The second floor was no longer the scene of a fight, but the people who had scattered earlier were slowly gathering again. Despite the crowd, there was no clamor; instead, it was quieter than before.
Some were passersby who paused for a glance and then stopped to stay.
Most sat at their tables, eating their meals, but from time to time, they called over the shop assistant. They didn’t ask for more food or drink but inquired, "How’s the progress?"
The shop assistant replied enthusiastically, "Fifty moves in."
"Only fifty moves? That’s far too slow," a guest remarked, stroking his beard and shaking his head. "It seems their chess skills aren’t up to much."
The shop assistant chuckled. "It’s the fiftieth move of the third game."
The guest was surprised. "So quickly?" But he still shook his head. "Even so, their skills must not be impressive."
Another guest nearby was more forgiving and said with a smile, "One is seventeen or eighteen, the other barely thirteen or fourteen. What can you expect of their chess skills?"
As long as these two were competing, that was enough.
He asked the shop assistant, "Who has the upper hand?"
The shop assistant excitedly held up three fingers. "Miss Chu has won all three games."
……
……
Chu Zhao looked at Chu Ke across from her and asked impatiently, "Do you still want to continue?"
Chu Ke was practically pressing his face against the board, with two young men beside him whispering advice. But what did it matter? Chu Zhao’s victory was already certain; even with more people offering guidance, there was no turning the tide.
Chu Ke raised his hand and threw the chess piece onto the board, lifting his head with a livid expression.
When had this wretched girl learned to play chess? Wasn’t she supposed to be completely unskilled? To think she had hidden her abilities so well.
"There’s no need to hide the fact that I can play chess," Chu Zhao said calmly as she collected the pieces. "It’s just a way to pass the time."
Infuriated by her irritating demeanor, Chu Ke slammed his fist on the table several times. "Let’s compare calligraphy! Chess is just a pastime for amusement. I’ve spent all my time studying."
Girls might while away their hours playing chess for fun, but scholars like him had no time for such distractions. It was understandable if his chess skills were slightly inferior.
Chu Zhao smiled. "Fine. I don’t need to rely on scholarship to make my way in the world, so calligraphy is also just a way for me to pass the time."
Liang Qiang laughed beside her. "Then let’s see what you can do."
The other young men chimed in agreement. After the chess match, their gazes toward Chu Zhao had shifted. Though Chu Ke’s chess skills were indeed poor, this girl clearly had some talent—she wasn’t just a hot-tempered, crude brawler.
Seeing the young men, who had once flattered only him, now looking at her differently, Chu Ke grew even angrier and pounded the table again. "Hurry up and clear the table, then!"
The young men laughed as they moved the chessboard aside and brought out the ink, brushes, paper, and inkstone that the shop had already prepared. Without another word, Chu Zhao sat upright, adjusted her sleeves, picked up a brush, and began to write.
Watching the girl’s serene expression, the young men fell silent, their banter ceasing. The room grew even quieter than during the chess game.
……
……
"It’s so quiet."
Qi Leyun rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the pillar across the corridor. The seats over there were clearly full, yet she couldn’t hear Young Master Xie the Third’s laughter or conversation.
Young Master Xie was truly a quiet person.
Her gaze drifted downward involuntarily, and she frowned with annoyance.
"Why is it so quiet over at Chu Zhao’s side? Has she left?"
Although the young ladies had lost interest in that side of the room, their maids were still keeping an eye out, ready to report any embarrassment Chu Zhao might face to amuse their mistresses.
So far, nothing had happened.
One maid said, "She hasn’t left. Chu Zhao is competing with Young Master Chu Ke in calligraphy."
Qi Leyun and the other girls turned to look at the maid, their expressions a mix of surprise and amusement."Chu Zhao having any calligraphy skills? She's lucky if she can even write characters correctly."
"Didn't we have her write something before? Remember how ridiculous her handwriting was?"
"Though Chu Ke is just average, how could she possibly compare to him?"
"If it were Chu Tang competing against Chu Ke, that would be more fitting."
However, some recalled another matter and summoned a maid to ask: "Weren't they playing chess earlier? Who won?"
Oh right, there was that too. The young ladies pressed for answers.
The maid timidly held up three fingers: "Three games... Miss Chu won all of them."
The girls erupted in astonishment.
"Is Chu Ke's chess skills that terrible?"
"How embarrassing."
"Chu Ke was always mediocre anyway. Chu Tang is the most skilled in the Chu family."
"He's completely disgraced the Chu family, losing to Chu Zhao."
"Eh, aren't they both from the Chu family?"
As the girls chattered excitedly, Qi Leyun withdrew half her attention from the corridor pillar where Young Master Xie the Third stood and instructed a maid: "Go watch and see what kind of monstrosity Chu Zhao can write."
......
......
More people gathered around, the atmosphere no longer as quiet as before. With maids squeezing in among them—most unable to properly appreciate calligraphy—they kept asking others: "How is her writing?"
Others observed the girl sitting properly as she wrote and nodded: "Her regular script is passable. She's clearly put effort into learning it."
Just passable? The maids sighed in relief, standing on tiptoes to watch as Chu Zhao finished one sheet and set it aside. The characters were neat and delicate, but indeed nothing extraordinary—similar to what their own young mistresses could produce.
"Eh," someone nearby suddenly remarked, "She's changed to another script."
Others noticed too, unable to resist pressing forward. Those in front complained irritably: "Stop pushing!" "You stepped on my foot!"
The scene grew slightly chaotic.
Chu Ke couldn't help looking up, only then realizing how many people had gathered. Glancing across at Chu Zhao, he saw she had already finished one sheet and was now intently writing a second—
Calligraphy isn't about who writes fastest!
Resentment simmering in his heart, Chu Ke gripped his brush and sped up. More comments reached his ears, still focused on that girl, that girl.
"This girl's running script shows considerable foundation."
"Though young, her brushwork is vigorous and disciplined—clear dedication here."
"Eh! She's changed scripts again—cursive style!"
......
......
"I refuse to believe she knows cursive script!" Qi Leyun sprang to her feet. After a glance toward the corridor pillar—which wasn't going anywhere—she reclaimed her remaining attention, pushed past her maid, and declared, "I'm going to see for myself!"
The other girls, long unable to contain their curiosity, rose in unison. The whole group clattered downstairs, their jewels glinting and silks shimmering to form another spectacle.
More eyes turned their way, then followed them toward the second floor.
Deng Yi shook his wine pot—already empty. He raised a hand to summon a server, but the staff were all watching the second floor, pointing and whispering with amusement. Only after two calls did a server approach.
"Another pot of wine," Deng Yi said, gesturing toward the empty seat opposite. "The gentleman there is covering the bill."
......
......
Having completed four sheets, Chu Zhao looked at Chu Ke still scribbling furiously across from her and reminded him: "Brother, calligraphy isn't about who writes the most."
Chu Ke lifted his head, his hair somehow disheveled again from writing, face flushed and looking even more discomposed than before.
He scanned his surroundings, where gazes finally settled upon him."Brother A-Ke." A playmate somewhat awkwardly pointed at his paper. "You've written this character wrong."
It was because he had lifted his brush too quickly. Chu Ke angrily slapped the brush onto the table and reached out: "Let me see!"
The papers Chu Zhao had finished writing were no longer on the table, having been passed around by those standing nearby.
Only six or seven sheets he had written lay scattered across the desk. The onlookers showed no interest in picking them up, merely leaning over for a glance—
This was too humiliating!
Liang Qiang wasn't as harsh. He snatched one paper from someone else's hands and handed it to Chu Ke: "Look, your younger sister writes cursive script just like you do."
Chu Ke stared at the paper that had nearly been shoved in his face, the flamboyant, flowing characters stinging his eyes.
That damn girl hadn't made a single mistake.
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