Tang Wen’s hand was extremely fair, and after being struck, it immediately flushed bright red.

He sucked in a breath from the pain, yet he wasn't annoyed; instead, he started to laugh: "Little Yezi, you injured me, so you have to take responsibility." Zi Ye was utterly aghast, rushed in front of him, and shook his head vigorously: "Who possessed you?

Speak!" Tang Wen was shaken so badly he nearly threw up his last meal, vexed, "I am Tang Wen.

It must be that your method of opening your eyes is incorrect." Zi Ye was mortified.

It had only been a little over a month, and Tang Wen had actually started cracking jokes?

And he was smiling so easily and naturally.

He seemed much more cheerful than when they were at the Interstellar Federation Research Institute.

When he smiled, his eyes curved sweetly, radiating a pure, detached happiness.

Just like the handsome older brother she first saw outside the Kele Materials Market.

A thought struck Zi Ye's mind, and the words slipped out, "Handsome brother, you look very good when you smile." The moment the words were out, Tang Wen’s expression immediately dimmed by a shade.

Zi Ye regretted saying it as soon as it left her mouth, so she braced herself and let the mistake stand, "It’s a real shame you aren't modeling." Instead of getting angry, Tang Wen chuckled, "It’s a real shame you aren't teaching the Guqin." Zi Ye immediately remembered the purpose of her visit—she had come to learn the Guqin.

So, she decisively moved to the qin table, gave Bran a saccharine smile, and said, "Teacher Bran, please teach me the Guqin." As for Tang Wen?

—Complete disregard.

Bran smiled faintly, "Student Zi Ye, the Guqin we ordered will take another half hour to arrive.

Could you wait a little?" Zi Ye touched her forehead.

Was she truly here to learn the Guqin?

Oh well, since she wasn't really here to learn, she might as well treat it as a vacation.

Zi Ye scampered into the castle, found a book she liked in the library, then ran back out and settled onto the lounge chair specially moved out for her by the robot, opening her book to read.

How leisurely, how wonderful life was.

Seeing that Zi Ye no longer needed her attention, Bran also returned to his seat and resumed playing the cello.

The deep cello melody began again, and Zi Ye suddenly thought of something.

She stealthily glanced at Tang Wen from the corner of her eye.

Coincidentally, Tang Wen turned his head at that exact moment.

Their eyes met; Zi Ye’s face immediately blushed, and she hastily used the book to shield her vision.

A smile played on Tang Wen’s lips as he pointed at the book, "Little Yezi, you're holding your book upside down." Zi Ye, flustered, instinctively obeyed him and immediately flipped the book the right way up.

Tang Wen burst into hearty laughter.

Zi Ye realized she had been tricked, her cheeks instantly flushed crimson.

She hurriedly covered her face with the book, snapping angrily, "What are you laughing at?" Tang Wen reached out and gently stroked her cheek with his fingertip, "Little Yezi, you are truly adorable." Zi Ye wanted to swat his hand away with the book, but remembering how she had turned his hand bright red just moments ago, she forcibly restrained herself and turned her face away to avoid his touch.

Tang Wen was hardly a gentleman; if she avoided his touch, he insisted on touching.

Not only did he not withdraw his hand, but he squeezed her cheek hard.

Zi Ye was completely out of patience with his antics.

This guy was really going too far!

She slapped the book over her face, ignoring him, planning to drift off to dreamland.

Bran's timing was impeccable.

He said the Guqin would arrive in half an hour, and precisely half an hour later, it arrived, along with the qin table.

Zi Ye sat up from the lounge chair and looked at the two Guqin brought by the delivery personnel.

One was identical to hers, and the other was slightly different, but largely similar.

Zi Ye asked in surprise, "How much was this instrument?" Bran had people set up the qin table and place the instruments on it.

"The one identical to yours is Master Zhang’s auction edition from this year.

It was purchased for 1.2 million.

This other one, the non-identical one, is a custom high-end edition, priced at 300,000." Holy crap!

More expensive than a mecha!!!

Zi Ye stared, dumbfounded, at the Guqin on her table.

"How can there be two?

Is mine a fake?" When Bran heard this, he picked up her instrument and examined it carefully.

Seeing Master Zhang's personal signature and seal at the end of the instrument, he shook his head, "It's also genuine." Zi Ye recalled Li Chunyu saying this Guqin was very cheap, and a faint ache bloomed in her chest.

A 1.2 million instrument called cheap?

Were there any expensive things left in this world?

She had only gifted a robot, and he returned such a generous gift; how could she possibly accept it?

Bran noticed her expression shifting unpredictably and asked, "How much did you pay for yours?" Zi Ye sighed, "A friend gave it to me.

He said he knew Master Zhang from the Huaxia Legion, and the price was very cheap..." She truly hadn't known it was this cheap!

Bran didn't seem to care much about money.

He smiled, "It’s good that you have it.

Come on.

Let's learn together." Zi Ye was taken aback.

Tang Wen interjected, "Bran doesn't know the Guqin at all." Zi Ye shot him a sidelong glance, "Do you?" Tang Wen declared righteously, "Neither do I." Zi Ye chuckled, "How about we hire a teacher?" —No need to find a teacher; Li Chunyu already knew.

Tang Wen disliked having outsiders in his home and flatly shook his head, "We’ll learn ourselves." So, Little Sprout searched the light-net for the most suitable Guqin tutorial video for beginners.

He opened it, expanded the light-screen to three hundred inches, suspended it in mid-air, stood near the edge like a teacher, and the little sprout atop his head gently tapped the screen: "Class starts now." If a person who knew nothing about the Guqin learning the instrument was a tragedy, then three people who knew nothing about the Guqin learning it was a planetary tragedy.

In less than three minutes, Tang Wen looked pleadingly at Bran, "Bran, do your fingers hurt?" Bran lifted his hand to examine his ten fingers, "A little pain is inevitable.

Bear with it." Rejected in his search for comfort, Tang Wen turned to Zi Ye, "Little Yezi, does your hand hurt?" For the first time, Tang Wen and Zi Ye shared common ground.

With mournful faces, they held up their hands to show him, "It hurts so much!

They are all red!

How can Bran stand it?" The two looked at each other and said in unison, "It seems we aren't suited for learning the Guqin." The poor pair shook hands, decisively abandoning Bran, and both returned to the lounge chairs to bask in the light.

Tang Wen whispered to Zi Ye, "If you really want to learn an instrument, it’s better to learn the piano.

We can learn together, and playing the piano won't hurt your fingers." Zi Ye shook her head, "I don't want to learn anymore.

Playing an instrument is too much hassle.

Sitting around leisurely like this is much more comfortable." Tang Wen looked down on her, "No ambition." Zi Ye retorted, "You have some!" Little Sprout, rarely taking on the role of a teacher, was dismayed to find two fools refusing to cooperate, running off to sleep instead.

It was so angry it instantly wanted to blast them with a bolt of electricity and knock them onto the floor.

But no matter how angry or frustrated its expression, Zi Ye didn't see it.

Little Sprout was too angry!

Not only was Zi Ye ignoring it, but she was also establishing a camaraderie with her enemy—this was simply unbearable.

Just as it was about to erupt, Bran moved his wrist, stood up, and said, "My fingers do hurt a bit.

I'll rest too." The last student was gone.

Little Sprout let out a deflated sigh, its body slumping.

Before its anger completely leaked out, it pounced toward Zi Ye.

By the time Zi Ye managed to catch it, it had flattened into a Lanzhou pancake.

Zi Ye shrugged.

The Guqin and such were things for refined people; they weren't suitable for a coarse person like her.

Master Zhang’s instrument was best kept as a collector's item.

If she ever ran out of money, she could sell it and have some cash for emergencies.

Zi Ye’s original intention wasn't to learn the instrument anyway, so it didn't matter.

It was just that life on this planet was so incredibly easy.

Once she lay down, she didn't want to move.

Zi Ye gazed languidly at the sky above, the world around her filled with birdsong and fragrance, and felt a genuine sense of being alive.

Fortunately, Bran also hoped she would stay.

He smiled, "You're on summer vacation now, no need to rush back.

How about staying here for a few days?" Zi Ye didn't answer, turning to look at Tang Wen.

Tang Wen pretended not to care, flicking the small blades of grass beside him with his hand: "Whatever you want." Zi Ye rejoiced inwardly.

Tang Wen had agreed, definitely agreed!

However, she seemed to have forgotten that Tang Wen was fundamentally a child.

The saying that a child's face changes as easily as the weather was absolutely true.

Tang Wen had been leisurely and on her side this morning, but after his nap, his demeanor completely shifted.

"Little Yezi, help me get the third book from the left in the third row on the top shelf." Zi Ye was displeased, "Are you messing with me?

Just name a random location for me to retrieve it from." Tang Wen gave her a sidelong glance, "What if I'm not messing with you?" Zi Ye proudly lifted her chin, "Whatever you want, you can have." Tang Wen smiled faintly, "Very good.

If I am not playing a trick, you will obey my orders for the rest of the afternoon." Zi Ye looked up at the library, where books were stacked high enough to rival mountains, and she didn't believe Tang Wen could actually remember what book was in that specific spot!

So, she nodded.

Seeing that she had taken the bait, Tang Wen’s eyes curved with delight, "Go up and check.

The title is Flagship Design Essentials." Zi Ye truly didn't believe him and scrambled up the ladder.

A faint dust kicked up around her feet.

Tang Wen, uncharacteristically silent, rested his chin on his hand, watching her leisurely ascend shelf by shelf until she finally reached the very top layer.

One, two, three.

Zi Ye pointed to the third column, then the fifteenth book.

Then she froze, almost tumbling off the ladder.

Damn it, it really was Flagship Design Essentials!

Zi Ye scrambled down with the book and shouted, "This is impossible!

You must have cheated!" Tang Wen confidently countered, "How about you name the column and row on the first shelf, and I'll tell you the title.

We’ll know immediately if I cheated." Zi Ye thought for a moment, climbed to the third level, ran her finger along the row of books, and looked down at him, "Third level, second row from the top, twenty-first book." Tang Wen paused for a moment in thought, "Theory of Jump Engine Operation." Zi Ye nearly cried out in shock—not a single word was wrong.

Did this kid possess the ability of perfect recall?

She asked this question while searching for the book.

Tang Wen blinked, remained silent for a long time, and then murmured softly, "I have read every book in here; I must remember them all." For some reason, Zi Ye suddenly felt his tone was somewhat unhappy, tinged with an inexplicable melancholy, so she stopped speaking and stood there, watching him quietly.

Tang Wen suddenly slumped over the table, petulantly slapping the surface, "No books to read, so boring..." -RS