Chapter 156: "Is Lord Song embarrassed?"
The visitor's voice was steady and dignified, revealing a sense of the hardships of life, but it was not difficult to hear the surprise and joy in his rising tone.
The three people standing scattered in the yard turned around in response, and Wen Yu was the first to see Shen Sheng holding a book in his arms behind him.
"Shen Sheng!" Wen Yu called out in surprise and joy.
Since they last met at the government office, she and Song Linsheng had been busy with work and had never had the chance to meet Shen Sheng. Even the matter of inviting him to the school to teach was arranged by Xiyan.
Shen Sheng seemed thinner after not seeing him for so long. His dark brown robe made him look like a withered branch, but his complexion was still healthy, with a hint of redness.
"Hey!" Shen Sheng responded with a smile, his eyebrows and eyes lit up. He hugged the book in his arms, took a few steps forward and greeted everyone.
"Madam Wen, Lord Song, wash the inkstone." Shen Sheng glanced around, put the book in his arms on the stone landscape beside him, and greeted them one by one with his free hands.
"When did you arrive? I bet you've been waiting for a long time!" Shen Sheng smiled shyly and explained, "I just saw you weren't there yet at the door, so I figured I'd go get some books and come back to greet you later. I didn't expect to miss you. It was all my fault."
Song Linsheng's expression was his usual gentleness and courtesy. After returning the gift with Shen Sheng, he smiled faintly and denied it. "How could that be? We could just stroll around the courtyard. I'm sorry to have bothered you with the academy's funding."
The books piled on the rocky landscape nearby were rustling as the wind blew, turning page after page.
Song Linsheng looked in the direction of the voice and said with a smile, "I heard from Xiyan that Mr. Shen has done a great job in managing all the affairs of the academy. He handles every detail personally. I'm sorry for the trouble you've caused."
Upon hearing this, Shen Sheng waved his hands repeatedly, shaking his head like a rattle. He hurriedly explained, "It's just moving some books. It's not a burden at all. Your Excellency is too kind."
"Oh, Mr. Shen, why are you so modest? Do you really need to be polite to us?" Xi Yan also chimed in.
Although Xiyan and Shen Sheng only met when they captured Cheng Lian last time, he was in charge of all Shen Sheng's food, clothing, housing and transportation afterwards. Later, he invited Shen Sheng to be a teacher in the school and helped Shen Sheng settle down in Lushui Lane, all of which were managed by Xiyan.
After a few interactions, he and Shen Sheng became familiar with each other.
Now Xiyan treats Shen Sheng just like he treats Ayuan and the others, and even adds a little more intimacy as people of the same age.
Wen Yu saw the three of them pushing and shoving each other, and she felt it was really boring. She didn't know what all this empty formality was for. She couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Well, if you keep talking, the wind will blow all the books away."
She raised her hand and pointed at the books that were constantly turning pages. The one or two books on the top lost their balance and fell to the ground, somersaulting several times and finally lying on the ground with the spine facing upwards.
"Hey--" Shen Sheng panicked and quickly reached out to grab it, then hugged the scroll tightly in his arms.
Seeing this, Xiyan went over to help and took half of them into his own hands.
"Are you used to it these days?" Wen Yu asked with concern.
She still had not forgotten the distraught look that Shen Sheng had seen in the government office.
Cheng Lian's attempt to use him as a human shield when he was on the verge of death was a big blow to him.
Wen Yu was afraid that he would become depressed, listless and unable to recover because of this incident.
But now it seems that although he has lost some weight, his spirits and appearance are fine.
"Very good, very used to it." Shen Sheng looked around, a relaxed expression on his face, "Everything is fine here, thanks to Lord Song and Madam Wen, and Xi Yan for helping me. Your kindness -"
"Okay, okay, you'll get used to it. I'll stop thanking you here!" Wen Yu interrupted Shen Sheng and stopped him from continuing.
If we continue to talk about it, I'm afraid Shen Sheng will be able to write a poem to praise them.
She, Song Linsheng, and Xi Yanyuan did not do these things to gain anyone's gratitude.
Shen Sheng suddenly stopped, inevitably stunned for a moment. After listening to Wen Yu's words, he smiled a little stiffly and said, "Yes, yes."
Song Linsheng pulled out a scroll from his inkstone and casually flipped through it.
These are all enlightenment courses.
"Are these all prepared for the students?" Song Linsheng asked as he read silently.
"That's right. Ayuan and the others started learning late, so they have to start from the beginning." Shen Sheng held the scroll in his arms with one hand and flipped through the top volume with the other.
This was a copy he had just made a few days ago. The ink on it was very new and seemed to still contain the fragrance of ink that had not yet dissipated.
"Yeah." Song Linsheng nodded.
That's true. Ayuan, Azhu and their younger siblings are of different ages and have very different foundations. If they want to study, they have to work hard from the beginning.
"You are the only teacher in the school now. Please bear with me. I have asked Xiyan to invite a few more teachers to take over your duties so that you can have more time to study."
Xiaoyu had told him before that Shen Sheng studied hard and vowed to pass the imperial examinations. Even when he was making a living in the caravan, he never gave up studying.
Now that I have left the caravan, I can concentrate more on my studies.
Although he was willing to stay in the school as a teacher, the school affairs were complicated and disturbing, and they could not all be placed on Shen Sheng alone.
Song Linsheng pondered and decided to find some help for Shen Sheng.
"That's okay. Although I'm the only one here now, I can always find time to come over to wash the inkstone. Besides, I don't feel busy." Shen Sheng's face turned red, and he felt a little embarrassed.
Now he depends on the school for food, clothing, housing and transportation. Xiyan takes care of him meticulously and even gives him a lot of books. He has no way to repay him.
He is just teaching some students, why does he need to hire someone to take over the class?
"I can do it alone, Lord Song, there's no need to go through so much trouble." Shen Sheng replied hurriedly, as if he was afraid that Song Linsheng would invite a few more gentlemen.
However, when Shen Sheng said this, Wen Yu next to him looked at him strangely.
Wen Yu frowned, her eyes raised in confusion, "Are you alone?"
Song Linsheng realized that Wen Yu's words did not mean that she did not want to call Shen Sheng alone, but that she had some other doubts. He turned sideways to Wen Yu and paid attention to her movements.
Shen Sheng asked Wen Yu, who was confused for a moment. He was stunned for a moment and replied blankly: "Ah, yes, yes."
Wen Yu finally realized why she felt so strange when she saw Shen Sheng appear behind her.
When they first arrived at the courtyard, the students were reciting the text, and at that time she heard that there was clearly a "teacher" leading the reading in the classroom.
There was no sign of Shen Sheng anywhere, so Wen Yu naturally thought that the teacher in the school was Shen Sheng.
But now Shen Sheng was standing right in front of them...
"What's wrong?" Song Linsheng approached Wen Yu's side, lowered his eyes and called in a low voice, "Xiaoyu?"
"If you are the only teacher here, then who is the one in the classroom?" Wen Yu and Song Linsheng looked at each other, and then asked Shen Sheng in confusion.
As soon as Wen Yu finished speaking, the sound of recitation in the classroom rang out again, spreading from far away to the center of the courtyard.
Without waiting for Shen Sheng to respond, Wen Yu grabbed Song Linsheng's sleeve, turned and walked into the archway, and took a few steps into the yard behind.
"Hey, sir, Madam Wen, wait for us!" Xiyan hurriedly followed with the scroll in his arms. He had never heard that the academy had hired a new teacher.
Shen Sheng came to his senses and hurried forward, chasing Wen Yu and Song Linsheng in front of him, "Madam Wen! My Lord! That is--"
Green walls and black tiles, and lush greenery.
Clusters of green bamboos shade each other, and the slender leaves cover the window frames of the school, leaving only a corner visible. The sound of reading aloud can be heard from the gaps, each one louder than the last.
Wen Yu stopped and slowed down. She pinched the corner of Song Linsheng's clothes and pulled him, signaling him to follow closely.
Song Linsheng frowned, his eyes full of surprise. He originally thought that Xiaoyu was going to pull him directly into the school to find out what was going on.
But now it seems that Xiaoyu wants to pull him... to lie in the corner?
Song Linsheng's face flushed. He, he had never done anything like this before. He only knew that a gentleman should cultivate himself, behave properly, and observe virtue and respect etiquette. For a moment, he really didn't know how to react.
But he would not leave Xiaoyu alone.
Song Linsheng's heart tightened and he couldn't help swallowing quietly. He lifted the hem of his clothes with one hand and followed Wen Yu carefully.
Soon, Wen Yu pulled Song Linsheng to a clump of bamboo in front of the window and squatted down.
The sky-blue and light-blue robes they were wearing were not too eye-catching, and they looked very suitable when hidden under the green bamboo.
The window frame was not very high, and if Wen Yu stood up straight, she would definitely be discovered. She stretched out a finger and covered her lips, pretending to be silent to Song Linsheng.
Song Linsheng followed Wen Yu's movements with his eyes, his face showing a little uneasiness, but he still nodded in agreement with determination.
As long as he was with Xiaoyu, he had nothing to fear.
Wen Yu got his feedback and raised her hand to point above her head. Song Linsheng and she didn't know where the tacit understanding came from, but they understood immediately.
Song Linsheng nodded.
Wen Yu nodded, and she and Song Linsheng turned around and slowly straightened up at the same time, until their heads appeared a few inches above the windowsill and their eyes could see the situation in the classroom, and then they stopped immediately.
Song Linsheng's gaze swept around the classroom and finally settled on the teacher at the top of the class. He gently leaned on Wen Yu's shoulder and motioned her to look up.
Wen Yu quickly glanced around the room and saw Ayuan and Azhu sitting in the front, reading books. At the top desk sat a teacher with a fair face and a thin stature, flipping through a book intently, perhaps checking on the students' homework.
The situation inside the room was already clear. Wen Yu turned around and pulled Song Linsheng back to the bamboo forest where they came from.
After running quite far away and making sure that the teachers and students in the classroom would not hear, Wen Yu asked Song Linsheng beside him, "Did you see it clearly just now?"
Wen Yu breathed softly, raised his eyebrows and looked in the direction just now, with a little pride in his eyes.
"Yeah." Song Linsheng responded obediently.
Thinking of his actions just now, he felt a little shy and timid.
He is willing to be with Xiaoyu, but that doesn't mean he can get used to it.
This was a truly novel experience for him, no less than any other adventure.
"What's wrong?" Wen Yu's eyes turned and she noticed something unusual about Song Linsheng.
Without thinking too much, Wen Yu understood instantly.
What kind of person is Song Linsheng? Bai Yulan, who grew up in a wealthy family, probably has never eavesdropped on other people's affairs since she was a child, right?
Wen Yu stretched out a finger and scratched her cheek. It seemed that she shouldn't do that.
She wanted to say something to comfort him, but she didn't expect that her words would have a different meaning. "Is Lord Song embarrassed?"
Song Linsheng's face flushed, and even his earlobes instantly turned slightly red. His usual calm demeanor disappeared, replaced by a rare incoherent speech, "I, I..."
Wen Yu was having a hard time holding back her laughter, but she still tried her best to purse her lips tightly.
This is not Guanwuyuan, so she should restrain herself and give some face to Lord Song.
"Xiaoyu!" Song Linsheng immediately understood and called Wenyu anxiously.
But there was no blame in his words, instead there was a hint of shy anger.
"I'm here." Wen Yu covered her lips with her hands and chuckled, responding playfully.
Wen Yu and Song Linsheng were talking when hurried footsteps were heard behind them, followed by Shen Sheng's hurried explanation.
"Madam Wen, Lord Song, that's not the teacher in the school—"
Wen Yu stopped smiling and stepped in front of Song Linsheng. She couldn't let others see Song Linsheng like this.
Song Linsheng understood, then quickly stood up straight and adjusted his appearance.
Seeing Shen Sheng and Xi Yan coming out of the bamboo forest along the winding path, Wen Yu savored what Shen Sheng had just said.
"Song Linsheng and I both saw it. If that's not Mr., then what is it?"
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