Chapter 23: There's More to It

"It's not like that! That young master Zhou... he might have feelings for the lady, but the lady only saw him as a kindred spirit in poetry, nothing more. She just couldn't bear to see someone with such talent be neglected, so she offered him support." Xier's voice lowered a bit. "Besides, young master Zhou is rather ordinary in appearance... The lady is used to looking at herself in the mirror every day, so how could she have any romantic feelings for such a plain face?"

In other words, when it comes to family background or looks, one of them has to be on par, right?

Perhaps young master Zhou hoped for such a promise, but our lady certainly did not.

The lady only sought a confidant to discuss poetry with, offering her kindness out of goodwill.

Chang Kuo, after listening for a while, finally breathed a sigh of relief and slapped his thigh. "That's more like it! How could a lady from the Chang family care for his grand proposal? Even if he somehow became a top scholar by luck, we still wouldn't care! For someone else, such a promise might hold some appeal, but for our Suining, it's just a hard biscuit—too tough to chew!"

Chang Suining also subtly relaxed. Whether A Li was simply clear-headed or just unaware of certain feelings, it was fortunate that she hadn't given away her heart so easily.

Perhaps it was because she never lacked for food, clothing, or money, that she wouldn't be easily swayed by vague promises about the future.

Their A Li was raised with care, sheltered and nurtured well. Though sensitive, she was pure-hearted and would extend her generosity to others simply because she admired their talent.

And precisely because of this, if this person was indeed involved in what happened to A Li, he would be absolutely unforgivable.

At this point, Xi'er glanced at Chang Sui'an. "After the young lord learned of this, he suspected the lady was being deceived and tried to warn her... but the lady believed young master Zhou was virtuous and didn't really listen."

"Offering kindness is good. Our household isn't short of silver anyway," Chang Kuo looked at Chang Suining and gently reminded her, "But if your kindness is taken advantage of, that's another matter. What do you think, Suining?"

Now that this person had been mentioned, it was only natural for a father to give a bit of advice.

Chang Suining nodded. "That's true. I would appreciate it if Father could have someone investigate this person's background carefully."

Chang Kuo, both surprised and pleased, agreed without hesitation.

"How often does this person usually send letters?" Chang Suining asked Xier. "Was there any correspondence while I was away?"

"Normally, there would be a letter every ten days or so... As for this recent period, I wouldn't know," Xier replied, glancing at Chang Sui'an and Steward Bai.

Since the incident, she hadn't left her room even once—the lady's accident happened right under her nose, so it was only proper for her to be confined.

"There was a letter... about eight or nine days ago. It was slipped in quietly through the back door," Chang Sui'an reluctantly admitted.

"Do you still have it?" Chang Suining asked. "I'd like to see it."

"Your sister is asking you a question!" Seeing his son's hesitation, Chang Kuo almost grabbed the teapot next to him to throw.

Only then did Chang Sui'an say, "Jiantong, go fetch the letter."

Chang Suining then asked Xier, "Do we still have his previous letters?"

Since A Li truly admired his talent, she likely would have kept them—

Xi'er didn't answer immediately, instead looking awkwardly toward Chang Sui'an.

Chang Sui'an's face flushed. "They... they’re all with me. Jiantong, bring them all over."

Jiantong acknowledged and went to fetch them.

"After the incident, I, along with the young lord, suspected Zhou Ding might be involved... So, we secretly examined the last letter he sent to the lady, trying to see if he'd arranged to meet her in secret," Steward Bai explained.

Chang Sui'an, ashamed, added, "Ningning, I was too anxious, which is why I looked through your things..."

Chang Suining made no comment, only asking, "So, the last letter before the Lantern Festival didn't mention any invitation?"

Steward Bai nodded.

Because of this, they dismissed their suspicions.

Though the lady corresponded with this person, there was no inappropriate conduct. Their communication was purely through letters, with no other way of passing messages.

Moreover, since this person sent another letter eight or nine days ago, inviting her again, it didn’t seem like he knew anything had happened to the lady.

Steward Bai shared these thoughts and conclusions aloud.

Chang Kuo, however, seemed deep in thought. "That doesn’t necessarily clear him of suspicion... After Suining fell into the water, she ended up in the hands of villains. When Sui'an hired a boatman to dredge the river without success, people thought we were searching for an object. But if the fall into the water was deliberate, then for the culprit, without a body, they would still feel uneasy..."

Chang Suining nodded. "So, if Zhou Ding is involved, that letter from eight or nine days ago might be both a cover and a test."

—A test to see if A Li was still alive.

Steward Bai pondered and nodded in agreement.

It was indeed possible.

However, since they were focused on finding the lady at the time, they hadn't investigated further. And with news of the lady's whereabouts quickly coming from Lord Yu, they had let go of Zhou Ding as a lead, as he seemed innocent.

But now it seemed that the incident of the lady falling into the water and being captured by kidnappers might be two separate events that just happened to overlap.

Now that the latter had been clarified and the lady clearly remembered falling into the water, it was time to thoroughly investigate the former.

The letters were quickly brought in, filling an entire sandalwood box.

After reading through them, Chang Suining remarked, "These poems and writings are indeed extraordinary."

Chang Sui'an felt a bit deflated—was his sister still so enthralled with Zhou Ding’s talents, even after everything?

"As you said, he's a fraud."

Chang Sui'an and the others were stunned.

"Suining, what do you mean?" Chang Kuo quickly asked.

"At first, I didn’t notice anything..." Chang Suining started, giving a half-truth, "But now, when you compare them all together, you can see that these poems have very different styles, not like they were written by the same person."

Chang Kuo was astonished. "They're all in black and white, how could you tell?"

"Of course," Chang Suining explained. "Just as Father is skilled with a blade and archery, though one may dabble in many martial arts, one's primary focus will always show. And just as a person’s combat style reflects their personality, so does poetry reflect the poet's experiences and character. The flaw lies in that."

Either Zhou Ding was a madman with severe personality disorders, or he was an extraordinary genius.

But such a genius would surely have already gained recognition, like Lord Wei—someone whose brilliance couldn't be hidden. And a person like that wouldn’t lack for patrons.

"So, you mean the poems Zhou Ding sent you were written by someone else?" Chang Sui'an was both shocked and furious. "I can't believe I thought he had some real talent!"

"He probably does have some talent—at least his handwriting is decent," Chang Suining said. "But his eagerness to impress may have gotten the better of him. Knowing that his appeal lay in his talent, he didn’t want to lose that glow. But when he couldn’t consistently produce great works, he either borrowed or hired others to write for him. Once he got away with it, he did it again."

Though A Li loved poetry, she was still young and inexperienced.

But Chang Suining wasn’t the same. Since childhood, she had been surrounded by true scholars, the best of the best.

So, to her, these forgeries were obvious.

"I knew it... Taking advantage of the lady’s money—what kind of gentleman is that? A false gentleman like him is certainly up to no good!" Chang Sui'an, both angry and smug at his own foresight, suddenly straightened his posture.

Chang Kuo frowned. "If he's clearly deceiving Suining, then what does that say about his character?"

"Exactly." Chang Suining picked up the last letter A Li had received, dated the day before the Lantern Festival.

She spoke slowly, "And it was this person who invited me to meet him at the Lantern Festival."

There was more to the letter than met the eye.

...

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 101: A Dessert Shop

Jiang Chenchen thought the boy might be asking for Lu Su's contact information like the others, so she averted her gaze, shook her head, and walked past him.

The boy didn't chase after her but stood still, turning his head to stare at her silhouette. Under the dark curtain of his half-long hair, his gaze was gloomy.

Sensing the gaze behind her, Jiang Chenchen felt a bit strange. That person from just now seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place where she might have seen him. Lowering her head, she searched her memory and confirmed that she didn't know him. But why did he feel somewhat recognizable?

Her steps suddenly stopped as a shadow appeared in front of her.

Catching a familiar scent, she joyfully raised her head. The person before her held a black umbrella, shielding his face. His tall figure stood in front of her, and under the grey coat, his legs were long and straight.

Leaves left over from late winter hung on the branches of spring, ready to fall at the slightest breeze.

Sheng Mingsi reached forward, taking a step, and lifted the umbrella, blocking the falling leaves for her.

Jiang Chenchen found herself enclosed under his black umbrella, surrounded by his familiar cool aura. She looked up at him, and his deep black eyes seemed to carry an irresistible allure, pulling her into their depths.

For a moment, she was mesmerized.

Her breath slowed, and her heart raced, feeling an unusual flutter in her chest.

"Staring blankly at me?" Sheng Mingsi observed her expression, his gaze slightly softening, revealing a faint smile that quickly disappeared.

Jiang Chenchen snapped out of her daze, not understanding what had just happened.

She didn't think too much about it. Just seeing him made her happy.

"Brother Ah si, did you ask me out for lunch at noon?"

"Follow me."

Sheng Mingsi didn't give a clear answer, only instructing her to follow his steps.

He continued holding the umbrella, slowing down his pace. Jiang Chenchen walked beside him, significantly shorter, wearing the high school uniform, and moving lightly.

Walking under an umbrella together like this felt novel to her.

She couldn't help but glance at him.

Even though it had only been two days since they last met, why did his features seem even more profound?

The spring sunlight came in from the side of the black umbrella, casting a dazzling light on his smooth jawline and slender neck. It seemed like he had noticed the stolen glances, but he pretended not to.

They quickly reached their destination, turning into an alley. In front of them stood a shop.

The sign seemed to have been recently removed.

Looking through the glass door, Jiang Chenchen could see that it was a dessert shop.

At the moment, Wu Bi, wearing the apron of a bubble tea shop employee, was busy at the counter in the operating area. This tall and strong man appeared completely different, and Jiang Chenchen stood outside the glass door, looking at the people inside, then turning to the person next to her.

"This is..."

Sheng Mingsi, with deep eyes, calmly looked at the people inside and said, "Wu Bi has always wanted to open a dessert shop. So, he took over this store near the school. You can come here for lunch and rest in the future. It will be very quiet here."

Wu Bi:?

He never had this dream!

But since Mr. Sheng said he did, then he did.

So Wu Bi, holding a freshly made cup of juice, reluctantly smiled at them.

Jiang Chenchen made a soft sound, then pushed the door open.

Sheng Mingsi followed closely behind, and the glass door closed. The sign on it had long been taken down.

This would be a dessert shop that doesn't serve customers from the outside.

Though it was called a small shop, it wasn't very small. Besides the sofa tables in the hall, there was a long row of bookshelves against the wall, filled with various books and materials.

There was also a room in the back, a storage room, and a large courtyard. The courtyard was filled with flowers and plants, resembling a romantic small garden.

Sitting in the courtyard, drinking milk tea, and reading a book would be more comfortable.

There is also a room in the back, a storage room, and a large courtyard filled with flowers and plants, creating a romantic atmosphere.

Sitting in the courtyard, drinking milk tea and reading a book, would be even more comfortable.

Jiang Chenchen sat at a table near the front counter, and Wu Bi placed the juice in front of her, continuing to play his role, "Miss Jiang, please enjoy."

Saying this, he turned around and continued working in the improved kitchen.

He was currently frying a high-quality steak.

Jiang Chenchen looked at the juice in her hand, wanting to say something but seeing how busy he was, she decided not to ask.

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Sheng Mingsi sat down next to her and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Can't I order milk tea?"

"Don't drink this before your meal. Have some juice; we'll eat in a bit." He gestured with his chin, "Hold the cup and drink. Go to the backyard afterward."

Jiang Chenchen obediently followed his instructions, sipping juice while lifting the curtain to look at the backyard. She found the place charming.

Returning to the front counter, she finished her juice, feeling quite content.

Breaking the ice, she initiated a conversation with Wu Bi.

"You will definitely become an excellent dessert shop owner."

Wu Bi: ? Not necessarily!

He forced a smile and placed a well-cooked steak on the plate, added side dishes and sauce, and handed it over. But it wasn't over yet; there was a small pot of soup simmering on the stove. He served a bowl and, still not finished, took out shrimp dumplings from the steamer, serving them as the final main course.

Jiang Chenchen hadn't expected this dessert shop to offer so much food.

Sheng Mingsi, sitting nearby, said, "You can come here to eat in the future. Wu Bi welcomes you. His dream is not just to be a pastry chef."

Wu Bi: "..."

Jiang Chenchen nodded, "Mr. Sheng, you should also try some. Wu Bi's cooking is quite good."

Sheng Mingsi, with a slightly furrowed brow, said, "Just call him Xiao Wu; no need for the 'brother.'"

"Oh, Xiao Wu's cooking is excellent. Won't you try some?"

Xiao Wu at the moment: "..."

Sheng Mingsi remained solemn and cold, saying to her, "I've already eaten. You enjoy; these are all made for you. After eating, you can rest and read books. There are books over there."

Although he didn't intend to intervene, when he heard that she was being bullied at school, he couldn't help himself. The so-called school bully turned out to be Zhao Shitian's cousin. Sheng Mingsi made a call, urging Zhao Shitian to manage his cousin properly, or he would teach her a lesson.

As for taking over this shop near the school, he wanted to provide her with a quieter and more comfortable environment.

Since he had already intervened, he might as well ensure everything was in order.

Jiang Chenchen didn't know how much thought he had put into this. She only knew this place was good, and she guessed the food wouldn't be cheap.

After finishing her meal, she quickly took out her phone to scan the QR code.

"How much is it?"

Wu Bi: Can you even charge for this?

Sheng Mingsi, with a cold gaze, looked over and knocked on the table. "How much?"

His stern emphasis made Wu Bi break into a cold sweat, afraid of giving the wrong answer.

"Um, today's opening is free for trial. Are you satisfied with today's dishes? If so, please give us a 5-star review!"

Jiang Chenchen nodded, "Very satisfied."

"Also, here are some coupons. You can use them for your next visit." Wu Bi quickly grabbed a handful of coupons from a drawer and handed them to her.

Jiang Chenchen looked at the coupons in front of her, feeling a bit stunned. "So, I can come here anytime in the future?"

Next Chapter▶▶

 ### Chapter 103: Archery Class

Qi Wangfei let Suisui follow her pace, only letting her rest when she couldn’t hold on any longer.

To avoid Suisui feeling pressured by the thought that she couldn’t hold out as long as her brothers, Qi Wangfei smiled and explained, “Suisui, there’s no need to rush. You haven’t practiced formally yet, so it’s fine if you can only manage a shorter time. With regular practice, you’ll gradually get used to it and be able to hold on longer.”

The explanation was a bit lengthy, so Suisui took a moment to understand before nodding vigorously, “Yes, I’ll listen to Mother and persist!”

After saying this, the little girl tried to imitate a determined expression and let out a “ha” sound, then resumed her stance.

Feng Xuanrui and the others didn’t hold their stance for long before they started practicing archery.

Feng Xuanqing, being older, performed the best. The instructor quickly had him mount a horse to try practicing mounted archery.

Feng Xuanjie also had good accuracy, but his slim build made the instructor wary of him falling, even when riding the smallest pony. Moreover, he had fallen more than once.

So, after asking for his opinion and learning that he wasn’t keen on riding, the instructor didn’t force him.

Feng Xuanrui hadn’t practiced for over a month, so his skills were noticeably rusty. His lack of strength meant he needed more practice.

Feng Xuanbo’s accuracy was… well, lacking.

He had even hit the target next to theirs more than once.

Feng Xuanrui was quite helpless, turning to him and asking, “Feng Xuanbo, why don’t you try mounted archery instead?”

Feng Xuanbo stubbornly turned his head away, saying, “I won’t!!!”

It was clear that he wasn’t good and just wanted to spoil things for the others.

Feng Xuanrui was so annoyed he could have smashed his head in before leaving the capital!

Feng Xuanbin was younger and weaker.

His bow and arrows were specially made for him.

But…

His accuracy was about as good as Feng Xuanbo’s.

Suisui, having never seen archery before, was stretching her neck to look curiously.

Feng Xuanbin, feeling bored and not performing well, saw Suisui watching curiously. He glanced at the instructor, who was talking to Feng Xuanrui, and decided to sneak away.

He was very familiar with the art of skipping classes!

He thought he was very skilled at sneaking away under the instructor’s nose.

Unbeknownst to him, as he turned and sneaked away with a bent back and tiptoeing steps, Master Shen casually glanced in his direction.

There were only five children in the class, and Master Shen thought he’d be blind not to notice one missing.

However, seeing Feng Xuanbin’s escape route towards the direction of the princess, he assumed Feng Xuanbin was looking for the little ones to play with.

As long as he was still in the training field, he could catch him later, so there was no need to expose him now.

Feng Xuanbin thought he had successfully skipped class and was quietly sneaking away.

He showed Suisui his specially made small bow, “Sister, sister, look at my beautiful little bow!”

Suisui, having never seen such a thing, hesitated to touch it when Feng Xuanbin handed it to her. She looked up at him and asked quietly, “Can I touch it?”

Feng Xuanbin didn’t understand Suisui’s hesitation. Hearing her question, he simply stuffed the bow into her arms, saying, “Of course, if you like it, you can have it. I’ll ask Father to make me another one later!”

At that moment, Feng Xuanbin completely forgot about the last time he got into a fight over a bow with another young prince, injuring his mouth in the process.

He thought: It’s just a bow. If his sister wants it, it’s hers!

Feng Xuanbin was generous, but Suisui felt a bit at a loss.

The delicate little bow was placed in her arms, and Suisui nervously held it up, inspecting it closely.

It was beautiful and delicate.

Before, Suisui hadn’t known what it was for.

After seeing the other brothers’ lessons, she vaguely understood.

Seeing Suisui focusing on the bow and seeming unsure how to use it, Feng Xuanbin eagerly came over, “Sister, Seventh Brother will teach you how to use it. It’s really simple!”

Feng Xuanbin had escaped from class with only a bow, so he didn’t have any arrows to demonstrate with, which troubled him.

He thought about going back to get some but was afraid of being caught by the instructor.

Without the actual arrows, how could he demonstrate?

Qi Wangfei, observing from the side, wanted to laugh but held it back to avoid hurting the children’s feelings.

She signaled Haitang to help get some small arrows.

Feng Xuanbin quickly went over to thank Haitang, “Thank you, sister Haitang.”

After thanking her, he added, “Thank you, Mother,” since Haitang was one of Qi Wangfei’s attendants.

The little chubby boy was always able to adapt and had a sweet mouth.

Seeing Feng Xuanbin like this, Suisui couldn’t help but envy him.

She thought: Seventh Brother is so amazing!

Feng Xuanbin didn’t notice Suisui’s feelings, but Qi Wangfei did.

However, she didn’t want to interrupt the children’s play and chose to let them enjoy themselves without saying much.

Feng Xuanbin said he would teach Suisui archery.

Suisui had never tried it before.

However, she was quite strong from doing farm work in the past, so she had a solid foundation.

Feng Xuanbin, although he often attended classes, didn’t understand why archery required practicing stances and arm strength.

He thought that to shoot, one should just draw the bow!

Feng Xuanbin didn’t realize that his bow’s frequent inability to be fully drawn was due to a lack of strength. He thought it was because he was still young.

He believed that when he grew up, he’d be as skilled as his second brother… or even better!

Thinking of his second brother, Feng Xuanbin puffed up his little belly with pride, “Sister, when Second Brother comes back to the residence, he can teach us. He’s amazing!”

“Our little bow here, Second Brother could crush it with one hand!”

“As for me, a little chubby boy, Second Brother could easily lift two of me with one hand!”

“Our Second Brother is incredible!”

…

Mentioning his second brother made Feng Xuanbin go on and on, unable to stop showing off.

Suisui listened with admiration, “Second Brother is that amazing?”

“Wow, Second Brother is awesome!”

…

Even though Feng Xuanbin was not talking about himself, Suisui’s praise made him lose himself in pride.

Then, as he tried to draw the bow, he still couldn’t manage to pull it fully.

Not only that, but when he released the arrow, he didn’t control the force well, and the shot sent him stumbling backward a few steps.

Feng Xuanbin quickly retreated, his face paling in panic, “Ah, ah, help, help…”

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 22: Scholar Zhou Ding (Extra Update)

Chang Suining shook her head directly: "I don't remember at all."

After all, her brain was damaged, so it made sense.

"Who was the maid accompanying Suining that day?" Chang Kuo asked with a frown.

Chang Sui'an replied, "It was Xi'er!"

Chang Suining asked, "Is she still alive?"

Chang Sui'an was momentarily stunned by the question, but quickly nodded, "She's alive! After the night of the Lantern Festival, she was detained for questioning... Uncle Bai, bring her here!"

Soon, a maid around the same age as Chang Suining was brought in. Her eyes were swollen like rotten peaches, and her clothes were somewhat dirty, indicating she hadn’t washed in at least three to five days. She looked quite disheveled and miserable.

As soon as she entered the hall, her swollen eyes immediately sought out Chang Suining. She rushed to kneel before her and cried, "My lady… it's such a relief that you're safe!"

Surprisingly, Chang Suining felt a bit moved.

So far, this was the first person to recognize her immediately.

"…Xi'er has held on just to wait for my lady's return!" Xi'er looked up at Chang Suining with a smile of contentment, as if all her worries had been lifted: "Now that I've seen you, my lady, I can rest easy!"

With that, she bit her lip and suddenly turned to smash her head against the corner of the nearby table.

Chang Suining: "?"

No wonder the Chang family, governed by military law, was so eager to embrace death. They were really too excellent at this.

Quickly reacting, she grabbed Xi'er by the arm: "Don't rush, I still have questions for you."

Xi'er sobbed, nodded in confusion, and postponed her suicide attempt for a moment: "Ask away, my lady."

"First, tell me everything that happened on the night of the Lantern Festival, before and after my accident."

While speaking, Chang Sui'an moved a wide chair behind her and whispered, "Ningning, sit and ask your questions."

Chang Kuo, somewhat satisfied, glanced at his son and also sat down.

Of course, Chang Sui'an remained standing.

Xi'er recounted everything in one breath: "On the night of the Lantern Festival, I accompanied my lady to admire the lanterns. I suggested that my lady solve lantern riddles, but my lady said she didn't want to go where the crowds were, so she led me across the Moon Bridge to the opposite side of the lantern festival. Then, she asked me to wait under the bridge, saying she wanted to take a walk by the river alone. As I watched her walk further and further away, almost out of sight, I became uneasy and chased after her, but it was too late. When I reached the reeds, I couldn't find her anywhere!"

No wonder she was so fluent; after all, she had recounted this to Manager Bai and Chang Sui'an countless times during the past days.

Chang Suining frowned slightly: "…Have I ever shown signs of wanting to end my life?"

Xi'er was momentarily taken aback, then shook her head: "My lady may be sensitive and emotional at times, but lately, there hasn't been anything particularly troubling… plus, you're terribly afraid of pain…"

Still, wouldn't my lady know herself better than I do?

But she continued, "I searched by the river for a long time without finding you, so I quickly had the coachman return to the manor to inform the young master. He said he had lost something valuable in the river and hired nearby boatmen to search the river all night, but found nothing."

Chang Suining thought to herself — by that time, A Li was likely carried far away by the current, eventually landing in the hands of that kidnapper.

Was it truly just an accidental fall into the river?

Chang Suining didn’t want to jump to conclusions so easily: "Before leaving the house, did I say anything? Bring anything with me? Or… did I have plans to meet someone?"

Seeing Xi'er's increasingly confused expression, Chang Suining added, "There are many things I don’t remember right now. The physician said it would take about half a month of rest for my memory to recover. You just need to answer."

Everything Xi'er said earlier was true — if A Li had been the one in trouble before, Xi'er might have been able to deceive Chang Sui'an and Manager Bai with a fabricated story, but now that "A Li" had returned, she wouldn't dare face her with lies.

In other words, this maid had been truthful up until now.

As for her claim of needing half a month to recover her memory — that was purely to deceive.

Upon hearing this, Xi'er first showed a look of shock, then her eyes filled with guilt and self-blame: "My lady has suffered… it's all Xi'er's fault for not taking better care of you, leading to this misfortune…"

"Just following orders, you aren't at fault." Chang Suining interrupted her self-reproach, "Answer my questions first; think carefully."

"Yes..." Xi'er concentrated for a moment and said, "My lady didn’t say anything particularly noteworthy… she normally doesn’t interact much with others and has no close female friends…"

Chang Suining: "And what about close young men?"

Chang Kuo: "?"

Chang Sui'an: "?"

Xi'er opened her mouth: "A young man… no, not really…"

Then suddenly, something seemed to occur to her: "But there is one, not quite young…"

Chang Sui'an suddenly frowned: "You're not talking about Zhou Ding, are you?"

Xi'er quickly nodded.

Seeing Chang Sui'an's expression of disgust, Chang Suining couldn't help but ask, "Who is Zhou Ding?"

This was also the first time Chang Kuo had heard the name.

"He's just a shameless…" Chang Sui'an was about to curse but, remembering how much his sister had once admired this person, he held back and said more tactfully, "He's just a poor scholar who tried to win you over with a few flowery poems after reading a couple of books!"

Chang Suining didn’t respond immediately and instead asked Xi'er, "Since I rarely interact with others, and he’s someone I’ve been in contact with, could it be that I went to meet him on the night of the Lantern Festival?"

Xi'er shook her head: "But my lady didn’t mention him to me that day, so she likely didn’t plan to meet him…"

"Or perhaps… knowing that my brother disapproved of him, I told no one, pretending I wanted to walk by the river alone, when in fact, I was going to meet him?" Chang Suining speculated, "The lantern festival is a lively event. I attended but claimed to dislike crowds, then walked alone to a secluded area. If there wasn’t another reason, wouldn’t that be contradictory?"

Xi'er hesitated to speak.

Chang Sui'an scratched his head and whispered, "Ningning… it's not really contradictory. After all, that's kind of how you are."

You’d say you wanted to be alone, then shed tears later about feeling lonely in the vast world… it was a common occurrence.

Perhaps it was because she had lost her biological parents at a young age that her sister had always been emotionally fragile and unpredictable.

And maybe, needing an outlet for her emotions, she immersed herself in poetry and literature. Meanwhile, as her older brother, he was naturally rough and unrefined. Though she never said so, he sensed that his behavior was clumsy and awkward, and he gradually stopped approaching her, fearing he'd upset her.

In short, his sister admired talent — and Zhou Ding had a bit of it.

Chang Suining paused for a moment, then asked, "How did I meet this person?"

Even though A Li's fall into the water might not be related to this person, if he was prominent enough in A Li's relatively closed life, he was worth paying attention to.

"It was half a year ago, at a poetry gathering…" Xi'er explained the sequence of events.

After meeting at the poetry gathering, they had frequent correspondence, and Suining had even secretly supported him financially several times—

"…I even gave him money?" Chang Suining found it hard to believe.

Xi'er said, "That Young Master Zhou often lamented his family's poverty, saying that although he had the title of scholar and was talented, the road to the imperial examination was long and difficult…"

"So, I wanted to sponsor his studies?" Chang Suining frowned, "…And he promised to propose to me once he achieved high honors?"

"No, no, no!" Xi'er hurriedly waved her hands in denial.

(End of Chapter)

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 100: From Now On, You're My Buddy

Gu Sujiao willingly gave up her seat. Jiang Chenchen nodded at her, then walked in and took her seat.

The cake box on the table was very eye-catching. Gu Sujiao warmly said, "I bought this from the queue at San Chang Street. Their mousse cake is delicious. Try it. If you like it, I'll buy it for you next time."

Jiang Chenchen has always loved sweet things, and Sheng Mingsi often bought them for her. Since the last incident where she got injured while saving someone, she refrained from sweets for a while. But seeing the cake on the table, she suddenly felt the urge to eat.

"You bought it for me to eat?"

She asked uncertainly.

Why did her desk mate suddenly lose hostility towards her?

Because at the moment, her eyes and the aura she emitted showed no danger.

Jiang Chenchen was quite puzzled.

Seeing her hesitation, Gu Sujiao took the initiative to open the box and handed her a small fork, saying, "Enjoy."

Opening the cake box revealed a tempting mousse cake.

Jiang Chenchen's index finger moved.

Instinctively, she took the small fork.

Students in the class were intentionally or unintentionally watching this scene, holding their breath. It was the most nerve-wracking moment.

Gu Sujiao had really gone all out. The mousse cake from the famous San Chang Street was known to be delicious, and it often took a long time to queue for it.

Using this as bait was a clever move, making it nearly impossible to guard against.

And it seemed like the new student had fallen completely into the trap.

Would the small fork in her hand cut open the cake, revealing the worms inside?

Some students even started feeling nauseous, covering their mouths and coughing.

More were staring intently at Jiang Chenchen's hand, wanting to see what tricks Gu Jie had used!

Jiang Chenchen took a small spoonful of cake and ate it. It was sweet and delicious.

She swallowed it!

Other students in the class were shocked. Wasn't there supposed to be a burst of worms in her mouth?

The layers of the mousse cake appeared normal. Could there be nothing unusual inside? Was there no secret?

Whispers started circulating in the classroom, becoming a tumultuous discussion.

"Does Sister Jie have a new move?"

"First intentionally distract the opponent and then strike decisively?"

"I always feel that things aren't that simple. After all, this person is Sister Jie! Can she be so kind?"

"I was afraid there was poison in the cake!"

"No... is there really poison?"

Gasps of shock echoed in the classroom.

Meanwhile, Jiang Chenchen had finished the entire mousse cake. She hadn't eaten breakfast, so it filled her stomach perfectly.

She sincerely said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Among classmates, we should help each other, right? Besides, we're desk mates, aren't we!"

Gu Sujiao said with enthusiasm, reaching out to hook Jiang Chenchen's shoulder and whispering in her ear, "Look, I bought you a cake to make amends. Let's not dwell on this matter anymore, okay?"

Jiang Chenchen looked at her with a side glance. "Dwell on what?"

Gu Sujiao was a bit impatient and spoke quickly, "Don't pretend not to know. My brother warned me last night. If I dare to bully you, he'll break my legs. I need your consent and acceptance of my apology for this matter to be considered settled."

Although Jiang Chenchen didn't quite understand what she was talking about, she nodded, "Alright."

Gu Sujiao finally breathed a sigh of relief, patted her shoulder, and raised her eyebrows, "Before, I didn't know who you were, and I might have offended you. I hope you can forgive me."

"From now on, you're my buddy. If anyone dares to bully you, just mention my name. If someone bullies you, it's like bullying me. I will help you get revenge!"

She said this loudly, making her voice heard throughout the classroom.

She suddenly raised her voice and conveyed her intentions, surprising her classmates.

What on earth was going on? How did they go from enemies to good sisters overnight?

The sudden raise in her voice and the meaning behind her words surprised all the students.

What on earth was happening? How did they go from enemies to good sisters overnight? The plot was more dramatic than a TV series, and it was simply unbelievable!

Even more unbelievably, after morning exercises, the school broadcast announced an apology statement from Gu Sujiao's number one suitor, Ke Xiaochuan.

Although he didn't explicitly mention the student he was apologizing to, he referred to the new student in Class 11 of the senior third grade.

Wasn't the new student Jiang Chenchen?

She seemed like a pretty and elegant girl, but within just over a day, she had received apologies and flattery from two major troublemakers. It was truly beyond belief!

For those who were trying to dig into Jiang Chenchen's background, they found nothing significant. However, they did come across her participation in a romance variety show.

And it was with the new rising star, Lu Su!

This news quickly spread throughout the campus.

After the morning classes, Class 11 of the senior third grade was surrounded, making it nearly impossible to move.

Gu Sujiao could only helplessly watch. After all, compared to crazy star-chasing fans, she couldn't compete!

When those people crowded around Jiang Chenchen's desk, Gu Sujiao had already slipped away.

"Jiang Chenchen, can you tell me Lu Su's contact information?"

"Do you have any private photos of him? I'll pay a high price!"

"Can you contact Lu Su now? I have something important to discuss with him!"

Their words created a chaotic cacophony.

Jiang Chenchen remembered that Sheng Mingsi had asked her to meet him outside the school at noon. However, being blocked like this, she couldn't push through the crowd.

She felt a bit anxious and wanted to get out quickly to meet Sheng Mingsi.

Unable to push through the crowded people, she turned her gaze to the window.

This was the third floor, and there were trees outside.

Jiang Chenchen's eyes deepened. She opened the window, attracting the attention of everyone, and then jumped onto the windowsill and leaped out.

This sudden move left the onlookers in the classroom dumbfounded.

Half a minute later.

"Oh my gosh!"

"Ahhhhh! Help!"

"She jumped off the building!"

Classmates near the window hurriedly gathered to look outside and found that she had jumped from the tree to the ground, agile and nimble as a monkey, then ran and disappeared from everyone's sight.

Such an unexpected move caught everyone off guard.

But soon they reacted.

"She ran away! Quick, chase her!"

Another wave of people rushed down.

Jiang Chenchen had already dashed out of the school and arrived outside the gate.

Sheng Mingsi had told her to come outside, but he hadn't specified the location. So, she waited at the school gate.

Her heart was both nervous and uneasy.

She felt like she could see him soon, that sense of anticipation.

Even though it had only been two or three days since they last met.

Footsteps approached, and Jiang Chenchen quickly looked up. A hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes because the person who came wasn't Sheng Mingsi.

"Are you Jiang Chenchen?"

The one who spoke was a melancholic-looking boy. Half of his long hair covered one eye, and his expression showed a momentary surprise and scrutiny.

Next Chapter▶▶

Chapter 320: Someone Has Designs, Well-Intentioned Reminders (1)

On this day, Mo Yan rose early, had breakfast, and then had Li Zhong harness the carriage. The three of them went to the city together.

The carriage was warm and comfortable, which made Tie Tou and Wang Pang, who were riding in a carriage for the first time, excited and cautious. They didn't dare to touch the delicate patterns on the carriage walls, just staring carefully again and again.

Feeling bored just sitting there, Mo Yan started chatting with them, asking if they were adapting well, if they had encountered any difficulties, and if they had any thoughts about the grain shop, etc.

"Little Master, Shopkeeper Li takes good care of us. He patiently teaches us whenever we don't understand. He never scolds us. Everyone else is nice too. Many customers praise our grain shop!" Wang Pang said cheerfully, his tone full of gratitude and pride.

When he started working at Mo Family's Grain Shop, he had already prepared himself to be scolded. Before fleeing, there were people in the village who worked as assistants in the shops. The work was very heavy, and if mistakes were made, they would be beaten and scolded. He was worried too. But after working for more than half a month, there was nothing like that at all, and the pay was good too!

When his friends in the village heard about it, they were very envious. In recent days, some people even took the initiative to go to his house to propose marriage to him. This was something he never dared to dream of before. Hehe!

Seeing that he was really satisfied, Mo Yan nodded with a smile and asked the silent Tie Tou.

"Good!" Tie Tou hesitated for a moment before blurting out a word with a silly smile on his face.

Having rice to eat and being well-fed, not being tired from work, not getting scolded even if he worked slowly, and getting a smile from his grandparents when he returned home, how could it not be good!

Seeing his silly and innocent appearance, Mo Yan couldn't help but worry for Wu Shi. Such a character wasn't necessarily bad; he was honest and simple. If he met a kind and contented girl, they could live happily together for a lifetime.

But obviously, such a personality couldn't carry a family. The girl he found in the future had to be capable of managing the household. Otherwise, life would be difficult. Such a girl wouldn't be easy to find!

"That's good! If you encounter any difficulties or problems, you can talk to Shopkeeper Li. As long as you work diligently, Mo Family won't treat you unfairly." As the owner of the grain shop, it was necessary to motivate the employees when necessary!

"We understand, Little Master!" Wang Pang readily agreed, then hesitated for a moment and glanced at Mo Yan, saying somewhat hesitantly, "Recently, there's a strange customer. He used to come every day to buy grain, saying our grain tastes good and even asked where we purchased it. I said I didn't know, and he seemed to not believe me. He asked Tie Tou, and Tie Tou said he didn't know, and then he seemed to believe it. He hasn't come much these days, so I didn't tell Shopkeeper Li!"

Listening to this, Mo Yan became secretly alert. Seeing Wang Pang looking uneasy, she comforted him, "Brother Pang, you did well! If someone asks again next time, just tell the truth. There's nothing to hide."

Tell the truth? Wang Pang was stunned for a moment, then understood Mo Yan's meaning. He didn't know where the grain was purchased from at all, so naturally he could only tell the truth.

Tie Tou didn't know either. Seeing Wang Pang nodding, he nodded too.

Mo Yan asked a few more questions but didn't find any more clues. Although someone had asked about the source of the grain at the grain shop before, it was the first time someone had persistently pursued it for so many days. It seemed that they had been targeted as soon as they opened.

It was just unknown whether this person had recognized the value of their fragrant rice and wanted to find out its source to get a share. Fortunately, she had moved a lot of grain into the warehouse for the first time, and she hadn't visited it again since opening. Even if someone was watching the warehouse now, they wouldn't find anything. However, she would need to be more careful in the future if she visited again.

Next Chapter▶▶

 **Chapter 102: A Gift from Heaven**

Suisui had a sweet nap and a pleasant dream.

In her dream, there was endless delicious food, a soft bed, and the comforting scent and gentle touch of her mother.

Suisui was so comfortable that she didn’t want to wake up.

However, nature called, and after hurriedly addressing her needs, Suisui sat by the bed, taking a moment to gather herself.

Qi Wangfei, who had been keeping track of the time, saw Suisui drowsily head to the washroom and then return to sit by the bed, lost in thought. She couldn’t help but smile.

She reached out and gently patted Suisui’s head, “Time to wake up?”

The touch of her mother’s hand made Suisui feel very comfortable and secure. She instinctively tilted her head, rubbing against her mother’s palm like a little kitten, her voice sweet and drowsy, “Yes, I’m waking up.”

Feeling the little girl's attachment, Qi Wangfei’s heart softened.

She thought to herself: Raising such a tender, sweet child is wonderful.

At that moment, Qi Wangfei even considered that if the prince didn’t like it and only wanted a biological daughter from a master’s prediction, that wouldn’t be so bad either. 

Then she wouldn’t have to worry about anyone competing for her precious little girl!

However, Qi Wangfei quickly shook her head, dismissing the thought.

It would be too selfish.

Such a cute little girl should be cherished by many people.

Suisui had suffered too much in the past. Qi Wangfei wanted her future days to be sweet.

After the nap, the mouthwash was still floral tea.

After rinsing her mouth, Qi Wangfei dressed Suisui in her clothes.

Looking at Suisui’s short hair, Qi Wangfei felt a bit regretful, “When Suisui’s hair grows longer, I’ll style it into a little bun for you.”

To help Suisui understand what a little bun was, Qi Wangfei explained, “Just like the pretty little buns that Qiaoqiao has.”

Qiaoqiao was Ying Zhi, whom they had met earlier in the morning.

Suisui remembered.

Thinking of Qiaoqiao, Suisui quickly recalled Ruoruo, whom she had met in Wenzhou.

She was happy to share these pleasant memories with her mother.

So, after getting dressed, Suisui held her mother’s hand and chattered non-stop, “On the road, I also met a sister named Ruoruo. She was very gentle, gave me candy, and patted my head. She was so nice.”

“She also said that I’m as cute as her little sister!”

“Ruoruo said my head is round and the cutest, and she wanted it!”

……

Children’s innocent chatter.

Qi Wangfei listened with great interest.

She had already heard about the events on the road from both Prince Qing and Physician Liu.

Now, hearing about Ruoruo, Qi Wangfei guessed it was Lian Ruoyi, the daughter of the magistrate of Nianqiao County.

Lian Ruoyi’s aunt, Lian Meiren, was currently favored and popular in the palace.

Qi Wangfei had met Lian Meiren during her last visit to the palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.

Lian Meiren was a charming and bright beauty, and Qi Wangfei had a good impression of her.

Lian Meiren was kind-hearted, so Lian Ruoyi must also be a nice girl.

However, the magistrate of Nianqiao County had been transferred only recently. Unless he achieved remarkable political results, it would be a while before he returned to the capital.

Thus, Suisui might not see her Ruoruo sister for some time.

Qi Wangfei understood this but chose not to mention it, fearing it might disappoint Suisui.

She followed Suisui’s lead and said, “Yes, Ruoruo is lovely. Remember to write a letter to her when you get the chance. It’s fine if you can’t write; we can draw pictures. We can even buy gifts for her.”

Fearing that Suisui might feel self-conscious about not having money, Qi Wangfei added, “If you want to make something yourself, that’s fine too. I’ll find someone to teach you how to do crafts, okay?”

Suisui had been worrying about what gift to give Ruoruo.

Hearing her mother’s suggestion, Suisui happily nodded, “Okay, I got it.”

Then, thinking for a moment, Suisui added loudly, “Thank you, Mother. I love you.”

Children’s expressions of love were simple and straightforward.

Qi Wangfei’s eyes crinkled with a smile. She felt that Suisui was truly a gift from heaven!

She would cherish her with all her heart.

Feng Xuanrui and the others had also woken up and quickly got ready.

The afternoon archery and equestrian class was about to start, so they went to the small training ground in the backyard without first greeting Qi Wangfei.

The area had been specially cleared and leveled several times to ensure a stable and solid surface for the classes.

At this time, the instructor had arrived and was taking attendance.

After roll call, the instructor led them in practicing the Ba Duan Jin.

Suisui didn’t join the small class yet, as she had no prior experience with such things. Qi Wangfei hadn’t planned for her to start learning immediately.

So, she watched from the sidelines.

After the Ba Duan Jin, the instructor had them practice basic skills as a warm-up for archery and horseback riding.

The basics were not difficult.

They involved stances and strength exercises.

Feng Xuanrui hadn’t practiced in over a month, so restarting felt almost like starting from scratch.

Holding the horse stance...

It was so hard!

Feng Xuanrui found himself shivering with exhaustion after only a short while.

He turned his head and realized he was even struggling more than Xiao Qi?

What? 

When did he become less capable than Xiao Qi?

Feng Xuanrui, unwilling to accept this, gritted his teeth and persevered.

The instructor was still the same as in the morning.

Although most officials in the Great Zhou dynasty were not equally skilled in both literature and martial arts, many scholars were also quite proficient in martial skills.

The instructor, despite his scholarly background, was not inferior in martial skills.

Thus, both literary and martial lessons were taught by Master Shen.

At this moment, Master Shen, holding a ruler, walked leisurely among the young masters, occasionally glancing at this one or that one.

Master Shen did not speak, but his gaze was imposing.

Suisui, watching from a short distance, had just been eagerly imitating her brothers’ stances.

When Master  Shen’s gaze shifted towards her, even if just in her direction, Suisui was startled.

Qi Wangfei watched from the side, feeling somewhat helpless.

She gently patted Suisui’s back and comforted her softly, “Don’t be afraid, Suisui.”

She didn’t say more.

To ensure Master Shen could properly teach the students, it was important to maintain his authority.

Even as spectators, they needed to show Master Shen respect.

Only then would the students feel a sense of reverence and attend to their lessons diligently.

Thus, Qi Wangfei said nothing about not being afraid of Master Shen.

She felt it was not fear but rather respect.

The little girl didn’t understand, so Qi Wangfei thought it best not to say too much.

The comforting touch of her mother gave Suisui the courage she needed. She peeked up again and, seeing that Master Shen had moved his gaze away, resumed imitating her brothers’ horse stance.

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 188: Reward from the Big Brother

The scene was like a dream with water reflecting the moon and flowers mirroring in the mirror. Even a deep abyss seemed enticing.

Xiao Cheng's eyes had a subtle ripple, and a layered smile emerged. "Looks good."

Bai Lu, satisfied, smiled and stepped aside with a flower vase. "Are you coming back for lunch?"

"Yep."

After Xiao Cheng left, Bai Lu turned a piece of land in the vegetable garden, sowing new seeds. She watered the plants, picked some vegetables for lunch, and headed to the market.

Upon returning, she saw a three-wheeled vehicle parked at the door, the gate wide open, and a large square cardboard box in the yard. Inside the box were some foam pads, and there were excited whispers coming from the main house.

"Did big brother ask you to bring it back?"

"Yes, big brother specifically asked us to bring it back from the city, and we came back on a tricycle," said the mischievous voice. Besides Luo Shiliu, who else could it be but Xiao Wei?

The next voice was straightforward, undoubtedly Xiao Da Zhuang. "That's right, Cheng ge asked us to bring it back, but we forgot to ask him where to put it."

"What about sister-in-law?"

"Maybe she went to buy groceries."

"Shiliu, should we wait for her?"

"Wait... for what? She's already back."

Upon entering the house, Bai Lu saw three bald heads. She recognized Xiao Wei's shaved head, but seeing Luo Shiliu and Xiao Da Zhuang with shaved heads surprised her. She hadn't seen them like this in Xiao Cheng's memory.

Brothers who had gone through thick and thin together, indeed, they shaved their heads together.

Looking at the Eight Immortals Table, she spotted a new 21-inch television, a remote control beside it, and a satellite dish antenna to receive signals.

Xiao Wei was circling the TV and satellite dish, his big eyes full of curiosity. Luo Shiliu, hands on hips, joined Xiao Wei in circling, looking like he had never seen a TV before.

Seeing Bai Lu entering, the three of them, with playful and teasing expressions, greeted her. "Did Ah Cheng ask us to bring it back?"

"Yes, big brother specially told us to bring it back from the city, and we came back on a tricycle," Xiao Da Zhuang explained.

Bai Lu thought they were here to install the TV, but to her surprise, they said, "Cheng ge will personally come back to install it."

Xiao Wei, after circling around the TV and satellite dish, sat at the table, hands supporting his chin, staring at the TV with bright eyes—a look of genuine admiration for the TV.

This scene reminded Bai Lu of a funny video she had seen online where a young man claimed a TV was excellent even when it was turned off. She couldn't help but laugh at the memory.

Addressing Xiao Wei, she asked, "Xiao Wei, is the TV good?"

"It's great," Xiao Wei nodded excitedly. "This TV was bought by big brother. Big sister-in-law, come and see."

Bai Lu took a serious look and gave her opinion, "Hmm, it's really good. It will look even better when your brother installs it later."

Xiao Wei, full of curiosity, asked, "Shiliu ge said there are little people fighting inside. Will they break the TV?"

Bai Lu chuckled and shook her head, "Of course not. The little people inside are fake."

"Why can fake ones fight?" Xiao Wei asked, puzzled. "Is it like the street performers during the New Year, holding puppets behind curtains, speaking for the puppets and making them fight?"

"But that kind of performance requires many beautiful puppets, and we don't have any in our house. Big brother doesn't have them either. Besides, big brother is so busy; where would he find time to hold puppets behind the TV curtain and perform?" Bai Lu explained.

The image of Xiao Cheng performing with puppets behind the TV curtain was too amusing for Bai Lu to imagine, so she laughed.

While laughing, she explained, "It's similar to puppet shows, but in the TV, the performers aren't puppets; they're real people like us."

"Do those people perform in a beautiful place, some reading books, others competing in martial arts, and some eating, sleeping, and playing?" asked Xiao Wei.

"Yes, exactly. The TV captures their lives in a beautiful place, whether it's our TV or someone else's. As long as you plug it in and turn it on, you can see..."

"Can you see them no matter how far away?" interrupted Xiao Wei.

"Yes, you can."

"That's so magical!"

"Yes, TV is indeed magical."

"Big brother is amazing. He can even bring a TV home!"

"Uh... yes... your brother is the most amazing... he can do anything... and everything he does is the best..."

As soon as Bai Lu finished speaking, a faint laughter came from behind her. Xiao Cheng walked into the room and couldn't help but reward Bai Lu with a pat on the head, clearly pleased with her praise.

Bai Lu felt her scalp tingling. "Aren't you supposed to install the TV and antenna? Let Xiao Wei help you with the signal; I'll go make lunch."

Xiao Wei, filled with anticipation, watched Bai Lu go to the kitchen, followed by the big brother.

The disappointed Xiao Wei, whose expectations had been shattered, thought that Bai Lu had successfully diverted Xiao Cheng's attention. The only solution to this was to quickly prepare and finish the meal so that Xiao Cheng would have time to install the TV.

Xiao Cheng moved wherever Bai Lu went.

On the roof, he followed under the ladder.

He didn't leave even when ignored.

Bai Lu saw how determined Xiao Wei was in following his big brother. Instead of asking him to check the signal, she decided to do it herself.

Xiao Cheng adjusted the satellite dish on the roof, while Bai Lu focused on checking the TV signal. "Got it."

"Hey, wait a minute, the signal is gone again."

"Go back to the previous position and move a bit further."

"How about now?"

"It's all snowy..."

"Ah Cheng, there it is! Don't move; let me change the channel."

"Why can't I change the channel? What's happening?"

Bai Lu pressed buttons on the remote control, trying to change the channel, but no matter how she pressed, it wouldn't switch.

Subconsciously, she tapped it twice.

From above came Xiao Cheng's light laughter. "Did you forget to put in the batteries?"

 Chapter 99: The New Student's Background

The school's security uncle had seen his fair share of fights, but witnessing a girl dislocate a guy's arm was a first!

With the guy's arm hanging limp and him screaming in pain, the girl seemed a bit puzzled as she held onto his dislocated arm. A group of guys surrounded her, creating a tense standoff as if she were being held hostage.

When the security uncle arrived, this was the scene he encountered.

He quickly had the injured guy sent to the infirmary.

At this hour, there was a night shift at the school clinic, and the young female school doctor glanced at the girl accused of causing trouble, her mouth involuntarily lifting into a smirk.

"Quite heavy-handed, huh?"

The school doctor casually manipulated the bones, and with a crisp sound, she managed to reset them.

Ke Xiao Chuan let out another cry, but after that, he could move his arm again.

With his recently healed arm, he wanted to throw a punch at Jiang Chenchen.

The school doctor stopped him, frowning. "What, you want another dislocation?"

Ke Xiao Chuan's face was not looking good. He had lost a lot of face by attacking out of anger. He withdrew his hand and glared fiercely at Jiang Chenchen.

"How do you want to settle this score!"

Jiang Chenchen gestured to him, "Wait a moment."

She spoke calmly and interrupted the confrontation, turning her attention to the school doctor sister.

"Why did it get fixed so easily?"

The school doctor, amused, couldn't believe the question in this situation.

Such a peculiar female student.

"This is a joint dislocation, mainly due to external force, like when you folded his arm just now. It made him lose the normal articulation, causing misplacement. Fortunately, it wasn't very severe, so I just put it back into place."

She explained the process in detail.

Then, with a raised eyebrow, she added, "Understand? Don't casually twist someone's arm; it's troublesome to fix."

After finishing, she yawned.

After hearing her explanation, Jiang Chenchen redirected her gaze back to Ke Xiao Chuan's arm.

Ke Xiao Chuan: ?

I haven't even settled the score with you, and now you're eyeing my arm?!

Before he could speak out, the school doctor sister, still busy packing up, shooed everyone away, "It's so late; if there's nothing wrong, go back."

"Oh, by the way, you better keep this arm quiet for a couple of days. Otherwise, if it dislocates again, don't expect me to fix it. Got it?"

Is this new school doctor always this domineering?

Ke Xiao Chuan wanted to retort, but when she glanced at him, her eyes were as sharp as knives, radiating a cold light. Realizing that today was probably not a good day to provoke women, he immediately shut his mouth.

On the other side, the security uncle had already informed the head teacher. A campus brawl like this was not going to be easily resolved.

Everyone involved got a major disciplinary mark, and the next day, the school broadcast publicly acknowledged the mistake.

Except for Jiang Chenchen.

"If they hadn't had ill intentions, you wouldn't have harmed anyone. This falls under self-defense, and you did well, very brave," said the head teacher, usually stern and reprimanding, but now smiling warmly like a gentle breeze.

Ke Xiao Chuan's eyes widened!

Is this damn toad out of his mind today? Who is this girl and why is he acting like this?!

The head teacher was known for favoritism in education, usually impartial except for the top-performing students. However, now it seemed like he had completely tilted.

Feeling unjustly scolded and experiencing the polarized treatment, they were furious.

They had to find out about the background of this new student!

...

Jiang Chenchen finally returned to the dorm and could rest. She received a call from Sheng Mingsi. The girl who was apparently sleeping behind the curtain, so she walked out to the balcony to answer the call.

"Brother Ah si..."

"Are you injured?"

"No injuries, just got hung up on your call. I was angry, so I twisted that classmate's arm."

Sheng Mingsi: ?

He thought she might be at a disadvantage, but it turned out to be an overreaction.

After Wu Bi investigated, he found that Jiang Chenchen had crossed paths with the campus queen, Gu Sujiao. Wu Bi remarked, "Isn't this the one?"

Sheng Mingsi: "Oh?"

"Brother Ah si! I just found out today that dislocated arms can be put back in place."

Jiang Chenchen's words made him pause. Lately, she seemed keen on learning various first aid and medical skills, but dislocating someone's arm and putting it back in place wasn't something to learn.

"Are you used to school?"

"Yeah, I'm used to it."

There was a brief silence on the other end.

Jiang Chenchen called his name again.

Sheng Mingsi sat up from his previously lazy position and, with a controlled tone, said, "Don't eat in the school cafeteria at noon tomorrow. Come out."

"Huh?" Jiang Chenchen was puzzled. "Are you coming over at noon?"

"We'll see tomorrow."

Sheng Mingsi added, "Go to bed early."

The call was already hung up on the other side, and Jiang Chenchen looked at the phone screen, feeling confused.

But she was inexplicably looking forward to tomorrow!

Turning around to enter the room, it was dimly lit by a desk lamp. The girl near the balcony bed seemed to be peeking at her through the curtain.

Jiang Chenchen quickly noticed it. When she glanced over, it seemed like a mistake; the curtain was tightly drawn, and she couldn't see anything.

She retracted her gaze, closed the balcony door, drew the curtains, and went back to her desk. She worked on some practice papers, studied for a while, and then went to sleep.

In the moment the light was turned off, she could feel a dark gaze nearby, as if it was staring at her.

Jiang Chenchen looked towards the bed diagonally opposite. She didn't understand what was going on.

But for now, there were no danger signals for her. She didn't pay much attention and soon fell asleep.

The next day, waking up early, Jiang Chenchen didn't see the girl on the diagonally opposite bed. It was quite mysterious.

Entering the classroom, she was met with the eyes of many classmates, along with whispers. Would the new student have a miserable time today?

After all, yesterday she angered Gu Sujiao, who arrived early in the morning and placed a box on her desk.

It looked like a cake, but everyone knew there must be some trick inside, like worms squeezed into the cake!

This was a common trick, and then they would watch her eat it!

Jiang Chenchen ignored these glances, walked to her seat, and saw her desk mate.

With a healthy complexion, she had tied all her half-short hair into small braids, giving her a distinctive look.

But despite her fierce appearance yesterday, she now actively waved at Jiang Chenchen with a smile.

"Hi, Jiang Chenchen, good morning!"

Others: Uh-oh, here comes the trap! First, disarm with a smile, then hand her the cake filled with bugs, and watch her swallow it!

Next Chapter▶▶

Chapter 1092: Meng Yunzheng in the Prison Cell

Seeing the situation, Shu Yu's heart skipped a beat.

Since Assistant Minister Jing had brought up the topic directly, Shu Yu didn't beat around the bush either. She asked straightforwardly, "Yes, Assistant Minister Jing. Where is he now, and what has happened to the Gong family?"

Assistant Minister Jing gestured for her to sit, then took a sip of tea before hesitating for a moment. He lowered his voice and asked her, "Have you been to the Gong family?"

Shu Yu shook her head, "I haven't, but I passed by their gate yesterday and saw..."

"You saw the white cloth hanging outside the Gong family's gate?" Assistant Minister Jing interrupted her.

Shu Yu nodded, "Yes, who in the Gong family had an accident?"

"The Gong family's second young master," Assistant Minister Jing put down his teacup and continued, "Hasn't he told you about what happened at the Gong family?"

The "he" he referred to was Meng Yunzheng.

Shu Yu nodded, relieved to know that it wasn't him who had the accident.

The Gong family's second young master was the son of Gong Qiu's concubine and had been brought up by Madam Gong as she didn't have any children. He was considered the legitimate son of the Gong family.

Before Meng Yunzheng was recognized by the Gong family, this person was the eldest son of the Gong family.

However, the second young master had always been weak and sickly, seen by Gong Qiu as a son who could die at any time.

That was why Gong Qiu took the risk to bring Meng Yunzheng back to the Gong family. At least this son would be healthy, even though he might not be very clever due to inhaling too much smoke in the fire.

But now, it turned out that the second young master had held on for so many years but eventually lost his life.

Shu Yu felt no sympathy for him. She had learned a lot about the Gong family from Zhao Xi, knowing that the second young master and Gong Qiu had conspired together to frame Meng Yunzheng. They even tried to kill him when he was sick, showing a despicable and ruthless nature.

He had received his due punishment.

However, what Assistant Minister Jing said next left Shu Yu stunned.

He said, "The culprit is Gong Xiao."

Gong Xiao was Meng Yunzheng's name in the Gong family.

Shu Yu immediately raised her head and firmly denied, "Impossible."

It wasn't because she didn't think Meng Yunzheng was capable of doing it. He was ruthless enough to gouge out someone's eyes and cut off their tongue, so killing someone he had no emotional attachment to, like the second young master who had previously conspired against him, wouldn't be a burden.

When Shu Yu said "impossible," she meant that even if Meng Yunzheng was the culprit, he would never let anyone find out, especially at such a critical moment.

Assistant Minister Jing observed Shu Yu for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "You're right, it is indeed impossible. He didn't kill the person, but he intentionally made it look like he did."

Shu Yu furrowed her brows, "Where is he now?"

"In the prison cell of the Ministry of Justice."

Shu Yu's expression changed slightly, and her grip on the teacup tightened.

After a while, she looked up, her expression serious, and asked, "Can I see him?"

Assistant Minister Jing seemed to be considering, but his expression was relaxed and nonchalant. It didn't seem to be a difficult question.

Sure enough, he nodded shortly, "You can see him. Tomorrow morning, dress up as my attendant and accompany me to the Ministry of Justice."

Shu Yu heaved a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Assistant Minister Jing."

Minister Jing waved his hand. He had other matters to attend to and couldn't stay at home for long. After meeting with Shu Yu and giving her some instructions, he left.

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Chapter 319: Do You Miss Me? (6)

Seeing his lack of objection, Xiao Ruiyuan cleared his throat and casually said, "Keep an eye on the Mo family in Liuyang Village. If they encounter any difficulties, try to solve them if you can. If not... find a way to help them!"

Liuyang Village's Mo family? That Mo family from Liuyang Village? Xiao Shiyi was somewhat puzzled. Why would his master issue such a strange command?

Xiao Ruiyuan's expression darkened, and he said coldly, "What? Is this task too difficult for you?"

"No, no, no, I obey your orders!" Xiao Shiyi's scalp tingled, and he didn't have time to think too much. He quickly agreed.

Xiao Ruiyuan nodded in satisfaction, waved his hand, and gestured for him to leave.

Even when Xiao Shiyi walked out of the study, he couldn't figure out why his master had given such an order. However, he couldn't ask anyone else about it. Fortunately, Liuyang Village wasn't a dangerous place, and it wasn't a particularly important matter. Assigning two ordinary guards would be enough.

In the study, only Xiao Ruiyuan remained. He gently opened the drawer beside the desk and took out a small square box about the size of a palm. Opening the box revealed a plain apricot-colored purse lying quietly inside. The purse was well-preserved, without a single wrinkle, looking as new as ever.

It was the same purse that Mo Yan had used as a makeshift envelope when sending a message through Xiao Hua.

Xiao Ruiyuan took out the purse and looked at the small black cat embroidered with black silk thread on it, a deep smile crossing his lips. Finally, he closed the box and threw it back into the drawer, carefully tucking the not-so-attractive purse into his pocket.

Meanwhile, Mo Yan, who was discussing whether to raise the price of grain with Li Zhong, was not particularly pleased to see nearly eight taels more silver in the account book compared to yesterday.

Li Zhong's expression wasn't great either. "I went to various grain shops today and found that most of them have raised prices by one or two wen, while a few have raised them by a whole ten wen. The ones with smaller increases still have some inventory left, while those with larger increases have just been transported from elsewhere, so their cost prices are much higher."

Mo Yan rubbed the ancient jade mark on her palm in silence for a moment. She roughly understood that as long as the war continued, the price of grain would continue to rise. Therefore, many people were hoarding grain while it was still cheap. Now, the grain shops were doing well, and it seemed that none of them were struggling.

If her shop didn't raise prices, it would definitely arouse suspicion from other grain shops, as they might think she had a cheaper source of grain. In the short term, it was fine, but if the war lasted too long, the price of grain would definitely rise again.

To maximize profits, those grain shops would surely target their "cheap grain source." In that case, her secret would be at risk of exposure, which was absolutely unacceptable!

However, the cost of their grain was almost negligible, so she couldn't take advantage of the situation to make a fortune.

"In that case, let's raise the prices. For glutinous rice, corn, and flour, we'll follow the prices of other grain shops. As for rice, we won't raise the price for now. We'll sell a limited amount each day, with each person limited to buying five catties."

"Limited?" Li Zhong frowned at Mo Yan, puzzled. The best-selling item in their shop was rice. It could be said that most of their daily income came from rice. If they didn't raise the price and limited sales, they would lose a lot of income every day.

Mo Yan nodded helplessly. "Let's do it for now! If other grain shops raise their prices again in the future, we'll raise the price of rice by another two wen and continue with the limited sales. This way, it won't be too conspicuous. Other shops will just think that the Mo Family's Fragrant Rice is taking advantage of the opportunity to build a reputation."

Li Zhong also thought so. Seeing that Mo Yan had made up her mind and was unlikely to change it, he didn't say anything more. After all, this matter would be beneficial to the reputation of their grain shop. Just like those well-established brands, who hadn't accumulated a good reputation over many years?

The next day, Mo Family's Fragrant Rice changed the price tags uniformly, and a signboard limiting sales was also hung at the entrance.

The customers didn't have any objections to the price increase of grain, but they were unhappy that the rice, which wasn't raised in price, could only be purchased in limited quantities every day. Five catties of rice were only enough for a family of five to eat for a day and a half. For a family of seven or eight, wouldn't they have to come here every day?

Those wealthier families actually hoped that the price of rice would increase instead of being limited in sales. Therefore, when buying rice, they kept complaining to Li Zhong. Helpless, Li Zhong could only explain with a smile repeatedly, hoping they would understand the intentions behind Mo Family's Fragrant Rice.

Families with ordinary incomes, however, thought that Mo Family's Fragrant Rice was very generous. They only needed to come here once a day, saving them ten wen. Over a month, they could buy a whole new set of clothes for their children! They felt that with such a generous boss, they wouldn't be cheated with inferior quality or spoiled grain. Therefore, they willingly came here every day.

When this matter reached the ears of other grain shop owners, many of them ridiculed the owner of Mo Family's Fragrant Rice for being a fool who didn't make money when he had the chance. However, they didn't suspect that the Mo family had another cheap source of grain. Therefore, for some time, Mo Yan continued to transfer grain from her space to the warehouse.

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