Seeing that Brian Clark was already wearing a stern face, Ryan Clark could only mutter gloomily, “I haven’t been in Nanjing for long, how would I know these things…”

“Then go find out.” Ever since he had assigned Sixth King to inquire about the sixth elder’s birthday in the clan, Brian Clark had noticed that Ryan Clark walked around with his head down, listless and dispirited. So now, he simply went along with it and said, “Didn’t you hear what Mrs. King said? If you wash clothes too often, they fade and wear out, but if you don’t wash them, sweat will rot them. I’m planning to make a few short-sleeved shirts to wear when I exercise in the mornings. Go out and check the current prices, and while you’re at it, ask about the prices of rice and flour too.”

“Isn’t shopping usually Sixth Brother King’s job…” Ryan Clark had only said half his sentence when his eyes suddenly lit up. “Don’t worry, young master, I understand. I’ll go right away and definitely won’t let him pocket your money!”

Seeing Ryan Clark suddenly perk up and dash out the door after agreeing, Brian Clark knew his plan had worked and couldn’t help but smile slightly. When he turned his head and caught sight of the bookshelf, he was struck by a thought. These past few days, he had been busy recovering his health and pondering that plan, so he hadn’t had time to look through the things in the room. Now that he had some free time, he figured he should carefully go through them.

He walked over to the bookshelf, casually took down the dust-covered books one by one, and upon flipping through them, found that the Four Books and Five Classics were all there, along with various miscellaneous records on geography and landscapes. In his previous life, he had loved literature and history, and had a solid foundation, so now he simply sorted the books according to their general categories—classics, history, philosophy, and collections—and put them back in order, planning to read them when he had the chance.

When he got to the tall cabinet on the other side, as soon as he opened the door, a huge pile of things came crashing down on him. Startled, he hurriedly jumped back a step, and in the next moment, with a loud crash, a mass of papers mixed with dust scattered all over the floor. Caught off guard, he instinctively called out for Ryan Clark, but no one answered for a long while. Realizing he had sent him out, he could only helplessly squat down and pick things up himself.

After finally cleaning up the pile of papers, Brian Clark found that the now-empty top shelf of the tall cabinet was the highest one. Not wanting to climb up and put things back, he simply carried everything over to the desk by the window. He randomly pulled out a calligraphy practice booklet, but when he opened it, he was momentarily stunned.

He had expected the handwriting to be terrible, but what appeared before him, though not excellent, was actually quite neat. In his previous life, even at his lowest point, he had relied on the calligraphy skills he had practiced since childhood, and another craft that came from it, to survive and seek revenge. So while he might lack other abilities, he was confident in his writing and reading. As he unfolded the sheets one by one, he saw that besides practice copies, there were also some unsent family letters to a distant father, all written in neat small script. The words, though not perfectly composed, were full of heartfelt longing.

“What a pity…”

Brian Clark let out a deep sigh, ultimately giving up on the idea of burning these things. These papers were clearly from two or three years ago, and since he was good at regular script, he could easily explain any changes in handwriting as a result of growing older. He fetched a stool, put the things back on the highest shelf, and then found the dusty Four Treasures of the Study on the middle shelf. After cleaning them, he placed them neatly on the desk. He had just finished when a clear, loud voice came from outside.

“Hey, is anyone there!”

Sixth King had been out almost every day lately, Ryan Clark had just been sent out, and Mrs. King was too busy enjoying her reward to bother him. So, feeling puzzled, he simply pushed open the window and saw a young boy standing in the courtyard. The boy had delicate features, and his eyebrows were especially charming. But at first glance, something seemed off about him. After a moment’s thought, he lifted the curtain and went out from the main room.

“Look at the time, and you’re still so carefree?”

Hearing the boy speak as if he knew him, Brian Clark was taken aback. But the other party didn’t give him a chance to think, rattling off, “You hang out with those loafers all day, and the whole Xu clan has been complaining about you for ages. This time, you even got beaten half to death and sent back! Do you know, the clan elders have already discussed expelling you from the family?”

Looking at the exasperated boy, Brian Clark finally realized what felt off. The boy had a piercing in his small earlobe, and with his delicate features and feminine mannerisms, it was clear he was a girl dressed as a boy. Yet, searching his memory, he couldn’t recall who she was, so he could only cough lightly and say, “Little brother, have we met before?”

Seeing Brian Clark remain calm after hearing such bad news, the boy was momentarily stunned, then said angrily, “What does it matter if we’ve met or not! Listen, it’s not just the Xu clan that’s dissatisfied with you—your future father-in-law can’t stand you either, and many in the Xu clan are trying to win him over.”