A-jian ultimately failed to win the argument, leaving Xie Xuanyi to personally fetch water and wash the handkerchief clean.
Fearing that Xie Xuanyi might hurt himself, she refused to leave his side for even a moment, though she didn’t step in to help directly.
To her surprise, Xie Xuanyi’s washing technique was exceptionally proficient. He didn’t require any guidance from her, and even took precautions to prevent delicate materials like silk from deforming, executing every movement with utmost gentleness.
A-jian stood leaning against the moon-gate doorframe, while Xie Xuanyi squatted in the moonlight not far away from her.
At times, she felt as though her master did not belong to this world; he was far too frail, as if his flesh and blood didn’t quite fit his frame.
“A-jian,” the youth squatting on the ground suddenly called out to her, “people from Father’s side are coming over. Take two little maidservants and go welcome them.”
Though puzzled, A-jian immediately recalled the earlier conversation between her master and Gu Cai, and understanding dawned on her. “Oh, oh, I’m going right now.”
When she returned with the other two little maidservants carrying a massive pile of clothes and daily necessities to look for her master, Xie Xuanyi had already finished tidying up, hung the handkerchief out to dry, and retreated to his room.
The damp handkerchief fluttered slightly in the breeze, stirring its crystal-droplet-laden edges. The silver-ginkgo embroidered pattern appeared deep in color, shifting from a bright gold toward an earthy hue.
This handkerchief was crafted from fine materials, yet the embroiderer’s aesthetic taste left something to be desired—stitching silver ginkgo leaves onto a light purple fabric must have been born of some truly peculiar taste.
Standing by the window, Xie Xuanyi gazed at the swaying handkerchief. As his thoughts drifted off to some unknown destination, he finally withdrew his fingers as if waking from a dream, closed the window, and settled in for the night.
Since he had to head to the academy the next day, Xie Xuanyi woke up very early.
This had little to do with anything else; his top priority was the morning assessment. The nature of this evaluation fell somewhere between a monthly quiz and a midterm exam, grading students into four tiers: Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding. Those receiving Jia, Yi, and Bing would be granted winter break shortly after the assessment, not returning until the start of spring in the coming year, whereas those graded Ding were required to continue studying for a few more days, delaying their winter break by a fortnight compared to the top three tiers.
He was terrified of scoring at the bottom. It wasn’t so much about pride or saving face, but rather that being kept locked up within the school grounds might jeopardize the completion of his mission.
Furthermore, with the deadline drawing closer and closer now, he couldn’t help being overly suspicious of every little thing.
After reading for a while, he felt a lingering sense of daze, recalling less and forgetting more as he eventually arrived at the academy gates. Right on cue, he spotted Shen Shixin stepping down from a carriage, preparing to walk inside.
Clutching the wooden box in his hand, Xie Xuanyi hesitated in place for a brief moment before gritting his teeth and hurrying after him to call out the other’s name.
“Shen… Young Master Shen, your handkerchief.”
He cautiously offered the box forward, not daring to gaze directly at the other, looking lost and disoriented as he stared at the complex, exquisitely patterned collar of the other’s robes.
Shen Shixin lifted the handkerchief from the box, shook it open to inspect it, and wore a half-smile as he asked, “You washed this yourself?”
Having been raised from childhood to look people in the eye when replying, Xie Xuanyi instinctively raised his gaze to meet the other’s upon hearing this, only to hastily look away again, dropping his voice to a whisper: “Yes.”
Amidst his nervousness, he even experienced a brief moment of distraction, thinking: No wonder Miss Wu is infatuated with him and insists on marrying no one else.
Shen Shixin was exceptionally handsome, boasting well-defined facial features with smooth contours. Unlike the deep-set, chiseled looks of Western stars Xie Xuanyi had once seen on television, Shen Shixin possessed an added touch of youthful vibrancy. Directly beneath his right eye sat a very faint, subtle little brown mole, which easily blended into the shadows of his long, slender eyelashes whenever he lowered his gaze.
Xie Xuanyi had once begged the system to help him print out a Polaroid photograph. On it was the smiling face of the young man chatting merrily with his friends; every time he looked at it, his heart ached so fiercely it felt agonizing, yet he remained addicted and couldn’t stop himself from peeking.
From his appearance to his figure, even down to his family background, he was completely faultless.
Such a perfect person seemed to possess boundless patience for everyone else, yet reserved all his impatience and malice exclusively for him.
Before he could snap out of it, the soft, chilled handkerchief was tossed back into his hands. Caught off guard, he looked blankly up at the young master clad in fine brocade.
“How stupid. Who would want a handkerchief that’s been dirtied?”
Where he found the sudden surge of courage, Xie Xuanyi grew bold enough to say, “But… but I’ve already washed it clean…”
“Dirty is dirty; tossing it away is the proper course,” Shen Shixin sneered, refusing to look at him any longer as he turned and strode into the front courtyard. “Why bother washing it?”
Xie Xuanyi’s breathing hitched for a fraction of a second, his lips trembling, unable to squeeze out a single word.
As the tutor distributed paper and brushes, the autumn examination finally commenced.
Even though Xie Xuanyi tried his best to study diligently, the archaic classical texts and unfamiliar characters remained a major barrier. His academic performance during his student days had never been top-tier, let alone in an ancient minor world.
He strained to decipher the obscure, complex strokes, repeatedly pondering and weighing his words before daring to set brush to paper.
The handwriting on the paper bore no resemblance to someone accustomed to soft-bristled brushes; the characters were rounded with distinct strokes, looking childish yet not particularly ugly.
Just as he laboriously finished writing out the answers to the essay questions, the tutor personally walked down the aisle to collect the papers and brushes.
The Xuan paper carried a natural yellowish tinge, and the ink-soaked areas bore the wrinkled texture of dampness drying out.
Coincidentally, Shen Shixin was seated directly in front of him, and as the papers were being collected, he happened to catch a glimpse of the other’s handwriting. True to form, Shen Shixin’s handwriting matched his personality—graceful and fluent, carrying a just-right composure.
It was probably something he could never learn in his lifetime.
Their exam paper was a massive broadsheet encompassing the vast majority of study materials, resembling the combined comprehensive arts and sciences exams from his high school days. By the time it concluded, it was already nearing noon. The exhausted young masters and ladies yawned, forming small groups of twos and threes to head off for lunch. Some harbored secret frustrations and heartache, while others furrowed their brows and muttered complaints, seemingly dissatisfied with the test questions.
Xie Xuanyi refrained from bringing further trouble upon himself, eating his lunch quietly while waiting for the afternoon classes.
The tutor who taught the Four Books to the students had always spoken without mincing words, and today proved especially harsh.
When Xie Xuanyi joined the group of young masters and ladies in paying respects, he vaguely sensed the tutor’s gaze lingering on his face, though it wasn’t a kind sort of scrutiny.
As if to validate his internal premonition, right after the tutor delivered a critical, case-by-case critique of the overall performance, he abruptly shifted gears. Beneath his aged, slightly sagging eyelids, his dark pupils locked directly onto Xie Xuanyi.
“…However, this young Master Xie does not appear to have taken my words to heart.”
His peers dared not voice a peep, though teasing gazes converged upon him with subtle shifts in expression. Filled with bewilderment, Xie Xuanyi looked toward the tutor at a loss.
“Pardon this student’s ignorance, but every word and sentence of the tutor’s teachings has always been firmly committed to this student’s heart; I wouldn’t dare treat them lightly.”
Clearly dissatisfied with these polite pleasantries, the tutor scoffed, “Indeed? If so, why is young Master Xie’s handwriting vulgar and unsightly? It would seem he has never seriously copied the stelae and calligraphy of predecessors in the past.”
Being publicly berated for having ugly handwriting left Xie Xuanyi feeling simultaneously helpless and embarrassed.
There was simply no helping it; he had never studied calligraphy as a child, and his handwriting with a ballpoint pen could hardly be called pretty, let alone brush calligraphy. Besides, he had arrived in this small world at the age of sixteen, leaving him far less time to practice brushwork compared to children who started early.
Seeing that Xie Xuanyi lacked even the courage to argue back, the tutor grew all the more infuriated, casually tossing those few thin sheets of Xuan paper aside.
The pale-yellow hemp Xuan paper fluttered downward like several faded white butterflies, spinning gracefully before landing on the ground.
“You needn’t attend this afternoon’s lessons either. Go summon your study companion or servant, move your desk and seat out to the back courtyard, and copy the passages studied the day before yesterday ten times.”
Seeing Xie Xuanyi frozen in place without moving, a student grew bold enough to guess the tutor’s mind, subsequently urging him in a low, impatient voice: “Hurry up and go, what are you spacing out for? Can’t you tell the tutor is furious?”
The tutor glared at that person, yet didn’t stop them.
Soon, more individuals joined in the chorus of urging.
Xie Xuanyi’s gaze instinctively fell upon Shen Shixin’s face, only to see the other raise an eyebrow and turn his head away, refusing to look at him any longer.
Swept along by words that bordered on outright threats, Xie Xuanyi laboriously hoisted his small desk and seat, stumbling as he walked outside.
He had no servants, let alone a study companion.
Just two days after transmigrating here, the two pageboys had stolen their bonded servant contracts and fled the estate.
Yet this was entirely with his tacit consent.
If anyone had two people giving them a helping hand, who wouldn’t be happy? But those two had actually started getting handsy with the little girl in the courtyard.
Had Xie Xuanyi not been unaccustomed to the lifestyle that night and wandered out into the courtyard to look at the moon because he couldn’t sleep, he probably wouldn’t have discovered it.
Having personally authorized sending the two packing, he managed many things himself from then on, and he didn’t regret it.
Though each day grew colder, the warmth of the afternoon sun remained undiminished; he could feel it even while sitting beneath the eaves of the roof.
He had just changed into the new clothes Gu Cai had sent over last night—brand new and warm though it felt somewhat stifling right at that moment.
The passages the tutor had demanded he copy had just been recited that morning, so they were still fresh in his mind, and copying them proceeded quite smoothly.
Putting down his brush upon completing the final character, he checked the sun’s position and set the brush down with satisfaction. It was earlier than he had anticipated; the other students hadn’t even finished class yet.
When Xie Xuanyi thought to stretch his limbs and stood up, he belatedly realized his back ached, his muscles were sore, and he felt dizzy and lightheaded. His footing gave out completely, sending him tumbling straight to the ground.
Fortunately, it was a patch of turf with soft soil. Only a few spots where he made contact scraped red and suffered some minor skin abrasions.
Despite his sudden, intimate contact with nature, Xie Xuanyi’s attention drifted astray, landing among the dense foliage of a nearby bush.
There… seemed to be something moving in there.
Quickly redeeming a packet of cheap white sugar from the system, he waited for his hypoglycemia symptoms to slowly recede before walking up to the shrubbery and parting the leaves.
Entangled within the gnarled branches was a bird; its nest was nearby as well, though it had already been smashed beyond recognition. The bird appeared to be a fledgling; its feathers were very soft and sparse, and its color was a dusty, earthy brown close to vegetation—quite drab and grey.
The little fledgling rested gently within his palm, neither crying out nor struggling.
Xie Xuanyi was troubled for a moment, feeling entirely helpless regarding its shattered home.
“Hey, what are you looking at? I want to see too!”
A cheerful voice filled with laughter rang out behind him, accompanied by skipping, pattering footsteps. Had it not been for the distinct feminine voice and the crisp, ringing sound of hair ornaments and pearls, Xie Xuanyi wouldn’t have dared to guess.
Before he could even stand up, the young girl trotted over, glanced down, and her eyes lit up instantly.
“Oh, a little bird! Did you find it?”
Xie Xuanyi nodded, proactively retreating a few steps to put some distance between them. Seeing his wary posture, the girl’s eyes rolled, and she burst into a giggle.
“I know it now you’re the one who got scolded and chased out by the tutor, aren’t you? I recognize you, you’re Xie Run’s son, Xie Xuanyi.”
This was the first time Xie Xuanyi had heard someone address Xie Father so directly by his full name.
Prior to this, even Shen Shixin, who always looked down on him, had never been this bold.
Realizing the other party was not yet fifteen years old, Xie Xuanyi silently recited “children speak without restraint” a few times before offering a gentle smile. “Miss Song is truly as innocent and lively as people say.”
Song Yingli wore her hair in a very cute bun, hugging her arms across her chest. Her red skirt was woven with a gleaming gold border. Hearing his formal, business-like tone, she giggled again. “I’ll just take that as a compliment.”
After exchanging a few polite pleasantries, Song Yingli finally noticed the pitiful bird in Xie Xuanyi’s hands.
Ignoring the dirt, she fished the bird’s nest right out of the tree forks with her bare hands, frowning as she poked and squeezed it from both sides. “It should still be salvageable, we just need to reinforce it.”
Seeming to anticipate what Xie Xuanyi was about to ask, she looked up toward Xie Xuanyi’s seat under the corridor porch, then unceremoniously strode over and sat down.
Watching from afar, Xie Xuanyi had no idea where the little girl had picked up such tricks; after fussing with it for a moment, she actually managed to patch the nest back into a decent shape.
Following that, Song Yingli tore off strips of her skirt fabric, using decorative ribbons to tie them around her legs to secure the outer hem of her vermilion-orange lantern-style long trousers. Even the hems of her trousers were draped with a ring of tiny pearls that jingled and swayed with every step she took.
Displaying agility that completely caught Xie Xuanyi off guard, she grabbed onto the tree branches with a couple of nimble movements and climbed up onto a human-height tree fork, her figure vanishing among the lush, verdant foliage.
A moment later, she poked her head out from between the leaves, looking unusually shy. “Oh, I forgot… I only know how to climb up, but I don’t know how to climb down.”
Xie Xuanyi fell somewhat silent as well.
At a height approaching two meters, jumping down could easily result in injury, and his own physical prowess was even inferior to hers; rushing forward to catch her rashly would only spell disaster for himself.
“How about this—I’ll support myself as I back down, and you catch me right before I hit the ground,” Song Yingli hooked her legs around a tree branch, straddling the fork as she waved her hands at him imploringly. “Please, Young Master Xie, for the sake of saving a bird together, pull me down.”
Xie Xuanyi was exceptionally prone to softness of heart, so when the other party descended the tree, stumbled clumsily, and nearly tumbled head over heels, he reacted with lightning speed and caught Song Yingli by both arms.
A narrow escape. Before he could even exhale a breath of relief, a voice that sounded somewhat exasperated and verging on distorted rang out behind him.
“What are you two doing?”