As soon as Xu Wan arrived, she overheard Zong Wenxiu’s words. The scene of the introverted older brother protecting his younger sibling reminded her of the first time she met Wenxiu, when he was timid, fearful, and begged her to save his mother.
He seemed unchanged, yet also different.
The number of people he protected had grown, and so had his courage.
Luo Chen’s arrogant voice still echoed: “Fine, I’ll reluctantly compete with you. If you lose, you’ll get out of Qingbo Academy. And mind you, only you will leave. Zong Jincheng will stay.”
The little troublemaker looked up in shock. This was clearly targeted at them. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight, but Zong Wenxiu held him back, preventing him from stepping forward.
Just as Zong Wenxiu was about to agree, Xu Wan’s voice suddenly rang out: “Wenxiu, Jincheng.”
The two boys turned their heads toward the entrance and saw Xu Wan walking in, dressed in a casual purple outfit. A golden hairpin had somehow found its way into her hair, and though she smiled, there was an air of elegance and authority about her.
“Madam…” Zong Wenxiu hesitated, fearing Xu Wan would scold him for being impulsive.
To his surprise, Xu Wan simply smiled and casually said, “I heard you were making a bet. Are the terms equal?”
Zong Wenxiu was startled, realizing he had almost forgotten to demand the same stakes from Luo Chen.
“Yes, equal stakes. The one who performs worse will leave Qingbo Academy,” Zong Wenxiu said, turning to Luo Chen. “Do you dare agree?”
Luo Chen’s expression darkened. He sneered, “You can’t possibly beat me, nineteenth placer.”
Zong Wenxiu took a deep breath and replied, “Since you’re so confident, let’s make the bet. I’ll show you what it means to ‘never underestimate someone after a short separation.’”
Luo Chen snorted, “Fine, let’s do it. In a few days, I’ll personally kick you out of Qingbo Academy!”
Luo Chen’s tone was infuriating. Zong Wenxiu disliked such verbal confrontations, but the little troublemaker wasn’t one to let things slide.
Prompted by Xu Wan’s reminder, Zong Jincheng began to worry about Luo Chen reneging if he lost, so he shouted, “Wait! We need to sign and fingerprint the agreement. Otherwise, how do we know you won’t back out later?”
“You!” Luo Chen laughed in exasperation. “Fine, Zong Jincheng, you’re really confident in your brother, aren’t you? Let me teach you a lesson then. Someone, bring ink and a fingerprint pad!”
In the examination hall, two copies of the bet were quickly written.
Luo Chen pressed his fingerprint first, utterly convinced he wouldn’t lose, then provocatively looked at Zong Wenxiu.
Zong Wenxiu, seeing the trust in Xu Wan and his brother’s eyes, pressed his finger onto the pad and then onto the paper.
Luo Chen took one copy and slapped the other onto Zong Wenxiu’s chest, saying maliciously, “In ten days, you’ll be packing your bags.”
Zong Wenxiu took the paper and replied with a smile, “Let’s see if you’ll still be smiling then.”
Luo Chen snorted and left the hall with his entourage.
The students who had been watching gradually dispersed. Lin Yu squeezed in from the outside and said to Zong Wenxiu with concern, “You’re too impulsive. Luo Chen is strong—he’s even better than Qin Ye’s brother. Didn’t you know that?”
Zong Wenxiu smiled and said, “I know he’s strong, but I think I’m stronger.”
“???” Lin Yu’s eyes darted between the two Zong brothers before he suddenly blurted out, “Have you been possessed by Zong Jincheng?”
The little troublemaker’s eyes widened, and he protested angrily, “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Lin Yu gulped and said, “Such bold words—I’ve only ever heard them from you. Hearing them from your brother now is a bit hard to believe.”
The little troublemaker corrected him, “That’s called confidence. Confidence, you understand? What do you mean by bold? Qin Ye’s rude and heartless overconfidence is what’s truly bold!”
Xu Wan sighed helplessly, pinching the bridge of her nose. This little rascal couldn’t go three sentences without insulting Qin Ye. What was the grudge here?
Lin Yu’s mouth twitched as he said, “Don’t go overboard. Qin Ye is the one who deserves to be bold.”
“Nonsense! I’m the one who deserves to be bold!” the little troublemaker stubbornly argued.
“You…!” Lin Yu was defeated by his confidence.
Zong Wenxiu chuckled and said, “Lin Yu, don’t worry. I’m confident I can surpass him, really.”
Lin Yu still seemed a bit concerned. “Alright, then make sure to study hard these next few days. Don’t get nervous during the exam, or it’ll affect your performance.”
“Got it. Thank you,” Zong Wenxiu replied before asking, “By the way, how did you do on the exam?”
Lin Yu forced a smile. “I think I did well. I should get first place. Of course, it’s because Qin Ye and Jincheng are gone, but it’s still first place, haha.”
Zong Wenxiu smiled. “That’s okay. We can compete with ourselves. As long as we’re better than before, that’s progress.”
Lin Yu nodded. “Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind. Good luck to you too. I hope you can kick that annoying Luo Chen out of Qingbo Academy.”
After saying goodbye to Lin Yu, Zong Wenxiu quickly thanked Xu Wan. “Thank you for the timely reminder, Madam. With my simple mind, I would’ve been at a disadvantage otherwise.”
Zong Jincheng frowned upon hearing this.
His brother said he had a simple mind, but neither of them had thought of it earlier. Were they really no match for Xu Wan?
The little troublemaker couldn’t help but ask Xu Wan, “How did you think of that?”
Xu Wan smiled gently. “It wasn’t so much thinking as it was experience. You’re both young and pure-hearted, so you naturally assume others will keep their word like you do. But people are different. Some are cunning and don’t value promises. That’s when written agreements become necessary.”
“So, among the Hundred Schools of Thought, do you prefer Legalism?” Zong Wenxiu asked.
Xu Wan nodded. “Yes, human nature is complex. Morality alone isn’t enough to constrain it. Governing and acting with laws make things simpler and more thorough.”
Zong Wenxiu agreed. “That’s true.”
The little troublemaker trailed behind, unusually silent for the first time, his mind spinning with their conversation.
Once they were in the carriage, Zong Wenxiu relaxed, and a wave of fear washed over him.
He was just a concubine’s son, able to attend such a prestigious academy only because of his aunt’s kindness. If he lost and had to leave, she would surely be angry and disappointed. He might even lose the chance to study altogether.
Zong Wenxiu didn’t have Zong Jincheng’s confidence or the luxury of being forgiven for any mistake. The more he thought about it, the more terrified he became, fearing Xu Wan might tell him he’d never study again if he lost. The source of thɪs content is novel⟡fire.net
His anxiety grew, his fingers clenched tightly, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead—more than when he had faced Luo Chen earlier.
“Brother, what’s wrong?”
Zong Jincheng, sitting beside him, noticed his arm growing stiff and turned to see his brother trembling.