Chapter 70
Qiao Hezhi lay curled up on the bed. After soaking his feet in an mugwort packet and tucking them under the quilt, they weren't cold anymore, yet he still pulled the covers right up to his chin, exposing only his eyes as he stared at the now-dim candlelight outside the bed curtains.
In the courtyard, the autumn wind rustled mournfully. The rustling sound of leaves and grass was audible, and occasionally, the wind would buffet against the window with a hong hong hong noise. Even though no draft actually leaked into the room, he still felt a chilly, thread-like coolness inside.
Usually, when Fang Yu slept curled around him, there was always a solid 'mountain' pressed tightly against him, those big feet enveloping his own, ensuring peace and keeping any draft from disturbing his sleep.
But now, lying in the half-empty bed, Qiao Hezhi felt the same hollowness in his heart. A tangled web of grievance quietly tightened around him. He thought to himself: he must be furious to go back alone to Bicang Small Pavilion, truly leaving me here by myself at Xiaotong Courtyard.
He lowered his gaze. He could not truly be blamed for this. Usually, he never refused him anything—he always went along with whatever he wished. And he had always been rather lenient with him. So why get angry over something like this.
Though feeling wronged on his own behalf, he couldn't help but think: if he was truly upset about this, might he go to the outer quarters to seek someone else. Even knowing that a man wouldn't confine himself to just one person, he still foolishly wished to be his one and only.
Lost in these thoughts, he didn't even hear the sound of someone entering the room. It wasn't until the bed curtain was lifted and a person squeezed into the bedding, suddenly reaching out to pull him into an embrace, that he was startled awake.
"You're so cold!" Qiao Hezhi, being held, felt a wave of chill envelop him too. Inside the warm, cozy quilt, it was as if a block of ice had burrowed in. His heart still harbored grievances. So the man had come back after all—but only to press his cold body against him on purpose. It made him feel even more upset. "Don't hug me."
"Stop squirming, let me hold you for a bit. I'm freezing."
"Wasn't it you who wanted me to sleep alone?" Qiao Hezhi said, pouting angrily. "I'm sleeping quite spaciously and warmly by myself. No one's stealing the quilt either."
Hearing this, Fang Yu was almost amused by the anger. "Search your conscience and tell me, when have I ever stolen your quilt? Which night haven't I wrapped you up tightly? Have I ever let a single draft reach you?"
Qiao Hezhi didn't respond to that point, knowing he was in the wrong.
Fang Yu bent his leg and shifted his body, making as if to get up and leave. Qiao Hezhi hurriedly lifted his leg to press down on Fang Yu's leg and wrapped an arm around his waist in return. "Don't go."
Only then did Fang Yu lie back down contentedly.
"I went to take a bath."
Qiao Hezhi lifted his gaze to look at the person before him. "Shouldn't you be warm then?"
"I took a cold bath."
Qiao Hezhi exclaimed in shock upon hearing this. "It's late autumn already, why take a cold bath?"
Fang Yu helplessly tapped the tip of his nose. "You... there are still too many things you don't understand."
Qiao Hezhi opened his mouth but then stopped. Feeling distressed, he rested his head against Fang Yu's chest. "You have to return to the academy tomorrow. Shall I get up early to make breakfast for you?"
"Alright." Fang Yu smoothed the ink-black hair scattered over his chest. "Tomorrow, let's have sour pickled fish noodle soup."
...
The next morning, Fang Yu went to the academy. By now, his name was already well-known throughout the institution. As he stepped out of the carriage, people came forward to greet him. From outside the academy gates to the doorway of his classroom, he was surrounded and trailed by a group of students. For a moment, he felt as if he were back in his teaching days, with a crowd of students following him after class, asking questions and seeking knowledge.
"Fang Jieyuan, could you share some of your provincial exam experience with us?"
"May we trouble Fang Jieyuan with academic questions in the future?"
A crowd surrounded him, chattering and asking endless questions. Some offered condolences for his recent bereavement, others praised his eloquence and skill in the courtroom proceedings, but most inquiries were about academic matters. There was even one particularly outrageous student who asked if he could hire him as a litigation master to help fight a lawsuit.
Fang Yu was momentarily speechless. "If the remuneration is substantial, I wouldn't mind earning some extra money this once. However, if I take the litigation master's fee, I suppose the litigation masters in the city would curse me, a scholar, for not focusing on my studies but instead poaching their business."
"Alright, alright, I know everyone is eager to learn and wants to glean some insights from the provincial exam. Once I've discussed it with the masters and the dean, I will definitely hold a lecture. Everyone is welcome to attend then."
He stood at the classroom doorway, blocking other students from other classes who practically wanted to stick to him as they entered.
"In that case, many thanks to Fang Jieyuan!" Upon hearing there would be a lecture, everyone expressed their gratitude before gradually dispersing.
Finally managing to see off that crowd, his own classmates swarmed around him. "Brother Fang, we're classmates in the same room. You must give us some exclusive secrets!"
Fang Yu chuckled. "Before, whenever anyone in our class had academic questions, which time did I not discuss it with them? Those 'secrets' were imparted long ago."
"I can vouch for that!" Wu Shuyou declared loudly. "Brother Fang explained coursework to me the most times. Now I've passed the prefectural exam."
Everyone laughed. Just as they were immersed in the joy of Fang Yu's return, a dry cough interrupted them.
"Master Zhang."
As stern as ever, the old master entered from the front door, hands clasped behind his back. "The bell is about to ring, and you're still here idly chatting? Do you think the next provincial exam is so far off that you can afford such slackness?"
Everyone scurried back to their seats like mice. When Master Zhang looked back at Fang Yu, his face bore a rare trace of kindness. "Come with me to the masters' room."
Fang Yu obediently followed the master to the masters' room. Once inside, Master Zhang, whose face had been stern for half a lifetime, unexpectedly broke into a smile and said gently, "Sit, please."
Even Fang Yu was somewhat taken aback. Previously at the academy, although he had gained the master's regard, this was the first time he received the treatment of being offered a seat in the masters' room. What shocked him even more was that Master Zhang personally brewed a cup of tea for him. "Bijian tea brought from another province. Try it."
Fang Yu wasn't actually a great connoisseur of tea leaves. However, his in-laws were in the tea business, so over time he had absorbed some tea culture. Yuncheng didn't produce Bijian tea, but he had heard of its reputation. Being offered a seat and served good tea—this was enough to make him float with pride.
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