Ruyi and Ping’an came to the courtyard after learning Chen Changsheng had returned.

Chen Changsheng handed Ping’an the sword made of peach wood.

Chen Changsheng said, “For the next while, this will be your sword.”

Ping’an said, confused, “Uncle Chen, swords aren’t usually like this, are they?”

Chen Changsheng patted his head. “You’re still young. A wooden sword suits you well.”

Ping’an nodded after hearing this and didn’t ask further.

Chen Changsheng taught him some simple sword techniques. They were just the most basic moves: thrusting, blocking, sweeping, advancing, and sword flourishes.

To learn the sword well, one must start from the basics.

Just mastering the basics might take almost a year of practice.

After that would come footwork, followed by specific sword forms and techniques. It sounded simple, but was actually hardest. To excel with the sword required both understanding and patience – much like any weapon in this world.

What mattered most was hard work, the very thing Ping’an still lacked.

Ruyi sat under the eaves, propping her chin with her hand, watching the big one and the little one practice sword.

She didn’t understand it, but thought it very interesting.

Ping’an looked quite funny holding the sword. Uncle Chen, however, was different, giving a mighty feeling.

Maybe it was just because Ping’an was too small.

After teaching for a while, Chen Changsheng had Ping’an practice on his own.

Ruyi scooted closer. She asked, “Uncle Chen, how long will it take for Ping’an to really learn it?”

“To truly learn…” Chen Changsheng said. “Perhaps a very, very long time.”

“It sounds like it really will be a long time then.”

It seemed Ruyi could understand Uncle Chen’s words now.

She thought it was probably because she had grown up.

She watched Ping’an practice, but soon, her mind started to wander.

She remembered the book that wrote without ink and couldn’t help looking at Uncle Chen again.

Ruyi asked, “Uncle Chen, are you an immortal?”

She had asked this very question three years ago.

Chen Changsheng now knew he couldn’t easily trick her. He thought about how to answer, but after a long while, said this:

“Uncle isn’t an immortal. Uncle’s a little ghost. If Ruyi keeps asking, Uncle Chen will gobble you right up.”

Ruyi froze, looking at Mr. Chen with disbelief.

She never expected Uncle Chen to answer her like that.

Ruyi pouted and said, “Uncle Chen is lying!”

“Just tricking a child.”

“Ruyi isn’t a child.”

“You are.”

“Am not!”

“Alright, then you’re not.”

“Aiyah!”

Ruyi grabbed her hair. “That wasn’t what we were talking about! How come Uncle Chen is cheating!”

“Am I?”

“Yes!”

“Alright then, I guess I am.”

“…”

Ruyi folded her arms and stood to the side, not wanting to talk to Uncle Chen anymore.

He bullied children.

Chen Changsheng glanced at her and saw Ruyi seething for a moment before squatting down, picking up rocks and throwing them randomly, as if venting her anger.

“Only little kids throw rocks around.”

“…”

Ruyi paused, then tossed the rocks in her hand away. She just squatted there, arms wrapped around herself, doing nothing, saying nothing.

“Bully.”

“Bully kids.”

“Ruyi is NOT a kid!”

“Oh.”

Ruyi gave a little hmph, turned her head away, and refused to speak anymore.

Chen Changsheng thought for a moment, unwrapped an oiled paper packet on the table, glanced at the preserved fruits inside, picked out a melon strip, and started eating.

Ruyi glanced at it from the corner of her eye.

She saw Uncle Chen eating it with great relish and wasn’t sure what it was.

But still, it looked really tasty.

Chen Changsheng picked up another melon strip. “Want some, Ruyi?”

“Ruyi doesn’t want it.”

“Alright, no matter then.”

So Chen Changsheng ate it himself.

Ping’an saw this and smacked his lips. “Can Ping’an try?”

Ruyi glared at Ping’an.

Ping’an shuddered, then gave a dry laugh. “No, I won’t…”

He was still more afraid of his elder sister’s fists.

Chen Changsheng watched Ping’an train, eating the preserved fruit, and occasionally gave instructions.

“Don’t let your hand shake! Hold it up straight!”

“Yes.”

Ping’an answered, training even harder.

By now, he realized learning the sword wasn’t easy.

But so what? Since he was little, he hadn’t feared anything. He’d copied that entire book word for word, so what was learning the sword?

This is what Ping’an thought at the time. Later, however, he discovered practicing sword was much harder than writing!

The sweet scent of the preserved fruit drifted over to Ruyi.

She sniffed, her curiosity rising. But because she was still sulking, she didn’t say anything, just bottled it up inside.

Kids often act like that.

But in the end, Ruyi still couldn’t resist.

As the sun began to set, Ruyi shuffled over while squatting, moving closer to Chen Changsheng.

“What’s a melon strip? Is it tasty?”

Chen Changsheng turned to look at the squatted figure. He smiled, then selected a melon strip from the oiled paper packet and offered it to Ruyi.

Ruyi smacked her lips. Clearly wanting it, but she stubbornly said, “Ruyi didn’t ask for it! Uncle Chen gave it to Ruyi.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Chen Changsheng nodded with a laugh.

Ruyi took the melon strip and put it in her mouth.

The powdered sugar on the melon strip dissolved on her tongue, its sweetness spreading between her teeth.

Ruyi instantly froze.

So delicious! So sweet!

Chen Changsheng asked, “Haven’t you tried this before, Ruyi?”

Ruyi shook her head. She’d never eaten a melon strip. However, she said, “Ruyi has eaten peach cakes. They are sweet too, but not as sweet as melon strips.”

Chen Changsheng said, “This is called preserved fruit. That’s the general name. Melon strips are just one kind. Peach cakes are probably a type too.”

“Oh, so it’s called preserved fruit.” Ruyi hadn’t heard that name before.

Qingshan City didn’t have many types of preserved fruit, and few ate it, probably because of that.

“Want more, Ruyi?” Chen Changsheng asked.

Ruyi was about to say yes, but stopped herself. She said, “Ruyi doesn’t want it anymore. It’s not delicious.”

Chen Changsheng laughed. “Alright then.”

Ping’an, practicing his sword moves, smacked his lips. He glanced at his elder sister.

Ruyi caught his look. “Ping’an can’t have any either.”

Ping’an sighed in resignation and just intensified his practice.

His elder sister was good in many ways, just too fierce.

She definitely won’t ever find a husband, hmph.

As night approached, Chen Changsheng let Ping’an rest for the day. He’d practiced for less than half a watch, and his arms were already trembling. He’d continue tomorrow.

The wooden sword stayed in the courtyard. Ruyi left looking quite unhappy, probably still angry.

Once Ruyi was gone, Ping’an scooted close to Chen Changsheng. “Uncle Chen? Elder Sister has a big temper, but Ping’an is different. Ping’an’s much better behaved.”

“So, can Ping’an try some preserved fruit?”

Chen Changsheng pointed at the preserved fruit on the table. “Don’t take too many. Eating too much will rot your teeth.”

“Thank you, Uncle Chen!”

Just as he said that, a voice came from outside the gate.

“Ping’an! I heard that!”

“Huh?!”

“My bad, elder sister! I wouldn’t dare! I wouldn’t dare!”

Ruyi led Ping’an away by the ear. Ping’an clutched a few pieces of preserved fruit in his hand as they left.

Though later, Ruyi snatched more than half of it away.