Chapter 61: Senior Brother, You’re Poisoned Again

Since the incident with the barbecue, the two little ones had been inseparable.

"Zimo, you little rascal, untie me this instant!"

The morning mist had yet to disperse, when the thatched hut resounded with the furious roar of a child, startling the sparrows perched on the eaves into flight.

As usual, Chu Junhan rose from bed, but had only managed to lift her head halfway when a sudden tug at her scalp yanked her back down, sending her crashing hard into the bedding, pain tearing at her scalp.

Her hair had been tightly bound to the bedpost; she could scarcely lift her head, let alone turn over.

"Junior brother," Zimo leaned nonchalantly against the doorframe, tossing an apple in his hand, a mischievous grin lighting his eyes, "it's your turn to sleep in the woodshed tonight, no excuses now~"

"Untie me!" Chu Junhan's fists clenched tight, her rage like that of a wild beast from ancient times, yearning to leap up and tear apart the impish boy before her.

Such thoughts visited her every few days. She had learned many skills—detecting poison, evading ambushes—yet she had never imagined she'd have to guard herself even while she slept.

Zimo stretched lazily, utterly unafraid of the little beast's wrath, yawning as he said, "I'm off to do the morning assignments Master gave us yesterday. Don't you dare laze in bed, junior brother."

"Zimo, you scoundrel, get back here!" Chu Junhan fumed on the bed, reaching along the length of her hair in a desperate attempt to untie herself.

Once free, she stormed out in a huff.

After late autumn, mornings on Five Spirits Mountain were shrouded in thick fog. Through the haze, half of a tall youth could be seen sitting by a stone table.

Zimo was bent over a book, reading softly and attentively, every bit the obedient child—a stark contrast to his usual mischief.

Chu Junhan ground her teeth audibly, her gaze dark and stormy as she glared at him.

"Junior brother, why is your hair such a mess? Morning lessons begin in a quarter hour. You'd best wash and tidy up." Zimo's little face brimmed with self-satisfaction, clearly pleased with his midnight handiwork.

Enraged, Chu Junhan strode over without a word, her fist flying out in a punch: "Fist of Desperation!"

Zimo nimbly twisted aside, dodging the blow with ease, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Junior brother, that's not very honorable of you. I just taught you that move yesterday, and today you use it for revenge? That's called turning on your teacher, you know."

"You're the one turning on your teacher. I'm just putting new knowledge to use," Chu Junhan retorted, relentless. Today, she was determined to teach this troublemaker a lesson.

And so, the familiar bouts of roughhousing resumed yet again atop Five Spirits Mountain.

"Ahem… Have you two finished your assignments?" Censer Song appeared, draping a coat over his shoulders. His wrinkled face bore eyes sharp and bright as stars.

At once, the two children halted their scuffle and bowed respectfully to the old man. "Good morning, Master!"

"If you haven’t finished, get to it at once!" Censer Song admonished sternly.

"Yes, Master." The two responded in unison, hands clasped in salute. They were well accustomed to his reprimands.

"Today, you are to thoroughly study the classic on military strategy. Zimo, you will argue for offense; Ruyan, you for defense. Debate each other. The loser will clean the courtyard for half a month."

"Yes, Master." Zimo saluted once more, then returned to the stone table, book in hand, wholly absorbed in his reading.

Chu Junhan slouched over, her ears drooping, a look of deep worry on her face. She lost to Zimo every time these debates occurred.

It wasn’t that she lacked talent; the boy before her seemed to have mastered all the arts of strategy and cunning, excelled in sophistry, and his martial prowess had improved swiftly, almost as if he were self-taught.

Most importantly, his mischievous nature and fondness for picking wild fruits meant he was constantly being poisoned, but his skill in antidotes was truly remarkable!

Faced with such a prodigy, Chu Junhan could not help but feel a pang of sorrow, wondering why fate had to give birth to another Zhuge Liang when she herself was born.