Bai Ruxue stood outside Shang Jiuli's courtyard gate, not knowing how long she had been standing there.
She felt empty inside, her mind completely blank.
Bai Ruxue couldn't even feel the passage of time.
She didn't know how much time had passed.
When Bai Ruxue came back to her senses, the door of the bamboo building had already opened.
Bai Ruxue shivered, her heart filled with panic.
Her eyes darted around as she concealed her presence and hid behind a tree.
Xiao Mo and Shang Jiuli came downstairs together and walked out of the courtyard.
Standing at the gate, Xiao Mo bowed to Shang Jiuli, "Senior Sister has worked hard during this time."
"To say it wasn't hard would naturally be a lie, but Junior Brother is indeed very talented." Shang Jiuli yawned. "Besides, Senior Sister's nights have been quite fulfilling recently~""..."
If this were before, when his senior sister said such ambiguous things, Xiao Mo would have argued back a few words but now, Xiao Mo was already used to it.
"Alright then." Shang Jiuli accepted the pearl. "Then Junior Brother, take care. I'm going back to sleep too. Junior Brother has kept me busy for over two months. Finally, I can get a good night's sleep."
"Senior Sister, please don't see me off."
Xiao Mo turned around to walk back but after taking just a few steps, under the bright moonlight, Xiao Mo saw a corner of a dress showing from behind a tree.
A breeze blew, and the woman's silvery-white long hair floated in the air, carrying traces of moonlit luster.
"Ruxue?" Xiao Mo called out.
Hearing Xiao Mo's voice, the young woman behind the tree trembled and quickly ran forward.
Seeing Ruxue like this, Xiao Mo didn't need to think to know what was happening, and he hurried to catch up.
"I didn't expect to be discovered after all. It looks like Junior Brother won't have an easy time tonight."
Standing at the courtyard gate, Shang Jiuli watched the direction where Xiao Mo and Bai Ruxue left, her eyes carrying the look of someone watching drama unfold.
"By the way, Senior Brother Luo, you've been secretly watching from the shadows all this time. That's not very appropriate, is it?" Shang Jiuli looked toward a boulder on the right.
As Shang Jiuli's words fell, Luo Yang emerged from behind the boulder.
"Senior Sister, in the dead of night, coming to someone's courtyard like this is not the behavior of a gentleman~" Shang Jiuli said with a smile.
Luo Yang didn't respond to her but threw a letter toward her.
Shang Jiuli reached out to catch it. The envelope bore the seal of the Confucian Academy.
"I just returned from the Confucian Academy tonight. The Palace Master asked me to bring you a letter. But seeing Junior Brother with you, I didn't want to make things awkward for you both. I stood there for a full hour, only to be called 'ungentlemanly.'"
Luo Yang shook his head helplessly and continued speaking.
"Prepare yourself. In two months, the Confucian Academy will conduct your academy headmaster assessment."
"So soon?"
Shang Jiuli was somewhat surprised.
The scholars of the Confucian Academy had many ranks.
From bottom to top, they were: Sage, Gentleman, Righteous Gentleman, Academy Headmaster, Academy Administrator, Academy Grand Libationer, Accompanying Saint, Academy Dean, and Confucian Academy Palace Master.
Shang Jiuli was already a "Righteous Gentleman."
She thought her next assessment should be in four years, not expecting it to come today.
Luo Yang shook his head, "With your scholarship, this isn't fast at all. And Junior Brother Xiao's gentleman assessment should also be coming soon."
"They're all just empty titles." Shang Jiuli shook her head and casually put away the envelope. "But thank you for delivering the letter, Senior Brother."
"No need to thank me." Luo Yang looked at Shang Jiuli and didn't immediately leave.
"Does Senior Brother have something else?" Shang Jiuli asked.
Luo Yang spoke calmly, "You seem to value Junior Brother Xiao quite highly?"
"What are you saying, Senior Brother?" Shang Jiuli smiled. "He's our only junior brother, isn't he?"
Luo Yang held his gentleman's sword and tilted his head, "At first, you might have truly only seen Xiao Mo as a junior brother, but now, especially after you've spent more than two months alone with Junior Brother Xiao at night, I'm not so sure but speaking of which, Junior Brother Xiao is indeed very popular.
Whether in temperament or scholarship, countless women at White Deer Academy secretly admire him."
Shang Jiuli smiled, "If Senior Brother didn't always have such a cold appearance, many women would like you too."
"Women would only slow down my book-reading and sword-drawing speed."
Luo Yang raised his head and looked seriously at Shang Jiuli.
"Senior Sister, this Demon Empress of the North Sea's reverse scale has never been on herself. Her reverse scale is always Junior Brother Xiao. Although the relationship between humans and demons seems harmonious now, undercurrents are actually surging.
If the North Sea can remain neutral, or even stand on humanity's side, it's mostly because Junior Brother Xiao is human."
"I'm still aware of this."
Shang Jiuli leaned against the fence.
"It's said that this Demon Empress of the North Sea is ruthless in her methods and mature in character, but in front of Junior Brother Xiao, she's like a little girl, as gentle as a little rabbit. To be honest, when I first met this Demon Empress of the North Sea, I thought I was seeing things."
Luo Yang shook his head, "Cultivators are not heartless beings. When some cultivators meet their beloved, they will ultimately reveal the softest part of their hearts. This has nothing to do with their cultivation level but don't think that this Demon Empress of the North Sea has such a gentle character.
She's only like this toward Junior Brother Xiao."
"Senior Brother actually understands these matters of love?" Shang Jiuli said with a smile.
Luo Yang: "..."
"Alright, alright, Senior Sister won't tease Senior Brother anymore. With Senior Brother's personality, how could you possibly understand romantic love?" Shang Jiuli covered her mouth and laughed. "Speaking of which, the North Sea isn't monolithic either. The grudge between humans and dragons runs deep. Can Bai Ruxue really keep them in check?"
"That's not something we need to consider." Luo Yang looked directly into Shang Jiuli's eyes. "Senior Sister should just treat Junior Brother Xiao as a fellow disciple and not harbor any unnecessary thoughts."
Shang Jiuli's eyes curved with amusement, "Senior Brother, you're wrong about that. Could I really steal someone's beloved?"
Luo Yang glanced at his junior sister, said nothing more, and simply turned to leave.
After a long while, Luo Yang's voice came from the dim forest, "Who knows?"
The man's voice scattered with the wind.
The night breeze ruffled Shang Jiuli's dress.
She raised her head, gazing at the bright moon.
Her slender figure under the moonlight appeared like a green bamboo.
After a long time, Shang Jiuli smiled charmingly, "He's obviously just a junior brother, nothing more."