Zhao Rong really wanted to ask Zhu Yourong where she learned these words like "freeloading" from, but then he thought again, it seemed like she learned it from him, so he had to swallow his words back.

"I...I'm not being sentimental."

Zhao Rong couldn't help but look at Zhu Yourong's expression, and added, "I didn't expect to get it for free."

"Then what do you want to do?" Zhu Yourong looked at the setting sun.

"I just want to get things clear."

"Then ask."

Zhao Rong had no choice but to repeat, "The batch of Zhengguan Well water that the old priest gave me is really not yours?"

Zhu Yourong shook his head, "No."

Zhao Rong frowned slightly, "But..."

"However," Zhu Yourong interrupted, "If you insist on thinking that I should thank you, that's fine. I've heard about Ziyu's story of sending the boy money before, so I'll take advantage of it for free."

“…”

Zhao Rong was speechless... Did she admit it or not? Please, can you pretend to be more convincing?

He suddenly felt particularly tired talking to Zhu Yourong today. He always felt that there was something else behind her words, and it sounded wrong, but he couldn't tell what it was.

Before Zhao Rong could think about it, Zhu Yourong smiled and said, "So how do you want to thank me?"

Zhao Rong recited without thinking: "Study hard, make progress every day, live up to Mr. Zhu's painstaking cultivation, and repay him in the future..."

It was just a polite remark that he made up casually, but Zhao Rong never expected that at this moment, not only he felt that Zhu Yourong's words had hidden meaning, Zhu Yourong also felt that there was something fishy going on in his words, just like him.

"oh."

The lady stepped forward, not daring to look back. If you were more careful, you could faintly hear the trembling voice, "How do you want to repay me?"

"Uh." Zhao Rong was stunned for a moment, his face became more serious, and he chose his words carefully: "I have been grateful to my teacher for a long time, so of course I must... respect my teacher well in the future."

The woman in front of me got redder in the ears, and her white teeth and red lips trembled even more. "So how are you going to do 'Day Day Up'?"

When asked about this, Mr. Zhao answered fluently, "I do have a plan, it may be a bit bold... but I won't hide it from you. The goal is mainly divided into three steps. First, win the championship in the academy, then try to be promoted to Haoran, and finally impact the much-anticipated book seed in the mouths of my classmates and senior brothers..."

Zhao Rong was somewhat emotional after talking about this. "I have already won the first place in the academy. The stage goal has been completed. The next step is the second stage goal. I started practicing late, but I am determined. I still want to strive to touch the Haoran realm before I turn 18!"

Zhao Rong raised his head and looked forward to the bold words he had promised Qingjun. After waiting for a while, he saw no response or encouragement from the woman in front of him. He turned around and asked, "What do you think, Mr. Zhu?"

What do you think? You are a brave guy too... The woman took a deep breath.

"How bold," she agreed in a low voice.

"Yeah, I also think that I am a little too bold and ambitious. Qingjun said the same thing after he knew about it." Zhao Rong felt a little emotional.

"What? You also told Sister Lingfei?" Zhu Yourong almost turned around and glared.

"Uh, yes, I was the first one to tell her about this idea. I didn't hide it from her."

"Then what was her reaction!" Zhu Youren restrained himself and asked without turning back.

“She’s supportive.”

“Really…really?”

"The Concubine Ling is very virtuous. She supports and encourages almost everything I do." Zhao Rong sighed, "With a wife like this, what else can a husband ask for?"

Zhu Yourong was also moved. She turned around and said seriously, "We must treat her well in the future! We must not let her down!"

"Of course." Zhao Rong nodded halfway, and suddenly froze, "We?"

Zhu Yourong glanced at this bad guy who always pretended to be stupid and nodded seriously, "Oh, it's you."

Zhao Rong vaguely felt that something was wrong, but Zhu Yourong didn't wait for him to think about it. She turned around and continued in a low voice:

"Sister Lingfei should know what you will do after you become a scholar, right?" Happiness came too quickly, and she was still a little worried.

"I know." Zhao Rong nodded.

Afterwards, he and Zhu Yourong uttered two words together in tacit understanding: "Apprentice."

This is a true class leap achieved within the Confucian school. From being an ordinary student, one is officially admitted, and is granted a jade disk, becoming a Confucian scholar. The most important thing is to become a disciple and receive a master's teaching. The outstanding and lucky ones have the opportunity to inherit a certain noble and elegant cultural tradition. This is not only a label within the Confucian school, but also a certain amulet and a stepping stone to a smooth road...

It should be known that Confucianism has five supreme ethics: Heaven, Earth, Emperor, Parents, and Teachers. The relationship between teachers and students is second only to that between parents. It is not an exaggeration to say that they are their reborn parents.

Of course, Zhao Rong was not greedy to find himself a 'father to rely on', what he valued was the status leap brought by the title of scholar among the scholars in the academy, which could make some of Qingjun's senior brothers and junior brothers in the four prefectures of Taiqing shut up. Becoming a disciple was just a 'means', not an 'end', so he already had a rough candidate in mind and didn't want to make any trouble. At this time, a certain cheap senior sister also thought that he 'knew something', and her mind was beating like a deer for a while, so she didn't say anything.

"Don't worry, I know what to do."

Hearing his assurance, the lady lowered her eyebrows and said, "Well, I'm glad to know."

Afterwards, the two people who had completely unrelated thoughts fell silent and continued to walk one after the other, tacitly not speaking.

One person was waiting for the other to start talking about serious matters. They had just chatted for a long time and hadn't yet said why they called him here.

The other person had already finished asking the serious questions and received answers and actions that she had never dared to imagine before. Her heart seemed to be covered with honey. She held the book elegantly, smiling brightly, and returned with a full load, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of walking with him.

The two walked all the way to the front door of Yilanxuan, and a little head wearing a blue book boy's hat on the wall a hundred meters away suddenly shrank down.

Zhu Yourong held the book in one hand and the hem of her skirt in the other. She took the lead and climbed up the three steps. She jumped lightly into the half-open door. She turned around quickly and threw the book in her arms into the chest of the man who braked suddenly in front of the door. She glared at her "handsome junior brother who is so clingy" and said, "Okay, you are not allowed to follow me in again. Go back!"

After saying that, the door closed with a "bang".

Zhao Rong, who was refused entry, kept his upper body leaning back, holding the book that was forced into his mouth in both hands. He stared at the closed door with wide eyes and was stunned for a moment.

"Is this what I've eaten? It's so aggressive... um, what is this thing?"

Zhao Rong lowered his head and flipped through the manuscript that had squeezed a certain busty female teacher's "Future Son's Canteen" all the way, and left muttering.

Inside the door, Zhu Yourong supported the door with her hands behind her back, leaning against it, her bright starry eyes staring at the sunset above in a trance. She calmed down her turbulent "beautiful scenery" for a while, and when she heard the footsteps outside the door going away, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"He calls me sir, but he's trying to pretend to walk into my sir's door... and he never reveals his true colors... He's such a hypocritical and face-conscious guy."

The woman murmured softly for a while, and suddenly burst into laughter, like a rosy sunset.

…