Chapter 6

Chapter 6

But He Qingxiao was different.

No one knew how he had ended up drifting through the Huainan region in his youth, only to be raised by an elderly, solitary scholar.

After the old scholar passed away, He Qingxiao used his family’s meager savings to give his foster father a proper burial. Since then, he had supported himself by transcribing books, making his way all the way to the capital for the imperial examinations.

He had suffered hardships and understood exactly how important money was. He wasn’t like those hypocritical scholars who looked down on merchants as lowly.

The first time he saw me doing accounts, he was actually quite impressed and even asked if I had any special tricks to share.

I was very satisfied.

Even if none of this came from the heart.

At the very least, being with He Qingxiao was much more pleasant than being by Pei Ling’an’s side.

Thus, on the second day of his studies at the stone shrine, I gave him the Hubi brush.

I had originally planned to give it to him before the Spring Imperial Examination, but Pei Ling’an’s birthday was approaching. Since he knew I had bought this Hubi brush, I wanted to avoid any further complications and decided it was better to give the brush away now.

Perhaps I had exaggerated the difficulty of finding this particular brush.

He Qingxiao cherished it deeply.

He held it in his hands, stroking it carefully, his eyes shining like stars.

“Thank you, young lady! Qingxiao will certainly treasure this!”

I was used to the things I gave Pei Ling’an being tossed aside carelessly.

There was even a time when, because I had displeased him, he took a handkerchief I had given him as an apology and threw it to a roadside beggar. The beggar had paraded through the streets with the handkerchief embroidered with the character ‘Su,’ making me the laughingstock of the entire city.

Seeing He Qingxiao like this now made me feel a momentary daze.

But… it was likely only because he was currently poor.

Once he truly became the eldest son of the Pei Clan, he would change. He might even become no different from Pei Ling’an.

I gave him a perfectly measured smile.

“Yusu wishes you success, sir. May your name be high on the golden list.”

He Qingxiao lowered his eyelashes, his gaze darkening slightly.

But I didn’t notice.

Three days later, the servant woman from the Pei Clan returned.

Seeing me arrive empty-handed, she abruptly set down her teacup. “Where are the scriptures the young lady was supposed to transcribe?”

“What an unfortunate coincidence. I had finished transcribing them long ago, but the wind was so strong yesterday that they were all blown away.”

Her face twitched. “The young lady wouldn’t be deceiving this old servant, would she?”

I dabbed at the corners of my eyes with my handkerchief. “How could I? I cried for two whole days after the scriptures were blown away.”

The servant woman looked at my rosy complexion and slammed her hand on the table as she stood up.

She pointed a finger at me, but remembering something, she forced herself to suppress her anger. “Then give this old servant the Hubi brush. Perhaps if the Young Master is in a good mood, he will still accept your gift.”

I covered my mouth. “What a coincidence. The Hubi brush was also blown away by the wind.”

“You!”

The servant woman pointed at me with a cold sneer, saying the word “good” three times in a row. “This old servant will report today’s events to the Young Master, word for word! I hope the young lady does not live to regret this!”

That would be for the best.

Given Pei Ling’an’s arrogance, he probably wouldn’t bother me again until I became his elder sister-in-law.

However, I didn’t expect that on this very evening, shortly after I returned from the stone shrine and was preparing to light a lamp, a figure would suddenly burst into my room and seize my wrist.

“Shen Yusu, just how long do you intend to keep up this act?”