A Warm Offering, May We Not Be Wasted in the Next Life

Yin Xin helped Zhu Yingtai up from the ground.

Zhu Yingtai's face was covered in sweat, and her hair was slightly disheveled and stuck to her forehead.

She looked down at her hands, which were red from being rubbed against the ground, and her wrists were sore.

She felt both ashamed and embarrassed.

She had initially thought that push-ups, though they looked difficult, might not be too hard to do. After all, Liang Shanbo didn't look particularly strong, yet he did a hundred. But after trying it herself, she realized just how difficult it was.

She only did two before collapsing on the third.

Her brother Liang made a full hundred, and didn't seem to find it too strenuous.

She looked up at Liang Shanbo. Liang Shanbo was sitting on the wooden couch, looking relaxed, even with a hint of a smile. She said with shame, "Brother Liang, I... I am far inferior to you."

Liang Shanbo laughed and said, "Brother, don't be discouraged. Everyone is like this the first time they try push-ups. I only managed a few before I collapsed."

Zhu Yingtai knew he was comforting her, and she was touched.

At this moment, Yin Xin couldn't help but say, "My lord, I want to try too!"

Yin Xin was surprised to see Liang Shanbo do a hundred push-ups, and then she saw her own daughter do two before collapsing. She was both amused and curious.

Zhu Yingtai nodded: "Then you should give it a try."

She was also curious about how many Silverhearts could make.

Yin Xin walked to the open space and, imitating Liang Shanbo's posture, squatted down and placed her hands on the ground.

She was more robust than Zhu Yingtai, with broader shoulders and thicker arms.

She braced herself on the ground, took a deep breath, and began to work.

One, two, three, four.

It wasn't until she did the fourth one that her arms started to tremble violently and her speed slowed down.

But she gritted her teeth and made another one.

By the time she finished the fifth one, she was already exhausted.

She tried to do the sixth one, but when she got halfway down, she collapsed to the ground.

Catching her breath, she stood up, brushed the dust off her hands, and grinned at Zhu Yingtai, saying, "Five times! I did it five times!"

She looked at Zhu Yingtai, a hint of smugness in her eyes.

Zhu Yingtai looked at Yin Xin, feeling both annoyed and amused. This "book boy" of hers had done it three more times than she had.

She glared at Silverheart.

Yin Xin quickly suppressed her smile, lowered her head, and adopted a submissive demeanor, but the corners of her mouth still couldn't help but curl upwards.

Liang Shanbo looked at the master and servant pair and chuckled inwardly.

He knew that most women who didn't exercise much would struggle to even complete a standard push-up. Zhu Yingtai's ability to do two push-ups on her first try was quite good, indicating her physical fitness was not bad. As for Yin Xin, she did five, which was exceptionally talented for a woman.

After resting for a while, Liang Shanbo stood up and said to Zhu Yingtai, "Brother, it's time for us to have our meal."

Zhu Yingtai nodded and stood up as well.

The three of them left the school building and walked along the blue stone path toward the canteen.

On the way, she couldn't help but ask, "Brother Liang, why are you stretching your muscles like this?"

Liang Shanbo paused slightly and turned his head to look at her.

The sunlight fell on his face, making his eyebrows and eyes exceptionally clear.

He said slowly, "My dear brother, this world is not at peace."

Zhu Yingtai was taken aback.

Liang Shanbo gazed at the distant pine forest and mountains, his voice as calm as if he were speaking of something ordinary: "Now, the northern barbarians are eyeing us covetously, while powerful clans are vying for power in the court, and local tyrants are rising up everywhere. Although I am a poor scholar, I dare not remain a bookworm in my study."

He withdrew his gaze, looked at Zhu Yingtai, and smiled slightly: "If one day the country needs my help, I must have a body that can withstand the strain."

As Zhu Yingtai listened, it felt as if something had struck her heart.

Yes, he is Brother Liang!

Brother Liang should have such lofty aspirations, preparing to one day leave Wansong Academy and do something great!

She paused, then said softly, "Brother Liang, I understand."

Liang Shanbo looked at her, smiled, and said nothing more.

The two walked into the cafeteria side by side.

As previously agreed, this meal was prepared in the fine kitchen.

Zhu Yingtai took out the menu and paid the bill for the two of them.

Wild rice. Lamb stew. Vegetable soup. The same meal as yesterday.

The two of them, carrying food trays, knelt down side by side on a straw mat.

Zhu Yingtai picked up the bamboo chopsticks, but did not start using them immediately.

She turned her head and looked at Liang Shanbo beside her. He was already eating with his head down, eating slowly and steadily, his expression focused and serene, as if he were cherishing the taste of every bite of mutton stew and every grain of wild rice, as if the storms of the world were not enough to disturb his peace of mind.

She lowered her head and began to eat.

She ate this meal more slowly than usual.

The mutton stew tasted delicious. The wild rice was also very fragrant. The broth from the mutton stew soaked into the wild rice. She picked up a small amount with her bamboo chopsticks, put it in her mouth, and chewed slowly.

She pondered his words, and suddenly wondered where she would stand if he were to leave Wansong Academy one day to pursue his career.

Has she already married someone else, or is she still by his side?

As soon as this thought arose, it felt as if something had struck her heart again.

She quickly lowered her head and reached for the bowl of soup with her chopsticks, as if trying to cover something up.

The vegetable soup was light, yet she tasted a flavor she had never experienced before…

……

……

Night fell.

Inside the study room of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, the rough pottery lamps were lit again.

The oil-soaked wick, made of hemp fibers, ignited a tiny orange flame that flickered slightly, casting a dim, hazy glow on the walls.

Zhu Yingtai sat on her wooden couch, looking at Liang Shanbo on the couch opposite her, and said, "Brother Liang."

Liang Shanbo turned to look at her.

Zhu Yingtai smiled slightly and said slowly, "Brother Liang, as I told you yesterday, I have a habit of bathing frequently at home. Bathing is inconvenient at this school, so I have decided that from now on, I will wipe myself with warm water every night. I have already asked Yin Xin to go to the canteen to get hot water."

Seeing Liang Shanbo nod, she continued, "Brother Liang, you did push-ups today and sweated a lot, so your body must be sticky. Will you wipe yourself down tonight?"

Liang Shanbo nodded and said frankly, "To be honest, although I come from a poor family, I have a habit of being clean. Moreover, I have decided to do push-ups every day to stretch my muscles and bones, so it is necessary to wipe myself down every night."

Zhu Yingtai's eyes suddenly lit up when she heard him say that.

"That's it!" Her voice was lighthearted. "Brother Liang and I have another thing in common."

Seeing her joyful expression, Liang Shanbo felt a slight stirring in his heart.

Zhu Yingtai then said, "Brother Liang, it's not good for your health to wipe yourself with cold water. Although it's springtime, it's still a bit chilly at night, and cold water can easily cause illness. How about this? Every night I'll have Yin Xin prepare an extra basin of hot water for you. That way, we can both wipe ourselves with warm water, which will be better for our health."

Liang Shanbo paused for a moment and said, "Brother, I already know that getting hot water in the canteen requires paying for firewood, and it's not cheap."

Zhu Yingtai raised her hand and waved it gently, her chin slightly raised, her tone as cheerful as a spring breeze in March: "Brother Liang, there's no need to worry! I can afford such expenses."

It was as if this matter didn't need to be discussed at all.

Looking at her, Liang Shanbo felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "In that case... thank you very much, my virtuous brother."

When Zhu Yingtai saw that he had agreed, her face lit up with a bright smile, and she waved her hand, saying, "Brother Liang, why are you being so polite with me? We're brothers."

She emphasized the word "brothers".

Liang Shanbo nodded, silently thinking to himself, "Now I not only have to live off a woman, but I also have to 'wash my hands of her'."

The corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve into a smile.

He didn't feel much shame. Wiping himself with cold water was indeed bad for his health. And the hot water in the cafeteria was not cheap. If he had to pay for it himself every night, it would add up to a lot of money over the years, an expense that his family couldn't afford given their current financial situation.

In his opinion, Zhu Yingtai would most likely be his wife in this life.

Since his wife is wealthy, it's not unreasonable for him to spend her money earlier...

Thinking of this, he raised his head and looked at Zhu Yingtai, who was already reading under the lamp.

The lamplight shone on her face, making her features appear exceptionally gentle. A faint smile lingered on her lips, as if the conversation had just taken a toll on her heart.

Liang Shanbo withdrew his gaze and lay down on the couch.

The outer door creaked open.

Yin Xin walked in carrying a wooden basin filled with hot water, steam rising gently from it.

She placed the wooden basin beside Zhu Yingtai's bed.

Zhu Yingtai stood up, glanced at Liang Shanbo, and said, "Brother Liang, I need to clean myself now."

Liang Shanbo understood, got up and went out, gently closing the door behind him.

He stood outside the door.

The night breeze blew in from the pine forest, carrying the slightly bitter scent of pine resin, which mingled with the fresh air of the mountain plants.

The sound of the pine trees surging in waves was like distant ocean tides, or like some indistinct whisper.

He gazed at the dark pine forest and mountains in the distance under the night sky, and a smile suddenly appeared on his lips.

The smile contained self-deprecation, relief, and an indescribable solemnity.

He stood in the night in the backyard of Wansong Academy. Behind him, through a door, was an orange-yellow light, and a girl dressed as a boy was willingly letting him live off her and take care of her...

Flowers may bloom again, but youth never returns. It is a rare privilege to have been reborn into this world and granted this chance to be young again. Liang Shanbo, oh Liang Shanbo, do not waste this life!

The sound of the pine trees continued to surge in waves, as if echoing his silent vow.

The night is as dark as the sea, and the lights are like boats.

But his life had only just begun.

Just then, the door behind me opened.

Yin Xin came out carrying a wooden basin and smiled at Liang Shanbo, "Young Master Liang, my lord has finished drying himself and invites you inside. I'll go fetch another basin of hot water for you."

Liang Shanbo smiled slightly: "Thank you for your trouble."

As he spoke, he walked into the schoolhouse, towards the lights, towards her…