Yingtai is in danger, Shanbo saves her.

The water of Qiantang Lake is a vibrant green, shimmering in the sunlight.

The lake is wide, and the distant Shizeng Mountain is reflected in the lake, its green color blending with the emerald green of the lake.

The willows by the lake are lush and green, with thousands of slender willow branches hanging down and swaying gently in the wind.

Reeds grow densely along the water's edge. The reed leaves are long and narrow, with finely serrated edges. Several egrets take flight from the reeds, skim across the lake, and in the blink of an eye, they fly away, becoming tiny white dots that disappear behind the distant mountains.

Several fishing boats were slowly moving on the lake, the fishermen punting with bamboo poles. Black cormorants stood at the bows of the boats. Occasionally, a cormorant would plunge into the water, splashing up a spray, and then emerge a moment later, a shimmering silver fish in its beak.

Zhu Yingtai took a deep breath, her lungs filled with the scent of the lake, the willows, and summer—cool, moist, and refreshing. She felt an indescribable sense of exhilaration.

"How beautiful!" she couldn't help but exclaim, her voice clear and gentle.

After saying that, he didn't immediately feel that there was anything wrong with it. His eyes were still looking at the lake and the distant mountains, and a smile was still on his lips.

But Jia Boyang, who was standing next to her, suddenly turned his head and squinted at her.

Zhu Yingtai felt that gaze, her heart tightened slightly, and she quickly composed herself, restoring her usual calm demeanor.

But it was too late.

Jia Boyang's gaze lingered on her face for a few moments, then moved down to her neck, before returning to her eyes. He said, "Brother Zhu, you just said 'so beautiful,' but to me, the voice sounds somewhat like a woman's?"

Zhu Yingtai's heart sank.

In the academy, she would deliberately lower her voice and try to imitate the tone of a man's voice. Moreover, except when she was in front of Liang Shanbo, she would try to remain silent in front of others.

However, when she is lost in her own world, when she is too immersed in something or a scene, her voice will unconsciously become clear and soft, revealing her true womanly nature.

Over the past month, she had inadvertently revealed herself to Liang Shanbo several times. Brother Liang never questioned her.

She was so engrossed in the beautiful scenery that she forgot to pretend, and her "How beautiful!" came out too naturally, revealing her true colors.

She forced herself to remain calm, lowered her voice, and tried to make it sound deep and rough: "How can you call yourself a woman? It's probably just that the wind is strong by the lake, and your voice has been distorted by the wind."

Jia Boyang smiled and then looked at Zhu Yingtai's neck. Although Zhu Yingtai had deliberately folded her collar tightly to cover her Adam's apple, a small section of fair skin was still visible, which was more delicate than that of an ordinary man.

"Brother Zhu is fairer and more handsome than the average man."

Jia Boyang spoke again, and every word he uttered was like a needle piercing Zhu Yingtai's heart.

Zhu Yingtai's hands unconsciously clenched tighter.

At this critical moment, a clear voice rang out.

"Brother Jia."

It's Liang Shanbo!

Liang Shanbo took a step closer to Zhu Yingtai, his shoulder almost touching hers. He smiled, his gaze calmly fixed on Jia Boyang: "Brother Jia, what's wrong with Brother Zhu being fair-skinned and handsome? I saw Brother Sun's younger brother the other day, and he looks even fairer and more handsome than Brother Zhu!"

He glanced at Sun Yuangui: "Brother Sun, am I talking nonsense?"

Sun Yuangui, who was admiring the lake view, turned around when he heard Liang Shanbo call him and asked, "What did you say, Brother Liang?"

Liang Shanbo said, "Brother Jia just now said that Brother Zhu is fair-skinned and handsome. I said that I saw your younger brother a few days ago, and he looks even fairer and more handsome than Brother Zhu. Am I lying?"

Sun Yuangui said, "Brother Liang's words are true. My younger brother is thirteen years old and is extremely fair-skinned and handsome. More than once, people have mistaken him for a woman dressed as a man, which has caused quite a stir. I am also fair-skinned, but I can't be considered handsome, otherwise people would also mistake me for a woman."

As he spoke, he burst into laughter.

Yu Yanzhi stood to the side, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

Jia Boyang's expression changed, and he looked at Zhu Yingtai again before saying to Liang Shanbo, "To be honest, Brother Liang, sometimes when I look at Brother Zhu, I feel that she looks like a woman."

Zhu Yingtai was startled.

This sentence is more direct and explicit than the previous two.

Liang Shanbo suddenly placed a hand gently on her shoulder, with an affectionate, brotherly touch and a sense of protection.

She turned her head and glanced at Liang Shanbo.

Liang Shanbo didn't look at her, but said to Jia Boyang, "Brother Jia, your words today have offended Brother Zhu. Brother Zhu and I are sworn brothers and share a room. If she were a woman, how could I not know?"

At this point, his tone turned serious: "Does Brother Jia perhaps think I, Liang Shanbo, am a fool?"

Sun Yuangui laughed and said, "Brother Liang is a fool? In our Wansong Academy, who doesn't know that Brother Liang is a prodigy who excels in both literature and martial arts? If someone like Brother Liang is a fool, then wouldn't all of us be considered idiots?"

Although Jia Boyang disliked and envied Liang Shanbo, he couldn't help but feel a certain respect for him. Now, after Liang Shanbo's words, he dared not be sarcastic anymore. He forced a smile and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Zhu Yingtai: "I was presumptuous. Please forgive me, Brother Zhu."

Liang Shanbo then withdrew his hand from Zhu Yingtai's shoulder, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over Zhu Yingtai's earlobe. He thought to himself, "Fortunately, most women from prominent families in the Eastern Jin Dynasty did not have their ears pierced, so Zhu Yingtai did not have her ears pierced either, otherwise it would be difficult to explain her ear piercing."

Women from prominent families during the Eastern Jin Dynasty generally did not have their ears pierced. This reflects the Han Chinese custom that "our bodies, hair, and skin are given to us by our parents, and we dare not damage them." When they wore earrings, they mostly used dangling or plugged-in styles, without the need for piercing.

After calming herself down, Zhu Yingtai looked at Liang Shanbo, who was already listening to Sun Yuangui speak, as if what had just happened was just a small episode during their boat trip on the lake, not worth mentioning.

Sun Yuangui spoke in a loud and excited voice, saying, "The best time to visit Qiantang Lake is in the summer. The lake water rises, the mountains turn green, the willows turn a vibrant green, and the reeds grow tall."

In another month, the lotus flowers in the lake will bloom, and that will be truly beautiful! The lake will be filled with lotus flowers, pink and white, stretching as far as the eye can see. Rowing a small boat through the lotus blossoms, the lotus leaves are taller than a person, and the fragrance of the lotus flowers is intoxicating…

As Sun Yuangui spoke, he led the group to enjoy the scenery by the lake.

As if by telepathy, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai deliberately failed to keep up with Sun Yuangui's pace.

At this moment, Liang Shanbo, seeing that Sun Yuangui and the others had all left, turned to Zhu Yingtai and said with a smile, "Brother, are you tired from walking? Shall we go sit in that thatched pavilion over there?"

He pointed to a thatched pavilion nearby.

Zhu Yingtai nodded and walked with him toward the thatched pavilion.