Thirty Years East of the River, Thirty Years West of the River-Never Bully a Young Man for Being Poor

"Woe is me," Deng Tianxin protested indignantly. "I'm a dignified disciple of the Saintess, yet you two women have teamed up to bully me. If word of this gets out..."

"And what if it does?" Liu Erlong's finger still hovered above his cheek, ready to poke him again at any moment.

Deng Tianxin opened his mouth, then realized he couldn't think of a single consequence that would sound threatening.

If word got out, people would only say that a seven-year-old boy had been teased by two young women. They might even add that the little rascal didn't know how lucky he was.

Deng Tianxin looked at the two women, thought for a moment, and said, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. Never bully a young man for being poor!"

The room fell silent for a full two seconds. Then Liu Erlong was the first to crack.

She clutched the bedpost, laughing so hard she could barely stand, tears glimmering at the corners of her eyes. She repeated "Never bully a young man for being poor" in fits and starts, laughing harder each time.

Tang Yuehua wasn't faring any better. She covered her face with one hand, and the elegant composure she'd been trying to maintain crumbled completely.

"Y-you... where did you even learn a line like that?" Tang Yuehua finally managed to stop laughing. She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, her voice still trembling with leftover laughter.

Their laughter only made Deng Tianxin more embarrassed and indignant. His little face flushed bright red as he stuck out his chin and stubbornly insisted, "It's a timeless saying! Never bully a young man for being poor. I'm going to become a god one day. You're bullying me now, but when I become the God of Love, just you wait—I'll make you rub my shoulders, pound my back, and bring me hot water to wash my feet!"

That only made things worse. Tang Yuehua, who had just steadied herself, doubled over laughing again. She rested her forehead against Liu Erlong's shoulder, her whole body trembling with laughter.

Liu Erlong was laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath. After a long while, she finally managed to inhale, then bent down and kissed Deng Tianxin on the cheek with a loud smack.

"Fine. I'll look forward to you bringing me hot water for my feet." Liu Erlong gave another loud smack and planted a kiss on his other cheek.

"I meant you two bringing it to me!" Deng Tianxin struggled to correct her.

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say." Tang Yuehua finally lifted her head from Liu Erlong's shoulder and wiped away the tears of laughter at the corners of her eyes. She, too, leaned down and gently kissed Deng Tianxin on the forehead.

After all those kisses, Deng Tianxin lay limp in Liu Erlong's arms, utterly resigned. He finally understood.

In this room, his threats were like a kitten meowing. They did nothing but make the two women think he was even cuter and want to pinch him even more.

Damn it. When I grow up, I'll make them yelp!

"All right, it's settled. We'll take you back," Tang Yuehua said, looking at Deng Tianxin.

Liu Erlong nodded, leaving Deng Tianxin no chance to refuse.

"I'll go downstairs and order some food. You two go wash up," Liu Erlong said as she headed outside.

Deng Tianxin sighed and went to wash up with Tang Yuehua.

As they washed, Deng Tianxin suddenly looked at Tang Yuehua and said, "Sister Yuehua, you like Uncle Tang Hao, don't you?"

The comb in Tang Yuehua's hand nearly fell into the basin. She quickly steadied her wrist and set the comb beside the washstand.

She turned to look at Deng Tianxin. Her expression was still as gentle and composed as usual, but Deng Tianxin had keenly caught that moment of panic.

"Why would Tianxin suddenly ask that?" Tang Yuehua crouched down, took Deng Tianxin's little towel from the rack, soaked it in warm water, wrung it out, and naturally began wiping his face.

The towel covered most of her face, concealing her somewhat unnatural expression.

"Second Brother is my own older brother. How could I possibly have those kinds of feelings for him? What sort of nonsense is that little head of yours thinking about all day?"

Her tone was still the light, gently exasperated one she used when indulging a child. It sounded flawless.

Deng Tianxin smiled and said, "Sister, you can't fool me. From what I've observed lately, you actually like Uncle Tang Hao, don't you?"

Tang Yuehua's hand froze in midair, the towel still in it. Droplets of water fell from her fingertips into the basin, one after another.

She looked at the little boy in front of her, who barely reached her waist. His big, round eyes held not a trace of childish innocence or confusion, only a perceptiveness far beyond his years.

That gaze made her feel as though she were standing naked beneath a spotlight, every secret in her heart exposed in the glare.

After her brief panic, Tang Yuehua took a deep breath and calmed down instead.

She draped the towel over the washstand and faced Deng Tianxin, meeting his gaze at eye level.

The feeling of being seen through was unfamiliar, and strange.

The other person was only a seven-year-old child, yet she felt that any attempt to hide the truth would be futile.

"How did you know?" Tang Yuehua's voice was soft. The gentle tone she usually used to humor a child was gone, replaced by a seriousness she had never shown anyone before.

She didn't directly admit it, but the question itself was already an admission.

"First, the way you look at Tang Hao is off." Deng Tianxin held up one finger, his tone as certain as if he were answering a teacher's question in class. "A normal younger sister looks at her older brother with a sense of security and trust, and maybe occasionally thinks he's sloppy or untidy. But whenever you look at Tang Hao, you always freeze for a moment, then look away. After a while, you can't help sneaking another look. That look of wanting to see him but not daring to is definitely not how a younger sister should look at her older brother."

Tang Yuehua unconsciously clenched the skirt over her knees, her knuckles turning faintly white.

She parted her lips, wanting to say something, but Deng Tianxin didn't give her the chance.

"Second, you're way too deliberate in how you act around Tang Hao. We've spent half a month together, and you've been gentle with everyone. You serve Tang Xiao food, pour tea for Liu Erlong, and rub my face and legs. Everyone thinks Sister Yuehua is so nice."

"But with Uncle Tang Hao, you're so careful you can barely even hand him a cup of water. You never speak to him first or approach him first. If your fingers happen to touch, you pull back at once as if you've been burned.

"People who truly don't care about someone don't act so deliberately. The more you try to keep your distance, the more it shows you've got something to hide."

"Third, the way you act around Sister Liu Erlong is a little complicated." Deng Tianxin held up a third finger, a knowing smile appearing on his little face. "I know Uncle Tang Hao likes a certain older sister. These past few days, he's been finding excuses to talk to her, and he's even given her fruit twice. That older sister doesn't seem to react at all, but every time you see them talking, your expression gets strange."

"It's not the kind of strange that comes from jealousy. It's the conflicted look of someone who knows she's jealous but feels she has no right to be. You clutch your handkerchief and bite your lip, pretending to admire the scenery, while your ears are practically sticking straight up like a rabbit's."