The equipment for Chupu was kept in Helan Pei's courtyard, not brought out, so Zisu had to go back to get it.
Only Lu Shuo and Helan Pei remained in the pavilion.
The koi in the pond, seeing no more fish food, gradually dispersed, and the water returned to calm.
For a moment, there was no sound of water, no birdsong, no insects chirping—only the gentle breeze rustling the paper on the table.
Sitting together in silence wasn't ideal. Helan Pei thought maybe she should say something more, but she feared he wouldn't understand her writing and embarrass them both, so she didn't pick up the pen.
Since she didn't take the initiative, Lu Shuo naturally wouldn't either.
They sat like statues, pretending to admire the scenery, until Zisu returned with the game set.
As soon as she came back, both of them perked up.
Zisu spread the game board and explained the rules to Lu Shuo in detail. Seeing that he only half understood, she smiled and said, "The rules are a bit complicated, but you'll get better with practice. Just give it a try, Young Master. This servant will help you along the way."
Helan Pei went first. She threw the set of five sticks, revealing different patterns. This combination must have been good, because Lu Shuo saw Helan Pei couldn't help but smile, her eyes curving. As she leaned down to move her pieces, her long eyelashes caught a stray strand of hair.
After she finished her move, she raised her hand to brush away the strand and gestured that it was Lu Shuo's turn.
Lu Shuo picked up the sticks, clumsily imitating her actions, and threw them. Zisu leaned in to look and whispered what the pattern meant and how he should move.
After all, they were still children. Soon, Lu Shuo's attention shifted from Helan Pei to the game itself. He gradually began to find some enjoyment in it. Winning the game depended half on luck and half on strategy—there was the thrill of the unknown and a certain degree of control, which explained why people gambled on it; it was indeed addictive.
He had no overall plan and just moved based on luck. Occasionally, he would throw an excellent pattern and capture one of Helan Pei's pieces, but since his overall strategy was chaotic—he couldn't set traps or see hers—he ended up losing two rounds in a row.
He felt a bit dissatisfied, thinking that he was a beginner and she was a veteran, so losing to her was normal. If he just got a bit more familiar, he would definitely have a chance to win.
He was too impatient and ended up losing a third game.
Zisu noticed his sour expression and couldn't help but laugh. "Young Master Lu, it's just a game. Take it easy. This servant and the others often lose to the Miss."
This reminded Helan Pei that she hadn't played in a while and had gotten a bit carried away, beating Lu Shuo three times in a row. That was too harsh for a beginner. What if he got angry and ran off?
So in the fourth game, Helan Pei held back. Although luck seemed to favor her based on the throws, Lu Shuo ended up reaching the finish line first.
With his limited gaming experience, Lu Shuo couldn't tell she was holding back. He just knew he had won, albeit confused.
He finally cheered up, but seeing that Helan Pei wasn't upset by her loss, he grew a little suspicious: had she let him win on purpose? Or was she just that generous?
Lu Shuo glanced at the sky and decided to quit while he was ahead. As Zisu was tidying the board, he ventured, "Maybe... we should stop here? Tianqing should be back by now. I need to go study."
But Zisu said, "No worries. This servant passed by your courtyard earlier and told Laishou that you were playing with our Miss. If Tianqing returns with the books, he'll come to the garden to find us. He hasn't shown up yet, so he must not be back."
Having a new person to play with the Miss was rare—they had to make the most of it! Studying? That wasn't her concern.
Lu Shuo: "..."
He opened his mouth but didn't dare argue. Instead, Helan Pei wrote on the paper: [Stop playing. Let him go.]
Zisu said, "Alright, the Miss says we'll stop. Then we stop. Young Master Lu, please go ahead."
"Then... I'll take my leave." Lu Shuo stood up and walked out. But after a few steps, he inexplicably stopped and turned back to look at Helan Pei.
Zisu was surprised. "What is it?"
Lu Shuo stood at the bottom of the steps, bathed in warm sunlight. He tilted his head slightly, looking up at Helan Pei, who was shrouded in the shadow of the pavilion, and mustered his courage. "I want to ask... Won't studying together with the Miss affect you?"
Helan Pei was taken aback.
She hadn't expected Lu Shuo to ask so directly. She frowned slightly, as if thinking about how to answer.
Lu Shuo clutched the hem of his clothes and said softly, "The master and madam were worried that I couldn't keep up with the Imperial Academy, so they arranged for me to stay in the mansion for basic education. I'm very grateful. But if this is causing trouble for the Miss, I'll go tell them and ask to change the time or let me attend another school... In any case, I'm a slow learner. I can't afford to hold the Miss back."
Helan Pei pressed her lips together, picked up the charcoal pencil, and began to write. This time, she wrote a bit slowly, perhaps deliberating over her words. When she finished, she handed it to Zisu.
Zisu said, "The Miss says: 'I agreed to this. Don't overthink it. Just focus on your lessons. Thank you for playing a few rounds with me today. As a gesture of reciprocity, if you have any questions after class in the future, you can come and ask me.'"
Now it was Lu Shuo's turn to be stunned.
The Young Masters and Misses of the Duke Mansion all seemed to have a tendency to be "eager to teach." Yesterday, Helan Rong had said the same thing—if there was anything he didn't understand at the Imperial Academy, he could ask him—and then ended up arguing with Helan Chang about who had worse grades.
"Our Miss is very smart. Even the Eldest Young Master said that if the Miss could attend the Imperial Academy, she would definitely learn faster than the Second and Third Young Masters!" Zisu said proudly.
Although this bordered on impertinence and teasing the Young Masters, since it was true and praised their own Miss, no one would hold it against her.
"...Alright, and thank you for your consideration, Miss." Lu Shuo bowed his head. "I'll be going now."
He turned and quickly walked down the steps, retracing his path back.
The koi swam leisurely in the pond. Lu Shuo couldn't help but look back again and saw Helan Pei still sitting in the pavilion, watching him. His heart trembled. Not daring to look at her again, he hurried back in a light jog.
On the way, he ran into Tianqing, who was looking for him.
"Young Master, I was just about to find you!" Tianqing smiled and then peered behind him. "Laishou said you were playing with the Fourth Miss?"
Lu Shuo said, "I was a bit tired from studying and went for a walk in the garden. I didn't expect the Fourth Miss to be there, so she asked me to play with her for a while."
Tianqing said, "The Fourth Miss didn't ask you to play Chupu, did she?"
Lu Shuo was surprised. "How did you know? Have you played with her before?"
"Not at all. This servant hasn't had that honor." Tianqing said. "I just saw the Eldest Young Master play with her a few times..."
Suddenly realizing he had let something slip, Tianqing quickly glanced at Lu Shuo. Seeing no reaction—perhaps he hadn't caught the loophole—he continued, "But the Fourth Miss is very good at Chupu. Only the master, madam, and the Eldest Young Master can hold their own against her. The Second and Third Young Masters, as well as the maids, are no match for her. When they get frustrated, they have to beg her to go easy on them."
Lu Shuo paused in his steps.