Evening.
The moment Fang Han stepped through the courtyard gate, a tiny figure came flying toward him like a fledgling swallow returning to its nest, thump-thump-thumping over and throwing her arms around his leg.
"Brother, Brother!"
Fang Ying tipped up her little face, her eyes sparkling with excitement as her small mouth chattered eagerly.
"In there, in there are so—so many shiny stones! They're all glittery!"
Still only able to count up to ten, she stretched open her short arms as hard as she could, trying to illustrate the concept of "a lot." Her little face was filled with the excitement and pride of someone who had discovered a treasure.
Fang Han smiled, bent down, and easily scooped up his sister, giving her a little bounce.
"Does Xiao Ying like those shiny stones?"
"I do!" Fang Ying nodded hard, wrapping her arms around her brother's neck before softly adding, "Mother said I couldn't touch them, so Xiao Ying only looked. I didn't touch them!"
"Xiao Ying is such a good girl." Fang Han smiled in praise and carried his sister into the house.
"Xiao Han, you're back."
His mother, Lin Wan, was just coming out from the inner room. When she saw Fang Han, a gentle smile appeared on her face.
"Just now, the clan sent someone to deliver a rather heavy box. They said it was a reward for you. But this silver... where did it come from?"
"I went out today and settled a matter for the clan. While I was at it... I defeated Lin Ao of the Lin Family. When the Clan Head heard the news, he was overjoyed and specially rewarded me with a thousand taels of silver."
Fang Han answered with a smile.
"You... defeated who?"
Lin Wan did not react at first.
Then