Chapter 5

"May I ask, Young Master Zhou, how is a light-year calculated?"

"Do you know what the fastest speed in the world is?"

"Zhiqian is ignorant, please enlighten me, Young Master Zhou."

"It is the speed of light. Light can travel around the Earth's equator 7.5 times in half a breath, which is the fastest speed I know. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year."

"You can even measure the speed of light! May I ask how long the equator is?"

"1 meter equals 3 feet, and the equator is approximately 40,076 kilometers."

"Heaven! The speed of light must be..."

So fragrant! Zhou Xingyun was suddenly shaken. Xu Zhiqian had squatted beside him at some point, listening intently to his explanation, her beautiful face close to his. The scent of the woman made his heart race.

"Do you believe me?"

"Zhiqian is not sure. But the Earth you drew, I know a few places, which some Western merchants told me about, but they didn't describe it as detailed as you. You even know how vast our world is and how far the heavens are. Zhiqian has never dared to imagine these things before... Indeed, there are always people better and skies higher. I don't know what words to use to describe Young Master Zhou's extensive knowledge."

"Miss Xu, you flatter me."

Zhou Xingyun suddenly realized he had said too much. Now, Xu Zhiqian looked at him with bright, starry eyes.

"Please don't be modest, Young Master Zhou. Your words are like pearls, and your explanations are all reasonable. Today, Zhiqian has been fortunate to learn from you, which is better than reading for ten years or traveling ten thousand miles. I have truly benefited greatly."

"Miss Xu, I have told you everything, what should be said and what shouldn't. Now it's your turn to evaluate whether my 'answer' is correct."

"Zhiqian is ignorant and failed to recognize your greatness. Please forgive me, Young Master Zhou."

Xu Zhiqian's pale cheeks suddenly turned red, feeling ashamed for her impertinent words.

She had only intended to use a provocation tactic to gauge Zhou Xingyun's knowledge, but she never expected him to be so erudite, leaving her face black with embarrassment.

"It's getting late, I need to return to the mountain villa."

Zhou Xingyun was so engrossed in his explanation that Xu Zhiqian was equally captivated. They had lost track of time, and it was already late afternoon. His stomach growled in protest as he hadn't eaten lunch.

Zhou Xingyun never imagined that the strange knowledge in his mind could impress the daughter of the Xu family so much. Looking at the neatly written characters and diagrams on the ground, he even admired himself a bit.

Indeed, these things should not be seen by the disciples of the villa. Otherwise, they would surely call him crazy. Zhou Xingyun had promised his mother, Yang Lin, not to mention these peculiar things to anyone. He had been momentarily bewitched by Xu Zhiqian's beauty, but now, as he calmed down, he felt a bit regretful.

To avoid gossip, Zhou Xingyun decided to erase all traces and quickly swept away the characters on the ground with his feet.

"What are you doing, Young Master Zhou! Don't erase it! Don't erase it! This is invaluable wealth! Please let me copy it down first..."

"This is all just my own fabrication, nothing worth remembering."

From birth to now, Zhou Xingyun had experienced one failure after another. He no longer trusted the alternative memories in his mind, believing them to be mere delusions. If Xu Zhiqian harbored expectations for these delusions, it would only harm both of them. Zhou Xingyun could not let her fall into the same trap as he had.

Determined, Zhou Xingyun quickly erased the characters on the ground. Xu Zhiqian could only pace anxiously, watching the characters disappear with regret.

Fortunately, as a talented woman, Xu Zhiqian had an excellent memory, even to the point of photographic recall. She had already memorized the key knowledge Zhou Xingyun had explained.

"Third Senior Brother is in trouble! Many soldiers have come from the city, surrounding the Jian Shu Mountain Villa, saying we kidnapped the daughter of Magistrate Xu."

"Are you kidnapped?" Zhou Xingyun turned to Xu Zhiqian, feeling helpless. Although he knew it was a misunderstanding, the involvement of the soldiers would surely lead to a scolding from his uncle.

"Your teachings and imaginative ideas made Zhiqian so engrossed that I forgot the time to return home. My father must have waited for me for a long time at the foot of the mountain, worried about my safety, and thus sent a large group of people to visit us."

"Do you mean it's my fault?" Zhou Xingyun was at a loss, and Xu Zhiqian modestly lowered her head.

The Jian Shu Mountain Villa was surrounded by hundreds of soldiers, but fortunately, both sides remained restrained, without any tension. Or perhaps, the Jian Shu Mountain Villa, a well-known righteous sect, often assisted the government in capturing criminals, so the soldiers would not act rashly without understanding the situation.

Indeed, Magistrate Xu's actions were driven by his love for his daughter. Xu Zhiqian was always punctual, and if she said she would return at noon, she would never be late.

When Zhou Xingyun and the others returned to the Jian Shu Mountain Villa, Xu Zhiqian politely apologized to everyone and then followed the magistrate back home.

Since the fault was not with Zhou Xingyun, Yang Xiao only gave him a few words of advice, warning him not to get too close to the daughter of an official to avoid trouble, and then let him rest.

"Uncle, the day after tomorrow is Mr. Su's birthday. Can I go with you?"

"Yes, but remember, Mr. Su is a long-term customer of our Jian Shu Mountain Villa. Don't cause any trouble at the birthday banquet."

"Understood."

"Also, many young and talented people will attend the banquet. Try to make friends with them, and if you can't, don't offend them."

"What if they have designs on Second Senior Sister?"

"Go ask your uncle..."

Yang Xiao was both amused and exasperated. He could never understand Zhou Xingyun's thoughts, whether in the past or now. A normal conversation suddenly turned to romantic matters.

However, both Xingyun and Yuan Ying were of marriageable age, and it was time for them to settle down.

Zhou Xingyun could become a loafer in the Jian Shu Mountain Villa, doing nothing all day, thanks to Yang Xiao's indulgence. Despite the elders and seniors of the Jian Shu Mountain Villa mostly looking down on Zhou Xingyun and his mother, his uncle Yang Xiao and his eldest uncle Tang Yanzhong cared for him deeply.

To put it bluntly, in the Jian Shu Mountain Villa, apart from his mother, only his grandmaster, master, and eldest uncle cared for him. The rest treated him and his mother like a plague, avoiding them whenever they met...

"Third Senior Brother, your eyes?"

"Don't mention it, I had insomnia last night."

"I get it! Senior Brother must be infatuated with the daughter of the Xu family, tossing and turning all night!"

"I already have Second Senior Sister." Zhou Xingyun replied insincerely, but he had to admit that Xu Zhiqian was very attractive. From last night to now, her image had been in his mind. Even though he reminded himself that Tang Yuan Ying was his fiancée and not to fantasize about the daughter of the Xu family, he found it hard to control his feelings.

"Senior Brother, tell me, what did you and Miss Xu talk about in the pavilion by the cliff yesterday? The way she looked at you was like the moonlit autumn water. I bet she likes you."

"Brother, wake up, it's morning. Don't daydream. The daughter of the Xu family would never look at me, a third-rate figure in the martial world. It's absurd to say anyone likes me. Besides... I won't see her again."

Zhou Xingyun was self-aware. Xu Zhiqian's interest in him was purely out of curiosity, attracted by his peculiar theories. Once she thought about it at home, she would realize that yesterday's teachings were baseless and mere fantasies.

When Xu Zhiqian realized his words were unrealistic, she would not come to see him again. Thinking of this, Zhou Xingyun felt a strange sense of sadness...

"Third Senior Brother, look over there, I won this time."

Wu Jiewen excitedly pointed to the villa square, where Xu Zhiqian stood out like a crane among chickens, standing gracefully. However, the downside was that Zhao Hua had beaten him to it, chattering incessantly around Xu Zhiqian.

"Miss Xu, the Jian Shu Mountain Villa is surrounded by mountains and water, with many beautiful sights you haven't seen. Why don't I show you around and let you enjoy the clear and beautiful scenery?"

"I appreciate your kindness, Young Master Zhou. I came today to meet Zhao Hua and Young Master Zhao."

Xu Zhiqian responded cleverly, leaving Zhao Hua bewildered.

Zhao Hua, to befriend Xu Zhiqian, had boldly impersonated Zhou Xingyun yesterday. Now, he couldn't tell the young lady that he was actually Zhao Hua.

Just as Wu Jiewen noticed Xu Zhiqian, she also saw Zhou Xingyun coming to the square for morning practice.

Thus, Xu Zhiqian, under everyone's watchful eyes, ran gracefully to Zhou Xingyun and performed a deep bow: "Thank you for your care yesterday, Zhiqian greets you."

Instantly, the disciples practicing on the square stopped, staring at Zhou Xingyun, puzzled by why the daughter of the Xu family was treating the notorious loafer of the villa so kindly.

"Miss Xu, you're making things difficult for me." Zhou Xingyun felt guilty. The beauty of a woman could bring trouble, a lesson he had learned from a young age.

Tang Yuan Ying was his fiancée, and the disciples of the villa already envied and hated him to the extreme, often picking fights with him. Now, with the addition of the daughter of the Xu family, his life would be even harder.

However, Zhou Xingyun honestly admitted that when he saw Xu Zhiqian, his heart was filled with joy and happiness.

"Young Master Zhou, your talents are vast, and I can't even catch up. I hope you will take me as your disciple and teach me, guide me, and resolve my doubts."

Xu Zhiqian's words were like a thunderbolt, stunning the disciples of the villa.

"Miss Xu, are you joking with me?"

"Joking with me?"

"Are you teasing me?"

"No, every word is from my heart. How dare I tease you, sir."

"I don't take disciples, and I'm not qualified to take disciples. Please, Miss Xu, let me off."

This woman is indeed toxic! Zhou Xingyun was already at his wits' end. Now, the disciples looked at him as if he were a kidnapper, believing that he had deceived the innocent daughter of an official with sweet talk.

"Miss Xu, the world is dangerous and people's hearts are unpredictable. Please don't be misled by the words of a small person and go astray."

"That's right, know the person, but not the heart. Please think carefully, Miss Xu."

Zhao Hua hurriedly advised, and the surrounding disciples echoed, subtly slandering Zhou Xingyun's character.

However, what truly frightened Zhou Xingyun was not the gossip but the approach of Tang Yuan Ying, sword in hand, step by step.