Chapter 9

“Hold on tight.”

He Chen, hearing no sound behind him, paid it no mind and reminded her once.

But this remark made Ruan Liuzheng, sitting in the back seat, furious—she remembered He Chen’s sudden stop that morning when entering campus.

She knew he was helping Lin Miaomiao.

Not like those thugs who deliberately sped up or braked hard to take advantage.

Yet hearing He Chen say that, she couldn’t help overthinking.

What did he mean?

Was he implying her figure wasn’t as good as Qiu Ya’s, that even getting a little bump felt like a loss?

No flexibility? Did it hurt you?

He Chen had no idea how much inner drama his adopted sister was experiencing; he rode straight into the compound, parked under the building, turned around—and found she was already gone.

He locked the bike and was about to head upstairs when he saw Lin Miaomiao standing by the first-floor window, shouting loudly: “He Chen, come eat lunch at my place! My mom made tons of delicious food!”

“No thanks,” He Chen politely declined.

Lin Miaomiao’s mother walked over, standing behind her daughter, smiling at He Chen: “He Chen, come on, I heard everything—you helped Miaomiao today, I’m so grateful. You won’t turn down my cooking, will you?”

“You’re too kind, Auntie,” He Chen said, smiling back at the warm, familiar face of Lin Miaomiao’s mother.

After all, he’d grown up watching The Wandering Knight, watched it more than twenty times, maybe even more—he still had a soft spot for the charming Tong Xiangyu, and instinctively didn’t treat her like a stranger.

“Where’s Ruan Liuzheng? I’ll go get her!” Lin Miaomiao slapped her forehead and dashed off upstairs to drag Ruan Liuzheng down.

He Chen went upstairs first, found Aunt Ruan wasn’t home, saw Lin Miaomiao sneaking into Ruan Liuzheng’s room chattering away, urging her to come down for the feast, then picked up the phone and called Aunt Ruan.

The moment the phone rang, the room fell silent.

He Chen said just a few words, hung up, and told the two girls waiting: “Aunt Ruan won’t be back for lunch. Let’s go bother Aunt Wang and Uncle Lin.”

“Let’s go, let’s go!” Lin Miaomiao grabbed Ruan Liuzheng’s hand and pulled her out the door.

“Didn’t Mom say anything else?” Ruan Liuzheng probed as they walked out.

“What else?” He Chen teased from behind. “You want Aunt Ruan to scold me?”

Ruan Liuzheng pouted, her mood souring further.

Even if he was right to defy the teacher, he still deserved a scolding—but Mom didn’t even mention it. What was this?

The favoritism was too obvious.

Downstairs, in Lin Miaomiao’s rented study apartment, Lin Miaomiao’s mother—Tong Zhaoguan… no, Wang Shengnan—was carrying dish after dish out of the kitchen.

The table was piled high with an array of dishes, truly worthy of the term “feast.”

“Sit, sit! Lin Miaomiao, you’re in charge of entertaining your classmates,” Wang Shengnan instructed, adding: “Don’t just stuff your own face!”

“They’re family, no need for formalities!” Lin Miaomiao said carelessly, yet still pulled Ruan Liuzheng to sit beside her, grabbed a chicken leg with her bare hand, and shoved it into Ruan Liuzheng’s palm, urging her to eat.

“Try my mom’s braised chicken—it’s amazing!”

After some small talk, everyone began eating. Wang Shengnan, while serving, noticed He Chen devouring his food with relish and asked with a touch of pity: “Is Professor Ruan always so busy? How do you two eat?”

“We used to eat at the university cafeteria,” He Chen explained. “Now that we’re in senior three and moved here, Aunt Ruan planned to keep bringing us lunch from the cafeteria. Today was just the first day of school, and with what happened this morning, she didn’t have time.”

“Professor Ruan and Qian Sanyi’s mom upstairs are really alike,” Wang Shengnan couldn’t help laughing.

“Of course they are!” Lin Miaomiao, mouth full, couldn’t resist roasting her own mother: “Look at Aunt Ruan and Ms. Pei!

Nothing like you.

In ancient times, they’d be classic noble daughters—fluent in music, chess, calligraphy, painting—how could they ever touch a kitchen?”

“So I spend all day cooking for you, little glutton, turning into a housewife from smoke and grease, and still get scolded for not being a delicate noble lady with untouchable fingers!” Wang Shengnan glared at her daughter.

Lin Miaomiao immediately smiled and praised her mother endlessly: “This is exactly why you’re my favorite mom!”

He Chen chimed in with a smile: “Who isn’t a noble lady? If you were in ancient times, you’d be one too!”

Tong Zhaoguan was a genuine noble daughter back then.

The meal ended happily, with He Chen and Lin Miaomiao finishing off every last bit of the extra dishes Wang Shengnan had prepared.

Lin Miaomiao, stuffed and leaning back in her chair, stared at He Chen—elegant in his eating, yet far more efficient, his stomach seemingly bottomless—with utter admiration.

“He Chen, I’ve never met anyone who eats more than me—you’re awesome!” Lin Miaomiao gave him a thumbs-up.

“It’s just because Aunt Wang’s food is so delicious,” He Chen smiled in flattery.

In truth, his appetite had skyrocketed after upgrading his “Crane Calculation, Turtle Longevity” ability.

“Being able to eat is a blessing! If you like it, I’ll cook more for you,” Wang Shengnan beamed, rising to prepare more, but He Chen stopped her.

After more small talk, He Chen took his leave.

“Are you going back to practice your skill? Turtle Breathing?” Lin Miaomiao asked excitedly.

He Chen glanced at Ruan Liuzheng, then nodded to Lin Miaomiao.

The Crane Skill required outdoor practice near pine trees, so it was no surprise if people knew—but Turtle Breathing was a quiet, lying-down practice; unless Ruan Liuzheng had told someone, outsiders would never guess.

Ruan Liuzheng avoided He Chen’s gaze.

It had indeed come from her—she’d only complained about it to her best friend, Xia Xue—but now it had reached Lin Miaomiao’s ears, and likely everyone else’s too.

He Chen refused Lin Miaomiao’s request to watch him practice Turtle Breathing, citing its quiet nature, then went upstairs to his room, prepared himself, closed the door, sat cross-legged, and began his practice.

No school in the afternoon.

Ruan Liuzheng finally endured the energetic Lin Miaomiao, lay on her bed, and couldn’t stop thinking—how could Mom say nothing after what He Chen had done? She simply couldn’t accept it.

She waited until evening, when Mom returned, and He Chen, as usual, went downstairs to practice under the pine tree. She sidled up to Ruan Lu, coaxed and cajoled, then cautiously brought up the matter.

“Why scold He Chen?” Ruan Lu turned to her adopted daughter, her gaze strange: “His actions were bold, masculine—true manhood! He didn’t waste that striking face. He’s the kind who deserves to be the pillar of this household. I was already being polite and restrained not to praise him in front of your teachers.”

“… ” Ruan Liuzheng felt only injustice and absurdity.

Mom’s education for her had never been like this.

If she dared defy a teacher like He Chen, Mom would never react this way.

And what pillar of the household?

She was Mom’s daughter. He Chen hadn’t even completed adoption papers—he was just a temporary guest. How had he surpassed her, the only child of this home, to become the pillar?

Was Mom blind to inside and outside?

Ruan Lu looked at her daughter’s pouting, vulnerable, lovely face—and frowned, straightened her daughter’s collar, fastened the buttons tightly, and repeated: “He Chen is your brother. Remember this forever!”