Beauties in Simulation Cross over into Reality

Chapter 120: Chapter 105: Don’t Get Caught by Your Little Childhood Sweetheart~

“Xiao Mo, does that mean you don’t have to go to the schoolhouse today?”

Early the next morning, Xiao Mo was having breakfast with Bai Ruxue in the courtyard. Bai Ruxue blinked as she watched him.

After Xiao Mo returned yesterday, he had told Bai Ruxue what had happened at the schoolhouse.

Bai Ruxue didn’t care at all about Xiao Mo’s argument with that old teacher.

’If it really comes to it, I’ll just take Xiao Mo and we’ll switch to another academy.’

’If that doesn’t work, I’ll go to the Confucian Academy, kidnap a few Sacrificial Officers, and have them teach Xiao Mo privately.’

“I probably can’t go,” Xiao Mo said, shaking his head with a smile. “But it’s no big deal. I’ll go find Mr. Qi in a bit and ask him about it.”

“No need to ask.”

Just as the words left Xiao Mo’s mouth, a light, pleasant female voice came from outside the courtyard.

Xiao Mo and Bai Ruxue turned to look and saw Shang Jiuli already standing at the gate.

“Good morning, you two,” Shang Jiuli said, waving her little hand.

“Senior Sister.” Xiao Mo stood and bowed with his hands clasped.

Bai Ruxue huffed and turned her head away.

She did not like this woman.

Shang Jiuli walked into the courtyard and said with a slight smile, “Teacher said you don’t need to go to the schoolhouse anymore. From today on, Little Junior Brother, you can just study with us by Teacher’s side.”

As she spoke, Shang Jiuli clasped her hands behind her back and walked forward playfully. “Your senior sister thought it would take you two or three years to leave the schoolhouse, but I never expected it would only take you three months.”

“Not bad, not bad.” Shang Jiuli reached out and patted Xiao Mo’s shoulder. “You’re my little junior brother, after all.”

Shang Jiuli had barely patted Xiao Mo twice before Bai Ruxue immediately stepped forward, pulled him away, and looked at Shang Jiuli warily. “Miss Shang! Men and women should not touch! I must ask you to keep your distance!”

“But the two of you are living together, aren’t you?” Shang Jiuli’s gaze drifted down to where Bai Ruxue’s small hand was holding Xiao Mo’s larger one. “You’re even holding hands.”

“That’s… that’s different… We’re childhood sweethearts!” A faint blush appeared on Bai Ruxue’s cheeks.

“Alright, fine…” Shang Jiuli chuckled softly and said to Xiao Mo, “Let’s go, Xiao Mo. Time for class with Teacher. If we’re late, he’ll get angry.”

“Okay, Senior Sister.” Xiao Mo nodded, then looked at Ruxue. “Ruxue, I’m heading to class.”

“Mm-hmm, come back early,” Bai Ruxue said, her expression tinged with worry.

Xiao Mo ruffled Bai Ruxue’s hair, then followed Shang Jiuli up the mountain.

Bai Ruxue watched Xiao Mo and Shang Jiuli slowly ascend the mountain, feeling more and more uneasy.

’Maybe one of these days, when Xiao Mo isn’t looking, I should just dump Shang Jiuli in the sea?’ she thought to herself after they left, her eyes darting about.

But she quickly shook her head. ’No, no, if Xiao Mo found out, he would hate me!’

’But what should I do? Shang Jiuli is very pretty, and she seems to take good care of Xiao Mo. They’ll be studying together from now on… What if feelings develop between them over time…?’

The more she thought about it, the more worried Bai Ruxue became. Her lips were pressed tightly together and her small hands were intertwined. Her mind even conjured up a scene of Xiao Mo abandoning her to marry Shang Jiuli…

’What am I going to do…?’

…

“Senior Sister, do you know where Mr. Wang lives?”

On the way to the summit, Xiao Mo asked Shang Jiuli.

Shang Jiuli gave Xiao Mo a mischievous look. “What? Upsetting Mr. Wang so badly yesterday wasn’t satisfying enough? You want to go and provoke him again?”

Xiao Mo smiled. “Not at all. I just want to pay him a visit and apologize.”

Shang Jiuli glanced at Xiao Mo. “You think you were wrong?”

“Regarding yesterday’s debate, I don’t believe I was wrong. But I was indeed discourteous,” Xiao Mo explained.

“Mr. Wang has returned to the Confucian Academy,” Shang Jiuli said with a smile. “Don’t worry, Mr. Wang wasn’t angry. On the contrary, he asked me to tell you that your path is not an easy one, and to take care.”

“…” Hearing the message Mr. Wang had asked his senior sister to pass on, Xiao Mo fell silent.

After a long moment, Xiao Mo nodded. “I understand.”

Before long, the two of them arrived at the summit of Yumo Peak.

The Cold-faced Senior Brother—Senior Brother Luo—was already waiting in the courtyard.

After paying his respects to his teacher and senior brother, Xiao Mo began his lesson.

Xiao Mo discovered that Mr. Qi taught him, his senior brother, and his senior sister differently.

With Senior Brother Luo, Mr. Qi was quite strict and by the book, often making him copy texts.

When teaching Senior Sister Shang, Mr. Qi was like a doting grandfather, presenting the great principles of the Confucian Ancestor Saints in the form of stories.

But with him, Mr. Qi used the method of debate.

Mr. Qi often pulled Xiao Mo into debates, especially making him argue using the philosophy of “the unity of knowledge and action.”

Every time, Xiao Mo was argued into silence, returning thoroughly defeated.

After losing a debate, Mr. Qi would tell Xiao Mo to continue studying and thinking. Once he had figured something out, he was to come back and debate him again.

After every argument with Mr. Qi, Xiao Mo would make considerable progress and gain a deeper understanding of Mr. Yangming’s Heart Learning from his past life.

There were also many times when Xiao Mo would doubt his very existence, suspecting that his entire understanding was wrong.

But a stubborn determination smoldered inside Xiao Mo, a resilience that refused to give up.

He read more and more books, not just the works of the Confucian Ancestor Saints, but also those of the Hundred Schools of Thought.

Every day, he contemplated Mr. Yangming’s Heart Learning.

Sometimes, Xiao Mo would even sit on a rock and stare blankly at a stalk of bamboo, just as Mr. Yangming once did.

…

“That is all for today’s lesson. You may go back and rest.”

One day two months later, past the middle of the Hour of You, Mr. Qi concluded the day’s lessons.

The three of them stood, bowed, and walked out of the courtyard.

As usual, as soon as the lesson ended, Senior Brother Luo flew down the mountain. No one knew what he went to do.

Shang Jiuli, meanwhile, would usually return to her own courtyard to rest.

Today, however, Xiao Mo called out to Shang Jiuli.

“Oh? How rare. Is Junior Brother not going to look at bamboo today?” Shang Jiuli teased.

Every time Xiao Mo was thoroughly dismantled by Teacher in a debate, he would go to the bamboo forest to stare into space.

“Senior Sister, please don’t make fun of me.” Xiao Mo shook his head with a smile. “There’s something I’d like to ask of you, I was wondering if you have some free time?”

“Oh? Tell me about it,” Shang Jiuli said, her eyes glinting with amusement.

“It’s like this…” Xiao Mo explained his situation.

After listening, Shang Jiuli nodded. “Of course, I can. But, your senior sister needs to finish the coursework Teacher assigns during the day. How about this: starting today, you can come to my courtyard every evening.”

“That… wouldn’t that be improper?”

“What’s improper about it?” Shang Jiuli said with a laugh. “There’s no one else on Yumo Peak.”

“But…”

“It’s decided, then.”

Shang Jiuli cut Xiao Mo off.

She clasped her hands behind her back, bent down to look up at Xiao Mo from below, and adopted a deliberately sweet and flirtatious tone.

“Big sister will be waiting for you tonight.

Make sure you come secretly.

And whatever you do, don’t let that little childhood sweetheart of yours find out~”