This wasn't just for one day; for the next two, three, four, five, and six days, Ye Caiping returned with a full load every day, while Shen Zhiyan had no harvest at all.

The day was sunny and breezy. Ye Caiping was so engrossed in fishing that she almost fell asleep. Her basket was nearly full, and she was thinking that it would be perfect to give the fish to Ye Li. Uncle Ye was the best.

Her family and her second brother were tired of eating it.

Thinking about it, she glanced at Shen Zhiyan.

Young Master Shen remained as calm and beautiful as ever, as serene as the moon reflected on a vast lake, his Daoist heart unchanged.

After so many days of comparison, anyone else would have collapsed long ago, and Ye Caiping couldn't help but silently offer the word "admiration".

At this very moment—

"Hey, it's moving!" Ye Caiping suddenly pointed to the water's surface.

It wasn't her thread that moved, but Shen Zhiyan's.

Shen Zhiyan was taken aback, but didn't rush to pull the rod. This was the first time in half a month that a fish had taken the bait.

He stood up and followed the direction of the fish to play it. Just as he was about to pull the rod, the fish pulled the line towards Ye Caiping and got tangled with her line.

Ye Caiping was startled and quickly pulled on the fishing rod.

Shen Zhiyan looked at the two lines tangled together, taut and straight, feeling a little frustrated. The fish that had finally taken the bait was now stuck here.

Without thinking, Ye Caiping took out a pair of scissors from her sleeve (space) and cut her fishing line with a snap.

Shen Zhiyan was startled. The fish in his hand was about to escape. He pulled the fishing rod and a fish was suddenly pulled up.

Before Shen Zhiyan could even feel happy, the fish slapped him across the face with a "smack," sending him sprawling backward on his bottom.

"Young Master Shen, are you alright?" Ye Caiping quickly stepped forward.

"Hmm..." Shen Zhiyan immediately picked up the fish next to him, lifted it up and took a look. Wow, it was a small fish fry that was two fingers wide!

"Pfft, hahaha!" Ye Caiping almost died laughing. After all that effort, it turned out to be this little thing.

She caught a glare from Shen Zhiyan out of the corner of her eye, and only then did she stop laughing: "I didn't mean to."

Shen Zhiyan: You didn't do it on purpose, you just couldn't help it!

“Let’s continue, let’s continue,” Ye Caiping said.

Shen Zhiyan sighed heavily, wound the fishing line onto the rod and hooked the fish, threw the small fish into the fish basket, and then walked away.

"Bring that scholar to my house tomorrow morning."

Ye Caiping was taken aback, then overjoyed: "Young Master Shen, you agree?"

As she spoke, she followed his retreating figure: "No need for tomorrow, it can be done now! My nephew goes to school in this town, I can just call him and he'll come. By the way, is your father home?"

Shen Zhiyan: What does this have to do with his father?

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Then go and call him now."

After saying that, he quickened his pace and soon disappeared into the bamboo forest.

Ye Caiping jumped up with joy and hurriedly went back to pack her fishing rod.

She wound the broken fishing line back onto the rod, touched the broken end, and couldn't help but smile.

This young master Shen is truly an upright man.

She offered to help him catch a fish in exchange for him helping Xuan'er become an apprentice.

But he never agreed to that request.

She had just cut the line, doing it purely out of her own volition, without expecting anything in return or anything from him, let alone knowing that she had only caught a small fry.

But he actually agreed.

...

Ye Caiping packed her things and hurried to Master Qian's house.

As soon as he entered, he stuffed the half-basket of fish into Master Qian's hands: "Master, this is for you to eat."

"Oh, thank you." Master Qian was very happy.

Where is Xuan'er?

"Inside, I recited texts with my classmates."

"Quickly, call him over. We can finally see that Master Shen."

Master Qian was surprised: "Really? After meeting him, what are the chances of me becoming his disciple?"

“It’s very big. Miss Shen told me that as long as her brother asks, it will definitely happen. Just now, Young Master Shen asked me to bring Xuan’er over.”

Master Qian was stunned. Miss Shen's brother? Miss Shen has a brother? How come he had heard that Master Shen only had one daughter? Could it be her cousin?

Teacher Qian didn't ask any more questions, turned around and went to the classroom, calling Ye Xuan out.

...

Ye Caiping and Ye Xuan arrived at the gate of the Shen residence, and the servant hurriedly greeted them with a smile:

"Madam Ye, Young Master Ye, the master has been waiting for you. Please come in."

"Thank you, sir." Hearing the last two sentences, Ye Caiping felt a huge weight lifted from her heart.

Master Shen is at home! Miss Shen is right, Master Shen's words carry real weight.

The two followed the servant to the main hall.

Ye Caiping found it strange to see Shen Zhiyan sitting in the grand chair at the head of the table drinking tea.

Wasn't Master Shen supposed to be here too? Even if he's not here now, he'll be here later. Shen Zhiyan shouldn't be sitting in the main seat; when an elder comes, the elder should naturally sit.

"Here you are." Shen Zhiyan put down his teacup and glanced at Ye Xuan.

“This is my nephew, Ye Xuan,” Ye Caiping said.

"Greetings, Young Master Shen." Ye Xuan bowed.

Ye Caiping was a little anxious, almost asking when her father would arrive.

Suddenly, I saw Shen Manman carrying a few peach blossoms, skipping and hopping in.

Ye Caiping thought that Master Shen was coming, but she saw that it was Xiao Qiu walking behind Shen Manman.

When Shen Manman saw Ye Caiping and the other person, she was overjoyed. She pouted and smiled, skipping over to Shen Zhiyan and calling out cutely, "Daddy—"

Shen Zhiyan's handsome face hardened: "Stand still, where's your posture?"

Ye Caiping: "..."

Father, did she hear me right?

Shen Manman quickly stood up straight and handed over the flowers in her hand: "Spring is almost over. These are the last peach blossoms. I specially picked them to decorate the house for my father."

Shen Zhiyan sighed softly: "Put it in the bottle over there."

“Okay.” Shen Manman handed the peach blossoms to Xiao Qiu, stood next to Shen Zhiyan, and looked at Ye Caiping with a smile.

Ye Caiping felt as if she had been struck by lightning: "Young Master Shen... is Miss Shen's father?"

"Hmm!" Shen Manman proudly raised her little face.

Ye Caiping was stunned and stared at her with wide eyes.

Shen Manman's eyes gleamed with amusement, like a smug little thief.

Ye Caiping was shocked to realize that she had been tricked by this little girl.

Ye Caiping was both angry and amused. Turning back to look at Shen Zhiyan, she felt a wave of embarrassment. Had she been acting like a fool these past few days?

"Madam Ye, how is it?" Shen Zhiyan picked up his teacup, a smile flashing in his eyes.

Ye Caiping gritted her teeth and said, "It's nothing, it's just that I didn't expect Master Shen to be so young."

Do you think I'm old?

"Wasn't it said that he was a top scholar in the imperial examinations and taught at the Imperial Academy for more than ten years?"

Shen Zhiyan said, "I am not talented. I became the top scholar at the age of seventeen and entered the Imperial Academy at the age of eighteen. I have indeed taught for more than ten years. I am now thirty-three years old. Is there a problem?"