Ger, So Proud

Chapter 77

Blueprints

Since the insect infestation was caused by the scent, He Ze decided to intensify the fragrance to attract the adult insects to a single spot and then burn them all. As for the larvae that might be drawn in later, he could use Xu Qingsheng’s method to deal with them.

He Ze pulled up a few bai zhi seedlings and piled them up on the path. Using his ability, the originally faint scent in the air became overwhelmingly strong, almost pungent.

After a short while, the faint rustling sounds began, and a green caterpillar, as thick as an adult man’s pinky finger, crawled into the pile of bai zhi through a gap, followed by a second, then a third… Until the seedlings were entirely covered by a dense layer of caterpillars.

Under the bright moonlight, the pile of bai zhi looked like a piece of clear green stone, if one ignored the wriggling, tight patterns covering it.

The rustling continued for a while, during which Wang Fu barked fiercely several times, but not a single caterpillar was scared away. In fact, more kept coming in waves from the field.

He Ze patted Wang Fu’s back, took out the pine resin he had prepared from his waist, and lit it with a fire starter. In less than the time it took for an incense stick to burn, only a pile of black ashes remained.

He repeated this process twice until no more caterpillars appeared for a long time. Then, he extended his hand, and a green vine flew into his hand from the forest.

“Woof—woof woof—” Wang Fu stared at He Ze without blinking, then backed away a couple of steps while barking.

“Stay still, or I’ll cook you when we get back,” He Ze warned gently.

He Ze threatened a bit, not caring whether Wang Fu could understand him, and swung the vine twice toward the opposite forest. Though not forceful, the sound of it slicing through the air was particularly clear in the quiet night.

His powers were now at level three, and transferring some vitality from the forest’s vegetation was a minor task. This transfer wouldn’t harm the forest plants, as they would recover in just a day.

Tiny green lights rose above the forest and gradually descended over the field, resembling a breathtaking meteor shower. Wang Fu took a deep breath, then suddenly dashed into the field recklessly.

“Don’t trample the seedlings, or you won’t get any meat for three days.”

Before the words finished, Wang Fu halted abruptly, falling on its back. Before it could bemoan its hard life as a dog, invisible lights settled on it, then vanished.

The indescribable comfort made Wang Fu want to bark in joy, but one glance at He Ze behind it made it immediately quiet down. It got up and stood still.

He Ze discarded the vine and didn’t look at Wang Fu, casually sitting on the grassy roadside and leaning against a half-rotted wooden post to rest.

It wasn’t until the middle of the night that Wang Fu hopped over and nudged his arm, signaling it was time to go back.

The moon was high, its light seemingly brighter. The seedlings in the field stood tall and straight, their tender green leaves glowing like jade. On the wooden post He Ze had leaned against, a new sprout had grown, swaying in the night breeze.

The next day, He Ze slept until late morning. He had just eaten two meat-stuffed buns when He Youcai’s excited voice came from outside the courtyard.

“Good news, good news! Xiao Ze! Come out, the bai zhi is alive and thriving, it didn’t wither!”

Before He Ze could respond, Dad Li and He An rushed out from the kitchen. “Are you sure? Really fine? Should we water them again this afternoon?”

“No need,” He Youcai waved his hand, grinning from ear to ear. “They look even better than before, truly alive!”

“That’s great!”

Dad Li wiped his hands on his apron, his face beaming with joy. For a moment, both forgot their recent cold war.

In the afternoon, Dad Li took He An to the field and picked some greens from the vegetable garden. He Youcai also brought back two pieces of good news from the clan elders: the land purchase would be finalized in the next couple of days, and Lin Dazou had been found and would be sent to the authorities after the Lantern Festival.

Three pieces of good news in one day left Dad Li feeling incredibly relieved. He even found He Youcai more agreeable, slaughtered a chicken, and opened half a jar of leftover holiday wine.

“Father, this is a great opportunity.”

Dad Li was chatting happily with He An at the table, while He Ze nudged his father’s elbow. He Youcai glanced at He Ze and then at Dad Li. Suddenly, he stood up, picked up the wine jar, and poured a cup for Dad Li. Seeing him look up, he poured himself a cup too.

The small table fell silent. The two younger ones exchanged glances, with faint smiles on their faces.

“Caiyun,” He Youcai raised his cup. Whether it was because of the wine or something else, his dark face appeared slightly red in the candlelight.

He wasn’t one to express his emotions openly and rarely called Dad Li by his maiden name, especially in front of the children.

“I’ve been a fool these past few days, my mind wasn’t clear. I not only made you angry but also worried the kids. Now, in front of them, I, He Youcai, apologize to you!”

As he spoke, the words flowed more smoothly. Without waiting for Dad Li to respond, he tilted his head back and drank the entire cup of wine, then poured another.

“Since we’re here, I don’t care if the kids laugh. All these years, I truly feel I’ve wronged you, made you suffer…” He Youcai’s voice choked with emotion. He downed another cup and was about to pour more, but Dad Li stopped him.

“Drink, drink! Are you apologizing to me or just drinking?” Dad Li glared at him, “Xiao Ze told me that the day you came home, you overheard me talking in the kitchen. You remembered every word I said but ignored everything else I mentioned.”

“Caiyun… children’s dad, I…”

“We’ve been married for twenty years. Xiao Ze and An-ge are both grown up now. What suffering are you talking about? Were these years any harder than when I first married you?”

Back then, He Youcai’s father had just passed away, and the gambling debts were all transferred to He Youcai, amounting to seventy or eighty taels. When Dad Li married him, he had truly made up his mind.

“If I was after wealth, I wouldn’t have married you in the first place. All I wanted was you, nothing more. I accepted everything, good or bad. Moreover… as long as you’re here with the family, that’s the best thing!”

Perhaps these words were too intimate. After saying them, Dad Li lowered his head and took a sip of wine. He Youcai remained bent over, staring at him.

He Ze suddenly felt that he and He An were like two giant light bulbs, extremely in the way. He signaled to He An and stood up to grab a chicken leg for him and another for himself. The two of them took their bowls and left the room one after the other.

He An, who was walking behind, considerately closed the door.

Dad Li’s cooking was excellent. The chicken was stewed with sun-dried mushrooms, making it tender and fragrant. That night, the two brothers sat on the stone steps in front of the house, gnawing on chicken legs and eavesdropping on their parents’ conversation until the moonlight turned cooler, signaling it was time to return to their rooms.

For the next several days, He Youcai and Dad Li were as affectionate as newlyweds, sharing loving glances that nearly blinded He Ze. As for He An… well, he was still a kid.

Feeling deeply affected, He Ze either went to his fiancée’s house or stayed alone in his room. Even for meals, he needed He An to call him out a couple of times. It was unclear what he was doing in there.

On the afternoon of the third day, just as He Youcai returned from inspecting the new courtyard under construction, He Ze pulled him into a room and handed him a stack of papers covered in strange charcoal drawings.

“What’s this?”

“These are chairs. This one is called a rocking chair. The seat can be woven from bamboo strips, and the base is a semi-circular wooden structure. It tilts forward and backward to achieve perfect balance, making it hard to tip over.” The first page depicted a modern rocking chair. Though the drawing was crude, He Ze had spent two days on it, so the basic structure was clear. “It’s much more comfortable than the chairs currently on the market. How about lying on this to bask in the sun?”

He Youcai was initially puzzled, but by the time He Ze finished speaking, his eyes widened in astonishment. Having worked as a carpenter for over a decade, he had never seen such a thing.

“This one is a baby carriage, for kids aged one to three. It’s very convenient for outings. The materials are also bamboo and wood. The wheels can be made at the blacksmith’s shop, or from wood.” Without waiting for He Youcai to fully comprehend, He Ze flipped to the second page.

“The third page is a folding round table, also for convenience. It’s hard to explain in a few words, but I’ll help when you start making it. The fourth page shows a clothes rack, simple, compact, and practical for drying clothes… Most of the remaining designs are various new wooden items. The last few are flower stands for the flower shop. It’ll be a lot of work for you.”

“This… this…”

He Youcai was still in a state of shock. Although he was a straightforward man, he wasn’t foolish. If these things, which he had never seen or heard of, could indeed be made as his son described, then…

“Father, there are dozens of different items here. Once you make them all, the flower shop should be ready to open. We can use the profits to start a woodworking shop, and there will be plenty of money to be made. You can even buy Dad a courtyard in town.”

“Xiao Ze, how did you come up with these ideas? Can they really be made?” He Youcai was both skeptical and nervous.

“Father, you spent a lot of money to send me to school. Even if I didn’t excel in my studies, I had to learn something useful, didn’t I? Most of these can probably be made. If you don’t believe me, just give it a try.”

Seeing He Youcai’s flushed face from excitement, He Ze raised an eyebrow. His hard work over the past few days drawing these designs had paid off. Some of the simpler designs were easy enough, but the more complex ones took him half a day to conceptualize and five or six attempts to draw clearly.

He had always been clumsy with drawing, a trait apparent since kindergarten.

He Youcai stared blankly at the drawings in his hands, his heart racing with excitement. He had come to terms with things after that day of toasting and apologizing to his wife, but he still harbored some regrets. Now, his son had presented him with such a generous gift. If he could indeed make these items, he could buy Caiyun a grand courtyard in town with money earned from his woodworking!

The thought made He Youcai’s heart pound and filled him with energy. He wanted to grab his tools and start working right away.

He Ze’s words had hit the mark. Not providing a good life for Dad Li and being looked down upon by his family had been a constant source of frustration for He Youcai. This had been a sore spot for years, and addressing it might only be possible by creating these new items.

Clutching the drawings like a treasure, He Youcai shut himself away to work. He Ze took over supervising the construction of the new courtyard, with Lin Yu occasionally bringing food, accompanied by He An. The days passed leisurely, and as the courtyard began to take shape, the Lantern Festival arrived.

That evening, just after sunset, He Ze had barely finished half a bowl of yuanxiao when Dad Li urged him to fetch Lin Yu. He An went along, and the three of them took an ox cart to town under the moonlight.

Lantern Festival

Due to the festival, the streets were lively despite the late hour. The closer they got to the town gate, the louder the sounds of firecrackers and drums became. Occasionally, from higher ground, they could see the distant lights in vibrant colors.

The Lantern Festival had begun.

This tradition, passed down with the Lantern Festival, shared many similarities with those in ancient China. People would leave their homes to join friends, perform dragon and lion dances, and enjoy the lanterns and the moon, making for a lively celebration.

Entertainment was scarce in ancient times, so a day of nationwide joy was cherished. Even this small town, a thousand miles from the bustling capital, celebrated with great enthusiasm.

The continuous sound of firecrackers was a testament to the festive atmosphere.

He Ze drove the cart while He An, sitting in the back, could hardly contain his excitement. Even Lin Yu had a smile on his face.

“Brother, this is really lively. Last year, we were too busy at home, and I missed it.” A cool night breeze brushed past, and He An pulled his thin jacket closer, grinning. “Are we almost there? I can already smell the roasted seeds.”

“Your nose is as good as Wang Fu’s!” He Ze chuckled, but his smile faded as Lin Yu, sitting beside him, sneezed. He turned around quickly. “Are you okay? There are two extra coats in the basket upfront. I had Dad prepare them. You and Xiao An should put them on. It’s early spring, but it’s still quite chilly at night.”

“Wow, Brother, I never noticed how attentive you are before.” He An’s tone was teasing, but he quickly grabbed the coats, handing one to Lin Yu and putting the other on himself. “Brother Lin, thanks to you, I get to enjoy this treatment.”

He rolled his eyes at He Ze, eyes filled with playful accusation.

Perhaps it was the reflection of the red lanterns on the wooden posts, but Lin Yu’s face seemed a bit flushed. However, he said, “You’re talking nonsense. But from now on, I’ll make sure he doesn’t forget!”

“What? Already eager to exercise your rights as the spouse?” He Ze’s voice was full of teasing.

Seeing the town gate ahead, He Ze flicked the reins, and the ox cart picked up speed.

“He Ze!” Lin Yu’s face was indeed red this time, whether from embarrassment or anger, it was hard to tell.

“But I, humble as I am, will cherish it. In two months, we’ll be married, and I hope my wife will not hesitate to teach me.”

The ox cart stopped, and He Ze jumped down, still holding the whip. Bowing deeply to Lin Yu, he performed a graceful scholar’s salute. With a smile on his face and his chiseled features softened, dressed in a round-collared scholar’s robe made by his dad, He Ze looked every bit the dashing gentleman.

Lin Yu wouldn’t admit that he was momentarily dazed. He coughed lightly into his fist, and when he looked up, he found He Ze still maintaining the same posture, looking at him intently. All the words of embarrassment and annoyance he had prepared fled his mind.

It seemed the beauty tactic was quite effective.

Seeing Lin Yu’s dazed eyes, the curve of He Ze’s lips deepened, his smile growing even more fox-like.

“Brother, Brother Lin, have you two had enough of staring?” He An’s expression was one of speechless bewilderment.

Even Brother Lin… Sigh, and He Ze had the nerve to comment on their parents the other day. He and Brother Lin were no better, if not worse! He An felt like the most pitiful one in this situation…

If it weren’t for the rare opportunity, he wouldn’t want to be stuck between these two at all! Glancing between He Ze and Lin Yu, He An almost felt like pasting “utterly hopeless” on his forehead.

Fortunately, He Ze didn’t know what his little brother was thinking.

He An’s impatient outburst finally brought Lin Yu back to his senses. His face flushed bright red as he quickly turned and jumped off the cart, trying to cover his embarrassment. “We’re here, let’s get off!”

He An nearly laughed at Lin Yu’s awkwardness, but a stern look from He Ze made him stifle his laughter and change the topic. “So, where should we go first? It’s still early.”

Once a year, he wanted to make the most of it.

He Ze stacked the two baskets on his back, ruffling He An’s hair. “Wherever you want. We can walk around and buy whatever you like. I’ll pay.”

“Thank you, brother!” He An nodded enthusiastically and dashed off like a wild horse, running ahead. He Ze took Lin Yu’s hand and followed, calling out, “Slow down! It’s crowded, don’t get lost.”

“Got it, got it!”

He An picked up a pink rabbit lantern from a nearby stall, turning back to make faces at them.

He Ze and Lin Yu exchanged smiles.

He An smirked and redirected his attention to the stalls. He moved from one stall to another, sampling dried fruits, candied snacks, roasted seeds, pancakes, and stinky tofu. In no time, He Ze’s basket was half full.

After eating three or four candied hawthorns, Lin Yu stared at the remaining ones, feeling a sour taste in his stomach and frowning instinctively. He Ze found it amusing and took Lin Yu’s hand, feeding himself the remaining hawthorns. “Very sweet,” he commented.

Nonsense! They were obviously sour!

Lin Yu silently rebuked him, but the taste of the thin layer of sugar coating lingered sweetly on his lips, making him glare at He Ze in frustration.

“Clap, clap, clap…”

“Bang, bang, bang…”

“Boom, boom, boom…”

The sounds of festivities filled the air.

He Ze wanted to say more, but another round of firecrackers exploded, followed by the sound of gongs and drums. These were intertwined with the calls of street vendors, the laughter of tourists, and the musical sounds from restaurants and theaters. All these noises melded together into a lively, deafening symphony.

As the drumbeats drew nearer, He Ze wrapped one arm around Lin Yu and called for He An with the other, guiding them to the corner of the street to avoid the crowd. Before they could settle, a group of men dressed in yellow silk robes approached, carrying a flaming dragon on their heads. Others carried colorful “clouds” that they maneuvered around the dragon, which swayed its head and tail like a blaze, intermittently vanishing among the clouds and eliciting cheers from the onlookers.

“Wow, that’s beautiful!” He An clapped enthusiastically.

“Do you like it?” He Ze leaned close to Lin Yu’s ear, his warm breath tickling the latter’s neck.

“I do!” Lin Yu replied with a bright smile.

When the dragon dance troupe had passed, it was already the hour of Xu (7-9 PM). “Are you two hungry? If so, we can eat at Manager Yu’s place first. If not…”

“We’re not hungry! We’ve eaten so many snacks. Let’s go solve some lantern riddles!” He An interrupted before He Ze could finish.

“I’m not hungry either. Since He An wants to solve riddles, let’s go to the lantern festival first. It’s also on East Street, so it’s on our way. We can eat later if we get hungry,” Lin Yu agreed.

“Alright, let’s go!” He Ze decided, and the three headed to East Street. They strolled leisurely, and by the time they reached the festival’s main stage, about half an hour had passed.

The main stage used to be an opera house, covering a vast area. When the opera house declined, the owner started renting out the space, which had been going on for four or five years. For this lantern festival, over a hundred bamboo poles were used to construct a nine-tiered platform. Each tier displayed lanterns of varying sizes, shapes, and colors, creating a tower of lights that looked like a lighthouse from afar.

Even though they had seen many lanterns that evening, the sight of the lantern tower still took their breath away.

“This place really has the best lanterns…” He An murmured, gazing at a lotus flower lantern above.

“Of course, the lanterns here are the best ones made by the town’s artisans, much finer than those at the small stalls,” He Ze explained. “Otherwise, the biggest lantern shop in town wouldn’t be able to create such a tower.”

“Look, that lantern moves!” Lin Yu suddenly exclaimed, pulling He Ze’s sleeve and pointing to the highest lantern.

He Ze followed Lin Yu’s gaze to the top of the tower. There he saw a six-panel lantern, each panel adorned with exquisite images of flowers, birds, fish, insects, and even people, all vividly depicted. This lantern, the largest on the tower, stood out brilliantly.

Thinking about it, the lantern wouldn’t stand out just for its appearance. The fascinating thing was that despite the still air, each panel of the lantern was spinning rapidly. As the images shifted, what was originally separate scenes came together to form a picture of a dancing beauty, harmonizing beautifully with the flowers and birds—truly remarkable and beautiful!

“It must be a ‘trotting horse lantern’. The heat generated by the burning candle creates airflow, which makes the wheel spin,” He Ze explained. This is similar to a modern carousel lantern, which operates on principles akin to those of an early gas engine, a testament to the ingenuity of ancient laborers from the Qin and Han dynasties in China.

He Ze vaguely remembered his physics teacher once dismantling a carousel lantern to help them understand the principle.

“Trotting horse lantern?” The latter part about thermal airflow was evidently ignored by Lin Yu and He An. As the lantern festival was about to start, a crowd had already gathered in front of the tower. Hearing their conversation, people around them instinctively turned to look at He Ze.

He Ze’s expression remained unchanged. “Yes, a trotting horse lantern. It first appeared in the capital last year, and I didn’t expect it to reach our town this year. The name comes from the first lantern, which depicted a general hunting on horseback. When the lantern stops, so does the horse, hence the name.”

This information was something He Ze’s predecessor had heard from some young gentlemen in the academy boasting after last year’s festival.

“A hunting scene on horseback?” Lin Yu’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. For him, a hunting scene was indeed more intriguing than a dancer’s performance.

“This one is nice too!” He Ze knew Lin Yu’s preferences well. However… “Maybe I should get a piece of red silk from the tailor shop and have you dance in it. You’d surely look better than this.”

He Ze’s tone carried a hint of anticipation and amusement.

Though it wasn’t common for young gers to dance, some wealthy families taught their gers a few moves for personal enjoyment, so dance wasn’t considered a lowly pastime.

But imagining Lin Yu, who could shoot arrows and fight bears, dancing… A faint feeling of an incoming punch prompted He Ze to dodge slightly. He quickly switched to a conciliatory tone, “You misheard. I didn’t say anything just now. Yes, that’s it!”

Lin Yu snorted coldly, while He An laughed heartily.

Perhaps feeling the need to uphold his brotherly dignity, He Ze changed the topic, “This trotting horse lantern is indeed a treasure. It deserves the title of lantern queen. But usually, the lantern queen isn’t sold; it’s a prize for the festival winner. This year should be the same. If you two like it…”

“Like it, like it!” He An’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“I was going to say…” Even if you like it, I probably can’t win it…

“I like it too,” Lin Yu said, word by word, his face expressionless.

He Ze: “…”

“Brother, you see, both Lin Yu and I like it. Can you win it for us?”

He Ze’s eyes flickered. “Well… maybe I’ll try to make one for you when we get home…”

“Oh, where did this farmhand come from? Talking big about winning the lantern queen—don’t you all find it hilarious? Haha!”

He Ze’s words were cut off by a familiar voice from behind. Laughter followed, full of mockery.

He Ze’s face darkened as he turned around.

A Confrontation

There were five people approaching, and to He Ze, they were quite familiar.

After all, his predecessor had hung out with this group of wealthy young masters for several years in the academy.

Wang Fucheng stood at the front holding a birdcage, dressed in a dark red luxurious outfit. The few people behind him weren’t as eye-catching but were also clad in silk and satin. Only the last person wore cotton and hemp, looking quite out of place, similar to He Ze’s style.

When Wang Fucheng recognized He Ze’s face, his laughter paused, “Isn’t this my dear brother He? It’s like a great flood hit the Dragon King’s temple… I heard you were gravely injured recently and almost didn’t make it. Tsk, tsk, it seems the heavens favor the good. Congratulations, congratulations!”

Before finishing his sentence, Wang Fucheng laughed even louder, circling He Ze several times. Up close, under the festive lantern light, the dark circles under his eyes looked quite menacing, diminishing his usually handsome appearance.

He Ze stood still, allowing his former “boss” to scrutinize him. His gaze shifted to the four people behind Wang Fucheng, “Brother Wang, Brother Zhao, Brother Li, Brother Qian, and… Brother Guan, long time no see. I hope you’ve been well.”

“Well indeed, well indeed, haha. It’s quite a coincidence today. When the teacher expelled you from the academy, we thought it’d be hard to meet again. You really took all the blame on yourself for that book theft, even though it wasn’t just your idea…”

“Cough, cough!” Wang Fucheng coughed heavily to interrupt Zhao Fei, “Enough! Stop talking nonsense!”

Zhao Fei shut his mouth, looking embarrassed, and the air suddenly grew silent and tense.

Lin Yu sensed something was off and cautiously squeezed He Ze’s wrist. He and He An had been kept behind He Ze, but this movement drew Wang Fucheng’s attention to him.

Wang Fucheng couldn’t take his eyes off Lin Yu. He even dropped the birdcage in his hand. The cage door swung open, and the yellow-headed green budgerigar flapped its wings and quickly flew away.

But no one paid attention to it.

Due to his frequent mountain trips, Lin Yu usually wore short outfits and long pants. Today was no different; he had a belt around his waist and leg bindings on his calves. Despite the ordinary mountain attire, it accentuated his narrow waist and long legs, making him even more attractive. Not to mention his always-praised exquisite face.

In the lantern light, he appeared even more beautiful, like a flower in mist or the moon in water, adding a subtle allure.

Wang Fucheng gulped unconsciously.

“Brother Wang, why are you staring at my spouse like that? What are your intentions?” He Ze clasped Lin Yu’s hand in his palm, his voice as cold as ice hanging from a cliff in winter.

“Exactly, exactly, shameless!” He An moved closer to Lin Yu, grimacing in disgust.

“Uh…” Zhao Fei snapped out of his daze and carefully patted Wang Fucheng’s shoulder, his tone a mix of jealousy and envy. “Brother He, you’re really lucky. Brother Wang has always been a lover of beauty, you know that. With such a beautiful wife… it’s not good to be so stingy, Brother He!”

“Exactly, exactly! We’ve seen many beauties before, but meeting your wife now, it’s clear what a difference there is between fireflies and the bright moon!” Li Er’s eyes were still fixed on Lin Yu.

Qian Sun wanted to chime in too, but just as he stepped forward, someone else beat him to it. Guan Duo walked silently to stand between He Ze and Wang Fucheng. Seemingly oblivious to the tense atmosphere, he spoke coldly, “The lantern festival has started. If you don’t participate now, our previous agreement is null and void.”

As he finished speaking, the voice of the manager from the Song Family Lantern Shop on stage also concluded. Unnoticed, the manager had already finished his opening remarks. He Ze’s group of three and Wang Fucheng’s group of five had been pushed to the back by the enthusiastic crowd. The next quarter of an hour was set aside for introducing the lanterns and for participants to register for the lantern riddles contest.

Participating in the riddle contest wasn’t free. In fact, it required a thirty-wen registration fee. This fee served three purposes: maintaining order and preventing troublemakers from causing disruptions, ensuring that those with real talent wouldn’t be deterred by a mere thirty wen, and allowing the shops hosting the event to make a bit of profit.

Guan Duo’s words finally snapped Wang Fucheng back to reality. He gave Lin Yu a fawning smile, then suddenly kicked Zhao Fei, “Pay the fee! What are you waiting for?”

Caught off guard, Zhao Fei was kicked to the ground. Since it had rained a couple of days ago, the ground was covered with gravel, and Zhao Fei’s palms were scraped, bleeding. He Ze glanced down casually, noting Zhao Fei’s gloomy expression.

It seemed Wang Fucheng hadn’t held back at all.

Li Er and Qian Sun exchanged uneasy looks before walking over to help Zhao Fei up, saying nothing. Even Zhao Fei returned to his previous expression, indicating he was used to such treatment.

He Ze was also accustomed to scenes like this. The original He Ze had seen it often enough—Zhao Fei, Li Er, and Qian Sun all bore the brunt of it, and he remembered that the original He Ze had been kicked the most.

However, based on the original owner’s memories, even though the Zhao family wasn’t as prestigious as the Wang or Luo families, they still had a considerable status in the city. It shouldn’t have been enough for Zhao Fei to endure such “humiliation.” So, what was he missing?

While He Ze pondered this, Wang Fucheng approached Lin Yu again, bowing slightly. “My name is Wang, Wang Fucheng. My family owns the Wang Silk Shop. He Ze is my good brother. May I ask for the name of my beautiful…brother-in-law?”

Lin Yu gave him a cold look without saying a word. He had seen too many eyes like that, filled with lewdness and malice.

“Let’s go!”

Sensing Lin Yu’s displeasure, He Ze gently scratched his palm to soothe him and, holding He An’s hand, squeezed through the crowd towards the registration area.

Wang Fucheng wanted to follow, but Guan Duo blocked him with an outstretched arm. “The crowd is dense, and since I’m participating on your behalf, it’s best not to stray too far.”

“You!” Just a poor scholar… Wang Fucheng flicked his sleeve, glaring at Guan Duo. In the end, he didn’t pursue them. He was counting on winning that revolving lantern to impress his father! As for the beauty… Well, since he was He Ze’s wife, it wouldn’t be hard to find him again, right?

Wang Fucheng licked his lips, and Guan Duo instinctively frowned. As his gaze shifted, it met He Ze’s across the crowd. He Ze nodded to him and gave Wang Fucheng one last look.

In that look was the indifference one might have for an ant underfoot.

No one noticed the sudden snap of a willow branch by the pond outside the theater. The tip of the branch, budding with tender green leaves, moved like a snake in the dark, eerily animated despite the still air.

It slithered into the theater, through the crowd, and straight towards Wang Fucheng.

Level three abilities sure were handy, He Ze thought with a slight smile.

The original He Ze’s grievances with Wang Fucheng went beyond the book-stealing incident that led to his expulsion, with Wang Fucheng pinning all the blame on him. Still, most of their conflicts were mutual. He Ze hadn’t intended to pursue them further, but Wang Fucheng’s interest in Lin Yu was crossing a line.

He Ze knew Wang Fucheng well enough; if Lin Yu caught his interest today, he wouldn’t easily let it go.

So, why not take some early revenge?

As the three approached the registration area, they saw ten people ahead of them in line. He An was a bit anxious, recalling He Ze’s previous academic struggles and doubting his chances of winning the lantern.

“Brother, are you really going to participate?”

“It’s just thirty wen, no big deal.” He Ze’s stern demeanor vanished as he raised an eyebrow and smiled. He had considered making a revolving lantern himself but knew it was a precise device. Even with knowledge of the principles, one small mistake could ruin it. Attempting it was fine, but making promises was out of the question.

“Alright, let’s treat it as a fun challenge. Besides, we’ve heard many lantern riddles growing up. Maybe we can help you!” With the annoying presence gone, Lin Yu’s enthusiasm returned.

“Exactly, listen to your brother-in-law!” He Ze laughed heartily and quickly stepped forward to pay, just as their turn came.

He An pulled on Lin Yu’s arm and yelled at He Ze, “Brother, aren’t you embarrassed?”

“Haven’t you heard the saying?” He Ze responded, looking profoundly wise after registering. “Thin-skinned people don’t get married!”

He An: Come closer and say that! Cold stare.

The registration period quickly passed, and the attendants managing the lantern festival guided the thirty-plus registrants to seats arranged in a large circle in front of the crowd, near the lantern platform. Given the reputation of the lantern prize today, He Ze noticed many former classmates among the participants, along with many unfamiliar faces who might be students from neighboring towns.

Coincidentally, He Ze saw Wang Fucheng sitting directly across from him. Wang Fucheng gave him a provocative smile, and then his gaze shifted to Lin Yu, filled with infatuation.

What a fool! He Ze had initially planned to deal with him after he returned home.

Sensing its master’s anger, the willow branch wrapped around Wang Fucheng’s ankle let a tender bud drop, which, concealed by his outer robe, slowly crept upwards to his calf. If anyone had noticed, they would have seen that it was no longer soft; its small leaf tips were sharp like needles, and the edges were as hard as iron, slicing through his inner pants and burrowing deeply into his flesh.

Simultaneously, the thin willow branch dropped lightly to the ground.

“Ah!” Wang Fucheng suddenly jumped up, “What bit me? Blood, there’s blood!”

His eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

Having hung around Wang Fucheng and his group for years, the original He Ze had never seen him react to blood like this. Even He Ze hadn’t anticipated that Wang Fucheng would faint at the sight of blood.

Tsk, how pathetic… There will be more fun to come.

However, the three people around him seemed to be aware of this. Compared to the panicking crowd and the worried shopkeeper Song, they remained quite calm. Zhao Fei carried Wang Fucheng away, followed by Li Er, while Qian Sun took Wang Fucheng’s original seat. Guan Duo stayed where he was, not even lifting an eyelid.

What an interesting person… Recalling the original owner’s memories, He Ze had a vague idea forming in his mind. After a moment’s hesitation, he set aside his unclear thoughts and gently traced a finger on the table. The willow branch silently slipped through the crowd, trailing behind Zhao Fei.

The commotion finally ended.

Shopkeeper Song, knowing that Wang Fucheng was not seriously hurt, spent some time calming the crowd. At last, the eagerly awaited lantern riddle contest began.