Baoxia was directing people to carry in basket after basket of beef. Seeing Shaoye come running back, she quickly said, “Miss Shaoye, you’ve come at just the right time. The person who delivered the beef says they want to see you.”

To see her? Could it be that the Shizi had some instructions? Shaoye ran to the back gate — and when she saw who it was, her eyes nearly popped out of her head. Afraid she had the wrong person, she even pulled up the hanging veil of her hat for a better look.

“Shi… Mas… aiya, what are you doing here?”

Everyone close to the Shizi knew that Master treated Shaoye differently from the rest. Those who knew the full story behind it held a faint, added measure of respect for Shaoye. They were all also long accustomed to Shaoye’s lack of proper deference before the Shizi — it was an attitude entirely of the Shizi’s own indulgence.

The Shizi signaled for her to follow and the two of them walked some distance away before he lowered his voice and said, “Recommend me to Hua Zhi as the martial arts teacher.”

“No. Hua Hua is my friend. You can’t scheme against her.”

“What does she have that would be worth scheming over? Would you rather have some stranger enter the Hua household and throw it into turmoil?”

Shaoye frowned with worry. “It wouldn’t come to that, would it? Hua Hua said she’d ask her maternal grandfather to help find someone — she’ll certainly look for someone trustworthy.”

“Do you trust them?”

“I’ve never even met them — how could I trust them?”

“Then what are you still hesitating for?”

Shaoye had a nagging feeling something wasn’t right, but under the Shizi’s prompting she had no choice but to bring him to meet Baoxia, who was waiting just inside the gate.

Though Baoxia was on guard, she still held a certain degree of trust in anyone Shaoye brought along. Even so, this was not something she could decide on her own. She had the two of them wait there while she went immediately to seek her young miss’s instructions.

Shaoye looked around and then, like someone showing off a treasure, leaned in and said in a low voice, “Do you know what Hua Hua is doing right now? She’s being a teacher! She’s incredible — Hua Hua can do absolutely everything.”

The Shizi would have been glad to redirect her attention, but even so, the news surprised him somewhat. “Didn’t she already hire a teacher?”

“There’s one, but probably not enough to teach all the children. I went to listen just now — Hua Hua explains things so brilliantly. I want to be her student too, but I’m too old.” After moping for a moment, Shaoye perked right back up. “Shizi, Hua Hua gave me a nickname! Just between her and me — one of a kind.”

The Shizi’s expression grew somewhat complex. Looking at Shaoye so overjoyed, he felt happy for her. Shaoye was not easy to win over; it was a natural gift of hers — she was keenly perceptive, and she had never once been wrong about who treated her sincerely and who treated her with pretense. Hua Zhi must genuinely care for her a great deal, to have made her keep thinking of her like this, eyes full of warmth every time her name came up.

It was possible that even Hua Zhi herself hadn’t noticed it — the compassion she held for those who suffered was woven into her bones, the same way her ruthlessness toward her enemies was. That was why she would risk her life to protect the maidservant who had grown up by her side, and why she treated Shaoye — who had endured so much suffering yet remained so sincere at heart — with genuine warmth. Even toward him, whom others avoided and gave wide berth, she had been soft-hearted.

The moment Shaoye’s message reached him, he had never intended to let anyone else come. He wanted to observe close at hand what manner of person she truly was. He wanted to watch with his own eyes what the Hua household would become under her hands. He wanted to know how she would face the family members who dragged her back — would she grieve? And to what degree could she bring herself to be merciless?

A person like that — even if she grieved, she wouldn’t let it show. He was strangely certain of it.

Looking at Shaoye, who was staring at him expectantly and urging him with her eyes to ask, the Shizi obliged her. “What name?”

“Cao Cao — she is Hua Hua and I am Cao Cao.” Shaoye preened with proud delight. “Hua Hua said I’m just like the little wildgrass — resilient, tough, and teeming with life.”

The Shizi did not find the name careless or perfunctory at all. In his eyes, it showed a great deal of thought. Without sufficient resilience, one could not survive in an environment like hers. Without sufficient toughness, after having her face disfigured and losing all her memories, it would have been impossible to still live as joyfully as she did.

“Very fitting. Shall I call you Cao Cao from now on as well?”

“No. That name belongs to Hua Hua alone.”

The faintest trace of a smile touched the Shizi’s eyes. He lifted his gaze toward the figure walking over from that direction.

Shaoye saw her too and went smiling to meet her. “Hua Hua, you’re here!”

Baoxia gave the Shizi a curtsy. “Young miss says that Miss Shaoye’s companions are naturally different from strangers. She invites this gentleman to please follow this servant.”

This corner gate led directly to the front courtyard and wasn’t far at all. They had only gone a few steps when it suddenly struck Shaoye like a flash of lightning — wait, that wasn’t right. They could have sent one of their own people here anyway, so how would this lead to turmoil in the Hua household? The Shizi had tricked her!

Shaoye shot a hidden glare at the Shizi. The Shizi turned his head away, pretending not to see.

Baoxia led them to the main hall. Once the small maidservants had served tea, she gave another curtsy. “Young miss has a little while before she can come. Please wait a moment, gentleman. As there are many ladies in the household, please, good sir, do not wander beyond this area, to avoid causing any misunderstanding.”

“I will certainly abide by propriety.”

Baoxia had been observing Shaoye’s interactions with this man all the way here. Once she confirmed that the two of them were genuinely close, she felt somewhat more at ease. Having an unknown man placed inside the household was not just a concern for the Old Madam — the servants who attended the young miss also worried. Should anything go wrong, the young miss would have to bear all responsibility.

“Miss Shaoye, young miss says to ask you to accompany this gentleman. I’ll go to the kitchen and see what Fudong has prepared.”

“Will you send some to me when it’s ready?”

Baoxia covered her mouth and laughed. “Naturally. Young miss gave the instructions long ago — whatever Fudong makes, a portion of it will be sent to you, Miss Shaoye.”

Shaoye’s eyes creased into a smile. “Hua Hua is the best.”

After Baoxia was seen off, Shaoye tossed aside her veiled hat, and her grievance was so palpable it nearly took physical shape. “You tricked me!”

“I would never harm her.”

“But you can’t be at the Hua household every day.” Shaoye flopped down beside him. “Whenever there’s a mission, you have to dash off in all directions — and then there’s going into the palace. What would Hua Hua do then? It’s not like she can take over as a martial arts teacher.”

“I will make arrangements.”

Shaoye couldn’t really do anything to the Shizi and could only stew in sullen frustration beside him. She was already regretting this, afraid she had brought trouble to her best friend — trouble meaning specifically the times the Shizi would be away on missions. For the most part, having the Shizi around actually put her more at ease.

The clan school was also in the front courtyard. Faintly, the bright, clear sound of young children reciting their lessons could still be heard from here. The Shizi rose and walked to the doorway. He watched the servants going back and forth along the covered walkway — none of the panic and unease one would expect after a household had been stripped of its assets. None of the restless, unsettled murmuring. It was as though the Hua household was still what it had always been: a family that had produced two Hanlin scholars in a single generation.

It was because she had stepped forward in time and become the new spine of the Hua household, he thought. Before the family even had a chance to fall into chaos, she had led them charging through it. The servants knew their duties. The household managers knew whom to report to. And the reopening of the clan school had given the Hua household a renewed sense of unity.

That woman, without drawing any attention to herself, had extended this influence outward from the main branch to the collateral branches. As far as he knew, the other households bearing the Hua surname had settled down considerably.

Two small maidservants came over, each carrying two plates of pastries. With heads lowered, eyes averted from the outside guest, they gave a curtsy and set the pastries in front of Shaoye. One of them even playfully winked at Shaoye.

Shaoye grinned back and winked in return. She got along wonderfully with all the maidservants, big and small, in Hua Hua’s courtyard.

Watching this scene, the Shizi’s expression softened by two degrees. This ease and belonging — it was not something his own household could offer her.