Zhai Le hadn't left empty-handed, either.
Two jars in his left hand, two in his right—he returned with a full load.
With a nimble leap, he easily vaulted the low wall and landed inside. Before he could steady himself, an extremely familiar face appeared in his line of sight. His footing nearly faltered. The carefree smile on his face froze slightly, and he straightened up.
He called softly to the man, "Brother..."
Zhai Huan was still dressed like an elegant, refined scholar. When he saw his tall younger cousin vaulting in over the wall, his expression remained calm and unruffled. Zhai Le's manner of arrival hadn't surprised him in the least.
"Have you enjoyed yourself while out and about these past few days, Xiao Fang?"
Zhai Le's smile blossomed as he boldly stepped forward. "I have. Brother, let me tell you, Brother Shen is such a fun person. I've never met anyone quite like him. He's interesting—really interesting."
At the mention of his adventures these past few days, Zhai Le couldn't hold back his laughter. His naturally smiling, peach-blossom eyes sparkled even brighter.
He plopped down opposite his cousin.
Then he happily shared his pig-castrating experiences with Zhai Huan.
Zhai Huan: "...???"
When his younger cousin said that Young Master Shen knew how to castrate pigs, his expression had stiffened for only a moment. But when his cousin went on to say he'd learned the skill himself and castrated seven sows and nine boars that morning—a total of sixteen little piglets—Zhai Huan nearly lost control of his expression after years of practice.
He rubbed his brow, his head aching. "Was it that fun?"
Zhai Le thought seriously for a moment. "It's not really all that fun, if I'm honest. The pigs squeal so horribly, it hurts your ears. But seeing