Chapter 10

"......No." Hu Yunjiao was taken aback, thinking carefully, but she couldn't recall this phrase from any of the stories or classics she had learned or heard since childhood.

However, the meaning of this phrase was very clear: it meant that ordinary things, once given an opportunity, could transform dramatically and become great talents.

Wu Zhe waved his hand, gesturing to the girls behind him: "These girls, though mostly from rural areas, are all talents with golden scales. Given the right circumstances and time, they will all achieve extraordinary success."

Hearing this, the girls immediately puffed out their chests.

Hu Yunjiao was taken aback and asked in surprise, "You mean that if you give them the opportunity, they can achieve great success?"

"Of course," Wu Zhe nodded affirmatively.

"Hehehehe." Hu Yunjiao laughed, quickly covering her red lips: "How could that be? I don't believe it."

Wu Zhe understood that Hu Yunjiao wasn't a foolish girl; she was trying to trap him.

But as a representative of the穿越族 (穿越族: a term often used in Chinese web novels to refer to characters who have traveled through time or to another world) in a different world, how could he fall behind? He immediately said, "If you don't believe me, let's have a brain contest. Try reciting something; do you dare to come?"

Hu Yunjiao's eyes lit up, and she smiled, "You want to compete in memory with me?"

Memory? Does it refer to the ability to remember? It's quite easy to understand, as long as it's not about human art.

Even if it were about human art, if this young lady dared to go to a secluded place with me, I would be willing to accompany her.

The evil thought in Wu Zhe's mind quickly disappeared, and he extended his hand, saying, "You can set the questions."

With the superhuman ability to record quickly, Wu Zhe was not afraid at all.

Seeing Xiao Niu's confident appearance, Zhai Laoer and Chen Laosan exchanged glances, both seeing the surprise in each other's eyes.

As members of the outer sect, no one knew better than they did about the treatment of the sect. Every year, there were plenty of spiritual elixirs and medicines, and since the Hu Dao Sect was located in the capital of the Qi State, they received a large number of excellent materials and formulas. For this precious gem, the Hu family's young lady, the supply of elixirs and medicines was always sufficient. How could her mind be inferior to others?

Could this Xiao Niu really have excellent memory skills to dare to compete with the Hu Dao Sect's young lady?

Perhaps... it's really possible! Zhai Laoer and Chen Laosan suddenly remembered Xiao Niu's words that helped dispel the heart demons, which seemed to have a profound meaning. Perhaps she really could compete in memory!

The two of them looked at Xiao Niu with a newfound brightness in their eyes. If she could show some skills, even if she couldn't surpass the Hu family's young lady, as long as she didn't fall short, it would bring glory to Qingling.

"Cheer up! Xiao Niu!" The girls around her immediately started chattering, cheering for Wu Zhe.

"Compete in memory with her!"

"Let her see that our Qingling girls are not to be underestimated!"

Wu Zhe's words clearly boosted their morale, and they naturally cheered for her.

Seeing the group of girls looking up to this sharp-tongued girl, Hu Yunjiao felt a bit intimidated.

Could this girl really have excellent memory skills? Father said that there are many talented people in the world, and there might really be such an unassuming genius here?

Hu Yunjiao looked at this young girl with a bit of tension.

"Ah! Niu! You want to compete in memory?" The girl had just finished coughing and, after catching her breath, heard the conversation and quickly exclaimed, "Do you mean reading and reciting? No way! You can't read, can you?!"

Oh my goodness!

She, she... wants to compete in reciting books... but...

She can't even read!

Zhai Laoer and Chen Laosan almost fell to the ground.

The faces of the girls around them fell, and their cheering fists froze in mid-air.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Hu Yunjiao, who had been a bit uncertain, burst out laughing, "How can you compete in memory if you can't read?"

"What are you laughing at!" The girl took a step forward, indignant, "Xiao Niu's family had someone sick, so they couldn't afford to send her to a private school, but she is very smart!"

"How funny, she hasn't read any books, how can she compete in memory?" Hu Yunjiao's laughter gradually subsided as she asked.

"Um... you can read it to Xiao Niu first, and then see how well she can recite it..." The girl said softly, her voice getting smaller and smaller as she felt embarrassed.

"Ha ha! Don't joke around!" Hu Yunjiao laughed again.

Tears welled up in the girl's big eyes, wanting to defend her friend but unable to find the words.

Wu Zhe patted the girl's hand to comfort her and said to Hu Yunjiao seriously, "I really haven't read any books, but... can't I learn now?"

"What? Learn now?" Hu Yunjiao was taken aback.

Wu Zhe shrugged, "Yes, just read a few paragraphs to me, and maybe I'll learn."

"......Ha ha ha ha, ah ha ha ha!" Hu Yunjiao laughed so hard she almost fell over, "Do you think learning to read is that easy? Too funny! Ha ha, I'll tell this joke to my father when I go back; he will laugh heartily! Ha ha ha."

Even the few guards behind Hu Yunjiao, who had been maintaining a serious expression, couldn't help but smile.

Zhai Laoer and Chen Laosan covered their foreheads, feeling like they wanted to hide under the table.

The girls' faces also turned red, and some even considered stepping forward to give Xiao Niu a way out.

"I'm serious," Wu Zhe spoke calmly, not showing any signs of anxiety.

"......" Hu Yunjiao looked at her for a moment, trying to find a hint of joking on her face, but found nothing. Despite this, she couldn't help but laugh, "Don't be silly, I forgive your insolence. You made me laugh so much, so I forgive you."

Wu Zhe gently patted the girl's hand, which was tense, and stepped forward, raising her head, "No, I'm really serious. Do you have a book with you? Let's try and see."

"......Interesting, okay." Hu Yunjiao, seeing her persistence, turned back and gestured to one of her guards.

One of the guards quickly put down the bag he was carrying and pulled out a green-covered book at random.

"This is a knife manual I bought on the way. I don't know if it's good or not, and I haven't had time to read it yet," Hu Yunjiao said with a smile, extending the book.

Wu Zhe took the book, opened it, and started reading the first page.

【Learning to read, 1%... 2%...】

The metallic voice indeed sounded, but it was much slower than expected.

"......Ha ha ha ha!" Hu Yunjiao burst out laughing again, completely disregarding her image as a well-bred young lady.

Wu Zhe didn't understand why she was laughing again, but the young lady quickly answered her question.

"Ha ha! You, you actually held the book upside down!" Hu Yunjiao clutched her stomach and squatted on the ground, laughing, "Ha! And you were reading it so seriously!"

Her guards also started to laugh.

Wu Zhe was used to simplified characters but had forgotten that ancient books were written and bound in reverse.

Zhai Laoer and Chen Laosan's heads drooped to the table, wishing they could pretend to be asleep or foolish to avoid such a loss of face.