"Aning, what are you doing?"
Tong Aning tipped her chin forward. Tong Fengye looked over and was stunned by the dazzling array of gifts filling the room.
He rubbed Tong Aning's head and clicked his tongue. "You really are popular."
Tong Aning disdainfully shook off Tong Fengye's hand and said with perfect seriousness, "Stop patting my head all the time. It'll keep me from growing taller."
Tong Fengye glanced at the top of her head. He seemed to have said nothing, yet also to have said everything.
Tong Aning turned her head away. "I'm still growing!"
Tong Fengye teased, "Yes, yes, another eighty or a hundred feet."
Tong Aning: "..."
Su Zhouyue came over, stroked Tong Aning's head, and reminded her, "Don't wear yourself out."
Tong Aning nodded obediently. "I know. Mother, go get some rest. Sorry for all the trouble you took arranging things for me today."
Gratification and pride shone unconcealed in Su Zhouyue's eyes. She pinched Tong Aning's cheek. "Our Aning always knows just what to say."
Su Zhouyue glanced at Tong Fengye and snorted. "Unlike certain people."
Tong Fengye: "?"
Tong Fengye protested, "Praise my little sister all you like. Why drag me down?"
"I've been standing here for ages, and someone just stood beside me like a wooden club, without even greeting me."
Tong Fengye: "...I'm not a donkey. I don't bray whenever I see someone."
Su Zhouyue raised her hand to smack him, but Tong Fengye dodged.
Tong Aobai smiled at his wife. "Why bother with him? And hit him, too? You'll hurt your hand."
Su Zhouyue went out into the courtyard with Tong Aobai, not forgetting to shoot Tong Fengye a fierce glare before leaving.
Tong Fengye emerged from behind the cabinet. Looking at Tong Aning's head, he asked, "Why can Mother touch it?"
Because I play favorites.
Tong Fengye: "..."
"Naturally, it's because you and Mother mean different things to me, so I treat you differently."
Tong Aning blinked.
Tong Fengye: "..."
He had almost believed her.
"What's this?"
With his long arms, Tong Fengye reached straight over Tong Aning's head and took an exquisitely crafted red brocade box.
Tong Aning checked the list. "It's from Prince Yong's Residence. I don't know what it is either."
Tong Fengye was intrigued. "From Xue Lin?"
He had been about to open it for a look, but remembered that it was his sister's gift and that Tong Aning ought to open it herself. He pushed it into her arms.
Tong Aning opened it, and he immediately leaned over.
It was a bracelet strung with all sorts of multicolored stones.
Tong Aning liked pretty, sparkling things. She took out the bracelet, and a beautiful glow enveloped her face.
For a moment, Tong Fengye could not tell whether his sister or the multicolored stones were prettier.
Tong Aning murmured, "But I don't think I saw Heir Xue today."
"He's in Shen County. There are plenty of colorful stones like these there. He must have had someone ride back at full speed to deliver it."
As Tong Fengye spoke, he suddenly felt something was off. He asked slyly, "Aning, when did you get so close to Heir Xue?"
Tong Aning lifted her head. "I saved Heir Xue's life. No gift is too precious for me to accept."
Please stop sending gifts, please stop sending gifts. I'll never talk so big again.
Tong Fengye: "."
Why did he feel that his sister was growing more impish by the day?
"Wow."
Tong Aning held up a little bird carved from gold, its wings spread as though about to fly, so lifelike.
Tong Fengye was stunned as well. "Who spent this much... Shen Tang? No wonder. The Shen family are famously wealthy merchants."
But I don't think I've had much to do with Shen Tang.
Tong Fengye said earnestly, "You deserve it."
With Tong Aning's ability, plenty of people would probably become her connections in the future.
Tong Aning continued taking inventory. Whenever she found a suitable hairpin, she paired it with clothes she already owned, planning to wear it out later.
Tong Aning had always felt that she should take gifts from others seriously. Bracelets should be worn, hairpins should be worn, and clothes should be worn. Only then would she be honoring the gift-giver's thoughtfulness.
Besides, these things were so beautiful. Wouldn't leaving them to gather dust in a storeroom be a waste?
"All done?"
Tong Fengye asked as he watched Tong Aning flop headfirst onto the chaise longue.
Her cheek against the pillow, Tong Aning nodded.
"Then take a look at this?"
As if performing a magic trick, Tong Fengye produced a box from behind his back and held it out before Tong Aning.
Tong Aning sat up and asked, "What's this?"
Tong Fengye said awkwardly, "My gift to you."
Tong Aning asked in confusion, "Third Brother, didn't you already give me one?"
"That hardly counted. Today's your coming-of-age ceremony. It's important."
Tong Fengye's gaze was sincere.
Aww, Third Brother, you may be bad at studying and a bit naughty, but your character is beyond reproach.
Tong Fengye: "..."
Could she just say the last part next time?
Tong Aning opened the box. It was another hairpin, and judging by its design, it came from the shop Tong Fengye had taken her to last time.
"You have to look at it like this."
Tong Fengye cupped his hands on either side of Tong Aning's eyes, and a luminous glow lit her cheeks.
Tong Aning exclaimed, "It actually glows?"
Tong Fengye said proudly, "That's right."
If he had a tail, it would probably have been sticking up into the sky by now. His face all but proclaimed, praise me, praise me.
Tong Aning said, "Third Brother, you're amazing."
"This is nothing."
Tong Aning slipped the hairpin into her hair, lifted her skirts, and twirled before Tong Fengye. "How do I look?"
"My little sister is a peerless beauty. Nothing is too fine for her."
Tong Aning laughed at his words.
Tong Yi'an ran in and took Tong Aning's hand. "Fourth Sister, Mother wants you outside."
"All right."
Tong Aning followed Tong Yi'an outside, the piece of jadeite Tong Yi'an had given her swaying at her waist.
The instant Tong Aning stepped outside, she saw countless stars twinkling.
Very soon, Tong Aning realized that stars could not be so close to her. These were all her family's love for her.
Tong Aning had no idea where they had caught so many fireflies.
Su Zhouyue urged, "Quick, make a wish, Aning."
Tong Siyan said, "That's right, Fourth Sister. Didn't you say wishes made on fireflies work best?"
Tong Yibin said, "Fireflies and a birthday together-Aning's wishes are sure to come true."
Tong Aning closed her eyes. Tears of happiness first slid down her cheeks, followed by her wishes flying up to the heavens.
I hope our family can stay together forever, and that everything goes smoothly and peacefully for everyone.
Tong Aning opened her eyes. Tong Aobai held a candle before her, and she smiled. This was a birthday habit from her life in the modern world.
She had not forgotten it even after transmigrating into the womb.
It was as though she had to blow out the candle for her life to keep getting better.
Tong Aning blew, and the instant the candle went out, everyone cheered and clapped.
Tong Aning asked with a smile, "Who caught the fireflies?"
Tong Yibin said, "I did."
It's hard to imagine Eldest Brother catching fireflies.
Tong Yibin: "..."
It had indeed been quite an undignified affair.
"He wasn't as good as me. He fell straight into a puddle."
Tong Aobai squeezed Tong Yibin's shoulder and said solemnly, "You still need practice."
"I was different," Tong Fengye said. "I caught the most."
Su Zhouyue glanced at him. "And got the most mosquito bites."
Tong Siyan asked with concern, "Third Brother, I still have some ointment. Do you want it?"
Tong Fengye said through gritted teeth, "I've lost all face."
Tong Yi'an giggled.
She lifted the jadeite at Tong Aning's waist. "I won this, you know."
Yi'an could tell at a glance that there was jadeite inside that stone, and she split it open with one blow of her palm... A girl with monstrous strength.
Tong Aning held Tong Yi'an's hand and examined it from every angle. It was so fair and soft. How could it be so strong?
Tong Aning's movements tickled Tong Yi'an a little. Her fingers curled as she declared loudly, "I want to go to the shop with Second Sister again next time."
Tong Siyan smiled. "All right."
Su Zhouyue gave the children a nudge. "Enough now. Off to bed, all of you."
Sleep, sleep. Tomorrow will be another wonderful day.
Yes, as long as they were together, every day was wonderful.
Four or five days passed in a flash, and the ten-day examinations came around again.
Lou Yingyu sighed and groaned. Tong Aning and Azhu asked in unison, "What's wrong?"
Lou Yingyu propped her chin on her hands, balancing her brush on her upper lip. She said gloomily, "I hate classics studies most. I can't memorize a single word. That nasty old man is bound to pick fault with me."
The original classics teacher had family matters to attend to, so the Imperial Academy had replaced him with another teacher. Apparently, this teacher had once been a great Confucian scholar and had long since retired. The academy chancellor had invited him many times before, but he had remained unmoved. No one knew why he had agreed this time.
Tong Aning comforted her. "He won't."
"Even if I pulled his beard when I was little and threw his antiques into the water, it'll be fine?" Lou Yingyu asked earnestly.
Tong Aning: "...Then there might be a problem."
"Aning!" She put on a show of crying. "Someone who's just celebrated her birthday has no conscience."
Tong Aning: "..."
I'm truly innocent here.
"He won't hold it against you..."
The nasty old man Lou Yingyu had mentioned arrived. He set down his book and swept his gaze over the students below. Suddenly, his gaze paused on Lou Yingyu's face, and then he narrowed his eyes, seemingly taking a closer look.
Lou Yingyu nervously clutched Tong Aning's arm, squeezing tighter and tighter.
She made Azhu and Tong Aning brace for battle too, neither daring to breathe.
Then the old gentleman walked toward Lou Yingyu and the others.
Lou Yingyu said, "Aaaaaah, is this what they mean by a gentleman can wait ten years for revenge?"
You can use "a gentleman can wait ten years for revenge" like that?
Yue Hangjin stopped before their desk and asked, "Lou Yingyu?"
Lou Yingyu flung herself face-down onto the desk. "I'll never dare pull your beard or break your antiques again."
Yue Hangjin snorted. "What do those things amount to?"
Lou Yingyu raised her head, hope in her eyes. "You've forgiven me?"
Yue Hangjin stared fixedly at Lou Yingyu.
He doesn't look like he's let it go yet.
Lou Yingyu: "..."
Yue Hangjin drew a brocade handkerchief from inside his robe. With the utmost care, he unfolded it. Wrapped inside was half a sheet of yellowed xuan paper.
"You're the one who cost me Mr. Feng's autograph!"
Yue Hangjin grew so agitated that his face turned red. "You really are-you really are utterly lawless!"
Lou Yingyu: "?"
Was one lousy autograph more precious than antiques?
So even in old age, fans could be this wild.