy flashed in his eyes, but when he saw the person next to Cui Ying, his gaze almost instantly darkened.

His gaze first fell on Cui Ying's face, then moved down and settled on Cui Ying's hand that was firmly supporting Yun Cheng's arm. His previously relaxed chin tensed uncontrollably, and his thin lips pursed tightly.

The atmosphere in the hall seemed to freeze suddenly.

Even the student who was originally groaning noticed the subtle atmosphere, momentarily forgetting his pain, and curiously peeked at the two people at the door.

Cui Ying hadn't expected to run into Xiao Qiyu here. Strangely enough, it was only natural for her to help an injured student, but for some reason, when Xiao Qiyu glanced at her, she subconsciously wanted to let go of Yun Cheng's hand.

But when she felt Yun Cheng's body trembling slightly from the pain, she immediately held her tighter.

"Scholar Xiao is here too."

Cui Ying straightened her back, met Xiao Qiyu's ambiguous gaze, and tried to keep her tone calm.

Xiao Qiyu did not respond, but simply looked at her.

Cui Ying felt a chill run down her spine and inexplicably guilty.

At this moment, the old hospital doctor came out from the inner room, holding a freshly prepared ointment. He applied it to the student's sprained ankle and said, "Bear with it, the bone is fine. Just apply the ointment and rest for a few days."

Amid the students' cries of anguish, the old hospital doctor then turned to Cui Ying and Yun Cheng at the door: "What's wrong with you two?"

Cui Ying was still lost in her complicated thoughts and didn't reply.

Xiao Qiyu's gaze remained fixed on Cui Ying's hand supporting Yun Cheng, repeating the old hospital doctor's words, his voice exceptionally cold and hard: "I'm asking you, what happened?"

Cui Ying's spine tightened involuntarily. Sensing the displeasure in Xiao Qiyu's tone, she retorted irritably, "This student next to me has bruises. Let me see if he needs any medicine."

Xiao Qiyu stopped looking at her and turned his gaze to the student who had twisted his ankle. He said in a cold tone, "I've never seen you be so warm to your own people, but you're so eager to fawn over unimportant people. Who are they to you?"

The student then said with a mournful face, "I was wrong, please stop talking. I will never help the West Courtyard disciples move things again. Who knew they would be so heavy?"

The more Cui Ying listened, the more uneasy she felt.

Is this an insult to her?

Yun Cheng also sensed the unusual atmosphere and subconsciously tried to break free from Cui Ying's support, whispering, "Madam Cui, I can manage on my own."

Cui Ying stopped him, ignoring Xiao Qiyu's sinister gaze, and said directly to the old doctor, "Please take a look at him when you're done with your work."

The old doctor then came to his senses and quickly replied, "Alright, young friend, please sit here." He gestured for Yun Cheng to sit down on another examination table.

Cui Ying helped Yun Cheng over and carefully helped him sit down.

She could feel that Xiao Qiyu's gaze was glued to her back the whole time.

It's like having thorns in your back.

After settling the student with the sprained ankle, the old hospital doctor came to Yun Cheng.

When the old doctor saw the bruises on his arm, his gray eyebrows furrowed: "How did this happen? It doesn't look like a common bump or bruise."

Yun Cheng lowered her eyelashes and said in a low voice, "I slipped and fell at night and bumped into a rock."

Standing beside him, Cui Ying looked at his thin profile and, recalling his disheveled state as he collapsed to the ground in the bamboo thicket, felt a pang of sadness.

In the silence, Xiao Qiyu's gaze quietly fell on Cui Ying's face. After realizing that her expression was one of heartache, the vein on his forehead throbbed uncontrollably.

On the other side, the old doctor skillfully took out the medicated oil, poured it into his palm and rubbed it to warm it up, then massaged the bruises on Yun Cheng's body with moderate force: "Young man, your blood and energy are strong. The medicated oil will help the bruises disperse quickly. Don't lift heavy objects these days and take good care of yourself."

Then he turned to the student with the sprained ankle and instructed him, "It's alright now. The medicine has been applied. Go back and rest well. Don't walk around for three days, and definitely don't run or jump."

The student nodded repeatedly.

Xiao Qiyu stood aside, reached out to help the student with the sprained ankle to his feet, and said in a voice that was no longer as steady as usual, "I'll take you back to your dormitory."

The student gratefully used the support to stand up, hopped on one foot, and moved towards the door with Xiao Qiyu's help.

Just as Xiao Qiyu was helping the student and about to step out the door, Cui Ying suddenly followed after him as if possessed.

"Xiao Qiyu," she called his name.

Xiao Qiyu stopped in his tracks, slowly turned around, and the dim evening light cast an indistinct shadow on his face.

Cui Ying's breathing quickened slightly, feeling somewhat uneasy under his overly calm gaze.

She didn't really understand why she had to chase after him; she just knew she had to get some things off her chest.

"Um... Yun Cheng just fell by the training ground. I happened to be passing by and saw that he was injured, so I brought him here." The truth was on Cui Ying's tongue, but then she thought that there was a student standing next to Xiao Qiyu, and that telling the truth might be more disadvantageous to Yun Cheng, so she subtly changed her words.

Regardless of which explanation she gave, it was perfectly reasonable for her to bring Yun Cheng here, and she didn't need to explain.

Even Cui Ying himself couldn't understand why he suddenly wanted to explain to Xiao Qiyu.

The sky was ablaze with the colors of sunset, the light falling on Cui Ying's hair, her amber eyes clear and bright.

After listening, Xiao Qiyu smiled faintly, his tone gentle and distant: "Madam Cui is overthinking it. It is only right for a teacher to help his disciple who is injured. I did not have any ulterior motives."

Cui Ying was stunned for a moment, then said "Oh." She should have felt relieved, but seeing his expression, which showed no sign of concern, she felt as if something was blocking her heart. Instead of feeling relieved, she felt an even more indescribable... annoyance.

Xiao Qiyu, supporting the student with the sprained ankle, paused slightly at the threshold, raised his eyes, and looked past Cui Ying's shoulder, landing on Yun Cheng, who was being treated by the old doctor on the examination bed.

His voice was steady, without the slightest hint of emotion: "It's getting late, and the East Courtyard dormitory is far away. After all, Madam Cui is a woman, and it would be inconvenient for her to travel back and forth. If Madam Cui is at ease, I might as well take the students back to the dormitory with me, which would be convenient."

Cui Ying thought about it and realized that as a female teacher, it would be easy for her to attract unnecessary gossip if she personally escorted a student from the East Campus back to his dormitory. It would be most appropriate for Xiao Qiyu, who was also an instructor in the East Campus, to do it for her.

So she nodded and said politely, "In that case, I'll have to trouble you, Scholar Xiao."

This is absolutely unbelievable!

Cui Ying roared inwardly: Wasn't this the kid who was all lovey-dovey with me before?! What is he being so polite about?! And what am I being so polite about?!

Which is the real Xiao Qiyu: the one who went crazy because she and Yun Cheng exchanged a single word, or the polite and distant Xiao Qiyu in front of her who seems to know her at all?

Cui Ying couldn't quite explain her feelings, only that she really disliked Xiao Qiyu's current appearance.

She suppressed the inexplicable irritation in her heart, turned around and went back into the hall. She walked up to Yun Cheng and softened her voice: "Yun Cheng, I have made an agreement with Scholar Xiao. You will go back to the East Courtyard dormitory with him in a while. With him with you, those who bully you will probably be more careful in the future and will not dare to provoke you easily."

Upon hearing this, Yun Cheng's already pale face lost even more color, but he quickly suppressed this strange feeling and nodded to Cui Ying, saying with great gratitude, "Thank you, Madam Cui, for protecting me so carefully."

"No need to be polite," Cui Ying said softly. "Take good care of yourself when you get back. If anyone causes you trouble again, just tell me and I will definitely help you resolve it."

Yun Cheng hummed in agreement, looking deeply moved.

A moment later, the two walked to the door.

Yun Cheng approached Xiao Qiyu and bowed respectfully, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, Trainee Xiao."

As dusk deepened, the last rays of the setting sun illuminated Xiao Qiyu's profile, revealing her high nose, thin lips, and beautiful features.

His expression remained calm and composed as he spoke softly and politely, "Let's go."

Then, supporting the student with the sprained ankle, they slowly walked towards the East Dormitory.

Yun Cheng bowed to Cui Ying in farewell and silently followed behind them.

All around was quiet, except for the rustling of the evening breeze through the grass and trees.

After safely escorting the injured student into the dormitory, Xiao Qiyu turned around and his gaze fell on Yun Cheng, who had been quietly following behind.

Students came and went in the corridor, but Yun Cheng felt that the world was dead silent, with only the two of them left.

Yun Cheng forced a smile and bowed calmly: "Thank you for seeing me off, Intern Xiao. You need not trouble yourself with the rest of the journey, Intern Xiao. I will make my own way."

“Cui Ying is a very nice person, isn’t he?” Xiao Qiyu suddenly asked.

The politeness in his tone vanished without a trace, replaced by a bottomless calm.

"Seeing the injury on your arm, she must have been heartbroken and hated those students who bullied you, right?"

Yun Cheng suddenly looked up, his face drained of color, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock, his lips moved slightly, but no sound came out.

Xiao Qiyu watched his changing expression, his phoenix eyes dark and cold, a half-smile playing on his lips: "Curious about how I knew?"

He didn't need to wait for Yun Cheng's reply and continued speaking to himself: "I've known her since I was four years old. I know her better than she does what she's thinking."

"If you just accidentally fall and get a bruise, she might care, but she would never be so worried as to personally take you to the hospital, let alone show any concern."

Xiao Qiyu laughed: "Your acting is quite good, and you're also willing to hurt yourself. You're quite skilled at using this self-inflicted injury ruse."

Yun Cheng's body trembled slightly, and she instinctively tried to hide her arms behind her back.

"Unfortunately, you can fool her, but you can't fool me."

Xiao Qiyu glanced at his arm and said slowly, "The shape and color of a real beating bruise are very different from those caused by a deliberate bump. I've been through a lot in the military since I was a child, and I've seen more injuries than you've eaten rice."

The afterglow of the setting sun cast a dim, yellowish light, casting interplay of light and shadow on Xiao Qiyu's face.

His complexion could even be described as gentle, but the coldness emanating from his phoenix eyes was like the coldest winter ice.

Yun Cheng met his gaze, and in a daze, she felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, her whole body chilled.

Ignoring the noisy chatter in the corridor, Xiao Qiyu said, "Cui Ying is my wife, whom I married with great ceremony. All her good qualities will belong to me alone. If I find out again that you deliberately approached her and took advantage of her kindness—"

He looked into Yun Cheng's narrow eyes, which were exactly like his own, and said, word by word:

"I kill you."

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Author's note: The full 6,000 words have been added!