Chapter 31: He Was Actually a Man!

"What can you offer me? Or rather, how much value can you bring?" Si Yuheng’s tone was cold, devoid of any trust in Fang Ning.

"I can teach you how to refine salt, iron-smelting techniques, papermaking, and how to improve rice yields. Heir, are you not interested?" Fang Ning stood firm in her initial assessment. Even if Si Yuheng wasn’t the Crown Prince, he was at least an imperial prince, or at the very least, the heir to a prince! While the surname Si was common, not everyone possessed that noble, elegant air he carried. What she offered was something anyone with grand ambitions for the world would covet.

"What proof do you have to make me believe you?" Si Yuheng admitted that if these claims were true, he was deeply tempted. One day, he would return to the capital and stand before that person. After losing over a decade of familial ties, the only way to earn their respect was through feats others could not achieve.

"Then let’s start with improving rice yields!" Fang Ning chuckled. Once, during a mission, she had been a member of an agricultural aid team in Africa. While she wasn't an expert on hybrid rice, the techniques she knew were enough to change this era.

Si Yuheng watched Fang Ning, who appeared carefree yet brimming with confidence, and was momentarily stunned. For some reason, he had an intuition that beneath the shell of this ten-year-old child hid the soul of a fascinating woman.

"Very well." Si Yuheng agreed, almost as if under a spell.

Fang Ning held out her pinky finger. "Shall we pinky swear?"

Si Yuheng: "..." Is this truly a twenty-seven-year-old soul? How incredibly childish! Despite his disdain, he hooked his pinky around hers.

"Pinky swear, promise for a hundred years, no backing out!" Fang Ning insisted on this bizarre ritual, pressing her thumb against his for a fleeting second before pulling away.

"Go to sleep," Si Yuheng said flatly.

"Aren't you going to warn me not to play any tricks?" Fang Ning teased. Si Yuheng’s brow furrowed slightly as he turned his back to her.

"Your Highness, my parents are honest folk, please don't bully them. By the way, how should I address you in public? Don't they say peers should only use courtesy names? If I call you 'Xingyun,' won't that expose your identity?"

"Your Highness, perhaps I should just call you 'Young Master'? You won't charge me with disrespect, will you? I..."

Si Yuheng pulled the quilt over his head. This chatterbox was truly annoying. Behind him, Fang Ning stuck out her tongue and turned to face the wall.

***

Though she had been on guard against Si Yuheng, she drifted off to sleep before she knew it. Once Si Yuheng was sure she was asleep, he sat up and watched her with a deep, inscrutable gaze.

In her dream, Fang Ning was oblivious. She dreamed of her past life: her comrades rushing to provide disaster relief, the nation pouring all its resources into rebuilding the devastated areas. "Goodbye, brothers, if fate allows, we shall meet in the next life," Fang Ning murmured, two trails of tears slipping from the corners of her eyes.

Si Yuheng heard her clearly and saw everything. *Brothers? Is she a man?* A flash of irritation crossed his mind, and he got out of bed and walked out.

***

The next day, when Fang Ning woke up, Si Yuheng was already gone. She vaguely felt she had dreamt something, but couldn't recall what. Fang Ning wasn't one to trouble herself; if she couldn't remember, she let it go.

The rest of the Fang family was already up, loading bayberries onto a cart to take to town. "Breakfast is ready," Liang Anrong said, carrying a large pot of porridge from the kitchen. "It's fish fillet porridge this morning. Eat it while it's hot; it’s fresh and sweet."

Fang Yu sniffed as he walked over. "Aunt, why does your porridge smell so delicious?"

"Come and eat. I’ve picked out all the fish bones, so eat without worry." Liang Anrong loved it when people enjoyed her cooking; that sense of accomplishment was what had once earned her the title of a senior technician.

Si Yuheng walked in just then. Facing the morning light, he seemed surrounded by a radiant, warm glow that made him look incomparably handsome. Fang Ning almost whistled, but her reason held her back. They had only just revealed their true selves to each other last night; if she were too brazen now, he might mistake her for a frivolous youth, which wouldn't help their cooperation.

Si Yuheng glanced at Fang Ning and didn't miss the awe in her eyes. He felt a sudden chill. *Could she be a man who prefers men?* He instinctively moved to avoid her.

"Young Master, try some of my fish fillet porridge; it’s perfect for you," Liang Anrong said, scooping him a bowl.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Besides the porridge, there were soft steamed buns. The Fang family members were already seated, and after a single bite, they began to eat ravenously. Si Yuheng ate with refined manners, but when he finished his bowl and wanted another, the pot was already empty. The Fang family members were meanwhile patting their satisfied stomachs.

Si Yuheng: "..."

To curry favor, Fang Ning pushed a bowl she had set aside earlier toward him, looking for praise. "Young Master, have this! I saved it especially for you!"

Recalling Fang Ning's reaction earlier, Si Yuheng held back and refused. "No need, I am full."

Fang Ning raised an eyebrow. "Young Master, if you get hungry later, there are no pastries in the house to fill your stomach." She insisted, pouring the porridge into his bowl. "Eat."

With the freshness of the fish lingering on his tongue, Si Yuheng could not resist the delicious food. Fang Ning beamed.

Fang Wenqin and his brother went to deliver the bayberries, but there were still two baskets of carefully selected, large, meaty bayberries left in the courtyard. Liang Anrong took them to the well to wash, planning to make dried bayberries while the weather was good.

The process was long: wash, salt-cure for five to seven days, dry, rinse, drain, then marinate with sugar and sun-dry. Liang Anrong started the salting process today.

Grandma Fang saw Liang Anrong using salt so liberally and felt a pang of heartache, but unable to say anything directly, she hinted, "Eldest daughter-in-law, won't that be too salty?"

"It will be fine, Mother, don't worry." Liang Anrong missed the underlying message. Grandma Fang felt frustrated and retreated to her room, deciding that if she couldn't see it, it wouldn't bother her. She told Old Man Fang, "Does the eldest daughter-in-law really make money from those dried bayberries? She’s using so much salt, and that stuff is expensive!"

"Didn't you say the bayberries wouldn't make money before? And yet, didn't she prove you wrong? Stop worrying so much. Just help where you can and leave the rest alone. Wife, just keep the money bag tight!"

With her husband speaking like that, Grandma Fang had no choice but to pretend she didn't see.

Unable to help in the courtyard, Fang Ning drove her goslings toward the river. As luck would have it, she ran into the very family whose fish the original owner had tried to steal, leading to her death.