Chapter 40: The White Family's Daughter

Half an hour later.

Accompanied by Han Lao and the others, Luo Zijun successfully received his Student Nameplate for West Lake Academy.

His name was engraved on the nameplate.

Besides that, there were also the four large characters, "Scholar Five Dou."

This was the symbol of his status.

From now on, coming and going from the Academy, visiting the Hidden Book Pavilion, the cafeteria, the classrooms, and other such places would be very free.

If he encountered trouble outside, he could also directly seek help from the government.

If he accidentally committed an offense, those yamen runners would not dare to bind him or use torture at will.

At the same time, any fertile fields or shops at home could also be tax-exempt.

In short, there were many benefits.

Han Lao and the others spoke with him for a while longer, gave him some instructions on things to pay attention to, and then hurried away; they were likely going to find the Dean.

Yuan Mang, meanwhile, continued to accompany him personally, taking him to visit the classrooms, the painting rooms, and other such places.

"Zijun, you can go stroll around other places on your own. With this nameplate, you can go to most places in the Academy. You don't need to attend class today; just familiarize yourself with everything first, and start going to the classrooms from tomorrow."

"I have a class later, so I won't be able to accompany you."

Yuan Mang gave a few more instructions and also left first.

With thoughts on his mind, Luo Zijun wandered around aimlessly for a while, then followed the map on a roadside stone tablet to arrive at the Hidden Book Pavilion.

The Hidden Book Pavilion was located at the far east side of the Academy.

It had nine floors in total and was the tallest building in the Academy.

The books collected inside were naturally extremely abundant as well.

"I hope I can find some useful books inside..."

Thinking this, Luo Zijun stepped onto the stairs.

Just at this moment, a voice full of surprise suddenly came from behind: "Eh, Brother Luo!"

Luo Zijun turned his head to look.

Zhang Yitian was wearing a loose, baggy Confucian robe and trotted over with a face full of surprise: "I heard from Brother Su that Brother Luo might come to report today, but I didn't expect to meet you here; what a coincidence!"

A polite smile appeared on Luo Zijun's face as he cupped his hands and said, "Is Brother Zhang also here to read?"

Zhang Yitian gave a dry laugh, nodded, and said, "Yes, here to read as well."

"Together?"

"Together."

The two walked side by side, ascending the stairs together.

Zhang Yitian said with a face full of smiles, "I didn't expect Brother Luo to truly be a lover of books; you came straight to the Hidden Book Pavilion on your first day."

Previously, he had always followed Su Bie and Wang Dafu in calling this youth "Brother Luo," and his attitude had been indifferent, but ever since witnessing this youth spend ten thousand gold in one throw at Tianxian Pavilion that night, and seeing him get exceptionally admitted to the Academy today, his attitude changed immediately.

It became much more enthusiastic.

"It's my first time here, and I have nowhere else to go, so I just came to read some books."

Luo Zijun replied casually.

Zhang Yitian glanced at him; he had originally wanted to ask about the incident at Tianxian Pavilion that night, but seeing that he seemed to have something on his mind, he didn't dare to ask, and instead smiled: "Brother Luo seems to have something on your mind?"

Luo Zijun hesitated for a moment, looked at him, and said, "Brother Zhang, let me ask you something."

Zhang Yitian hurriedly said, "Please ask, Brother Luo."

Luo Zijun said, "As scholars, if we encounter others bullying us, how should we respond?"

Zhang Yitian was stunned and replied, "We should naturally use reason to instruct them."

"And if reasoning doesn't work?"

"If the other party dares to use force, we report it to the officials."

"And if the other party is holding a blade and there is no time to report to the officials?"

"This..."

Zhang Yitian thought for a moment and said, "If the other party is holding a blade, they are a violent criminal. We scholars must appease them well, look for an opportunity to escape, and then go report to the officials."

"And if you can't run away, and the other party stabs you with the blade?"

"..."

Zhang Yitian was speechless and could only say, "Brother Luo, you..."

"I was just asking casually."

Luo Zijun did not hear the answer he wanted and felt somewhat disappointed.

"It seems that studying is not as good as practicing martial arts."

He sighed.

Zhang Yitian immediately smiled and said, "That's not necessarily true; studying and practicing martial arts each have their own benefits. Those with talent for martial arts naturally practice martial arts, and those with talent for study naturally study. Moreover, as a scholar, one is actually much more comfortable than a Martial Artist; at least one stays away from many dangers."

As the two spoke, they had already climbed the stairs and entered the main gate.

There were guards at the entrance, but they did not stop the two.

Clearly, the Student Nameplates the two carried seemed to be detectable.

Zhang Yitian smiled and said, "It seems Brother Luo has already received your nameplate; I wonder if you have gone to the back mountain to have it verified at the Talent Gem?"

Luo Zijun said, "Not yet."

Zhang Yitian did not doubt him and smiled: "That's true, time is too tight; I reckon you'll have to wait a few days, or until after the Academy Examination next month, to go with those new students. After all, that Niu senior in the back mountain has a bad temper; I heard he only allows people to go once a month. I've never heard of anyone going alone."

The first floor held five rows of bookshelves, all filled with books. Just as Luo Zijun was about to go look, Zhang Yitian immediately pulled him and whispered: "Brother Luo, let's go to the second floor. This first floor is all basic books for learning characters and literature; only the second floor has good things."

Seeing him acting all mysterious, Luo Zijun felt somewhat puzzled.

It's just reading a book, why be so whispering and sneaky?

Someone who didn't know better would think you were going to steal something.

"There is something better to look at upstairs than books."

Zhang Yitian blinked his eyes, smiled mysteriously, and led him to the second floor.

The second floor already had many people, both men and women.

Luo Zijun took a casual glance and saw that the seats on both the left and right were almost full, but in a corner on the left, there were still two empty seats; someone was standing not far away holding a book, yet they did not go to sit.

Zhang Yitian pointed to the side of the bookshelf and said, "Brother Luo, if you want to find a book, you can first look at the label classification above; that way, it will be faster to find."

Luo Zijun nodded and immediately went to look for books.

"About literary talent..."

"Or, stories about ghosts, gods, monsters, and the like..."

!

However, he searched for a long time and did not find what he needed.

"《Levels of Literati》?"

At this moment, he suddenly discovered a book and immediately took it down to flip through it.

But after flipping through a few pages, he found that this book was also not what he needed; the knowledge inside was all things he had read before.

Just at this time, the noisy sounds in the hall suddenly quieted down.

Luo Zijun was just flipping to the last page, lost in thought, so he did not notice.

Until...

He suddenly discovered that the students sitting opposite, regardless of gender, were all looking in his direction.

He was stunned for a moment and touched his own face.

Could it be that there was something on his face?

Or was it because he was too handsome, and appearing in the Hidden Book Pavilion for the first time, everyone was stunned by him?

"Brother Luo, hurry and move aside..."

At this time, Zhang Yitian suddenly waved his hands not far away, reminding him in a low voice.

Luo Zijun immediately realized something was wrong.

He immediately turned his head and looked behind him.

A young girl wearing a pure white dress appeared behind him, currently slightly on her tiptoes, reaching for a book on the shelf.

Sunlight spilled in through the window lattice and landed on her.

Her skin was white to the point of glowing, a head of pitch-black long hair cascaded behind her, and her whole person seemed to be shrouded in a layer of holy light, pure white and sacred, tranquil and dazzling.

At this moment, Luo Zijun could barely see her features clearly.

He could only see the dazzling sunlight all over her body, the snow-white, jade-like skin reflected by the sunlight, and that waterfall-like, pitch-black, glossy long hair reaching her waist.

Some people are sickly white, some people are terrifyingly white.

But this young girl's white was a white that was stunning and suffocating, a white that was beautiful to the extreme and flawless.

"Ice skin surpassing snow" must be a phrase specifically used to describe her.

"What are you looking at! Look again and I'll dig your eyes out!"

At this time, from behind the white-dressed girl, a petite girl wearing a pink dress suddenly walked out; he saw her staring with large eyes, the expression on her face looking fierce, and she was also clenching two small, pink, tender fists.

She was like a little milk-fierce beast about to bite someone.

A four-foot-five-inch loli beast?

Luo Zijun withdrew his gaze, put the book in his hand back on the shelf, and turned to leave.

He decided to go to the third floor to look again.

Passing by Zhang Yitian, he saw that this Young Master Zhang was already like someone who had lost his soul, frozen there without moving.

"Brother Zhang, I'm going upstairs to take a look."

Zhang Yitian then woke up with a start and hurriedly said, "Brother Luo, just read here, you can't get too close, be careful... hmm? Brother Luo, what did you say? Going upstairs?"

His face was full of astonishment.

Luo Zijun smiled and prepared to leave.

Zhang Yitian hurriedly whispered, "This is the Young Lady of the Bai Family, one of the Inner City Four Great Families. I don't know the reason, but she actually transferred here to study... Brother Luo, did you see just now? That kind of appearance only exists in the heavens, no wonder..."

"Brother Zhang, keep reading, I am going upstairs to read."

Luo Zijun did not waste any more time with him, said a word, and then walked away quickly.

What Four Great Families, what Duke mansion, what did that have to do with him!

No matter how beautiful a woman was, in his eyes, she was just an NPC who would disappear at any time.

Can looking at her one more time make you gain weight?

No, looking at her one more time will only make you lose weight!

Luo Zijun went straight to the third floor.

Soon, he found the "Strange Tales" label!

The third floor really had good books!

He immediately started flipping through them on the bookshelf.

At this time, the crisp and milk-fierce voice of that pink-dressed loli suddenly came from the stairwell: "Don't you dare follow me anymore! Whoever comes up, don't blame my, Luo Diudiu's, little fists for not recognizing people!"

Hmm?

Luo Diudiu? What kind of ghost name is that?

And she has the same surname as him?

Luo Zijun could not help but turn his head to look.

(End of chapter)