My Wife Is A Sword Immortal
Chapter 356 - 263 Mr. Zhao?_2

Chapter 356: Chapter 263 Mr. Zhao?_2

Zhu Yourong knew that there were many things her disciple wanted to ask but hadn’t, revealing them only occasionally with a sudden question, like the one not long ago when she asked if Zhu was tired.

She answered with a smile.

Zhu Yourong felt that this was enough.

Rigid, stubborn, conservative, and dull, yet occasionally spouting strange but interesting remarks, who could say that her little Xuanji was not a rare and exceptional woman in this world?

By the flower garden’s table, Zhu Yourong smiled sweetly, put down her teacup, and stretched out her hand... to give a rub.

Yu Huaijin stiffened, her head slightly bowed under the ’loving hand’ of a ’teacher’s affection heavy as a mountain.’

Her gaze lowered to the table, her voice serious, "Teacher, please restrain yourself."

Zhu Yourong laughed happily, retracting her hand that had been ruffling her disciple’s head.

A strand of blue hair slid down to the right cheek of the rigid woman.

Yu Huaijin pursed her lips, her expression stern as she raised her hand to sweep the strand behind her right ear.

Zhu Yourong narrowed her eyes and nodded with a smile.

Yu Huaijin lifted her eyes to look at Zhu.

Zhu Yourong quickly hid her expression, her mouth returning to its usual state. She looked away, glancing left and right, then suddenly as if discovering something, she pointed at the cucumber and Ink Heart Red Fruit that Yu had placed together on the table, asking curiously,

"What are these?"

Yu Huaijin followed her gaze...

Zhao Rong wandered aimlessly inside the Yilan Pavilion for a while, not because he didn’t know the way to the flower garden, but because he had been following Yu Huaijin, who seemed in a hurry and likely still angry. After some thought, he decided not to follow her right away.

Instead, he took a look at the flowers and plants around and was surprised to find an unexpected variety of orchids. There were many that he, a man having traveled far and wide across Half Continent, could not even name.

Zhao Rong curiously admired the orchids for a while and then, checking the position of the sun, figured that a certain uninteresting person might have finished grumbling by now. He picked up a leftover cucumber and headed towards the flower garden...

Soon, within the flower garden.

"Here." Zhao Rong formally presented the cucumber with both hands, setting it down on the table, "A small token of appreciation, Brother Yourong, please accept it without refusal."

After speaking, he made himself at home by sitting in an empty seat at the table, picking up a small teacup with two fingers, his eyes bright as he watched the smiling Zhu Yourong... and her teapot.

He ignored the expressionless gaze that Yu Huaijin cast from the seat beside him.

Zhu Yourong nodded with a smile and poured Zhao Rong a cup of orchid tea, "Ziyu is too polite."

According to their previous agreement, they could address each other as equals in private, which suited Zhu Yourong well since it made it convenient to ask Zhao Rong for calligraphy advice. At that moment, having requests of his own, Zhao Rong found it acceptable.

However, the gaze of a certain rigid woman constantly reminded them that while addressing each other informally was permissible, overstepping boundaries was not.

But, Zhao Rong and Zhu Yourong had an understanding.

Zhao Rong glanced down at the orchid tea in his hand, his thoughts drifting to another cup of the same tea that a certain someone had not finished drinking.

He fixed his eyes on the surface of the tea and suddenly said, "Brother Yourong, I’ve always been curious, how did you recognize me at the crossroads that day? Or was it something I said along the way that gave me away?"

Zhu Yourong quirked her lip, trying to hold back a laugh, and coughed into her fist, "Ziyu, we met a long time ago, don’t you remember?"

Zhao Rong blinked in surprise, setting down his teacup, and asked tentatively, "You mean... the time I brushed past you when Teacher Li Jinsu brought me into the Academy?"

Zhu Yourong nodded, seeming to sense Zhao Rong’s confusion, and then lightly laughed as she explained.

"Although I didn’t turn my head to look at you then... you know, my Cultivation is fairly decent, and some movements around me can still be seen with Divine Sense. Although at that time, I didn’t think that the gentleman with the distinguished air was you, the very person I was looking for as a collaborator for adding characters."

"But when I arrived at the side gate of the Academy, I learned from that mischievous girl Jingzi and some other scholars outside that not long ago, Ziyu was taken away by Teacher Yan’s eldest disciple, Li Jinsu. Only then did I realize I had already met Ziyu."

Zhao Rong’s mouth twitched.

Zhu Yourong chuckled again, "That day at the crossroads, when I saw you walking in the opposite direction of Lanzhou Crossing, I thought I had taken the wrong path, so I asked. But then... ahem, I never expected Ziyu to have such a sense of humor. However, skipping classes is not right and you’re not allowed to do it next time."

Seeing the smile on her face and Yu Huaijin’s curious, probing gaze, Zhao Rong quickly lowered his head to drink tea, feeling extremely embarrassed. Without a trace, he changed the subject:

"Um, Teacher Zhu, why did you ask me to come today?"

Zhu Yourong narrowed her eyes as she observed Zhao Rong for a few moments before her smile faded. After a moment’s thought, she spoke softly of the real business that had brought people here today...

As he listened, Zhao Rong’s expression gradually became stunned, but Yu Huaijin showed an even greater reaction.

Her tone became serious, "Teacher, please reconsider!"

Zhao Rong pointed to himself and said, "Zhu Yourong, are you suggesting that I help you with the Calligraphy classes of three schools, as your... assistant?"

The woman in the Confucian robe nodded with a smile, then turned her eyes to the frowning Yu Huaijin and made a pressing gesture in the air with her palm.

Yu Huaijin hesitated to speak.

Zhao Rong was also surprised; he had not expected Zhu Yourong to give him this kind of task, acting as a substitute teacher for Calligraphy classes... Teacher Zhao? But good grief, there are just six schools in total, and he was tasked with three of them, taking up half! And from what she suggested, was he to be fully responsible?

Zhu Yourong continued, "Ziyu, it is not so unusual for an assistant to take over a teacher’s lessons. From time to time, Xuanji also substitutes for some Art Studies teachers. Of course, being fully in charge of three schools as an assistant might be rare, but I believe in your capabilities, Ziyu. You can handle three schools with ease."

Zhao Rong’s eyes twitched. Please, no, don’t praise me like this. It feels as if you just want to slack off from writing and trick me into doing the grunt work?

Yu Huaijin couldn’t help but intervene, "Teacher, this is more than rare; it’s unheard of. Leaving aside whether Brother Zhao is up to the job, just teaching three schools’ coursework would take up much of his time and energy. The mid-monthly exams are coming up soon, and he also needs tutoring in his weaker subjects. There’s no way he has so much spare time... Don’t you think so, Brother Zhao?"

She turned her head, looking earnestly at Zhao Rong.

Zhao Rong glanced at her but did not immediately respond. In fact, he also felt resistant as it was a troublesome matter, but... Zhu Yourong wouldn’t expect him to work for free, right? Cough cough, unless what she offered was... too much.

Zhao Rong glanced sideways at Zhu Yourong, whose lips were slightly upturned, and did not immediately commit to a response.

Seeing him apparently ready to join in the mischief, Yu Huaijin’s frown deepened. She turned to the woman in the Confucian robe and said sternly:

"Teacher!"

Zhu Yourong paused, her smile fading, and then she spoke slowly:

"I’m really running short on time, often getting so engrossed in my writing that I forget about classes. Xuanji, after you and the other students mentioned it to me last time, I gave it some thought and found this solution quite suitable. I trust in Ziyu’s abilities..."

She hesitated, "However, taking care of three schools is indeed a bit much, so let’s make it two schools, no fewer. That’s settled then. As for the duration, let’s start today and see how it goes until the end of the next mid-monthly exam. Ziyu, how do you feel about that?"

Zhu Yourong’s tone left little room for discussion, causing Yu Huaijin to swallow her words. With a furrowed brow, she remained silent for a moment.

Both the master and disciple looked at Zhao Rong awaiting his response.

Zhao Rong looked down at his teacup, feeling the stillness in the air. He cleared his throat softly, picked up the cup with grace, and took another sip, "Teacher Zhu, this tea is quite good."

He looked seriously at Zhu Yourong.

Seeing his reaction, she pursed her lips with a smile, "Ziyu, this tea is just average. Tea brewed with Zhengguan Well Water is truly delicious. You’ve also tasted it before. Nowadays, I’ve... given almost all of it to you. But as a reward for Ziyu’s hard work in teaching, although this water is hard to come by, I do have some special ways to get more of it. I can brew a warm cup for Ziyu to ward off the autumn chill."

Zhao Rong tilted his head, gazing at the flowers to the side, and after a moment of silence, he lightly nodded.

"Very well."

He smiled faintly.