Chu Yizhi was stunned for a moment, then his expression became somewhat panicked. “You’re still angry, aren’t you?”

“…” Shi Fa Ke was momentarily at a complete loss, like a monk trying to figure out what was what. Why was he so certain she was still angry?

She thought they had already settled everything and were no longer involved with each other…

“In the past, you often came to find me, but this time you never came no matter what. I waited for you every day…” Chu Yizhi grabbed her hand and said urgently.

“Wait, stop.” Shi Fa Ke couldn’t help but interrupt him, moving uncomfortably as she tried to pull her hand back. “Let go of me first.”

But Chu Yizhi gripped her hand tightly, stubbornly refusing to let go.

“Please forgive me, okay? A’ke, just forgive me this once…” He held her hand tightly. Perhaps because he suddenly felt the illusion of having lost something, his demeanor became frantic and his words somewhat incoherent.

Due to his agitation, he used a lot of force. Shi Fa Ke’s hand hurt from his grip, and she couldn’t help but darken her expression. “I’m not angry. I’ve already said I forgave you long ago.”

“Then why didn’t you come to see me?” Chu Yizhi pressed.

“Why should I come to see you?” Shi Fa Ke looked at him, her gaze turning somewhat cold.

Chu Yizhi’s heart sank under her gaze. He moved his lips but couldn’t say anything for a moment.

“Chu Yizhi,” Shi Fa Ke looked at him seriously. “In the past, I came to play with you because we were young and there was no distinction between men and women. But now that you’ve married, you should learn to avoid impropriety.”

“No… we grew up together…” Chu Yizhi said haltingly.

“So what?” Shi Fa Ke’s gaze was clear and bright, clear and cool like a spring, both clear and cold. “What position do I, an unmarried woman, have to seek you out?”

“You’re like a sister to me…” Chu Yizhi said, enduring his heartache, then his eyes lit up. “Yes, we can address each other as siblings.”

He Kexian, who had been coldly observing from the side, snorted lightly at this point and stepped forward, grasping Chu Yizhi’s wrist. “She has three older brothers. She doesn’t need a fake brother with ulterior motives like you.”

His grip seemed light but was actually quite forceful. After all, He Kexian had properly trained with martial arts masters at home, while Chu Yizhi was just a powerless scholar.

Chu Yizhi winced in pain and immediately released Shi Fa Ke.

Once free, Shi Fa Ke quickly stepped back two paces to distance herself from Chu Yizhi, then flexed her wrist. Looking down, she saw it had been bruised from his grip.

He Kexian naturally saw this too. His expression darkened as he increased the pressure on Chu Yizhi’s wrist.

Chu Yizhi immediately gasped, his face turning pale with pain.

“Brother He, don’t hurt his hand,” Shi Fa Ke said urgently. “He needs his hands to write.”

Seeing that Shi Fa Ke still cared about him, Chu Yizhi’s gaze immediately softened… She always protected him like this, just like when they were children.

He Kexian’s expression became ugly. “He hurt your hand, yet you’re being quite magnanimous.”

Chu Yizhi also saw the bruises on Shi Fa Ke’s hand and showed a guilty expression.

But then he heard Shi Fa Ke say calmly, “If you ruin his hand, his mother will definitely fight you to the death.”

Chu Yizhi’s heart went cold. He looked at Shi Fa Ke sadly. “A’ke…”

He Kexian felt much better now and cheerfully released his grip. “True, that old lady of the Chu family is not to be trifled with.” Then he got mischievous again, looking at the somewhat lost Chu Yizhi with a half-smile. “Speaking of which, about you wanting to acknowledge A’ke as your sister—do your mother and wife agree?”

Chu Yizhi suppressed the pain and discomfort in his heart and defended himself, “I don’t really mean to acknowledge her as my sister.”

“Tsk tsk, one moment saying you want to acknowledge her as your sister, the next saying you don’t really mean it. Chu Yizhi, you’re truly as lacking in responsibility as ever,” He Kexian said with disdain.

He Kexian had never liked Chu Yizhi. Shi Fa Ke had known Chu Yizhi before she knew the He siblings. Before meeting the He family siblings, Shi Fa Ke only had this one friend, and all those pretentious bookish habits were learned from him.

Chu Yizhi had been somewhat frail as a child and was a bookworm, so he was often bullied and excluded by the neighborhood children. Although Shi Fa Ke was younger than him, she had three older brothers and a father with a fearsome reputation, so no child in town would be foolish enough to provoke her. Therefore, she had always been the one protecting Chu Yizhi.

Every time Chu Yizhi was bullied, he would see a short-legged, chubby, pink and jade-like little girl rush out to protect him. Usually, those bullying children would flee in fear of Miss Shi’s “illustrious reputation.” But once, when Chu Yizhi was surrounded and bullied by several older children who had just moved to Copper Gong Town and didn’t know Miss Shi’s “reputation,” they saw this little dumpling rush out and sweetly scold, “Who dares bully him? I’ll make them sorry!” They all burst into laughter, then grabbed the little girl, pinching her chubby little face until it turned red.

At that time, Chu Yizhi, who was clearly much older, could only cry. If the He siblings hadn’t happened to pass by, who knows what would have happened.

Hmph, he had been such a cowardly character since childhood, and he still hadn’t changed as an adult.

“No, I mean I think of A’ke as my sister, but she’s not actually my sister…” Chu Yizhi’s face flushed red with urgency. Usually eloquent in reading and debates, he was now tongue-tied.

Because, if she wasn’t really acknowledged as his sister… he could still harbor hope.

He spoke urgently but gradually fell silent under He Kexian’s mocking gaze. He knew He Kexian had seen through the base and filthy thoughts in his heart.

“I remember just hearing you complain that A’ke didn’t come to see you?” He Kexian crossed his arms, his expression cold and mocking. “Do you think A’ke could even get through the Chu family’s main gate if she went?”

“What do you mean?” Chu Yizhi frowned.

“I suppose you don’t know about your mother and wife embarrassing A’ke in the street,” He Kexian raised an eyebrow.

On the side, Shi Fa Ke was surprised. How did He Kexian know about this?

“Impossible!” Chu Yizhi denied it categorically. “My mother has always been extremely fond of A’ke. How could she…”

Moreover, Mrs. Sun was also gentle and virtuous… But for some reason, he didn’t say this last sentence out loud.

“Your mother, along with your wife, stopped A’ke in the street and scolded her thoroughly, saying your family had been blind to befriend the Shi family before, and now wanted to cut all ties. She even told A’ke to have some self-respect and stop pestering you…” He Kexian drawled, somewhat maliciously. “Every word was quite spectacular. There were quite a few people on the street at the time. You can go ask around and definitely find out.”

Chu Yizhi shook his head, clenching his fists. “I don’t believe it. You’re lying. My mother would never…”

“A’ke, you tell him,” He Kexian turned to look at Shi Fa Ke.

Chu Yizhi also looked at Shi Fa Ke, his eyes already full of pleading.

Shi Fa Ke was silent for a moment. “Your mother suspected my father was the one who injured you, so she was very angry. I’ve already explained to her, and this matter is over. I also promised your mother that I would never see you again.” After finishing, she looked at Chu Yizhi, whose face had turned ashen. “I hope you won’t make me break my word.”

Chu Yizhi seemed unable to bear the weight, his thin body swaying slightly.

“Really, we can never meet again?” In the sunlight, his skin was so pale it was almost transparent. He moved his lips, his voice so soft it seemed about to scatter in the wind.

“We should avoid impropriety,” Shi Fa Ke said without any emotion, not a ripple in her eyes.

Chu Yizhi smiled bitterly and looked at Shi Fa Ke greedily for a long time. When He Kexian showed signs of impatience, he finally said softly, “A’ke, you truly are the most heartless woman I’ve ever met.”

After saying this, he withdrew his gaze that had been almost glued to Shi Fa Ke’s face, turned around, and walked out unsteadily.

He Kexian’s eyes flashed, and he followed him out.