Zhao Huanxi told Xu Nian’an about his encounter with Qian Ming at the Imperial Academy today, skipping the part about Qian Ming approaching him to ask him to play a nandan.

Xu Nian’an listened, thought carefully and said, “From what I hear, this Qian Gongzi seems like a decent person. However, I can’t help but feel that his attentiveness to you might have some ulterior motive. So, don’t go alone with him to secluded places or go out with him alone. Just interact with him normally when others are around.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huanxi knew she had misunderstood, but he felt too embarrassed to explain, so he just nodded awkwardly.

At this moment, Mingli returned with five cooked eggs. Xu Nian’an then took an unembroidered blank round fan and handed it to Zhao Huanxi, instructing him to throw according to the fan’s pattern to practice his aim, ensuring that he would hit his target with a single blow tomorrow.

Although the maidservants didn’t know what the young couple was up to, it didn’t stop them from watching the excitement. For a while, laughter and joy filled Shenhui Courtyard.

Xiaowei also lived up to expectations. After searching for more than two hours, the people she sent to find three rotten eggs outside the residence finally came back.

Xu Nian’an and Zhao Huanxi sat at the table, their four eyes staring at the three raw eggs in the plate on the table.

Zhao Huanxi couldn’t figure it out and asked Xu Nian’an uncertainly, “Are they really stinks?”

“Well, since there are three, why not try cracking one to see?” Xu Nian’an suggested.

“Okay.” Zhao Huanxi picked up one egg to crack it, but Xu Nian’an was startled and exclaimed, “Don’t crack it in the room!” She quickly got up and pulled him outside.

Zhao Huanxi cracked one egg on the corridor, and as soon as he cracked a bit of the shell, the smell…

“Ugh!” Zhao Huanxi almost vomited on the spot. He quickly threw the egg away, covered his nose, and ran to the door of the room.

Xu Nian’an also covered her nose and said, “It seems like it’s really a stinky egg.” She quickly instructed the maid to dispose of the egg.

Back in the room, she found a small box and asked Mingli to find some cotton. She wrapped the remaining two smelly eggs in cotton and placed them neatly in the box. She said to Zhao Huanxi, “See this? Use this tomorrow, give that despicable guy a good hit on the head, no need to be polite.”

“En!” Zhao Huanxi suppressed a smile and nodded.

That night, Zhao Huanxi was so excited about throwing the stinky eggs at Zhu Zhifu the next day that he tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.

Xu Nian’an was used to sleeping with her back to him and didn’t move around much.

When Zhao Huanxi turned over, he saw her back, her long black hair winding between their pillows.

He quietly looked at her for a while and called in a low voice, “Dong Jiejie.”

Xu Nian’an didn’t respond, perhaps already asleep.

He quietly extended his hand from under the quilt, reaching towards her long hair between the pillows, intending to gently touch it. But just as his fingers were about to make contact (with her hair), he hesitated and stopped.

After a while, he withdrew his hand, looked at her, and gradually felt calm. He slowly closed his eyes.

✦

The next morning, as usual, Xu Nian’an accompanied Zhao Huanxi to the gate.

“The eggs are too rotten; if you throw them at Zhu Zhifu, he might become fly into a rage out of humiliation. Remember, as long as he dares to lay a hand on you, you must fight back. Don’t let him injure you. From what you’ve said, he is quite the tyrant in the Imperial Academy. Once you show him who’s boss, no one will dare to bully you again. He’s just a playboy. You’re so tall, in a real fight, he might not be your match.” She advised Zhao Huanxi.

Zhao Huanxi nodded confidently, “Did he really think himself a tyrant? He’s just a nobody. I’m not afraid of him!”

Xu Nian’an smiled and said, “I believe you. Get on the carriage.”

After Zhao Huanxi got on the carriage, Xu Nian’an, still feeling uneasy, instructed Zhiyi, “Take San Yé to the Imperial Academy. Don’t rush back immediately. Wait outside the gate.” She took out a piece of silver from her purse and handed it to him, saying, “Buy yourself some food for lunch nearby while you wait for San Yé, just in case anything happens.”

Zhiyi acknowledged and left.

Zhao Huanxi arrived at the Imperial Academy and had no trouble in the morning. At noon, when he went to the dining hall and had a little food, he took out the small box from his pocket.

“I’ve noticed something bulging in your pocket for a while. What’s that?” Qian Ming, sitting next to him, leaned over and asked.

Zhao Huanxi turned to look at Zhu Zhifu, who was sitting back-to-back with him, and whispered, “Rotten eggs.”

Qian Ming, excited, punched Zhao Huanxi playfully and said, “I didn’t expect you to have this trick up your sleeve. Come come come, give me one. I’ll help you throw it at him.”

Zhao Huanxi carefully handed one to him and said, “Be careful, it’s really smelly.”

“I got it. Ready? On the count of three, we throw together,” Qian Ming said cheerfully, weighing the stinky egg in his hand.

Amidst the expectant gaze of their fellow students at the same table, the two of them simultaneously smashed two smelly eggs onto Zhu Zhifu’s head.

The greenly-yellow egg yolk splattered all over his head and body, releasing a foul stench that made almost everyone in the dining hall jump up.

“Yuck! Zhu Zhifu, did you eat poop? It’s so stinky!” Qian Ming exaggeratedly exclaimed, pinching his nose.

Their table burst into laughter.

Zhu Zhifu, looking at Zhao Huanxi, who was laughing particularly heartily among the group, couldn’t contain his anger. He cursed, “F*ck your mother! You’re looking for death!” and then rushed towards Zhao Huanxi.

This time, it wasn’t just a verbal argument like yesterday; it escalated to physical violence. The two groups started fighting, and chaos erupted in the dining hall, with benches overturned, tables flipped, and dishes flying everywhere, creating a mess.

In the chaos, Zhao Huanxi was grabbed by Zhu Zhifu, who punched him in the face. The pain was unbearable, and the stench of the smelly egg on his body kept assaulting his nose. Feeling dizzy, Zhao Huanxi retaliated by grabbing Zhu Zhifu’s collar and punching him back in the face. After the punch, he felt his hand bones ache. In the confusion, he reached behind and grabbed something from the table, not knowing what it was, and swung it at Zhu Zhifu’s head, which was covered in smelly egg yolk.

A bowl shattered on Zhu Zhifu’s head, and bright red blood immediately gushed out.

Feeling the warmth on his cheek, Zhu Zhifu reached up and touched it, finding his hand covered in blood. He immediately rolled his eyes and collapsed to the ground.

“Oh no! Zhao Huanxi has beaten Zhu Zhifu to death!” someone shouted, and everyone in the dining hall stopped in shock, looking towards Zhao Huanxi and Zhu Zhifu.

Qian Ming was still struggling with someone when he heard the shout. He let go and looked back, seeing Zhu Zhifu lying on the ground covered in blood. His heart skipped a beat.

Zhao Huanxi was stunned, standing there motionless, completely shocked by what had happened.

He never intended to kill anyone.

In the tense silence, Qian Ming nudged the person next to him and said, “Go check if he’s still breathing.”

The person cautiously moved to Zhu Zhifu’s side, crouched down, and nervously extended a hand to feel in front of his nose. Then, looking up, he said, “He’s not dead, he’s still breathing!”

“What are you waiting for? Go quickly and call for help, get a doctor!” Qian Ming shouted loudly.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhifu’s followers began to move him and sought out the supervisor. The dining hall became chaotic.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Qian Ming pulled Zhao Huanxi out of the dining hall. As they walked quickly towards the gate of the Imperial Academy, he said, “He started the trouble and threw the first punch, but now he’s injured. The people from Cheng Guogong Residence are notorious for being unreasonable. If you stay here, you might be in trouble. It’s better to go home and hide first.”

“What about you?” Zhao Huanxi asked Qian Ming as they walked.

Qian Ming replied, “What does it have to do with me? I didn’t hit him.”

Zhao Huanxi: “……”

As they exited the gate of the Imperial Academy, Qian Ming was about to go find a carriage for Zhao Huanxi when Zhao Huanxi spotted Zhiyi.

“You go back first. I’ll take care of things here,” Qian Ming said to Zhao Huanxi.

“Thank you,” Zhao Huanxi replied, nodding to him.

“No need to thank me. About the nandan matter, if you…” Qian Ming’s words were cut off as Zhao Huanxi turned and disappeared into the carriage.

Qian Ming sighed and called out, “Be careful on the way!”

At the Jing Guogong Residence, Yin Furen had gone out, and Xu Nian’an had finished lunch and was about to take a nap when Zhao Huanxi returned.

Upon hearing his voice from the outer room, Xu Nian’an almost jumped off the bed. She hurriedly went to the outer room and saw him looking flustered and disheveled. She quickly pulled him into the inner room and told Yisu to close the door.

“What happened?” she asked him.

“I hit Zhu Zhifu on the head and he passed out. I took advantage of the chaos and ran back,” Zhao Huanxi said, panting.

“Is his life in danger?” Xu Nian’an asked anxiously.

“I don’t know. He was still alive when I left.”

“Don’t panic. Have a cup of tea first, and tell me everything in detail,” Xu Nian’an said, pulling him to sit at the table and pouring him a glass of cold tea.

After drinking the tea and calming down a bit, Zhao Huanxi began recounting the events from throwing the stinky eggs to Xu Nian’an in detail.

“The bowl isn’t heavy enough to smash someone’s skull. At most, it might damage some flesh,” Xu Nian’an said, trying to comfort Zhao Huanxi, although she was unsure herself.

Zhao Huanxi indeed seemed to relax a bit after hearing this.

Xu Nian’an went to open the door and called for Songyun, instructing her, “Quickly send someone to the front yard to find the person who serves Furen, and another one to the Central Army Commander Office to findGuogong Yé. Tell them that Cheng Guogong’s son had a conflict with our San Yé. The other party hit San Yé first, and then San Yé hit him back, breaking his head. Request him to come back and act as the mediator to San Yé. Let the person at the front yard keep an eye on things, and if there is any movement, report immediately. Also, have someone bring a basin of clean water, as San Yé needs to wash up.”

Songyun saw Zhao Huanxi coming back with a swollen face and dirty clothes, and she was feeling anxious. She was thinking about whether to send someone out of the mansion to notify Furen. After hearing Xu Nian’an’s instructions, she asked, “Don’t we need to notify Furen?”

“This matter cannot be resolved by Furen. First, go and inform Guogong Yé. As long as Guogong Yé returns, everything will be fine. There’s no hurry to inform Furen. Go quickly!”

After a while, the water was brought in, and Xu Nian’an personally helped Zhao Huanxi change and wash up. Last time, when Xu Nian’an was slapped by Zhao Mingkun, Yin Furen sent over some high-quality blood-activating and stasis-dissipating ointment. After washing his face, Xu Nian’an carefully applied the ointment to Zhao Huanxi’s face.

She treated the bruises on his face and hands before fetching a brocade robe from the wardrobe for him to wear.

The door was closed, and there was silence in the courtyard. Xu Nian’an hadn’t spoken since she helped him wash his face. Zhao Huanxi, seeing her silently adjusting his belt with her head down, thought she was frightened. He said, “Dong Jiejie, don’t be afraid. If there’s any trouble, I’ll take care of it alone…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Xu Nian’an’s movements in adjusting his belt paused. Suddenly, she leaned forward, her arms embracing his waist, her face nestled against his shoulder.

The words he didn’t finish got stuck in his throat. Zhao Huanxi stood frozen in place, his mind blank, feeling completely dumbfounded.