Lu Shi tried on those garments. Every single one fit perfectly, as if custom-made for him.

What was remarkable was that to spare him psychological burden, the garments were half-worn, half-old.

Where had she gotten them?

Lu Shi didn’t dare ask directly. He only watched secretly.

Several days later he discovered this girl had gathered her father’s garments one by one, then had the residence’s embroiderers alter them.

After altering them, she deliberately put them in water several times, making them wrinkled before tossing them to him.

That day when Lin Bi came carrying more old garments, he blocked her path.

Unable to hide it, Lin Bi sighed.

“The master says you’re proud by nature and value face more than anything. That’s why Miss thought up this method. Young Master Lu, don’t feel embarrassed. Actually, the master cherishes talent, and Miss has a kind heart.”

“From now on, give me the master’s old garments directly. I can alter them myself.”

Lin Bi looked at him. After a long while, she suddenly smiled. “Alright.”

Dignity was actually something that depended on the person. With some people, not a shred could be yielded—that was Lu Shi’s principle of being human.

But with that father and daughter, he could yield, and yield again and again.

With this one yielding, old garments, old shoes, even Master Tang’s old books, old inkstones, old brushes… one by one they were delivered to his courtyard.

Lu Shi had no choice. He could only steel himself at the dinner table, during that brief gap waiting for the master to return home, and say stiffly, “Enough. Stop bringing things.”

She acted as if she hadn’t heard, her eyes looking up at the sky.

He gritted his teeth. “Eldest Miss?”

She raised her chin even higher.

After a long silence, he called softly, “Junior Sister.”

Only then did she turn her face. “What did you just call me? I didn’t hear clearly.”

His old face flushed red, his neck too.

He had never called her Junior Sister. He always called her “Eldest Miss.” At first when he called her that, she smiled. Later she sneered coldly. Later still, she acted as if she hadn’t heard.

He knew she was displeased. She kept calling “Senior Brother, Senior Brother,” while he kept saying “Eldest Miss, Eldest Miss.”

Distant.

But he still couldn’t say it. Even though he’d practiced many times behind closed doors, those two characters still stuck in his throat.

“Eldest Miss” was how servants addressed their master. It contained divisions of status, position, and hierarchy.

But “Junior Sister” was how a man addressed a woman—intimate, equal, with feeling and warmth.

“Junior Sister.”

Lu Shi called out clearly.

Human hearts are all flesh. Even if he, Lu Shi, was a hard and smelly stone, he’d been warmed by this girl.

She looked extremely pleased, her voice soft.

“It’s not free. From now on you have to keep me company when I play.”

Still just a child after all.

Lu Shi nodded.

She rolled her eyes around. “Aren’t you going to ask what I want you to play with me?”

Lu Shi shook his head.

What could a wealthy young lady do? Nothing more than chasing butterflies, strolling gardens, swinging on swings…

Lu Shi was wrong. The girl’s idea of “play” was chess, riddles, matching couplets, nine-linked rings, pitch-pot games, horseback riding…

He couldn’t do any of it.

If he couldn’t do it, he’d learn. Lu Shi had nothing if not patience and that stubborn streak.

Half a year later, she could no longer beat him at chess and started cheating.

“Senior Brother, the tea is cold.”

A cup of hot tea was served, and one of his black stones went missing.

“Senior Brother, I think I heard Lin Bi calling you.”

He went out for a walk—another black stone missing.

Laughing inside while maintaining an ignorant expression on his face, he’d struggle through another dozen moves before raising his hand in surrender.

Gradually, Lu Shi not only laughed inside but slowly began smiling on his face. Even the teacher said:

“Shanshi, you’re more human than before.”

He felt too embarrassed to say it was Junior Sister’s doing. He only said seriously, “It’s because of Teacher’s excellent instruction.”

…

Gradually, the teacher spent more and more time at the Crown Prince’s residence and less and less time at home.

At the dinner table, it was often just him and Junior Sister.

After eating, they’d go to the study—one reading, one practicing calligraphy, each doing their own thing.

When he grew tired of reading, he’d look up and glance at her.

When she noticed, she’d also look up and return a smile.

Her smiling face was radiant in the candlelight. This made Lu Shi feel unusually at peace, as if he and she were depending on each other at this very moment.

Occasionally when she tired of writing, she’d ask him to accompany her for a walk in the garden and wait for the master at the gate.

He didn’t like walking side by side with her. He preferred to fall half a step behind, listening to her chatter, his gaze falling to see her profile.

She had started her growth spurt, shooting up like a spring willow. Her face was no longer entirely amiable either—when her brows and eyes lifted, she looked clever as a little fox.

He thought privately that Little Junior Sister would surely grow into a beauty.

Chu Yanling’s arrival shattered Lu Shi’s “peaceful years.”

That afternoon, after he’d finished bathing Brain, his whole body was soaked by that beast.

Someone approached from the distance. He immediately noticed that boy.

Noble bearing nurtures people.

He didn’t even need to look closely at what garments the boy wore. Just from his walking posture, he knew this person was either wealthy or noble.

When the boy’s features finally became clear, Lu Shi looked away.

“Lu Shi, our eldest senior brother. Chu Yanling, Father’s new student—temporarily my second senior brother.”

Chu Yanling looked displeased. “Tang Zhiwei, why ‘temporarily’?”

“What if my father isn’t satisfied with you and decides to return you?”

“Impossible.”

“Who says it’s impossible?”

“I say so.”

“What you say doesn’t count. Only what my father says counts.”

“Tang Zhiwei, I just arrived and you’re already bullying me.”

“Is this bullying? This is making you study hard so you won’t be worse than even me—how embarrassing.”

Chu Yanling’s face flushed red with frustration as he struggled to salvage some self-respect.

“I’m not worse at everything. You can’t beat me at swordplay.”

“Who can match you at being base?”

Junior Sister gave him a profound look and winked. “You claim first place under heaven—no one dares claim second.”

Chu Yanling was satisfied and about to nod when he suddenly understood. Furious, he put both hands on his hips.

“Weiwei, you’re bullying me again.”

“Only just figured it out? Really stupid!”

“Fine, fine, fine. A good man doesn’t fight with women. Bully away.”

Chu Yanling sighed as if resigned, only then shifting his gaze to Lu Shi. His brow furrowed slightly as he took half a step back and cupped his hands.

“Senior Brother Lu, greetings!”

“Junior Brother Chu, greetings. I still have work to do—do as you please.”

Lu Shi turned and walked into the stables.

“Weiwei, why doesn’t he even smile?”

“He doesn’t like to smile.”

“He’s not friendly toward me at all.”

“Who are you that everyone must be friendly to you?”

“Why did the teacher accept him?”

“Because he’s good.”

“I don’t see what’s so good… Aiya, it really stinks here. Let’s go!”

From first sight, Lu Shi disliked Chu Yanling.

Not because of that half-step backward, not because of the distaste in his eyes, but because he’d called out “Weiwei.”

That one call clearly told Lu Shi that he and she had an intimate past, and the two families’ relationship was extraordinary.

The table of three became four.

The study of three also became four.

Lu Shi’s premonition was correct.

Chu Yanling’s mother and Tang Zhiwei’s mother were cousins. The two families had long intended to unite their families through marriage, just hadn’t made it explicit.