She was not in a position to watch, but because you were willing to go.

That afternoon.

Sunlight streamed into the Jiazhai Lecture Hall through the windows.

Mr. Yang Su sat behind his desk in the center of the lecture hall.

Yang Su was nearly fifty years old, with a gaunt face and a grizzled goatee. He wore a dark blue linen robe and a grayish-blue headscarf wrapped around his head, the corner of which swayed slightly as he spoke.

"...The second line of the hexagram says: 'Firm as a rock, not waiting all day, perseverance brings good fortune.' Wang Fusi's commentary says: 'When in a state of ease, one attains a proper position and occupies the middle ground, remaining steadfast and upright, not seeking ease unjustly. One is not obsequious to superiors, nor disrespectful to inferiors. One's integrity is like a rock, acting upon seeing the opportunity, not waiting until the end of the day, therefore perseverance brings good fortune.'"

Yang Su spoke in a calm tone, holding a scroll of the Book of Changes in his hands, which was Wang Bi's annotated version.

His lectures were also very conventional; he followed the annotations line by line. He simply repeated Wang Bi's annotations exactly, rarely offering his own insights.

The students below the classroom were either copying notes, gazing unfocusedly, or forcing themselves to stay awake.

Sun Yuangui's head started to spin again, little by little.

Zhu Yingtai knelt beside Liang Shanbo, her mind completely elsewhere in the lecture hall.

Her mind was filled with the words Sun Yuangui had said to Liang Shanbo when he entered the lecture hall—

"I've already arranged to meet Xiao Hu tomorrow at noon. You will fight him outside the back gate."

She was stunned.

Brother Liang, are you going to fight Xiao Hu? That tall, strong, and ruthless Xiao Hu?

Although she hadn't witnessed Yu Yanzhi's fate firsthand, she had heard a rough outline from her classmates' descriptions. Yu Yanzhi had been lifted up by Xiao Hu and slammed to the ground, sustaining some injuries, his hair was disheveled, and he was mocked by the people of Yizhai.

If Brother Liang were to meet the same fate...

Her heart felt as if it had been tugged by an invisible hand.

She was about to say something to Liang Shanbo when the lecture hall suddenly fell silent. The figure of Mr. Yang Su appeared outside the window. She had no choice but to swallow the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

Throughout the entire class, she was distracted, feeling that Yang Su's voice was like a fly buzzing in her ear.

After much difficulty, Yang Su finally finished explaining the text of the second line of the Yu hexagram in the Book of Changes, and walked out of the lecture hall with his book in hand.

Zhu Yingtai immediately turned to look at Liang Shanbo.

Liang Shanbo was tidying up the paper and pen in front of him, his movements unhurried and deliberate.

"Brother Liang," Zhu Yingtai called out.

Liang Shanbo turned his head and looked at her.

Zhu Yingtai's lips moved, but she felt that now was not the time to discuss it in detail. So she lowered her head sullenly, haphazardly put the paper and pen in front of her into her bookcase, then stood up and said in a low voice, "Let's go."

Liang Shanbo nodded.

The two walked out of the lecture hall one after the other, and along the bluestone path, headed towards the schoolhouse in the backyard.

Throughout the journey, Zhu Yingtai remained silent. She walked beside Liang Shanbo, her eyes fixed on the bluestone pavement beneath her feet, her lips slightly pursed, and her brows slightly furrowed.

Liang Shanbo turned his head and glanced at her.

He noticed her sullen expression.

He knew what she was worried about.

He didn't say anything, but simply walked silently beside her, his pace matching hers.

Back at the schoolhouse, Zhu Yingtai went straight into the inner room and sat on her wooden couch. Liang Shanbo also went into the inner room and sat on the wooden couch opposite her.

The water bowl had not yet been placed between the two wooden couches.

Zhu Yingtai remained silent for a while before raising her head to look at Liang Shanbo, her eyes filled with concern and worry.

"Brother Liang," she said softly, "do you really intend to go to war with Xiao Hu?"

Liang Shanbo looked at her and nodded: "Yes."

Her voice rose slightly, and she spoke faster: "Brother Liang, although I did not personally witness Xiao Hu fighting with anyone, I saw him on the road. He was so tall and strong. His arms were thicker than my legs. His hands were as big as palm-leaf fans."

As she spoke, she unconsciously gestured with her hands, then put them down again.

"Brother Liang, how could you possibly defeat him?" Her gaze swept over Liang Shanbo, as if assessing his physique. "Look at you. Although you're not exactly thin, you're far inferior to Xiao Hu."

A hint of anxiety crept into her voice: "Besides, Xiao Hu acted without restraint. Yu Yanzhi was injured today and didn't come to the lecture this afternoon. Brother Liang, why did you do this? What will happen if you get injured?"

Liang Shanbo listened quietly as she finished speaking, a warm feeling welling up in his heart. He smiled slightly and said, "Thank you for your concern, my dear brother."

He said confidently, "Please rest assured, my dear brother. I am quite confident."

Zhu Yingtai looked into his eyes. Those eyes were clear and bright, calm and serene.

But she still didn't believe it.

Her voice lowered, a hint of unease creeping in: "Brother Liang, could it be that you're after those three thousand coins?"

Liang Shanbo remained silent.

Seeing that he remained silent, Zhu Yingtai suddenly felt a complex mix of emotions.

Brother Liang, he was after money.

He came from a poor family to study in Qiantang. His mother lived alone in Shanyin, and they were already struggling to make ends meet.

He was fed at the school every day. Although she treated him to fine meals, he only accepted that one meal. He insisted on paying for his own breakfast.

Apart from the few pieces she gave him yesterday, the rest of his clothes were cheap and old.

Yes, how could someone like him not be short of money? He challenged Xiao Hu, definitely for those three thousand coins. Three thousand coins is a considerable sum for him.

Thinking of this, her nose felt a little sore.

She composed herself, looked at Liang Shanbo, and tried to make her voice sound calm: "Brother Liang, please don't take offense. If you need money, I can lend it to you. Not to mention three thousand coins, ten thousand coins would also be fine."

Fearing she might hurt his pride, she added, "With Brother Liang's talent and ambition, he will surely amount to something in the future. It's not too late to repay him when he's successful. I trust Brother Liang."

Liang Shanbo looked at her. Her eyes and brows were full of sincerity and concern.

A warm feeling welled up in his heart.

This Zhu Yingtai, despite disguised as a man and carefully concealing her identity at the school, was so generous and sincere towards him.

She feeds me once a day.

She paid for a basin of hot water every night.

Yesterday in the county town, she bought him paper, ink, a brush, a belt, a headscarf, and a long robe, spending 1,410 coins without batting an eye.

Now that she heard he was going to challenge Xiao Hu, she offered to lend him money, even ten thousand coins would not be a problem.

Liang Shanbo smiled slightly and said earnestly, "To be honest, my reason for challenging Xiao Hu this time is indeed for those three thousand coins."

Zhu Yingtai's eyes flashed.

Sure enough. She guessed right.

Liang Shanbo then said with certainty, "However, please rest assured, my brother. I am quite confident. I am not a reckless person."

Zhu Yingtai looked at him, her lips moved, but in the end she did not try to persuade him further.

She knew that Brother Liang, though seemingly gentle and composed, would not easily change his mind once he made up his mind.

That day at the Grass Bridge Pavilion, he proposed to her to become sworn brothers. She said "okay," and he took it seriously, making a solemn oath to heaven without any hesitation.

That day at the school, he said he wanted to do push-ups, and she said, "Brother Liang, that's enough," but he still did a hundred.

Today, he said he wanted to challenge Xiao Hu, and she tried to dissuade him, but he wouldn't listen.

She knew that further persuasion would be useless.

She lowered her head and sighed softly.

There was helplessness, worry, and a hint of respect in that tone.

Yes, I admire you.

Her brother Liang, despite being short of money, refused to lend her any. He preferred to fight Xiao Hu and earn the three thousand coins on his own.

With a slight smile, Liang Shanbo called out, "Brother."

Zhu Yingtai raised her head.

Liang Shanbo asked with a smile, "Would you like to come and watch the battle tomorrow at noon, my worthy brother?"

Zhu Yingtai was taken aback.

Watching? To see men fighting shirtless?

She's a daughter...

But this time, it's Brother Liang who's going to fight Xiao Hu, how can she not be there? How can she feel at ease if she doesn't see it with her own eyes?

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Since Brother Liang is in conflict, I should naturally stand by."

A warm feeling welled up in Liang Shanbo's heart again.

Asking her to go and watch the game was putting her in a difficult position, but she still agreed.

Because it was him.

She was not in a position to go, but you made her willing to go!