He had merely kept her from falling, while she had saved his life.

Not the same.

Lu Shi said sincerely, “I still owe the eldest miss.”

The girl smiled. “Then continue owing. Next time I fall from a horse, at least save me first.”

In a person’s life, if one reflects carefully, there are always a few momentary decisions that seem like being possessed by a ghost.

Like this moment.

Lu Shi suddenly felt that becoming Tang Qiling’s student wasn’t bad—at least this girl before him was quite interesting.

“The eldest miss should call me Senior Brother Lu.”

“Father, he’s really my senior brother?”

Tang Zhiwei blinked, seemingly not quite believing it.

Tang Qiling didn’t answer his daughter’s question but stroked his beard and looked at Lu Shi.

Lu Shi felt that in his twenty-two years, he’d never been so shameless and fickle as this moment.

“Please, Teacher, bestow a courtesy name upon me.” He bowed deeply.

Since ancient times, a man’s courtesy name was bestowed by an elder or teacher.

Tang Qiling thought for a moment. “Do you like the characters ‘mountain stone’?”

Before Lu Shi could answer, he heard Tang Zhiwei say, “Stones from other mountains can be used to polish jade—Father, why not use ‘polish jade’?”

Tang Qiling frowned and shook his head. “Attack is not appropriate.”

“Mountain stone, mountain stone…”

The girl’s lips curved in a smile. “Senior Brother Lu, my father is complaining you talk too little.”

Lu Shi’s lips moved, but he heard Tang Qiling say, “There’s already one chattering beside my ears. If there’s another, will your father’s old life survive?”

“Whoever says Father is old, I’ll quarrel with them.”

The girl pulled Tang Qiling to sit down, her manner cocky. “In the capital, how many young ladies and young wives still want to marry Father.”

Tang Qiling reached out and tapped her.

“Father, marry another. Having someone to talk with would be good.”

She rested her chin on her hand, eyes narrowed. “Father just needs to add one line to the marriage contract: Must treat my daughter well.”

“Saying such things, aren’t you afraid your mother will come find you at midnight?”

“That would be perfect. I’ll discuss it properly with Mother, get her to nod in agreement—otherwise my father’s life is hard.”

“Tang Zhiwei.”

“Yes, my father, your daughter is here. What are your orders? Should I pour wine for you, or should I serve you dishes?”

“You…”

“You’re really a mischievous spirit, a troublemaker, completely outrageous.”

The girl imitated Tang Qiling’s tone.

“Tomorrow, copy the Spring and Autumn Annals one hundred times. One hundred is too many—ten times then. Lin Bi, you watch her. Don’t let her copy at night—be careful of her eyes.”

“You!”

Tang Qiling looked helpless. “Your mother spoiled you rotten.”

“Just Mother alone?”

The girl was full of confidence. “Isn’t there anyone else’s contribution?”

“By the time the master and miss finish this verbal lawsuit, even daylilies will be cold.”

The round-faced maid came over carrying a wine pot, pouring for Tang Qiling, then asked, “Young Master Lu, have a little too. This is rice wine from your southern region, warm it before drinking—it won’t go to your head.”

Lu Shi: “…”

“Lin Bi, I want to drink a little too.”

“Which young lady drinks wine?”

“Father… Father…”

“Just pour her half a cup. Today is New Year’s Eve—drinking a little won’t hurt.”

Lin Bi stamped her foot. “Just half a cup, not a drop more. And the master can’t drink too much either—drinking too much harms the body.”

“My poor father—even drinking wine must be managed.”

The girl laughed while wailing, “This life—I can’t live it anymore!”

“You…”

Lin Bi stamped her foot again, saying resentfully, “Master, please control her. She’s completely lawless.”

Master Tang said seriously, “Today is New Year’s Eve. I’ll manage her tomorrow—definitely tomorrow.”

The girl winked at Lin Bi, her face smug with triumph.

The room was warm, the wine fragrant. Master Tang’s smile was indulgent, the girl’s smile sweet. Lu Shi’s world was earth-shattering.

He suddenly thought of the woman thousands of li away.

If she had been born into a good family, if she’d had a husband who cherished her, would she have rubbed Lu Shi’s head with her hand and said gently:

“Son, today is New Year’s Eve—you can have half a cup!”

“Senior Brother Lu.”

The girl suddenly turned her head. “Keep vigil with me tonight. My father has endless official business. In previous years it was my mother…”

“Alright.”

Before she finished speaking, Lu Shi had lowered his brows and eyes submissively and agreed.

“Alright what?”

Tang Qiling coughed heavily. “First go write an essay. Eight hundred characters. Your teacher’s topic is: Magnificent indeed, the people cannot name it; majestic indeed, his achievements; brilliant indeed, his culture.”

“Father, today is New Year’s Eve.”

“Can’t write essays on New Year’s Eve?”

“Hmph, Father was never this strict even with His Highness.”

“His Highness also didn’t become my student at age twenty-two.”

The girl stuck out her tongue, leaned over, covered her mouth and whispered, “Senior Brother Lu, these words are from the Four Books. They mean…”

“I know.”

Lu Shi looked at the girl’s long lashes. “After I finish, I’ll accompany you…”

“You won’t finish this essay in less than two shichen.”

The girl smiled. “I’ll have Lin Bi keep me company. I’ll let you off.”

That she could quote from the Four Books already shocked Lu Shi greatly. Now she mentioned two shichen—clearly she had written this essay before.

Lu Shi said nothing more and went to the outer room to write the essay.

The teacher’s meaning was clear—becoming his student at twenty-two meant starting very late. Even on New Year’s Eve, you must study.

I must study, and study to some distinction. Otherwise, how could I deserve the girl calling me “Senior Brother Lu” with every other breath?

Halfway through writing the essay, the New Year’s Eve banquet in the warm chamber ended.

She walked to his side, looked down for a while, and commented to herself: “Good opening, the thesis is quite novel, but this calligraphy…”

He stopped writing and looked up.

She immediately stopped speaking and smiled at him sweetly. “Senior Brother Lu, Happy New Year.”

…

Lu Shi became Tang Qiling’s student. Previously, he had only accepted the Crown Prince as a student. In other words, Lu Shi became the Crown Prince’s fellow disciple.

Lu Shi never felt his status had actually undergone earth-shattering changes.

He still lived in the back courtyard, still tended horses during the day.

The only change was that in the evening, when Tang Qiling returned from the yamen, he would call Lu Shi to the study. After drinking a cup of tea, instruction would begin.

When Tang Qiling lectured, that girl would always arrive punctually. She listened even more attentively than he did, occasionally asking a few questions softly.

What made Lu Shi feel earth-shattering again wasn’t Tang Qiling’s vast learning, but the girl’s intelligence.

Actually, “intelligence” wasn’t sufficient to describe it.

Music, chess, calligraphy, painting, the Four Books and Five Classics—she almost learned everything immediately, understood at a hint.

Lu Shi considered himself clever, but his bit of cleverness was completely inadequate before the girl.

How could such a girl exist in this world?

It was as if when Heaven threw her into the mortal realm, it showed her extra favor.

From that day on, Lu Shi reduced his sleep from three shichen to two.

Late at night when he was truly too tired, he would draw up a bucket of well water, wash his face with cold water, and continue studying with his head buried in books.

After finishing his books, he would practice calligraphy for half a shichen.

On New Year’s Eve, she hadn’t finished that sentence: This calligraphy is too poor.