Chapter 8: A Test of Patience

Master Jiang's stern voice echoed through the quiet hall as he issued his punishment. Yu and the other children stood in a straight line, heads down, each balancing four books on their heads and holding a stack of books in their hands. The struggle to maintain balance was evident, and yet, their mischievous spirits refused to be subdued.

Yu, as always, couldn't resist the urge to speak. "Dad— I mean, Master," he said, looking up with an exaggeratedly innocent expression, "you're supposed to be a kind and understanding father figure. Please, just this once, forgive us! I promise, we'll never cause trouble again!"

The other children chimed in, pleading with similar puppy-eyed expressions. Master Jiang sighed, shaking his head. "You lot are hopeless," he muttered. "But a punishment is a punishment. You brought this upon yourselves."

With that, Master Jiang turned and left, leaving the children to endure the unusual punishment. As soon as he was out of earshot, Yu's face contorted into a dramatic pout. "This is all your fault!" he declared, glaring at the others. "If you weren't so greedy for sweets, we wouldn't be stuck like this!"

The other children groaned in unison. "No, it's your fault, Yu!" one of them retorted. "You're the one who made the bet in the first place!"

Their argument escalated, with Yu and the children exchanging blame. Meanwhile, Zian happened to walk by, carrying a stack of scrolls. His gaze landed on Yu, who was wobbling under the weight of the books but still managing to argue animatedly. A small smile tugged at Zian's lips, though he quickly masked it and continued walking.

Yu, ever perceptive, caught sight of Zian and immediately called out, "Hey, Beauty! Were you looking for me again? How sweet of you!"

Zian ignored him, determined not to get drawn into Yu's antics. But Yu, undeterred, continued, "Oh, come on, don't pretend like you didn't miss me. After all, it's your fault I'm stuck here! The least you can do is offer some sympathy!"

Zian didn't respond, but his silence seemed to amuse Yu even more. He smirked, but his triumph was short-lived—one of the books on his head slipped and fell to the ground with a loud thud.

The other children burst into laughter. "Now you've done it, Yu!" one of them teased. "Master Jiang's going to have your head for sure!"

Yu, unwilling to be outdone, shrugged and grinned mischievously. "If I'm going down, you're all coming with me!" With a swift motion, he knocked the books off the head of the nearest child.

Chaos erupted as the children began retaliating, books flying through the air as they abandoned their punishment entirely. Laughter and shouts filled the room, turning it into a battlefield of thrown books.

Zian paused at the doorway, glancing back at the pandemonium. He shook his head slightly, a rare flicker of amusement crossing his face. But before he could slip away, the door swung open, and Master Jiang strode in, his expression thunderous.

"What is going on here?" Master Jiang demanded, his voice cutting through the noise. The children froze mid-action, books clutched in their hands, guilt written all over their faces.

Yu, ever the quick thinker, pointed at one of the other boys. "He started it!"

The boy gasped in indignation. "No, I didn't! You did!"

Master Jiang pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. "You're all incorrigible. Especially you, Yu. Your antics are rubbing off on everyone else." He turned to the group, his tone firm. "From now on, all of you will stay after class to study. And if I hear of any more mischief, you'll regret it."

The children groaned but didn't dare to argue.

Master Jiang's gaze shifted to Zian, who stood silently by the door. "Zian, I'm entrusting you with the task of supervising these troublemakers. Make sure they study. If they don't, report back to me immediately."

Zian blinked, momentarily surprised, but he nodded. "Yes, Master Jiang."

As Master Jiang left, Yu turned to Zian with a dramatic sigh. "Great. Now you're my babysitter too? Could this day get any worse?"

Zian didn't respond, but the faint smile that played on his lips didn't go unnoticed by Yu. For all his complaints, Yu couldn't help but think that Zian's presence might make the punishment a little less unbearable.

And so, the punishment began, with Zian quietly watching over the group as they struggled to focus. For the first time in a long while, the study room was filled with more than just mischief