Chapter 11: The Young Man's Learning
With the arrival of spring, Cloud Recesses welcomed a new round of celestial sects to attend the lectures. Disciples from various aristocratic families arrived one after another, and the quiet mountain gate suddenly became bustling with activity. Si Zhui stood in the corridor, watching the familiar faces appear one by one, and a smile could not help but curl his lips.
"Si Zhui! Here!" Lan Jingyi was the first to rush over, followed by Jin Ling and several members of the Nie family, their faces full of joy at the long-awaited reunion.
"Jingyi, Jin Ling." Si Zhui walked forward and his eyes fell on them - but after not seeing them for a few months, Jin Ling's eyebrows seemed to be sharper, while Lan Jingyi still looked lively, but with a new jade pendant on his waist.
"I heard that Senior Wei will also be giving lectures this time?" Jin Ling asked with a raised eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in his tone.
"Well, Daddy said he wanted to talk about the complementary relationship between the Way of the Deceitful and the Way of the Sword." Si Zhui nodded. "But the teacher will also be teaching, so I'm afraid it will be quite lively."
As they were talking, they saw Wei Wuxian coming from the direction of the library, carrying a bamboo basket filled with fresh loquats. Seeing them, he laughed out loud, "Oh, are you all here? Come and try some! They're freshly picked from the back mountain. They're so sweet!"
Lan Jingyi immediately came over, picked up one, peeled it, and ate it: "Senior Wei, are you really going to give us a lesson? What? Drawing talismans?"
“Drawing talismans is nothing.” Wei Wuxian tossed him a loquat and smiled mysteriously. “What I want to talk about is how to survive in desperate situations—that’s a skill more practical than anything else.”
As he was speaking, Lan Qiren came up the stone steps with his hands behind his back. Seeing Wei Wuxian distributing loquats to the disciples, his face darkened: "Wei Wuxian, the class bell has rung, and you're still playing around here!"
“Hey, coming, coming!” Wei Wuxian waved his hands hurriedly, “You guys go to the academy first, I’ll be right there!”
Looking at Wei Wuxian's back as Lan Qiren urged him to go to the academy, Jin Ling couldn't help but laugh: "Senior Wei is still the same, always being scolded by the teacher."
Si Zhui also smiled. He knew that although his father looked casual, his lectures were very methodical, especially those on practical night hunting, which always kept his disciples fascinated.
In the academy, the students from various families took their seats in order. Lan Qiren took the main seat, while Wei Wuxian moved a chair to sit beside him, twirling a pen in his hand, which made Lan Qiren's brows twitch.
"Today we'll begin with the third chapter of the Yazheng Collection." Lan Qiren flipped open the scroll and said in a serious tone, "Lan Sizhui, read the first paragraph."
Si Zhui stood up, his clear voice echoing through the hall. His current cultivation and knowledge had already made him a leader among the disciples, and even Lan Qiren would occasionally nod in approval.
Wei Wuxian held his chin and looked at his son's calm demeanor, his eyes full of pride. He even secretly made a "great" gesture to him, but only stopped when Lan Qiren glared at him.
After Lan Qiren's class ended, it was Wei Wuxian's turn to teach. As he stepped onto the podium, he pushed his books aside and said, "Enough of those flowery theories, sir. Let me tell you how Sizhui saved everyone last time at the Su Clan Ancestral Hall with a tracking talisman."
Everyone immediately became interested. Wei Wuxian began explaining how to judge the behavior of evil spirits and how to find a way out when one's spiritual energy was depleted, occasionally mentioning Si Zhui, Jin Ling, and others for additional details. The class atmosphere suddenly became lively.
"Remember, night hunting isn't about who has the strongest spiritual power, it's about who has the quickest brains." Wei Wuxian patted the blackboard. "Just like Jin Ling, if he hadn't reacted quickly last time and blocked that attack for Si Zhui, the consequences would have been disastrous. This is tacit understanding, the way children from aristocratic families should behave."
Jin Ling's ears flushed slightly, but he straightened his back. Si Zhui looked at him and suddenly remembered that they used to bicker as children, but now they were friends who could fight side by side. His heart warmed.
During the break, Lan Jingyi dragged Sizhui to the yard and said, "Let's go see my new rabbit!"
As they reached the back mountain, they saw Wei Wuxian and Lan Qiren approaching. Lan Qiren had a stern face and seemed to be saying something, but Wei Wuxian smiled and waved his hands, teasing the rabbit with a loquat leaf in his hand.
"Look, the master isn't really angry," Jin Ling whispered. "Last time, Senior Wei replaced the master's tea with loquat honey water. The master cursed and said it was nonsense, but he still drank it."
Si Zhui looked at the two people not far away and suddenly understood that although the rules of Cloud Recesses were strict, they also hid such a kind of silent warmth. Just like his father and his father, one cold and aloof, the other warm and passionate, yet they always found the most harmonious way to get along over the years.
As the sun set, the first day of classes ended. Sizhui, Jin Ling, and Lan Jingyi walked side by side back to their residence, discussing the day's lessons, occasionally bantering and laughing along the way.
"Senior Wei will talk about drawing talismans tomorrow, and I have to learn it carefully." Lan Jingyi rubbed his hands eagerly.
"You'd better memorize the notes assigned by the teacher first." Jin Ling poured cold water on him.
Si Zhui smiled and shook his head, then looked up towards the quiet room where the lights were on. He thought his father and dad were waiting for him to come back for dinner.
He knows that this kind of study and listening experience not only enriches his knowledge but also provides time for companionship with friends. With his father's guidance, his father's protection, and his friends' company, he has the courage to forge ahead, no matter how many challenges lie ahead.
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