The faint purple floral pattern could still be seen through the material.

Cheng Ying had to admit, at least someone with a bit of taste was choosing this noble hue.

Hesitantly unzipping the bag, she was surprised by satisfaction. A cheongsam in navy blue base with pale purple blossoms embroidered across the sleeveless, waist-clasping silhouette.

"Far too perfect," Cheng Ying narrowed her eyes happily, pulling Chi Wu into a tight embrace. "At last you've grown up enough to have decent taste! I was afraid you'd end up as clueless as Grandma about these things."

Grandma covered one eye with her hand in disbelief. "Shame on you two siblings, let alone being related by blood!" she scolded the boy, "You're a disaster child, let go before you melt from the heat! How can your taste be so poor? You ungrateful wretch!"

Chi Wu ignored Cheng Ying's words entirely, his head buzzing in this sweltering summer day. His heart had stopped beating altogether - frozen with fear of losing this sensation even briefly.

The moment Cheng Ying let go, Chi Wu swallowed hard as if breathing for the first time. His pulse thundered like a war drum. Now he understood exactly what "feeling" was.

He finally recognized the meaning behind his friend's words about this feeling - it had been inside him all along. Dry-mouthed and breathless, he fled outside where the house felt stiflingly cramped for just one person.

Discovering the existence of these feelings meant understanding they weren't ready to see daylight yet. Cheng Ying's attitude remained crucial; he needed to proceed cautiously and carefully.

Abandonment had never been an option she taught him - seize what you want through determination. His head burned with heat, but some truths simply eluded comprehension. Chi Wu needed time for reflection.

Back in junior high, his friend dragged him out with girls, once mentioning this heart-racing feeling like a deer was stamping wildly in chest. At that time, pretending indifference to the outing, Chi Wu claimed nothing stirred his pulse or quickened his breath.

Now clutching his chest, he realized then - the person had simply been wrong. And all along he'd already possessed those feelings, not understanding they meant: I love you.

Glancing at the house and back again, Chi Wu clenched his jaw before re-entering. It felt like a magnet inside pulled him forward irresistibly.

Cheng Ying held her first ever purchased cheongsam with affectionate hands - though also floral, this was different! This was a real qipao.

Turning around sharply, she scolded, "What are you doing here? Go away while I try on clothes!"

The innocent yet passionate Chi Wu turned crimson like blood had drenched his face.

Cheng Ying watched the blushing boy and laughed heartily, "You've grown up! Why such a red face? Remember we shared one quilt as kids - what's there to be shy about?"

She didn't regard Chi Wu as anything other than family. Even if considering him female, it was still younger generation concern and affection. She certainly never treated him with romantic awareness, speaking so naturally and casually.

Chi Wu wanted desperately to escape through the door but found his body paralyzed by Cheng Ying's moving mouth in front of him, unable to look away even as she spoke.

Cheng Ying sighed dramatically at his expression, "Look at that face - completely unacceptable! You're a grown man now! If you react like this whenever seeing women, how will you marry?"

When Chi Wu didn't leave promptly, Cheng Ying impatiently kicked him out. She refused to waste time arguing with the boy who showed no reason for embarrassment.

Kicked outside, Chi Wu squatted at the courtyard watching two crimson carp fish. His nose suddenly flared with heat, streaking down his cheeks in parallel lines mirroring the red fish below.

Plopping water from the basin onto his face, Chi Wu's mind remained blank - unsure what thoughts should occupy him. But Cheng Ying's kick truly didn't hurt at all.

Cheng Ying tried on her cheongsam inside, admiring curves and sways with delight. "Grandma, look! Isn't my figure perfect?"

Wearing the thousand-stitched soles made by Grandma she asked, "How about these? Pretty right?"

Grandma nodded, "Indeed. The material is nice but this waistline is too tight - look how much butt it reveals!"

Cheng Ying rolled her eyes at Grandma's old-fashioned thinking, secretly wishing she found it a bit snug herself.

"Grandma," she instructed, "Need you to modify this part, cinch it tighter."

Grandma frowned suspiciously, "Will that even look good?"

Cheng Ying laughed knowingly, "You don't understand - this waistline is perfect!"

Eyes narrowing in suspicion at her granddaughter's "water snake waist", Grandma threatened sternly, "Dare you wear it out of the house?"

Cheng Ying teased Grandma for being conservative. Just wait a few years until she saw modern girls dressed provocatively with short skirts - that would truly break her heart.

When Cheng Ying emerged to show off in front of Chi Wu, she spun naturally, completely unaware this might stimulate any young male's heart.

Chi Wu wiped his nose just as the blood stopped flowing. What did he see? A goddess! With such curves and allure, it was far too much for a young man.

His eyes gradually widened until another rush of warmth surged from his nose. Quickly turning away to hide embarrassment, he lied loudly, "Damaging family honor! Grandma made you wear it - what rotten craftsmanship!"

Diving back into the water basin, Chi Wu felt large red fish bumping against his face. Resentfully, why must this annoying creature also compete for air in the tank? A flick of its tail left his cheek burning.

Cheng Ying gave him a swift kick right then. What poor taste! Her loneliness was truly unbearable with such company.

Chi Wu secretly considered it intimate contact - comforting indeed. But now he remembered her advice: thin skin meant marriage troubles; when loving someone, must have thick skin.

Yet Cheng Ying's beauty still overwhelmed him far more than his sister-in-law ever could. Her curves and ivory skin flooded his thoughts.

Cheng Ying enjoyed the display alone, "Would be better with heels to parade through town."

Chi Wu turned back with water dripping from his face, "Grandma will kill you!"

Especially since he would certainly hide this cursed garment tomorrow - it was definitely not wearable outside.

Cheng Ying ignored him and demanded, "Eat quickly! Tomorrow morning I'll take you to work."

She couldn't bear to remove the cheongsam - after all these years, she'd finally acquired a beautiful dress.

Grandma worried aloud, "What nonsense staying in that outfit? Take it off now!"

She feared encountering taboos but could not wear such things at home.

Cheng Ying protested, "Then make me two more like this, I'll wear flowers too!"

Grandma scoffed, "You're just trying to look! No man will marry you with that appearance!"

Chi Wu ate silently in agreement - he supported Grandma's words entirely though secretly delighted no one would find Cheng Ying attractive.

Cheng Ying smiled defiantly, "Don't worry about me finding a husband! We'll just claim our own bride anyway."

Chi Wu slowed his eating pace slightly. Technically they were family so marriage versus courtship didn't matter - nice thinking indeed.

"Grandma," she asked, "Prepare two portions of dry rations for Buzi and me?"

Grandma questioned, "Why not let him stay a few more days? Why work so early?"

Cheng Ying explained, "He's strong enough now! I'm just training him like Father would!"

Chi Wu busied himself with eating bowls full of rice. Feeling his body burning with energy and strength, he decided to take the initiative in preparing provisions.

Grandma shrugged helplessly.

Since they needed an early start that night, mother and daughters spoke little later on.

Midnight approached when Cheng Ying carried a woven basket filled by Grandma as well as Chi Wu's prepared rations, driving off for lumber yard work.

Hiring help shouldn't interfere with their job schedules, so workers used pre-dawn hours to do private favors.

When they saw Cheng Ying's big red pine tree at the lumber yard, workers exclaimed, "Cheng Ying! Wasting treasure!"

Internally wincing over losing such a valuable asset but knowing her need for cash, she pleaded earnestly, "Uncle, please help me."

People moved aside to clear space for cutting. Unwilling ones found themselves obscured by flowers or shrubs, though most understood the lumber yard's knowledge of hidden treasures in these woods.

The thick red pine wasn't easily obtainable either.

From dusk until daylight they worked hard. When familiar chants signaled completion, Cheng Ying knew her red pine was felled.

Workers specifically noted its height - far exceeding expectations. "Worth a fortune," they remarked, "Completely different!"

Chi Wu thanked them sincerely for the trouble. After all, it was also because of Cheng Ying's good nature people were willing to help.

Looking at the bright red logs, Cheng Ying felt reluctant inside.

Two meters remained cut from the tree trunk before lumber yard workers took their share.

Though feeling robbed in spirit, she reasoned with herself - her price request seemed high but actually undervalued compared to future worth. In a few years this would be impossible to acquire even for exorbitant sums.

Watching red cloth nailed onto logs floating downriver, Cheng Ying and Chi Wu returned home in their car.

Workers already followed mountain trails to the lumber yard while waiting men at base stared open-mouthed when five marked logs were intercepted - tree tops proved high-quality material indeed.

The girl hadn't tricked anyone; these tips were perfect wood. As she put it, they could make a family's worth of coffins... though she quickly caught herself for speaking such cursed words.

When arriving at the lumber yard, Cheng Ying found all logs already loaded onto trucks according to specifications. Large vehicles easily accommodated each tree in their cargo beds.

Approaching with cheerful smile, Cheng Ying asked, "How about that?"

The man walked up and praised, "Excellent work, young lady! This task was handled very professionally."

Cheng Ying responded, "Just doing what needs done on my own land - nothing to worry me!"

Chi Wu silently accompanied her without comment. He knew this capability of Cheng Ying's since childhood.

With his troubles resolved, the man rushed home for payment, "Miss, please pay quickly so I can return home!"