As they approached the city gate, Lu Chang slowed his horse, allowing Ming Shu to take in the scenery outside Bianjing.
The gates of Bianjing were far more bustling and lively than any other city gates Ming Shu had encountered on their journey. Outside the gate, stalls offering refreshments to weary travelers were set up, with tables and chairs arranged in the open air. A few people sat there, exchanging farewells with clasped hands. Nearby, vendors called out, selling flatbreads, while peddlers carrying candied hawthorns on sticks wandered back and forth, deliberately lingering when they encountered families with children.
The gate area was teeming with people coming and going. The melodious sound of camel bells rang out as a merchant caravan slowly entered the city. Among them were beautiful foreign women with golden hair and blue eyes, captivating Ming Shu’s gaze.
“Brother, look!” Ming Shu suddenly exclaimed, excitedly grasping his arm.
Following her gaze, Lu Chang saw the crowds at the city gate parting to make way for an approaching procession. Amid the clamor of gongs and drums emerged a group of people: proud young men on horseback, attendants carrying lanterns and chests, followed by a large palanquin carried by eight bearers.
“It’s a wedding procession! How exciting!” Ming Shu exclaimed, turning her head in delight, her playful nature evident in her enthusiasm.
Lu Chang didn’t understand what was so captivating about it, but seeing her flushed cheeks, wisps of hair blown across her face by the wind, and eyes sparkling like stars, he unconsciously reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. With a smile, he asked, “Thinking of getting married?”
“Don’t you want to take a wife, brother?” Ming Shu countered without blushing, unfazed by Lu Chang’s gesture. She only felt that her brother was exceptionally gentle and loving at that moment.
Lu Chang finished tucking her hair behind her other ear, but his hand suddenly froze near her ear, the smile on his face gradually fading. What was he doing?
Even for siblings, this gesture was crossing a line.
What had he been doing from earlier until now?
He had taken the horse from Tao Yiqian, ridden with her, accompanied her to view Bianjing’s prosperity, allowed his mood to fluctuate with hers, and even made such an intimate gesture. He stared blankly at his hand, as if it wasn’t his own, as if his body wasn’t his own…
“Brother?” Ming Shu called out, puzzled by his sudden trance.
Lu Chang snapped out of it, quickly withdrawing his hand. He jumped down from the horse and began leading it on foot. Ming Shu, still on horseback, watched his retreating figure with confusion, her mind full of questions.
Lu Chang’s expression had changed far too quickly.
In the Da’an Dynasty, migration was relatively free. Commoners didn’t need travel permits, and with Lü Chang’s recommendation letter from the provincial academy, his status as the top scholar of Jiangning allowed him to pass through the city gates quickly. They had switched back to their carriage, and Ming Shu sat beside Lü Chang as usual, looking around curiously at the prosperous capital.
Tao Yiqian rode his horse alongside the carriage. As if trying to make up for the opportunity he had just missed, he enthusiastically introduced the sights of Bianjing.
“Bianjing has eight scenic spots. The spring scenery at Fanti in the southeast is perfect for spring outings with wine to enjoy the blossoms. The Iron Pagoda and Roaming Clouds in the northeast have twelve levels. Each level offers a different view, and at the top, you feel as if you’re treading on clouds. The Sui Dyke’s Misty Willows is ideal for young ladies like you to visit with companions. Standing under those willows is like stepping into a painting…”
“What about this season?” Ming Shu listened, captivated.
“This season, Liangyuan is the best. Its snow scenery is unparalleled in the world.” Tao Yiqian gave a thumbs up, his expression filled with longing.
In truth, it was also his first time in the capital, but he had thoroughly researched Bianjing’s attractions beforehand. Although his introduction sounded like he was showing off his knowledge, it didn’t stop him from impressing Ming Shu.
“Young Master Tao, are you planning to follow us to our home?”
Ming Shu was listening with great interest when Lü Chang suddenly interrupted. Tao Yiqian abruptly fell silent. Although they were close in age, he always felt somewhat inferior in Lü Chang’s presence. Lü Chang’s gaze made him feel as if he were trying to abduct his sister. Heaven knows, Tao Yiqian never had such unsavory thoughts!
“Uh…” Startled by Lü Chang’s words, Tao Yiqian finally realized they had reached a crossroads. His escort guards had already turned towards a different direction from the Lü siblings, and the chief escort was looking at him helplessly, as he had almost followed the Lü family’s carriage. His face reddened as he patted his head and said with an embarrassed smile, “Look at me, I was so engrossed in talking with Ming Shu that I forgot to watch the road. May I know where you’re staying in the capital, Brother Lü? I’d like to pay a visit another day to express my gratitude…”
Before Tao Yiqian could finish, Lü Chang had already whipped the horses to speed up the carriage. His voice drifted back from afar: “No need. Let’s part ways here.”
Finally rid of the clingy Tao Yiqian, Lü Chang’s mood improved slightly as he led Madam Zeng and Ming Shu to a small restaurant for a meal.
Thick felt curtains hung at the entrance. Inside, the small space was filled with the aroma of food and warm steam. Ming Shu rubbed her hands together and helped Madam Zeng choose a table. Lü Chang first ordered three cups of “Grandma’s tea” before asking what they wanted to eat. Being a small establishment, it served common fare like pancakes, noodles, and soups. They each ordered a bowl of noodles and a plate of sanzà (fried dough twists). Ming Shu’s favorite way to eat sanzà was to break it into pieces and soak it in the noodle soup. The broth was made from lamb bones with spices to remove the gamey taste. Topped with sliced lamb and scallions, it was the most satisfying meal they’d had since embarking on their journey to the capital.
Ming Shu loved meat and ate the lamb mixed with sanzÃ, thoroughly enjoying every bite. She quickly finished the meat when suddenly, a pair of chopsticks appeared. Looking up, she saw that Lü Chang had barely touched his food and was transferring all his lamb to her bowl.
“I don’t care for meat,” he explained upon noticing her gaze, then quickly lowered his head to eat his noodles.
Ming Shu glanced at Madam Zeng.
“Eat up, your brother cares for you,” Madam Zeng said with a loving smile.
Warmed by the gesture, Ming Shu responded with a sweet “Alright” and happily continued eating, making a mental note of this kindness. She decided that in the future, she would repay her mother and brother tenfold for their care.
Soon, all three finished their meals. Ming Shu’s appetite hadn’t been this good in a long time; she even drank all the soup. When she finally looked up, her stomach full, she found Lü Chang staring at her again. He felt a twinge of guilt, remembering how at home she used to have at least nine dishes per meal, yet ate like a little bird, maintaining the image of a proper young lady. Now, following him, she was content with just a bowl of noodles. He felt he was shortchanging her.
“Don’t move!” Ming Shu suddenly exclaimed, fixing her gaze on him, unaware of his inner turmoil.
Confused, Lü Chang watched as Ming Shu’s face drew near. He inexplicably tensed up as her hand slowly approached, her fingertip reaching towards the corner of his lips…
“Look, a scallion,” Ming Shu said with a smile, showing him the bit of green on her fingertip. She had intended to tease the usually serious Lü Chang.
Lü Chang’s ears slowly turned red. The brush of her fingertip had felt like a feather, most unsettling.
“Lü Ming Shu!” he called out her full name, looking angry.
Ming Shu was surprised by his reaction. His expression seemed somewhat fierce.
“In the future, just tell me. Don’t use your hands!” Lü Chang said.
“?” Ming Shu was stunned—he made it sound as if she were some kind of lecher.
“Men and women should maintain proper distance,” he said coldly.
“Aren’t we siblings?” Ming Shu argued, turning to look at the guests at the next table. She hadn’t done anything wrong, had she? Weren’t other siblings just as close?
Lü Chang followed her gaze to the family of four at the next table. Two of them were also siblings—the sister was hugging her brother’s leg playfully while he fed her spoonful by spoonful. The parents watched contentedly, a picture of family harmony. However…
Their brother was only about ten years old, and the sister no more than five or six!
“Even as siblings, now that we’re grown, we should know our boundaries and avoid suspicion,” Lü Chang said firmly, looking away.
Ming Shu became angry too. She might not know how siblings should interact, but he had previously fed her, wiped her mouth, and held her hand… How come when he did these things, there was no need to “avoid suspicion,” but when she did something, it became “overstepping boundaries”?
“Mother!” Ming Shu turned to Madam Zeng. “Look at brother! He was the one who said family shouldn’t be distant, and now he’s accusing me of being too familiar. How can he be like this?”
Such a master of double standards!
Madam Zeng, who had been sipping tea and watching them argue without any intention of mediating, immediately put on a stern face when Ming Shu appealed to her. She turned to Lü Chang and said, “Why are you being harsh with your sister? Is this your first day as an older brother? Don’t you know how to speak properly?”
Lü Chang was left speechless by his mother’s rebuke. Her questioning had a deeper meaning—if he wanted to claim Ming Shu as his sister, he had better act like a proper older brother!
“I’ll go pay the bill and get the carriage,” Lü Chang said, choosing not to argue with the two women and standing up to settle the account.
Stepping out of the restaurant, the cool breeze helped Lü Chang calm down. He began to question his sudden loss of emotional control—this wasn’t the first time, and the previous instances had also been because of Ming Shu.
After the exchange in the restaurant, Ming Shu was also upset. She sulked, ignoring Lü Chang, and stayed in the carriage when they reached their destination, only listening as Lü Chang negotiated with someone outside.
Before deciding to come to the capital, Lü Chang had arranged for housing. He only needed to pay the rent upon arrival to move in. Unfortunately, due to the many setbacks on their journey, they arrived in Bianjing nearly a month later than planned. The landlord, after waiting for weeks, had rented the house to someone else.
“I’m truly sorry,” said their former neighbor from Changkang Lane, who had helped the family find housing. He felt guilty about the situation and kept apologizing.
With the New Year approaching, finding suitable accommodation was extremely difficult. Lü Chang could only repeatedly ask for the neighbor’s help. After some thought, the neighbor said, “There is one option. I know a family with a vacant house for rent, but it’s larger and the rent is twice as much as the one we originally found for you.”
Twice as much… This was far beyond Lü Chang’s budget.
Lü Chang clenched his fist. With only three days until New Year’s Eve, he was about to reluctantly agree when a jade-white hand emerged from the carriage, tossing something towards him.
Lü Chang caught it instinctively—it was a money pouch.
Inside were the ten taels of silver they had received for capturing the bandits, which Ming Shu had been keeping.
She was still sulking and not speaking to Lü Chang, but she had thrown out the silver.
—
Gritting his teeth, Lü Chang rented the house. Accompanied by the neighbor, he met the landlord, inspected the property, signed the contract, paid the deposit, and quickly received the keys.
Although the rent had nearly depleted their funds, Lü Chang felt it was worth it when he saw the house. Unlike the cheaper one-room option, this two-story building solved their space problem. Lü Chang would be preparing for exams at the Songling Academy after the New Year, and while the original house would have been sufficient for Madam Zeng alone, it wasn’t enough now that Ming Shu had joined them.
The ground floor had a kitchen, living room, and bathroom. Upstairs were two bedrooms—one large and one small. The smaller room was perfect for Ming Shu, so Madam Zeng wouldn’t have to share a room with her.
“You can stay with Mother for now. After the New Year, when I go to Songling Academy, this room will be yours,” Lü Chang said, quite satisfied with the arrangement.
“Hmph.” Ming Shu, still holding a grudge, turned away without appreciation.
Lü Chang rubbed his nose and went out to move their luggage.
When he returned after bringing all the trunks upstairs, he found Ming Shu had awkwardly fetched water and was carefully carrying it upstairs to clean the furniture. Seeing this, Lü Chang moved to help, but she brushed his hand away, saying, “No need. Avoiding suspicion.”
“…” Lü Chang was silent.
He hadn’t realized she could hold a grudge like this!
Quickly catching up to her, he snatched the bucket from her hands. “I spoke wrongly. Miss Ming Shu, can’t you be magnanimous and forgive me this once?”
Ming Shu couldn’t stand being called “Miss,” and hearing it made most of her anger dissipate. With a smile breaking through her cold facade, she let him carry the bucket upstairs, saying, “Just put it by the bed. I’ll wipe down the bed, you go help Mother.”
Lü Chang shook his head as he left, letting her do the lighter work of cleaning tables and beds.
The sky darkened as the family of three cleaned. The kitchen was readied first, and Madam Zeng had already started cooking. Lü Chang moved heavy items up and down the stairs.
Ming Shu stayed upstairs, cleaning. She had wiped down the bed frame and chests, laid out the bedding, and neatly folded clothes on the bed, ready to be put in the wardrobe. Although she had never done such tasks before, she managed to do them properly, if a bit slowly.
When Lü Chang came to call her for dinner, he found her sleeping soundly, her head resting on her arms at the table.
She must have been exhausted.
Lü Chang walked over and sat beside her. Just as he was about to wake her, he heard her mumble in her sleep: “Brother, eat meat! Meat… as much as you want!”
Her sleep-talking voice was soft, like winter tangyuan filled with sweet sesame and peanut paste—both sweet and heartwarming. It suddenly pierced Lü Chang’s heart. A warmth spread through him from head to toe, and his gaze softened. Looking at her arm exposed from rolling up her sleeves to work, he unconsciously drew her gently into his arms. Then, noticing her chilled arm, he carefully untied her sleeve ties and rolled down her sleeves.
His gaze slowly moved from her hand up to her face.
For a moment, his heart fluttered, and a fleeting thought passed like a shooting star, disappearing like a flash of lightning that startled him awake.
Shocked by his thoughts, Lü Chang abruptly withdrew his hand. Ming Shu’s head suddenly dropped, hitting the table.
She woke up, rubbing her forehead and complaining, “I’ve already lost my memory from one bump. Are you determined to make me completely stupid?”
Lü Chang had already stood up. He felt… he couldn’t stay near Ming Shu anymore.