Although Taoyuan Village is located in a remote area, it is a place of beautiful mountains and clear waters, and the people are simple and honest. After the Cui family settled here, they lived a peaceful life.
The Cui family had spare money, so as soon as they settled in Taoyuan Village, they immediately sent Cui Erlang to study at the academy.
Cui Erlang was exceptionally intelligent from a young age and studied diligently. His parents placed high hopes on him, hoping that he could bring glory to the family through the imperial examinations.
Therefore, the Cui family spared no expense to send him to the most famous academy in the vicinity—Qingyun Academy.
That's exactly where things went wrong.
Mr. Ran, the headmaster of Qingyun Academy, is a renowned Confucian scholar in the Jiangnan region.
He has been in charge of Qingyun Academy for many years and has countless disciples. Many students come from far and wide hoping to receive his guidance.
Logically speaking, it shouldn't be easy for Cui Erlang to get into such a prestigious academy.
But luckily, Cui Erlang's former teacher in Yazhou had some connection with this Ran Shanzhang, and when he left Yazhou, he specially wrote a letter of recommendation for him, which is how he got a place to study.
When Cui Erlang first arrived at the academy, his diligence, quick wit, and intelligence immediately caught the attention of Headmaster Ran.
Ran Shanzhang greatly admired him and often personally guided his studies. He even considered marrying his only beloved daughter to him.
This marriage is no ordinary one.
Mr. Ran had only one daughter, and this action meant that he was going to hand over his family's collection of knowledge and connections, accumulated over half a lifetime, to Cui Erlang without reservation.
Ran Shanzhang dedicated his life to teaching and nurturing students, leaving behind a legacy of countless talents.
His intention to entrust this precious legacy to Cui Erlang demonstrates his high regard and trust in him.
But Cui Erlang still refused.
He politely declined the marriage proposal, stating that he was already engaged and that although his fiancée came from a humble background, they were deeply in love and he would not betray her affection.
Ran Shanzhang was a gentleman. Seeing that he could refuse such a huge temptation for the sake of his fiancée, he was not angry at all. Instead, he trusted Ran Shanzhang's character even more.
He repeatedly lamented to his wife and daughters at home, "Such a loyal and devoted person is truly rare! It's just a pity that he's already married!"
These words were extremely grating to the ears of Miss Ran, the headmaster's daughter.
"Miss, don't be angry. This man looks like a country bumpkin from a small place! With your beauty and talent, he is definitely not good enough for you!" The maidservant quickly comforted Miss Ran when she saw that she was unhappy.
This wasn't something the maidservant was making up to coax her into saying.
Miss Ran is a highly regarded talented woman from Jiangnan. She has been exceptionally intelligent since childhood and is proficient in not only music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but also poetry and prose.
Her beauty and talent made her the envy of many, but also fostered her arrogant and conceited personality.
Someone like her can only look down on others, so how could she allow anyone to reject her?
"I'd like to see just who this person is! That he doesn't even take me seriously!"
Miss Ran was indignant and, despite her maid's attempts to stop her, insisted on going to the academy.
---
The spring sun shines warmly, and a gentle breeze caresses your face.
The master and servant had just arrived at the entrance of the academy and had not yet stepped inside when they heard a lively conversation coming from inside.
The students of Qingyun Academy were gathered in the courtyard, discussing strategies and theories.
They gathered in small groups, some standing, some sitting, their expressions quite focused.
The master poses a question: There is a wise man in the countryside, full of knowledge and talent for governing the world, but he is physically disabled and not favored by the ruler. What do you want to do?
Some say: People are happy for those who please them, and you are not wrong.
Some say: talent should be the priority, even the wisest would be at a loss.
The two sides argued back and forth, creating an extremely heated scene.
Even Miss Ran forgot why she came and couldn't help but stop and stand aside to listen quietly.
And in the crowd, there was one person.
He was tall and handsome, and his every move exuded a gentle and refined air, which made Miss Ran take a second look.
He was sitting quietly on the stone bench, listening to everyone speak, occasionally nodding slightly in agreement.
Finally, it was his turn to give his opinion.
Cui Erlang slowly stood up, first bowing to his classmates, and then said unhurriedly, "What you all say makes sense, but in my opinion, we should not limit ourselves to this."
Then, he spoke concisely and clearly, analyzing the entire problem in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
From a monarch's approach to employing people to social fairness and justice, and then to individual moral responsibility.
The audience listened with rapt attention, frequently uttering exclamations of admiration.
Finally, he paused briefly, then cupped his hands again and said, "Although you, sir, are humbled, you have lived a life worthy of admiration. We scholars, though of lowly status, should also have the world in our hearts and advise the people and the ruler! Only in this way can we live up to our learning and our lives!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire audience erupted in applause.
Miss Ran was the same; she stared at him with her beautiful eyes, which were filled with admiration.
At that very moment, Cui Erlang's gaze inadvertently met that of Miss Ran.
He paused for a moment, then gave a humble and polite smile.
That smile was like a gentle breeze across a lake in spring, softly touching Miss Ran's heartstrings.
Miss Ran's pretty face instantly flushed red, and she hurriedly lowered her head, no longer daring to look him in the eye.
Although she was a woman, Headmaster Ran never restricted her, so she could move freely within the academy.
Having seen so many students from the academy, she had never felt anything like this before—her heart was racing, and even her breathing became rapid.
From that moment on, Cui Erlang's image was deeply imprinted in Miss Ran's heart, and she could not forget it.
She began to pay attention to his every move, hoping to meet him again.
Upon closer observation, Miss Ran increasingly felt that Cui Erlang's posture was upright, like a pine tree standing proudly in the wind.
In particular, his sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes subtly revealed a compelling heroic spirit that made him unforgettable.
Whenever she thinks of this, Miss Ran's heart is like a calm lake being disturbed by a boulder, creating ripples that linger for a long time.
---
After class that day, she secretly hid to the side and peeked out, feeling both excited and nervous.
However, Cui Erlang, whom she longed for, was completely unaware of her burning gaze, his eyes fixed intently on the plums on the tree, as if he were deep in thought.
"Cui Er! What's wrong? Why didn't you respond after I called you for so long?"
A shout came from afar, and a man dressed in the same school uniform walked quickly toward them.
Upon hearing the voice, Cui Erlang looked at him as if waking from a dream, pointed to the plums on the tree, and said, "I was looking at the green plums on the tree. If I made some candied plums, they would be quite delicious..."
"Huh? You've never really liked dried fruit, have you? Why the sudden change of heart today?" the visitor asked, looking puzzled.
Cui Erlang smiled slightly, a gentle look on his face: "It's not for myself, it's for my fiancée. She likes to eat candied fruit and likes to make it herself, so I thought I'd pick some fresh green plums to take back."
As he spoke, his eyes filled with love and anticipation.
But the man suddenly slapped his forehead. "Oh dear, what a forgetful thing! I almost forgot the important matter! They're playing a couplet contest over there, and Brother Jianmin has already lost several rounds in a row! Everyone's hoping you can come and help them get revenge!"
"Stop looking! Go save the life first, I'll help you pick plums later! Hurry, hurry, hurry!"
Having said that, he grabbed Cui Er and headed over there without further ado.
Watching the two figures walk further and further away, Miss Ran couldn't help but feel an indescribable sense of loneliness.
She stood there quietly, a gentle breeze ruffling her hair, but it couldn't soothe the disappointment and melancholy in her heart.
---
"Xiuxiu! Over here!"
Hearing the sound, Wang Xiuxiu looked over and saw a head cautiously peeking out from the top of the wall.
Cui Erlang's face was covered in dust, and his hair was slightly disheveled, making him look quite pathetic.
Seeing this, Wang Xiuxiu couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle: "Look at you, all dusty and dirty. Why don't you just come in?"
Cui Erlang scratched his head and chuckled somewhat sheepishly, "I was just about to go back and take a good shower. My aunt and uncle aren't here, so I didn't want to bother them. Oh, here, this is for you."
After saying that, he handed a bag he was carrying to Wang Xiuxiu.
Wang Xiuxiu took the bag with great curiosity, and when she opened it, she found it was full of fresh green plums.
Wow! So many green plums! Where did you get them?
"They were picked from the trees in the academy with the help of my classmates. On the way back, I stopped by a general store and bought some candy as well."
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiuxiu's heart skipped a beat. "Alright! Once I've pickled all these plums, I'll definitely send some to you to try my cooking!"
Cui Erlang nodded repeatedly upon hearing this.
Wang Xiuxiu was about to close the door with the plums in her hand when Cui Erlang turned around and had only taken a few steps when he suddenly seemed to remember something, turned back in a hurry, and ran back.
Seeing this, Wang Xiuxiu slowed down her hand from closing the door and asked, "Why are you back again?"
Cui Erlang ran up to him, panting, and said, "I forgot to tell you, the teacher at the academy gave us a test today, and I used a phrase you told me the other day, which earned me praise from the teacher and my classmates!"
As he said this, besides the joy on his face, Wang Xiuxiu also caught a hint of panic.
"That's great news! Congratulations!"
"Really? But... don't you mind?" Cui Erlang asked hesitantly.
"Why should I mind? It's just a sentence. Since I told you, and you were able to cleverly apply it to your strategy, that's your skill. Besides, you even brought me plums. I should be the one thanking you!"
Wang Xiuxiu's words were sincere, which warmed people's hearts.
"No, you're welcome. If you want more, I'll go pick some for you!"
"Alright, it's getting late, you should hurry home, otherwise Aunt Qin will get worried."
"Okay, I'm leaving now. You should go back too."
When Hong Xiaodong returned from playing outside, he immediately noticed a bag full of fresh green plums in the house. His eyes lit up, and he reached out to grab some to try.
Chen Chunhua, who was standing nearby, was quick-witted and snatched the bag away in an instant.
"Eat, eat, eat! All you ever do is eat! Is this something you can just eat whenever you want? Xiu-ya, take it away and keep it under your own control!"
Upon hearing the sound, Wang Xiuxiu hurriedly ran over, obediently took the bag of plums, and then took it back to her room in a very generous manner.
In fact, as soon as Chen Chunhua stepped into the house, she had already gone to report the origin of these plums to her.
Chen Chunhua muttered complaints about Cui Erlang's lack of pragmatism.
However, considering the various benefits and long-term advantages that this future son-in-law could bring, he ultimately decided to hand over this small gift to Wang Xiuxiu for safekeeping.
Wang Xiuxiu gazed at the plums in her hand, her mind filled with countless thoughts.
Cui Erlang is indeed a mild-mannered and dull person, but he also has some endearing qualities.
In their daily interactions, he always cared for her quietly, and always thought of her first in matters big and small.
This meticulous care made Wang Xiuxiu feel a long-lost warmth and sense of security, and she gradually developed a sense of dependence on him.
Wang Xiuxiu is someone who is good at discovering the strengths of others.
Although I still lack that flutter of the heart when facing Cui Erlang, matters of the heart often need time to cultivate and settle.
She thought that perhaps as the days went by, the two of them would get to know each other better and experience more and more things together.
By then, even if it's not a passionate, dramatic love, it will surely be a gentle, enduring warmth.
Therefore, Wang Xiuxiu had even more expectations and confidence about the possible development of her relationship with Cui Erlang in the future.
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