He Yan returned home with the silver tucked away. Without Qing Mei noticing, she felt for the small cosmetics box on the table, turned it upside down, emptied it, and dumped all of tonight’s winnings—the silver pieces and jewels—inside before climbing into bed in the dark.

Perhaps because she had won silver and resolved her worries, she slept especially sweetly that night. In her dreams, she was gambling with her brothers in the military camp, with the soldiers shouting hoarsely: “Open! Open!” He Yan looked troubled, and someone laughed loudly: “General, how did you lose again?”

“Has the General won even once tonight?” The vice general shook his head theatrically. “Ah, the General just isn’t good at this.”

“Get out of here with that ‘good’ or ‘not good.’ Haven’t you heard that those unlucky in gambling are lucky in love? The General may be unlucky in gambling, but she’s unbeatable in matters of the heart. What would you know, you old bachelor!”

He Yan burst out laughing at these words.

As she laughed, she felt someone pushing her. Opening her eyes, she saw Qing Mei’s face: “Miss, what good dream were you having? You were laughing so happily?”

Sunlight had crept onto the windowsill, filling the room with brightness. She raised her hand to block the dazzling light, somewhat surprised that she had slept in.

Indeed, spring days were perfect for sleeping.

Thinking back to last night’s dream, she couldn’t help but sigh. Those men from the past had guessed wrong about her poor gambling skills meaning success in love. Though in a way, they weren’t wrong—now that she dominated at Letong House, her gambling success naturally meant failure in love, leading to such complete defeat.

He Yunsheng’s displeased voice came from outside: “He Yan, the sun’s already high. Are you still going today or not?”

From his initial strong opposition to now being accustomed to gathering firewood together, it hadn’t taken long. He Yunsheng couldn’t understand how he and He Yan had ended up in their current situation.

“Wait for me.” He Yan quickly changed into clean clothes.

Qing Mei left with the washbasin, and He Yunsheng walked in, saying, “Why are you dawdling today… He Yan?!”

“What is it?” He Yan was tying her sandbags when she looked up to meet He Yunsheng’s angry expression. She asked confused, “What’s wrong?”

He Yunsheng pointed at the chair: “What’s wrong? Look what’s wrong!”

The youth’s tone was furious—if there had been fire above his head, it would have burned down the entire house by now. He Yan looked where he pointed: on the chair lay the chestnut-colored robe she had “borrowed” from He Yunsheng last night. After returning home, she had carelessly taken it off and thrown it on the chair, forgetting about it until now.

Before He Yan could react, He Yunsheng stepped forward and shook out the robe. Previously crumpled by He Yan, stained and dirty, now when shaken out it revealed a tear, as if someone had slashed through the middle of the garment, looking quite pitiful.

“Is this how you mended my clothes?” He Yunsheng was burning with anger. He had felt touched last night, thinking his sister truly cared for her little brother, but now… she must have been sent by heaven to punish him!

“This is a misunderstanding, I can explain,” He Yan tried to calm the child down.

“Explain? How will you explain? Do you know…” He Yunsheng’s angry accusatory tone suddenly choked up, his eyes reddening as he said, “This is my only long robe… you’ve cut it to pieces, what am I supposed to do?”

He Yan’s head felt enormous.

She truly, truly, truly hated seeing people’s tears. Especially from a fierce young man like a bull calf suddenly turning pitiful and tearful.

He Yunsheng was indeed aggrieved.

Young people care about face. Despite being poor, as long as he was filial and proper, standing tall and upright, he was a good young man… Though that’s what they say, everyone has vanity. This chestnut-colored robe was given to him by a senior classmate. He had worn it for many years, patching and mending it. All his other clothes were short garments and pants suitable for work, but this long robe, no matter what made him look like a “young master.”

Though He Yan’s clothes couldn’t compare to those of young ladies from wealthy families, she would buy one or two fashionable pieces each year. He Sui spoiled her, and He Yunsheng couldn’t say anything. Girls love beauty, how could men care about such external things?

But at this moment, He Yunsheng suddenly felt wrong.

He Yan stammered: “This-this robe is ruined, let’s buy another one, we’ll find the most famous tailor in the capital to make you a brand new one, with embroidered patterns! We’ll use good fabric, don’t-don’t cry, I didn’t mean to… okay? Yun-Yunsheng?”

He Yan had never coaxed him so gently before. Somehow, He Yunsheng’s anger dissipated by half, though some resentment remained as he said: “We don’t have any money!”

“Who says?” He Yan opened the cosmetics box to show him, “We have plenty of money.”

He Yunsheng had only glanced casually at first, but upon closer inspection, he froze: “Where did you get this money?”

“Hmm?”

The next moment, He Yunsheng suddenly rushed forward, exclaiming: “Your face…”

Face? He Yan was startled, thinking could her face have changed? That shouldn’t be possible—she had washed her face twice in the water vat by the door before returning home last night, surely all the powder was gone?

Just as she rushed to the mirror, she heard He Yunsheng’s urgent angry voice beside her, “Who hit you?”

In the mirror, the young lady’s features were elegant and graceful, with autumn waves rippling in her water-like eyes, unchanged except… He Yan’s gaze moved down, noticing a light bruise at the corner of her lips, particularly noticeable against her fair skin.

When Qing Mei woke her earlier, she had covered her face with her hand to block the sun, so Qing Mei hadn’t seen it. But now He Yunsheng had noticed.

Young Miss He’s skin was delicate, unable to withstand any damage. She remembered taking a punch last night, but it hadn’t hurt much so she hadn’t paid attention. Who knew it would leave such a mark on her face today?

He Yunsheng kept questioning: “What exactly happened? This silver… this robe…” Suddenly he was horrified, his gaze turning tragic: “You…”

Seeing the youth’s thoughts heading in an inappropriate direction, He Yan lightly tapped his head, “Where are your thoughts wandering? Last night I wore your robe to the gambling house, played a few rounds and won some silver. Some people caused trouble, I taught them a lesson and accidentally got scratched. It’s nothing, it’ll be gone tomorrow.”

She spoke lightly, not knowing what impact these words had on the youth before her.

“You… I…”

He Yan went to a gambling house? He Yan went gambling and won money? He Yan won money and when people caused trouble, she beat them up?

Any single one of these was incomprehensible to He Yunsheng. He even suspected his sister had been replaced by someone else—how could all these actions be so inconceivable?

“Yes,” He Yan explained calmly, “Because we were too poor, I thought I’d try my luck at the gambling house. Who knew my luck would be so good, probably heaven’s blessing? I was really scared of those troublemakers, but recently going up the mountain to chop wood with you has made me stronger, so I luckily beat them.” Seeing He Yunsheng still staring in shock, He Yan continued, “If you don’t believe me, go ask at Letong House if a youth in a chestnut-colored robe won a lot of money last night. I’m not lying to you.”

He Yunsheng’s mind was a mess, but seeing He Yan’s confident manner, it really seemed she wasn’t lying.

“But… but…”

“Oh, right,” He Yan smiled, “Since we have money now, from today on, we won’t sell Danai cakes anymore.”

“Then what will we do?” He Yunsheng asked in a daze.

“Go to the training ground, of course. Would you like to go to school, Yunsheng?” she asked.