Xu Silin was caught off guard. His handsome face froze for a moment due to tension, and the next instant, the snow chunk thrown by Qingchen hit him directly in the nose.

With a muffled "crack," the snow shattered and scattered, blooming like a flower and brushing against his entire face.

He blinked twice, then touched the cold tip of his nose. "You...aren't you angry?"

Qingchen patted the remaining snow off her hands and smiled at him, "Who said I was angry? This snowball of mine was much more accurate than the one you threw earlier."

Beneath the snow-covered bamboo groves, beside the frozen pond, her face was framed by the faint shadows of the bamboo, and her slightly curved eyes shone with a gentle light. There was a hint of smugness in Lord Shen's words.

She wasn't really angry.

Coming to his senses, Xu Silin raised an eyebrow and grinned, saying, "...See how I deal with you today!" As he spoke, he quickly bent down and made another snowball.

"No, no, Xu Silin," Qingchen shook his head and said, "Let's stop fooling around. We each threw at each other once, so we're even. Today is Shaoheng's coming-of-age ceremony, and there are so many hosts and guests in the mansion. If we keep fooling around, it will be improper."

With that, she straightened her robes and started walking back, saying, "I'm going back now."

Xu Silin was taken aback. He'd finally had some alone time, but as she walked past him, the alcohol-scented man suddenly grabbed her wrist. "Wait a minute..."

His hands were icy cold from touching the snow, and the smell of alcohol emanating from him was overwhelming. She instinctively struggled to pull away, "Xu Silin..."

At this moment, Gu Shaoheng rushed over from a short distance away, forcefully shoved Xu Silin, and exclaimed excitedly, "What do you want to do?!"

Caught off guard, Xu Silin stumbled back two steps before regaining his footing. His black boots kicked up fine snowflakes, which scattered and flew in all directions.

Seeing his indignant classmate, he blinked and whispered, "I didn't."

Qingchen was taken aback and quickly said, "Shaoheng..."

Gu Shaoheng ignored him and interrupted, "I saw it all! You dare to do it but don't dare to admit it?! You were like that at the tavern that day, and you're still like that now at my mansion. You've had a few drinks and you're already pulling and shoving each other. You're a treacherous and shameless scoundrel!" He spoke excitedly, his expression furious. His dark blue fur-trimmed cloak billowed in the wind, and his handsome face under the coronavirus wore a look of disdain.

"...It's not what you think." Xu Silin lowered his head slightly, his cheeks flushed from the alcohol.

"Shaoheng, it's really nothing." Qingchen immediately reassured him, sensing something was wrong. "I was just having a snowball fight with him, that's all. Maybe he had a little to drink..."

"Qingchen, don't be afraid of him!" Gu Shaoheng remained unceremonious. "I know he's been drinking. He was drunk when he pushed you downstairs last time. I deliberately didn't arrange for you two to be together because I was afraid he'd cause trouble while drunk. I didn't expect that even so, he could still find you and bully you!"

At other times, Gu Shaoheng might not have been as furious as he was today.

But today he had just undergone his coming-of-age ceremony; he was a grown man, a pillar of society. No matter who it was, if they laid a hand on his brother today, he would never easily forgive them. Besides, he himself had drunk quite a bit.

Xu Silin slowly raised his head, frowned as he looked at him, "So you were deliberately keeping me at arm's length."

He didn't care about Gu Shaoheng's lack of respect; what he cared about was that he and Shen Qingchen were deliberately separated.

"So what if it is? This is my home, not your Xu residence. I can make you sit wherever I want. If you don't like it, you're free to leave!" Gu Shaoheng became more and more agitated as he spoke, even making a 'please' gesture. "Excuse me, but because of your rudeness while drunk, you are not welcome here today!"

"So what if you're Xu Yan's son? If you dare to cause trouble in my residence, I'll still kick you out."

Qingchen, fearing they might escalate the situation impulsively, quickly grabbed his arm. "Shaoheng! He's been drinking, and so have you. Neither of you are behaving yourselves! Since you're both just talking nonsense after drinking, let's stop talking. There wasn't anything wrong to begin with, so let's not argue!"

Gu Shaoheng tilted his head and stared silently at Xu Silin, his breathing still slightly heavy.

Xu Silin remained silent, only slightly furrowing his brows, his gaze involuntarily falling on the hand Qingchen was using to grab Gu Shaoheng's arm. That hand had long, slender fingers with distinct knuckles, and even in the snow-covered environment, the skin was still as white as snow.

Three months ago in the lecture hall of the Hanlin Academy, it was this same hand that tore off her clothes piece by piece. The light gauze slowly drifted down, like mist obscuring his vision. Half a month ago, this same hand wrapped around his waist, using her thin body to warm him.

A cold wind blew through the bamboo forest behind them, and the snow on the bamboo leaves fell down in a soft rustling sound, revealing the thin, yellowish-brown branches.

He let out a barely perceptible breath, took a step, and walked towards the garden gate. As he passed Qingchen, he paused briefly, "I... didn't mean anything by it... I'm leaving." With that, he continued on his way.

Qingchen was slightly taken aback and looked at Gu Shaoheng, who kept his head down and didn't say anything.

She quickly took two steps after him, "Xu Silin, Shao Heng also drank, he was just saying things in anger! We're all the same age, it's rare to have such a bond and friendship, you two shouldn't be like this. Xu Silin—"

She kept calling out, but he kept walking without stopping or looking back.

His footprints were left in the snow, just as straight as when he came.

Born into such a privileged background, he was used to a life of ease and comfort. Today, he suffered such humiliation by being kicked out of the house. I wonder how he feels right now.

Qingchen sighed softly.

Gu Shaoheng frowned and leaned closer. "He's already unpopular because of what he did. Let him go if he wants. Don't try to persuade him! I'm the one who kicked him out. I'll take full responsibility for anything that happens in the future. It's not a big deal!"

"Shaoheng, he just grabbed my hand. I didn't realize what was happening and struggled a bit. It's really nothing. You've all been drinking and not thinking things through. Don't let a misunderstanding damage the friendship between fellow disciples."

“Last time you fell down the stairs, he only pulled your hand. Have you forgotten the pain already? Even if it wasn't you, I wouldn't tolerate him touching other people in my house without any regard for me, the owner. Does he think he owns the world? Even the Emperor has to give my father some face. Who does he think he is? Let's go back and have some hangover tea, let's ignore him.” With that, he dragged her away.

Qingchen looked back.

In the vast expanse of white, the dark figure stood out, its cloak and robe billowing in the wind, appearing both arrogant and lonely.

As Xu Si left, Gu Shaoheng's mood gradually improved.

The two returned to the banquet hall and saw Sun Siwu and the others playing drinking games. He watched them play with a grin for a while. Before long, he had reverted to his old, carefree and jovial self.

Once he was in a better mood, he took Qingchen to see his father.

This was Qingchen's first time visiting his home, and as a newly appointed official, it would be inappropriate not to pay his respects to the host.

Gu Shaoheng's father had been busy greeting guests and was only able to rest now. When the two found him, he was drinking tea inside.

Knowing that Qingchen was Gu Shaoheng's classmate and a person who was willing to study, he was very kind to Qingchen. He also mentioned that he had once worked in the Ministry of Works and knew some things about water conservancy, such as that tung oil must be used for grouting the dikes, not pine oil, and that the stone slabs must be long, not square, etc.

When he met someone he got along with, he talked quite enthusiastically, and Qingchen listened attentively. Gu Shaoheng, meanwhile, sipped his tea and smiled ingratiatingly. Seeing that the two were getting along well, he thought to himself that he should find an opportunity to have his father adopt Qingchen as his godson.

In this way, Lady Shen would also have the background of a prominent family, which might help her advance rapidly in her official career.

After a long conversation, the two left Mr. Gu's room.

As soon as they stepped onto the corridor, a steward came looking for Gu Shaoheng. "Miss Biao is looking for you everywhere. She's asked all of us servants. Even Meng Jiangnu searching for her husband wasn't as anxious as her."

Gu Shaoheng looked at Qingchen with a slightly embarrassed expression. "What could she possibly have to do? I'm here with my guests, I don't have time to deal with her, I'm not going."

"You know Miss Cousin, if we can't find you soon, this mansion might..."

"Okay, okay, I got it. I'll go after I've settled everyone in."

Gu Shaoheng led Qingchen outside the retreat and said, "You rest here first. I'll go see if she needs anything and I'll be back in a bit. The rooms on the west side are for you classmates to rest in, and the rooms on the east side were specially prepared for Teacher Song. I know he doesn't like to hang out with those people, so I simply arranged for him to be in the same courtyard as you. I don't know if he's rested yet. Teacher Song must have had some wine today and likes quiet, so I specifically instructed the servants not to disturb him. Be careful not to disturb him."

Qingchen became a little nervous upon hearing this, and nodded, saying, "Okay."

Although she had originally planned to see Song Yue, the thought of facing him alone made her feel uneasy.

Chirp, chirp, chirp, Mulan weaves at her loom. No sound of the shuttle is heard, only the sighs of the woman.

Hesitantly, Shen Qingchen's legs still involuntarily moved eastward.

In the snow-covered courtyard, all was quiet. The snow filled the gaps between the stone slabs on the ground, forming white squares. A magnolia tree grew in the corner, its slender branches covered with pink and white flower buds, extending towards the house to the east.

Qingchen took a breath and took two steps closer to the house. Gradually, he saw that the carved lattice window was open.

A man was sitting by the window, one arm propping up his forehead, resting with his eyes closed. He wore a silver fox fur collar around his neck, and his blue silk robe shimmered with a delicate sheen. He had handsome eyebrows and eyes, a high nose, and a flawless face with a faint glow, his features deep and beautiful as if sculpted by a knife and axe.

It was her teacher, Song Yue.

Just then, Song Yue, who was taking a nap, heard footsteps, slowly opened his eyes, and glanced out the window.

Their eyes met, and Shen Qingchen's heart suddenly tightened.

Then he said, "Qingchen? Come in."

Although it was a retirement home, the house was kept very tidy and clean.

A stick of lily incense burned in the incense burner, its fragrance light and delicate. On the high table sat a celadon vase with a slender neck, inside which were inserted several sprigs of horizontally growing red plum blossoms.

It seems everyone knows he likes plants.

Shen Qingchen bowed and said, "Teacher... Elder." Now that they were in a superior-subordinate relationship, Qingchen hesitated for a moment, feeling that he should change his address. If he still called him teacher, it would seem a bit undignified.

"That's right." Song Yue's lips curved slightly. "I haven't seen you since you were promoted. But there's no one else here, so there's no need to be so formal. You can still call me 'teacher' in private; I'm used to it."

"Um."

"Sit down. Have you been drinking?" Song Yue got up and sat down at the round table, checked the temperature of the teapot, and poured hot tea for the two of them.

"I didn't drink it." She shook her head.

"Then why didn't you join in the fun with them and instead came here? Are you feeling unwell?" He turned to look at her.

The woman before him had a face as smooth as jade and clear, bright eyes. She wore a robe he had never seen before, its bluish-green color suiting her perfectly and making her appear refined and elegant. Just now, she had been standing outside the window, and due to the reflection of the falling snow, he hadn't actually seen her features clearly, but he still recognized her at a glance.

Hearing his question, Qingchen felt a pang of guilt, sensing that it was a question specifically directed at a woman. "...No."

Song Yue raised his eyes slightly and said indifferently, "What's wrong today? Is your brain frozen again?" Before she could answer, he got up, took his cloak from the coat rack, and draped it over her back in a very natural manner.

As he turned to sit back down, Shen Qingchen leaned close to the cloak and gently sniffed it; it was still the familiar scent. She couldn't help but recall the time they were alone at the inn, when he had been lying on the floor with this very cloak on, and she had insisted on dragging him to share her bed…

Shen Qingchen was lost in thought for a moment, and when she looked at Song Yue again, she saw that he was also looking at her with a "waiting for your answer" expression. She quickly said, "It's not frozen." After saying that, she felt a little dry and didn't know what to say. Then she noticed the plum branches in the vase and asked, "It's so cold, how is Teacher's purple bamboo?"

He nodded. "It's alright. Bamboo is a very resilient plant and can withstand wind and snow. You saw it survived the two falls it made in the summer."

"……Um."

Seeing that she seemed preoccupied, Song Yue didn't ask, only saying, "Gu Shaoheng had his coming-of-age ceremony today. How old are you this year, and when is it your turn?" While he was putting the cap on Gu Shaoheng, he wondered what it would be like if it were Shen Qingchen instead. There were many people watching, and he looked into the crowd twice but couldn't see her.

"I'm nineteen years old, and I'll be twenty in six months." Shen Qingchen thought for a moment and then said carefully, "Teacher, I have a question."

Song Yue flicked his sleeve, picked up the covered bowl, took a sip, and asked, "What do you want to ask now?"

"Since ancient times, men have been considered superior to women. Why is it that women reach the age of fifteen when they come of age, while men reach the age of twenty when they come of age? Does this mean that men are actually inferior to women?" She looked directly at him and slowly spoke her prepared words, her tone carrying a hint of guidance.

Song Yue put down the covered bowl. "Regardless of whether one is a man or a woman, all are born equal. It's not a matter of strength or weakness, but simply a matter of different responsibilities. For example, if a man is strong and powerful, he should be ready to fight and defend his country..."

Seeing him say this, Qingchen became slightly agitated and interrupted, "Teacher has a prejudice against women. Who says only men can protect their country? There was Hua Mulan in ancient times, who also went to war thousands of miles away and returned after ten years as a brave warrior."

She paused for a moment, then continued, "As instructed by my teacher, I recently copied down this poem, 'The Ballad of Mulan,' which filled me with both admiration and shame. Perhaps we men are not as good as Mulan. But then I thought, although Mulan repeatedly achieved great military exploits, she concealed her identity as a woman, which was deceiving the emperor, and deceiving the emperor deserves to be punished. So, did her merits outweigh her demerits, or her demerits outweigh her merits? If it were today, could someone returning from the battlefield in full military uniform escape unscathed?"

After this groundwork and probing, Qingchen quietly waited to see Song Yue's reaction.

If he knew her identity and asked her to copy the poem, then he would definitely react to her veiled criticism, and his expression and words would reveal the truth.

The incense in the burner was burning brightly, and wisps of smoke rose up, winding around the plum branches and meandering out the window.

Song Yue didn't speak, but simply met her gaze. The person before her was composed, without a single wrinkle between his handsome brows, showing no sign of nervousness whatsoever, indicating that he had come prepared.

After a long pause, he finally said, "What do you think?"

“Of course, I am confused and don’t understand, which is why I am asking for your guidance, teacher. May I ask you?” She raised her head and looked directly into Song Yue’s eyes. Although her heart was beating slightly faster, her back remained very straight. One arm hung at her side, her fingertips gently stroking her robe.

Song Yue smiled slightly. "Give me your guidance? You seem a bit serious and reserved today. Are you so eager to hear my thoughts?"

"The students are all ears."

"The story of Mulan is not about merit or demerit, but about filial piety and righteousness. Joining the army in place of her father is filial piety, and protecting her country is righteousness. If one is neither filial nor righteous, then even merit is meaningless. If one has filial piety and righteousness in one's heart, then even without merit, one is worthy of respect. Merit and demerit are like a wisp of smoke, vanishing in the blink of an eye." He continued, "You are my student, and I want to tell you that life is too short to be obsessed with merit and demerit. I think what we should do are the things we want to be engraved on our tombstones after we die."

He gazed at her, his eyes slow and gentle, his expression calm and solemn, revealing neither joy nor sorrow.

Upon hearing this, Qingchen was momentarily speechless. She couldn't tell whether he was deliberately avoiding the question and changing the subject, or whether his words were genuine advice from a teacher, earnest and sincere.

These words, just like the ones he said when he crowned Gu Shaoheng, stirred her heart.

She had to admit that Song Yue was incredibly clever. Without revealing his stance at all, he managed to subtly teach her a lesson—truly in line with his past behavior.

She had almost forgotten that the Song Yue in front of her was the same Song Yue who forced her to claim the erotic poems, the same Song Yue who made her write a list of memorials, and the same Song Yue who took her to see the imperial prison. It was probably too difficult for her to try to get the answer out of him.

Having failed to achieve her goal of probing, Qingchen felt slightly discouraged and let out a barely perceptible sigh. But she couldn't ask him directly and expose herself.

Song Yue naturally noticed her little expression, raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong? Don't you want to hear my thoughts again? Weren't you just enthusiastic?"

"...The students dare not."

"If you don't want to listen, then don't. I'm a very open-minded teacher and I can accept criticism. Anyway, the Emperor has promoted you, so you don't have to listen to him anymore. Are you satisfied now?"

Qingchen knew he was teasing her, but she felt that she had been overthinking things, while the person in front of her seemed relaxed, which made her feel a little depressed.

Seeing that she was deep in thought, Song Yue curled her fingers and tapped the table. "What's wrong now? You always stop halfway through your sentences today. Is it so hard to respond to a teacher's words?"

Shen Qingchen raised her eyelashes, stared at him for a moment, then suddenly stood up, ripped his cloak off his back, and threw it onto the armchair beside him.

The wisps of smoke on the incense burner were dissipated by the breeze she stirred up, disappearing without a trace, before slowly rekindling a moment later.

"What are you doing..." Song Yue was surprised when he saw this scene, and then he saw her walking towards him.

"Teachers and students are enthusiastic."

As she spoke, she began to undo her robe, and in a few quick movements, she had taken off her outer robe right in front of him.

"Qingchen..."

After throwing off her outer robe, she reached out to tug at the sash of her cotton coat, looking down at him as she did so. "May I trouble you, teacher, to help me untie the sash?"

Song Yue's eyelashes fluttered slightly.

The candlelight flickered gently. The student before me had delicate eyebrows and a straight, refined nose. Her shoulders, though she had removed her outer robe, remained slender, and her pure white cotton shirt clung tightly to her thin, long body, becoming noticeably loose around her waist.

Her expression was resolute, and she seemed a little defiant.

"Teacher," Shen Qingchen repeated, her eyes fixed on his face, "I'm too hot to untie my belt. Could you please help me untie it?"

Faced with her persistent pressure, he remained silent, simply watching her quietly.

Shen Qingchen's heart stirred, so she simply took his hand and placed it on her belt!

His brow furrowed slightly.

Outside the window, fine snowflakes drifted down from the sky, while inside, time seemed to stand still, resting on the plum branches and teacups.

After a while, he finally got up, withdrew his hand, and then took the cloak from the armchair and wrapped it around her.

He stood in front of her, looking down at her, "It's cold, don't be silly."

"You know that, don't you..." she whispered, looking up at him. After a moment, she felt her tear ducts twitching, and her voice trembled uncontrollably, "You know that, don't you?!"