Unfortunately, before Tong Anying could elaborate, the carriage rolled to a halt in front of the Imperial Academy.
Tong Fengye already detested classes on a good day, but his dread of the Academy had just hit an all-time peak.
Tong Anying and Feng Chu had already hopped down. Standing beside the wheels, Tong Anying noticed her brother lingering inside. She called out, “Third Brother, you’re not planning to skip, are you? It’s a little late for that now—”
Before she could finish, Tong Fengye whipped back the curtain and leapt down.
Tong Anying cast a sideways glance at him.
Strange. Why does Third Brother look like he’s about to face a firing squad?
Tong Fengye gave her a look of utter, hollow despair. And whose inner voice do you think caused that?
Oh, I get it.
Tong Fengye perked up instantly. Did she remember his scandal? Was his little sister about to save his hide?
Instead, Tong Anying turned her gaze toward Feng Chu.
Tong Fengye: ?
Just whose brother am I here?
Tsk, tsk. Looks like my third brother and Feng Chu are doomed to be sworn enemies forever. He hasn’t forgiven Feng Chu at all, and he’s even pulling a long face just because Feng Chu is standing here. Sigh, I actually feel a little bad for Feng Chu.
Feng Chu: ?
What does this have to do with me?
Suddenly, a heavy weight dropped onto Feng Chu’s shoulder. Tong Fengye threw an arm around him, leaning their heads close together in a display of aggressive camaraderie. “Fourth Sister, Feng Chu and I have officially made up.”
Tong Anying blinked in shock. “So suddenly?”
“I gave it some mature thought,” Tong Fengye declared solemnly. “We were just young and reckless back then. The past is in the past, why hold onto petty grudges?”
There! Now can you please get back to my impending doom?
Tong Anying stood stunned for a beat before raising her hands in an earnest little round of applause. “Third Brother, that sounded so profound! It makes you seem much smarter. I need to follow your example and study harder too.”
With that, she spun on her heel and strode purposefully through the Academy gates.
Tong Fengye remained frozen in place, struck by invisible lightning.
Wait. That’s not how this script was supposed to go!
“Um,” Feng Chu rubbed his hands together, smiling sheepishly. “So, did we really make up?”
Tong Fengye: “?”
“Like hell we did!”
“Hey, Fengye, wait up! A real man stands by his word!”
Because his mind was consumed all day by the terror of his impending disaster, Tong Fengye was called on by the instructor no fewer than ten times.
By afternoon, it was practically guaranteed: tomorrow, the teacher would definitely summon Su Zhouyue to the Academy.
At dismissal, Tong Anying waved cheerily at Tong Fengye, only to find his face even paler and more haggard than it had been that morning.
Puzzled, she asked, “Third Brother, what’s wrong with you?”
Tong Fengye said nothing, merely waving a limp, defeated hand.
Feng Chu volunteered the answer: “He got called on during class.”
“How many times?”
“Over a dozen!”
Tong Anying shook her head, eyeing Feng Chu’s gleeful, gloating smirk. “Now I finally understand why my third brother refuses to be your friend.”
“Why?”
“Because when your friend suffers, you give a standing ovation.”
Feng Chu: “?”
“Fengye, there’s a cricket fight over at the Yunlai Teahouse today. Care to join?” A gentle voice called out.
Tong Fengye’s bleak world instantly lit up. “Count me in!”
Tong Anying and Feng Chu traded glances and fell into step right behind him.
Once inside the carriage, after directing A’shu toward the teahouse, Tong Anying remembered to ask, “Third Brother, who was that guy talking to you just now?”
“Fang Ji, the third son of the Minister of War. I only hang out with him occasionally, so you probably don’t recognize him.”
Tong Anying: !
Oh, my foolish Third Brother. Fang Ji is setting a trap to ruin you!
A jolt shot straight through Tong Fengye’s spine. He snapped upright, practically willing a second pair of ears to sprout from his skull.
You really never appreciate your ears until you desperately need them.
System, didn’t you mention before that this Fang Ji has always loathed my brother?
Indeed. Just like your third brother, he ranks third among his siblings, but in his own household, he’s practically invisible. Meanwhile, your brother is doted on by his parents, and all you siblings share a tight bond.
So, he just envies my brother?
It runs deeper than simple envy. He firmly believes he’s more hardworking and accomplished, so it infuriates him that someone like him is overlooked while an idle dunderhead like your brother gets showered with affection. He wants to destroy your brother to see if his parents would still love him then!
The “idle dunderhead” felt a freezing chill run down his back. To think he had genuinely treated Fang Ji as a friend all this time!
Heavens, that’s sickening! System, how is he planning to ruin him?
During the cricket matches later, he’ll intentionally trigger a riot in the teahouse. Then, under the cover of the chaos, his henchman will cripple one of your brother’s legs.
Hiss.
Tong Fengye instinctively clapped both hands over his shins.
Watching his abrupt movement, Tong Anying blinked in surprise. “Third Brother, what happened to you?”
“I, I don’t know why, but my legs suddenly feel so sore.”
It’s an omen! This must be a premonition!
Tong Anying balled her hands into tiny, resolute fists. Third Brother, don’t worry. I will protect your legs with my life!
Tears of profound gratitude welled in Tong Fengye’s eyes. Overwhelmed with sibling affection, he reached out to pull her into a tight bear hug.
Tong Anying dodged his arms with visible disgust. “Third Brother, did you even wash your hands?”
Tong Fengye: “?”
She loves me, sure, but only in very limited doses.
He sheepishly wiped his palms on his outer robe.
Feng Chu burst out laughing, earning a murderous glare from Tong Fengye.
“Fourth Miss, Third Young Master, Young Master Feng, we’ve arrived at Yunlai Teahouse,” A’shu announced from the box.
Tong Fengye was the first to scramble out. Fang Ji, who had arrived just ahead of them, was already dismounting and heading over with a warm smile.
Fang Ji’s features were unremarkable, but his temperament was famously mild; throughout the Imperial Academy, hardly anyone spoke ill of him.
And yet, beneath that gentlemanly veneer lurked someone who wanted to shatter his leg out of petty, bitter jealousy!
He was more treacherous than a viper in the grass.
Fang Ji smiled amiably. “Fengye, I know little about crickets myself, but I’m certain you’ll take the match today.”
Looking at that hypocritical face made Tong Fengye want to retch on the spot.
Only now did he realize how unnatural this outing was. Fang Ji had always kept an aloof, scholarly demeanor and never mingled with the idle crowd, yet today he had actively invited him out to a cricket duel.
What a venomous scheme!
“Right. Let’s hope so,” Tong Fengye replied coldly, sidestepping neatly to duck behind Tong Anying.
Fang Ji’s outstretched hand froze mid-air. What is going on? Did Tong Fengye catch wind of something? Impossible, I hid my intentions flawlessly.
Feng Chu stepped in and grabbed Fang Ji’s hand instead, whining with exaggerated offense, “I’m great at cricket fighting too! How come you aren’t betting on me?”
Fang Ji offered a polite chuckle. “Does Young Master Feng’s prowess even need to be questioned?”
“Look at you, always knowing what to say.”
Once Fang Ji stepped away, Tong Fengye hissed under his breath, “Feng Chu, you traitor! Switching sides already?”
“That’s called keeping your cards close to your chest!” Feng Chu whispered back. “You wore your panic right on your sleeve just now. If he realized you were onto him and hatched a backup plan, what would you have done then?”
Tong Anying chimed in: “Feng Chu makes a good point. Though.”
She tilted her head, looking puzzled. “Third Brother, why would Fang Ji want to target you?”
Both boys’ hearts skipped a beat. Feng Chu quickly covered by jutting his chin out proudly: “I just can’t stand the sight of that pretentious prick.”
Huh. Looks like Feng Chu really does detest Fang Ji.
Feng Chu: “?”
The trio made their way inside. The teahouse was already packed shoulder to shoulder with spectators.
System, System! Which one is Fang Ji’s plant?
Host, third person to your left. The one dressed in gray robes is Fang Ji’s trusted personal servant.
Tong Anying glanced over. The servant in question was craning his neck toward the earthen jar, utterly engrossed in the match. Had she not known beforehand that he was lying in wait, he would have fooled her completely.
What a vile scoundrel! To think he actually wants to break my brother’s leg! I ought to break his legs first!
Tong Anying ground her little teeth.
Tong Fengye blinked. Was his sweet little sister always this bloodthirsty?
No.
She’s only turning fierce to protect him.
So, what if Fang Ji was an evil snake who set a trap? He had his sister.
Anying would keep him safe!
Suddenly, the boisterous buzz around the cricket ring experienced an awkward, frozen hiccup.
Wait.
Whose leg is getting broken?
Cold sweat broke out across the backs of several noble scions. They were just here to place bets and watch bugs fight; if a bloody assault happened right under their noses, their families would thrash them within an inch of their lives!
Yet no one dared bolt blindly toward the doors.
What if that gray-robed servant wasn’t planning on stopping at just one person’s legs?
Right then, someone hollered: “Watch out! Whose cricket got loose?”
By all rights, the crowd should have instantly stampeded and surged forward in a chaotic swarm. Instead, Fang Ji who had been the one to shout the cue watched in utter horror as nearly every patron took an synchronized step backward.
The sudden retreat cleared a wide, empty circle on the floorboards.
And standing dead center, club raised high, charging toward Tong Fengye with nowhere left to hide, was Fang Ji’s servant.
Fang Ji: “?”
The servant: “??”
Tong Anying: My silence is truly deafening.