When they were leaving, He Yungsheng asked, “Why are you so late today? We won’t get a good spot now.”

“Had some things to do,” He Yan replied. “It’s fine if we don’t get a good spot, our cakes taste better.”

He Yungsheng was speechless.

He felt that talking to the current He Yan was like punching cotton – even when angry, it was hard to express it. He Yan didn’t lose her temper, maintaining a light mood. He Yungsheng couldn’t tell if she was optimistic or simple-minded, but at least he hadn’t seen He Yan troubled by anything for a long time.

The stall was set up on a merchant street in the western city, directly opposite Zui Yu Lou, the largest restaurant in the capital. With constant customer traffic flowing like clouds, small businesses here did well. However the stalls were limited in size, so one had to arrive early to secure a good spot.

He Yungsheng arranged the Da Nai Cakes in the steamer basket.

Da Nai Cake was a pastry made by peeling and pitting fresh large plums, blanching them in white plum and licorice soup, then filling the plum cavities with honey, pine nuts, olive kernels, walnut kernels, and melon seeds. Steamed in small steamers, they were deliciously sweet and sour, and not expensive. Selling Da Nai Cakes could earn He Yungsheng some money to supplement the household income each month.

The warm sun felt comfortable, and people occasionally came to buy one or two cakes. By the time the sun moved past the east side of Zui Yu Lou, they would likely sell out.

He Yan watched He Yungsheng work and had to admit he was capable, reminding her of the children back in the military camp. Most children who joined the army came from poor families – noble families would never let their sons go to war. Those poor children went to battle just for food. So before that, they did all kinds of work and could do anything.

Though she had never been poor, she had also lived that way.

“Hey, give me one- isn’t this Young Miss He?” a voice interrupted He Yan’s thoughts.

She looked up to see a long-faced man with a shiny hair bun, and rat-like features, wearing ill-fitting white clothes. He reached out to touch He Yan’s shoulder, but she stepped aside to avoid him.

The man grabbed empty air and withdrew his hand with disappointment, saying, “Haven’t seen you in a while, Young Miss He. You haven’t been out much lately – so you’re here selling cakes with Young Master He… How can you do such work? It must be so tiring.”

His tone suggested familiarity.

He Yan was confused and looked at He Yungsheng, who was furious and shouted, “Wang Jiugui, stay away from my sister!”

“You little brat, your sister doesn’t mind, why are you making a fuss?” said the man called Wang Jiugui. He moved closer again with a sycophantic smile, taking something from his robe and offering it to He Yan: “Miss He, I’ve been thinking of you constantly. I bought this rouge some days ago, wanting to give it to you. Now that we’ve met by chance, please accept it. Would you honor me by going to Sishui Shore for a spring outing?”

A man who looked like a beggar trying to act like a refined gentleman – He Yan could only laugh. In her two lifetimes, she had met many people, both good and bad, but none who had harassed her like this.

“I need to sell cakes, so I’m afraid I can’t go on an outing with you, sir,” He Yan said politely. “Please give this rouge to someone else.”

Wang Jiugui was stunned.

He lived on the same street as the He family. Usually, with He Yan having a captain for a father, others wouldn’t dare bother her. But He Yan wasn’t a well-behaved girl and loved taking small advantages. Normally, giving her some rouge or powder would earn a sweet “Brother Jiugui” from her, but today she had embarrassed him in front of so many people.

Wang Jiugui felt his face burning, his smile less genuine than before. He said, “Could it be Young Miss He is still thinking of Young Master Fan? Young Master Fan is about to marry, why would you still…”

“Shut up!” Before he could finish, there was a “thud” as Wang Jiugui felt a fist hit his face, knocking him to the ground.

He Yungsheng stood before him, pointing away angrily: “Get lost!”

The fourteen or fifteen-year-old youth was like a young bull, full of strength. Wang Jiugui, his body already weakened by wine and women, was no match for He Yungsheng. His head and face hurt, his whole body burning with shame. He scrambled to his feet and looked at He Yan again, who showed no intention of apologizing and even seemed somewhat amused. A surge of nameless anger rose in his heart.

“You…” he pointed at He Yan with trembling fingers.

He Yungsheng stood in front of He Yan, sneering: “We what?”

Wang Jiugui didn’t dare approach and was somewhat puzzled. These siblings had never gotten along well. He Yan had often complained to him about it, and He Yungsheng never involved himself in He Yan’s affairs. Why were they together today, and why was He Yungsheng standing up for He Yan?

“You’ll regret this!” He stomped his foot and ran away.

As the crowd of onlookers dispersed, the stall returned to peace. He Yungsheng packed up the Da Nai Cakes with a gloomy face, saying nothing.

He Yan watched him.

“What are you looking at?” He Yungsheng asked irritably.

“Your strike just now was quite good,” He Yan pondered, “but your stance was a bit unstable, your fundamentals aren’t solid enough. You should practice horse stance more at home.”

“Go away,” He Yungsheng didn’t want to discuss it. “You’re not a martial arts instructor!”

He Yan sized up He Yungsheng – he had potential. Perhaps because of doing physical labor since childhood, he had good bone structure. Compared to those young masters from the “He family” later on, He Yungsheng was promising material.

He shouldn’t be here selling Da Nai Cakes; he should be at a better school or martial arts academy learning skills.

“Then let me ask something else – who is Young Master Fan?”

He Yungsheng slammed the cloth onto the table with a “snap” and glared at her, “You dare mention him!”

“What about Young Master Fan?” He Yan glanced at him.

He Yungsheng seemed to have enormous anger at the mention of “Young Master Fan.” “What about him? If he hadn’t come to seduce you, how could you have been deceived by him? That kind of young master is always flirting around – only you would believe him. He’s getting married, and you even went on a hunger strike for him. While you’re here ready to die for him, he’s still welcoming his bride! And you’ve become the laughingstock of the capital, yet you still mention him – are you trying to anger me to death!”

From these few words, He Yan roughly understood the situation.

Young Miss He had been pampered and had lofty ambitions – how could a lotus grow in an earthen pot? She had wanted to marry into nobility and become a noble lady. By chance during a spring outing, she had met a young master from a noble family, and they had developed feelings. But while Young Miss He had given her whole heart, for him it had just been a game – a young master from a noble family would never marry a minor military official’s daughter.

Young Master Fan’s family had already arranged a suitable marriage for him, and the wedding was approaching. Young Miss He couldn’t accept this and went to his house demanding an explanation, only to be cruelly thrown out. Unable to accept this, she had tried to starve herself to death. It was when she was at death’s door that He Yan had awakened and replaced Young Miss He.

No wonder everyone in the He family had been treating her so carefully since He Yan woke up – they were worried she might try to take her own life again.

He Yungsheng was still rambling on, scolding He Yan for being muddle-headed, not knowing that his real sister was no longer in this world. He Yan felt regret – Young Miss He shouldn’t have thrown away her life for a deceiving man. Life was precious, and wasting it on unworthy people was foolish. Moreover, her death hadn’t affected the one who betrayed her, who still lived carefree, while those who truly loved her were left heartbroken.

Why bring joy to enemies and pain to loved ones?

Her experience was somewhat similar to Young Miss He’s. Both had met unsuitable men, but she and Young Miss He were different. He Yuansheng, He Yuanliang, He Rufei, and Xu Zhiheng, He Wanru – she would visit them one by one and take back what they owed her.

For this, she had made many efforts.

The morning exercises with sandbags were to regain her strength while selling in the marketplace in the afternoons allowing her to gather news about the He and Xu families from various people.

For instance, she heard that the blind First Madam Xu had recently drowned accidentally, and the First Master Xu was grief-stricken and bedridden. The He family was devastated, with the He family’s eldest master’s hair turning white overnight. General Fei Hong, sharing deep sibling affection with his sister, had personally arranged his cousin’s funeral, which lasted three days and nights – the whole city knew about it.

These seemingly true and false news fell like snowflakes into He Yan’s ears, and she could only smile.

The truth had been covered up, and she must uncover it. Before that, she needed to stay alive.