Shi Fa Ke’s eyes lit up, “Is that okay? You know how to play chess?”

Lu Chi smiled as he looked at He Ketian standing opposite, “If Miss He doesn’t mind.”

How could He Ketian possibly mind! The vivid and handsome Master Linyuan was standing right before her and wanted to play chess with her! She felt her heart beating rapidly, like there was a rabbit in her chest, and she was extremely delighted.

Because she was too excited, she didn’t answer immediately.

“Miss He?” Seeing He Ketian standing there with vacant eyes, Lu Chi called her again in confusion.

He Ketian immediately snapped back to reality, struggling to maintain her dignified expression, and nodded: “Of course I don’t mind. Please, Young Master Lu.”

…Although her hands hidden in her sleeves were trembling slightly from excitement, she concealed it very well and didn’t lose her composure.

Shi Fa Ke quickly stood up to give way, letting the reinforcement take the field.

Lu Chi lifted his robe hem and sat down, casually handing her the bag containing the sugar cookies.

“How are your chess skills?” Shi Fa Ke dragged over a small stool and sat beside him, eating the sugar cookies while asking curiously.

Lu Chi picked up a chess piece and smiled slightly, “Passable.”

Beautiful people always have an advantage. Just like when Lu Chi smiled at this moment, it actually turned He Ketian’s brain into mush. For a moment, she didn’t know what day it was or where she was, completely unable to think. This is how beauty can mislead people…

Moreover, when Lu Chi said his chess skills were passable, he was truly being modest.

How modest was he? He took over that chaotic, hole-riddled endgame, and in just a moment, he had already turned the situation around. By the time He Ketian became alert, it was already too late to recover.

Lu Chi was truly decisive in his attack, showing no mercy for the fairer sex, and quickly defeated He Ketian so thoroughly that she had no power to fight back.

During this time, Shi Fa Ke didn’t even have time to finish one sugar cookie.

He Ketian stared blankly at the utterly defeated situation before her, finding it somewhat hard to believe for a moment… So fast? It was over already?

“Young Master Lu, you’re amazing!” Shi Fa Ke looked at Lu Chi with bright eyes, her eyes full of admiring little stars.

Lu Chi’s mouth curved slightly, feeling very pleased.

If the people at Feiqiong Stronghold knew he was bullying a young girl and feeling pleased about it, they would probably all despise him collectively.

But this couldn’t affect Lu Chi’s good mood at the moment. He enjoyed Shi Fa Ke’s admiring gaze.

Those bright almond eyes seemed to contain many little stars, beautiful and spirited.

Lu Chi, who was completely letting himself go while basking in Shi Fa Ke’s admiring gaze, didn’t notice that Miss He sitting opposite, whom he had ruthlessly crushed on the chess board, also had eyes full of admiring little stars.

Indeed, he was worthy of being Master Linyuan. Not only were his painting skills superb, but his chess skills were also so excellent!

Third Brother Shi stood in the courtyard with his arms crossed, looking at Lu Chi, then at He Ketian, and finally glanced at his own silly sister who understood nothing, revealing a meaningful smile.

Hmm, he seemed to have discovered something extraordinary.

Perhaps Third Brother Shi’s gaze was too strange. Lu Chi, who had been feeling smug, suddenly shivered. He glanced at the obviously ill-intentioned Third Brother Shi and finally noticed He Ketian’s unusual behavior. She had been silently watching him, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. His heart immediately tensed, and he averted his gaze, secretly cursing himself. He seemed to have gotten carried away. Miss He must not cause any more trouble…

Then he heard Miss He say: “Young Master Lu, how about we play another game?”

Lu Chi was truly in a difficult position.

The previous game was to rescue Ah Ke, but now he really didn’t want to continue playing chess with Miss He… What if Miss He suddenly turned hostile? Wouldn’t all this be evidence of his ulterior motives?

Moreover, heaven knows, he now only had ulterior motives toward Ah Ke.

With Third Brother Shi’s jokes and embellishments, Lu Chi finally managed to escape. When he walked out of the Shi family’s front gate, he truly felt like he had survived a disaster.

“Young Master Lu.”

Just as Lu Chi was slowly exhaling, He Ketian’s voice suddenly came from behind him. Lu Chi immediately felt his spine tense. He slowly turned around, eyes looking at nose, nose looking at heart, and cupped his hands saying: “Miss He.”

“I was quite presumptuous earlier. I hope Young Master Lu won’t mind.” He Ketian looked at him and said softly.

Unfortunately, Lu Chi was very proper, always looking down at his feet as if he could see flowers blooming there, just not looking at her or meeting her gaze.

“It was I who was too presumptuous when I first arrived here, not knowing my place. Miss He, please forgive me.” Lu Chi said very cautiously.

He Ketian felt somewhat discouraged. She was eager to befriend him but could never find the right way.

“Then I shall take my leave.” Lu Chi said, cupping his hands and turning to leave.

If not for his slightly hurried steps, there would be nothing strange about it. Even his retreating figure remained graceful… not at all like he was fleeing in panic.

He Ketian watched Master Linyuan’s back as he left almost eagerly, bit her lip in frustration, then gently stamped her feet and got into her family’s carriage.

Lu Chi walked quickly for a while when a somewhat familiar carriage suddenly passed behind him. Looking closely, wasn’t it the same one that had been parked at the Shi family’s gate?

The carriage quickly drove away.

Lu Chi finally breathed a sigh of relief and slowed his pace.

The next day was a rest day, and Lu Chi went to the Zhu family.

Yes, it was the same wealthy Zhu family in Tongluo Town that had previously discussed marriage with him.

Of course, he wasn’t there for Miss Zhu. He was there for his student Zhu Li.

That little fatty’s full name was Zhu Li. He was the legitimate son of the second branch of the Zhu family in Tongluo Town. The Miss Zhu who had previously been proposed to him was a girl from the first branch of the Zhu family.

The situation of the Zhu family’s second branch was somewhat complex. When Zhu Li was born, his birth mother died in childbirth. The current second branch wife was a replacement wife who came later, and she was also Zhu Li’s maternal aunt. This Second Madam Zhu, who was both stepmother and aunt, had always granted Zhu Li’s every request and spoiled him tremendously, raising him into a little tyrant who was both illiterate and arrogant.

What was quite intriguing was that after Second Madam Zhu married into the family, she gave birth to a son who was a proper bookworm. He was now studying at the Zhu family’s clan school, and despite his young age, he had already passed the xiucai examination and had promising prospects.

Lu Chi had already investigated this situation thoroughly before visiting.