Ever since that woman called Yun Ge had come to their door, Shi Fa Ke had been in an extremely irritable state, as if she had transformed into a firecracker that would explode at the slightest touch.
To cheer her up, Jiao Jiao sacrificed her dowry to play mahjong with her, and He Ke Tian went even further, risking her life to play chess with her.
Accompanying Shi Fa Ke in chess was undoubtedly a torturous task, but He Ke Tian thought that her marriage to Third Brother Shi had been possible thanks to that painting of ladies playing chess, which showed that everything in this world was predetermined. If she hadn’t previously played chess with A Ke, Third Brother Shi wouldn’t have been inspired to paint that picture of ladies playing chess, and without that painting, she wouldn’t have discovered that the lady painting she had treasured for so many years was created by Third Brother Shi… Thus, their beautiful match wouldn’t have come to fruition.
Therefore, He Ke Tian was accompanying Shi Fa Ke in chess with a grateful heart!
Although she had such awareness, accompanying Shi Fa Ke in chess was truly a torturous task! He Ke Tian once again confirmed that her sister-in-law had put all her gaming talent into mahjong. She couldn’t understand how someone could be so bad at chess that even they knew it, yet still enjoy it so much!
Until the third day, Shi Fa Ke received a letter from Zhu Yan Yan.
The letter was delivered by someone sent by Madam Zhu.
It turned out that Elder Brother Lu had specially trained carrier pigeons to ease Zhu Yan Yan’s homesickness, and this letter to Shi Fa Ke had been included with the letter sent to Madam Zhu.
The letter wasn’t long, just a few brief lines that clearly showed an attempt to keep things short, but it radiated an irrepressible cheerfulness that almost infected the recently unhappy Shi Fa Ke.
When she reached the last sentence, Shi Fa Ke seemed to be frozen in place as if someone had struck her pressure points.
“Father and Mother are both well, though they’re often so busy they’re nowhere to be seen. A Ke, I miss you so much! When you marry over here, I’ll have a companion. Little Uncle said he would propose to you when he returns this time—did he tell you?”
Shi Fa Ke read this sentence over and over several times but still didn’t quite understand its meaning.
Zhu Yan Yan’s little uncle… that would be Lu Chi, right?
Lu Chi said he would propose to her when he returned this time?
Then Shi Fa Ke suddenly remembered that vivacious great beauty Yun Ge, and she snapped back to awareness.
Hmph, liar, Shi Fa Ke thought angrily. Just as she was fuming, her eldest sister-in-law and third sister-in-law knocked and entered.
“A Ke, what did Zhu Yan Yan say in her letter?” He Ke Tian asked curiously.
“…Nothing!” Shi Fa Ke quickly tucked the letter away.
Her speed was so remarkable that He Ke Tian and Jiao Jiao were amazed. They exchanged glances, then He Ke Tian turned to Shi Fa Ke with a smile. “There’s a temple fair today. Shall we go out and stroll around?”
Today, she really didn’t want to play chess with her sister-in-law anymore. She needed a break—it was too mentally exhausting!
“Yes, yes, I heard it’s quite lively. It’s boring staying cooped up at home all day. Why don’t we go out and have a look?” Jiao Jiao chimed in.
Today, she also didn’t want to play mahjong with her sister-in-law anymore. If they continued, she’d barely be able to protect her dowry!
Shi Fa Ke was already in a confused state because of Zhu Yan Yan’s letter. Thinking that staying home and overthinking things was worse than going out for a walk, she readily agreed.
The weather was nice today, with gentle breezes that dispersed some of the summer heat.
The temple fair was fresh and lively. Shi Fa Ke had a wonderful time following her two sisters-in-law around, trying not to think about Lu Chi and Yun Ge’s marriage, or Zhu Yan Yan’s inexplicable letter.
As they walked, Shi Fa Ke became separated from her two sisters-in-law. She wasn’t in a hurry to find them and stood on her tiptoes watching an old man make sugar figurines. Just as she was watching with great interest, she suddenly heard a familiar voice.
“Big Brother Ming, I want that sugar figurine.” A warm, soft, sweet voice.
Shi Fa Ke stiffened suddenly—Yun Ge’s voice!
“You can’t eat sugar, it will give you a toothache.” A man’s slightly cold voice followed.
The woman laughed with a “puchi” sound. “Big Brother Ming, you’ve forgotten—I’m already past the age of losing baby teeth.”
The man fell silent for a moment, then after a long pause, he coolly said, “Wait here.”
Shi Fa Ke saw the tall, thin man struggling to squeeze into a group of children. He looked somewhat comical, but he himself seemed unaware of this, seriously taking out copper coins to buy a sugar figurine with a stern expression.
He was a man with plain features who seemed to rarely smile, which made his expression appear quite stern and cold.
Seeing that face, Shi Fa Ke suddenly remembered where she had heard Yun Ge’s voice before!
It was that day when she went to Sheng Xing Restaurant to buy wine, but the waiter, following He Ke Xian’s instructions, claimed they were sold out despite clearly having wine and refused to sell to her. At that time, a man and woman had entered—the woman wore a veil so her face couldn’t be seen clearly, and the man… was precisely this man now queuing to buy sugar figurines.
Shi Fa Ke still remembered that gentle, soft voice saying with great anticipation: “I heard that Sheng Xing Restaurant’s plum wine is incomparable in Tongluo Town. Now I can finally taste it.”
At that time, the man beside her had a cold expression and didn’t respond, but after sitting down, he told the waiter: “First warm a pot of plum wine.”
The woman said coquettishly: “Big Brother Ming, no need to warm it—I want to drink something cool.”
But the man ignored her and only told the waiter: “Go warm the wine.”
At that time, watching them, Shi Fa Ke had found it quite interesting. That man seemed to have a cold exterior but a warm heart—clearly acting as if he wanted to keep the girl at a distance, yet he couldn’t help but care for her, not allowing her to consume cold things.
…Just like now.
But how strange.
“Big Brother Ming, you’ve forgotten—I’m already past the age of losing baby teeth…”
Such an ordinary sentence—why did it make one’s nose sting? How long had they been separated? What had each of them experienced?
Just as Shi Fa Ke was feeling moved, she suddenly realized something was wrong!
Hadn’t Yun Ge said she was going to marry Lu Chi? Why was she now entangled with this “Big Brother Ming”?
Her previous emotion instantly turned to anger. Shi Fa Ke was about to go forward and confront her when that “Big Brother Ming” finally bought the sugar figurine and struggled back through the crowd.
“Thank you, Big Brother Ming!” Yun Ge’s jubilant voice.
“You…” A low sigh, full of indulgence and helplessness.
“So sweet.” Yun Ge’s soft voice carried satisfaction.
For some reason, Shi Fa Ke moved her feet but didn’t walk over… as if deep down she couldn’t bear to destroy what seemed like hard-won happiness.
“You’ve really angered Lin Yuan,” the man sighed lowly, as if he had no way to deal with her. “I haven’t seen him this angry in a long time. If not for my sake, I really worry he might throw you out.”
“Hmph, I was repaying a favor,” Yun Ge said in a spoiled manner.
“Lin Yuan doesn’t see it that way. He says you’re repaying kindness with malice.”
Yun Ge suddenly laughed, her laughter clear and crisp like silver bells.
“A Yan…” the man called softly and helplessly. Though his voice was cool and cold, it carried infinite tenderness.
Shi Fa Ke listened in complete confusion. Lin Yuan… were they talking about Lu Chi?
A Yan… was he calling Yun Ge?
“That Miss Shi is so simple-minded, enjoying her role as matchmaker so much. Without giving her a strong dose of medicine, how could she possibly understand her own feelings…” Yun Ge’s laughing voice gradually faded away. “Don’t worry, Lin Yuan will thank me sooner or later…”
Shi Fa Ke stood frozen in place, dumbstruck.
“A Ke! A Ke! Oh my, why are you here? You scared us to death—we thought you were lost!” Jiao Jiao called out loudly as she squeezed through the crowd. “A Ke? What are you spacing out about?”
Shi Fa Ke slowly blinked, still somewhat unable to snap back to reality.
“Oh, don’t scare me! Have you lost your soul, or were you kidnapped by child traffickers?” Jiao Jiao approached with a worried expression.
Shi Fa Ke felt like laughing. At her age, could she still be kidnapped by child traffickers?
“Big Sister-in-law, I’m a bit tired. I want to go home,” Shi Fa Ke finally spoke after a while.
“Then let’s hurry back. Don’t scare me like that.” Jiao Jiao quickly pulled Shi Fa Ke out of the crowd, found the anxiously searching He Ke Tian, and they all went home together.
All the way back, He Ke Tian kept scolding Shi Fa Ke.
“You’re a grown woman, yet you can get lost at a temple fair!”
But Shi Fa Ke wasn’t in the mood to listen to her nagging. She kept thinking about Yun Ge.