Chapter 20: Big Brother, Where Did My Chest Go?

“I had just brought Ji Yin here when he arrived. The time it took to break the chess game was neither more nor less than an hour. He couldn’t plead for her directly, so he could only sit here and wait, fearing I might hand down an even harsher punishment,” Young Master Ji said, lifting his hand to gather the chess pieces on the board.

Wuyan was taken aback. “Is it really wise for the whole family to dote on such a useless person?”

A faint smile played at the corners of Young Master Ji’s lips, his gaze falling on his own right hand as he suddenly recalled the softness of that little hand’s touch...

...

Ji Yin was carried back to his courtyard by Ji Shaofeng and immediately sprawled out on the lounge chair, waving her small hand with a sleeve in it.

Ji Shaofeng picked up a fan from the side and stood beside her, gently fanning.

“Big Brother, why has Young Master Ji come to our house? When will he leave?”

“I’ve told you not to provoke him, but you just wouldn’t listen. Today you were only made to stand for an hour. If he truly wanted to punish you, even if I pleaded, it would be useless.”

“My stars simply clash with his!” Ji Yin fumed at the very thought.

Ji Shaofeng looked at her, hesitating, unsure how to speak. When would Xiao Qi finally realize she was a girl?

He already knew why Young Master Ji had punished Xiao Qi. He thought it necessary to let her know the truth; if she continued like this, sooner or later, something would happen.

“Xiao Qi, there’s something I must solemnly tell you now.”

“Alright!” Ji Yin nodded, thinking he was finally going to tell her what Ji Shaochen had left unsaid.

Ji Shaofeng lifted his fan and waved it toward her, and Ji Yin suddenly felt her hair tumble down.

Ji Shaofeng pointed in a direction. “Go look at yourself in the bronze mirror.”

Ji Yin immediately got up and walked to the mirror.

Ji Shaofeng stepped behind her. “Xiao Qi, do you see? You’re actually a girl; you should be called Seventh Miss, not Seventh Young Master.”

“That’s all you wanted me to see?” Ji Yin felt a pang of disappointment. “I know I’m a girl.”

“When did you find out?” Ji Shaofeng’s eyes flashed with surprise.

“Tomorrow night.”

“You already knew?” Ji Shaofeng tapped her on the head with his fan. “Since you know, how dare you still tease Young Master Ji!”

“Ouch!” Ji Yin clutched her head and dodged away.

“Do you know what a young lady ought to do? Look at the noble daughters in the imperial capital—each one is well-versed in every refined art, from music and chess to poetry and painting.”

“But haven’t you all always treated me like a son? Now you suddenly want me to accept that I’m a girl and expect so much from me. Have you ever considered how I feel?”

Ji Shaofeng was left speechless, his face full of tenderness as he gently rubbed her head. “Do you know why we raised you as a boy?”

“Yes, Shuang’er told me.”

“Remember, you must never reveal your true identity.”

“So from now on, don’t compare me to those noble ladies!”

“Alright, alright, no comparisons. No one can match our Xiao Qi.” Ji Shaofeng nodded indulgently.

Ji Yin walked to the bronze mirror, studying her reflection carefully. The water’s surface at night hadn’t shown things clearly, but now she could see her true features: her facial structure was the same, but there was no Adam’s apple, and her brows and eyes were softer.

“So this is what I really look like.”

“That’s right.”

“Big Brother, your face-changing technique is amazing. But—where’s my chest?” Ji Yin reached to her chest, puzzled by the lack of change.

Pfft! Ji Shaofeng had just lifted a cup of tea. Hearing her question, he sprayed tea everywhere.