Chapter 487 Love or Admiration
Gu Jiayue still didn't look back, but just raised her chin slightly and looked at the moon in the sky.
The moonlight tonight wasn't particularly bright; a thin layer of cloud covered the moon, dimming its light. Many flowers were planted in the corner of the courtyard, and the evening breeze carried their fragrance, bringing with it the unique coolness of the night.
Her eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyes, and it was hard to tell whether her eyes were melancholy or determined.
"The river is vast, the dew is heavy, and you should rest early." Her voice was as light as the wind, and it was a little imperceptible in the night.
Do you have Jiang Luli in your heart?
Gu Jiayue thought about it carefully and it seemed that there was.
It's just that this feeling is too complicated and tangled, and it's hard to tell which one it is.
It was a bit like the feelings she'd received in the love letters from students in modern times. The words were awkward, but the pages were filled with unconcealed joy and shyness, innocent yet pure.
But it's not entirely like that.
No matter how passionate the children's love letters were, they were still covered by a layer of youthful innocence, but she knew clearly that her admiration for Jiang Luli was greater than her love for him.
After all, Gu Jiayue is a person who admires the strong.
Jiang Luli's knowledge, insights, and courage all exude a convincing weight.
He had not experienced the modern explosion of knowledge, but with his innate acumen, he was able to thoroughly digest knowledge. Whether discussing agriculture or ancient books, he was always able to speak calmly, his words were clear and logical, and every sentence was practical.
He is also powerful. He can protect the country on horseback and maintain peace at his desk.
What is even more rare is that he respects women. He never preaches to her for wanting women to study, and he never makes fun of this idea that seems "out of the ordinary" to others.
Occasionally he went to Jinxiu Building to teach girls. He treated them the same as his male students. He was patient when explaining and rigorous when asking questions. There was true insight hidden in that equality.
Apart from his occasionally icy mouth and harsh words, he seemed to have no obvious shortcomings.
But……
Is this really love?
Maybe she doesn't like the person, but he has the qualities that she longs to possess, and she longs to have his knowledge and wisdom.
He radiates light, inspiring you to become better, to grow and progress together. Admiring the strong itself means you desire to grow together with him on equal terms.
Mu Qiang has always been looking forward to his own expectations, in order to make progress and become stronger.
Chase the light, become the light, transcend the light.
The essence of admiring the strong is to become, or even surpass, them, rather than always looking up to them.
Therefore, Gu Jiayue's feelings for Jiang Luli were not pure, which was one of the reasons why she rejected Jiang Luli.
Another reason is naturally that she really has no intention of having a child here.
She has her own mission.
She wants to do her best to ensure that all the children in Dagan can go to school and to root education in this land.
Her silence was like a stone, weighing on the air.
Jiang Luli seemed to understand. The light in his eyes dimmed a little, then brightened again.
The voice wasn't loud, but it reached her ears clearly. "What a coincidence! My ideals and ambitions are the same as yours. Ensuring that every child in Dagan has access to education is not only my ideal, but also my mission as a member of the Dagan royal family."
"In that case, let us be like-minded comrades-in-arms." When he said this, the melancholy in his tone faded and became more determined.
He really felt that no one in the world could be as close to his thoughts as Gu Jiayue.
Their thoughts are in sync, and even the paths they want to take overlap.
How wonderful it would be if they could become partners in life.
Gu Jiayue didn't stay any longer and didn't say anything. She just turned and went into her room, closing the door gently. The sound of the bolt being locked was particularly light in the night.
All of this was heard clearly by Zheng Qinghe who was standing behind the door of the opposite room.
His hand, which had been raised to push open the door, slowly dropped down, and his fingertips were still a little stiff from not having enough time to exert force.
He retreated quietly and lay back on the bed, his back straight, staring at the patterns on the tent ceiling with his eyes open, and he did not sleep all night.
He seemed to have not lost, but also seemed to have lost completely.
Throughout Taohua Village, and even in Annan County, there were many men who had feelings for Gu Jiayue. But he knew in his heart that only Jiang Luli was a true rival who could stand on the same side with him.
Just like Jiang Luli himself said, he and Gu Jiayue are so similar that even their goals are exactly the same.
When Jiang Luli opened his mouth to express his feelings just now, Zheng Qinghe felt like a fully drawn bow, all the nerves in his body were tense, and even his breathing was slowed down, for fear of missing a word.
The moment he heard Gu Jiayue's refusal, he felt relieved and even secretly clenched his fists, feeling a little secretly happy.
But when I heard the reason for the rejection, that little bit of joy disappeared in an instant, as if I was drenched in ice water, feeling cold from head to toe.
Those words not only rejected Jiang Luli, but also pushed him away who was hiding behind the door.
She will not develop a romantic relationship with any man.
In other words, she doesn't need a lover, she needs comrades.
A colleague who can fight side by side with her and move forward together for the same ideals and ambitions.
He couldn't help but ask himself: Can he do this with such a companion?
Yes! Why not!
There is more than just one way to ensure that all children in Dagan have access to education: teaching in schools.
He is the magistrate of Annan County, guarding the people of this area. Whether it is his duty or his own personal desire, this is what he wants to do for the rest of his life.
Jiayue, you are not alone on this road, I am willing to walk with you.
A chaotic night passed, and the next day the sun rose from the eastern hills as usual. The golden light shone through the window paper, casting grid-like bright spots on the ground.
Zheng Qinghe got up early, packed his bags, and wanted to leave Taohua Village as soon as possible before the weather got cooler.
But just as he reached the gate, Gu Jiayue came out of the house.
She still had the cockroach in her hand.
He didn't know if it was his illusion, but the insect seemed to have grown a little bigger. Its shell shone glossily in the morning light, and it looked more energetic than yesterday.
…
This is really baffling.
"Master Zheng," Gu Jiayue said, her cheeks flushed slightly, her eyes a little evasive, unlike her usual calm demeanor. "I've been busy preparing for the provincial examinations with the children at the academy lately, and I'm worried my family won't be able to take care of my pets. So, you're the only one I can ask for help."
She actually felt quite guilty about it.
I am not the type to push for more, but the system never plays by the rules and insists on issuing tasks related to Zheng Qinghe.
The fourth task this time was even more extreme, requiring Yue'er and Zheng Qinghe to stay in the same room for more than three days.
Staying in the same room with a big, energetic cockroach for three days...
Everyone would have a nightmare, right?
But she had no other choice.
Although Yue'er appears to be full of energy, her soul is actually very weak and cannot withstand another soul extraction and implantation. She can only rely on absorbing more health points to keep herself going.
In this way, Zheng Qinghe, as the source of health value, can only bear it.
How could Zheng Qinghe not see that she was making excuses?
Although there are many students in Qiushi Academy, only four scholars and Gu Yuchuan can take part in the provincial examination this year, a total of five people.
How busy can five people be preparing for the exam?
Excuses, they are all excuses, and they are not even very decent.
He wanted to refuse, and the words were on the tip of his tongue, but when he saw Gu Jiayue's pleading eyes, he swallowed them back.
"Okay." He finally nodded, a hint of helplessness in his tone. "I'll keep it for now. When you're free, come pick it up as soon as possible."
He recalled the time he spent with the cockroach yesterday.
Although it looks a bit disgusting, it is quite quiet and can crawl around and play for an hour or two by itself, so you probably don't need to take too much care of it.
"Thank you very much, Master Zheng," Gu Jiayue thanked him hurriedly, her tone a little more anxious. "My pet is weak, so you must treat it well. It would be best...it would be best if you keep it in your bedroom and keep an eye on it at all times."
In the bedroom?
Zheng Qinghe was stunned for a moment.
He originally wanted to take it back to the county government office and hand it over to the servants in the mansion for care.
Forget it.
At worst, I could just build a sturdy cage for it and lock it in there, out of sight, out of mind. If you want to put it in the bedroom, then put it in the bedroom. "I'll remember that. Don't worry, I'll take good care of it."
"Okay, I'll pick it up in three days." Gu Jiayue nodded.
Zheng Qinghe was finally able to leave holding the wooden box containing cockroaches.
Jiang Luli was standing in the corridor not far away, watching all of this without saying a word from beginning to end.
He was wearing a moon-white gown, the morning light fell on his shoulders, the lines of his profile were still cold and hard, his eyes were as calm as calm water.
When Gu Jiayue turned around and caught his gaze, she felt a sudden rush of panic. After all, she had just rejected his confession the previous night, so now that they were meeting again, she really didn't know what expression to put on.
Jiang Luli was the first to speak, his tone unchanged, with no hint of anything unusual. "Let's go! Didn't you say we were going to have a faculty meeting today?"
"Yes, yes, let's go." Gu Jiayue responded quickly, secretly relieved.
Fortunately, Jiang Luli didn't mention what happened last night. His expression remained normal, and his tone was still cold, which made her feel more at ease.
In fact, after she returned home last night, she was upset for a long time.
I always felt that my refusal was too direct. What if Jiang Luli got upset? Given his status, he really wanted to do something, and I wouldn't be able to handle it. What would happen if the Gu family, Taohua Village, and the hundreds of children in the school were implicated?
She struggled for half the night, wondering whether she should apologize when they met today and how to apologize appropriately.
As I was thinking, I fell asleep in a daze. When I woke up, it was already dawn and Zheng Qinghe was already standing outside the door, ready to say goodbye.
Fortunately, the boss is indeed a boss, he is broad-minded enough and didn’t take yesterday’s rejection to heart.
The two walked side by side on the path to school.
There were still dewdrops hanging on the weeds on both sides of the road, sparkling in the morning light.
Jiang Luli did not mention what happened last night. Instead, he talked about a new batch of classics that had arrived in the county and asked her if she wanted to borrow some to add to the school's collection.
Gu Jiayue continued chatting with him, and the initial awkwardness gradually faded, and her steps became lighter.
When they came to their senses, they had already reached the school gate.
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