"I suppose I don't need to kneel then," Zhu Changwang said with a smile. "But you still need to call me Big Brother."
"Big Brother," Dingding didn't need any more prompting. He turned to Zhu Changning and called him "Second Brother," then quickly greeted Grandmother and Mother.
The Zhu family didn't laugh at his eagerness, out of affection for him. Zhu Changle didn't laugh either, because she understood him.
After breakfast, Zhu Maonian said, "We'll rest here for a day. Everyone should take it easy."
No one objected. Zhu Changle shrugged nonchalantly, but before she could even start to feel smug, she received a smack on the shoulder. She looked pitifully at her mother, the culprit. "You've never even trained, how can you hit so hard?"
Lady Zhang glared at her. "Act like a proper young lady for once!"
Zhu Changle pouted. The one hitting people wasn't acting very ladylike either!
Lady Zhang ignored her and turned to Dingding with a kind smile. "You must not have been eating or sleeping well these past few days. Take a good rest today. If there's anything you're not comfortable telling us, just tell Changle. Don't be shy, alright?"
"Yes, Mother."
Zhu Changle almost called her mother a stutterer but swallowed the words. Getting hit again in front of Dingding would be too embarrassing.
Everyone dispersed. Zhu Changle, holding Dingding's hand, escorted Grandmother back to her room. She was about to find a place to chat with Dingding when Zhu Changning called out to her.
Dingding, remembering the unkind words Changning's wife had said to Changle the night before, flashed a grin similar to Changle's and walked away.
Zhu Changning, looking a bit uncomfortable, said, "Do you... want to hold the baby?"
"No, no, that's okay. I've never held a baby before. What if I drop him? I'd be the family criminal!" Changle waved her hands.
"Your Second Sister-in-law just had a baby, so she's overly protective. She can't bear to see him hurt at all. Don't take what she said to heart. She didn't mean it."
"Second Brother, you should stick to quoting books. I don't like seeing you like this," Zhu Changle said, circling her brother who was stumbling over his words. She teased, "You have to placate your wife, Mother, Grandmother, and your little sister. It's too much for you, isn't it?"
"Not at all."
"Oh, come on. Your face looks so sour you could squeeze juice out of it," Zhu Changle snorted. "I'm magnanimous. I won't hold it against Second Sister-in-law. After all, he's my nephew. That's a fact that can't be changed. When he's old enough to run and jump, I'll take him roof-hopping. Who among you could catch us? We'll see if he doesn't want to play with me then."
Zhu Changning's face remained impassive, but he was truly relieved. As long as Changle didn't hold a grudge, the matter was settled.
With his worries resolved, Zhu Changning couldn't help but lecture, "What do you mean, taking your nephew roof-hopping? Can't you teach him something good? If you really lead the child astray, you'll see what I..."
"What will you do? Can you even catch me?" Zhu Changle interrupted, making a face before running off. Indeed, this version of her Second Brother was much more pleasing to the eye.
Looking up, she saw Dingding sitting on the roof, eavesdropping. She leaped up and gave him a kick. "If you're going to eavesdrop so openly, why did you run away earlier?"
"I'm just a rough fellow. I feel uncomfortable around scholars," Dingding replied.
"What's wrong with scholars? I know all those characters they use. I can do martial arts that they probably can't. Haven't you heard the saying 'All book learning and no practical skills makes a useless scholar'?" Then, remembering something, Zhu Changle covered her mouth and crawled to the edge of the roof to look down. Patting her chest in relief, she said, "I forgot Big Brother is a scholar too. Good thing he didn't hear that."
Dingding laughed so hard he almost fell over. "So there are people you're afraid of!"
"How can you call it fear? It's respect! I respect my Big Brother the most."
Dingding clicked his tongue a couple of times, no longer discussing the Zhu family members. After all, they were his new family now. He shouldn't gossip about them.
"What are your plans for later?" he asked.
"I'm thinking of using Lan Ping's influence when she arrives. You and she can escort my father by water, while Aunt Feng and I continue on the official road as a diversion."
Dingding considered this and nodded. "That's one way to do it. Those people won't expect you to have a little princess from the Boating Guild as an ally. But there are still risks."
"It's just a preliminary idea. When Lan Ping arrives, I'll discuss it with Big Brother to see if it's feasible." Meeting Dingding's gaze, Zhu Changle winked and leaned in to whisper, "Let me tell you a secret. In our family, Big Brother is actually the one in charge!"
Dingding thought back to the frail Big Brother, thin and always smiling gently from his wheelchair. Who knew he was so formidable!
"If it weren't for Big Brother standing on my side and helping me convince Father and Mother back then, I would never have been able to follow my master," Changle added.
"Speaking of that," Dingding suddenly remembered, "I can't believe you hid from me that you're from an official's family. Just wait until Little Lid gets here. We'll team up and teach you a lesson."
Zhu Changle cracked her knuckles loudly, grinning mischievously. Taking advantage of Dingding's distraction, she flipped him onto his back and pinned him down with one knee. "Then I'd better deal with you before Little Lid arrives."
"Zhu Changle, you're taking advantage when I'm not prepared! You're despicable! Shameless!"
"Is this your first day knowing me? You're just now realizing I'm shameless? Keep insulting me! Don't stop!"
"Let me go! I'm going to turn on you!"
"Go ahead, I'd like to see you try."
"I really will!" Dingding finally found an opening and jabbed Changle's pressure point with his Dog-Beating Stick. That split second was enough for him to flip their positions.
"Haha! How's that, Little Zhu? That'll teach you to be smug... Ah! Zhu Changle, you're so underhanded!"
"Who's underhanded? I'm the father of underhanded..."
The two continued their playful fight on the rooftop. Below, some people were amused, some were exasperated, and others were displeased. Grandmother simply had someone bring out a chair so she could sit outside and enjoy the show.
Lady Zhang shook her head in exasperation, but she was smiling. "Listen to them. What nonsense they're spouting."
"It's good. Look how happy Changle is," Grandmother replied.
Just hearing that laughter, you could tell it was genuine joy. Lady Zhang's lips curved upward. Changle always told her about the interesting things that happened outside when she came home, but no amount of stories could compare to seeing her daughter laugh so freely with her own eyes. This way, she knew Changle was truly happy out there.
Yes, it was good indeed.
Although being demoted should have been a bitter and frustrating experience, Lady Zhang found that there hadn't been much of those feelings on this journey. Instead, she had mostly been both amused and exasperated by that little mischief-maker.
"Mother, Dingding is bullying me!" Zhu Changle called out as she ran in circles on the roof, being chased by Dingding. Her laughter betrayed any notion of actually being bullied.
Dingding, newly inducted into the Zhu family, was a bit anxious about being disliked. He was about to explain that he wasn't bullying her when he heard Mother's amused voice, "My eyes work just fine. I can see that you're the one bullying Ziming. Ziming, don't go easy on her. When you need to fight back, do it. We can't let her bully us."
That "us" hit Dingding's heart like a ray of sunshine breaking through clouds, bright and warm. He responded cheerfully, "Yes, Mother! Little Zhu, did you hear that? Mother said we can't let you bully us. You just wait!"
Zhu Maonian came out of the house, hands clasped behind his back, watching the two laughing and playing on the roof. The sunlight was just right. It was a beautiful day.