Chapter 12: Li Su Is Simply Miraculous!

Lin Ze and the others looked grim, their eyes turning to Li Su, waiting for his reaction. They weren't the ones to step forward and confront this person, but if Li Su spoke up, they'd immediately follow his lead.

The old Li Su might have shrunk back and avoided trouble, but now, when faced with those who displeased him, he struck back hard.

Li Su closed his book, raised his eyes, and addressed the man who had called him a lackey. "Brother, come over here and say it to my face. Whispering like a cricket in the shadows—what’s the fun in that?"

The man looked embarrassed; he'd only muttered quietly to his companions and hadn't expected Li Su to hear. He forced a response, stiff-necked and uncomfortable. "Am I wrong?"

Li Su suddenly smiled.

"What are you laughing at?"

Li Su covered his nose, "Oh, nothing. You just reminded me of a goose about to fight, all puffed up and barking at me—quite fierce, really."

Laughter erupted, and Lin Ze’s group nearly doubled over. Li Su truly had a way with words, vivid and lively—was he secretly calling the man a dog as well?

"You... you, vulgar!" After a moment, the man managed to spit out a few words.

"Right, you’re not vulgar. You neither eat nor drink nor defecate, so when you see someone enjoying a good meal, your eyes burn with envy. Do you know what that’s called?"

"What’s it called?" Lin Ze chimed in.

"Red-eye disease."

"A genius! That’s the perfect term. Being jealous is a sickness, indeed." Ren Shuhua looked at Li Su as if gazing at a prodigy.

Ren Shuhua and Qin Ming exchanged glances, amusement shining in their eyes. They wholeheartedly agreed that Li Su should join them; his sharp tongue was like poison, and they admired it immensely.

The man finally pulled his scholarly companion away, leaving in a huff after being thoroughly humiliated by Li Su. If only... if only he hadn’t provoked Li Su.

Li Su took another bite of his bun. Surely no one else would seek out a scolding now?

After finishing their meal, Ren Shuhua asked, "Xiao Ze, are we going to attend the poetry gathering in a few days?"

Lin Ze considered, "Lin Xi will definitely go. If we attend, he’ll target us; if we don’t, he’ll find some way to talk behind our backs."

Qin Ming glanced at Li Su. Perhaps things would be different with Li Su present—he certainly admired Li Su’s wit.

Li Su asked, "What poetry gathering?"

"It’s organized by Lin Xi. Many scholars will give him face and attend. They say it’s for making friends through literature, but Lin Xi is Xiao Ze’s father’s concubine’s son, a few years older than Xiao Ze." Ren Shuhua figured since Li Su was joining them, he might as well share these details.

Li Su couldn’t help but speak, "His father and the concubine were childhood sweethearts, but for money he married Lin Ze’s mother, promising to love only her. After acquiring the family fortune, he brought the concubine into the household, and they have a son older than Lin Ze?"

Lin Ze, Ren Shuhua, and Qin Ming stared at Li Su in astonishment. These facts weren’t secrets in their circle, but Li Su shouldn’t have known.

"Is that true?" Lin Ze nodded stiffly. "How did you know?"

"I guessed. Classic scoundrel behavior. But with this pattern, you should remind your mother to check your food and the incense in your rooms."

Li Su’s words left Lin Ze wide-eyed. "You mean they might harm me and my mother?"

Lin Ze’s skin prickled, his lips pale.

Li Su waved his hand, "I was just speculating. If you’re worried, find a trustworthy doctor to examine things."

Ren Shuhua and Qin Ming recalled that Madam Lin’s health had indeed been poor these last two years. Perhaps there was something to it.

If so, Li Su was truly remarkable!

Li Su had merely pieced together a typical drama plot he’d seen on television, never expecting Lin Ze to take it so seriously.

Lin Ze immediately stood up. "I’m going to ask for leave from my teacher and head home." He moved swiftly, nearly running.

Ren Shuhua and Qin Ming stared at Li Su for a few seconds. Ren Shuhua leaned in, "Brother Li, do you know how to read fortunes?"

Li Su responded with a perfectly straight face, making it up as he went, "Let me tell you in confidence—don’t spread it around. After my recent injury, I nearly died. In my delirium, I saw a white-haired old man who brought me back and taught me immortal arts. I also know a thing or two about fortune-telling."

Ren Shuhua and Qin Ming were thoroughly taken in.

Li Su chuckled, finding them amusing. "I’m just joking. I really was just guessing; it might not be true."

But Ren Shuhua and Qin Ming had already believed him. In their minds, Li Su’s image had suddenly become ethereal and otherworldly.

And the fact that Brother Li confided in them—surely it was destiny! Maybe he had even calculated that they were his fated friends.

Pride swelled in their hearts.

Li Su: "..." Why are you so fired up? Your expressions are practically glowing.

The two had already filled in all the blanks in their minds. Brother Li must have foreseen that Chen Ping was unreliable and thus broke off with him. Yes, that made sense—hence Li Su’s drastic change.

As for why he later claimed it was a joke, it was his way of telling them to keep it secret. This was a secret meant only for them!

Ren Shuhua whispered to Li Su, "Brother Li, you’re younger than us all. Why don’t we call you Little Su? Or Little Four?"

Li Su blinked. Four again?

"I’m the youngest?" Li Su thought for a moment—he was fifteen, while Lin Ze, Ren Shuhua, and Qin Ming were all seventeen or eighteen. So yes, he was the youngest.

"Alright. And how should I address you?"

Had he made friends here? It felt rather nice.

"I’m the eldest. You can call me Brother Shuhua, call him Brother Ming, and call Xiao Ze Brother Ze." Ren Shuhua’s grin could hardly be contained. Having Little Su, the little immortal, call them "brother" brought a strange sense of achievement.

Li Su nodded, agreeing.

"Tell me about Brother Ze’s elder brother," Li Su requested. If he was friends with Lin Ze, he’d inevitably encounter Lin Xi, so he wanted to be prepared.

"Lin Xi is extremely arrogant. He claims to be the legitimate son of the Lin family. People who don’t know assume he and Xiao Ze share both parents. Since Xiao Ze shows him no favor, Lin Xi paints him as ungrateful and disrespectful among their classmates..." Ren Shuhua’s explanation gave Li Su a preliminary understanding of Lin Xi.

"Moreover, he’s already a scholar, gaining some reputation among the students. Lin Ze’s father values him more, perhaps afraid his status as a concubine’s son will hinder his official prospects, so he wants to have him legally adopted by Xiao Ze’s mother. She refuses."

"In truth, the imperial exams make no distinction between legitimate and illegitimate sons. Who knows what their real intentions are?"

Li Su had an inkling of what their plans might be.

Meanwhile, Lin Ze quietly entered the Lin residence, accompanied by a doctor he’d hired from outside.