Clueless

Yu Xiaogang carefully observed Tang San, only to find that aside from lifting his head to look at him with those excessively calm eyes whenever he asked a question, the boy kept his head lowered the rest of the time, focused on the book in his lap. His posture even carried an almost rigid respectfulness.

This contradictory behavior puzzled Yu Xiaogang.

If Tang San was dissatisfied with him, why did he accompany Cinderella here punctually every day and remain so respectful?

If Tang San respected him, why were his responses to Yu Xiaogang's questions so perfunctory and cold?

Yu Xiaogang sank into deep thought.

He recalled Tang San's usual behavior. The boy trained diligently, worked hard at blacksmithing, and spoke little. Other than being unusually dependent on and protective of Cinderella, he seemed to have no particularly complicated thoughts.

At last, Yu Xiaogang, who considered himself skilled at reading people, reached what seemed to him an entirely reasonable conclusion.

Tang San was simply too slow-witted, too stupid. He possessed natural talent for cultivation and blacksmithing, but when it came to understanding theory and drawing inferences from it, he was utterly hopeless!

All brawn, no brains!

Yes, that had to be it!

Otherwise, how could one explain his complete lack of reaction to such exquisite theories?

He must not have understood them at all, yet had been too embarrassed to admit it, so he could only brush Yu Xiaogang off by saying he did not know.

At that thought, the trace of displeasure in Yu Xiaogang's heart vanished instantly, replaced by a mixture of superiority, understanding, and a faint, barely perceptible disdain.

The way he looked at Tang San also changed—from his initial anticipation, to later confusion, and now to vague pity and resignation.

Forget it, forget it.

Yu Xiaogang shook