This story was posted in the wrong volume.
It's all complaints, so you can skip this chapter if you've read this far.
I can't change the volume, and I can't delete it either. What a headache! Damn % Egg, can't you change this setting?!
There's no way I can move dozens of chapters up one by one!!!!
I'm so frustrated!
It won't even let me post unless it's a thousand words long.
Forget it. I'll copy over some words from an old, clumsy WPS draft of mine to make up the word count.
"Brother Song, it's been a long time. How have you been? Please reply as soon as you receive this."
"Brother Ji, I've been well. What's so urgent?"
A series of letters brought two-year-old Ji Ranting to the Song family.
Ji Ranting, blinking her big eyes, felt both curious and frightened as she faced the unfamiliar home where she'd be living for the next few years, and Uncle Song's family, whom she'd only met a few times. Gentle drizzle lent the Song family's little courtyard an old-fashioned charm, as did their eldest son, six-year-old Song Tianqian, who had grown up steeped in classical culture.
Deep in the courtyard stood a mysterious well, its dark depths too daunting to peer into. There was also the second son, four-year-old Song Wuya, whose personality was completely different from Song Tianqian's. The two boys barged into her life in utterly discordant fashion.
More accurately, she was the one who stepped into their lives first.
"Little Sister Ranting, welcome to our humble home." Dressed in a dark blue-green robe, Song Tianqian was as refined and elegant as a young nobleman stepping out of a painting, aloof and dignified. Though he was only six, he made people feel safe and reassured.
"Y-hello." Wearing a fluffy princess dress, Ji Ranting hid shyly behind her father and answered in a small voice, as if a royal princess were paying a prince a formal visit. The two children's vastly different ways of interacting brought knowing smiles to the adults around them.
"Oh! My beautiful princess, allow me to... introduce myself. I am Song Wuya. I will defeat the evil dragon and protect the princess!" Song Wuya came out of the herb room holding a damp medicinal cloth. He bowed like a gentleman and recited a line he'd learned from a TV show, then secretly slipped a White Rabbit candy into her hand before running off, shouting.
Song Wuya's chuunibyou introduction struck Ji Ranting as amusing, and with the candy in her hand, she wasn't afraid of him.
"I wonder where that kid learned all that!" Seeing that Song Wuya had managed to make Ji Ranting laugh, Uncle Song finally relaxed. As long as the boy didn't cause trouble, they'd get along just fine.
Ji Ranting knew she'd be living here for a long time, but she'd never expected to live with these two handsome, talented boys, each with his own literary and artistic gifts.
At dawn, in a quiet little lane, Ji Ranting sat beneath the old locust tree in the courtyard of the Song family, where she'd arrived more than ten years ago. She was now a beautiful, mature young woman. The wind stirred the tree, and sunlight filtered through the branches, falling across her figure and face. Remembering the past, she smiled with delight. She looked up, and their eyes met; the door to a young girl's heart swung open.
Blushing faintly in the morning light, Ji Ranting lowered her head and returned to her book. Song Tianqian smiled and gently set a fruit plate on the stone table. Everything was peaceful and serene.
"Ahem! Pay attention, everyone. I got tickets to today's performance of The Butterfly Lovers. Want to go?" Song Wuya appeared in the doorway wearing gray-and-white casual clothes. His tall frame leaned against the doorjamb, and he lazily waved the tickets, looking rather pleased with himself.
Ji Ranting looked toward the voice, closed her book, stood up, and brushed off her clothes. "You really got tickets to The Butterfly Lovers?"
Hearing the commotion, Song Tianqian set down the medicine jar in his hands and came out of the inner room. He took the tickets from Song Wuya and examined them carefully, then smiled and nodded at Ji Ranting, who was watching expectantly.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Once she had confirmation, Ji Ranting rushed into the inner room to grab her bag, linked arms with the two of them, and headed out.
Song Wuya glanced at her wordlessly, then turned to the other side and muttered to himself.