Zong Wenxiu paused, turned to look at him, his eyes filled with confusion.
"Brother," Zong Jincheng called out again.
The little troublemaker was never stingy with words, and it was his natural instinct to make others like him. Even before his mind could fully process things, his mouth and body had already taken the first step.
However, Zong Wenxiu didn’t seem particularly pleased.
He still ignored the little troublemaker, not even responding, just staring at him with a probing gaze.
Zong Jincheng didn’t know what he was looking at. He grabbed the cushion under his knees and shuffled closer to him, then asked, "Brother, are you still mad at me?"
Zong Wenxiu’s gaze was complicated as he asked, "What do you want me to do for you?"
"What?" Zong Jincheng was taken aback.
Zong Wenxiu repeated, "I said, you’re calling me ‘brother.’ What do you want me to do for you this time?"
Zong Jincheng: "..."
It felt like a silent slap across his face.
Zong Jincheng was someone who cared deeply about his pride.
Angrily, he shuffled back to his original spot on the cushion.
The little troublemaker’s cheeks puffed up in anger. His body, already tired from kneeling for half an hour, now straightened up again due to his frustration.
As if unable to contain his anger, he glanced at Zong Wenxiu and glared at him. Seeing that the other still ignored him, he turned his head back, his chest heaving with indignation.
The little troublemaker thought: If I say another word to him, I’ll be a little turtle!
However, not even a quarter of an hour later.
The little troublemaker shuffled back over, intentionally bumping into Zong Wenxiu as if seeking attention. If he didn’t get a reaction the first time, he’d bump him again.
Zong Wenxiu: "..."
He couldn’t take it anymore. "What exactly do you want?"
Zong Jincheng immediately perked up.
Hmph, he’s the one who spoke to me first.
So that doesn’t count as being a little turtle!
His dark eyes blinked as he pulled out the script he’d prepared in his mind, raising his hand to declare, "First of all, I didn’t mean to hurt you on purpose."
Afraid that Zong Wenxiu wouldn’t believe him, he added, "Really, I just got my hands smacked by Xu Wan the other day, and I was so angry and in pain that I didn’t think it through. I didn’t expect you to take it so seriously... Oh, no, I mean I didn’t expect you to be so upset. If I’d known, I would’ve done it myself."
Zong Wenxiu: "..."
He admitted his mistake, but it didn’t seem like he truly understood it.
Thinking about having to deal with such a brother, Zong Wenxiu felt a headache coming on for Xu Wan.
Zong Wenxiu asked, "Do you really think it’s not your fault for retaliating against Xu Wan like that?"
"I... I did something wrong..." Zong Jincheng said stubbornly, "But she hit me too, so she’s also at fault."
Deep down, he knew he deserved the smacking, but he just couldn’t get over it. The little troublemaker had never been hit before in his life, and it was a blow to both his pride and his heart, which made it even harder for him to admit it.
Zong Wenxiu was silent for a few seconds before asking, "Will you still mess with Baili Fuzi after this?"
Zong Jincheng raised his white hand and waved it, "Do I dare?"
"Is it that you don’t dare, or that you don’t want to?"
Zong Jincheng frowned, "Why are you so insistent on getting to the bottom of this today? What’s the difference between not daring and not wanting to?"
Zong Wenxiu said, "Not daring is because you’re afraid of punishment, not wanting to is out of respect for your teacher. Of course, they’re different. Baili Fuzi is at an age where he should be enjoying his retirement, yet he’s willingly come to our household to teach us without charging a single penny. He’s poured his heart and soul into this, and yet you’ve repaid him with pranks. Do you think you’ve treated him fairly?"
"I..." Zong Jincheng’s face turned red.
At the time, he’d only been thinking about how interesting Baili Fuzi’s beard looked, and he’d been fascinated by the colorful inks. Driven by curiosity, he’d wanted to try painting them on. He hadn’t thought much about it, let alone considered how it might hurt Baili Fuzi’s feelings.
Now, after hearing Zong Wenxiu’s words, he felt like a terrible person.
Zong Jincheng’s big head drooped down like a dejected little lion, his lips pouting unhappily.
Zong Wenxiu asked him again, "Do you still think those three smacks were too much?"
Zong Jincheng muttered to himself in frustration, "It wasn’t enough."
Seeing him like this, Zong Wenxiu couldn’t help but chuckle. He reached out and ruffled his younger brother’s soft hair, advising, "From now on, don’t try to harm Xu Wan anymore. She’s only doing what’s best for you."
"Got it..." Then, Zong Jincheng looked up at him in confusion, "Is that all you wanted to say to me?"
"What else is there?"
Zong Jincheng thought, he’d just told him not to mess with Baili Fuzi or Xu Wan anymore, but what about himself?
"Aren’t you going to tell me not to lie to you anymore?"
Zong Wenxiu laughed, "Will you still lie to me?"
Zong Jincheng quickly shook his head, "You’re my brother. I’ll never lie to you again!"
Zong Wenxiu smiled.
Seeing him smile, Zong Jincheng smiled too.
The last rays of the setting sun shone into the ancestral hall, illuminating the two reconciled brothers, casting a warm glow over them.
It was the little troublemaker who broke the silence first, "Brother, kneeling like this is so boring. Why don’t we recite some books instead?"
Zong Wenxiu: "??"
Was this really his brother’s suggestion? He could still think about studying at a time like this?
Zong Jincheng, seeing his surprised look, pouted, "Can’t I think about studying? Even though Qin Ye, that loser, will definitely lose to me, becoming the top scholar is still hard. I need to work harder and memorize more."
Zong Wenxiu: "..."
Confirmed, it was still the same overconfident brother.
After thinking for a moment, he said, "Then let’s start with the ‘Meng Qiu.’ You’ve probably already learned this, so we’ll review it together."
"Okay."
"Wang Rong was concise, Pei Kai was clear and thorough. Kong Ming was the sleeping dragon, Lü Wang was no ordinary bear. Yang Zhen was from west of the pass, Ding Kuan was from east of the Yi..."
Outside the ancestral hall.
Xu Wan watched the two brothers reciting together, one hand on her forehead, unable to suppress a smile.
Cui Zhi was both amused and exasperated, "Young Master Wenxiu really loves studying. Even while kneeling in the ancestral hall, he doesn’t forget his books, and he’s even getting Young Master Jincheng to recite with him. A good example has a strong influence."
Xu Wan’s brow furrowed with three question marks as she turned to ask, "You think Wenxiu started it?"
"Isn’t... isn’t that the case..." Cui Zhi said, "Young Master Jincheng doesn’t seem like the type to study on his own..."
Xu Wan chuckled, "The ancestors of the Zong family were all military generals who hated these wordy books. Their descendants come here to be punished, yet they’re reciting books right in front of them. Do you really think Wenxiu would be the one to start such an absurd thing?"
Cui Zhi: "..."
It was better not to think too deeply about it, or else one could feel the ancestors’ despair.
The ancestors’ despair lasted from the afternoon until the evening.
By midnight, Xu Wan was still awake. Hearing from Cui Zhi that the two children were still in the ancestral hall, she couldn’t sleep.
"I’ll go check on them."
When Xu Wan arrived outside the ancestral hall, she didn’t hear any reciting. Worried that the children might have fallen asleep, and knowing how cold the ancestral hall could get at night, she quickened her steps.
Upon entering, she saw Zong Wenxiu still kneeling upright, his lips moving silently as if reciting passages to stay awake, his posture as proper as a model student.
As for the little rascal, he was already sprawled out on the cushion, fast asleep. His own cushion wasn’t enough, so he’d squeezed onto Zong Wenxiu’s, leaving the other with barely any space.
Xu Wan couldn’t help but feel both annoyed and amused, completely at a loss with this boy.
