In the study of the main courtyard, Li Dafeng was resting with his head propped on his hand, leaning against the chess table on the arhat couch with his eyes closed, when he suddenly heard a series of footsteps in the corridor—steps that had been hurried when leaving, but now returned slow and dejected.

Three, two, one. The door was pushed open in one motion, and the candle flame on the desk flickered. Li Dafeng opened his eyes.

Shen Yuance stepped over the threshold, looked at him, and glanced at the painting scroll in his hand: “Didn’t I tell you to put the painting away first?”

“The Young General instructed me to put the painting away if I couldn’t wait for you,” Li Dafeng’s lips curled into an expected smile. “But I had faith in the Young General and believed you wouldn’t keep me waiting too long.”

“…”

“The military doctor is quite familiar with such matters. It seems you’ve had your share of rebuffs in your youth.”

“The Young General overthinks things. I simply happen to understand the principle that extreme joy gives way to sorrow.”

Shen Yuance cast a sharp sidelong glance at him, recalling how just moments ago, Jiang Zhiyi had been consoling him one moment, then changed her expression the next, as if she felt tricked into showing concern, and drove him away—

No matter. Today, as she narrated the storybook tale, it seemed the male protagonist was written as a composite of him and his brother, half depicting his brother, half depicting him. The four words “Brother A-Ce,” he rightfully claimed half of.

Since her heart had no place for his brother, the vacated half would eventually be his as well.

Shen Yuance: “Today is my day of great joy. What could be sorrowful about it? No need for the military doctor’s instruction.”

“Then I shall take my leave. Tomorrow morning, I must change the Young Master Pei’s bandages on the Princess’s orders.” Li Dafeng rose, cupped his hands in salute, and gracefully walked out.

Shen Yuance stood in place, narrowing his eyes. Li Dafeng’s annoying mouth had reminded him of something—

Before her confession today, Jiang Zhiyi had asked him, “Do I have to choose one of your brothers?”

He had wrongly blamed his brother all this time. The person he should truly consider as his rival was clearly that troublemaker Pei Zisong, whom he had personally brought into the picture.

“There’s no need for the military doctor to trouble himself over such a minor injury,” Shen Yuance snorted lightly. “I’ll pay him a visit myself tomorrow.”

Early the next morning, in the upper room of the Qingle Inn.

Shen Yuance and Pei Zisong sat on opposite sides of a table with their sleeves rolled up, each extending one hand toward the other—

“I fear I may not be gentle enough. Young Master Pei, please say if it hurts.”

“…I am fine. Young General Shen, please proceed.”

Jiang Zhiyi and Pei Xueqing stood behind them, respectively, watching this scene with astonishment.

They saw Shen Yuance supporting Pei Zisong’s injured hand, shaking a medicine bottle to sprinkle wound powder on the cut across his hand. After Pei Zisong endured the pain with a restrained expression, Shen Yuance took a clean roll of fine cloth and wrapped it around his hand in circles, bandaging it properly, then carefully tucked away the excess cloth edges.

Jiang Zhiyi, standing behind Shen Yuance, inexplicably shuddered, goosebumps rising all over her skin.

After yesterday’s martial law was lifted, normal passage through the city had resumed. This morning, right after breakfast, her priority was to visit Pei Zisong. When she left, Shen Yuance had stuck to her like a plaster, claiming he was passing by Qingle Inn on his way to the military camp.

She had thought Shen Yuance came to make trouble, to mock Pei Zisong for making a fuss over a small injury. Unexpectedly, upon entering the upper room of the inn, Shen Yuance volunteered to change Pei Zisong’s bandage, doing so with such delicate gentleness—identical to how he had bandaged her ankle before—that she couldn’t find a single fault.

…Had this person truly reformed?

Yet somehow, it felt strange to watch.

Across from them, although Pei Zisong accepted Shen Yuance’s kindness, every finger was oddly stiff, clearly uncomfortable from head to toe.

Shen Yuance gently set down Pei Zisong’s hand and said to the somewhat awkward man opposite him: “In ancient times, Guan Gong chatted cheerfully while having his bones scraped for treatment. Today, Young Master Pei doesn’t utter a sound while having his wound dressed. Truly a hero and a man of valor.”

Pei Zisong shook his head anxiously: “How could my minor injury compare to Guan Gong’s? I’m ashamed, truly ashamed…”

Jiang Zhiyi opened her mouth, about to tell him there was no need for modesty—

“Young Master Pei need not be modest. If not for you,” Shen Yuance looked up at Jiang Zhiyi, “my wife might not have escaped danger.”

…His what? Wife?

Jiang Zhiyi’s ears tingled, and she gave a genuine shudder.

“I came today firstly to change Young Master Pei’s bandage, and secondly to thank Young Master Pei for saving my wife.” Shen Yuance stood up and bowed to Pei Zisong with cupped hands.

Pei Zisong also rose and returned an even deeper bow: “It was nothing. Young General Shen and the Prin—your esteemed wife need not be so polite.”

Shen Yuance glanced at Pei Zisong from under his eyelids and bowed even lower.

Pei Zisong hurriedly bowed lower still.

Jiang Zhiyi: “…”

Pei Xueqing: “…”

Watching the two men bowing lower and lower, their heads nearly touching, Jiang Zhiyi coughed lightly: “You two, that’s enough, you can straighten up now.”

Neither man moved.

Jiang Zhiyi and Pei Xueqing exchanged glances, stepped forward, and each pulled up one of the men.

Jiang Zhiyi pulled Shen Yuance aside and whispered: “What did you eat wrong this morning…”

Shen Yuance raised an eyebrow: “Isn’t it said that excessive politeness gives no offense?”

“Your excessive politeness is very odd. Don’t frighten him!”

Shen Yuance gave Jiang Zhiyi a disapproving look and continued to address Pei Zisong: “Young Master Pei should eat light food these days and avoid getting his injured hand wet or using it for labor.”

“The military doctor has already instructed me. Young General Shen need not worry.”

“After changing the bandage this time, it should be changed again in three days. Depending on the wound, after that, it probably won’t need to be wrapped in fine cloth anymore.”

“Thank you for your concern, Young General Shen.”

Shen Yuance turned to Jiang Zhiyi: “Is there anything else you want to tell Young Master Pei?”

Jiang Zhiyi opened her mouth but realized there was nothing left to say.

Shen Yuance smiled: “Then shall we stop disturbing Young Master Pei’s rest?”

“You can go. Snow Sister and I agreed last time that we would fly kites together when we next met.”

“The area outside the city might not be safe yet. It’s best not to leave the city for now.” Shen Yuance looked at both Jiang Zhiyi and Pei Xueqing.

Pei Xueqing quickly said: “I was thinking the same thing, so we’ll fly them in the inn. My brother has rented the entire inn, there are no strangers, and the courtyard at the back is quite spacious.”

“Snow Sister has spoken. You have nothing more to say now, right? You can go.” Jiang Zhiyi jutted her chin at Shen Yuance.

Shen Yuance was silent for a moment, then faced Pei Zisong: “It just occurred to me that Brother Zisong and I were schoolmates, yet we’ve never compared our skills at chess. How about a game today?”

Before Jiang Zhiyi could object to this proposal, given his injured hand, Shen Yuance added: “You can use your uninjured hand.”

“Since Brother Yuance is in the mood for such refined entertainment, I shall certainly oblige.” Pei Zisong nodded. “Please wait here a moment while I fetch the chess set from next door. Xueqing, would you help me?”

Pei Xueqing was puzzled for a moment, but seeing her brother’s suggestive glance, she followed him out.

Upon entering the adjacent room, after her brother closed the door and stood with his back to her, wearing an expression of deep suffering as if finding it difficult to speak, Pei Xueqing took the initiative: “Does Brother have something to tell me?”

Just fetching a chess set wouldn’t require her help, and her brother was always meticulously polite—he would never leave guests waiting without good reason.

“Xueqing, your brother knows you’ve never been willful, which is why when you said you wanted to come to Hexi, I accompanied you without asking why. But now—” Pei Zisong sighed. “Your brother really cannot watch you continue like this. Regardless of your background, even girls from ordinary families would never rush to become someone’s concubine. Do you understand?”

“…”

Pei Xueqing frantically shook her head: “Brother, you’ve misunderstood me and Young General Shen…”

“When has Young General Shen ever been so polite to anyone? His behavior toward me just now wasn’t it to curry favor with me as your elder brother, to ask me about taking you as his concubine? I fear he intends to bring this up during our chess game. Your brother is telling you in advance, don’t blame me, but I absolutely cannot agree to this.”

Pei Xueqing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and was too anxious to explain clearly: “Brother, it truly isn’t like that!”

“If not, then why did you come to Hexi, and what exactly are Young General Shen’s intentions today?”

“I cannot tell Brother why I came to Hexi, but I think I know why Young General Shen is behaving this way—” Pei Xueqing considered for a moment. “Has Brother perhaps had an unusually close friendship with the Princess in the past? I think Young General Shen seems to be jealous, demonstrating his relationship with the Princess to you.”

Pei Zisong was startled, unexpectedly stuttering: “I-I have nothing unusual with the Princess!”

“Today it was originally Zhiyi Sister who came to check on your injury, but Young General Shen took over, saying everything she would have said, fulfilling all the courtesies she would have performed, not wanting her to exchange even one more word with you… Brother is so busy questioning me, but I should ask Brother, Do you have any feelings for the Princess?”

“Absolutely not!” Pei Zisong’s ears turned red. “…I only consider the Princess a schoolmate and friend I can talk to. I have no improper thoughts!”

Next door, Jiang Zhiyi sat in the guest chair, glaring at Shen Yuance: “See? I told you you scared them. The siblings must be whispering to each other right now.”

“The innocent need not fear a crooked shadow. Let them talk.” Shen Yuance sat casually beside her, appearing unconcerned.

Jiang Zhiyi snorted softly: “You’re just delaying my kite-flying.”

“So—do you really like flying kites?” Shen Yuance turned his head toward her.

Jiang Zhiyi blinked in confusion: “What do you mean, do I like it?”

“You said it yourself, something about ‘the second month of spring, when grass grows and orioles fly, your kite accidentally got caught on a tree branch, I stood behind you to help you retrieve it, then you turned around, I lowered my head, and we—'”

Jiang Zhiyi was stunned for a long moment, finally realizing what words he was reciting, and suddenly lunged forward to cover Shen Yuance’s mouth.

Shen Yuance leaned against the chair back, looking down at her with amused eyes: “What’s the use of covering my mouth? It’s all written there in black and white.”

Jiang Zhiyi sheepishly released him and sat back properly: “That story is fake, it’s made up! Don’t tell me you believe it was about you and me!”

“Then you should be even less willing to think it’s about you and—” Shen Yuance omitted the words “my brother” in public.

…So being the tallest among short people was somehow glorious.

Fortunately, she didn’t have the storybook with her; otherwise, once he read the entire volume, he might recite the whole text in her ear every day.

Jiang Zhiyi didn’t bother arguing with him. Just then, the Pei siblings returned from next door. She left him and Pei Zisong to their chess game and took Pei Xueqing to fly kites.

In the courtyard of the inn, the spring light danced gloriously above the spacious courtyard, beneath a pristine blue sky.

Pei Xueqing held out two self-made kites for Jiang Zhiyi to choose from, asking which one she wanted.

Jiang Zhiyi was wearing a saffron-colored dress with a blue-green waistband today, so she chose the emerald green kite that matched her outfit, and commented to Pei Xueqing: “Actually, I haven’t flown a kite for a long time. Sister Baojia doesn’t like such trifles, and I don’t have other close friends. Flying alone always seems silly and not much fun.”

“If you enjoy it, you can find me flying kites on spring days in the future.”

Jiang Zhiyi thought about the future and nodded: “Next spring, I will certainly be in Chang’an.”

Since Jiang Zhiyi hadn’t flown a kite for many years and was out of practice, Pei Xueqing took advantage of the east wind to first send her kite into the sky, then handed the reel to her, so she only needed to guide it gently.

Jiang Zhiyi held the reel in one hand and pulled the string with the other, happily turning in a circle, while chatting idly with Pei Xueqing: “By the way, I noticed your brother’s face was quite red when he came back. Why is that?”

Pei Xueqing sent her kite into the sky as well, sighing with a smile: “My brother indeed misunderstood my relationship with Young General Shen. We had a few words of disagreement just now, but I’ve explained everything clearly, so it’s fine.”

“You and Young General Shen barely even exchanged glances! Your brother overthought it!” As Jiang Zhiyi said this, she suddenly remembered something and walked to Pei Xueqing’s side to whisper in her ear, “…Speaking of this, I’ve noticed you rarely look at him when speaking to him. Is it because looking at him gives you a strange feeling?”

Unable to discuss important matters openly, they spoke in riddles that both understood. Pei Xueqing nodded: “Of course. I’m afraid of getting lost in thought while looking at him, which would be disrespectful.”

“But why—” Jiang Zhiyi absently fiddled with the reel in her hand, “don’t I have that feeling when I look at him?”

“Young General Shen and you are already so intimate. When you look at him, how could you think of anyone else?”

“I’m not intimate with him…” At most, it was pretend intimacy, Jiang Zhiyi muttered. Distracted, she stood in one spot too long, and when the wind stopped, the kite plummeted straight down.

Jiang Zhiyi ran forward quickly, but it was too late. She watched helplessly as the kite fell and caught on a tall peach tree in the courtyard.

“Oh no…” They both rushed forward, pulling on the string to retrieve the kite, but the thin thread had become entangled in the branches and couldn’t be removed.

Jiang Zhiyi and Pei Xueqing were the same height, and even standing on tiptoe, they couldn’t reach that branch.

“I haven’t flown a kite for too long…” Jiang Zhiyi stood beneath the tree, pouting.

“It’s alright. Kites getting caught in trees is an everyday occurrence. I’ll go get a stool.” Pei Xueqing turned and walked toward the room.

Jiang Zhiyi remained alone under the tree, thinking that Shen Yuance was truly a jinx. It was all his fault for reciting that storybook earlier. Now look—though it wasn’t February but March, not an apricot tree but a peach tree, her kite had indeed gotten caught in the branches.

Jiang Zhiyi resentfully looked at the window of the upper room on the second floor, as if trying to bore a hole through it. Just as she was cursing Shen Yuance in her mind, she suddenly heard footsteps approaching from behind. A shadow fell over her, and a narrow sleeve and a young man’s hand appeared in her vision.

Those fingers lightly hooked the branch, making the pink-white petals flutter down, and her kite was retrieved.

However, the person behind her who took down the kite didn’t speak, just standing there silently, not giving the kite to her.

The sweet fragrance of peach blossoms mingled with the familiar scent of soapbean pods, surrounding her nose, making her feel dizzy and distracted in a daze.

As if sensing what was about to happen, Jiang Zhiyi stood nervously under the tree, her heart beginning to pound, her head gradually becoming dizzy and warm.

The wind brushed her face, blowing strands of hair at her temples. Jiang Zhiyi hesitated, slowly turning her head.

The person behind her bent his neck and lowered his head.

Jiang Zhiyi trembled and shrank back, suddenly closing her eyes tightly.

Shen Yuance looked down at her, brought his nose tip to hers, slowly slid down, and gently captured her lips, planting a long-awaited kiss—

“Now, the story has come true.”