Chapter 125: My Little Sister Can't Possibly Be This Shy

Seeing that the dragon boat race had concluded, Liu Ping declined the persistent invitations and entreaties from the young gentlemen and ladies, returning to the shore with Liu Yue in tow.

Watching Liu Ping’s retreating figure, those aboard the boat could not help but feel a sense of regret. Their behavior just moments ago had likely left an irreparable impression on him.

It was truly a disaster.

Hua Wu said with annoyance: "Young Master Liu had just admitted that he was Long Aotian... yet none of us believed him. I was the same; even though it occurred to me that as a top scholar, he surely wouldn't joke about such a thing, I dismissed the possibility without a second thought."

Hua Wu’s brother, Hua Shang, offered a wry smile: "Who can say otherwise?"

Nearby, the refined lady Fang Ting, who had remained silent until now, couldn't help but sigh: "It was so difficult to finally meet Mr. Long. That is a good thing, but..."

Jiang Zhongyuan’s expression was dismal to the extreme. Even now, he found it hard to believe that the man, the exceptionally talented Liu Ping, was actually Long Aotian, the author of the nationwide bestseller and destined classic, *The Romance of the Investiture and the Three Kingdoms*!

Lu Wei, being the most rational of the lot, pondered for a moment before saying: "This is a good thing, everyone."

"A good thing? How is this a good thing?" Hua Wu rolled her eyes at him.

Lu Wei replied: "After all, we have met Mr. Long; that is beyond doubt. Even if the impression was poor, we have met him, haven't we? Why regret it? As for the poor impression, it isn't impossible to change, wouldn't you agree?"

Hua Wu and the others were stunned for a moment. Thinking it over, they realized he was right. They instinctively asked: "How do we change it?"

Lu Wei didn't answer, instead looking at Wang Hong. The others’ eyes lit up, and they all turned to look at him as well.

Feeling their gazes, Wang Hong spread his hands: "Why look at me? I already believed Brother Liu was Long Aotian at the time, but you wouldn't believe me and even interrupted..."

"Can't we beg you?"

"Brother Wang Hong, don't be so uncharitable."

Under repeated entreaties, Wang Hong finally relented: "Alright, truth be told, Brother Liu is a very magnanimous person and likely won't hold a grudge. I will put in a good word for you all..."

Even Jiang Zhongyuan couldn't resist joining in the pleas. However, what he valued was not "Long Aotian," but Liu Ping. To pass the county examination as the top scholar at thirteen and write *The Investiture of the Gods* at fourteen—such a person had boundless prospects.

***

Walking through Qinshui County while holding his sister’s hand, his ears were filled with the cries of vendors.

They were selling goods specific to the Dragon Boat Festival: zongzi, bamboo leaves, miniature dragon boats, scented sachets, calamus, realgar, calamus wine, cinnabar wine, realgar wine, and seasonal fresh fruits, most notably watermelons and loquats, as well as cherries, mulberries, grapes, and waxberries.

"It’s so lively," Liu Yue said. Throughout their walk, her hands were already full of various items, both snacks and toys.

"It is the Dragon Boat Festival, after all."

At this point, the two had reached the most bustling area of the entire county—Xiaoshikou. The intersection formed a simple cross shape. Ancient buildings lined both sides, and the ground, paved with blue flagstones, was washed clean by the rain. Drainage ditches ran along the sides, carrying waste into the sewers.

The sewer system had already been popularized in the county town, though unfortunately, the countryside still lacked it—a point of regret for Liu Ping, as the importance of sewage systems for daily life was self-evident.

Liu Yue, however, had no mind for such things; she was quickly drawn to the pounded rice cakes nearby.

"Heh! Shoo!" "Heh! Yo!"

Two shirtless, brawny men, draped in large towels, wielded heavy wooden mallets, striking rhythmically into a trough carved from a single log. Inside the wooden trough were mugwort and sticky rice; under their frantic strikes, the rice cakes gradually took shape.

This was a century-old rice cake shop. The city was full of shops selling crisp candies—dragon beard candy, peanut brittle, sesame candy, and osmanthus cakes—but rice cake shops were rare. The taste was excellent, the price fair, and business was booming.

A young girl in a simple linen shirt, too busy to wipe the beads of sweat from her forehead, nimbly packed boxes of rice cakes for the customers. Behind her, a middle-aged couple used knives to quickly slice the cakes.

"Want some?" Liu Ping asked, noticing Liu Yue’s interested gaze.

Liu Yue nodded, then shook her head.

"What does it mean to nod and shake your head at the same time?" Liu Ping asked with an amused smile.

Liu Yue swallowed the dragon beard candy in her mouth and pointed at the men with the mallets: "The rice cake pounding looks fun. Brother, why don't we buy a mallet and a wooden trough and make our own?"

Hearing his sister, Liu Ping laughed: "That’s simple enough. But these are the tools of their trade, so it’s not right to buy them here. I’ll just ask the village carpenter to make one when we get back."

Liu Yue nodded: "Mm."

"Do you still want to eat the cakes?"

Liu Yue shook her head.

"Then let’s go have some herbal tea and rest a while."

"Okay."

They found an inn to rest, choosing an elegant spot by a second-floor window where they could see the street below. Liu Ping ordered some dishes and had someone bring a pot of herbal tea, pouring a cup for them.

Watching Liu Yue hold her teacup and sip slowly, Liu Ping suddenly felt that this kind of life was not bad at all—though ordinary, it was quite beautiful.

Feeling self-conscious under her brother’s steady gaze, Liu Yue lowered her eyes and asked: "What is Brother looking at?"

Liu Ping smiled: "Naturally, I am looking at my little Yue'er."

"What’s there to look at? I’m the same as always, aren't I?"

"I just suddenly realized that little Yue'er has grown up a bit."

Liu Yue felt a surge of joy and looked up: "Really?"

"Of course it's true." Liu Ping stood up and, as if performing a magic trick, produced several pomegranate flowers from thin air. The flowers were tied together with a thin thread, forming a small bouquet, their fiery red color vivid and intense, as if they were dancing flames.

The flowers of early summer had a unique beauty—frenzied and bright red, they were the perfect representation of the season.

"Hm?" Liu Yue was slightly startled. She watched her brother bring the pomegranate flowers toward her hair and instinctively recoiled.

"Don't move."

Hearing his voice, Liu Yue remained perfectly still. Liu Ping removed the jade hairpin from her hair, threaded it through the bouquet of pomegranate flowers, and fastened it back into her hair.

The intimacy of the moment made Liu Yue’s cheeks flush. After he finished, she tilted her head slightly and reached up to touch them, asking: "Does it look good?"

Looking at the grace of his sister as she tilted her head, Liu Ping was dazed for a moment before nodding: "Of course it looks good."

Although his sister was still young, she already possessed a certain charm, clearly different from the year before. Sensing the "sculpting" work of time, he felt a mix of nostalgia and melancholy, but mostly, he felt an indescribable, overwhelming sense of happiness.

*Little sister is mine, no one can take her away.* As a former "loli-con," the current Liu Ping seemed to be transitioning into a "sister-con." But then again, she wasn't his biological sister, and there was no blood relation whatsoever, so it hardly mattered.

Shaking his head with a smile, he noticed his sister’s cheeks had turned a deep, shy red, looking delicate and vibrant. Her unusual reaction left Liu Ping puzzled; he had only put flowers in her hair and offered a compliment, was there really any need to be this shy?

*My sister couldn't possibly be this shy!*

Liu Ping froze, then realized: had he actually said, "Little sister is mine, no one can take her away" out loud? He asked in disbelief: "Did I just say that out loud?"

Liu Yue was incredibly shy and flustered, her heart a complex mix of emotions, but ultimately, she was happy. Hearing her brother’s question, she nodded.

"Uh... don't take that to heart," Liu Ping said casually.

Liu Yue was stunned, her body trembling slightly. She looked up at Liu Ping in disbelief. Asking her not to take it to heart—what did that mean? An indescribable sense of loss washed over her, accompanied by an inexplicable ache.

Seeing her on the verge of tears, Liu Ping sighed and quickly added: "I just accidentally spoke my inner thoughts. It’s still a bit too early to talk about such things, after all."

His sister froze, her face flushing even deeper as she lowered her head in bashful silence.

The atmosphere became subtly strange. Liu Ping gave a dry laugh, just about to say something else, when the conch shell he kept in his pouch began to grow warm. Liu Ping gave a soft "Huh," took it out, and after a moment's hesitation, held it to his ear: "Hello?"