Towards the end of summer, the days were long, and the evenings bright.
Lu Yan spent time playing with Shan. Master prepared lots of snacks for her, so she always had something good to share.
Heng had, reluctantly, started to admit that he might, possibly, perhaps, maybe, like eating the snacks Lu Yan brought.
Often, he joined Shan and her as they walked and played around camp.
Though he didn't talk or laugh, and always seemed cold and distant, his presence seemed to reassure Shan.
Shan was even more unrestrained. With Heng to watch his back, and Lu Yan accompanying him, he played outrageous pranks.
Squads 59 was one of the most successful squads in the Ji family army. They were part of the vanguard. The soldiers had decades of experience, and were highly respected by everyone.
For some reason, Shan had pin-pointed them as the main targets of his pranks.
From filling their beds with spiders, frogs and thorns to coating them in muddy water, flour and flower petals in front of the eating hall, spiking their food with laxative, he had done it all.
The members of squad 59 were outraged. Shan was slippery as an eel, and always managed to escape.
When the squad complained to their platoon leader, they were laughed at, "How can you be elite troops if you can't even catch a little boy?"
Throughout summer, Shan carried out an unspoken vendetta against squad 59.
His prestige in the camp grew by leaps and bounds. Everyone knew he was the one responsible, but squad 59 still hadn't caught him. Young soldiers looked at him in awe.
Shan based in all the attention. He walked around cockily, friendly to everyone who came up to him.
He talked a lot, but no one ever gathered dirt on him.
He was often found rubbing his hands and grinning evilly. Everyone agreed that he was an evil genius.
"Actually, I wouldn't dare to keep at it so long if you weren't my real brother," he told Lu Yan one day.
"What do you mean?" Lu Yan asked.
He looked at her with large puppy-eyes, "If the worst happens, brother Ayan will use your prestige to save me, right?"
Lu Yan smacked the back of his head, huffing, "So you're keeping me around just for the sake of connections?"
She knew he was joking, but there was still a thread of vulnerability and doubt in her voice.
He understood her perfectly. Putting an arm around her shoulder, he said, "Of course, it's not just the connections."
Lu Yan smiled.
He grinned, mischievous, "It's also for the good snacks."
Lu Yan's smile disappeared. She extracted herself from his grip, and ran away.
He chased her all around camp.
They ended up on the hill in the outer ring. Breathing hard, Lu Yan collapsed to the ground in what had become their usual spot.
He was right behind her, and asked, "Why are you so angry?"
He wasn't even half as breathless as her. Lu Yan suspected he could have caught her at any time, but had just played along. This made her angrier somehow.
Lu Yan raised her chin and turned her back on him, refusing to speak to him.
He pestered her until she faced him again, then produced a packet.
Handing it to her, he said softly, "I heard it was your birth day today."
Lu Yan paused, and looked at him. He was smiling tentatively, the soft gentle smile that was his real smile.
Lu Yan looked down, the packet contained a single piece of honey walnut cake.
"I asked all around the city, and finally found where young master Ji gets it from. It's your favorite cake, so you can enjoy it on this good day."
Lu Yan suddenly blinked, and a big drop splashed on to the oil paper.
Shan jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
He ran around Lu Yan in circles, "I was just teasing you, brother Ayan! You're my real brother, and would still be my real brother if you had no connections and gave me no good snacks. Really, I only said it to toughen you up! Brother Han always says we should face what we're afraid of."
One moment, he put an arm on Lu Yan's shoulder, the next he was on her other side, the next he was squatting in front of her clumsily trying to wipe her tears.
Lu Yan laughed through her tears.
"Are you laughing or crying?" he asked.
He looked so confused that Lu Yan laughed again.
Wiping her tears on her sleeve, she said, "I'm laughing."
He looked relieved. Glancing at the cake, he asked, "Do you like it?"
Lu Yan took a little bite, and chewed, "Hmm."
"Is that a yes or a no?"
Lu Yan broke off a piece and gave it to him, "Here, try it!"
He looked at it longingly, but shook his head quickly, "No, no, it's all for you."
Lu Yan reached forward, and quickly stuffed the cake into his mouth.
He smiled happily, and chewed, "It's really good!"
---
Clutching half of the uneaten cake, Lu Yan was in a bittersweet mood when she entered home.
Waiting in master's study, she unwrapped the cake, placed it on her table and stared at it for a long time.
Master entered, and recognized the cake at one glance, "Is that-?"
Lu Yan looked up, "Brother Shan got it for me."
"Did he really?"
Lu Yan nodded.
Master hummed, "He's a good brother. This little piece probably cost half his monthly wages."
Lu Yan was startled, "Really?!"
Master hummed again.
Lu Yan stared at the cake with new eyes.
Ji Jing saw that she was in a complicated mood, but didn't dwell on it.
Instead, he said seriously, "I have some important news for you."
---
Later, Lu Yan returned to her room slowly.
Closing the door behind her, she looked around.
Her calligraphy was hung on the walls, some with master's corrections in red.
Medical scrolls were scattered on the table, a few open, most closed and neatly rolled back up.
On the screen, clothes, all boy's outfits, were being aired out.
The bed was simple, but soft; she knew because she had slept in it for so many months, carefree as a baby.
She walked slowly to the bed and sat in it.
Paying close attention to everything, she wished she could freeze this moment and live here forever.
Her eyes closed, and she breathed in deeply, trying to remember the smell of this room, listening to the sounds around her.
Two lines of tears quickly feel down her cheeks.
This dream had come to an end.
--- End of Volume 1 ---