By the time Hua Zhi arrived, the sun was already high.

The Shizi stood at the doorway and watched her approach at an unhurried pace. The sunlight fell across her body, haloing her in a luminous glow that made her look almost unreal.

As though sensing his gaze, she looked over. She did not flinch or look away — she met his eyes directly.

The Shizi had expected her to feel intruded upon. But even from a distance, he could tell her gaze was calm — the way one looks when one has been through a great deal, and simply does not care to take notice of his scrutiny.

It was a peculiar feeling. Yet if it were Hua Zhi, he thought it entirely natural.

Still, he ought to rein it in a little. Hua Zhi would not keep anyone with too sharp an edge around the household.

“Hua Hua, you’re here!” Shaoye ran past the Shizi and grabbed Hua Zhi by the arm, giving it an affectionate shake.

Hua Zhi dabbed at the corner of Shaoye’s mouth with her handkerchief and led her toward the main hall. “Show some restraint. Lunch is almost ready. Tell me — is it worth eating a few pastries if it means you won’t be able to finish your meal?”

“It’s because Fudong’s pastries are so delicious.”

“Now you’re blaming her? Should I have her slip up tomorrow?”

“It’s not her fault, it’s not her fault — blame my greedy mouth. Hua Hua, please don’t actually do that. She promised to make spicy braised beef for me tomorrow, and the way she described it made me feel like I could eat a whole basketful.”

By now the group had reached the entrance of the main hall. Hua Zhi gave her a sidelong look. “Aren’t you going to make introductions?”

“Oh, this is—” Shaoye snapped back to attention — her head still full of spicy braised beef — and promptly found herself at a loss for words. How exactly was she supposed to make this introduction? It wasn’t as if she could say This is Shizi Gu Yanxi, now please kneel to pay your respects…

“Lu Yanxi, at your service. Greetings, eldest young miss.”

Hua Zhi had already recognized him — not many people could carry a scar across their face and still be considered good-looking.

If he was one of Shaoye’s people, it made sense. Ordinary people didn’t just go around sustaining injuries and bleeding so readily.

“You saw rather an embarrassing side of me that day.”

“Though I was surprised, I never found it laughable in the least. I won’t ask you to laugh at me for saying this, but at that moment, I felt genuinely warmed. To put it in an analogy that doesn’t quite fit — it was like being given a piece of flatbread when one is famished with hunger.”

“It wasn’t quite that dire. Please sit.”

“You’ve met before?” Shaoye asked.

“We crossed paths briefly a few days ago. He was injured and standing outside a medicine hall, and I had assumed he had no money to be treated.” Hua Zhi gave a wry smile and steered the conversation back to the matter at hand. “The Hua household does intend to hire a martial arts teacher. The purpose is simply to have the children learn some boxing and build up their bodies. A person of Master Lu’s caliber would truly be wasted on the role — I hadn’t expected Cao Cao to arrange things this way.”

“Hua Hua, he’s one of our own. Trusting one of our own is better than trusting someone whose background is unknown.” Shaoye was a little anxious. Though she wasn’t happy about being tricked, when it came down to it, any way she looked at it, the Shizi was more trustworthy than a stranger.

Hua Zhi was naturally more inclined to trust Shaoye’s companion. She didn’t know exactly what background the person who had helped her belonged to, but from the few times they had dealt with each other, she could tell he was not a wicked person. And she was willing to extend a few degrees of trust to someone like that.

But such a person was not someone the Hua household could afford to retain.

Gu Yanxi knew precisely where Hua Zhi’s reservations lay. Keeping his gaze downcast, he sold himself without making it obvious. “Eldest young miss is also aware that I carry an injury. For quite some time, I fear I will be unable to carry out duties. Teaching the children, however, would cause no difficulty. And even if I am unable to continue long-term, I can recommend companions of mine to take over. To be candid with you, eldest young miss, this is also, for us, a fine place to rest.”

Hua Zhi wanted to ask what was so fine about it, then thought it over and understood. For people who spent their days amid blades and bloodshed, the lively, spirited energy of children was likely the sort of company they most wanted.

Did Cao Cao also have to face all that killing and fighting in her daily life? Hua Zhi glanced over — and found the foolish girl looking back at her with a face full of hopeful expectation.

She smiled and squeezed her wrist — all that writing had made her wrist somewhat sore. “Cao Cao really is my lucky star — she’s solved a very great problem for me.”

This was as good as an agreement. Shaoye’s delight was written all over her face. Gu Yanxi’s delight resided quietly within — and even he wasn’t quite sure why this feeling of happiness was so pronounced.

“I will give this my utmost dedication.”

“Though Cao Cao knows you well, there are some things I must say plainly upfront, so as not to spoil her good intentions.”

“Please speak, eldest young miss.” Gu Yanxi was not at all surprised that she would conduct herself this way — it was precisely because she valued something that she was all the more unwilling to see it ruined.

Hua Zhi sipped her tea, and out of the corner of her eye caught sight of Shaoye finishing one plate of pastries and reaching toward the one beside it. Her hand moved swiftly — she lightly tapped Shaoye’s hand and slid the plate further away. “Are you still eating lunch or not?”

Shaoye had been about to say she could manage it, but one look at Hua Hua’s glare and she immediately deflated. She sat up properly and held her teacup with both hands.

Gu Yanxi took it all in — and from these two, he gained a clear sense of how they interacted. Hua Zhi indulged Shaoye, cared for her genuinely, yet did not simply go along with everything.

“The Hua household has many ladies and strict rules. Under ordinary circumstances they do not venture past the inner gate, and I ask that Master Lu likewise not look inward past the inner gate, to avoid any misunderstanding. The main gate and the central gate of the Hua household are not currently in use — entry and exit is through the corner gate. You may use the same gate you entered through today. Additionally, the Hua household is in a particular situation at present — Master Lu must depart before the hour of You. If you have no lodgings outside, I can have someone lease a nearby residence for your use. Would these terms be acceptable to you?”

“I have lodgings outside — there is no need to lease a residence. All of the eldest young miss’s requirements are entirely reasonable. I will abide by them without fail.”

“Very well, then. The monthly remuneration is twenty-four taels of silver. If that is acceptable to you, Master Lu, we shall look forward to your instruction from here on.”

“Many thanks to the eldest young miss for thinking so highly of me.” In the capital, martial arts teachers were divided into three tiers — twenty-four taels was the highest. Gu Yanxi, feeling genuinely valued, was in fine spirits. “I can begin teaching as soon as tomorrow. How would you like the class hours arranged?”

“Beginning at a quarter past the hour of Mao. Half an hour of physical conditioning will suffice — it won’t interfere with their studies. If any of the children wish to practice additional hours, that can be arranged separately.”

“Understood.”

Hua Zhi glanced at the sun outside. “Then I won’t keep you any longer.”

Gu Yanxi looked at Shaoye, gave a cupped-hand salute, and took his leave. Shaoye wasn’t particularly eager but dared not defy Hua Hua and rose to follow. “Hua Hua, I’ll see him out.”

Knowing the two of them had things to say to each other, Hua Zhi made no move to stop her, only said, “Make it quick. It’s almost time to eat.”

Shaoye’s spirits perked right up at that. She gave an affirmative call and dashed after him.

Baoxia came in from outside. “Young miss.”

“Did you notice anything?”

“This servant observed that Miss Shaoye and Master Lu appear to be very close. Miss Shaoye was very much at ease around him, and one could see she trusts him deeply.”

If she hadn’t been able to see that Shaoye trusted him, Hua Zhi would never have agreed. Though he had reined in his air, this man always gave her the impression that he ought to be something more than what he appeared — though he held his gaze lowered and kept himself deferential, there was something distant and aloof in his bearing, the kind that did not belong to someone who lived beneath another’s authority.

Then again, someone who could accommodate a person like Shaoye was bound to have someone like Master Lu serving beneath him. It was not surprising.