Shen Mengzhi had no idea what he was doing outside so late, a candle lamp in hand. The light from before had come from here.

Chu Jin met his gaze silently for a few seconds before speaking to break the unbearable awkwardness: "Senior Brother Jiang, still not asleep so late?"

Shen Mengzhi had actually just come out for some fresh air after talking with Fang Hechao, not expecting to run into him so coincidentally. He said, "Couldn't sleep, so I came out for a walk. Why are you alone? Where are Qi Yu and the others?"

Chu Jin touched his nose. "Still down below."

At that moment, Shen Mengzhi caught sight of the wound on his hand, which was continuously seeping blood.

He frowned and subconsciously stepped closer, wanting to get a better look. "What happened to your hand?"

"This," Chu Jin glanced at it, "it was too dark coming up the mountain. I accidentally scraped it."

His fingers were long and slender, his knuckles distinct, revealing a section of jade-like wrist, thin but not bony. At the scrape, the skin was torn, mixed with dirt and wood splinters. The palm of his hand was a patch of crimson, completely ruining the aesthetic of the entire hand.

Shen Mengzhi said, "Wait for me a moment."

Under Chu Jin's puzzled gaze, he turned and walked to a corner of the wall. After carefully identifying them, he plucked two stalks of some unknown grass.

"Hold out your hand."

Chu Jin did as he was told. He watched as Shen Mengzhi tore the grass leaves in two, kneaded them into a ball, and then squeezed out the juice with force. The dark green liquid dripped onto the wound, emitting a refreshing fragrance that miraculously eased the pain, replacing it with an indescribable tingling numbness.

Chu Jin couldn't help but curl his fingers slightly, but Shen Mengzhi held them down, saying in a low voice, "Don't move."

Chu Jin glanced at him and truly stopped moving. When he lowered his head, he could smell the clear pine fragrance on Shen Mengzhi's body—tranquil and peaceful, it seemed to permeate everything, instantly occupying all his thoughts.

After squeezing out all the juice, Shen Mengzhi let go of his hand and stepped back a few paces, his voice devoid of any ripples. "The juice of this grass can stop bleeding and prevent scarring."

Chu Jin rubbed his fingers. The warmth still lingered. He showed an inscrutable smile. "Thank you, Senior Brother."

After a pause, he added, "Shouldn't Senior Brother go back and rest soon?"

With taking the lamp on his mind, Chu Jin smiled even more earnestly.

Shen Mengzhi gave him an indifferent glance and hit the nail on the head. "You're waiting for me to leave so you can steal the lamp to light the way for Qi Yu and the others, aren't you?"

Having been exposed, Chu Jin dropped the pretense and said helplessly, "It's not stealing now. Haven't you already caught me?"

Despite his words, he showed no signs of anxiety at being caught, appearing quite composed instead.

In the flickering candlelight, Shen Mengzhi studied him earnestly, his expression unreadable. After a long moment, he suddenly reached out and silently handed over the candle lamp.

The flame suddenly illuminated Chu Jin's slightly bewildered expression. "...What is the meaning of this?"

"I won't stop you, nor can I." Shen Mengzhi's face was impassive. "I'll lend you the lamp, but business is business. Remember to go to the teacher tomorrow to receive your punishment."

"..." Chu Jin couldn't help but laugh. He took the candle lamp, his eyes and the corners of his brows filled with a radiant smile that was even brighter than the flame. "Jiang Zhen, you're truly an interesting person."

Shen Mengzhi: "...In the Heir's eyes, there's nothing that isn't interesting."

"If there's nothing else, I'll be heading back."

After speaking, he didn't wait to see the other's reaction, turning and striding into the academy, leaving Chu Jin alone to stand there holding the candle in thought.

After a long while, Chu Jin murmured to himself, "...That's true."

After all, anything uninteresting would never catch his eye.

The next day at dawn, Chu Jin went to receive his punishment. Afterwards, he spent three days copying books in the Wanzong Pavilion on the mountain behind the academy.

In the days that followed, he was much more behaved. Aside from not changing his hedonistic nature, he didn't cause any other trouble.

This continued for over a month.

The attendant Chu Jin had brought with him also left the mountain after the one-month period. Before leaving, as instructed by the Heir, he delivered a parrot, said to be a rare and precious breed with no more than five in all of Yanling.

When Qi Yu mentioned this, Shen Mengzhi was brewing medicine. He had accidentally added too much firewood and was choked by a faceful of thick smoke.

Seeing this, Qi Yu jumped off his stool to pat his back and help him catch his breath, saying with a wry smile, "Why are you so worked up?"

"Cough, cough..." Shen Mengzhi coughed until tears came to his eyes. "I thought he would behave. It's only been a month, and he's already broken the rules again."

Qi Yu tried to make an excuse for Chu Jin. "Brother Chu might have forgotten..."

"Forgotten?" Shen Mengzhi was still coughing, but his expression was blank. "He did it knowingly."

The nature of the matter was different now. Qi Yu was surprised. "Knowingly? Why? He's not stupid enough to intentionally go against you."

Shen Mengzhi smiled but didn't answer.

He noticed Qi Yu was still helping him regulate his breathing and pushed his hand away. "I'm fine, you don't have to..."

Before he could finish, a strange cry suddenly came from the doorway—clear, high-pitched, and melodious.

Immediately after, the voice said again, "Unintentional interruption! Please, continue!"

Shen Mengzhi and Qi Yu paused for a moment, then looked towards the doorway in unison.

They saw a beautiful bird with a blue head and green feathers standing on the fence, its round eyes staring at them without blinking.

And its owner was standing by the door—it was unknown how long he had been there—looking over with an inscrutable expression.

It was no wonder the parrot spoke like that. After all, the scene inside the house was rather hard to describe. Qi Yu had his back to the door, his hand on Shen Mengzhi's back. Shen Mengzhi was sitting by the medicine stove, most of his figure obscured by Qi Yu. They were also very close, making it look as if he were leaning in Qi Yu's arms. When he turned his head upon hearing the bird's cry, there were still undried tears in his eyes.

Chu Jin's gaze slid lightly over their faces, then landed on the corners of Shen Mengzhi's eyes, slightly red from the smoke, as he said ambiguously, "You two seem to be in high spirits."

Shen Mengzhi: "..."

Qi Yu: "..."

"I didn't know before that you two were in..." Chu Jin chose his words carefully, "...that kind of relationship. Since that's the case, I won't disturb you today."

"Wait!" Shen Mengzhi shot to his feet. "Come back!"

Chu Jin glanced at him, a cool smile playing on his lips. "Don't worry, Senior Brother, I won't tell anyone."

Qi Yu also reacted at this moment, snatching his hand back as if electrocuted. "Brother Chu, it's a misunderstanding!"

He rushed over and grabbed Chu Jin's sleeve, explaining the whole sequence of events. Only then did the latter's expression soften slightly, though he still teased with a half-smile, "It's fine even if you don't explain so clearly. After all, the rules don't forbid the 'passion of the cutsleeve'."

"I, Qi Yu, am no 'cutsleeve'!"

After shouting, Qi Yu added, "Of course, neither is Jiang Zhen."

Finally, as if still a bit uncertain, he leaned close to Shen Mengzhi's ear and whispered another question, "You're not, are you?"

Shen Mengzhi: "...Of course not."

"Let's not talk about this." Qi Yu waved his hand. "Brother Chu, what did you come looking for me for?"

Chu Jin withdrew his gaze and straightened his sleeves. "Nothing much. I just got a parrot and wanted to stop by the Bamboo Study to show you. I didn't expect Senior Brother Jiang to be here as well."

Shen Mengzhi had already sat back down in front of the medicine stove, fanning the burning firewood. The swirling smoke blurred his features, and the bitter scent of medicine spread throughout the courtyard.

He showed no intention of speaking, so Qi Yu explained for him, "Jiang Zhen came to help me brew medicine. I've been having insomnia these past few days, unable to sleep at night or wake in the morning. I'm about to become an immortal. Jiang Zhen is skilled in pharmacology, so I asked him to come over."

Chu Jin smiled. "I didn't expect Senior Brother Jiang to be so well-versed in pharmacology too."

As soon as he finished speaking, the parrot pacing back and forth on the fence was irritated by the smoke and let out several loud sneezes, crying out strangely.

Only then did Shen Mengzhi look over at the sound, saying coolly, "Does the Heir still remember rule ninety-one of the code of conduct?"

Chu Jin thought for a moment and answered truthfully, "I don't remember."

Qi Yu secretly pointed at the parrot, and only then did Chu Jin feign a look of sudden realization. "Ah, you mean this parrot?"

"This is a parrot I had someone bring back from Xiangjing City. It's priceless, understands human nature, and can speak human language. What, am I not allowed to keep it?"

His expression was relaxed, completely nonchalant. Shen Mengzhi couldn't help but lower his tone. "Heir."

Qi Yu, caught between the two, felt the intense, explosive tension. He quickly tried to mediate, "Jiang Zhen, don't be angry. He's already keeping the parrot, we can't just throw it down the mountain. In my opinion, let's just punish Brother Chu according to the rules this one time and let it go."

Shen Mengzhi frowned and said nothing.

Qi Yu turned to Chu Jin again, winking at him. "Brother Chu, why don't you go receive your punishment and admit your mistake."

Chu Jin also blinked back at him with a smile. "Don't worry. If Senior Brother punishes me, I will naturally accept it."

While the two of them were beating around the bush in concert, they heard Shen Mengzhi say, "According to the rules, you are confined for one month. You are not permitted to leave the mountain during this period."

"..." Chu Jin's smile froze.

Even Qi Yu was somewhat dumbfounded. "This... isn't this a bit too harsh?"

Shen Mengzhi glanced at him coldly, but his words held no hint of concession. "Furthermore, this parrot is not allowed in the student dormitories."

The parrot tilted its head and cooed, as if it understood.

"Senior Brother, it's just keeping a bird," Chu Jin narrowed his eyes, "don't you think you're making a mountain out of a molehill?"

"Of all the laws in the world, if the punishments are not strict, then one person will break them, and millions will follow suit," Shen Mengzhi said faintly. "Besides, I have warned the Heir before: to knowingly commit an offense is to add another degree to the crime."

At this point, whether he accepted the one-month punishment or not, he had to.

Chu Jin met his gaze for a long time before finally letting out a soft sigh.

"What a fine 'one person will do it, and millions will follow suit'," he said softly. "I will take Senior Brother's teachings to heart."

Qi Yu, who had been holding his breath in the oppressive atmosphere, could finally breathe again. He looked at Chu Jin in surprise. "You're... accepting the punishment?"

Chu Jin shrugged. "Yes. What else can I do? Throw this bird down the mountain to fend for itself? I can't do that."

Hearing this, the green-feathered parrot chirped a few times, then flapped its wings and landed on his shoulder in an intimate gesture.

"This bird really is intelligent," Qi Yu said in wonder. While Shen Mengzhi was busy with the medicine, he quietly sidled over and lowered his voice, "Hey, Brother Chu, can you let me keep it for a few days?"

Chu Jin glanced at Shen Mengzhi, then gave Qi Yu a half-smile. "No. Unless you want to serve a few days of confinement for me."

"Aiya, I can't help you with that," Qi Yu said with a cheeky grin, "but I can bring you your schoolwork! And, if you need anything, I can secretly bring it up from the foot of the mountain for you..."

"Qi Yu." Shen Mengzhi looked over. "What are you doing?"

Qi Yu immediately shouted, "Nothing! Just exchanging a few pleasantries with Brother Chu! After all, we won't be seeing each other for a month!"

Seeing that he hadn't aroused suspicion, Qi Yu turned his head back and said quickly and softly, "Brother Chu, what do you think? How about it?"

Chu Jin met his expectant gaze, pretended to think for a moment, then curved the corners of his lips.

"Deal."