TATSD Chapter 79

After sending Ji Wei off, Liu Yimian stood at the academy gate for a long time. The sun blazed down on him in the afternoon, reddening his cheeks, but his heart still felt empty, and he couldn’t seem to muster any spirit. Yet, whenever he thought of Ji Wei’s intention in bringing him to the county school, Liu Yimian understood that he couldn’t let Ji Wei down; he had to work hard and strive for success.

Turning back towards the schoolhouse, Liu Yimian was taken aback to find the last person he wanted to see sitting at the stone table.

Liu Chengyin had been waiting for a long time. He had lingered in the bamboo grove behind the schoolhouse to intercept Liu Yimian after Ji Wei left. He had intended to take advantage of this rare opportunity to get closer to Lu Yushu.

However, he never expected that when he saw Lu Yushu again, the once courteous demeanor would turn into complete disregard. Though Lu Yushu muttered something about being busy, the look on his face and the disdainful gaze of his attendant made it clear to Liu Chengyin that Liu Yimian had said something to him.

Even if it wasn’t Liu Yimian directly, he must have spoken with Ji Wei, and Ji Wei must have said something to Lu Yushu. Ultimately, it all traced back to Liu Yimian stirring the pot.

Liu Chengyin hadn’t anticipated that having just arrived at the county school, he would be thwarted by Liu Yimian before he even had a chance to get close to Lu Yushu. He felt immense anger and hatred towards Liu Yimian, yet he still approached him with a beaming smile. If it had been someone else, it would have been nearly impossible to maintain such composure.

But Liu Chengyin was different.

Since he was young, he had been entangled with You Guizhi. If he hadn’t been clever and charmed her into believing he had a chance of passing the exams, she wouldn’t have allowed him to study quietly at home. She would have likely chased him out long ago to work as a steward.

Liu Chengyin had grand ambitions; being a mere scholar wouldn’t satisfy him. He wanted to pass the imperial exams, become an official, and make everyone who looked down on him, including You Guizhi, kneel before him!

To achieve that, he found it easy to humble himself.

Aside from attending a private school between the ages of eight and twelve, he had not sought out any teachers since then, let alone attended the county school. He had spent nearly all his time locked away at home, studying hard to reach his current position.

To attend the county school, he had scrimped and saved for years. Had it not been for the sale of Liu Yimian and the money he received from it, as well as the dowry from his younger sister Liu Piaoxu’s marriage, he probably wouldn’t have been able to afford the tuition.

Thus, while he excelled in rote memorization when it came to subjects requiring strategic thinking, insight, and comprehension—like policy discussions—he was no match for Chen Peizhi and others who had grown up immersed in the academy.

Attending the county school not only provided him with access to renowned teachers but also allowed him to interact with the sons of officials and the wealthy.

If he could befriend a few of them, it would greatly benefit his future.

Although Chen Peizhi was intelligent, he lacked guile, was overly ambitious, and could be easily manipulated. He became Liu Chengyin’s primary target in the shortest amount of time. While Chen didn’t come from a high-ranking family, his background was still decent, and he had a good family business in Daxi Town. If Liu Chengyin could win his favor, even when his savings ran dry, there might still be a fallback option.

As for Lu Yushu, his gentlemanly demeanor made it hard to form a deep friendship. Now, his connections to Ji Wei and Liu Yimian, only allowed him to see things more clearly.

With these thoughts racing through his mind, Liu Chengyin approached Liu Yimian, holding a small bundle in his hand. “Xiao Yi, you’re finally back! I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

Liu Yimian pressed his lips together, his gaze lowered as he hurried past Liu Chengyin without looking at him.

Liu Chengyin, quick on his feet, seized Liu Yimian’s wrist and said sadly, “Xiao Yi, how could you be so heartless? I am your elder brother. Have you forgotten the time I took you to see the lanterns in town, or when Father punished you by making you face the wall, and I secretly gave you buns to eat? Now that you’ve grown up, you won’t recognize your elder brother anymore? I even thought of you, worried you hadn’t eaten lunch, and saved some buns for you!”

Liu Chengyin glared at Liu Yimian, tossing the buns into his arms.

Two white buns rolled around in Liu Yimian’s embrace, one landing in his hands and the other rolling to the ground before he could catch it.

Seeing the bun covered in dirt on the ground, Liu Chengyin’s heart sank, and he averted his gaze. “Whether you eat them or not, I’ve given them to you. Since you don’t want to see me, I’ll just leave. That way, I won’t be a bother!”

As he stepped away, he heard someone calling him from behind.

Liu Chengyin’s lips curled into a smile, but he didn’t turn around.

“Didn’t you say you didn’t want to see me? Why are you calling me then?”

“Elder Brother, please follow me.” Liu Yimian picked up the bun from the ground, keeping his eyes on it as he slowly walked in front of Liu Chengyin, leading him into the Green Bamboo House.

In the adjacent room, Lin Tai stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe and watching the two brothers of the Liu family.

It was a stifling hot day, and Lin Tai preferred to keep the doors and windows wide open to let the cool breeze flow in. He had noticed Liu Chengyin lingering in the bamboo grove and courtyard in front of the schoolhouse and came out to see what was happening after hearing Liu Chengyin’s voice.

Seeing Liu Yimian leading Liu Chengyin into the house made Lin Tai somewhat anxious for Liu Yimian. However, since this was a matter between the brothers and Liu Yimian hadn’t asked for his help, Lin Tai felt it inappropriate to intervene. He could only step outside, pretending to take a stroll in the courtyard while keeping an eye on the situation inside.

“What do you want me to come in for?” Liu Yimian continued to face away from Liu Chengyin, seizing the moment to carefully survey the room.

The schoolhouse was furnished with only the most basic desks, chairs, cabinets, and beds, yet Ji Wei had brought many things from outside—from the stationery on the table to the overflowing wardrobe filled with clothes—each item reflecting concern for Liu Yimian and, importantly, indicating that money was not an issue.

He understood Liu Yimian well; he was soft-hearted and valued friends and family. If Liu Chengyin showed any sign of weakness or goodwill, Liu Yimian would surely have no reason to refuse him. Moreover, it was rare for Ji Wei to go through the trouble of securing a good family background just to send Liu Yimian to the county school. Liu Yimian knew it must have taken a lot of effort and indebtedness. As long as Liu Yimian was willing to acknowledge his elder brother, Ji Wei would certainly agree!

The more Liu Chengyin thought about it, the more heated his feelings became. He cleared his throat and asked again, “What exactly do you want to say?” He watched as Liu Yimian opened the cabinet, tiptoeing to retrieve something from the top shelf, which turned out to be another small cloth bag that Ji Wei had brought.

“Elder Brother, I know that the bun you gave me was your lunch. I accidentally soiled it, causing you to have nothing to eat. Here are some pastries I’ll give you as compensation.” Liu Yimian picked out two mooncakes, a doughnut, and a croissant, wrapped them in Liu Chengyin’s food cloth, and handed them to him.

Liu Chengyin accepted them. “Thank you, Xiao Yi. You still remember the kindness of the past—”

“Since I’ve returned your lunch, I ask that you leave the room. I need to rest.” Liu Yimian took two steps back, lowering his gaze and avoiding looking at Liu Chengyin.

“—What?” Liu Chengyin looked astonished. “What did you say?”

“I need to rest. Elder Brother, please leave.” Liu Chengyin stepped forward, and Liu Yimian hurriedly retreated. “I’ve compensated for your lunch with these four pastries, so I owe you nothing.”

Despite Liu Yimian’s soft heart, he firmly remembered Ji Wei’s teachings. He knew Liu Chengyin had ulterior motives for approaching him. However, when Liu Chengyin handed him the bun, it brought back memories from their childhood, making it hard for him to watch him go hungry. He wanted to share the pastries with him to let him taste Ji Wei’s good cooking.

Liu Yimian’s thoughts were simple, but Liu Chengyin would not let this slide.

What Liu Chengyin wanted was wealth and status, not just a simple meal!

“Xiao Yi! I am your elder brother!”

“Elder Brother, please have some self-respect! Otherwise, I’ll have to call for help!”

Liu Chengyin pressed closer, and Liu Yimian backed away until his back hit the wall. He shook his head, his gaze revealing a mix of pain and pleading. But with only the two of them in the room, Liu Chengyin lost his restraint and would not let go of this opportunity to persuade him.

“Xiao Yi, listen to me. I just want our brotherhood to return to how it used to be. I’m not asking for anything from you, so why do you have to be so guarded? It makes me so sad!” Liu Chengyin lowered his head and wiped away his tears. Taking advantage of his moment of vulnerability, Liu Yimian bent down and darted past him towards the door.

“Elder Brother, Elder Brother! I’m still calling you Elder Brother! Please don’t force me!” Liu Yimian stood at the door, turning around, tears brimming in his eyes as he looked at Liu Chengyin.

This was his elder brother, the one who had loved him since childhood and taught him how to read and write. Even though Liu Chengyin had changed, Liu Yimian still cherished the good times they had. But looking at Liu Chengyin before him, he saw a desperate longing that reminded him of You Guizhi.

Ji Wei was right; he was right.

“Xiao Yi?” Liu Chengyin suddenly stopped in his tracks, no longer moving forward.

He knew Liu Yimian so well and understood that he was quite weak. However, he realized that once such a weak person was pushed too far and made a decision, there would be no turning back. He couldn’t force him like this; he needed to give him some time to think it through.

Liu Chengyin felt dazed; he couldn’t believe he had acted so foolishly today.

He took two steps back, trying cautiously to reassure Liu Yimian, but at that moment, Liu Yimian was lost in Ji Wei’s earlier teachings. The passionate feelings in his heart gradually turned cold, and he became completely calm.

“Brother Lin, can you help me?” Liu Yimian knew that Lin Tai was standing right behind him, paying close attention to what was happening here.

He had promised Ji Wei that he would take good care of him.

The only person who truly cared for him was Ji Wei. Even after he was gone, he still watched over him, Liu Yimian thought, feeling a pang of sadness.

“Of course!” Lin Tai responded loudly, taking a few quick steps up the stone stairs to stand in front of Liu Yimian. He tossed a few pebbles he had picked up out of boredom and gave Liu Chengyin a disdainful look, “Oh, so you’re the older brother of Liu Xiaoyou. How is it that you two look so different? He is as handsome as a bamboo shoot, while you are dull and slow like a pig, unable to even understand human speech.”

Suddenly, Lin Tai’s expression sharpened as he threw the pebbles at Liu Chengyin’s exposed shoulders, neck, and arms. As one or two of them hit, Liu Chengyin let out a scream, jumping around and pushing Lin Tai aside as he rushed out of the room.

“Lin Tai! Is this how a scholar behaves? A gentleman speaks without resorting to violence! You are bringing shame to civility!” Liu Chengyin stood awkwardly at the bottom of the stone steps, angrily glaring at Lin Tai.

Around them, many people were waiting to see the commotion.

As a young man, Liu Yimian was already eye-catching, and the noise they were making attracted several people who peeked out of the room to see what was going on.

“Isn’t this just me teaching you to listen? How come you can understand me now?” Lin Tai pretended to throw another pebble, causing Liu Chengyin to flinch and shrink his shoulders, which made Lin Tai burst into laughter as he raised his hands to show, “Look, there’s nothing here! You’re such a coward; I can scare you even when I’m unarmed!”

“Xiao Yi, I am your older brother! You’re young, so naturally, you think my advice is hard to hear and refuse to listen! You must remember that an older brother is like a father; why would I harm you?” Liu Chengyin scoffed and angrily shook his sleeves as he fled.

“An older brother is like a father?” Liu Yimian murmured.

“Are you okay? You don’t have to pay attention to what he says…” Lin Tai was a bit worried, fearing that this young man might feel hurt. What if he got too upset and ran back to Ji Wei?

Unexpectedly, Liu Yimian shook his head and smiled softly, “An older brother is indeed like a father. My elder brother resembles him a lot.”

“You?” Lin Tai hesitated.

“Thank you, Brother Lin! If you need anything from me in the future, I will do my best to help.” Remembering how Lu Yushu had bowed before, Liu Yimian couldn’t help but mimic the gesture. But his movements looked awkward, causing Lin Tai to laugh even harder.

“You’re doing it wrong! It’s like this, not like that. Oh, by the way, how old are you? I’m almost sixteen, and you look a lot shorter than me. Are you fifteen?”

“Brother Lin… I’m also fifteen.” Liu Yimian glanced at Lin Tai’s height, feeling a bit ashamed as he looked down.

Lin Tai exclaimed, “Liu Di, you’re tall! I heard that young men are usually short, yet you’re about my height! I must be too short!”

After Lin Tai finished speaking, he covered his face and rushed back inside the room, slamming the door shut.

Liu Yimian worriedly ran over, but a student nearby who was watching the excitement stopped him, saying, “You don’t need to worry about him. Lin Tai is just like that; he’s playing around with you. You’ll get used to it.”

Liu Yimian gazed at Lin Tai’s door and then at the leaves rustling gently in the breeze. At that moment, he finally felt a sense of contentment, a long-lost tranquility, as if he had returned to the past.