NOVEL NEXT Chapter 26 - III
Zhang Qiwen and the Li family were the first to leave, descending the back mountain swiftly.
After descending and walking a few steps, Mother Li called out to Zhang Qiwen with an embarrassed look on her face: “Master.”
Zhang Qiwen was confused and asked, “What’s wrong? Is something amiss?” Zhang Qiwen felt that since the Li family’s plea was successful, everything should be fine.
Mother Li looked at Li Huasui and said, “Master, I want Huasui to go to the young master to apologize. Do you think that’s okay?”
Zhang Qiwen thought of that day and recalled that Li Huasui’s original apology was not particularly sincere. He looked at Li Huasui and asked, “Li Huasui, do you want to go?”
Li Huasui thought for a while and nodded, appearing a bit subdued.
However, Li Huasui had just praised Jing Xingzhi, and Zhang Qiwen felt reassured about him, thinking that he was genuinely remorseful.
Zhang Qiwen raised his eyes and saw Jing Xingzhi coming down the mountain road immediately, saying, “Then wait here; you know the way anyway. I will take your mother and brother to the teahouse in the front yard. Don’t take too long.”
Zhang Qiwen intentionally took Mother Li and Li Huamin away, understanding that Li Huasui might feel embarrassed with his family present. Acknowledging one’s mistake can be extremely uncomfortable, especially without any face left in front of family.
Li Huasui breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that Teacher Zhang remained approachable. He also reminded himself not to mistreat people who were easy to talk to in the future.
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Meanwhile, after Jing Xingzhi descended the back hill, he realized there was no afternoon class due to missing the class point.
Thinking about the upcoming meeting with Fang Qichen tomorrow morning, he was relieved that he wouldn’t have to attend class. In a happy mood, he headed to the dining hall as it was already noon.
Spotting Li Huasui waiting for him at the intersection, Jing Xingzhi stopped and waited for him to speak.
Li Huasui approached, bent down, and sincerely apologized, “Jing Xingzhi, I’m sorry for what happened before.”
Jing Xingzhi felt a mix of emotions, considering he couldn’t be angry with Li Huasui—the original body he needed to apologize to were gone.
If Jing Xingzhi hadn’t intervened, Li Huasui and others would have faced the death of an unexpected person. The idea of someone stealing money then died unexpectedly seemed absurd.
Jing Xingzhi, uninterested in whether to forgive or not, recalled that Li Huasui was close to Zhu Da and others, likely aware of who pushed him into the water.
Asking Li Huasui, “Do you know who pushed me into the lake?”
Li Huasui admitted truthfully, “It was Zhu Da who pushed you.”
“I understand, thank you,” Jing Xingzhi nodded, turning his gaze to Li Huasui, “As for you, I have the result I want. If there’s nothing else, I’ll go first.”
He then walked towards the dining hall.
Li Huasui stood there; a bit dazed. Lowering his head, he clenched his fists, realizing his emotions weren’t as uncomfortable as expected.
Jing Xingzhi’s calm and indifferent demeanor surprised Li Huasui, contrasting with how he would have handled such a situation with hatred and anger. Jing Xingzhi seemed detached, doing what he wanted and achieving the desired results without dwelling on malice or injustices.
Apologizing or not won’t impact Jing Xing at all. Li Huasui clenched his fists, staring at Jing Xingzhi’s retreating figure, thinking to himself that they would surely meet again in the future.
After Jing Xingzhi vanished from sight, Li Huasui walked faster towards the academy’s outer courtyard, where the teahouse for students’ families was located. The academy’s road was empty as other students were in class.
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Upon reaching the teahouse, Li Huasui ordered tea for his mother and brother. After a brief moment, Zhang Qiwen, who had something to attend to, paid the bill and left.
Li Huamin sipped tea and looked around curiously, while Li Huasui, spotting his family, approached and suggested leaving. He touched his brother’s head, saying, “If you want to drink, finish it quickly.”
Li Huamin gulped down his tea, and Mother Li took her son, heading to pay for the tea again. Mother Li insisted on leaving the money, asking the waiter not to accept Teacher Zhang’s money next time.
Walking away, Mother Li asked Li Huasui about his apology. Seeing his silence, she thought he was embarrassed and scolded him for not expressing regret. Li Huasui, reflecting on the encounter, mentioned that Jing Xingzhi was not a young master but from a family like theirs.
Mother Li was surprised, realizing she hadn’t noticed the ordinary fabric of Jing Xingzhi’s clothes. Li Huasui chuckled at his mother’s thoughts, then decided to teach his younger brother how to read again and send him to school in the second half of the year.
Li Huamin eagerly asked, “Brother, are you free?”
Li Huasui gently touched his brother’s still-red forehead, reassuring him, “I will make time for you, but you must study hard.”
“Good, good, good!” Li Huamin rubbed his head against his brother and shyly added, “When I learn well in the future, I’ll buy you a house made of gold.”
He had been hearing his brother talk about gold rooms in books recently.
Li Huasui was momentarily surprised but nodded with a smile, saying, “Okay, little brother, I’ll wait for you to send it.”
Mother Li, watching her eldest son converse seriously with the younger one, laughed, “A golden house in books won’t come to you on its own. You have to earn it through your studies!”
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Jing Xingzhi finished his meal and returned to the quiet school building.
Wu Mingrui was absent, leaving Jing Xingzhi alone in the room. The courtyard was silent as everyone was in class, reading, or engaged in other activities.
Preparing for a nap, Jing Xingzhi laid on the bed. Even in repose, the true energy in his body circulated autonomously, gradually accumulating and increasing.
Practicing his family’s Qi technique for twenty years in modern times had ingrained habits into his body. The true Qi in his meridians would circulate on its own, eliminating the need for deliberate cultivation. It occurred naturally, albeit at a slightly slower pace.
This foundation allowed Jing Xingzhi to focus on living the life of the original body. He could continue attending classes without taking a half-year leave, efficiently handling his responsibilities.
After some contemplation, he identified two remaining issues—Zhu Da and Zhang Kaiwei.
Zhu Da had directly caused the original body’s death by pushing him into the water. Zhang Kaiwei, while more behind the scenes, was closely connected to the incident. Both couldn’t be let off the hook.
Jing Xingzhi touched his chin, considering the academy’s populated environment. He didn’t want to draw too much attention, so discreet actions were necessary.
Or perhaps… he could see who among the two was audacious enough to provoke Lao Tzu first. Both Zhu Da and Zhang Kaiwei were petty, and Zhu Da, at the moment, didn’t seem malicious towards him, likely because Zhang Kaiwei took away the hostility. It might be interesting to watch them clash first.
After a nap and some reading, the room was filled with various voices congratulating Jing Xingzhi on becoming Fang Qichen’s disciple. He wondered how the news spread so quickly as his classmates crowded in, expressing their congratulations.
“Xingzhi, you’re always the top in exams. You must be the chief’s disciple!”
“Exactly! Others may use tricks, but real ability shines through.”
“Congratulations, Xingxhi, on becoming the chief’s disciple. I heard you’ll be studying in a cottage in the future, missing out on someone to discuss matters with.”
“Okay, I heard the chief chose you among three people. How did you catch his eye?”
These words sound the same and lack substance. After letting them talk for a while, Jing Xingzhi interrupted at the right time and asked, “Who did you hear this from?”
“It was Zhang Kaiwei! He went back to class, and then he was chased and asked, so he told everyone that you were accepted as a disciple by the chief!” a classmate said honestly.
The first to commit tai chi started jumping up and down.
Jing Xingzhi blinked: “The chief accepted me as his disciple.” He paused and added, “But the chief won’t be so hasty in accepting a disciple. I think he will need time to assess me. It’s too early to talk about this now.”
After hearing Jing Xingzhi’s words, some people ignored it, while others stared blankly, not revealing their thoughts. They were all smart people, but some had pure minds, while others were smart yet useless.
Observing their expressions, Jing Xingzhi felt pleased. It was free provocation, and it didn’t cost a thing.
After sending these people away with a smile, the sun was almost setting. Jing Xingzhi couldn’t help but think of another person – Liu Fang.
The more Jing Xingzhi thought about it, the more disappointed he became. He shook his head in disappointment: “Xiao Fangfang is much cuter than them.”
His eyes glanced at Wu Mingrui’s bed, and Jing Xingzhi added, “Brother Mingrui is a good man.”