Shi Fa Ke had no idea that Zhu Keji held such high hopes for her. When she arrived home, Jiao Jiao and He Ketian were playing chess. Seeing Shi Fa Ke return, both their expressions changed as they hastily scrambled to put away the chessboard and pieces.

“A’Ke is back.” The two sisters-in-law quickly put on smiles and greeted her somewhat unnaturally.

Shi Fa Ke naturally couldn’t have missed their little action of hiding the chess… Eldest Sister-in-law, the chessboard you’re sitting on isn’t even properly hidden. However, she really wasn’t in the mood to play around with them today, so she pretended not to see and nodded at them, “Mm, Eldest Sister-in-law, Third Sister-in-law, I’ll go to my room first.”

Having said this, she left.

Jiao Jiao and He Ketian exchanged glances.

“What’s wrong with A’Ke? She seems rather unhappy…” Jiao Jiao said, looking quite worried.

“Mm, she seemed to say earlier that she was going to Willow Leaf Lane to visit Scholar Lu.” He Ketian said casually, though her mind was clear – it seemed A’Ke was unhappy because of Lu Chi.

Should she notify her foolish brother about this?

It seemed like a good opportunity?

…But taking advantage of someone’s vulnerability seemed a bit immoral.

Then, that very afternoon, He Ketian went back to her natal home.

The next day the weather was nice, and He Ketian invited her sisters-in-law and sister-in-law to go to Golden Full House to look at jewelry.

Shi Fa Ke was forcibly dragged out. She was preoccupied all the way, only perking up a bit when they reached Golden Full House. Women… there wasn’t one who didn’t love jewelry.

“This hairpin is nice.”

“This one, this one, this one, and this one – wrap them all up.” He Ketian said magnanimously.

“…Third Sister-in-law, how many heads do you have to buy so many hairpins?” Shi Fa Ke couldn’t help but complain.

“One for Mother, one for you, one for Eldest Sister-in-law, and I’ll keep one for myself. That’s exactly four.” He Ketian said with a grin.

“I get one too?” Jiao Jiao looked surprised.

“Of course, we’re family.”

Shi Fa Ke couldn’t help but laugh. He Ketian particularly loved creating this kind of family atmosphere… but having the whole family wear identical jewelry might be a bit too much.

While laughing, she suddenly saw someone walk in from outside.

“Eh? Big Brother, why are you here?” He Ketian followed Shi Fa Ke’s gaze and said with a surprised expression.

Mm, her surprise was very convincing, as if they had truly met by coincidence.

He Kexian smiled, “Mother’s birthday is coming up, so I came to pick out some jewelry for her.”

Mother’s birthday had long passed, okay… this unfilial son.

He Ketian silently complained, then smiled again, saying with disgust, “Your taste is terrible. Last year you gave Mother a gold bracelet so heavy she couldn’t even lift her hand, and Father gave you quite a scolding.”

“…That was sincere and solid.” He Kexian’s ears turned red as he glared at his sister, hoping she would know when to stop and leave him some face in front of A’Ke! Was she really here to help and not to sabotage?!

Could it be she was still holding a grudge about him opposing her marriage? He Kexian couldn’t help but think conspiratorially.

“Oh my, I just remembered there’s meat stewing on the stove at home!” He Ketian suddenly exclaimed, “Eldest Sister-in-law, quickly come back with me to check. A’Ke, our jewelry isn’t wrapped yet, so please stay and wait. Also help my brother pick out some jewelry – his taste really is terrible!”

…Well, she had to get one more dig in at her brother.

“Don’t we have a cook?” Shi Fa Ke looked confused.

“The cook took leave today.” He Ketian said, then pulled Jiao Jiao away as if her rear was on fire.

Only Shi Fa Ke and He Kexian were left looking at each other.

“Third Sister-in-law seems a bit strange…” Shi Fa Ke couldn’t help saying.

“Cough, she’s always been impulsive. Even after marrying, she hasn’t made any progress.” He Kexian commented.

He Ketian, who had already reached the door, rolled her eyes. She had already exerted all her strength to help, yet he still dared to badmouth her behind her back. How excessive.

“Sister-in-law, the meat stewing at home… isn’t urgent anymore?” Jiao Jiao, seeing He Ketian rushing out but then slowing down once outside, understood everything and teased.

He Ketian suddenly came to her senses. Meeting Jiao Jiao’s mocking gaze, she somewhat uncomfortably tucked her hair and laughed dryly, “There’s another jewelry shop ahead. Shall we go look?”

Inside Golden Full House, Shi Fa Ke and He Kexian looked at each other. As they looked, Shi Fa Ke suddenly remembered something and her expression changed. She glared at him angrily, flicked her sleeve, and ignored him, going to look at jewelry by herself.

He Kexian was completely baffled by her glare. He touched his nose and followed, “What’s wrong? Where did I offend you again?… Is it because I opposed Ketian and your third brother’s marriage before? From my position at the time…”

Before he could finish, Shi Fa Ke suddenly stopped and turned to glare at him.

“Is Shengxing Restaurant yours?” she asked with narrowed eyes.

He Kexian’s heart sank as he immediately understood the problem, “Not anymore…”

“Yes, now it’s my third sister-in-law’s dowry.” Shi Fa Ke said coolly, too lazy to beat around the bush. She asked directly, “Why did you instruct those workers not to sell wine to me? Do you hate me that much?”

“No…” He Kexian opened his mouth to explain, but meeting Shi Fa Ke’s angry gaze, he suddenly changed his mind.

“What? Got nothing to say?” Seeing him seemingly give up on explaining, Shi Fa Ke snorted coldly.

“Do you remember the first time you drank wine?” He Kexian suddenly asked.

“Of course I remember.” Mentioning this, Shi Fa Ke looked excited and even forgot to be angry, “Back then you and I and Ketian… oh, she wasn’t my third sister-in-law then, let’s just call her Ketian. We were playing hide and seek together. Ketian wanted to hide under the bed but discovered wine my father had hidden there! My father always told me that wine was bitter and astringent and hard to drink, but Ketian said my father was lying to me – if it wasn’t good to drink, why would my father hide it? So I tried it… and it was indeed very delicious!” Shi Fa Ke’s eyes were bright, “Ketian didn’t lie to me. That wine was truly wonderful. I still remember its taste. If not for Ketian, I wouldn’t have known wine could be so delicious!”

She looked very grateful to He Ketian.

No, she was just maliciously wanting to see you make a fool of yourself, because she herself was made to cry by the alcohol the first time she secretly drank…

He Kexian’s mouth twitched, “Do you remember what happened afterward?”

“Afterward?” Shi Fa Ke blinked, looking confused.

“After you drank the wine.” He Kexian reminded her.

“Afterward I fell asleep.” Shi Fa Ke thought, “When I woke up it was already the next day, and I got a good beating from my mother.”

“The beating was well deserved.” He Kexian nodded without sympathy.

Shi Fa Ke’s eyes widened, “Are you trying to pick a fight?”

Not giving any sympathy was one thing, but actually gloating and mocking her was unforgivable!

“If I hadn’t turned back after Ketian and I left that day, you probably would have died of alcohol poisoning then. Where would you get the life to live until now? Didn’t you deserve that beating?” He Kexian said expressionlessly.

Such a troublesome child should indeed be beaten to death.

“What?” Shi Fa Ke was stunned.

“That day, when Ketian and I were halfway home, I was worried about you so I turned back. I saw you holding the wine jar drinking. If you had finished that entire jar of wine by yourself, do you think you’d still be alive?”

Shi Fa Ke’s eyes widened. There was such a thing?

“I didn’t know…” she said dumbly.

No wonder her parents reacted so strongly every time she drank.

“There are many things you don’t know.” He Kexian looked at her expressionlessly, “Do you know that after you got drunk that day, you molested me?”

“Wh… what?!” Shi Fa Ke nearly choked on her own saliva.

“After I snatched the wine cup from your hands, you pinned me on the bed and said to me very earnestly, ‘Little brother, you’re so beautiful, let me touch you…'” He Kexian was halfway through his sentence.

A soft little hand covered his mouth.

Shi Fa Ke’s face turned completely red. She looked around and pulled him to a secluded corner like a thief, lowering her voice, “How is that possible? I was only a few years old then – how could I have the strength to… to pin you on the bed…”

“Mm, I tried to pull you off, but you used both hands and feet to cling to me completely. I couldn’t get you off.” He Kexian said with a wooden expression.

“Didn’t you try to talk some sense into me?” Shi Fa Ke asked through gritted teeth, her face red.

“Mm, I tried. I said men and women shouldn’t have physical contact, what did it look like for you to climb on me? Come down quickly.”

“Then… I came down?” Shi Fa Ke asked carefully and hopefully.

Ahhh please say I came down! Otherwise this person involved would die of shame! Too humiliating!

“How could that be possible.” He Kexian glanced at her coolly, shattering her beautiful fantasy, “Not only did you not voluntarily climb down, you clung even tighter with your hands and feet, and told me resolutely: I. Won’t. Let. Go.”

“…”