Chapter 5: Hidden Dragons and Crouching Tigers in the Doctoral Hall
Sheng Qingzi's cheeks were burning hot. He dared not make eye contact with her, unconsciously lowering his gaze. His mind was in chaos, and thinking about his recent rude behavior, he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
As a beautiful young man, spending his days with the three uninteresting women in this doctoral hall had long since become tedious.
One was as cold and silent as a block of ice, another talked too much and had a sharp tongue, and the only decent one left was, unfortunately, already married.
It was rare for the doctoral hall to have a change of atmosphere with a newcomer, especially such an elegant and fairy-like woman.
If it weren't for that wretched Zhu Miaomiao speaking ill of her and being overheard, he wouldn't have acted so rashly. It was all Zhu Miaomiao's fault. Now his image as a "tigress" was solidified.
Lu Yuner watched quietly, a hint of contemplation flashing in her eyes. After all, in this matriarchal world, Sheng Qingzi was still a man, and should have quite thin skin.
The three obediences and four virtues for men - including male virtues, male speech, male appearance, and male skills - as well as behavior and manners, were too restrictive. But there was no way around it; these were the social rules of the matriarchal society.
Although the Emperor had issued laws regarding men's rights, these were still in the minority, and most women didn't agree with them deep down.
But Lu Yuner wasn't from this world. Although she had lived here for a year and seen all aspects of life and human nature, she sincerely hoped that every man could follow his heart and be as free as the wind.
Seeing Sheng Qingzi's current cautious demeanor, she wanted to ease his discomfort, but as it was their first meeting, she didn't know where to start.
Suddenly, Lu Yuner thought of something. Her beautiful eyes carried a clear and pure smile as she said, "Doctor Sheng, you look very handsome in this blue robe!"
That's right, a compliment! Even in an unfamiliar environment, facing unfamiliar people, an appropriate compliment can quickly close the distance between two parties and ease awkwardness.
"Wh... what?"
Sheng Qingzi's eyes widened slightly. His gaze fell on Lu Yuner's beautiful face, and his already confused mind completely exploded at her words. His fair face now turned completely red.
Sheng Qingzi never expected to receive such a proper, simply worded compliment for the second time in his life.
He came from a humble background. His mother was a fifth-rank official in the Bureau of Operations under the Ministry of Works, who used her small bit of official power to covet his father's beauty, forcing him to marry her as a secondary husband. He and his father often suffered from the intentional bullying, mockery, and contempt of the primary wife.
In those years, his father was depressed all day long and eventually passed away in bed.
So from a young age, he decided to be self-reliant and strong. Whether woman or man, only by being strong oneself could one protect those they loved. His current position as a doctor at the Imperial Academy was the result of his own hard work and dedication of time and energy.
Others all knew him for his fiery temperament, without a trace of masculinity, but no one knew this was just his protective coloring. Because of his looks, he was often harassed by women with ill intentions, hearing all sorts of frivolous compliments and suggestive, explicit words.
Sheng Qingzi knew they were just like his mother, not good women.
But this Lu Yuner was different. Her clear eyes and the gentle warmth that slowly emanated from her every move fell right into his heart.
He slowly reached out to lightly pinch his clothes, his voice low and tinged with shyness, "This... is the doctoral robe of the Imperial Academy. You'll have one too when the time comes, Doctor Lu."
The doctoral robe was mainly blue, embroidered with orchids in a sword shape, symbolizing uprightness and justice, praising the teachers. The students' white robes were embroidered with bougainvillea, which blooms with brilliant branches, like a brocade sash, symbolizing a bright future for the students.
"Little brother Qingzi, are you feeling shy?" Zhu Miaomiao watched from the side in amazement. As she rubbed her ears and walked over, she said honestly that in all their time working together, this was the first time she had seen him act so shy as a man. Forgetting the pain of past injuries, she fearlessly moved closer to him and teased with a smile, "Little brother Qingzi, you wouldn't happen to have feelings for our Doctor Lu, would you?"
As soon as Zhu Miaomiao said this, everyone's expression changed slightly, including Lu Yuner's. She hadn't expected Zhu Miaomiao to misunderstand and speak so bluntly.
Sheng Qingzi awkwardly glanced at Lu Yuner, then quickly averted his gaze in panic.
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