Her voice was clear and bright. She held her neck slightly raised, like a proud swan.
"Why are you here again?"
"You come to my house to freeload every month. I can let that slide, but this time you brought another one with you."
"Truly shameless."
The proud girl turned up her nose, looking at Fang Yue and the other as if they were poor country relatives.
"You… you… you…"
Fang Ergou's face flushed red with anger at her words. He huffed and puffed, but his clumsy tongue couldn't form a retort.
"You can't even speak properly. Go play on the side."
Zhang Shu shoved Fang Ergou aside. Her strength was immense. Although Fang Ergou was taller and larger than her, he couldn't even last a single move against her.
She looked at Fang Yue, her gaze landing on his face. She was slightly taken aback. 'This kid is actually pretty handsome.'
But she still didn't hold back. "I saw my dad give you those silver coins just now. How about this: let's have a match. If you lose, you give me those silver coins."
Zhang Shu was filled with fighting spirit, eager for a challenge.
"No match, no match." Fang Yue shook his head. He wasn't about to fall for this young lady's trap.
He hadn't learned a single thing yet. He wasn't even a match for Ergou, and this girl was even stronger than Ergou.
He'd have to be a fool to fight her.
'Isn't that just asking for a beating!'
Besides, even putting all that aside, if he fought a girl and lost, it would be humiliating.
And if he won, there'd be no glory in it.
No matter how he looked at it, it was a losing proposition. He would not compete with this girl.
She seemed surprised that Fang Yue would be so straightforward and flat-out refuse to fight.
Zhang Shu was stunned for a moment, unable to stop herself from looking Fang Yue up and down.
"You… you're a real coward. Ergou, where did you find such a timid country bumpkin? How shameless."
Just then, Zhang Baiyang's voice came from the main hall.
"Shu'Er, are you being naughty again? Hurry and bring your two junior brothers inside. It's time to eat."
"I know, Dad."
Zhang Shu replied in a sweet voice, a smile blooming on her face like a lotus about to blossom, beautiful and captivating.
She blinked at Fang Yue and said, "Junior brothers, it's time to eat."
"Oh…"
Fang Yue and Fang Ergou replied in unison and followed Zhang Shu into the main hall.
In the main hall, a table was already laden with dishes.
Four meat dishes and six vegetable dishes—a very sumptuous spread.
The sight, smell, and taste were all perfect.
Although the dishes were simple, they were exquisitely prepared, clearly the work of an extraordinary chef.
It was clear the Zhang Family was quite particular about their food.
"Sit, sit everyone."
They were all martial artists, so there wasn't a need for so many strict rules.
Besides, Zhang Baiyang doted on his daughter. Rules like "women cannot eat at the main table" didn't exist in the Zhang Family.
Fang Ergou had long since sat down eagerly at the table. The moment the two elders gave their permission, he began to wolf down his food.
"Junior Brother Fang, hurry and try this stir-fried pork with dried bamboo shoots. It's absolutely first-class."
Zhang Shu called out, smiling kindly at Fang Yue, showing none of her earlier imperious attitude.
One could only say that women are natural-born actresses, their expressions changing faster than one can flip through a book.
Fang Yue didn't stand on ceremony either. He picked up a piece with his chopsticks and began to chew.
It really was delicious.
The food was delicious, and he ate with gusto. He quickly finished a large bowl of rice.
A jar of wine was also brought out, and Fang Yue and Fang Ergou had no choice but to drink some with the two elders.
This was also Fang Yue's first time drinking alcohol, so he only took small sips.
But when Zhang Shu saw this, she found Fang Yue even more displeasing.
"Go get a bowl of rice for your two junior brothers," Zhang Baiyang said to Zhang Shu.
"Okay, I know, Dad."
Zhang Shu obediently agreed, then got up from her seat and went to the kitchen.
By this time, Fang Yue had also drunk a bowl of wine.
He felt the need to relieve himself, so he excused himself from the two elders and went out.
Just as he was coming back from the latrine, he saw Zhang Shu in the kitchen, continuously adding something to a bowl.
As he got a little closer, he saw Zhang Shu holding some chili paste, adding it spoonful by spoonful into the bowl. Finally, she covered the chili paste with a layer of rice.
Once she was done, she muttered under her breath, "Hmph, I'll teach you to freeload food and wine. I'll burn your mouth off… burn your mouth off…"
Seeing this, Fang Yue couldn't help but look at Zhang Shu's delicate face and make a heavy mental note.
'Without a doubt, that doctored bowl of rice is for me.'
'Just because I wouldn't fight her? Does she really need to retaliate like this?!'
'Truly, women and petty men are difficult to deal with!'
~~~~~~
Fang Yue immediately and quietly slipped away.
Not long after he returned to his seat, he drank another cup of wine with the two elders, then took the opportunity to pretend he couldn't hold his liquor and slumped onto the table.
"Ergou, help your Junior Brother Fang to his room to rest."
Seeing this, Zhang Baiyang immediately said to Ergou.
Fang Ergou and Fang Yue then left the table, leaving only Fang Hu and Zhang Baiyang to drink together.
And just at that moment, Zhang Shu came in with two bowls of rice, her smile as radiant as a flower.
"Dad, where are the two junior brothers?"
Seeing the situation in the room, Zhang Shu was dumbfounded and quickly asked.
"They went to rest. You came at the perfect time, Mr. Fang and I are hungry."
Zhang Baiyang told his daughter to give the rice to the two of them.
"Shu'Er, what's wrong? What are you staring at?"
Seeing that Zhang Shu hadn't moved for a while, Zhang Baiyang went up and took the rice bowls from her himself. He gave one to Fang Hu and kept one for himself.
"Ah, Dad, I just remembered, I have something to do. I'm going to step out for a bit."
At this point, Zhang Shu snapped out of it. Seeing her own father holding that specially doctored bowl of rice and about to eat it, she quickly made an excuse.
Then, without waiting for Zhang Baiyang's reply, she hurried away.
"This child, always so impetuous. How will she ever find a good husband's family in the future?" Zhang Baiyang shook his head and chuckled.
"Haha, Shu'Er is a bright child with great talent. Her future accomplishments will certainly be extraordinary. Senior Brother, why worry so much?" Fang Hu chimed in.
Zhang Baiyang agreed on this point.
His daughter's Talent was indeed excellent. In the future, her cultivation on the Martial Dao might even surpass his own. When that time came, she would naturally be able to support the family.
Thinking of this, Zhang Baiyang immediately took a large mouthful of rice.
"Shu'Er!"
"You wretched girl, it's burning me alive~"
~~~~~~
By the time Fang Ergou had helped Fang Yue to the guest room at the Zhang Family's estate, Fang Yue had already "woken up."
"Zhi," Ergou said, "did you hear that? Sounded like someone shouting 'it's burning me alive!'"
"No, you must have misheard." Fang Yue naturally knew what was happening, but he had to play dumb.
"I didn't? I think I really heard it!" Fang Ergou scratched his head. 'Oh well, whoever got burned by the spice…'
'Chilies are so expensive. To make it that spicy, how much must they have used!'