What infuriated Lin Fang the most was her natural bound feet, which she found utterly vexing. Yet, those who came to propose marriage were overjoyed—local women considered small feet beautiful, and Lin Fang perfectly matched their aesthetic standards.
Lin Fang herself was unwilling, and Dalang and Li Cuimei also felt it was too early for her to be betrothed. They politely declined one suitor after another. However, no matter how many reasons they gave, they couldn’t outmatch the silver tongues of the matchmakers. Moreover, too many refusals would harm their daughter’s reputation, making her seem arrogant and affecting her future marriage prospects.
Unwilling to betroth their daughter too early yet reluctant to offend the suitors, Dalang and Li Cuimei discussed the matter and decided to seek the help of the highly respected old monk. They hoped he could intervene, sparing them the daily hassle of entertaining suitors while protecting their daughter’s reputation.
The old monk agreed readily, but his words did more harm than good. He declared that while the girl was destined for great fortune, it was not the right time to discuss marriage. If she were betrothed now, it would obstruct her blessings, diminish her auspicious “husband-prospering” aura, and even affect her future children. If they waited until she turned thirteen, not only would she bring prosperity to her husband and children, but she would also bless the entire family.
After that, no one came to propose marriage anymore. However, their home became even more crowded with visitors. Since they couldn’t secure a betrothal now, they might as well keep an eye on her to prevent her from being snatched away by another family. People found all sorts of excuses to visit the Lin household. Those who came for medical treatment lingered even after recovering. Others, with nothing better to do, made it a daily ritual to drop by, claiming it was to thank the family for their hospitality. Since they could afford to rent temporary lodgings, a few extra coins for rent meant nothing to them. The Lin family was driven to distraction.
Lin Fang stayed at school until dusk every day, even eating lunch there. Unable to return home freely, she gritted her teeth in frustration. When the old monk came again to ask for recipes, Lin Fang resorted to her old tricks—deliberately giving him wrong ingredients. She substituted salt for sugar, replaced chili with mustard, or drastically altered the proportions. The old monk suffered greatly from her mischief but had no choice but to endure it. After all, he had brought it upon himself by embellishing the situation instead of simply putting a stop to the marriage talks, provoking this little troublemaker.
Seeing Chen Dong laughing uncontrollably, Lin Fang flushed with anger. “Laugh all you want. If you don’t stop, I’ll push you out there too. Let the matchmakers swarm your doorstep and see if you’ll still be laughing.”
“Hahahaha!” Chen Dong burst into laughter again, gasping for breath. “Don’t try to scare me—it won’t work. As a discarded illegitimate daughter, even if I were as beautiful as a fairy, I wouldn’t get your kind of attention. Unless I had a fortune, but right now, I don’t have a penny to my name. I’m just living off your family’s kindness. So, drop that idea and think of something practical.”
Lin Fang frowned. “Then tell me what to do. You’re always full of schemes—come up with something. Hmph, if you don’t think of a solution soon, I’ll make sure you never have a moment’s peace.”
Chen Dong wasn’t intimidated by her empty threats. Though her laughter turned muffled, she refused to engage. Lin Fang could only fume helplessly at her friend’s amusement. Giving up, she stood and headed outside. Winter nights fell early, and if she didn’t return soon, her parents would come to fetch her.
Sticking out her tongue, Chen Dong took Chen Shiyuan’s little hand and followed. Qi Shi, who had been waiting in the kitchen, also emerged and trailed behind the trio.
Lan Pozi shook her head with a smile as she cleared the dishes. Despite being respected as teachers by dozens of students, her young mistress and Sima Rusu were still just children at heart, prone to squabbles.
Before they even reached the Lin residence, they spotted several carriages parked outside from a distance. Lin Fang grumbled inwardly—Lan Pozi’s intelligence had been wrong. There *were* still guests. Since it was already late, Lin Fang didn’t want to return to school, but she also didn’t want to go home. She turned toward Chen Dong’s courtyard instead, only to be blocked by a tall figure after just a few steps.
“You little rascal, dawdling until now to come home, only to skirt around the door. Where do you think you’re going?”
Huh? That voice was familiar. Lin Fang looked up—she hadn’t misheard. “Second Grandmother?” she cried in delight.
“Hahahaha!” Tong Shi scooped Lin Fang into her arms, studying her face with joy. “Hmm, the hemangioma is completely gone—vanished without a trace! My little Fang’er is as lovely as a flower, no wonder so many families are lining up to propose!”
“Pfft—” Chen Dong, who had been teasing Lin Fang the whole way (only to be ignored as Lin Fang stubbornly marched ahead), finally lost her composure at Tong Shi’s mention of marriage proposals. It seemed her best friend wouldn’t escape the topic today.
Lin Fang, nearly nine years old and no longer short, had been perfectly comfortable being carried—until Chen Dong’s snort of laughter reminded her of how childish it looked. She quickly wriggled out of Tong Shi’s arms and introduced, “Second Grandmother, this is Miss Sima Rusu, my good friend. She lives next door. And this is her sworn younger brother, Chen Shiyuan.”
Chen Dong curtsied politely, while Chen Shiyuan circled around her, oblivious to formalities.
Tong Shi nodded in acknowledgment, then fixed her gaze on the restless Chen Shiyuan. Without warning, she snatched him up and lifted him high overhead—so fast that no one realized what had happened until Chen Shiyuan’s startled shrieks filled the air. By the time Chen Dong lunged forward to rescue him, Tong Shi was already tossing him up and down, spinning him around like a performer with a juggling act—or rather, like she was wielding her beloved nunchaku, not handling a five-year-old child.
Chen Dong darted back and forth, failing to even graze Tong Shi’s sleeves, let alone reclaim her brother. Furious, she shouted, “Give him back!”
Lin Fang didn’t understand Tong Shi’s motives, but she knew Chen Dong would lose her mind if this continued. When enraged, Chen Dong became reckless—even if she couldn’t harm Tong Shi, she might hurt herself in the attempt. “Second Grandmother, stop! I’m getting dizzy!” Lin Fang cried.
The moment the words left her mouth, Tong Shi was at her side, one arm holding a thoroughly disoriented Chen Shiyuan while the other reached for Lin Fang’s wrist. “What’s wrong? Let me see—are you unwell?”
Lin Fang pulled free and gestured toward Chen Shiyuan. “Put him down first!”
“Oh? Haha, this one’s got potential.”
Realizing she’d been tricked again, Tong Shi chuckled ruefully before setting Chen Shiyuan down. Chen Dong immediately snatched him up, glaring at Tong Shi as if her eyes could shoot flames. The little boy, too dizzy to stand, clung to his sister weakly.
Lin Fang tilted her head. “What do you mean, ‘potential’?”
Tong Shi flicked Lin Fang’s forehead for her earlier fib. “This child is a natural for martial arts—not only would it cure his restlessness, but his physique is perfect for qinggong. With enough dedication, he could go far.”
Chen Dong’s glare turned to astonishment. Before she could speak, Tong Shi added, “As for Miss Sima here, her aptitude for martial arts is like your talent for identifying herbs—severely lacking. Even with relentless training, she’d only achieve basic fitness, nothing remarkable. Your mother mentioned she’s learning from Qi Shi, but frankly, the siblings should switch roles.”
Lin Fang pouted. *Second Grandmother, must you use my shortcomings as an example?* Aloud, she explained to a bewildered Chen Dong, “My second grandmother is a physician. To this day, I’ve never met anyone who surpasses her in both medicine and martial arts. If she says so, there’s truth to it.”
Understanding dawned on Chen Dong, and she moved to bow in gratitude.
Tong Shi waved her off. “Enough of that. You’re Fang’er’s friend, which makes you family. From now on, treat me as she does—I can’t stand formalities. Take your brother home, freshen up, then come back for dinner. And make sure you’re clean—we have a pregnant woman in the house, and her nose is extra sensitive these days.”
Though her words sounded like a reprimand about disheveled clothes, Chen Dong—having weathered life’s hardships for over a decade—heard the underlying warmth, like a grandmother scolding a mischievous child to wash up before supper. For an elderly woman of this era to treat a stranger with such familiarity at first meeting… Lin Fang hadn’t exaggerated. Her second grandmother truly was a delightful old soul.
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