Chapter 28


    "Tsk tsk, Xie Xun, you''re quite something, aren''t you!"


    Chen Sixi turned his head and looked at Xie Xun, who was standing at the door with a furrowed brow.


    Xie Xun said, "If you have no business, you can leave."


    "Hey..." Chen Sixi became anxious. "I just got here, and you won''t even let me stay for a meal? At least let me finish my tea?"


    He sat down with his teacup and refused to drink, ncing at Jiang Xiaoxiao and then at Xie Xun, wanting tough but not daring to, his face flushed red from holding it in.


    Jiang Xiaoxiao looked at Chen Sixi. "Is it that funny?"


    Chen Sixi immediately straightened up with a serious expression. "Not funny, not funny at all, not even a little bit funny. I just... pfft, hahahahaha, cough... cough cough. Eh? Something''s wrong with my throat! I clearly wanted to speak, but howe sounds just came out randomly when I opened my mouth? Master, I must have been cursed!"


    Jiang Xiaoxiao didn''t understand what Chen Sixi wasughing about. She frowned, grabbed him by the back cor with one hand, and tossed him out, mming the door shut behind him.


    Finally, the room was quiet.


    Chen Sixi''s wails could be heard from outside the courtyard.


    Xie Xun ignored him and sat down, ncing at Jiang Xiaoxiao. "I made a mistakest night. ''Xing fang'' doesn''t mean for you to stay in the room."


    "Then what does it mean?" Jiang Xiaoxiao was very curious about why Chen Sixi wouldugh upon hearing that phrase.


    "In any case, it''s a phrase that would invite ridicule if said out loud. Don''t say it again in the future."


    For the first time, Xie Xun experienced the feeling of digging a pit and burying himself in it. He didn''t understand why he had told herst night that "xing fang" meant for her to stay in the room instead of going out.


    Xie Xun mentioned that he was considering going to Luming Academy, but he hadn''t contacted Dean Gu since then, nor had he gone to the county.


    However, Dean Gu couldn''t wait any longer and came to visit in person.


    Dean Gu rarely appeared at the academy and was a low-profile person with in clothing.


    Therefore, even if he were being chased and hacked at on the streets by some shrew, no one would recognize that this was the famous Dean Gu Xiaohao of Luming Academy, nicknamed "Er Gou" (literally "Second Dog").


    On the day Dean Gu came to Shi Mo Vige, Yang Weixun happened to be taking a day off.


    To avoid drawing too much attention from the vigers, Dean Gu''s carriage stopped at the town, and he hired an ox cart for the rest of the journey.


    Recent heavy rains had made the rural dirt roads difficult to travel, and the ox cart''s wheels sank into a muddy pit.


    The carter inspected the situation and informed Dean Gu that they couldn''t move for the time being.


    Dean Gu nodded, thinking that since they were already at the vige entrance, he could walk the remaining distance.


    He paid the carter and was about to get off the cart.


    Suddenly, a voice came from behind. "Hey! Old geezer, are you getting off or not?"


    The speaker was none other than Yang Wei.


    He had made ns with his buddies to go out and y today after missing sses the other day, and he was in a hurry.


    Who would have thought that he would encounter this unlucky old man right at the vige entrance?


    The dirt road was muddy from the rain, and Yang Wei didn''t want to walk and get his shoes dirty.


    Dean Gu turned around to see a student wearing a Luming Academy uniform sitting on a mule cart behind them.


    In the entire Shi Mo Vige, the only one who could have been admitted to Luming Academy was the one who had "saved his life" - Yang Wei.


    When Yang Wei enrolled at the academy, Dean Gu had seen him from a distance.


    At that time, Dean Gu knew that this person was not the one who had saved him.


    After all, he had encountered an evil spirit back then.


    Yang Wei didn''t seem like someone who could exorcise evil spirits, and he looked nothing like the face Dean Gu had vaguely seen.


    His true savior must have had their reasons for not revealing themselves.


    Although Dean Gu didn''t want to force his savior, he also didn''t want someone else to take credit for the deed.


    Therefore, from the time Yang Wei enrolled until now, Dean Gu had never approached him directly, only giving him the opportunity to study at Luming Academy.


    He never expected to encounter Yang Wei in such a situation today.


    "Old geezer, what are you staring at? I''m talking to you!" Yang Wei was filled with irritation. "Who are you? Blocking our vige entrance, trying to bring bad luck or what?"


    Dean Gu smiled and looked at Yang Wei. "Young friend, are you a student at Luming Academy?"


    Yang Wei frowned. "What''s it to you? Hurry up and move that ox cart!"


    The carter said, "Our ox cart is stuck in a pit, and we can''t move it for the time being. Young master, if you could lend a hand, with all of us working together, we could move the cart quickly."


    Upon hearing this, Yang Wei''s face darkened instantly. "What are you thinking? You want me to help move the cart? Then give me your day''s earnings!"


    The carter looked helplessly at Dean Gu.


    At that moment, a childish voice spoke up from the side.


    "I, I, I..."


    Yang Ershun had appeared from somewhere, raising his paw eagerly and looking this way with an earnest expression.


    "I don''t want cart money. I just want one of the pancakes Xie Xun makes. If you promise, I''ll go find my dad and big brother right away, and they''ll definitelye and help."


    Although Dean Gu didn''t know how this child recognized him, he still responded politely, "Thank you, young friend."


    Yang Ershun turned and scampered back home.


    When he returned, he was followed by the vige head and Yang Dashun''s father and son.


    Thest time Dean Gu had visited the vige, Vige Head Yang had seen him from afar.


    Now, he recognized him at a nce, his old face filled with excitement. "Dean, wee to our vige."


    "Dean...?" Yang Wei looked at the enthusiastic expression on Vige Head Yang''s face and a hint of disdain shed in his eyes as he sneered inwardly.


    Dressed so inly and riding an ox cart - what kind of dean was this?


    Vige Head Yang turned to see Yang Wei still sitting on the mule cart and immediately frowned. "Yang Wei, what''s the matter with you? When you see your academy''s dean''s cart stuck in the mud, you don''t even get off to help?"


    Upon hearing this, Yang Wei''s eyes widened instantly. "Dean... Dean Gu?"


    Seeing his expression, Vige Head Yang shook his head in disappointment.


    It seemed it was true!


    Yang Wei never expected that with a few careless words from his foul mouth, he had offended the dean.


    He was so shocked that he lost his bnce and tumbled off the open mule cart.


    Now, not only were his shoes dirty, but he was covered in mud from head to toe.


    Vige Head Yang called his eldest son, and together with the carter, they pushed the ox cart out of the mud.


    Dean Gu washed his shoe soles in the river and headed towards Xie Xun''s house in the eastern part of the vige.


    Vige Head Yang, his two sons, and Yang Wei followed behind.


    Yang Wei picked himself up, not caring about the dirt all over him, and rushed to catch up.


    "Vige Head, Vige Head, let me exin..."


    Yang Wei was filled with regret, his voice almost tearful.


    Yang Ershun nced back at him and whispered to Vige Head Yang, "This idiot just cursed at Dean Gu."


    Upon hearing this, Vige Head Yang was furious.