Chapter 19: This Mischievous Disciple (Part 1)

“Do you really know you were wrong?”

Tears welled in Dai Ning’s eyes as she nodded.

Zhao Yu put away the small wooden stick, hesitated as he watched her cry so pitifully, then reached out and gently wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

Dai Ning fiercely resisted his touch the second time, swatting his hand away and running back to her room to sulk.

This was the first time Zhao Yu had ever truly scolded her. Before, no matter how much mischief she caused, he’d only ever given her a few words of disapproval.

What Dai Ning didn’t understand was that in the eyes of the villagers, she had once been someone mysterious and awe-inspiring. But after such unsavory rumors, claiming Zhao Yu had done all sorts of things to her, she remained at his house without protest, appearing like an easy target who wouldn’t dare make a fuss.

Though most villagers were honest folk, there were still a fair share like that lazy scoundrel. If someone actually got ideas, thinking she was fair game, by then Dai Ning would only have tears left.

The bodyguard team couldn’t watch her 24/7, and when a person’s thoughts turn dark, those thoughts can be like an unyielding wind that seeps in everywhere.

At dusk, Uncle Qian arrived to deliver Dai Ning’s meal. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she complained between sobs, “Zhao Yu hit me, that brute! Uncle Qian, you have to avenge me!”

Uncle Qian asked her, “And why would Zhao Yu raise his hand against the young miss?”

In his experience, Zhao Yu wasn’t the kind of man who would lose his temper, much less hit a woman.

Dai Ning thought for a moment, then said, “I refused to share my nail polish with him, and he got mad and hit me! I don’t care, Uncle Qian; I want you to pay him back a hundred times! Beat Zhao Yu, his siblings, and even his parents till they can’t sit down!”

“…” Uncle Qian paused, sighing. “Young Miss, I’ll make sure justice is served.”

Dai Ning threatened, “You better go, or I’ll start a hunger strike.”

Uncle Qian went outside, where Zhao Yu was hauling water from a well. Seeing Uncle Qian approach, Zhao Yu set the bucket down and nodded politely. “Mr. Qian.”

Uncle Qian’s expression turned serious. “The young miss claims you bullied her. Zhao Yu, our young miss is not someone just anyone can take to task.”

Zhao Yu asked, “Did she mention why she was punished?”

Uncle Qian grimaced, unwilling to repeat the flimsy reason she’d given.

From Uncle Qian’s look, Zhao Yu knew Dai Ning hadn’t been honest. That little troublemaker might look delicate, but she was clever. She had known there’d be consequences, but assumed she could soon leave and stir up trouble with impunity.

Zhao Yu didn’t expose her lie, only replied, “The young miss has been neglecting her studies. As her teacher, it’s my duty to supervise her. With her smarts and quick thinking, she could definitely make it to college with the right guidance.”

Uncle Qian’s face lit up. “Truly? That’s wonderful! I misjudged the situation. Zhao, do keep an eye on her studies. It’s Mr. Ji’s lifelong wish that she’d at least be obedient enough to learn something useful.”

The Ji family’s fraternal twins were both known troublemakers. The old Mr. Ji, a man who revered education, had done everything he could to encourage them to study, but over the years, no one could ever manage to discipline the young miss.

Some lacked the courage, others simply couldn’t outwit her.

But now that Zhao Yu, a steady hand with nerves of steel, was here, Uncle Qian couldn’t have been more pleased.

He advised, “Our young miss is quite delicate, Zhao. Best to use a gentle hand in the future; talk things over first.”

Zhao Yu nodded. “Understood.”

Uncle Qian went back to Dai Ning and said, “Young Miss, don’t throw a tantrum. If you don’t want to go home, staying here means you’ll need to listen to Zhao Yu; otherwise, your grandfather will worry.”

Dai Ning hadn’t expected Zhao Yu to twist her lie to justify punishing her. Uncle Qian wouldn’t seek revenge for her, which infuriated her. She pulled the blanket over herself. “Go away, Uncle Qian; I don’t like you anymore.”

She would find a way to deal with Zhao Yu on her own. If nothing else worked, maybe she could just give Zhao An’an a hard time!

Uncle Qian sighed and left without another word.

A short while later, the door creaked open again. Dai Ning was under her blanket, secretly munching on a pastry. Her cheeks were puffed up as she mumbled, “Uncle Qian, it’s too late now. I’m already on a hunger strike. When I die of starvation, take my corpse back to Grandfather.”

The blanket lifted, and she found herself staring into Zhao Yu’s calm, dark eyes.

He took in her face, now covered in pastry crumbs, her eyes wide and round, with even a few crumbs tangled in her wavy hair.

The young miss still held half of her pastry, apparently midway through her “hunger strike.”

Seeing him, her indignation and hurt flared up again.

Zhao Yu barely held back a laugh and asked softly, “Does your hand hurt? Let me see.”

Dai Ning stubbornly refused his gesture. “Fake kindness.”

Zhao Yu’s words only made her more aware of her stinging palm. Earlier, she’d been so focused on seeking revenge that she’d forgotten the pain. Uncle Qian had been too exasperated to ask about it.

Now reminded, the pain was all she could think about.

She opened her palm and glanced down at it.

Her hand, soft and pale, was red and swollen. Even Zhao Yu frowned, wondering how her injury could seem so much worse than what he’d expected from a few light strikes.

Dai Ning, crushed by her grievance, kicked him. “You brute, get out! I never want to see you again!”

Seeing her puffed up like a little hedgehog, Zhao Yu said nothing. He quietly left, shutting the door.

――

That night, the village sky was clear with a bright moon and sparse stars.

Zhao Yu slipped into Dai Ning’s room, where she had fallen asleep after a long day of fussing.

Her phone lay at her side, her hand gently curled up near her face.

Zhao Yu sat by the bed and held her sore left hand, taking out a salve to treat it. Though the ointment wasn’t as fancy as Uncle Qian’s expensive ones, local remedies often worked wonders. This one had mint in it and would help soothe her pain.

She looked incredibly peaceful in sleep, her dark brown curls framing her face. Moonlight cast soft shadows on her long lashes, making them look like two small butterflies.

Only at times like these did her angelic appearance hide all traces of the sharp, mischievous troublemaker she was.

Finishing his gentle work, Zhao Yu lingered, smiling faintly. He bent down and lightly kissed her injured hand.

After tucking her in, he left and shut the door quietly behind him.

In the depths of the sea consciousness, the green orb that silently witnessed everything pulsed with intrigue: Humans are so very complicated.

――

At the Zhao household, the day began with quite the scene as Uncle Qian, Zhang Yongfeng, and others tried to coax the young lady into eating.

After being disciplined yesterday, Dai Ning appeared depressed today.

The green orb purposely avoided mentioning last night’s events, thinking it was good for her to settle down for a while. It hadn’t been long since the green orb started following Dai Ning, yet it felt like its eyes were constantly being overwhelmed by her antics.

After much coaxing and persuading, Dai Ning finally ate half a basket of dumplings, and everyone sighed in relief.

The mountain air was chilly, so her wardrobe had been switched to autumn wear.

She loved dressing up and had a passion for skirts. As she put it, if she were born a girl and didn’t wear skirts, she might as well swap genders with Ji Mojue.

Uncle Qian asked, “Miss, I brought over the textbooks Mr. Ji requested. Are you going to listen to Zhao Yu’s lesson?”

Dai Ning shook her head. “No, he hit me.”

“But if you don’t study, Mr. Ji won’t feel comfortable with you staying here.”

Just as Dai Ning was about to badmouth Zhao Yu, a gentle figure appeared nearby.

It was Du Tian.

Today, Du Tian wore a knitted jacket bought in the city. She favored white and let her long, straight black hair flow down, giving her a gentle and pure look.

Du Tian was holding a bag of fruit and a gift box.

Standing by the fence, she called out, “Brother Zhao Yu.”

Zhao Yu dried his hands and walked over. “What’s up?”

Du Tian, slightly shy, said, “Thank you, Brother Zhao Yu, for saving me last time. I was so scared and hadn’t gotten a chance to thank you properly. These are a little something from me. I hope you won’t mind. There’s some fruit for Uncle Zhao and the others to replenish their vitamins, and some new stationery—Xiao Ping and An’an could probably use them.”

Zhao Yu replied, “No need; it was just a small gesture.”

Du Tian insisted earnestly, “But that’s not right. My mother and I are both very grateful for you taking her to the hospital that day. We owe you so much that it wouldn’t feel right if you didn’t accept these gifts. Besides, I actually came today hoping for a favor. My mother can be discharged now, but her leg hasn’t fully recovered. If you have time, could you help us bring her back up the mountain?”

Zhao Yu, “I…”

“No, absolutely not!” A girl in a cheongsam burst out from the courtyard, interrupting. It was Dai Ning, who objected, “Zhao Yu has to give me a lesson today! Find someone else; there are plenty of others with free time. It doesn’t have to be him.”

Compared to Du Tian’s clean, innocent look, Dai Ning’s outfit was more like that of a little seductress.

Her autumn cheongsam was new, with an exceptionally tailored waistline. Though she was still young, her cheongsam was a delicate peach-pink with large, lustrous pearls for buttons, and it featured embroidered peach blossoms reminiscent of a misty spring. Upon close inspection, the flowers seemed almost real.

Many at seventeen couldn’t pull off this attire, but Dai Ning could. She was well-developed, filling out the cheongsam fully. Her slim waist created an impressive silhouette in the dress.

In comparison, Du Tian, of similar age and dressed in all white, seemed as thin as a bean sprout.

The gentle smile in Du Tian’s eyes faded a bit. Suppressing her discomfort, she said, “Miss Ji, you know my mother has difficulty moving around. Why must you insist on…”

Before Du Tian could finish, Dai Ning grabbed Zhao Yu’s shirt and tugged him inside. “Learning is life! I need my lesson, or if I fail my exams, I’ll blame you.”

Zhao Yu gently removed her hand from his shirt, turned to Du Tian, and said, “The young lady has a point. Du Tian, if others are available, they’ll surely be willing to help you.”

Du Tian replied softly, “Alright, then I won’t bother you.”

She appeared resilient and sensible, a demeanor that would easily evoke sympathy or guilt in others. But Zhao Yu had no time to consider her reaction as Dai Ning tugged his collar once more, demanding his full attention.

Du Tian’s nails nearly dug into her own palm—why wouldn’t Ji Dai Ning just leave!