When Zhao Shi'an knocked on Fang Qing's door, Fang Qing had just finished washing up and was about to go to sleep. When she saw Zhao Shi'an standing outside, her eyes widened.
"Brother? What are you doing here?"
Zhao Shi'an glanced into the room.
"I understand. Grab your things and come with me."
Where to?
"Go to the courtyard I rented."
Fang Qing entered the house and asked while tidying up her things, "You're not staying at the academy?"
"I'm not used to living here."
Fang Qing didn't say anything more. She quickly packed up, and Zhao Shi'an picked up the bundle and left the inn with her.
Zhao Shi'an brought Fang Qing to a small courtyard next to the academy.
Although it wasn't tidied up as meticulously as it had been in the county town, it was still clean and tidy.
Zhao Shi'an gave him the room he used to live in, while he went to the one next door.
"Go to sleep. Call me if you need anything."
Fang Qing was indeed sleepy, so she lay down without washing up again.
"Good night."
Zhao Shi'an glanced at her.
"Good night."
After leaving Fang Qing's room, Zhao Shi'an took a deep breath.
Fang Qing's attitude could easily make him misunderstand her feelings for him.
Zhao Shi'an pressed hard on his brow and returned to the room with his arm.
He didn't sleep well that night.
I got up before dawn.
Xiao Liu came over to bring him breakfast.
"Take these back and prepare some rice, flour, and vegetables."
Standing under the eaves, Zhao Shi'an deliberately lowered his voice.
Xiao Liu glanced into the room and lowered his voice as well.
"Miss Fang is going to cook for you."
Zhao Shi'an frowned as he looked at him.
"Why are you talking so much nonsense? Go now."
Xiao Liu hurriedly left, and when he returned, it was already fully light.
Zhao Shi'an had already started a fire in the kitchen when Xiao Liu realized that it wasn't Fang Qing who was cooking, but Zhao Shi'an.
Xiao Liu wanted to help out, but Zhao Shi'an chased him away.
Fang Qing ate a hot breakfast when she got up in the morning.
"Brother, you live outside and have to cook for yourself. Won't that interfere with your studies?"
"No, and I don't do it often, but it's just that you're here today."
Fang Qing paused for a moment, then looked up at Zhao Shi'an.
"What's wrong?" Zhao Shi'an asked.
He felt inexplicably flustered, afraid that Fang Qing might say something.
“Brother, Fangzhu went back to the village yesterday, and he even visited our house.”
Zhao Shi'an's heart gradually calmed down.
Oh, so you were talking about this person.
"What's wrong?"
“He brought me several boxes of things, saying they were for proposing marriage, but I refused. I told him that I was just keeping those things for him temporarily, and I would return them to him as wedding gifts when he got married.”
As Fang Qing spoke, she looked at Zhao Shi'an's expression.
"You don't like him?"
Zhao Shi'an was somewhat suspicious, but also somewhat delighted.
Fang Qing couldn't help but glance at him a few more times.
"No, who said I like Brother Fangzhu?"
Zhao Shi'an stared at her blankly for a moment.
“If you don’t like him, you shouldn’t have accepted his things. You did the right thing.”
There was a moment of silence between them.
Fang Qing broke the silence first.
"Brother, who do you hope I'll marry in the future?"
She hadn't paid attention before, but now she suddenly remembered that Zhao Shi'an had told her a long time ago to stay away from Fang Dashu, Fang Zhu and others.
It seemed as if they had already seen through their thoughts.
Zhao Shi'an lowered his eyes, not wanting Fang Qing to see the expression in them.
"I hope you find someone you like."
Fang Qing chuckled softly.
"Of course! And what about you, brother? Did the person you like come with you to the prefectural city to study this time? When can I meet her?"
Zhao Shi'an's heart skipped a beat.
Fang Qing didn't know?
He thought Fang Qing had figured out that he liked her.
"No, I've already said she doesn't like me, why would she come along?"
Fang Qing showed a hint of regret.
"It's okay. My brother is so amazing. When you achieve great success in the future, even more people will like you."
Zhao Shi'an looked intently at Fang Qing.
Many people like him, but none of them are Fang Qing; it would be better if none of them were.
He vigorously rubbed Fang Qing's head.
"Don't overthink it. If that girl doesn't like me, I'll never like anyone else."
The two sat close together, a gesture that made them feel very intimate.
Seeing the face so close to hers, Fang Qing's heart inexplicably raced.
"Brother, you're so handsome, I'm even smitten."
She said it jokingly.
Zhao Shi'an was taken aback.
"Yeah?"
He smiled, and instead of moving back to his seat, he gently rubbed Fang Qing's head.
"You can be attracted to me too."
This time, it was Fang Qing's turn to be stunned.
Are you attracted to Zhao Shi'an?
My ears were ringing for a moment.
She pushed Zhao Shi'an's hand away in a bit of a panic.
"Brother, you're joking."
Zhao Shi'an saw her expression and pursed his lips.
"I'm going to the academy. Are you home?"
"No, I want to go to the grain station in the prefectural city to check on the business here. If we have enough time, I'll take some people to visit the fields."
"be safe."
Zhao Shi'an went to the academy.
Fang Qing packed her things and left the courtyard.
Fang Qing, who doesn't come to the grain station in the prefectural city often, inquired about the seed sales and then, after lunch, led the people from the grain station out of the city to the fields.
Fang Qing was busy in the prefectural city for a few days before returning home.
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