Originally, as an older woman, April felt somewhat uneasy about not being married yet. Now, after what Charles Harper said—that it wasn’t that no one wanted to marry her, but rather that she couldn’t bear to leave her late husband—an unintentional hint of delight flashed across April’s face. She seemed quite pleased with Charles Harper’s guess.

Charles Harper continued, “But even so, sometimes Sister April should think about herself. Actually, I could tell that the doorman who led me in just now has feelings for Sister April.”

Earlier, Charles Harper had been led in by a burly gatekeeper, and now he was using this as a pretext.

April was secretly pleased, but feigned annoyance, saying, “That David Bennett? He’s always been unruly. People like him are truly annoying.”

Charles Harper grinned and said, “Yes, yes, how could Sister April ever fancy him? That’s like a toad wanting to eat swan meat.”

By this point, the two had grown quite close. The more April looked at Charles Harper, the more pleasing he seemed. She couldn’t help but ask, “You don’t look like someone down on his luck, so why did you come to apply for a teaching position at the Lu family?”

Charles Harper composed himself, thinking, “Just now was observation, now comes questioning. Whether I pass or not depends on how I answer.”

He quickly put on a pained expression and said, “Sister April, you may not know, but my family used to be well-off. It’s just that we’ve fallen on hard times recently. To be honest, though I still have a few decent clothes, I’m penniless now. I can’t do manual labor, but fortunately, I read some books as a child. When I saw the Lu family recruiting teachers today, I thought I’d give it a try.” As he finished, he seemed to recall sad memories and let out a heavy sigh.

He was born a gentleman, but after a family misfortune, it was only natural to evoke sympathy. April, after all, was a woman. Though she appeared indifferent, after sharing their stories with Thomas Shaw, she already regarded him as a close friend. She couldn’t help but say, “So that’s how it is. I didn’t expect your background to be like this.”

She pondered for a moment, then said, “Alright, we’ve talked enough. You’re here to apply, after all. Now I’ll give you a test, so pay attention.”

Charles Harper sat up straight and said, “Please, miss, give me your question.”

April smiled and said, “Recite the Three Character Classic for me.”

“Wahaha… Others have to recite the Four Books for Women, but I only need to recite the Three Character Classic. Truly, a master of romance gets special treatment.” He immediately thought of those dejected candidates who had left earlier. If they knew his test was just the Three Character Classic, would they want to strangle him?

Unfortunately… even though it was the Three Character Classic, Charles Harper could only give a sheepish smile and said, “Well… this is a bit hard… Sister April, I’m afraid I might get it wrong…”

But Sister April encouraged him, “Give it a try, it’s alright, don’t be nervous.”

Charles Harper remembered some lines from the Three Character Classic and began, “At the beginning of man, nature is good. Their natures are similar… The three powers are heaven, earth, and man. The three lights are sun, moon, and stars. The three bonds…”

At this point, Charles Harper ran out of lines, and his tone grew uncertain.

Sister April smiled slightly and said, “That’s enough. It seems you’re quite familiar with it. But after all, the Three Character Classic is a primer, so it’s understandable to forget a bit. You’ve passed the preliminary test. Go wait in the side hall for a while; Sister April still has to test a few more people. Wait there for now. Today is the last day of selection, so after the preliminary test, the madam herself will come at noon to examine you. Sister April can only help you this far. But when you’re in front of the madam, you won’t be able to bluff your way through. Be careful, understand?”

Charles Harper was overjoyed. At least he had passed this round, and apparently, up to now, only one person had passed. Including himself, that made two, so next would be a one-in-two chance.

He quickly stood up and bowed, gratefully saying, “Thank you for your guidance, Sister April. I will remember it.”

Charles Harper took his leave, and behind him he heard April’s cold voice: “Call the next one, Samuel Wood.”

Charles Harper walked slowly, and a scholar brushed past him. This must be Samuel Wood. Then Samuel Wood entered the hall, and he could faintly hear his tense voice: “Student Wood…”

Immediately, April’s unceremonious voice followed: “Recite the ‘Admonitions for Women’…”

“Ah… I… I…”

“Come! Send him out!”

Chapter Five: Daring to Steal My Girl

The Lu residence was enormous. Following a servant out of the small hall, winding through twists and turns, Charles Harper’s eyes darted everywhere, and before he knew it, he was led to a side hall.

At this time, it was still early Ming, and the trend of extravagance had not yet taken hold. So, although the mansion was imposing, the furnishings in the halls were mostly simple. The Lu family, though a military aristocratic family, also had a taste for the arts. The side hall was simply furnished, with a touch of scholarly elegance, thanks mainly to the calligraphy and paintings on the walls.

As a master of romance, one must not only be skilled in music, but also versed in all kinds of poetry—be it obscure poetry, modern poetry, the “pear blossom” style, or Tang and Song poetry, Charles Harper could recite them all backwards. To move a woman, one must be able to produce fitting verses on the spot; anything less would not suffice.