After seeing off Zhu Yanyan, Shi Fa Ke returned to the kitchen only to discover that the painting Lu Chi had given her was missing. She couldn’t help feeling anxious—that was what she planned to compensate He Ketian with!

She owed Lu Chi such a huge favor for it too!

She already felt extremely guilty about the minced meat porridge incident. If she lost the painting on top of that, she might as well find a block of tofu to knock herself to death with.

After searching the kitchen without finding it, Shi Fa Ke thought for a moment. Zhu Yanyan and the wet nurse certainly wouldn’t take her things, so then…

“Third Brother!” Shi Fa Ke rushed out of the kitchen and intercepted Shi Chonghai, who had just entered through the main gate.

“What?” Shi Chonghai still hadn’t figured out what those strange words from Shi Fa Ke earlier meant. This feeling of being kept in the dark was very unpleasant—he always felt like his sister was up to no good!

“The painting in the kitchen—did you take it?” Shi Fa Ke asked with a serious face.

Just as he was preparing to ask what those earlier words meant, he heard her mention the painting, and Shi Chonghai’s expression immediately became somewhat unnatural.

“It really was you!” Shi Fa Ke’s eyes widened. “Give it back quickly!”

“Aiya, that painting was just sitting on the kitchen table. How was I supposed to know it was yours?” Shi Chonghai tried to deflect.

“Now you know, so give it back quickly.” Shi Fa Ke said with a stern face.

“Let Third Brother take a look. I’ll return it after looking—surely Third Brother wouldn’t covet your things?” Shi Chonghai looked wounded.

Shi Fa Ke wasn’t falling for it. Her face was written all over with distrust. Big Brother and Second Brother were much older than her and had spoiled her since childhood—if she wanted something, they never refused to give it. The only one who would compete with her for things was this Third Brother standing before her, pretending to trick her out of her belongings!

Shi Chonghai chuckled and rubbed his hands together. “A’Ke, where did you get that painting?”

“Young Master Lu gave it to me.” Shi Fa Ke said with a straight face. “Give it back quickly, I need it.”

Shi Chonghai’s expression looked somewhat surprised. “You mean… that Young Master Lu?”

“How many Young Master Lus are there?”

“Did he tell you where this painting came from?” Shi Chonghai’s expression seemed a bit conflicted as he pressed further.

“He painted it, didn’t he?” Shi Fa Ke looked at him strangely, then realized something. “Don’t tell me you think it’s a painting by Master Linyuan? That’s not an original—it’s a copy by Young Master Lu. Young Master Lu imitates Master Linyuan very well. Even Second Brother, who usually has such keen eyes, almost mistook it.”

Shi Chonghai looked at his silly sister’s proud expression and felt complicated emotions.

He had seen that painting—it was undoubtedly genuine. He didn’t know if Second Brother would misjudge, but he absolutely wouldn’t, because… he had been spiritually connected with that Master Linyuan for a long time, Shi Chonghai thought through gritted teeth.

No wonder he had found that Young Master Lu disagreeable from beginning to end—so he was that sneaky, shameful Master Linyuan who hid his identity…

While the siblings were confronting each other, Shi Changhuai and Shi Chongshan returned from the shop.

“Little Three, are you bullying A’Ke again?” As soon as he entered, Shi Changhuai shouted with obvious favoritism.

“No…” Shi Chonghai hurriedly denied.

“Dad! Third Brother stole my painting!” Shi Fa Ke tattled very efficiently.

“You little rascal are getting more and more outrageous, even stealing your sister’s things!” Shi Changhuai’s eyebrows shot up as he grabbed a nearby broom, ready to beat him.

Shi Chonghai was on the verge of tears. He jumped up with a “wah” and ran while saying, “I didn’t steal it! I was just playing with her!”

“Playing? Come! Your father will play with you!” Shi Changhuai chased after Shi Chonghai with the broom while glaring angrily.

Shi Fa Ke burst out laughing with a “puff.”

“A’Ke, you heartless girl, quickly save me!” Shi Chonghai shouted angrily.

“If you dare bully your sister again, I’ll break your legs!” Old Father Shi also shouted.

Even the fighting cock Gou Sheng flapped its wings to watch the excitement. For a moment, the Shi family’s small courtyard was truly in chaos with chickens flying and dogs jumping.

Just as Tao-shi stepped into the courtyard, her face darkened. “What’s all this commotion about every day?”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but the courtyard immediately quieted down… Even Gou Sheng silently tucked its head under its wings. The family hierarchy in the Shi household was crystal clear.

Shi Chonghai was practically in tears. “Mother… you’re finally back.”

“A’Ke, did you incite your father to bully Little Three again?” Tao-shi looked at Shi Fa Ke.

Shi Fa Ke pouted. “No way, Third Brother stole my painting first.”

Tao-shi was the only clear-headed and fair person in the family. Hearing this, she looked at Shi Chonghai. “What painting is worth you scrambling with your sister for?”

“It’s a painting Young Master Lu gave me. Third Brother probably mistook it for a Master Linyuan painting and took it.” Before Third Brother could speak, Shi Fa Ke continued to add fuel to the fire.

Second Brother Shi Chongshan, who had been watching from the sidelines, immediately brightened when he heard it was a Master Linyuan painting. “Little Three, bring out the painting.”

Shi Chonghai couldn’t stand seeing his second brother’s expression of treasuring anything related to “Master Linyuan.” He huffily ran back to his room, took out a scroll, and stuffed it into Shi Fa Ke’s hands. “Hold onto it properly, don’t let Second Brother trick you into selling it at the shop.”

Shi Fa Ke hugged the painting tightly and stuck her tongue out at him. “Second Brother isn’t like you, always bullying me. Second Brother loves me the most.”

Hearing this, Shi Chongshan smiled with squinted eyes. “Second Brother doesn’t covet your things. Can you let Second Brother take a look?”

Shi Fa Ke obediently handed the painting to Second Brother.

Their harmonious sibling behavior made Shi Chonghai even angrier.

Of course, what angered him most was Second Brother’s attitude—his attitude of treasuring Master Linyuan’s paintings as if they were precious finds!

Regarding Master Linyuan, Shi Chonghai had very complex feelings.

Shi Chonghai was quite arrogant. Although he hadn’t taken the imperial examinations, he had always prided himself on his scholarship being inferior to no one. What he was most skilled at was painting.

His teacher was a reclusive great scholar who had taken him as a disciple precisely because of his outstanding talent in painting.

He had honed his painting skills day after day for years. One day, joking with Second Brother, he said he wanted to put his paintings in their family shop for sale to see what they were worth. Second Brother said they were worth ten taels.

He was quite pleased with himself.

Later, that painting actually sold for a hundred taels.

He was even more pleased, feeling that his painting skills were indeed outstanding.

Then one day, Second Brother came back extremely excited, saying he had found a great bargain—someone had pawned a Master Linyuan painting at the shop, worth a thousand taels.

Shi Chonghai immediately felt his worldview crumbling. Why could this Master Linyuan’s paintings be worth a thousand taels when his paintings were only worth ten taels in Second Brother’s mouth?… And he had been so pleased with himself.

Since then, Shi Chonghai had firmly remembered this Master Linyuan and secretly investigated news about him. But this Master Linyuan was well-hidden—no one knew who he was. He had also examined many of Master Linyuan’s paintings, and though he didn’t want to admit it, that Master Linyuan was indeed greatly talented.

But this didn’t prevent Shi Chonghai from still considering him a fame-seeking fraud. What was his intention in artificially inflating his paintings to sky-high prices!

Shi Chongshan indeed just looked and returned the painting to Shi Fa Ke, but he was increasingly certain in his heart that that foolish scholar was Master Linyuan. Of course he wouldn’t steal his sister’s painting, but… with Master Linyuan himself right under his nose, he could still try to get close to him.

Shi Chonghai saw through his second brother’s thoughts at a glance, then suddenly realized… Second Brother might have known early on that Young Master Lu was Master Linyuan. No wonder Second Brother, who usually never acted without profit, had inexplicably agreed to let A’Ke care for the sick Young Master Lu as if he had taken the wrong medicine. He had thought his conscience had awakened, but it turned out he just had ulterior motives!

Shallow! Mercenary!

Shi Chonghai huffily flicked his sleeves and walked away.