Facing his younger brother's questioning, Fang Yuan said nothing and continued eating breakfast. He knew his brother's personality — Fang Zheng was never one to hold back.
Sure enough, when Fang Zheng saw that his brother didn't even glance at him, treating him like invisible air, he spoke up in an aggrieved tone: "Brother, what did you do to Shen Cui? Ever since she came out of your room yesterday, she's been crying her eyes out. I tried to comfort her, but the harder I tried, the louder she sobbed."
Fang Yuan lifted his eyes to look at his brother, his face expressionless.
Fang Zheng furrowed his brow, staring intently at his brother, waiting for an answer.
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
But Fang Yuan merely gave him one look before lowering his head and continuing to eat.
His brother Fang Zheng was immediately furious. Fang Yuan's attitude was nothing short of naked contempt toward him. In a fit of shame and anger, he slapped the table and roared: "Gu Yue Fang Yuan, how can you act like this? She's just a little maid who's served you all these years. I've seen every bit of her tenderness and care for you with my own eyes. Yes, I know you're disappointed, and I can understand your depression. You only have Grade C aptitude, I know that, but you can't take out your frustration on her just because of your own misfortunes! That's not fair to her!"
Before his words had even faded, Fang Yuan shot to his feet like lightning.
*Crack!*
A crisp sound rang out as Fang Yuan delivered a solid slap across Fang Zheng's face.
Fang Zheng clutched his right cheek, staggering back two steps, his face frozen in shock.
"You insolent wretch — what kind of tone is that, speaking to your own brother like this? Shen Cui is nothing but a servant girl. You'd forget I'm your brother over some little woman?" Fang Yuan scolded in a low voice.
Fang Zheng came back to his senses as the pain in his face throbbed through to his nerves. He stared wide-eyed, panting heavily, and said in disbelief: "Brother… you hit me? You've never hit me once since we were children! Yes, I was measured with Grade A aptitude, and you only have Grade C. But you can't blame me for that — it's all arranged by heaven…"
*Crack!*
Before Fang Zheng could finish, Fang Yuan's hand whipped across with another backhand slap.
Fang Zheng pressed both hands to his cheeks, stunned into silence.
"You naive fool, what do you even remember? All these years, who took care of you? Right after our parents died and we were living in hardship, our uncle and aunt gave us only one new outfit for New Year's. Did I wear it myself? Who did I give it to? When you were little and loved honey-porridge, who asked the kitchen to make an extra bowl for you every day? When other kids bullied you, who took you back to settle the score? And all the other things — I can't even be bothered to list them. And now, over a servant girl, you dare speak to me this way? You dare question me?"
Fang Zheng's face flushed crimson. His lips trembled — caught between shame, anger, and shock — but he couldn't muster a single word of rebuttal.
Because everything Fang Yuan said was true!
"Fine, never mind." Fang Yuan sneered coldly. "You've already abandoned your own parents and taken others as your family. What am I as your brother, then?"
"Brother, how can you say that? You know I've always craved the warmth of a family since I was little. I—" Fang Zheng hurried to explain.
Fang Yuan waved his hand, cutting him off: "From today on, you are no longer my brother, and I am no longer yours."
"Brother!" Fang Zheng gasped, opening his mouth to speak.
At that moment, Fang Yuan spoke again: "You like Shen Cui, don't you? Don't worry — I didn't do anything to her. She's still a virgin, untouched. Give me six Yuan Stones and I'll transfer her to you. From now on, she'll be your personal maid."
"Brother, how could you—" Having his thoughts laid bare so suddenly, Fang Zheng panicked and was caught completely off guard.
But at the same time, a weight lifted from his heart. His worst fear hadn't come true.
Just a few nights ago, Shen Cui had personally attended to his bath.
Though nothing physical had happened, Fang Zheng could never forget the tenderness of that evening. Every time he thought of Shen Cui — of her nimble hands, her soft, rosy lips — a wave of stirring warmth surged through his chest.
The feelings of youth had long been building inside the young man's heart, budding and taking root.
So when he learned the previous evening that something was wrong with Shen Cui, a surge of fury had immediately risen within him. He had abandoned the refinement of his Moonlight Gu on the spot and searched the entire stockade for Fang Yuan, determined to get an explanation.
Seeing that Fang Zheng still hadn't agreed, Fang Yuan furrowed his brows: "Affection between man and woman is perfectly normal. Be honest about it instead of hemming and hawing. Of course, if you don't want the exchange, forget it."
Fang Zheng panicked at once: "I'll exchange, of course I'll exchange! But I don't have a full six Yuan Stones left."
As he spoke, he pulled out his money pouch, his face flushed to the roots.
Fang Yuan took the pouch and found six stones inside, though one was only half the size of a complete Yuan Stone. He immediately understood — Fang Zheng had drawn out the True Essence within it to refine his Moonlight Gu as quickly as possible.
The more natural True Essence was extracted from a Yuan Stone, the smaller its volume and the lighter its weight.
Although it was only five and a half stones, Fang Yuan knew: this was every last Yuan Stone Fang Zheng had. He had no savings of his own — these six Yuan Stones had been given to him by their uncle and aunt only recently.
"I'll take the Yuan Stones. You may leave." Fang Yuan's expression was cold as he tucked the pouch into his robe.
"Brother…" Fang Zheng tried to speak again.
Fang Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly, speaking in an unhurried drawl: "Before I change my mind, you'd best disappear from my sight."
Fang Zheng's heart clenched. Gritting his teeth, he finally turned and walked away.
Stepping through the inn's doorway, he instinctively pressed a hand to his chest, feeling an emptiness gnawing at him from within. A vague sensation told him that he had just lost something terribly important.
But soon enough, his heart warmed again. He thought of Shen Cui, and of that night that haunted his dreams.
"I can finally have you rightfully and properly, Cui Cui." Without looking back, he walked beyond Fang Yuan's line of sight.
Fang Yuan stood expressionless for a good while before slowly sitting back down.
Bright sunlight streamed through the window, falling on his cold, indifferent face — giving anyone who saw it a chill.
The dining hall was rather quiet, though the growing bustle of pedestrians outside on the street only made the silence within feel more pronounced.
His breakfast had gone cold. A waiter approached obligingly and asked whether he would like it reheated.
Fang Yuan paid no heed. His gaze drifted like shifting clouds, as though he were lost in memories of something long past.
The waiter lingered for a while, but seeing Fang Yuan staring blankly with no response, he rubbed his nose and left in disappointment.
After a long moment, Fang Yuan's gaze sharpened.
The memories within him were like smoke — they had gradually faded away.
He had returned to the present world. Sunlight poured in, illuminating more than half the tabletop. The steam that had once risen from the food was long gone, and the clamor of passersby on the street reached his ears once more.
Through the fabric of his robe, he reached in to touch the five and a half Yuan Stones tucked against his chest. At the corner of his lips, a bitter, mocking smile appeared.