Ning Li was just about to refuse him, but Lu Huaiyu, who was sitting across from her, was even faster.
He looked at Old Master Lu.
“Grandpa, did you forget that Ah Li is only seventeen?”
Old Master Lu suddenly felt guilty and withdrew his hand that was about to pour the wine.
“Ahem! Oh, it’s just that I’m happy because Ah Li did so well in the exam! Besides, it’s not that much. It shouldn’t be a big deal to just take a sip…”
Lu Huaiyu’s expression remained unchanged.
“Dr. Yan said that you can only have one cup at most.”
Old Master Lu, “…”
Even though Ah Li had done so well in the exam, he still would not even allow anyone to drink two glasses!
Lu Huaiyu raised his hand and brought the bottle of wine over to him.
Old Master Lu looked at the poor little wine glass in front of him. The wine was clear and bright, but… It was too little!
He sighed deeply.
The air was filled with the strong and clear smell of wine.
Ning Li took another look at the bottle of wine.
For Old Master Lu to be so fixated on it, it must be a good wine.
Lu Huaiyu raised his eyebrows when he saw her gaze.
“You can’t drink it no matter how much you look at it.”
Ning Li recovered her senses and defended herself by saying, “I didn’t want to drink it…”
It wasn’t important whether she wanted to or not. What was important was that her taste in wine was really…
Lu Huaiyu placed the wine further away and took a glass of juice from the side.
“Children should drink this.”
Ning Li pressed her lips together slightly.
This thought had not occurred to her at first, but when Lu Huaiyu had said this…
She asked, “Then, can I drink it at eighteen?”
Old Master Lu also felt sorry for Ning Li.
“Ah Li, don’t listen to him! This kid and his brother aren’t that obedient either!”
Lu Huaiyu leaned against the back of the chair and looked up at Ning Li. He saw that the young girl’s eyes were filled with dissatisfaction. After a while, he smiled.
“Yeah.”
“You can drink it… when you turn eighteen.”
Ning Li took a bite of the shrimp.
Eighteen it was then.
There were only a few months left anyway.
“Then Second Brother, you can’t go back on your word.”
If Lu Huaiyu continued to insist on something like that…
Lu Huaiyu laughed.
“I always keep my word.”
…
Ning Li stayed at the Lu family home that night.
Old Master Lu was in a good mood, so he insisted on playing chess with Lu Huaiyu, even allowing Ning Li to watch from the side.
Ning Li sat down next to Old Master Lu.
Old Master Lu chatted with Ning Li as he played.
“Ah Li, you guys will be taking the college entrance exam in three months, right?”
As he spoke, he placed down his chess piece.
Ning Li nodded.
“That’s very fast! When you’re done with the exam–”
Before Old Master Lu could finish his words, he saw Lu Huaiyu move a white piece on the opposing side to directly block his path.
He hurriedly said, “Hey! No, no! I made the wrong move just now! Let’s start again!”
Lu Huaiyu did not move.
“Grandpa, you should not regret making your move.”
Old Master Lu looked anxiously at the board.
“My piece hadn’t even been placed properly, yet you already placed yours! How can this work?”
He winked at Ning Li.
“Ah Li, don’t you agree?”
Ning Li, “…Yes.”
Old Master Lu looked at Lu Huaiyu proudly.
“Did you hear that? Even Ah Li said so! Quick, take away that piece of yours!”
Lu Huaiyu turned his gaze slightly, and his gaze fell on Ning Li.
Ning Li did not look away.
“Second Brother, Grandpa Lu’s chess piece just now had indeed not been placed properly yet.”
Lu Huaiyu looked at her for a while, before smiling.
“Alright.”
As he spoke, he slowly took back the chess piece.
Old Master Lu held the chess piece in his hand and stared at the chessboard for a long time before he hesitantly placed it in a position.
Ning Li looked at the position where he had placed the chess piece. She wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, she refrained from saying anything.
Lu Huaiyu asked, “Are you sure this time?”
Old Master Lu immediately raised his hand and awkwardly changed to another position.
Snap.
Ning Li looked away.
Lu Huaiyu raised his eyebrows.
“You’re not changing it this time?”
Old Master Lu rubbed his hands together.
“I’m not changing it! This is it!”
Lu Huaiyu and the slender fingers of the pavilion held a chess piece and fell to the side.
Snap.
Old Master Lu was stunned for a moment.
“Aiya! That’s not right! I saw wrongly just now! I didn’t want to put it there. You, you pick up the chess piece first!”
Lu Huaiyu continued to hold himself in a laidback manner.
“What did you say just now?”
Old Master Lu’s voice suddenly stopped and his lips moved soundlessly.
After a long while, he said, “Ah Li didn’t see the previous two steps clearly just now. Shall I play it again for her?”
Ning Li, “…”
Lu Huaiyu seemed to have expected this. Hearing this, he looked at Ning Li.
“Is that so?”
Ning Li coughed lightly.
“… Yes.”
Lu Huaiyu obeyed and picked up his chess piece.
“Alright, let me show you again.”
…
On this night, Ning Li finally saw what a sneaky chess game was like.
In this one game of chess, Old Master Lu regretted his moves eleven times.
It was amazing.
The key was that Old Master Lu always used her as an excuse.
In the end, she wished she could play the game herself.
After a long back and forth game of chess, Old Master Lu finally won and went to rest in satisfaction.
Lu Huaiyu patiently sorted the pieces back and placed them back into the container.
The light in the study was warm, the light reflected onto his cold face. The light and shadow intersected, like a frozen scroll that could only be seen from afar and could not be touched.
Ning Li sat beside him, resting her chin on her hand. She was lost in her thoughts as she observed him.
On this day in her previous life, she had been in a state of chaos.
In the long time that had followed, she would occasionally dream.
What she saw in the dream, was a solemn and quiet examination room. She saw a piece of paper falling from her sleeve over and over again. She heard the countless doubts and insults that had overwhelmed her from all directions.
Now, however, she was at the Lu family… Eating, playing chess, and chatting.
It was peaceful and so very precious.
Lu Huaiyu suddenly looked over at her.
“What are you thinking about?”
Ning Li came back to her senses and her eyes lit up.
“Nothing. I was just thinking about the chess game with Grandpa Lu. It was quite interesting.”
Lu Huaiyu could hear the slight sarcasm in her words. He chuckled.
“Grandpa usually doesn’t play chess like this.”
Ning Li didn’t believe it. “Really?”
Lu Huaiyu stood up and placed the chess container on the bookshelf.
“Of course it’s true.”
It wasn’t that Grandfather Lu was a good chess player. However, under normal circumstances, Lu Huaiyu would rarely give in to him like this.
“I only gave in a little more today.”
Lu Huaiyu said.
Ning Li nodded in understanding.
“Oh… I think it’s okay to give in occasionally, but today…”
She coughed lightly and changed the euphemism.
“Second Brother, it’ll be easy to allow Grandpa Lu to become a crooked player this way.”
Lu Huaiyu paused and laughed lazily.
“It’s not like I made way for him today.”
