A prominent family has a mentor like Meng, while a poor family awaits the door to open.

That evening.

The setting sun painted the western horizon a warm orange-red.

The summer evening breeze blows from the pine forest, carrying the scent of pine resin and the fresh aroma of grass and trees.

Zhu Yingtai stood at the entrance of the school, took a deep breath, and turned to Liang Shanbo, saying, "Brother Liang, it's still early, shall we go for a walk in the back mountain?"

Liang Shanbo smiled and nodded: "Okay."

Two months have passed since they arrived at Wansong Academy, and the two have already visited the back mountain several times.

Immediately, the two passed through the back door of the school and arrived at the field outside.

The setting sun shone on the fields, where foxtail grass and plantain had grown to knee height. The fluffy dandelion seeds swayed gently in the evening breeze, with one or two occasionally being blown away, their fine fluff floating in the air.

The two crossed the wilderness and embarked on a winding path leading into the mountains.

The mountain path is lined with dense pine forests.

The pine forest in summer is different from that in spring. In spring, the pine needles are tender green, while in summer they have turned a deep green, dark and heavy, weighing down the branches and blocking out the sun.

The last rays of the setting sun filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, shining on the soft ground covered with pine needles, and on the little flowers, both known and unknown.

Occasionally, a squirrel leaps across the branch, its bushy tail flashing before it disappears. The branch sways slightly, and a few more pine needles fall gently down.

The aroma of pine resin becomes increasingly rich in the evening; it is not an intense fragrance generated by the heat, but a mellow and settled aroma.

The sound of the pine trees was different from what I heard in the school.

Inside the schoolhouse, the sound of the pine trees was muffled by distance, making it seem far away and dull.

In the mountains, the sound of the pine trees surges in from all directions, pressing down from above, rising from below, and enveloping you from all sides, as if carrying an ancient and solemn meaning.

But the sound of the pine trees made the mountains seem even quieter.

Zhu Yingtai walked beside Liang Shanbo with a leisurely demeanor and slow pace. Occasionally, she would stop to look at the pine forest, the sunset over the trees, or her brother Liang beside her.

The two continued walking forward.

The mountain path took a turn ahead.

After turning this corner, the view suddenly opened up before you.

A clearing is nestled halfway up the mountain, with a cliff edge at its edge. Thick moss grows on the cliff face, which is so green it's almost black from absorbing moisture, and it shines brightly in the setting sun.

A thin mountain spring flows down from the cliff, leaping and tumbling among the rocks, creating tiny, scattered splashes of water with a tinkling sound.

In the center of the open space stood a thatched hut.

The thatched roof glowed golden in the setting sun, its edges neatly trimmed. Several strings of bamboo wind chimes hung from the eaves, tinkling in the evening breeze, echoing the sound of the mountain spring. A fence made of split pine wood surrounded the front of the house, with vines climbing up them, dotted with tiny wildflowers.

Zhu Yingtai stopped and gazed at the thatched cottage. She turned to Liang Shanbo and smiled slightly, "Brother Liang, look at Mr. Meng's pine fence. Bathed in the evening light, it appears even more secluded and otherworldly."

Liang Shanbo smiled and nodded: "Brother, you are right. This thatched hut stands quietly in the evening light, in this clearing surrounded by pine trees, as quiet as if it were part of the mountain, as if it had stood here for thousands of years."

Zhu Yingtai's gaze lingered on the pine fence for a long time before shifting to the thin mountain spring on the cliff face and the few clumps of orchids shrouded in mist beside it.

Suddenly, she thought of something, turned to look at Liang Shanbo, and said in a low voice, "Brother Liang."

Liang Shanbo looked at her.

She carefully considered her words, her eyes showing a hint of seriousness: "Do you think that among the teachers at Wansong Academy, only Mr. Meng truly possesses profound knowledge?"

Liang Shanbo's gaze shifted slightly.

Zhu Yingtai continued, "Mr. Yao, Mr. Shi, Mr. Tao, Mr. Yang, and other gentlemen all lectured in a very conventional manner, simply reciting from the textbook, and rarely offering any unique insights. But Mr. Meng is different. When Mr. Meng lectured, he quoted extensively from classical texts and drew on a wide range of sources. What he said was something he had pondered and thoroughly understood."

Liang Shanbo nodded and lowered his voice, saying, "Brother, you're right. Every time I listen to Mr. Meng's lectures, I feel I benefit greatly. But when I listen to other teachers' lectures, I feel I gain very little."

His gaze fell upon the pine fence, upon the tinkling wind chimes under the eaves: "Mr. Meng didn't simply transplant the things of his predecessors and pile them up. He thoroughly understood them, internalized them, and then articulated them. That is 'comprehension'."

"Yes!" Zhu Yingtai repeated softly, "That's the word."

She suddenly sighed softly, "It's a pity that Mr. Meng only lectures at Jiazhai once every five days. It would be wonderful if I could become Mr. Meng's disciple."

Wang Shu and Gu Jun often listened to Master Meng's lectures in this pine-shaded enclosure. The Master taught them things he didn't teach in the lecture hall. It wasn't the lecture style of the lecture hall; it was a close-knit relationship between teacher and student, where the student could ask questions when he had doubts, and the deeper the questions, the deeper the Master's answers. That kind of teaching was true teaching.

Seeing the regret on her face, Liang Shanbo smiled and said, "Since you have such aspirations, why not go and seek it out? With your talent, perhaps Mr. Meng will be willing to accept you as his disciple."

Zhu Yingtai laughed and shook her head: "I wouldn't do that. Why would Master Meng, who takes me as a disciple, possibly look favorably upon me?"

She gazed at Liang Shanbo, her eyes brightening: "Brother Liang, if you were to plead with Mr. Meng, you would most likely succeed. You possess the ability to memorize anything at a glance, and your knowledge and insight are unmatched in Jia Zhai. If Mr. Meng has discerning eyes, he shouldn't have missed you."

Her expression was full of sincerity and confidence in him.

A warm feeling welled up in Liang Shanbo's heart. He knew that she wasn't just being polite, but genuinely believed that he was worthy of becoming Meng Wenlang's disciple.

"Thank you, my dear brother. This matter requires the right opportunity to succeed."

Liang Shanbo said with a smile, then looked thoughtful.

He had long desired to become Meng Wenlang's disciple.

Because Meng Wenlang was a truly learned man, becoming his disciple meant that one could frequently listen to his lectures, and these lectures were not the kind held in a classroom, but rather a one-on-one transmission of knowledge between master and disciple.

There is another important reason.

He knew that Meng Wenlang came from a prominent family and had once served as an official. Although he later resigned and went into seclusion to teach at Wansong Academy, he had produced some accomplished disciples and students. Meng Wenlang had extensive connections in the court and among scholars.

In his view, once he became Meng Wenlang's disciple, Meng Wenlang would likely help him, a poor boy, to achieve success.

In this era, for children from humble backgrounds to rise above others, talent alone is certainly not enough. They also need someone to mentor them, someone to introduce them, and someone to open the door that the powerful clans and aristocratic families had tightly shut for them.

In his view, Meng Wenlang might be the one who would open the door for him!

The last rays of the setting sun gradually faded.

Zhu Yingtai said, "Brother Liang, it's getting dark, let's go back."

Liang Shanbo nodded.

The two turned around and, accompanied by the sound of the pine trees, walked down the mountain path they had come from, towards the school, towards the future...