The calm voice and unhurried tone, though seemingly volcanic in intensity, sounded like a simple greeting.

After he finished speaking, the room fell silent.

The pages of the book beside Shen Qingchen were turned slightly by the wind, and a ray of sunlight shone through the window, falling right between the two of them.

Although Qingchen was prepared, he still couldn't help but feel a jolt of fear in his heart.

She lowered her voice, frowning slightly as she looked at him, "What did you say?"

"Are you a woman?" He looked into her eyes and asked again, "Are you... different from us?"

This question had been troubling him for days and nights, to the point that he felt he would go crazy if he didn't get an answer soon. In the few days that Shen Qingchen hadn't come to Hanlin, he would unconsciously glance back at her empty desk. After looking at it, he would turn back and look at his right hand again. For a moment, he was almost certain, but the next moment he would inexplicably deny it.

How could a woman possibly rank fourth in her exam and spend her days sitting among a bunch of men? How could a woman with some talent, like Li Qingzhao, write poems and lyrics, and yet engage in lofty discussions and debates with these talented elites about national affairs and people's livelihood? How could a woman, instead of thinking about marrying a good husband, have such a heart full of concern for the country and its people, and write the four words "be a good official"?

Shen Qingchen looked at him and said calmly, "Women? I know you've always looked down on me. You come from a prestigious family, I come from a humble background, so naturally we're different. Didn't we already discuss this topic at the tavern that day?"

Before he could answer, she continued, "My background is inferior to yours, I am not as strong as you, and I cannot hold my liquor as well. Apart from being lucky enough to pass the imperial examination, I am inferior to you in every other way. To use the word 'woman' to humiliate me is even crueler than that day at the tavern. If that's the case, why bother with the pretense of apology just now?"

"It's not what you think," he said softly, glancing at her delicate features and slender neck before awkwardly withdrawing his gaze. "That day, when I tried to pull you up, I bumped into your... We both know what happened."

She smiled slightly, "What did you run into? If you're going to humiliate me, why bother explaining? What do you want to know? Whether I'm male or female, or anything else? I can show you anything right now."

After saying that, she stood up.

Xu Silin suddenly raised his head and stared at her blankly, only to see her untying the right-fastening sash of her robe. Her light blue robe flowed gracefully, and her fair face, bathed in sunlight, resembled a flower in the spring dawn.

As Shen Qingchen untied his belt, he said, "I've never undressed in a place like this before, but since Young Master Xu wants to see, I'll let you. I told you that day that I'm from a poor family, and I've only ever been a source of amusement and ridicule. I didn't get to satisfy you by falling in the tavern that day, but I can't escape my fate as an actor; it was bound to happen sooner or later. So what's wrong with letting you mock me thoroughly today?"

Her voice was calm and gentle, falling in the hall like drifting willow catkins, destined to eventually fall into the mud, sounding somewhat desolate.

Xu Silin stared blankly, his handsome face frozen in shock. She had already untied her belt and grabbed her collar without hesitation. After glancing at him, she ripped off her blue robe and threw it onto the desk between them.

The green robe landed on the table with a "thud," pressing down the pages of the book that had been fluttering slightly in the wind.

Xu Silin's face seemed to finally move. He looked down at the robe, his brows furrowing unconsciously, and his lips pursed slightly.

Shen Qingchen continued to unbutton her robes. Today she wore four layers of clothing, like most scholars. Underneath her green robe was a thin gauze garment, under which was a thin cotton undergarment, and then her undergarment. Although she had deliberately wrapped her chest tightly before leaving, it wasn't noticeable yet, but once the cotton undergarment was removed, her breasts would be exposed and impossible to hide.

As Qingchen removed her gauze robe, her hands trembled slightly, and her tone became slightly stiff due to her inner tension, yet she exuded a certain heroic spirit.

"Since you want to know if I'm a man or a woman, I'll take my clothes off for you. Let me tell you, what you have, I also have; what you don't have, I also don't have. Although I'm not as robust as you, it's just a shell, so what? It would be better if a few more people came, so they could see me too. I'm a man, and you call me a woman. Even if I have to suffer the humiliation of undressing in public, I must prove myself." As Qingchen spoke, she took off her gauze dress and tossed it gently, and it floated down to Xu Silin's feet.

His gaze followed the falling gauze dress, his lips moved slightly, but he said nothing. His gaze seemed to have difficulty returning to Qingchen's increasingly frail body.

The autumn wind rises outside the window, scattering the fallen leaves in all directions.

“In the end,” Shen Qingchen placed his hand on his white cotton coat and said self-deprecatingly, “I can’t blame anyone. I was born poor and thought I could change my fate through hard work, but little did I know that some things can never be changed. Oh well, I was born naked, and now I’m not afraid to stand here naked for you to see.”

Seeing her hand clutching her clothes, Xu Silin suddenly said in a hoarse voice, "Stop."

His gaze slowly descended from her chest. "No need to take it off, I trust you."

Her gaze, filled with resentment, fell on his face, and she said stubbornly, "We've come this far, why aren't you going to look at it? Just take one last look, so you can finally give up."

He bent down, picked up the gauze robe at his feet, and handed it to her without looking at her. "Put it on quickly. You don't need to do this. This is Hanlin Academy. I was just asking casually."

Shen Qingchen looked at him, and after a long while, she took back her gauze robe and said softly, "Do you think I wanted this? Do you know how hurtful your casual words can be?"

There was a hint of helplessness and grievance in his tone, and Xu Silin couldn't help but take a soft breath upon hearing it.

Outside the window, the branches and leaves rustled in the wind. Gu Shaoheng, who had been stopped by Lin Mo, finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had been watching them from outside, and although he couldn't hear what they were saying, Qingchen's tone and behavior seemed unusual. He had wanted to rush in for a long time, but it seemed that she was in control of the situation, so he held back. It wasn't until he saw her taking off her cotton coat that he couldn't resist anymore. Just as he was about to rush into the house, he saw Xu Silin picking up her gauze coat.

Inside the hall, Xu Silin remained silent for a moment before saying, "You're being too sensitive. I was just wondering about that day... Never mind. Just put on your clothes."

The situation had developed far beyond his expectations. He asked her suddenly, expecting her to panic and stammer, unable to admit it. But to his surprise, she was not flustered at all. Instead, she was furious and angry, so angry that she wanted to take off her clothes in court to prove herself.

How could it be... a woman?

How could a woman dare to undress in court, let alone in front of a man? Once her body has been seen, she's destined to be his woman. She's so disgusted with him, how could she possibly want to be his woman…

Perhaps he misjudged her during that brief encounter.

For some reason, this result left Xu Silin somewhat disappointed.

After Shen Qingchen finished dressing, he asked somewhat dejectedly, "Why don't you have an Adam's apple?"

Qingchen looked at him calmly, "Our bodies and hair are given to us by our parents. How could I not want to be like you, tall and upright, with a dashing appearance? But what can I do about the way I was born?"

"You never drink with us either. Except that day."

“You know my background. I might not even have enough to eat, let alone have money for wine. You, on the other hand, come from a wealthy family and don’t know the hardships of those who freeze to death on the streets.”

Xu Silin thought about it and realized that it was indeed the case; there was nothing wrong with that answer.

He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then stood up and said, "I'm leaving."

Although it was a farewell, there was a lingering sense of reluctance in his tone.

Shen Qingchen watched his retreating figure until he disappeared through the door, then slumped weakly onto the table, letting out a few slow breaths. Her hands, hanging limply at her sides, were still trembling slightly.

He asked so directly, which shows he was very certain of his suspicions. She did this because she had no other choice.

She had considered what to do if he didn't stop her. Gu Shaoheng was right outside the window; if things really came to a critical moment, she would make a commotion to get him to rush in.

To put it another way, if she hadn't provoked him like that, Xu Silin would have already concluded that she was a woman.

Thankfully, it was a close call.

Gu Shaoheng, who was waiting outside the door, rushed in impatiently to ask her what was wrong. Qingchen felt a little tired and didn't want to say much, so she told him that she would explain another day.

Gu Shaoheng felt sorry for her having to confront Xu Silin again, so he didn't press the matter further.

The autumn breeze is slightly cool.

As Qingchen was leaving the Hanlin Academy, a clerk from the Ministry of Rites hurriedly brought her a bundle, saying it was from Lord Song. Qingchen opened it and found her teacher's notes on studying the philosophy of mind and a list of his students.

He truly meant what he said.

That night, when Qingchen returned home, she couldn't help but think of Xu Silin again while cooking.

Then she thought, whether he believed her or not was entirely up to him, and there was no point in her thinking about it. From now on, she could only be more cautious and stay away from him.

At night, after reviewing his lessons, Qingchen spread out his teacher's notes and read them carefully. When he got tired of reading, he took out the records of the disciples of the School of Mind and looked at them.

As she flipped through the pages, she recognized many of the names; she had seen them in historical records. Among them were some who would later become high-ranking officials, as well as others who, though not high-ranking, were great figures who sacrificed themselves for justice.

Each name, unlike the mere traces of their fallen lives in history books, is still living brilliantly in this world, destined to change history.

After Qingchen finished reading, she wrote to some of the people listed in the register, hoping that they could take her along if they had any academic gatherings.

After sealing the letter with paste, Qingchen boiled some water, put it in a wooden basin, and took a towel, soap, and a change of clothes to bathe in the clean room behind the house.

She never lit a lamp, but cleansed herself by the moonlight that filtered in.

A soft ray of moonlight shone in, falling obliquely on her, illuminating her chest and waist, making her exposed skin appear especially fair and delicate.

Above the neck was a handsome young man with his hair tied up; below the neck was a slender figure, long limbs, a delicate waist, and smooth skin… In the moonlight, he exuded a subtle harmony and beauty. The debate about whether he was a man or a woman seemed less important at this moment.

The autumn night was cold, and Qingchen couldn't help but shiver slightly. She quickly scooped up some hot water with a ladle and poured it over herself. Her sensitive skin immediately broke out in goosebumps from the comfort. Qingchen tilted her head back and let out a soft breath.

The clean room slowly filled with steam, blurring her delicate face. She poured another ladle of water over herself, letting it trickle down her neck and chest, quickly flushing her fair skin...

Meanwhile, Xu Silin was lying on the bed with his arm as a pillow, his mind still filled with the person he had confronted that morning.

Little did he know that the person would look so alluring at that moment.