Xixi: [His road to romance really is full of twists and turns.]
Tong Aning: [...]
What was with Xixi's world-weary tone?
As Tong Aning was thinking this, Tong Fengye and Feng Chu came out of the residence, all brotherly affection and respect. Tong Aning asked, "Did you two go hunting again?"
Facing the looks his younger sister and mother cast his way, Tong Fengye puffed out his chest and raised his head. "We were studying... Mother, you should be looking at me! What are you looking over there for?"
Su Zhouyue said, "I'm checking whether the sun rose in the west."
Tong Fengye: "..."
Was it really so outrageous for him to study properly? Couldn't people have a little trust and support for one another?
Feng Chu folded his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that Feng Ying? What's he doing?"
[He's fallen for her and insists on marrying her.]
Feng Chu: "...t"
His brows knitted. "No, is Feng Ying sick in the head?"
They all knew the woman. She was a widow from the back alley. Her husband had died on the battlefield years ago, leaving her to raise their son alone.
Now her son was grown, had placed highly in the imperial examinations, and had entered the Hanlin Academy, but...
Feng Chu said, "I have to let Yang Rong know."
Tong Aning said, "At least wipe that gloating look off your face."
Feng Chu grinned. "I can't help it at all."
Tong Aning: "..."
Within a quarter of an hour, Yang Rong arrived, with Feng Bo following behind her.
Feng Chu went up to them and called out, "Father." Feng Bo merely gave him a cool glance before turning to Feng Ying.
Yang Rong was ready to beat Feng Ying to death. Feng Ying wailed to heaven and earth, still clutching the widow's hand and refusing to let go, shouting that they loved each other and would be together even in death.
More and more people gathered to watch.
Listening to the discussions around him, Feng Bo's face burned, his brows drawn tightly enough to crush a mosquito. He cursed in a low voice, "Enough. Haven't you embarrassed yourselves enough? Get home, all of you."
Yang Rong's face was dark. "Keep howling and I really will beat you to death."
Feng Ying shut his mouth.
Yang Rong dragged Feng Ying away, and Feng Chu waved toward Tong Fengye.
Su Zhouyue said quietly, "I'm afraid Feng Chu will be punished."
Tong Fengye and Tong Aning looked at Su Zhouyue, both somewhat incredulous.
Tong Fengye asked, "Why? Feng Chu didn't do anything wrong."
Tong Aning agreed. "Exactly."
Su Zhouyue said, "Feng Bo cares about saving face. Feng Chu clearly saw Feng Ying tussling with someone, yet waited to enjoy the spectacle, making Marquis Ningyuan's Residence lose face. In Feng Bo's eyes, Feng Chu's fault is even greater than Feng Ying's."
Yang Rong was a clever woman. She had seen through Feng Bo's true thoughts, but Feng Chu had not.
Tong Fengye said, "? What kind of reasoning is that? If Feng Ying hadn't done something like this, how would Feng Chu have had any spectacle to enjoy?"
Su Zhouyue shook her head. "Fengye, when you see Feng Chu tomorrow, comfort him properly."
Su Zhouyue went inside, while Tong Fengye was still seething at the injustice.
The next day, Tong Aning and Tong Fengye got up bright and early and had A Shu drive them to Marquis Ningyuan's Residence to pick up Feng Chu.
Feng Chu limped out. Tong Fengye couldn't bear to watch and got out of the carriage to help him.
Feng Chu beamed. "Thanks, Fengye. We really are the best of friends."
Tong Fengye said awkwardly, "If I weren't afraid you'd make us late, I wouldn't bother with you."
Tong Aning reminded him, "Third Brother, hurry up and take out what you prepared."
Feng Chu said in delighted surprise, "You even prepared something for me?"
Tong Fengye: "..."
How could Feng Chu be so carefree!
He pulled a tube of ointment from inside his robe and quickly shoved it into Feng Chu's arms, unable to resist complaining, "I heard your father made you kneel in the ancestral hall, while Feng Ying is still bouncing around full of life. Your father is far too biased."
Feng Chu's smile faded a little. Tightening his grip on the ointment, he said, "Yes. I should have known long ago that he was biased."
Tong Fengye paused. If Feng Chu weren't so carefree, all the grievances he'd suffered over the years would have been enough to send him jumping into a river long ago. Tong Fengye offered stiffly, "Don't be too upset..."
Feng Chu said firmly, "That's why I have to study even harder and make them all see me in a new light."
Tong Fengye: "?"
[Third Brother is about to get out-grinded.]
Who's going to get out-grinded?
But the monthly examination that followed dealt Tong Fengye a resounding slap.
He rolled up his sleeves and shut himself away, determined to win back everything Feng Chu had taken from him.
Watching Tong Aning return, Su Zhouyue asked in amusement, "Your third brother still won't come out?"
Tong Aning shook her head. She sat down and propped her chin in her hands, saying glumly, "He said he's going to work hard and better himself."
Su Zhouyue glanced at Tong Fengye's tightly closed door. "That boy won't even take any ice. He'd better not get heatstroke first."
With a bang, Tong Fengye came out of his room, drenched in sweat but wearing a resolute expression.
Su Zhouyue asked, "Did you manage it?"
Tong Fengye pulled a miserable face. "I'm so hot, Mother."
Su Zhouyue: "..."
Tong Fengye walked up beside Su Zhouyue and took the fruit platter in front of her. After eating a bunch of grapes, his eyes brightened. "Were these chilled in well water?"
Su Zhouyue covered her face, unable to bear the sight.
Tong Fengye asked in confusion, "Mother, what's wrong?"
Tong Siyan said, "Third Brother, Mother probably thinks you've suffered."
Tong Fengye was deeply touched. "Mother!"
Su Zhouyue sneaked a glance at Tong Siyan, who returned her look. Tsk, tsk, her second daughter really was wicked.
[What? It's clearly because Third Brother looks awful when he eats.]
[I thought he was a cow just now. One moo and he started eating.]
Su Zhouyue burst out laughing and guiltily turned her head away.
Tong Fengye: "..."
He looked at Tong Aning balefully. "Tong Aning, what are you saying?"
Tong Aning looked at him innocently. "Third Brother, I didn't say anything."
They're all bad people!
Tong Aobai came in holding Tong Yi'an's hand, with Tong Yibin beside them. Tong Fengye looked as though he'd seen his savior.
Tong Aobai asked, "I heard you were studying hard at home today?"
Tong Fengye nodded vigorously. Tong Aobai said, "Then why not have your eldest brother test you?"
Tong Fengye tried to run, but Tong Yibin stopped him.
Tong Yi'an scampered into Tong Fengye's room and fetched the book he had been reading. Tong Yibin took it, casually opened it to a page, and prepared to quiz him.
Tong Fengye: "..."
Even his youngest sister had betrayed him.
The spot check did not go very well, and Tong Fengye was punished by having to copy the book ten times.
Tong Yibin patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "I'm only doing this for your own good."
Tong Fengye grumbled inwardly. Like hell I believe that.
Tong Yibin continued, "If you carry on like this, when will you ever surpass Feng Chu?"
Tong Fengye: "!"
Then he really did have to work hard. His eldest brother's words truly came from the heart.
Su Zhouyue looked at him. "Fengye, stop putting yourself through all this. Once your younger sister's coming-of-age ceremony is over, I'll arrange a teacher for you."
Tong Fengye suddenly remembered something. He still hadn't prepared Tong Aning's coming-of-age gift.
After night fell, all the siblings except Tong Aning gathered in Tong Yibin's room.
Tong Fengye asked, "Have you all prepared your gifts?"
Tong Siyan and Tong Yibin exchanged a look and both nodded.
Tong Fengye turned to Tong Yi'an. "Yi'an, have you prepared yours too?"
Tong Yi'an's eyes curved as she smiled. "Yes."
Then what am I supposed to do?
Early the next morning, Tong Fengye invited Tong Aning out for a trip.
Waving her round fan, Tong Aning asked, "Third Brother, aren't you going to study?"
"That's all a minor matter."
Tong Aning was so startled that her fan bumped the tip of her nose. That was a minor matter now?
Then what counted as a major matter?
Tong Fengye said, "Fourth Sister, whatever catches your eye, just take it. I'll pay."
Tong Aning raised an eyebrow. "Anything at all?"
"Anything at all."
Tong Aning smiled slyly. "Third Brother, are you trying to prepare a gift for me?"
Tong Fengye said, "...You even saw through that?"
Tong Fengye lowered his head and kicked a pebble by the roadside. "Am I very useless? I can't even come up with an original gift."
"Not at all."
Tong Fengye looked up, just in time to see Tong Aning's smiling face. She said, "This way, I get to choose something I like, and you get to pay. It's great."
Somewhat touched, Tong Fengye pulled his sister into the shop and said happily, "Then hurry and choose."
The jewelry in this shop was always exquisite, and customers could even bring their own designs to have pieces custom-made. Tong Fengye went to exchange a few words with the shopkeeper. When he returned, Tong Aning was comparing two pearl hairpins.
One hairpin bore a butterfly poised to take flight, while the other floral ornament featured a lotus carved from jade.
Tong Fengye asked, "Do you like both?"
Tong Aning nodded.
"Then we'll take both."
Tong Fengye took the hairpins and handed them to A Shu. "Have them wrapped up."
"Yes."
"Third Brother, are you planning to spend all your private savings?"
Tong Fengye muttered, "Your coming-of-age ceremony is so important."
"What about next year, then?"
Tong Fengye smiled. "Next year will be the same. Every birthday of Aning's is important."
Tong Aning's eyes curved.
She took the box A Shu handed her. As she opened it to look, a cry of surprise came from the counter.
"How could this be? They're actually identical."
Tong Aning and Tong Fengye looked over together. A young lady was holding two gold hairpins, and the two were identical.
Only the pearls dangling beneath them were somewhat different.
The shopkeeper said cheerfully, "Miss Yu, perhaps this is fate."
Yu Wan immediately asked the young servant beside her, "What is your young master's name? He must be a kindred spirit."
"My young master is..."
"Xiaowu, are you not done yet? You're only picking up a gold hairpin."
A refined young gentleman appeared at the entrance and happened to meet Yu Wan's eyes.
One glance spanned ten thousand years.
Yu Wan shyly averted her gaze.
The gentleman closed his folding fan, walked up to Yu Wan, and cupped his hands. "I was discourteous and startled you, miss."
"Not at all. Please have a look, young master."
Yu Wan handed the two gold hairpins to Tang Hua.
Tang Hua said in shock, "How could this be?"
"Indeed. I saw this gold hairpin in a dream, and that's why..."
"So did I..."
From dreams, the two moved on to poetry and verse. Everyone in the shop marveled that this was a match bestowed by heaven.
[How scheming.]
[He bribed the servants around Yu Wan, learned her preferences, and then staged a chance encounter here. Who could act better than Tang Hua? Watching him makes me want to give him an award.]
What?
Yu Wan's body stiffened.