The rain stopped on the second day, giving way to beautiful clear weather. The bluestone in the courtyard was warmed by the sun, reflecting a lush green hue.

He Yan woke up at the third crow of the rooster. When Qing Mei awoke and found He Yan’s bed empty, she was startled. After searching around, she finally relaxed upon finding He Yan sitting absent-mindedly on a stone stool in the courtyard.

“Young Miss, why are you up so early? Is the blanket too thin, making you cold?” Qing Mei asked.

“It’s nothing, I couldn’t sleep,” He Yan replied.

She never had the habit of sleeping in. In the military camp, one could never relax for a moment. Even at night, they had to guard against enemy surprise attacks, so she remained vigilant at all times. Moreover, since her youth, she had practiced martial arts, truly rising at the rooster’s crow. Later, after marrying into the Xu family, she couldn’t break this old habit and was ridiculed behind her back. However, after becoming blind, she stopped rising so early – day and night made no difference to her. Though she still woke at the rooster’s crow, she would wait until everyone else in the courtyard was stirring before getting up herself.

It made her seem less out of place.

“Where’s Father?” she asked.

“Master has already gone to the training grounds, and Young Master just got up. Young Miss, please change your clothes and come for breakfast,” Qing Mei said, then hurried off to the kitchen.

There was only one maidservant in the house, but much work to be done, so they were often short-handed.

When He Yan arrived at the main hall, He Yungsheng was already seated at the table, eating.

Today, the young man was dressed as plainly as yesterday, like a common peddler, paying no attention to his appearance. Upon seeing He Yan, he merely glanced at her before turning away and lifting his bowl of porridge.

The meal was simple – plain porridge and small dishes. Given the He family’s circumstances, they couldn’t afford elaborate dishes. Even so, there was a plate of pastries on the table that looked rough and smelled ordinary – prepared specially by He Sui for his daughter.

He Yan also picked up her bowl and drank the porridge. She drank quickly, surprising both Qing Mei and He Yungsheng. The previous He Yan had been picky with food, reluctant to eat properly, taking forever to finish even a bowl of porridge. Unlike today, where she was so decisive – after finishing the porridge, she didn’t immediately reach for the pastries on the plate, which He Sui had prepared for her; neither Qing Mei nor He Yungsheng would eat them.

He Yungsheng put down his bowl and stood up. He Yan looked up and asked, “Where are you going?”

He Yungsheng frowned. “What’s it to you?” He was about to respond impatiently when his eyes caught sight of the marks on He Yan’s palms, and his words halted.

He had thought He Yan would complain to He Sui when he returned home yesterday, but this morning everything was peaceful. It seemed He Yan hadn’t tried to sow discord, and He Sui still didn’t know about He Yan’s injury.

The young man’s tone softened slightly: “Going to cut firewood on the mountain.”

In He Yungsheng’s mind, upon hearing this, He Yan would lose interest and return to her room to fiddle with her rouge and powder, then dress up carefully to go out for a spring outing. However, He Yan’s eyes lit up, and she enthusiastically said, “Really? I’ll come too.”

Before He Yungsheng could speak, Qing Mei interjected: “Young Miss, what would you do there? It rained on the mountain, the paths were treacherous, and mud was everywhere. What if you fall?”

“Exactly,” He Yungsheng immediately agreed, relieved to find someone sensible in the house. “Don’t make trouble for yourself.”

Both thought He Yan was acting on a whim, but He Yan turned to Qing Mei and said, “Father is at the training grounds all day and only returns at night. Qing Mei, you have so much work to do and can’t always follow me. He Yungsheng,” she called his name, making him start, “if you don’t take me, I’ll go by myself.”

“Hey!” He Yungsheng exclaimed angrily.

“Is there a third person in this house who can control me?” she asked calmly.

He Yungsheng had no response. Indeed, there wasn’t even one person who could control He Yan’s temperament in this house, let alone a third. It was because He Sui dotes that He Yan wouldn’t listen to anyone – oh, except for that Young Master Fan.

“If you want to go, then follow,” the young man said angrily. “But if you fall halfway and cry to go home, I won’t help you back.”

He Yan shrugged.

He Yungsheng stormed off, unable to understand how after one illness, He Yan had become even more annoying. If the previous He Yan had been affected and pretentious with her lady-like temperament, the current He Yan had added a touch of roguishness, making her even more difficult to deal with.

She truly was his, He Yungsheng’s, nemesis!

The path up Long Huan Peak was treacherous, with dangerous terrain. Most who came here were poor people gathering firewood or herbs.

Wildflowers of unknown varieties grew along the path, dotting the grass beautifully. However, this wasn’t truly a place for spring outings and flower viewing. The stones beneath their feet clung to the cliff face, and looking down would make one’s legs tremble.

He Yungsheng had walked this path countless times and knew ascending wasn’t easy. He waited to hear He Yan’s complaints and crying, but from start to finish, she didn’t make a sound.

He Yungsheng couldn’t help but look back, surprised to find that He Yan hadn’t fallen far behind him – she was almost walking shoulder to shoulder with him.

How was this possible?

This path was difficult even for men to walk, let alone He Yan, who was a delicate young lady who used to rub her knees after walking any distance. When did her stamina become so good?

“Why are you looking at me?” He Yan stared at him curiously. “Aren’t we continuing?”

He Yungsheng turned back without a word and continued forward.

She must be pretending – she’ll collapse soon!

He Yan looked at her legs and sighed.

The strength in these legs was truly minimal. Walking this distance with He Yungsheng, she felt an unfamiliar weariness. By the looks of it, she still needed more time to adjust.

“This place will do,” He Yungsheng stopped and took the axe from his waist.

There were many small trees here, and He Yungsheng chose the thin, spindly ones that would be easier to cut. He pointed to a nearby rock and told He Yan, “Just sit here for a while, I need to cut for about an hour.”

“Just here?” He Yan nodded and took off the cloth bundle she was carrying.

He Yungsheng watched in disbelief as she pulled out an axe from her bundle.

“What… what are you doing?” He Yungsheng’s mind went blank, stumbling over his words.

He had thought He Yan’s bundle contained a water flask, but she had packed an axe. She had carried an axe all this way without falling behind him – He Yungsheng wondered if he was dreaming.

What happened next made He Yungsheng even more certain he was dreaming.

He watched as his delicate sister, who usually complained that even a teacup was too heavy, unhesitatingly swung the axe before her, bringing it down to cut off a cluster of branches, her movements as smooth as if she had done it hundreds of times before.

She said, “I’m here to help you, it’ll be quick.”