Luo Wen bowed and withdrew.

Ye Qianning hunched over the desk and continued to write. She was jotting down characters with pinyin explanations, like a simple dictionary.

She remembered the entire contents of a dictionary clearly and could write it all out, but it was a massive undertaking. Writing was also strenuous for her, so it wasn’t something that could be completed overnight.

A short while later, a small head peeked in through the doorway, looking left and right. When the boy saw Ye Qianning hunched over her desk writing, his eyes lit up, and he walked in with small steps.

"So this is your courtyard," Helian Chen said as he walked, not acting like a stranger at all.

Ye Qianning merely shot him a sidelong glance. "Didn’t anyone tell you not to wander around?"

"The General’s mansion is too big, and I got lost. I wanted to find someone to ask for directions, but I didn’t expect the mansion to have so few servants. I didn’t run into a single one the whole way," Helian Chen said as he reached the desk.

"Luo Wen, take him to the front hall."

Luo Wen entered the room.

"No rush." Helian Chen waved his hand, gesturing for Luo Wen to leave.

Luo Wen stood still, unmoving.

Seeing that it didn’t work, Helian Chen turned his head and said, "Getting lost and ending up in your courtyard means we’re fated to meet. And if we’re fated, we should chat a bit more."

"Chat about what?"

"Chat about... about... about what you’re writing." Helian Chen’s gaze fell on the rice paper.

"I can’t be bothered to explain."

Helian Chen’s brow furrowed deeply as he looked at the rice paper. He had thought this little girl must be exceptionally talented for Dean Chen to accept her as his personal disciple, but he never expected her to be so terrible.

The characters didn’t look like characters, and the drawings didn’t look like drawings.

’Can’t be bothered to explain?’

’She probably thinks I wouldn’t understand anyway, and that trying to explain it would just make her seem uneducated.’

"By the way, where are your father’s concubines?" he asked again.

Hearing this, Ye Qianning looked up with suspicion. "What, are you trying to scheme against my father’s concubines too?"

"Of course not. I was just asking if they’re not around."

"They’re not."

"Let me tell you, no concubine is a good person. You have so many of them, you have to be extra careful," Helian Chen whispered, leaning in closer to advise her.

Ye Qianning felt a laugh bubbling up. "Did my father’s concubines offend you? Or is their cooking not to your liking?"

"They didn’t offend me, and their cooking is actually delicious."

"Then why are you speaking ill of them?" As the saying goes, you don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

’This kid is something else. Badmouthing them right after eating their food. Besides, it’s not like he’s even interacted with them, has he?’

"Being nice to you is all a part of their scheme. Making the food delicious is also part of their scheme. Just look at your own body, and you’ll understand." The first time Helian Chen saw her, he thought she resembled a pig—she was too fat.

Ye Qianning finally understood what he was getting at. "Were you framed by a concubine?"

"Not me, but a friend of mine was. His father’s concubine doted on him completely. From a young age, she wouldn’t let him do anything, spoiling him in every way. She couldn’t even bear to punish him when he made mistakes. We all used to envy him for having such a good ’aunt.’ But later, after his father died, the concubine’s attitude completely changed. My friend was kicked out, unable to do anything for himself, and eventually died on a snowy night." Helian Chen’s voice was filled with genuine emotion, and tears even welled up in his eyes. "That’s why all concubines are schemers. If they truly cared for you, they wouldn’t have fed you until you got so fat. If you keep eating like this, you’ll probably end up eating yourself to death one day."

"..."

The corners of Ye Qianning’s mouth twitched as she listened.

"Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t you get it?"

Ye Qianning silently gave him a thumbs-up. "You make such a good point that I’m actually speechless."

"Of course! I’m speaking from experience. I’m only telling you this because you’re Dean Chen’s personal disciple."

"Master said he’s only taking one disciple. Don’t you also want to study under my master? If someone were to harm me, wouldn’t you get the chance to take my place?"