I opened my heart to you, and you played mind games with me

Wasn't he supposed to be a little Brat?

Why was he being so good?

He was even offering his cheeks for his sister to pinch.

Oh, those little cheeks were as tender and springy as jelly. They felt wonderful to pinch!

Teng kept a constant ear on Jian Ruonan's thoughts. Not only did he let his fifth sister pinch his cheeks, he widened his big, watery eyes and delivered a devastatingly cute head tilt.

Jian Ruonan was practically melting from his cuteness. Pinching his plump little cheeks, she felt her heart flutter, and the doting auntie smile never left her face.

What could a child this adorable possibly have done wrong? Huh? What could he have done wrong?!

Wasn't it the elders and teachers who failed to teach him properly?!

Min: "..."

Weren't you the one who just demanded he be given a thorough thrashing?

Teng was stunned too. Was his fifth sister really this fickle?

Her thoughts had just been urging Mother to give him a thorough thrashing!

This sister was worth keeping.

Teng puckered his little lips and blinked cutely.

Once again, Jian Ruonan's heart went all aflutter.

Seeing Min hesitate, Jian Huateng immediately promised, "Mother, I know I was wrong. I'll mend my ways right away, and I'll never let Fifth Sister's love and care go to waste."

After speaking, Teng blinked. "I'll memorize the examination essay Master Li assigned right now!"

Min put away the ruler. "Since your fifth sister pleaded for you today, I'll let you off this once. You must not only memorize it, but understand it too."

"Yes!" Teng wriggled out of Jian Ruonan's arms and bowed to her, overflowing with gratitude. "Thank you for your righteous rescue, Fifth Sister."

Having thanked her, Jian Huateng picked up his book and began reading aloud in front of Min, his little head swaying back and forth.

Teng really was clever. The dry, tedious examination essay made Jian Ruonan drowsy as she listened beside him, yawning four, five, six times. Yet before a stick of incense could burn down, Teng could recite it fluently.

Only then did Min's expression soften a little.

While Teng recited, Jian Ruonan ate breakfast beside him. Today's breakfast was meat pies filled with goose liver and goose leg meat, rich without being greasy.

They had been left sitting a little too long, though. After several hours warming over the stove, the pastry had become somewhat charred.

Jian Ruonan took a bite of goose pie, then a mouthful of Bird's Nest Porridge, her eyes narrowing in contentment.

Once Jian Huateng finished his recitation, Min had a maid bring water for him to wash his hands and serve him a bowl of Bird's Nest Porridge too.

Holding his bowl, Teng drank the Bird's Nest Porridge in little sips, stealing glances at Jian Ruonan as he did.

Fifth Sister looked so much like Mother. Her pale pink silk skirt set off her fair, rosy skin, and a pair of gold earrings hung with pearls adorned her earlobes. The full, lustrous white pearls swayed beside her neck, lending her elegance without losing a young girl's charm.

If he hadn't personally seen Fifth Sister sleep until midmorning, or the utterly absorbed look on her face as she dug into her food, anyone looking only at her clothes and appearance would have praised her as a virtuous young lady of a great household, with an orchid's grace and a fragrant heart!

And that wasn't even mentioning her uncanny inner voice. Not only could Father and Mother hear it, it could also dredge up old accounts!

After a little thought, Teng understood. Fifth Sister was the same kind of person he was: gentle and harmless on the surface, but full of clever schemes underneath.

But with her inner voice constantly exposing his secrets, what was he supposed to do from now on?

Teng knew his record was littered with misdeeds and his heart held plenty of little secrets. His eyes darted, and he decided to test her.

The little boy held his bowl of Bird's Nest Porridge, not even having had time to wipe the food from around his mouth, before straightening his back and speaking primly like a miniature adult. "A year's plans begin in spring, and a day's plans begin in the morning. Father often teaches us that the morning hours are precious. Why can Fifth Sister sleep until nearly lunchtime? Is Fifth Sister different from us?"

Jian Ruonan: "..."

Well, he was taking a jab at her!

This little fellow was young in years but old in cunning.

Min was stumped. She genuinely had no idea how to answer that question.

Although Jian Zhang and Min doted on their children, they were strict about their education. Ever since Yuan and Teng began their studies, they had risen between five and seven in the morning. Xilu and Chuxue had also risen early to study under renowned teachers since childhood. It was fair to say that not only in the Jinyang Marquis's Residence, but across the entire Capital City, one couldn't find another lazybones who only got up between nine and eleven.

Min pressed her lips together, looking troubled.

Teng tilted his head, his clear, wide eyes innocent and childish, while an inexplicable shadow of sadness crossed his face. "Or is it because Mother loves Fifth Sister more that... Has Teng done something wrong? Teng is willing to change. Mother, please love Teng too..."

The little boy's face crumpled with grievance, tears trembling on the verge of falling.

The sight of his sorrow made Min's heart clench.

In truth, he was working his little abacus inside. Perhaps he could seize this opportunity to sleep in too.

Jian Ruonan: "..."

Wow, what an enormous white lotus!

Just as Min found herself at a loss, Jian Ruonan spoke up to rescue her. "Go ask Father about that. Father agreed to let me get up at this hour. Eldest Sister can testify."

Jian Xilu smiled and nodded.

Teng: "..."

He didn't dare ask Father. Father was fierce and wouldn't fall for his wounded-innocent act.

With a single sentence, Jian Ruonan left Teng speechless. Jian Xilu secretly chuckled. At last, someone had come who could keep Teng in check!

Jian Ruonan reached out and pinched Teng's cheek, smiling. "What, do you have a problem with me getting up at midmorning?"

"No." Jian Huateng shook his head. "I'm only worried that when Fifth Sister marries, you won't be able to adjust your routine in time, and your husband and mother-in-law will be displeased."

After all, no young gentleman would like a lazybones who slept until midmorning.

Teng looked solemn as he lifted his head, the soft flesh of his face drawing taut, as though worrying about his sister had worn his heart to pieces.

Jian Ruonan: "...Marry?"

"Yes." Teng nodded his round little head. "Isn't Sister going to marry?"

That's right, your sister isn't getting married! I can't endure the hardship of marriage!

Jian Huateng: "..."

It was the first time Teng had heard anything like this, and his little heart was shaken beyond measure.

Fifth Sister was even more willing to throw caution to the wind than he was!

Min and Jian Xilu were already used to it, however. Nannan couldn't endure the hardship of marriage, or the hardship of getting up early, or the hardship of studying... Once ordinary things reached her, they all became hardships.

Even more mind-blowing was the fact that she longed to be a widow.

It's as though women in ancient times were born with only one mission: marry and be filial.

Men can defend their country, win honors, study for the imperial examinations, sail overseas to trade... But marriage is the only path open to women?

This era is far too unfair to women.

Jian Xilu had studied the Four Books for Women thoroughly since childhood. From ancient times onward, men had been exalted and women held low. Women were taught to be filial, cautious in speech, and loving. To her, her sister's ideas were nothing short of outrageous heresy.

Yet when she thought them over carefully, she felt there was a certain crooked logic to them.

Min: "..."

It still came down to her not having read the Four Books for Women.

Ancient and modern views differed. Never mind the gulf between ancient and modern times-even in the modern world, people's views could change greatly over ten years. Jian Ruonan had never intended to force modern ideas on ancient people. She merely grumbled a little in her head and used what small strength she had to make her sister's life a little happier.

"I will." Jian Ruonan held up her bowl of Bird's Nest Porridge and asked the little maid for another serving. "I'll marry after I've eaten my fill."

Teng thought this sister truly was two-faced, one thing on the inside and another on the outside. She clearly didn't want to marry in her heart, yet made it sound so agreeable aloud. No wonder Mother and Father favored her so much.

His sister's ability was far too heaven-defying. Could he find some way to stop Mother from believing her inner voice?

Otherwise, whatever he did from now on would be known to his parents down to the smallest detail. That would be miserable.

With breakfast finished and lunch already approaching, Jian Ruonan decided to stroll in the courtyard to help her digestion.

Teng had his page bring a net. "Fifth Sister, shall we go catch dragonflies by the lake?"

Jian Ruonan's current body was only ten years old, so catching dragonflies with her little brother wasn't out of place.

A light rain drifted through the early summer air like willow fluff.

The rain carried the warmth of summer, yet felt rather refreshing as it landed on them.

Beside Emerald Wave Lake in the Jinyang Marquis's Residence, willow branches swayed in the breeze. Beneath the trees, they could shelter from the rain and enjoy the shade.

Jian Ruonan strolled beside the lake, soft grass beneath her feet and ripples dancing over the emerald water.

Lotus leaves grew thick in the middle of the lake, where the water ran deep. Surely there were plenty of fish in it.

"Fifth Miss, there aren't just fish in the lake. There are shrimp and crabs too."

Jian Ruonan: !!

There were shrimp and crabs!!!

Doesn't that mean we can have fresh lake seafood tonight?!

The maids went to the storeroom to fetch shrimp baskets, leaving only Jian Ruonan and Teng beside the lake.

Jian Ruonan was drooling over Emerald Wave Lake when suddenly, with a sharp crack, Teng collapsed to the ground and began convulsing nonstop.

The adorable little boy lay on the ground with his eyes rolled back, his body jerking continuously as strange "chirp, chirp" sounds escaped his mouth.

Jian Ruonan's chest tightened in fright, and she turned to call for help.

Could Teng have epilepsy, or some kind of allergic reaction?!

The shade beneath the trees was dark and secluded, and servants almost never came here. Jian Ruonan was somewhat at a loss.

It would be best to run back to Westglow Garden and tell Min.

System, has my little brother been bitten by a venomous snake? The shade beneath the trees was dark and damp, full of snakes, insects, rats, and ants. Now that it was early summer, snakes and insects were especially active.

As she ran, she asked the system, Do you have any emergency medicine? Let me have some on credit. I'm willing to work hard on missions to pay it back!

[Ding-]

[There's juicy gossip!]

Jian Ruonan: My own little brother is about to croak, and you still have time for gossip?!

Once the system finished spilling the gossip, Jian Ruonan stopped in her tracks.

She slowly strolled back to the lake and looked at her little brother, who was still lying on the ground convulsing, with a cold laugh in her heart.

I opened my heart to you, and you played mind games with me, did you?!