This was spring, when all flowers were in bloom. The Zhu family’s garden was tended by specialists and was exceptionally beautiful. Among the profusion of colorful blossoms, several camellia trees were particularly remarkable, with bowl-sized flowers whose petals layered upon each other most beautifully. What was especially remarkable was that despite clearly being the same plant, they bore flowers of different colors – truly extraordinary.

“Those are five-colored camellias, personally tended by my daughter.” When Madam Zhu said this, her face showed prideful radiance.

“Miss Zhu is truly skillful and clever.” Shi Fa Ke showed an amazed expression, praising repeatedly.

Madam Zhu led Shi Fa Ke forward a few steps, and they could see a pavilion opposite. In the pavilion sat a young lady dressed in a lilac-colored cross-collar ru skirt. From a distance, she appeared like a porcelain figure, indescribably beautiful.

The young lady seemed unaware that someone was secretly observing her. She was earnestly loosening soil around a flower pot, completely absorbed in her task.

“That is my daughter.” Madam Zhu whispered softly in Shi Fa Ke’s ear.

Shi Fa Ke’s eyes lit up.

Perhaps Shi Fa Ke’s gaze was too intense – the young lady suddenly turned her head and met Shi Fa Ke’s eyes.

Shi Fa Ke blinked and quickly smiled at her, but saw the young lady’s face suddenly show a panicked expression. She abruptly stood up, nearly knocking over the flower pot on the table, then frantically steadied the pot before lifting her skirt hem and running away in panic like a startled deer.

She ran away…

Shi Fa Ke’s mouth twitched.

“My daughter has been raised in the inner quarters since childhood and is rather shy.” Madam Zhu said with some embarrassment.

So this was how proper young ladies from prestigious families behaved when shy…

Shi Fa Ke nodded, indicating her understanding.

Seeing that Shi Fa Ke showed no strange reaction, Madam Zhu’s expression relaxed considerably, and her smile became much more sincere. “Then I’ll trouble Miss Shi. This is for you to buy some tea.” She glanced at the maid beside her.

The maid stepped forward slightly, holding a purse with both hands.

Shi Fa Ke knew this was proper etiquette and accepted it with a smile.

Her heart felt immensely comfortable.

Lu Chi, who she had almost thought would be stuck on her hands, finally had prospects – and with a truly proper young lady from a prestigious family whose appearance matched Lu Chi’s perfectly. It was truly like finding a path through seeming dead ends, discovering light after darkness!

Leaving the Zhu family’s main gate, Shi Fa Ke didn’t go home but planned to go directly to find Lu Chi.

She hadn’t had the face to see him for so many days, but now she finally had results. She could hardly wait to see him and tell him this good news.

Looking at the sun’s position, he should be teaching at the school at this time.

All along this path, Shi Fa Ke’s steps were so light she almost floated.

Just arriving outside the school, she saw a somewhat familiar chubby boy standing in punishment.

Azure-colored cross-collar short ru, a golden collar gleaming around his plump neck… Hmm, wasn’t this the chubby boy who had generously paid five taels of silver for Lu Chi to copy the Mencius five times that day at the stall?

“Hey, why are you here?” Shi Fa Ke walked forward, asking curiously.

The chubby boy lifted his drooping eyelids and looked at her with lifeless eyes. “Are you blind? Young master is standing in punishment.”

His tone was quite nasty.

“Whose young master are you?” A cold voice suddenly rang out.

The chubby boy’s scalp immediately tightened, his little fat face wrinkling like a bitter melon.

Shi Fa Ke widened her eyes, looking at Lu Chi who had just walked out of the classroom and stood at the door, then at the chubby boy standing in punishment with a bitter face. Her expression became somewhat strange. Hmm… it couldn’t be exactly what she was thinking, could it?

“He… is your student?” Shi Fa Ke pointed at the chubby boy, unable to suppress her curiosity.

Lu Chi smiled slightly. “Correct.”

Shi Fa Ke paused, then burst into laughter.

This unlucky chubby boy! He probably never imagined that the scholar he randomly found on the street to copy books would become his teacher in just a few days! What kind of fate was this!

The chubby boy silently rolled his eyes.

If the chubby boy knew what was going through the mind of this woman laughing like a fool, he would definitely tell her: this was an evil fate!

“Are you punishing him for those five copies of Mencius?” Shi Fa Ke asked while laughing.

“Not so. We had already settled that transaction, and I wasn’t his teacher at that time.” Lu Chi shook his head, speaking matter-of-factly.

Looking very reasonable.

“Oh, then why?” Shi Fa Ke asked curiously.

“Failed to pass recitation.” Lu Chi said.

The chubby boy silently rolled his eyes again. This teacher with a belly full of dark schemes had made him recite the King Hui of Liang Ming Mei Shan Qu – Chapter from Mencius, but whether he had read Mencius or not, didn’t this annoying teacher know perfectly well?! It was clearly intentional, hmph.

Seeing the chubby boy’s aggrieved expression, wanting to be angry but not daring to speak, Shi Fa Ke wanted to laugh again.

After she had laughed enough, Lu Chi smiled and said, “I haven’t seen you for several days. What made you think to come find me today?”

Hmm, was it her imagination? Why did these words carry a hint of resentment?

The chubby boy sneakily glanced at his teacher.

Shi Fa Ke laughed sheepishly. “I made no progress these past few days, so I was too embarrassed to come see you.”

Lu Chi raised an eyebrow. From the meaning of these words, was she about to randomly arrange another match for him? With his current reputation, was there actually still someone in Tongluozhen who dared to discuss marriage with him?

“But… I’m disturbing your class, aren’t I?” Shi Fa Ke peered into the classroom. It was completely silent inside, with everyone earnestly studying. She unconsciously lowered her voice and said to Lu Chi, “You go teach first. I’ll wait outside.”

“No matter.” Lu Chi glanced at the chubby boy standing in punishment. “Let’s talk outside.”

The chubby boy sent over a look of disdain.

Outside was a room for teachers to rest during breaks. Lu Chi poured her tea.

Shi Fa Ke took the teacup, drank a sip, and said enthusiastically, “It’s the young lady from the Zhu family. I’ve already seen her – she’s extremely beautiful, and her personality is very gentle and quiet. She’s just a bit shy, but it’s perfectly normal for young ladies to be shy.”

“The Zhu family?” Lu Chi raised his eyebrows. “Could it be the Zhu family I’m thinking of?”

Though he hadn’t been in Tongluozhen long, he had heard of the Zhu family. The other teachers at the school spoke of the Zhu family with nothing but admiration. That old gentleman of the Zhu family was also from the imperial examinations, having risen to the rank of Minister – quite a model for scholars.

That was a proper official family.

“Exactly the Zhu family you’re thinking of.” Shi Fa Ke’s eyes gleamed as she spoke, with an expression that clearly said ‘praise me.’ “Isn’t this an excellent match?”

Lu Chi laughed despite himself. Even the merchant He family despised him for being poor and scholarly, saying he was reaching too high. Where did she get the confidence that the Zhu family would favor an unknown scholar who was both poor and penniless?

“What’s with that look?” Shi Fa Ke was displeased. “You don’t believe me?”

“It’s not that I don’t believe you, but the Zhu family’s social standing is truly beyond my reach.” Lu Chi looked at her with some helplessness.

Hearing this, Shi Fa Ke laughed proudly. “This marriage was arranged by the Zhu family asking me to be the matchmaker. They specifically took a fancy to you. See, I said there would always be someone with discerning eyes!”

The Zhu family had taken a fancy to him? This was indeed somewhat surprising to Lu Chi, but seeing the girl before him looking so proud and honored, Lu Chi felt somewhat deflated.

“You’re saying the Zhu family specifically took a fancy to me?”

“Yes!” Shi Fa Ke said, noticing his expression seemed somewhat off – too calm. “Such a good match, why don’t you look happy at all?”

Lu Chi looked at her silently.

“Don’t worry, I would never harm you. I’ve already seen that Miss Zhu – she’s truly a rare beauty, and very skilled with her hands. She can even grow five-colored camellias!” Facing his gaze, Shi Fa Ke inexplicably felt great pressure and couldn’t help but talk more.

“Do you think I should be happy?” Lu Chi stared at her for a long while, then suddenly said quietly.

“Uh… shouldn’t… shouldn’t you be happy?” Shi Fa Ke was stunned.

Lu Chi stared at her for a long while. Seeing her blinking with complete confusion, he felt somewhat discouraged and looked away, saying flatly, “A match too high is inappropriate. I am poor and penniless, and now my reputation is also tarnished. The Zhu family is a proper official family – why would they take a fancy to me? Don’t you find this strange?”