Chapter Twenty-Three: Unveiling Hidden Schemes

"Why are you shouting so loudly? You nearly scared me off the stool. I borrowed a book from him and was just returning it," An Yi reversed the story, worried that An Jian might be reluctant to lend out his books.

"If you're returning a book, just go give it back at his door," An Jian replied, not as sharp as An Kang and failing to notice the flaw in An Yi's words.

An Yi bit her lower lip lightly, her pretty face tinged with red, embarrassed to admit she had forgotten there was a main gate to go through.

Seeing his sister was unharmed, An Jian said nothing more. He feared she might get angry and start to cry—then he'd have to coax her again. He was about to carry his stool back to his room when Madam Luo returned, carrying half a bucket of soybean dregs in her right hand and a bowl of soft tofu in her left.

"Mother, why didn't you call me to help when you went to buy the dregs?" An Jian set down the stool and went to take the wooden bucket from her.

"It was just half a bucket; I could manage it," Madam Luo said with a smile. "Didn't want to interrupt your writing."

"I can write in the afternoon just the same," An Jian carried the bucket into the kitchen. He didn’t mention An Yi climbing on the stool for fear Madam Luo would blame him for not watching his sister.

An Yi, equally afraid of being scolded, kept quiet as well. The siblings both pretended nothing had happened.

It took about an hour and a half to walk from town to Jingtang Village, so An Kang returned around noon. But to An Yi’s surprise, he was not alone—Xin Liu entered with him. An Yi’s eyes flickered; she stepped forward and asked, "Xin Liu, what brings you here?"

"You silly girl, is that any way to talk?" Madam Luo chided, shooting An Yi a reproachful glance before going over to take Xin Liu’s hand. "I'm so glad you came—stay and have lunch with us."

"Auntie, please, don't be so polite. I'm just here to deliver some mushrooms," Xin Liu lifted the small bamboo basket she was carrying. "I've dried these mushrooms, so they’ll keep for a while."

"You child, your household isn't exactly well-off either. When you come here, treat it as your own home; there's no need for gifts. Take these mushrooms back with you after lunch," Madam Luo said with mock anger.

"Auntie, these mushrooms were gathered by Xi’er. I just dried them and brought them over—such a small errand, and I’m the one imposing on your meal," Xin Liu replied with a smile.

An Yi's lips curled in a smile that didn't reach her eyes, tinged faintly with mockery. She hadn't realized Xin Liu had such a glib tongue.

Madam Luo took the basket. "Nonsense, you're always welcome to eat with us—I'm happy to have you."

With Xin Liu staying for lunch, Madam Luo fried an extra plate of eggs to go with stir-fried cured pork and winter bamboo shoots, steamed cured fish with bean dregs, and a cabbage and tofu soup—making three dishes and a soup.

The five of them sat down around the table. An Yi, intent on keeping an eye on Xin Liu, deliberately avoided sitting next to her and squeezed onto the long bench beside An Jian, which puzzled him enough to glance at her twice. Madam Luo sat opposite the two, Xin Liu at the lower end beside her, and An Kang at the head, directly across.

Madam Luo warmly encouraged Xin Liu to eat. Xin Liu thanked her and, lowering her head, quietly ate her rice with slow, measured movements.

While eating, An Yi kept a covert watch on Xin Liu and soon noticed something odd: whenever Xin Liu reached for food, she would steal a glance at An Kang, her eyes full of longing and shyness, as if she were a maiden secretly pining for her beloved.

Her beloved!

An Yi’s heart gave a sudden jolt. So it wasn’t money or skill she was after—but her eldest brother. Wealth is nothing compared to talent, and ability is no match for affection. What a schemer this Xin Liu was, harboring such thoughts at such a young age. To achieve her goal, she’d even stoop to harming others. Despicable girl—she truly deserved punishment!

After the meal, Xin Liu volunteered to help Madam Luo clear the table.

"Xin Liu, leave it, leave it—no need for you to help," Madam Luo said, snatching the dishes from her hands.

An Jian swiftly gathered the rest and took them away.

An Kang opened the bamboo basket he’d brought home and emptied its contents: three small packets of vegetable seeds, a bundle of pastries, a bundle of fabric scraps, two books, a stack of paper, a small writing brush, and four hair ribbons.

The seeds, pastries, and cloth went to Madam Luo; the books, one each to An Jian and An Yi; the paper split between the two, the brush went to An Yi. The four hair ribbons An Kang held in his hand for a moment, hesitated, then handed the two green ones to Xin Liu.

"For me?" Xin Liu asked in surprise.

An Kang smiled gently and nodded.

Xin Liu wiped her hands on her clothes, took the ribbons with trembling hands, her face beaming with joy and excitement. "Thank you, Brother Zhuzi, thank you!"

An Yi’s smile remained unchanged, but her eyes cooled. Madam Luo, however, looked on with affection and took Xin Liu’s hand. "Good child, I’m always grateful for how you look after Xi’er."

An Kang offered the red hair ribbon to An Yi. "Sister, do you like it?"

"I do, thank you, Brother," An Yi replied sweetly.

An Kang tapped her nose with a bent finger. "Have you been practicing your writing these days?"

"I have. I was practicing just this morning," An Yi answered with a smile.

"Good girl. From now on, write a full page of large characters every day," said An Kang.

"Xi’er, aren’t you learning embroidery from Auntie? Why are you also learning to read? My father says a woman’s virtue lies in having no talents—better not to learn to read," Xin Liu advised earnestly.

An Kang’s face darkened, and he rebuked her directly. "Nonsense. How can a woman have virtue without talent? Without knowledge, how could she understand what it means to be a good wife and mother? Of all the famed virtuous women praised through the ages, how many were illiterate? Only by learning to read can a woman be truly wise and reasonable."

A glimmer of amusement flashed in An Yi’s eyes as she picked up the thread. "The book also says that if someone can’t read, their words are empty and people will find them unpleasant—no one would like such a person. Isn’t that right, Brother?"

An Kang nodded approvingly. "It seems Xi’er has truly absorbed her reading."

Xin Liu’s face turned pale, her head bowed as she gripped the two hair ribbons tightly.

"You child, you’ve only just learned a few characters and read a couple of books, and already you’re spouting big principles," Madam Luo said with a laugh, tapping An Yi lightly on the forehead.

"These aren’t grand principles, just common sense," An Yi pouted, turning to An Kang. "Brother, will you find me a sister-in-law who’s rough-handed and illiterate?"

An Kang, still pure-hearted and embarrassed by the presence of others, blushed and chided her. "Sister, what are you talking about?"

"I’m telling you, if you dare bring home someone like that, I won’t let her in. I’ll beat her out with a stick," An Yi declared fiercely, puffing out her cheeks. She had come to realize that the original Xi’er was spoiled and willful with Madam Luo and her brothers, so she deliberately played up her role as the family’s cherished and domineering girl to put Xin Liu in her place.

Madam Luo laughed, hugging An Yi. "We’ll make sure your brother finds a wife you approve of, all right?"

"Brother, did you hear that?" An Yi shot a sidelong glance at Xin Liu. There was nothing wrong with wanting to marry An Kang or change her own situation, but to plot and harm others for it—that was unforgivable.

An Kang gave a helpless smile. "I heard you."

An Jian chimed in, "Sister, does that mean I have to find someone you approve of too, before she can marry in?"

"Of course," An Yi replied, raising her brow.

Madam Luo clicked her tongue at An Jian. "You rascal, you’re hardly old enough to be thinking of marriage."

An Jian stuck out his tongue, exchanging a smile with An Kang.