Seeing his youngest brother being confused by A’Ke, Elder Brother Shi’s lips curved slightly upward, and he nodded with a smile, “Lu Chi helped A’Ke once before. This time, it’s just returning the favor – it’s both emotionally and logically appropriate.”

Elder Brother Shi had always thought Lu Chi was a decent person. Though he was a scholar, he didn’t have any pedantic airs, and his personality was generous and forthright. As fellow scholars, he was truly much better than their own crafty and troublesome youngest brother.

“Elder Brother makes sense. Master Lu came to our Tongluo Town all alone – it’s proper for us to take extra care of him. It’s just a pot of minced meat porridge, hardly worth your fuss,” Second Brother Shi Chongshan said, taking a bite of his pastry and looking at his youngest brother with disdain, as if he really was petty-minded.

Shi Zhonghai could hardly believe his eyes and ears. Elder Brother had always valued righteousness and had a good impression of Lu Chi, so it wasn’t strange for him to speak up in support. But why was even the shrewdest Second Brother also…

Meeting his youngest brother’s incredulous eyes, Shi Chongshan gave a very subtle chuckle but didn’t enlighten him.

Why had Shi Chongshan’s attitude suddenly changed? For no other reason than he was currently thinking about that basket of paintings from Scholar Lu. If he really was Master Linyuan, then that whole basket of paintings… tsk tsk, what was a pot of minced meat porridge compared to that! How short-sighted!

In any case, befriending him was the right choice.

“One should be kinder,” Shi Chongshan said, taking another bite of his pastry and smiling slightly with profound mystery and earnest meaning.

“Second Brother, did you take the wrong medicine?” Shi Zhonghai, having no idea about Second Brother’s calculations, looked as if he’d seen a ghost and said with unbearable frustration.

His second brother, who never got up early without profit… had suddenly grown a conscience?

Shi Chongshan gave his death-seeking youngest brother a cold look.

“This isn’t about a pot of minced meat porridge! How can A’Ke, a young lady, go visit an unrelated man?” Shi Zhonghai, feeling his scalp tingle under Second Brother Shi’s gaze, looked desperately at Shi Changhui, “Father, you also think this is fine?!”

Shi Changhui coughed lightly, “Mm… emotionally and logically, it’s appropriate.”

After all… he had swindled a valuable jade bracelet from the young man. Shi Changhui always felt somewhat guilty, and now that the boy was sick, visiting him was only proper.

Shi Zhonghai was shocked. He turned to look at Tao-shi, who hadn’t spoken from beginning to end, seeking agreement, “Mother, propriety between men and women! A’Ke is a young lady…”

“What propriety between men and women? I’m also under commission from the Zhu family to find Master Lu about business matters. I’m a matchmaker,” Shi Fa Ke finally couldn’t help but glare at her third brother who seemed intent on stirring up trouble.

Tao-shi glanced at Shi Fa Ke, “Mm, you go ahead.”

She understood her own daughter – this silly girl hadn’t even awakened to such feelings yet.

Shi Zhonghai was nearly in despair – no one was on his side!

After finishing breakfast, Shi Fa Ke left carrying the earthen pot.

Shi Zhonghai was unwilling to give up and tried to sneak after her, but was held back by Second Brother Shi.

“Second Brother, why are you stopping me?” Shi Zhonghai tried to shake off his hand but couldn’t.

“Why are you sneaking around?” Second Brother Shi raised an eyebrow.

“I’m worried about A’Ke. I want to follow and see,” Shi Zhonghai said stubbornly.

“Don’t cause trouble,” Second Brother Shi warned.

“How am I causing trouble? A man and woman alone together – aren’t you worried A’Ke might be deceived by that Scholar Lu?!” Shi Zhonghai said indignantly.

“You’re overthinking. A’Ke hasn’t even awakened to such feelings yet,” Second Brother Shi said, involuntarily thinking of that poor Chu Yizhi… He had to say in fairness that falling for his sister was quite pitiable.

Shi Zhonghai almost wanted to hold his head in his hands. Just what kind of divine being was that Scholar Lu to unknowingly earn the trust and favor of the entire family, even making the usually shrewd and calculating Second Brother act as if bewitched… A’Ke might not have awakened to such feelings, but couldn’t they see that Scholar Lu’s wolfish ambitions?!

You’ll all regret this!

But at this moment, no one heard Shi Zhonghai’s inner cries.

After breakfast, everyone gradually left the house. Tao-shi and Elder Brother Shi went to the yamen for business, Shi Changhui and Second Brother Shi went to their shop, A’Ke had left early carrying the earthen pot, leaving only Shi Zhonghai alone and pitiful, quite like someone who was sober while everyone else was drunk.

Just as he was feeling melancholy, someone knocked at the door.

When Shi Zhonghai opened the door, his melancholy face immediately broke into a brilliant, almost dazzling smile, “Miss He?”

Indeed, standing at the door was He Ketian.

He Ketian was momentarily dazzled by Shi Zhonghai’s smile and suddenly thought… eh, Shi Fa Ke’s third brother was unexpectedly handsome too. She smiled sweetly and called out, “Third Brother Shi.”

When she needed something from someone, she was always good at putting aside her pride.

“Looking for A’Ke?” Shi Zhonghai said with a beaming smile, being quite considerate.

“Mm.” He Ketian smiled somewhat shyly, “Is A’Ke home?”

“Unfortunately, she just went out,” Shi Zhonghai said with a bit of mischief.

Sure enough, he saw He Ketian’s sweet smile freeze instantly. The speed of her expression change was truly amusing – what an interesting girl.

He Ketian recovered and put on a smiling face again, asking, “So early… where did A’Ke go?”

She knew Shi Fa Ke had received an invitation from the Zhu family, so she had deliberately not come yesterday. Today, unable to contain herself any longer, she was eager to implement her plan to guide Shi Fa Ke into discovering her own feelings for Scholar Lu. That’s why she had specifically come early to catch her, but how was she not home?

“Oh… A’Ke went to see Scholar Lu,” Shi Zhonghai said leisurely.

He Ketian’s eyes widened suddenly, “What?!”

Her voice shot up an octave.

Shi Zhonghai’s gaze became somewhat meaningful – indeed, his guess was correct.

Under Shi Zhonghai’s somewhat strange gaze, He Ketian realized she had lost her composure. She coughed lightly and said, “This early in the morning, why did A’Ke go see Scholar Lu?”

As she asked this, He Ketian felt a strong sense of crisis. Could it be that someone had taken a fancy to Master Lu? Had they gotten there first and sent Shi Fa Ke to propose marriage?!

“Scholar Lu is sick,” Shi Zhonghai smiled slightly and added fuel to the fire, “Moreover, A’Ke is under commission from the Zhu family to arrange a marriage for Scholar Lu. At this juncture with Scholar Lu being sick, A’Ke was naturally anxious and went to take care of him first.”

Hearing that Lu Chi was sick, He Ketian’s heart immediately clenched into a knot. She thought about Master Lu being alone away from home with no one to properly care for him. While thinking this, she completely ignored Third Brother Shi’s words about “A’Ke going to take care of him,” and her eyes suddenly brightened – what a great opportunity! She could visit him under the pretext of caring for him and show off her gentle and virtuous nature… Wasn’t it said that people were most easily moved when their bodies were weak?

Just as she was eager to try, she heard the latter half of the sentence… and her passionate heart was instantly doused with ice-cold water.

“The Zhu family wants to arrange a marriage? For whom?” He Ketian looked at Shi Zhonghai with disbelief.

“For Scholar Lu.”

He Ketian’s heart immediately panicked. If it were some other family taking a fancy to Scholar Lu, she wouldn’t feel such a strong sense of crisis, but… it was the Zhu family! Though she had always thought highly of herself, she knew that a family of the Zhu family’s standing wasn’t something her He family could compare to – after all, they were truly a scholarly family!

Master Lu was a scholar, and between a merchant family and a scholarly family, the choice was obviously clear. As the party that might be “discarded,” He Ketian felt terrible all over.

The Zhu family… which Zhu family girl could it be? He Ketian thought of the servant woman who had come to deliver the invitation the other day – she seemed to be from the Zhu family’s main branch. Could it be that the legitimate eldest daughter of the Zhu family’s main branch had taken a fancy to Master Lu?!

He Ketian’s heart was in turmoil. She bit her lip, thanked Shi Zhonghai, and turned to walk somewhat distractedly to her family’s carriage.

“Miss, shall we return to the manor?” Seeing her poor complexion, the coachman asked carefully, afraid of being blamed.

After all, this young lady’s temper wasn’t very good.

He Ketian pinched her palm, feeling the sharp pain, unwilling to let her plan die in the womb before she even had a chance to implement it. She gritted her teeth and said, “Go to Willow Leaf Lane.”

Watching the He family carriage clip-clop away into the distance, Shi Zhonghai returned to the house to study, feeling satisfied.

Mm, with He Ketian going to stir things up, he felt much more at ease and suddenly felt refreshed.