As soon as the two sides met, he immediately recognized the boy who was about his own age. Seeing that the other seemed not to notice him and was about to walk straight past, he lazily called out, “Carter.”

The newcomer was the legitimate eldest son of the eldest young master of the Yue family, the eldest great-grandson of the old master Yue—Evan Sullivan. Carter was his childhood name.

He and Chad Sullivan were about the same height, with a jade-like face, rosy lips, and handsome features. If they stood side by side, it would be easy to mistake them for brothers. However, compared to the bright and colorful clothes that the old master liked to have the maids like Luoxia dress Chad Sullivan in, he was much more simply dressed.

At the moment, Evan Sullivan was dressed head to toe in bean-green clothes, with only a jade pendant tied at his waist with a red cord. In contrast, Chad Sullivan’s emerald outfit was much more eye-catching.

Evan Sullivan was stopped by Chad Sullivan, and his face immediately darkened. He had always been unhappy about having to call Chad Sullivan “Ninth Uncle” even though they were about the same age, but because of seniority, he had to swallow his resentment. But now that he knew Chad Sullivan was not even of Yue blood, he was even more unwilling to call him “Ninth Uncle.”

He took a deep breath, deliberately omitting those two words, and raised his head to say, “I’m here at Hè Míng Pavilion to borrow books!”

Chad Sullivan didn’t care whether the other called him “Ninth Uncle” or not, but hearing this excuse, he said with a half-smile, “But Grandpa isn’t here right now.”

“So what if Great-Grandpa isn’t here?” Evan Sullivan immediately became angry and raised his voice. “You can go into Hè Míng Pavilion every day, so why can’t I? I started learning to read at four years old—what about you? You relied on Great-Grandpa’s favor and started ruining books at four!”

Hearing the commotion, the two maids, Ethan Reed and Emily Reed, who served in Hè Míng Pavilion during the day, hurried over. Seeing Evan Sullivan arguing with Chad Sullivan, they immediately decided to watch the show.

Chad Sullivan had grown up in Hè Míng Pavilion. As soon as he could walk, he started climbing ladders, and his greatest joy was messing up the vast collection of books on the shelves.

But the old master didn’t mind at all. In the words of this domineering old man, as long as the books were put to use, it was better than letting them gather dust and rot.

If it weren’t for the old master’s instructions, when they saw Chad Sullivan drawing lines and doodling in the books, they would have long since stopped him.

Suddenly, Emily Reed noticed that today it was Lauren Smith who had come out with Chad Sullivan. Seeing her standing tall and graceful, but with only her eyes red and swollen, she couldn’t help but feel jealous and stepped forward to make a few pointed remarks.

“The marriage list just came out, and Third Madam has approved it. Sister, you already know you’re getting married—were you so happy you cried all night?”

Hearing these words, which were clearly mocking and secretly sarcastic, Lauren Smith couldn’t help but clench her handkerchief tightly, unable even to force a smile.

With his sharp ears, Chad Sullivan noticed the hidden barbs in this direction. He completely ignored the aggressive Evan Sullivan, turned his head, and said to Lauren Smith, “Go back and get two boiled eggs, peel them, soak them in cold water, and then roll them over your eyes. That’ll do the trick.”

At these words, Emily Reed immediately frowned. “Using eggs on your eyes? Isn’t that just wasting food?”

“Just wash them and eat them after you’re done. How is that wasting? Or is it that, back when Lauren Smith was at your house, she couldn’t even eat eggs?”

Emily Reed saw Chad Sullivan turn to look at her and was instantly filled with indignation.

Back when Lauren Smith had just entered the household and acknowledged Madam Xiang as her godmother, while learning the rules at her house, she hadn’t even had proper meals, let alone eggs—they were just leftovers from her siblings!

And Evan Sullivan hadn’t expected Chad Sullivan not only to ignore him, but to care about a maid instead. He was so furious he nearly exploded. “It’s not enough for you to ruin things yourself, now you’re teaching others to do it too?”

Only when he saw Evan Sullivan’s face turn red with anger did Chad Sullivan walk over with his hands behind his back and, quite unceremoniously, pat Evan Sullivan on the head. Then he stepped back two paces and looked over this dumbfounded nephew.

“Good nephew, since you’re here at Hè Míng Pavilion to borrow books, you should be polite to the acting master. Otherwise, if I’m in a bad mood, what if I don’t let you in?”

Seeing Evan Sullivan’s face darken, Chad Sullivan deliberately said smugly, “But I’m in a good mood now, so go ahead. Adults don’t hold grudges against children. Would I, as your uncle, stoop to your level?”

Mocked to this extent, Evan Sullivan was both ashamed and angry, and had no more desire to borrow books. In a fit of rage, he turned and stormed off.

At this, Emily Reed immediately panicked. Her mother, Madam Xiang, was the confidante of Evan Sullivan’s grandmother, the main madam—how could she dare offend the real young master?

Seeing Emily Reed drag Ethan Reed off to chase after Evan Sullivan, Chad Sullivan took the opportunity to quietly instruct Lauren Smith, “Remember, go back and shut the courtyard gate and bolt it. Today, not even the Jade Emperor himself is allowed into Qingfen Pavilion.”

Though she didn’t understand why, seeing the serious look on Chad Sullivan’s face, Lauren Smith unconsciously swallowed her questions and nodded firmly.

When Ethan Reed and Emily Reed failed to persuade the furious Evan Sullivan to return and came back to Hè Míng Pavilion dejectedly, they saw Chad Sullivan climbing the ladder to get books, completely unconcerned, and couldn’t help but gnash their teeth in anger.

In the eyes of Ethan Reed and Emily Reed, seven-year-old Chad Sullivan was nothing like Evan Sullivan. Without the guidance of elders like the main madam and the eldest young master, how could he possibly understand those thick, heavy books? Clearly, he was just ruining things.