Shi Fa Ke was somewhat surprised. The current Zhu Keji was truly like a different person compared to that arrogant and domineering little fatty from before. She couldn’t help but sigh, “Young Master Zhu has become much more sensible.”

This time, Lu Chi nodded in agreement, “He has made some progress.”

At least he had developed good perception.

“I’ve already compensated Ketian with the painting. She liked it very much. Thank you,” Shi Fa Ke smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, clearly relieved to have one worry off her mind.

“No need to be polite,” Lu Chi smiled slightly. “I should thank you as well.”

“Hmm? Thank me for what?” Shi Fa Ke blinked, looking puzzled.

“Thank you for the porridge these past few days,” Lu Chi said, somewhat uncomfortably raising his hand to touch his nose. “But… could you not send it tomorrow? These past few days… drinking porridge every day, I really can’t take it anymore.”

His eyes were soft, carrying a hint of pleading.

Shi Fa Ke rarely saw him like this and felt her heart racing inexplicably. Being looked at so softly by him, she felt she couldn’t refuse any of his requests and subconsciously said repeatedly, “Alright, alright, alright…” Then suddenly came to her senses, “Eh, wait, porridge these past few days?”

Lu Chi noticed that his charm offensive seemed to work? But then he noticed her expression seemed somewhat off…

“I only sent porridge once,” Shi Fa Ke blinked, looking at him with confusion. “Could it be that someone has been sending you porridge every day these past few days?”

Lu Chi was stunned. If it wasn’t Shi Fa Ke… then who was delivering porridge to his courtyard gate every day?

He somewhat urgently pulled Shi Fa Ke into the kitchen and showed her the row of earthenware jars on the shelf, asking almost tremblingly, “These… weren’t sent by you?”

Shi Fa Ke silently shook her head.

The air suddenly became quiet, and the two stared at each other for a long while.

Then Shi Fa Ke suddenly remembered Zhu Yanyan, who had been very enthusiastic about making porridge recently, and her expression when she blushed and asked if Young Master Lu would like the porridge…

“Um… I think I know who it was.”

“Who?”

“Do you remember the young lady you met in my kitchen that day?” Shi Fa Ke glanced at him and asked tentatively.

“Mm, she ate my meat porridge,” Lu Chi calmed down and said expressionlessly.

This grudge-holding appearance gave Shi Fa Ke a bit of a headache. She pressed her forehead, “That young lady is Miss Zhu.”

Lu Chi raised an eyebrow.

“I suppose Miss Zhu felt very guilty after eating your porridge, so she sent porridge to you as an apology,” Shi Fa Ke explained.

Lu Chi snorted. Well, thank you very much!

Thinking about how he had forced himself to drink porridge these past few days just to not disappoint A’ke’s intentions… he felt very frustrated.

“Actually, I came today specifically about Miss Zhu’s matter,” Shi Fa Ke felt this was a good opportunity and took the chance to state her purpose.

Hearing this, Lu Chi’s expression immediately became cold. He said with a stern face, “If it’s still about that ridiculous marriage proposal from before, there’s no need to mention it again.”

“How can you describe it as ridiculous?” Shi Fa Ke looked at him disapprovingly, then said mysteriously, “Aren’t you curious about why the Zhu family changed their mind and came to me again as a matchmaker?”

Lu Chi’s answer was three decisive words: “Not curious.”

Shi Fa Ke was choked speechless. How could someone have so little curiosity!

Seeing her eyes widen, Lu Chi sighed and put on an expression of helplessness bordering on compromise, “Regardless of the reason, that marriage proposal need not be mentioned again.”

Though he put on a compromising expression, these words contained not a hint of compromise.

How could Shi Fa Ke give up so easily? When it came to matchmaking, she was a professional.

“Do you remember I asked you before whether you had been to Thousand Cliffs Mountain ten years ago?” Shi Fa Ke persistently changed the subject.

Lu Chi’s heart jumped, but his facial expression didn’t change, “Didn’t you already answer that before, saying it was because you greatly admired Feiqiong Stronghold on Thousand Cliffs Mountain, hence the question?”

“Actually, it wasn’t just for that reason,” Shi Fa Ke looked at him.

“Oh?” Lu Chi’s somewhat rapid heartbeat gradually calmed down. He somewhat guessed that her repeated mentions of Thousand Cliffs Mountain probably weren’t because she suspected his identity, but for other reasons… such as that persistent Miss Zhu?

“Actually, the reason I asked that was for another reason, but I hesitated at the time because this matter involved Miss Zhu’s reputation. This world is harsh toward women, so as a matchmaker I had to be cautious,” Shi Fa Ke said seriously.

“Then why are you telling me now?”

“This matter is a long story. In fact, this seemingly strange marriage proposal from the Zhu family is because of an old incident from ten years ago.”

Lu Chi sighed, “Since it’s a long story, let’s sit down and talk slowly.”

The two walked out of the kitchen. Shi Fa Ke obediently followed him to sit in the courtyard, glancing at the book lying face-down on the table—it was actually a newly published storybook… So even scholars read leisure books.

Lu Chi saw her looking at the storybook on the table with a strange expression. His face remained unchanged and he calmly pushed the plate containing dates and grapes toward her.

The washed grapes in the plate still had some water droplets on them, each one crystal clear and very tempting. Shi Fa Ke couldn’t resist taking one, but the grape skin was very difficult to peel. After struggling to peel one and putting it in her mouth, mm… so sweet.

Sweet as it was, Shi Fa Ke didn’t reach for a second one. Peeling was really too troublesome, and her hands were sticky.

Seeing this, Lu Chi casually picked up a damp cloth nearby and handed it to her. Shi Fa Ke took it to wipe her hands, coughed lightly, and finally didn’t forget the main business, “This matter goes back ten years. Ten years ago… Old Master Zhu retired from office and returned to his hometown. The whole family moved to Copper Gong Town. When passing through Thousand Cliffs Mountain, they encountered a group of bandits. Eight-year-old Miss Zhu accidentally fell into the bandits’ hands…”

Shi Fa Ke paused here and looked at Lu Chi, as if trying to see something from his face.

However, there was nothing. Lu Chi showed no reaction at all. He was busy peeling grapes, the crystal-clear grapes gently rotating between his fingers. Shi Fa Ke couldn’t help but stare for a while, thinking what a person who was beautiful down to his fingertips…

“Hmm?” Lu Chi noticed her gaze and, thinking for a moment, casually played along, “And then?”

Though he wasn’t interested in this at all.

“…At the critical moment, a young man saved her,” Shi Fa Ke twitched at his perfunctory response and continued.

“You wouldn’t be trying to tell me that I was that young man?” Lu Chi met her hesitant gaze and showed an incredulous expression.

“Don’t you remember?” Shi Fa Ke stared at him intently, “After saving Miss Zhu, that young man even gave Miss Zhu a token, promising to come marry her in the future…”

Lu Chi chuckled and shook his head, “I think Miss Zhu must have mistaken me for someone else.”

As he spoke, he pushed the plate beside him in front of Shi Fa Ke. The plate contained grapes that had already been peeled, each piece of fruit intact and glistening, looking very appetizing.