Chapter 171 "I know I'm not very good looking.
In Guanshan Study, the aroma of tea wafts through the air, and books are scattered everywhere. The rustling sound of wind blowing through papers makes one feel a slight itch in the heart.
The unknown always arouses people's curiosity, even Zhou Lehui finds it a little unbearable.
Fortunately, she managed to control herself in the end, humming softly, "It has nothing to do with me."
Wen Yu had expected that Zhou Lehui would not accept it easily, so she was not discouraged.
After a moment's thought, Wen Yu insisted, "Mr. Zhou, when Song Linsheng and I mentioned Young Master Wen, we didn't mean to belittle you."
Wen Yu spoke with conviction and sincerity, "Since you often visit Mingde Academy, even if you heard Shen Sheng mention it, you should know that Song Linsheng and I are not arrogant, rude, or frivolous people."
Zhou Lehui's expression eased slightly after hearing this, and he stopped refutation, seeming to agree with Wen Yu's words.
It is true that she often hangs around Mingde School, and it is also true that Shen Sheng praises Lord Song and Madam Wen highly.
The two of them invested money to establish the Mingde School, which had no admission threshold and did not accept any money. All children of appropriate age in Jiangyang Prefecture could study and learn to read in the school.
Shen Sheng not only takes care of the students' studies, but also takes care of all the daily affairs including food, clothing, housing and transportation.
Behind this, I'm afraid the generous donations from Lord Song and Madam Wen are also indispensable.
A penny is easy to get, but sincerity is hard to find.
She knew that Mr. Song was wealthy and held an important official position, but she didn't expect that he would not forget his original intention and donate money to build a school.
Thinking about the fact that she founded the Wendao Bookstore, to a certain extent, Lord Song and Madam Wen, who established the Mingde School, were not her confidants.
Zhou Le put aside all the thoughts in his mind and waited for the next step.
Wen Yu secretly observed Zhou Lehui's expression and whispered tentatively, "I simply hope Mr. Zhou will allow me to tell you the truth about Wen Jialang. Then, no matter what Mr. Zhou wishes, Song Linsheng and I will certainly not interfere."
Song Linsheng nodded slightly, Xiaoyu was right.
Zhou Lehui looked doubtfully between Song Linsheng and Wen Yu, but after wavering for a while, he finally gave in.
"Well, Madam Wen, please go ahead and tell me, but I'm just listening and won't... and I don't want to get involved."
"Yes, of course." Wen Yu hurriedly responded, fearing that if she spoke too late, Mr. Zhou would regret it.
Under Song Linsheng's approving gaze, Wen Yu spoke cautiously, "Mr. Zhou, do you know that Wen Yanli, the eldest son of the Wen family, has been insane for several months and has already returned to Jiangyang due to illness?"
"Return to Jiangyang?" Zhou Lehui didn't care. "How could he bear to leave? He's not in Shangdu to be his third place winner. Why would he return to Jiangyang..."
But before she finished speaking, Zhou Lehui seemed to come to her senses. Realizing something was wrong, she immediately asked, "You said Wen Yanli has been insane for several months and returned home sick?"
Wen Yu blinked, quite puzzled.
From what Mr. Zhou said, it seemed that she didn't even know that Wen Yanli was already in Jiangyang, let alone that he was ill.
"It is true." Song Linsheng nodded slightly, confirming Zhou Le's doubts. "Mr. Wen and I took the imperial examination in the same year. Not long after he won the third place, he resigned from his official position and asked to return home for some unknown reason."
Zhou Lehui frowned and his face became gloomy.
Song Linsheng pursed his lips and looked at Zhou Lehui, who was sitting opposite him. He explained hesitantly, "It wasn't until recently when I took office in Jiangyang that I learned that Master Wen resigned because he had contracted a strange illness and was mentally...unclear."
Zhou Lehui was secretly shocked. She didn't even know...
The Gongchun teapot at hand has become cold and without any warmth. The past is like smoke, disappearing like the cold fragrance of tea.
But since we had promised not to owe each other anything, we should not ask each other any questions.
Zhou Lehui swallowed his messy thoughts and opened his mouth to answer, but felt a lump in his throat.
"Is that so..."
Unlike the cold sarcasm in his previous voice, there seemed to be only sadness and rage in Zhou Lehui's voice.
"Please forgive me, sir. I am not aware of this matter... and it... has nothing to do with me."
As Zhou Lehui finished speaking, the last flame of hope for Wen Yu and Song Linsheng was extinguished.
"Mr. Zhou, what are you talking about? We should thank you, Mr. Zhou." Song Linsheng replied in a gentle voice and turned to look at Wen Yu.
Mr. Zhou's path is blocked.
Wen Yu understood what he meant, but she didn't feel burdened. Instead, she felt relieved.
Since Mr. Zhou doesn’t know about it, then he doesn’t know about it.
Regarding the matter of Master Wen, she and Song Linsheng thought of another way and started from elsewhere.
But...Mr. Zhou seemed to be in great pain.
She just held the Gongchun pot in her hand, sitting quietly, without saying a word or moving an inch.
The sound of the wind outside the window could not attract her attention at all, and Wen Yu and Song Linsheng sitting opposite her could not occupy her mind for a moment.
Even after Wen Yu and Song Linsheng stood up to say goodbye, walked through the mottled shadows of bamboo and the flowing water of the pond, and exited Guanshan Study and the main gate of Wendao Book House, Wen Yu still could not forget Zhou Lehui's expression just now.
An unspeakable sadness mixed with something suppressed, weaving together an inescapable web, wrapping Zhou Lehui up and locking him tightly.
Airtight and isolated from the world.
Wen Yu had just entered the world and regretted that she could not express that feeling accurately.
She slowly followed Song Linsheng half a step behind him, thinking that it would be great if Zhibai was here so that she could ask him for advice.
Zhibai has been in this world for longer than her, so he must know what Mr. Zhou's eyes just now meant.
"Xiaoyu?" Song Linsheng paused as soon as he said this, turned around and waited for Wen Yu to catch up.
Wen Yu was kicking the gravel on the road with her toes while she was distracted, but she was suddenly brought back to her senses by Song Linsheng's sudden shout.
"Hmm?" She was still a little confused.
"Let's discuss everything back home." Song Linsheng stepped aside, making way for the inkstone waiting on the roadside in front of the door, and signaled Wen Yu with his eyes.
Wen Yu was confused and her mood couldn't help but drop. Upon hearing this, she just nodded and followed Song Linsheng into the carriage back home.
Looking out from the carriage window, the door plaque of Wendao Bookstore was so lonely yet otherworldly. As the carriage moved forward, its figure gradually disappeared.
The wheels of the car made a series of tiny noises as they rolled on the bluestone road. Wen Yu lowered the curtain, her heart beginning to feel uneasy.
It’s hard to explain and hard to grasp. It’s even harder to comprehend than the secret techniques of the Spring Temple.
Wen Yu let out a long sigh and leaned against the car wall, feeling somewhat puzzled.
Seeing this, Song Linsheng did not ask any further questions. He just lit some calming incense in the blue and white incense burner, hoping to relieve Xiaoyu's fatigue.
Wen Yu never likes to make things difficult for himself when it comes to things that he can't figure out.
She stared at Song Linsheng's hands as he filled and lit the incense. As his fingers moved, bursts of cold fragrance came over him, which was very different from the incense that Mr. Zhou had just burned in Guanshan Study.
But speaking of Guanshan Study...
She might not be able to understand Mr. Zhou's sadness, but she could still explore a little bit about Mr. Zhou's Guanshan Study.
Thinking of this, Wen Yu changed her lazy posture and leaned forward impatiently, her eyes fixed on Song Linsheng's face sitting opposite her without blinking.
"Song Linsheng, if I say Guanshan Study, what would you think of?"
Song Linsheng remained calm under Wen Yu's gaze. He calmly covered the incense burner and silently pondered the four words "Guanshan Study" in his heart.
"Lanfeng Water Pavilion." Song Linsheng raised his eyes slightly and looked at Wen Yu.
He answered calmly and without any surprise or joy, as if the answer had already been in his mind and he was not surprised by Wen Yu's question.
"You know what I mean?" Wen Yu was slightly surprised and almost cried out in surprise.
"Xiaoyu is very attentive." Song Linsheng smiled deeply and nodded affirmatively, not forgetting to take the remaining octagonal butterfly pastry from his side and hand it over.
He and Xiaoyu have known each other for all these days, and if he doesn't know what she is thinking, it would be his fault.
Wen Yu was overjoyed when he heard this, and all his worries were forgotten. "Master Xiao Song is no less capable than me!"
"Before, I just thought the name Guanshan Shuzhai was great. It always made me feel strangely familiar."
Wen Yu took the oil paper package with one hand, took out the star anise butterfly cake wrapped in it and started eating.
"I hadn't figured it out at first, but when I turned around and took a look as I was leaving, it suddenly dawned on me, and I suddenly understood."
This butterfly pastry is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and its rich taste makes it delicious when chewed.
Wen Yu couldn't help nodding while eating.
"The Guanshan Study and the Fengshui Pavilion." Song Linsheng handed over the tea and calmly continued, "They are indeed a perfect match."
Wen Yu agreed deeply, but she was not sure whether it was the courtyard that was a good match, or the owner of the courtyard...
"Guan faces Lan, Shan faces the wind, and the study faces the waterside pavilion. It's quite neat." Wen Yu took the teacup and drank it all in one gulp. "What's more, although Mr. Zhou didn't say much, he admitted that she and Master Wen were old acquaintances."
"It's not like we've gained nothing." Song Linsheng nodded.
"That's right!" Wen Yu was overjoyed. "Even if Mr. Zhou can't ask more questions here, we can start from somewhere else."
It's like she has used up all her life's knowledge in giving acupuncture and prescribing medicine, and she sees someone as a very good breakthrough point.
"You mean, Young Master Wen?" Song Linsheng came back to his senses and pointed out what Wen Yu was thinking.
Speaking of Master Wen, before Wen Yu could respond, Song Linsheng immediately asked, "Xiao Yu, do you like that?"
His sudden question really caught Wen Yu off guard. His nonsensical words mixed with the cold fragrance suddenly attacked Wen Yu's mind. In the end, she could only look at Song Linsheng blankly, "Huh?"
Song Linsheng's eyelashes trembled, his throat moved, his eyes were lowered and it was difficult to see clearly, and even his voice became weaker like a dying flame.
"Just like Master Wen."
He had never concealed anything from Wen Yu, and had never shown such a timid and hesitant look before.
Wen Yu almost choked. She swallowed the last bite of the star anise butterfly pastry in a daze before she could breathe smoothly.
"Mr. Wen is like that? How can Mr. Wen be like that?" Wen Yu stretched out her hands and waved them in front of her eyes. Was she seeing things?
The Song Linsheng in front of him was neither as calm and composed as before, could it be that he was possessed by some demon?
She had never seen Song Linsheng so cautious before.
Wen Yu's mind was full of Song Linsheng's uncharacteristic behavior, and she had no time to think about the deeper meaning of his words.
"Back when we were at the Wen residence, Xiaoyu praised Master Wen as a white plum blossom in a pool of blood. Doesn't that mean she likes Master Wen so much..."
This made Wen Yu even more confused. She had said that Master Wen was like a white plum blossom in a pool of blood, but when had she ever said that she liked Master Wen like that...
What like that?
"I know I'm not very talented or pretty, and I can't compare with Master Wen." Song Linsheng lowered his eyebrows, and spoke with great difficulty, "I..."
But before he could finish his words, Wen Yu almost jumped up from the soft golden pillow.
"What?"
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