TSWPF -Chapter 133 A Love Rival

“Go on, go on, just continue! I didn’t see anything at all!” Li Qingning covered her face with both hands, yet her fingers were spread wide, her eyes clearly peeking through.

At this point, covering her face made no difference at all…

Liu Zhimou lowered his head and glanced at Li Qingling, who had buried her face in his chest. He knew she was feeling shy.

He pursed his lips and smiled. But the moment he turned his head, his expression darkened.
“Go back to your room…” This little rascal really deserved a good scolding.

Li Qingning’s heart skipped a beat. Although Big Brother was usually very kind and doted on her, when he got serious, he was truly frightening.

In this household, all of them were afraid of Big Brother.

“I-I-I’m going back right now…”

As soon as she finished speaking, she bolted off. But when she reached the corner, she stopped, quietly poked out her little head, and tried to sneak another look.

What she didn’t expect was that the moment she looked up, she met Liu Zhimou’s eyes.

That startled her badly.

“Li Qingning…”

“I’m leaving right now!”

Hearing him call her by her full name, Li Qingning yelped and turned around to run.

This time, she really didn’t dare to linger. No matter how curious she was, she still needed her little life!

She ran in one breath to Liu Zhirou’s room and slammed the door shut with a bang. “Rourou, guess what I just saw?”

She scurried over to Liu Zhirou, snatched the needlework from her hands, and wouldn’t let her continue sewing.

Liu Zhirou looked at her helplessly and compromised, asking what she had seen.

She knew Li Qingning well—if she didn’t go along with her, she’d never get any peace.

She truly couldn’t understand how a child barely over four years old could have so much energy.
Running around wildly all day, and at night she still wasn’t tired, still able to keep causing trouble.

“Hehe… I saw this.” Li Qingning giggled and used both thumbs to make a kissing gesture.

Liu Zhirou looked at her, but didn’t quite understand.

Seeing Liu Zhirou’s confused face, Li Qingning sighed like a little adult. Her sister was just too innocent—she didn’t even understand this kind of thing.

“This… this…” She did the gesture twice more and asked again, “Get it now?”

“Ningning, what are you actually trying to say?” Liu Zhirou asked helplessly. She really couldn’t figure it out.

Li Qingning lowered her head and let out a long sigh. It seemed she’d have to take Rourou out more often in the future. Otherwise, if Rourou didn’t even understand things like this, what if she got tricked by someone?

This time, she stopped beating around the bush. Leaning close to Liu Zhirou’s ear, she whispered, “I just saw Big Brother and Sister kissing!”

If she hadn’t been thirsty and gone to look for some water, she wouldn’t have seen that scene.

Hehe—good thing she was thirsty.

“Ah?” As soon as Liu Zhirou heard this, her face immediately flushed red. “Y-you… how could you peek at something like that?”

How embarrassing… Ningning had really learned bad habits.

“You really can’t blame me!” Li Qingning protested innocently. “I was just thirsty and went to get water. Who knew Big Brother and Sister would be kissing in the main hall?” She continued righteously, “If they wanted to kiss, they should’ve found a more private place. They’re totally corrupting children!”

“…”

Liu Zhirou was utterly speechless at Li Qingning’s thick skin. “If you see something like that again, just quietly run away, okay?”

Big Brother and Sister too—how could they do that in the main hall…

Seeing Liu Zhirou’s reddened cheeks, Li Qingning grinned mischievously. “Then it’s bad… I shouted earlier and interrupted them.” She sat down next to Liu Zhirou pitifully. “Rourou, do you think Big Brother and Sister will come after me?”

Thinking of Big Brother’s dark expression, she shivered.

In this household, you could offend anyone—but never Big Brother.

He was a real schemer. One careless move, and you’d be doomed.

Liu Zhirou thought Li Qingning was genuinely scared. She patted her back gently to comfort her.
“It’s okay. I’m here. If Big Brother and Sister get angry, I’ll find a way to talk them into forgiving you.”

Though even she wasn’t very confident.

“Waa—Rourou, you’re the best!” Li Qingning hugged Liu Zhirou tightly, smacked a kiss on her cheek, and said, “Then I’m going to sleep!”

“Mm, go on.”

Li Qingning released her and bounced out of Liu Zhirou’s room, hopping toward her own.

When she passed Li Qingling’s room, she ran into Li Qingling standing at the doorway, looking at her with a half-smile.

Li Qingning slammed on the brakes just in time. She swallowed and forced a smile. “S-Sister, you’re not asleep yet?”

Was Sister really going to settle accounts with her? She truly hadn’t meant to see it… ahhh…

Well… okay, she did want to sneak a look later, but wasn’t she caught by Big Brother and chased away?

She was really innocent…

“Hm? Why aren’t you asleep either? Where did you go, hmm?”

Li Qingling truly suspected Li Qingning had been born the wrong gender—she was getting more and more like a boy as she grew up, sharp and crafty.

Li Qingning’s eyes darted around carefully. She giggled foolishly and said she’d gone to see Rourou, asking her to embroider a handkerchief for her.

Li Qingling lifted a finger and knocked lightly on the doorframe. She neither confirmed nor denied believing her, only said calmly, “Forget everything you saw earlier. All of it. Understood?”

As she said this, she felt her face heating up. Being caught by her own sister while kissing Liu Zhimou was really…

Next time, this absolutely could not happen again. If she wanted to kiss Liu Zhimou, it had to be somewhere private.

Ah—bah!

What was she thinking? Li Qingling shook her head hard, tossing those thoughts out of her mind.

Seeing Li Qingling frown one moment and shake her head the next, Li Qingning was completely baffled.

“Sister, what’s wrong? Do you have a headache?”

“It’s nothing. Hurry back to sleep and stop wandering around.”

With that, Li Qingling strode into her room and shut the door with a bang.

“…”

Li Qingning scratched her head, glanced at the closed door, and left in confusion.

Early the next morning, before Liu Zhimou had gone out, the matchmaker arrived with a beaming smile.

“Young Master Liu, are you heading out?”

Seeing the matchmaker dressed in bright, flashy clothes, Liu Zhimou smiled gently and replied with a soft acknowledgment.

The matchmaker looked him over and clicked her tongue inwardly—what a fine young man!
After matchmaking for so many years, she’d never seen a young master whose looks could compare to Liu Zhimou’s. Li Qingling was truly blessed.

“Then I’ve come at just the right time. The dates for you and Miss Li have been calculated. Two good days—one is the tenth day of next month, the other is the eighth day of the seventh month. Which one would you like to choose?”

Without even thinking, Liu Zhimou chose the tenth day of next month.

The eighth day of the seventh month was still three or four months away—he couldn’t wait that long.

If he could, he’d marry Ling’er tomorrow.

“Good, good… then I’ll be waiting to drink the wedding wine of you two.”

Liu Zhimou smiled and hummed in response, gave the matchmaker some silver, and watched her leave joyfully.

After she left, he turned and went straight to Li Qingling’s room. Standing at her door, he took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, before raising his hand to knock.

“Who is it?” Li Qingling’s sleepy voice came from inside.

The corners of his lips lifted. “It’s me. May I come in?”

“Mm…”

Only after hearing her response did Liu Zhimou push the door open and stride inside.

Reaching the bedside, he saw Li Qingling wrapped up tightly, with only her head exposed. A smile surfaced in his eyes as he lightly sat down beside her.

He reached out, brushed aside the hair covering her face, and gently pinched her nose.

Unable to breathe, Li Qingling slowly opened her eyes. Seeing him sitting by her bed and mischievously pinching her nose, she swatted his hand away.

“What are you doing here?” she mumbled.

Liu Zhimou tucked all her hair aside, looking at her rosy cheeks, and spoke softly, “The matchmaker came earlier. Two dates were calculated—one on the tenth day of next month, the other on the eighth day of the seventh month. I decided on the tenth day of next month. You don’t mind, do you?”

He looked at her nervously, afraid she might object.

Even though he could persuade her slowly if needed, he still hoped she wouldn’t oppose the date he chose.

He was a little greedy—hoping she shared the same feelings, hoping she’d marry him sooner.

Li Qingling stared at him, so intently that he didn’t even dare to breathe, before finally nodding slowly. “Then the tenth day of next month it is. I don’t have any objections.”

At her words, the tension he’d been holding finally eased. He let out a quiet breath and smiled, saying softly, “Alright.”

“You’re very happy,” she stated.

He wasn’t someone who showed emotions easily, but right now, both his eyes and face were full of smiles. She knew—he was truly happy.

Liu Zhimou nodded honestly. “I really am happy. What about you?”

He looked straight into her eyes, asking seriously, “Are you happy?”

Without hesitation, Li Qingling nodded. “I’m happy too.”

Feeling his joy, anticipation began to bloom in her heart as well.

Hearing this, his smile deepened. He couldn’t help lowering his head to kiss her forehead. “Go back to sleep. I’m heading to the academy.”

“Be careful on the way.”

“Alright…”

He ruffled her hair once more before standing up and striding out.

Liu Zhimou refused to stay at the academy, so he rode his horse there every day.

In high spirits, he rode to the academy. After handing his horse over to the gatekeeper and preparing to go inside, he heard someone call out to him.

“Senior Brother Liu…”

Liu Zhimou paused and turned around, seeing a girl of fourteen or fifteen in a goose-yellow dress standing not far away, smiling at him.