C2 There Are No Male Guests in the Whispering Blossoms Palace(2)

Zhong Wen was wracked with guilt for deceiving Lin Xiaodie, yet he felt utterly helpless to change the situation.

Based on their recent conversation, he realized that this world was unlike any historical era he knew. It seemed to be a realm of cultivation. The historical knowledge from his past life was utterly useless here. Lacking any skills, he urgently needed to acquire more information to survive in this unfamiliar world.

After all, his previous life had ended tragically in an accident.

Without a cell phone or WIFI, Zhong Wen aimlessly paced his room, bored.

By chance, he found himself in front of a mirror.

"Is this really me?"

He was taken aback by the reflection of a handsome young man, about eighteen years old.

Zhong Wen touched his face, and the youth in the mirror mimicked his action.

In his past life, during times of overwhelming work and fatigue, Zhong Wen had longed to be eighteen again. Now, having been reborn after death, his wish had come true.

Zhong Wen admired his attractive reflection, growing more pleased by the minute. He felt he could easily rival the male stars from the TV shows of his previous life.

"Zhong Wen! Zhong Wen!" The little girl burst into the room, brandishing the Puidorin Bulletin.

The Puidorin Bulletin was an imperial newspaper, slightly smaller than A3 size, printed on both sides.

"Thank you, Xiaodie," Zhong Wen said with a smile as he took the paper.

But his smile quickly turned to dismay.

He couldn't decipher a single word on the newspaper.

While others brought knowledge with them through transmigration, he had become illiterate!

In a world that revered martial prowess, Zhong Wen had neither combat abilities nor literacy. He felt on the verge of tears.

"What's the matter? Do you need to rest a bit longer?" Lin Xiaodie inquired, noticing Zhong Wen's troubled look.

"It seems I can't even recognize the characters anymore," Zhong Wen admitted, feeling embarrassed and attributing it to memory loss.

The little girl looked at him with pity. Her master had mentioned during Zhong Wen's healing that he lacked spiritual power and was not a cultivator. And now, he had forgotten even how to read. How would he manage to survive from now on?

"Why don't I teach you how to read?" the kind little girl offered.

She was young and loved to play, often skipping classes. So when she made the offer, she lacked confidence.

"Then I thank you, Miss Xiaodie," Zhong Wen hesitated for a moment before deciding to learn the language of this world.

He was uncertain if he could ever return to his original world.

Hearing herself addressed as Miss Xiaodie, the little girl's eyes sparkled. She patted her flat chest and proclaimed, "Leave it to me. From now on, you're my student. If you have any questions, just come to me."

Zhong Wen found Lin Xiaodie incredibly adorable and couldn't resist patting her head once more.

Just then, a soft sound of footsteps approached the door.

"Are you awake?"

Zhong Wen turned to see a young girl, about sixteen or seventeen, standing by the door. She radiated elegance and beauty, with a voice that was music to the ears. She wore a loose, cream-colored robe that did little to conceal her graceful figure.

In Zhong Wen's previous life, the internet was awash with artificial beauty. Rarely did someone possess the natural allure and impressive presence of this girl. He was captivated.

"Senior Sister!" Lin Xiaodie excitedly ran over and tugged at the girl's sleeve. Turning to Zhong Wen, she introduced, "This is my Third Senior Sister, Yin Ning'er. Yesterday, when you passed out, she was the one who gave you the Minor Rejuvenation Pill."

"I'm Zhong Wen. Thank you for saving my life with the pill," Zhong Wen said, taking in Yin Ning'er's appearance. The more he looked, the more striking she seemed.

"There's no need for thanks. Xiaodie pleaded with me to save you yesterday. You should thank her," Yin Ning'er replied, her tone distant. "Whispering Blossoms does not keep male guests. Once you've recovered, please leave the mountain promptly."

She was the epitome of an aloof goddess.

Zhong Wen sighed inwardly, pondering how he might extend his stay. It wasn't the allure of beauty that held him; he was in an alien place. Without sufficient information, venturing out from the mountain seemed a perilous prospect, with little hope of survival.

"Third Senior Sister, Zhong Wen is so severely injured that he can't recall many things. He doesn't even recognize letters anymore. And since he's not a cultivator, how would he manage if he were to leave the mountain now?" The little girl spoke with urgency, worried about the student she had finally taken under her wing being sent away.

Zhong Wen had found himself in a world where he was both illiterate and incapable of martial arts, which deeply saddened him.

"Xiaodie, everyone at Whispering Blossoms is female. It's inconvenient to have him, a man, staying here on the mountain. It could easily lead to rumors," Yin Ning'er said, her brow furrowed in concern.

"But I've already promised to teach him to read," the little girl insisted, tugging at Yin Ning'er's sleeve persistently. "Once he's learned enough words, then you can let him leave the mountain, okay?"

"Even if I agree, it won't make a difference. Our Master won't consent," Yin Ning'er replied, her voice softening as she spoke to the little girl.

"I'll plead with Master when she returns. She has such a kind heart; she surely won't have the heart to let Zhong Wen go down the mountain and starve," the little girl continued to implore.

"The decision is yours," Yin Ning'er conceded at last. "I'll leave this matter for Master to decide."

"You're the best!" The little girl exclaimed, jumping up and embracing Yin Ning'er around the waist with excitement.

Yin Ning'er's cool voice betrayed a hint of resignation as she glanced at Zhong Wen. "Young Master Zhong, you may stay here for a few days. We'll arrange something once Master returns. Since Whispering Blossoms is home only to women, please ensure no misunderstandings arise."

"Thank you, Miss Yin," Zhong Wen said, relieved that he wouldn't be expelled just yet. "And thank you, Miss Xiaodie."

"No need for thanks; looking after you is the right thing to do," the little girl replied, a touch of pride in her voice from being addressed as a teacher. She then gestured dismissively with her hand.

"Well, I must be going, Xiaodie. With Master away, make sure you don't neglect your morning and evening classes," Yin Ning'er advised gently before gracefully departing.

"I'll go fetch your study materials," Lin Xiaodie said cheerfully as she bounded out of the room.

Zhong Wen watched Lin Xiaodie's joyful departure and sighed. The little girl's kindness weighed heavily on him, and he wondered if he could ever repay her in his lifetime.

Closing his eyes, Zhong Wen delved into the Sanctum of Scrolls in his mind. With careful observation, he could see the bookshelves clearly marked with categories such as "cultivation methods," "arcane techniques," "runes," "panaceas," and more. These books were organized from "bronze" to "silver," "gold," "platinum," and "diamond" levels.

As he scanned the horizontal labels on the bookshelf, Zhong Wen felt a sense of helplessness. He rummaged through the entire collection and found only a "Paleography Dictionary" in the "Tools" section, along with the four renowned ancient Chinese novels: "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," "Journey to the West," "Water Margin," "Dream in Red Mansions," and a heap of other books. Every other category was bare.

Wasn't this exactly what he had on his bookshelf back home?

Zhong Wen's attention settled on "Journey to the West," and the text began to materialize in his mind. The original words raced through his thoughts, and in a moment, he felt as though he had reread the entire novel, with every line vividly remembered.

Yet, after finishing, Zhong Wen waited expectantly for some extraordinary event to occur, but nothing happened. Filled with anticipation for a reward, his disappointment was palpable.

"I'm back!" Lin Xiaodie returned, clutching two thread-bound books, her voice brimming with irrepressible excitement. "Class is about to begin—everyone, please address me as 'teacher'!"

"Greetings, Young Sage!" Zhong Wen greeted, unable to suppress a smile at the sight of the charming little girl before him.

Was it time to let this world feel the allure of Chinese culture? An idea sparked in Zhong Wen's mind on how to utilize the Sanctum of Scrolls.

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