Chapter 129: The First District, A Familiar Sight

The old housekeeper watched from the side, a smile playing on his face. The young miss had always been like this since she was a child. Aside from the eldest young master, she seemed to be the only one who truly knew how to handle the old master.

After saying her piece, Shen Zhaoxi smiled. Her clear, bright eyes curved upward at the corners, shimmering like the surface of a lake. After meeting Old Master Shen’s gaze for a moment, she curled her lips slightly and turned to leave the pavilion, leaving the old man in a state of disarray. He lowered his head, staring at the chessboard on the stone table.

"A risky move," the old man sighed. In the end, it would still cost his old bones.

***

In Birch Garden at dawn, the sun was bright, and the shadows of the trees were reflected on the calm lake. Shen Zhaoxi had just returned to change her clothes when a servant from the garden informed her, "Young Miss, the young master is back."

"Oh?" So soon? Shen Zhaoxi had known Shen Yuan was coming back today, but she hadn't expected him to arrive the very moment she returned to the Shen residence.

Dressed in a black, Zen-style shirt and dark trousers, with her black hair tied up by a wooden hairpin, Shen Zhaoxi looked clean and sharp. As she stepped into the shade of the trees, she saw a youth in a black windbreaker turn around to look at her.

"Sister?!"

Shen Yuan’s cold, aloof features softened, and a smile spilled into his eyes the moment he saw her. He walked toward her.

"How was it? Did things go smoothly at the military department?" Shen Zhaoxi asked. Perhaps only in front of her would this cold-natured youth show even a hint of warmth. He was usually icy and rarely spoke to anyone, but with her, he acted like a mature adult, constantly worried about her well-being.

"Yes," Shen Yuan replied. His gaze darkened, his thin lips pulling into a line. His voice was cold, yet carried a touch of a young man’s obedience.

"I knew it. Our Yuan is so capable; of course, you’d succeed." Shen Zhaoxi smiled and raised her hand, intending to pat his head just as she had when he was a child. But she suddenly paused, her brow furrowing. Looking at the youth before her, she realized he had grown quite tall—she couldn't reach the top of his head. Her hand hung awkwardly in mid-air, and she felt a flicker of embarrassment.

Shen Yuan’s eyes dimmed slightly, and he slowly leaned down, the breeze blowing across his eyes as he leveled himself with her.

"Hah," Shen Zhaoxi chuckled. She ruffled his hair. "Want to spar?" Her voice dropped, taking on a steady, calm tone.

Shen Yuan frowned. "Sister, your waist..."

Shen Zhaoxi replied, "Don’t worry, I’m already fine."

Her eyes held the color of the lake. Her slender figure stood in the shade of the garden, the sunlight filtering through the leaves and falling upon her face. Paired with her Zen-style attire, she looked like a watercolor painting. Her bone structure was exquisite, and the rouge on her lips added a touch of vitality, making her look far less fragile than before.

For the sake of the spar, she chose a small boat deep within the lotus patch. "Whoever falls in loses, how about that?"

It had been three years since they last sparred, back when they returned from Dongzhou. When he was a child, she had taught him everything he knew, and he had lost to her every time. She wondered how he fared now.

"Yes, alright." Shen Yuan pressed his lips together, his dark eyes fixed on the girl standing at the bow. The lotus flowers were delicate, clusters of pink blending into the water and sky.

The small boat swayed, the ripples dancing. A long arm struck out toward her, carrying a gust of wind. Shen Zhaoxi bent at the waist, arching backward. Her thin, soft black hair, held by the wooden pin, fluttered against her fair cheeks, her skin glowing with a pearlescent sheen in the daylight.

The moment the youth's hand reached her, she hooked her lower legs around the edge of the boat, keeping her body parallel to the water with astonishing core strength. Shen Yuan’s brow furrowed; seeing her arched posture and fearing she might fall, he instinctively pulled back his strength.

Just as he reached out to steady her, Shen Zhaoxi’s gaze darkened, and she grabbed his arm in an instant, trying to pull him down with her. But Shen Yuan reacted quickly, straightening up and breaking free from her grip. Shen Zhaoxi rose abruptly, relying entirely on her core strength to stand before him, a smile touching her lips as she locked eyes with him.

"You’d better be careful," the girl said, a coldness spilling from her clear, aloof eyes.

Shen Zhaoxi’s techniques were ever-changing, impossible to predict. Sometimes she favored aggressive, close-quarters combat, her fingers curled to strike at his abdomen or throat, ruthlessly targeting his weaknesses. Shen Yuan moved quickly, frowning as he tried to evade her. When she struck, he saw a playful glint in her eyes. He hesitated for a fleeting second, and in that moment, she seized him. She seemed to shift into soft-style grappling, her pale, slender fingers finding his pressure points.

Meeting the youth’s dark eyes, she exerted sudden, sharp force. The small boat rocked violently.

*Splash—*

The sound of a heavy object hitting the water echoed, followed by a great spray.

"Yuan, you lost." Shen Zhaoxi looked back at the youth she had tossed into the lake, her eyes curving into crescents. She reached out to pull him up from the water.

Once pulled onto the boat, which was now soaked through, Shen Yuan leaned against the bow, looking miserable, his brow furrowed, dripping wet.

Just then, someone shouted from the shore, "Young Miss, Miss Sheng Ting is here."

Shen Zhaoxi looked up and saw a tall figure standing by the water’s edge, watching as if observing a play. Sheng Ting’s eyes held a hidden smile. "Heh, don’t just spend all your time bullying the kid. Do you want me to handle the military department business for you?"

Shen Zhaoxi paused, glancing at the youth who now looked like a drenched, pitiable puppy. "Yuan, go back and change your clothes first. Sister has business—I need to head to the First District."

After the boat docked and Shen Zhaoxi left, Shen Yuan stood there, his expression cold. Water droplets clung to his thick lashes, his skin pale and cold, looking almost fragile, yet pitiful. He climbed out of the small boat himself.

In the car, Sheng Ting’s vibrant face was illuminated by the flickering light and shadows. She glanced sideways at Shen Zhaoxi, her voice laced with amusement. "Tell me, why were you fighting with Yuan?"

"Do you want the honest truth?"

"Hmm? Go on," Sheng Ting raised an eyebrow.

"I’ve been cooped up in Jingnan too long," Shen Zhaoxi said. "I was itching for a fight."

Sheng Ting: "?" She doubted she had heard correctly. She leaned back into the seat and looked at the girl beside her. "Truly worthy of being the Chief of the First Military District—you don't even spare your own family."

***

In the First District of the capital, a military conference concerning the joint exercises of the Y-Country military districts was being held.

"Greetings, Chief!" In the military compound, the on-duty soldiers turned, stood at attention, and saluted when they saw her.

"Mm." Her voice was low and cold. She stopped walking. Shen Zhaoxi’s expression was calm, yet she exuded an irresistible presence. Her uniform was crisp, her black hair pinned neatly at the nape of her neck. Though she said nothing, her demeanor projected an icy sense of pressure.

Followed by four or five soldiers from the First Military District, she ascended the steps toward the military headquarters. As the orderly group filed in, many cars were departing the area, driven by chiefs of various districts who had come to attend the meeting with their adjutants.

Lu Yunzhou emerged from the building on the right. Suddenly, he noticed a group of people entering the opposite building, blocking his view. He paused, feeling a strange sense of familiarity.