Yining’s illness wasn’t severe. Once her high fever subsided, she recovered quickly. She wanted to thank Luo Shenyuan for saving her but hadn’t found the opportunity. Meanwhile, Luo Chengzhang sent his youngest daughter various tonics. To show concern for his daughter, he insisted on visiting her daily for four or five days, always bringing nourishing foods.

After recovering, Yining sat by a small table, dressed and examining flower patterns Xuezhi had drawn for her. She occasionally glanced out the window. Early summer was approaching, and the begonia outside was in full bloom.

Luo Yixiu came to invite her to the front courtyard, saying the crab apple trees there were also blossoming, their flowers as delicate as pink snow, layered beautifully.

Xuezhi, Songzhi, and other maids brought fans and small stools as they followed the two young misses to view the flowers. As they walked, Yixiu chattered, “Fourth Sister is pitiful now. Mother keeps her at home all day to learn needlework and household management. Mother is also discussing with Grandmother about arranging her marriage soon.” The little girl Yixiu loved sharing these adult secrets she overheard with Yining.

Luo Yiyu, now thirteen, was of marriageable age.

“Has Fourth Sister’s marriage been arranged?” Yining asked.

Yixiu shook her head. “Mother favors the second son of the Cheng family, you know, the one that produced a cabinet elder. But he’s from a noble family – his maternal grandfather is even the Duke of Ying. He’s also a young juren scholar, likely to become a jinshi in the future. Grandmother says he might not accept our Fourth Sister. She prefers the son of Liu Prefecture’s deputy magistrate, saying he’s steady and reliable, with no other siblings. Yiyu would be well-off marrying into that family.”

“Their opinions are at odds, and Fourth Sister cries in her room all day. It’s so annoying,” Yixiu lowered her voice, “She likes the Cheng family’s second son.”

As the two girls chatted, they reached the end of the begonia grove. Yining spotted a courtyard ahead with a loquat tree, its branches heavy with ripe fruit hanging over the wall.

Yixiu exclaimed excitedly, “Yining, there are loquats here! Let’s pick some!”

Seeing the golden fruits temptingly clustered on the branches, Yining thought they could make some loquat paste. The maids, noticing the low-hanging branches, didn’t stop the two young misses.

Yining and Yixiu enjoyed themselves immensely. Yining picked many fruits, planning to bring some back for Old Madam Luo. She filled a small cloth bag and showed it to Xuezhi, saying, “Look how many we got! We’ll share them with all of you when we get back!”

Xuezhi’s expression turned strange as she whispered, “Seventh Miss, look behind you.”

Yining turned, arms full of loquats, to see Luo Shenyuan standing nearby with his servant, calmly watching them.

Surprised to see him there, Yining thought this was a good chance to thank him. She ran over with her loquats, smiling, “Third Brother, I was just looking for you!”

Luo Shenyuan’s lips twitched slightly. “What for?”

Yining replied, “You saved me, I should thank you!” Remembering something, she grabbed a handful of fruit from her bag. “Third Brother, catch! These fruits are for you, as thanks for saving my life.”

Luo Shenyuan paused before slowly extending his hand. Yining’s small hand struggled to grasp a large handful, placing them in his palm. As he gently closed his fingers, Yining noticed the scar again and hesitated.

His calm voice came from above, “Using someone else’s belongings to express gratitude… Seventh Sister, you’ve certainly grown.”

Yining didn’t quite understand. What did he mean by someone else’s belongings?

Luo Shenyuan said nothing more. He took the fruits and walked directly into the courtyard with his servant. The gate closed behind them.

Xuezhi, who had watched helplessly as Yining blundered, hurried to her side once the owner disappeared. “Seventh Miss, that courtyard belongs to Third Young Master. The loquat tree is probably his. It’s bad enough that we secretly picked so many fruits, but then you even offered them back to him… I wanted to warn you, but you ran over too quickly.”

Yining was stunned for a long while.

So that’s why Third Brother had watched them silently from afar – they were stealing his fruits.

Seeing Yixiu still eagerly picking loquats, Yining went over and tugged at her sash. “Fifth Sister, we should go back now.”

Yixiu’s cheeks were flushed with excitement. “Why the hurry, Yining? Look, there are still so many big ones up there. I want to pick them all!”

Yining felt exasperated. “Fifth Sister, don’t you realize the owner just caught us?”

Yixiu looked bewildered. “Huh? What do you mean we were caught?”

Yining felt childish for playing along with the little girl. She imagined her reputation in Luo Shenyuan’s eyes had plummeted once again.

Just then, the courtyard gate creaked open. The servant who had followed Luo Shenyuan earlier emerged and respectfully addressed them, “Fifth Miss, Seventh Miss, Third Young Master invites you in for tea before you leave.”

Yixiu considered for a moment before hopping off her stool. “I am thirsty. Come on, Yining, let’s get some water from your Third Brother.”

She pulled Yining into the courtyard. Though small, it was neat. Blue brick paths were lined with cast iron plants, and several crab apple trees were in full bloom. Yining immediately spotted her Third Brother sitting in the main hall, two cups of tea before him as he read a book.

“You must be thirsty. Drink,” Luo Shenyuan gestured to the teacups.

Yixiu picked up a cup, then remembered the long-standing tension between Yining and this brother. She glanced nervously at Yining.

Yining drained her cup in one go, trying to keep her expression neutral. “Thank you for the tea, Third Brother.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied tersely, returning to his book.

As he lowered his head, Yining noticed his long, straight eyelashes, like black feathers. His handsome profile was truly striking, with an understated, aloof air.

Yining looked around his room. Compared to her quarters, it was indeed sparse. The yellow pear wood shelf held only some potted plants. Just two old women and two young servants attended to him, while Yining had four senior maids among her staff of twenty. He lived simply but didn’t seem to mind.

She noticed a piece of calligraphy on the wall, signed “Huaizhi” and dated to the Bingzi year. Yining recalled that Huaizhi was Luo Shenyuan’s courtesy name. The brushstrokes looked familiar – suddenly, she remembered the calligraphy copybook he had given her had the same style.

So that copybook was written by him?

Lost in thought, she was startled when he suddenly asked, “Are you feeling better?”

Yining looked up to find her usually taciturn Third Brother watching her, feeling a bit flustered by the attention.

“Um… I’m mostly recovered,” she mumbled. She thought she saw a fleeting smile cross his face, quickly hidden. But that brief smile had been lovely, softening his somber features like ink dissolving in water, revealing a mellow warmth.

“Do you like loquats?” he asked casually.

Yining considered. After making hairpins for over twenty years in her past life, she had developed a taste for most foods. “I like all tasty things,” she replied.

Luo Shenyuan asked no more questions, lowering his head to continue reading.

Having finished several cups of tea, Yixiu grew restless. She tugged at Yining. “Let’s go back, Yining! I’ll be scolded if we’re late.”

Snapping out of her reverie, Yining smiled at Luo Shenyuan. “Third Brother, we’ll be going now.”

The two girls left hand in hand. Watching them depart, Luo Shenyuan instructed his servant, “Pick more loquats and send them to Grandmother.”

The servant acknowledged the order but hesitantly added, “Third Young Master, the Old Madam won’t accept them…”

Luo Shenyuan’s lips tightened as he said softly, “The little girl likes them. Just send them over.”

The next day, as Yining was learning to Go from the Old Madam, Mama Xu came to report, “Third Young Master sent over many loquats. He said if Seventh Miss wants more in the future, she can ask him directly. No need to pick them herself.”

Old Madam Luo glanced at her granddaughter. “So those loquats yesterday were from your Third Brother’s tree.”

Yining nodded calmly, pointing at the Go board. “Grandmother, I’ve captured this stone.”

Old Madam Luo finally didn’t refuse the small basket of loquats Luo Shenyuan sent. However, it took Yining two days to finish them, leaving her mouth sour and thinking she wouldn’t want loquats again for a long time.

Since the loquat incident, Yining noticed Grandmother’s attitude toward Luo Shenyuan had indeed changed.

One day at noon, returning from her lessons at Tingfeng Pavilion, she was surprised to see Luo Shenyuan sitting and waiting for Grandmother.

When had their relationship improved so much?

Old Madam Luo beckoned Yining over, saying, “I’ve asked your Third Brother to tutor you in calligraphy. His writing is excellent.”

Luo Shenyuan, sipping tea, nodded to her. “Third Sister.”

After giving instructions, Old Madam Luo prepared for her afternoon nap. She pointed at Yining, “Teach her well. She must finish writing out the entire ‘Ode to the Red Cliff’ today, or she won’t be allowed to nap.”

Yining could only gather her writing materials and reluctantly enter the study. Luo Shenyuan followed shortly after but ignored her, continuing to read his book.

Yining laid out paper, ground the ink herself and chewed on her brush tip thoughtfully. She made the first stroke. The study was quiet as she finished copying. Finally sighing with relief, she ran to show Luo Shenyuan. “Third Brother, I’ve finished!”

Luo Shenyuan frowned slightly upon seeing her handwriting. “Yining, though you’re young, this writing is truly…”

It was the first time he had called her by name, but Yining didn’t notice. She tugged at his sleeve, saying earnestly, “Third Brother, why don’t you copy it for me? If you write a bit sloppily with your right hand, Grandmother probably won’t know.”

Luo Shenyuan glanced at her, clearly disapproving of her suggestion.

Dejected, Yining was about to return to copy it herself when he stood and stepped forward, leading her to the writing desk. “Come here and hold the brush.”

Yining was small, barely reaching his waist. She looked up to see Luo Shenyuan’s tall figure looming over her. He grasped her small hand, guiding her writing. “Move the brush like this,” he said calmly. “Keep the horizontal and diagonal strokes straight, understand?”

Yining gazed at his serene profile. Though still youthful, faint lines had formed between his brows, likely from frequent frowning. She became lost in thought, realizing this man guiding her calligraphy would become the future Chief Grand Secretary…

“What are you daydreaming about?” Luo Shenyuan frowned, noticing the little girl staring at him blankly.

Yining responded with a small “oh” and obediently bent over to write.

The little girl was indeed very focused, carefully making each stroke. Though still quite ugly, she was truly trying her best. In the past, she had disliked any contact with him, but now she seemed perfectly at ease leaning against him, as if long accustomed to his presence.

He remembered when she was just born, how her mother often had him hold her. The tiny infant would gnaw on her little fist in his arms, drooling everywhere. Though she grew up to be mischievous, he always recalled that soft baby. Even when he caught her and the scissors pierced his palm, causing excruciating pain, he hadn’t blamed her. He had silently pressed his bleeding right hand as others lifted the crying Yining off him.

Later, he became increasingly disappointed, which gradually turned to indifference.

Yining finished writing and looked up at him hopefully. “Third Brother… I’ve finished again.”

Luo Shenyuan pursed his lips. “Write it once more. Don’t rush.”

She bent down dejectedly to rewrite. Luo Shenyuan watched her furrowed brow from above, noticing the small mole at the tip of her eyebrow, which seemed even more endearing.