Chapter Twenty: Extreme Joy

"Mother?"

Wang Heng paused for a moment before realizing that when Lou Dalang said "Mother," he meant his stepmother, Madam Cui, not her own birth mother, Madam Jiang.

She crouched down carefully, inching closer to that half-piece of honeycomb and inhaling deeply. Sure enough, the familiar scent of honey filled her nose.

"You gave half of it to my mother?"

But why?

Lou Dalang didn't seem the type to bother with such gestures. Wang Heng was certain that the two times Lou Dalang had brought her gifts, it wasn't out of generosity, but rather to tease her.

But Madam Cui was different. She was an elder, the matriarch of the Wang family, and a relative by marriage to the Lou family.

Lou Dalang... Oh, right. She recalled hearing from Nurse Fu that the Dowager Madam Cui of the Lou family was not Lou Dalang's paternal grandmother, but rather his step-grandmother. The Dowager and Madam Cui were, in fact, aunt and niece by blood. Could it be that Lou Dalang bore a grudge against Madam Cui on account of the Dowager?

All sorts of guesses flickered through Wang Heng's young mind, but she never suspected that she herself might be involved in the matter.

"That's right! I was helping you get revenge!"

Seeing Wang Heng's plump little face etched with suspicion and confusion—so adorable that words couldn't do it justice—Lou Dalang couldn't help himself and revealed the truth.

"Get revenge for me?"

Wang Heng's eyes opened wide, her already round almond-shaped eyes growing even larger, filled with innocence and wonder.

Her gaze seemed to ask silently: What does your gift to Madam Cui have to do with me?

Her expression was so transparent, so clear, that even as a child, one could see through her thoughts at a glance.

Lou Dalang bristled, suddenly standing up on the wall, causing sharp gasps from beyond.

"Dalang! Careful!"

"Steady there, Dalang, don't move around!"

The gasps were mixed with exclamations from the servants.

But Lou Dalang paid them no heed. He glared at Wang Heng, saying irritably, "Hey, chubby girl, how can you be so ungrateful?"

"Isn't Madam Cui your stepmother? Weren't you sent to this manor because of her?"

It was one thing for Madam Cui to plot against the chubby girl, but to try and pin the blame on him as well?

Lou Dalang didn't care much about his reputation, but he would never let someone accuse him of something he didn't do.

As always, Lou Dalang might be wild, but he was no fool.

On the contrary, he was exceedingly clever.

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His mischief was so artful that no fool could ever pull it off.

Lou Dalang was well aware that he didn't enjoy a good reputation outside.

Mischievous, incorrigible, a scoundrel, a disgrace to his father... Lou Dalang didn't mind, but he would not let anyone use his bad name for their own schemes.

"Very well! They call me unruly, domineering, a bully—I might as well live up to the name!"

Since Madam Cui tried to use him, he would return the favor with a grand gift.

Even with people protecting her, swarming bees sent Madam Cui into a frenzy of panic.

In the chaos of evading the bees, she stumbled and fell hard to the ground.

Blood pooled around her instantly.

Most children, even the wild ones, would panic or feel guilty if their prank went too far.

But not Lou Dalang.

That morning, at the Wang estate, just as now, he had sat atop the wall watching the spectacle.

Seeing Madam Cui shrieking and running aimlessly, and then the bloodstain left behind, he felt no fear—only a strange, secret thrill.

It was as if some seal within him had been stirred, restless and eager to break free.

Watching the pandemonium in the magistrate's rear yard, the cries, the screams, the moans, Lou Dalang felt no guilt or unease.

When the show was over and he grew bored, he ran outside the city to tease the chubby girl some more.

"My mother is indeed my stepmother, but coming to the manor was my father's decision!"

Wang Heng raised her head. Though she didn't understand why Lou Dalang spoke of "revenge," she replied softly.

Her voice was gentle, sweet, still tinged with the innocence of childhood—a sound that made anyone who heard it feel delight.

Amazingly, Lou Dalang's sudden fierce temper seemed soothed.

He stared at Wang Heng for a long moment, then smiled faintly. "You, chubby girl, are quite perceptive!"

She knew exactly who the real culprit was.

Madam Cui did want Wang Heng out of the Wang household and even enlisted her own aunt's help.

But the final decision—and the command to send Wang Heng to the manor—had not been Madam Cui's, but Wang Lin's.

If it came to legal responsibility, Wang Lin was the chief instigator; Madam Cui was, at most, an accomplice.

A strange light flashed in Lou Dalang's eyes. The chubby girl, soft and seemingly simple, was actually shrewd.

She understood everything, and she knew where to place the blame.

"And besides, I wasn't banished to the manor—I came to play! My father already transferred the property into my name."

Wang Heng beamed, her whole being brimming with joy and satisfaction.

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She didn't forget to invite Lou Dalang. “Brother, this manor is mine now; you’re welcome to visit anytime.”

“...Brother, you should come down. You’re standing so high up, I have to crane my neck just to talk to you. My—my neck is starting to hurt.”

As she finished, Wang Heng pouted, her doughy white cheeks tinged with a trace of grievance.

Lou Dalang thought: well, that’s new!

Whenever others tried to stop him from doing something, they always warned him of the consequences, feigning concern for his well-being, even if they secretly wished for his downfall.

But this chubby girl wanted him to come down—not for his sake, but because she was tired of looking up at him!

Had Wang Heng been plainer or dimmer, Lou Dalang would have ignored her entirely.

Yet this girl inexplicably charmed him, especially at this moment; he even felt she was being coquettish.

Very well. Since she was ‘asking’ him, he would graciously oblige.

“You rascal! Get down here this instant!”

Lou Dalang bent down, about to climb off using the human ladder the servants had formed, when a thunderous roar sounded nearby.

It seemed to come from the path beyond the courtyard wall.

Even with the barrier, Wang Heng was startled.

The voice was so loud, so charged with anger, so chilling with murderous intent.

Just from the sound, Wang Heng couldn't help but wonder: is this person really going to hit someone?

And Lou Dalang—he was still on the wall. Would he be so frightened he’d fall?

“Brother, be careful!”

Wang Heng called out as the thought struck her.

No sooner had the words left her mouth than there was a thump—Lou Dalang toppled right off the high wall.

“Dalang!”

“Young master!”

He tumbled toward the outside, and the servants scrambled in panic, reaching out to catch their ‘young lord descending from the heavens.’

Wang Heng thought: ...I can't see a thing. Maybe I should try climbing the wall too?

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