“Little Sister He didn’t come?” Shi Zhonghai casually asked another question.

He Kexian silently stared at the baby-faced man with a smile before him, his heart immediately becoming alert. Little Sister He?! Such an intimate way of addressing her—simply outrageous! …However, he couldn’t very well turn hostile, after all, he was also coveting the man’s sister.

Hmph, let’s see who has the greater ability.

Let’s see whether he would steal away his sister, or he would steal away his sister!

His thoughts turning, He Kexian also put on the most benevolent and harmless smile from the business world, “My troublesome sister went out to play without giving any word, so I’m looking for her.” Even at this point, he didn’t forget to cover the pit he had dug for himself when talking to Ah Ke earlier, then without any psychological burden, threw the blame squarely on his own sister.

Well, it wouldn’t be proper not to return the favor.

He Ketian, who was dutifully sitting at home practicing calligraphy, sneezed hard again, then strangely rubbed her nose, always feeling as if someone was speaking ill of her.

“Little Sister He has always been well-behaved and dignified, perhaps she’s been delayed by something,” Shi Zhonghai laughed heartily to smooth things over. He was an extremely intelligent person and naturally could see that He Kexian’s visit today was like a drunkard who cares not for wine.

Moreover, that day Ah Ke said she went to Shengxing Restaurant to buy wine, but the shop assistant brazenly lied, clearly having wine but refusing to sell it to her. This must have been on someone’s orders, and he even suspected it was his doing.

Very few people knew that the young master of this sugar cake shop was actually the owner of Shengxing Restaurant.

Hmph, a wolf cub wanting to carry off his sister.

“I’m disturbing Third Brother Shi’s reading. I’ll host next time and invite you to eat and drink at Shengxing Restaurant.” He Kexian said politely.

Shi Zhonghai laughed with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. This fellow He Kexian was more than three years older than him, yet still had the nerve to call him “Third Brother Shi”—clearly he had thrown away all face for Ah Ke’s sake. While inwardly criticizing him thus, his expression suddenly became amiable, “Big Brother He is too polite. A guest is a guest, please come in and sit.” Then he said to Shi Fa Ke, who was standing foolishly to the side, “What are you standing there for? Go prepare some tea.”

Shi Fa Ke always felt the atmosphere seemed somewhat strange, but thinking that Third Brother liked Ketian, and Ketian seemed to have quite a favorable impression of Third Brother, they would definitely have to get past Big Brother He’s approval in the future, so she let them be, obediently responding and going to prepare refreshments.

Well, it must be said, this was a beautiful misunderstanding.

“Ah Ke.” He Kexian called to her, handing her the snow flake pastries he was carrying, saying very naturally, “I remember Ketian saying you liked eating these. I happened to pass by Laifu Record on the way and bought some.”

Seeing the snow flake pastries, Shi Fa Ke’s eyes lit up, “Thank you, Big Brother He!”

Before Shi Fa Ke could reach out to take them, Shi Zhonghai reached out and intercepted them, then stuffed them into Shi Fa Ke’s hands. Seeing her drooling appearance, he glared at her with disappointment. Could snow flake pastries from Laifu Record be bought just by passing by? Without standing in line for half a day, could you buy them?! Use your brain a little!

Shi Fa Ke was somewhat puzzled by Third Brother’s glare, but Third Brother was always inexplicable, so she didn’t take it to heart and went to prepare tea with light steps.

When Shi Fa Ke had arranged the snow flake pastries on dishes and brought over tea, Shi Zhonghai and He Kexian were still exchanging pleasantries, one calling “Big Brother He” and the other calling “Third Brother Shi”—it could be said they were extremely polite and courteous, and neither delayed the other, neither willing to change their form of address.

The two men had been exchanging pleasantries for so long that their mouths were dry, so Shi Fa Ke’s tea came at just the right time. Very tacitly, both stopped talking and picked up their tea to moisten their throats.

Shi Fa Ke looked at Big Brother He, then at her own Third Brother, always feeling… the atmosphere was becoming increasingly strange.

Because of this strange atmosphere, Shi Fa Ke’s hand slipped and she nearly knocked over the dish containing the snow flake pastries. Just as the dish was tilting and falling, about to waste a whole dish of snow flake pastries, He Kexian, who was sitting nearby, suddenly reached out, and the dish landed steadily in his hands, with the snow flake pastries inside completely unharmed.

Shi Fa Ke’s eyes went wide.

Exactly! This was the correct reaction of someone who knew martial arts!

“Big Brother He, you’re amazing!” Shi Fa Ke exclaimed in admiration.

He Kexian’s mouth corners twitched suspiciously upward, and he said modestly, “I just learned some superficial skills from the martial arts instructor at home, hardly worthy of elegant presentation.”

“Big Brother He really keeps his talents hidden,” Shi Zhonghai said, seeing his little sister’s unrestrained behavior and inwardly snorting. He very naturally took over the conversation, striving not to give He Kexian a chance to chat with his little sister.

He Kexian chuckled twice, “Not at all, not at all.”

So the two men resumed their pleasantries.

Shi Fa Ke sat quietly to the side, nibbling on snow flake pastries while watching them engage in awkward conversation, then suddenly had an idea and interrupted to ask, “Big Brother He, how can you tell if someone knows martial arts?”

“Mm?” He Kexian, who was chatting with Shi Zhonghai, looked over.

“Um, I mean if someone doesn’t admit they know martial arts, is there any way to test them?” Shi Fa Ke had only thought of this because of He Kexian’s earlier action of catching the dish bare-handed, and decided to ask his advice.

How to test whether someone knows martial arts?

He Kexian became secretly alert. Who was Ah Ke trying to test? When someone cared too much about another person’s affairs, going to such great lengths to test them… this was not a good sign. Who could be the person that Ah Ke cared about so much?

“That’s simple. Take them out shopping or boating, then hire some people to cause trouble. Whether someone knows martial arts will always be exposed in critical moments,” Shi Zhonghai habitually took over the conversation, determined not to give He Kexian a chance to connect with his little sister.

The speaker was casual but the listener was attentive. Shi Fa Ke’s eyes immediately lit up, “Third Brother, I didn’t know you were so clever!”

Shi Zhonghai was smug, “What are you saying? Your Third Brother has always been clever!”

Shi Fa Ke rarely failed to argue with him, instead pondering the feasibility of this matter, then suddenly remembered that yesterday Lu Chi had said he had a day off today and wanted to invite her out for a spring outing—what a perfect opportunity! Thinking this, she couldn’t help but feel eager to try.

Seeing Shi Fa Ke truly looking eager to try, He Kexian frowned, looking at Shi Zhonghai with some disapproval… This Third Brother Shi was indeed unreliable, not only failing to control his own sister but actually helping to come up with such terrible ideas.

Because he had something on his mind, He Kexian soon found an excuse to take his leave, and under Shi Zhonghai’s watchful gaze, very bravely said to Shi Fa Ke, “Ah Ke, could you see me out? I happen to have something to discuss with you.”

“A man and woman alone together, that wouldn’t be appropriate,” Shi Zhonghai tried to stop them.

“Third Brother Shi needn’t worry, just to the door will be fine,” He Kexian smiled, “Besides, I did grow up with Ah Ke as childhood friends, so I’m not really an outsider.”

Shameless!

Shi Zhonghai was simply amazed. He Kexian’s face was almost as thick as a city wall, actually silently categorizing himself as “not an outsider”! Who gave permission for that?!

Father, Mother, Big Brother, Second Brother, Little Sister, come quickly and see—he had finally discovered a man whose face was thicker than his own!

However, his little sister didn’t notice his expression, didn’t even glance at him, her Third Brother, but smiled sweetly at that thick-faced merchant, “Big Brother He, I’ll see you out.”

Then, right under her own Third Brother’s nose, she saw He Kexian to the door.

Utterly audacious!