Yao Zixian and his sister didn't ask RenJie many questions. There was no need. They could guess his situation with ease.
His sister, Yao Ran, courtesy name Xinyue, took advantage of being the teahouse owner's daughter and hired RenJie on the spot. As with his previous job, RenJie assumed he would sleep in the shop. But Yao Zixian rejected the idea immediately.
"There's no place for you to sleep here."
RenJie frowned slightly, his eyes drifting toward the storeroom. Just as he opened his mouth to protest, Yao Zixian followed his gaze and shook his head firmly.
"No way. It's unhygienic. You'll ruin the tea leaves," he said, grabbing RenJie by the arm and dragging him out of the shop.
After walking several streets, they arrived at a modest mansion. The guards at the gate raised their brows at the sight of RenJie, but Yao Xinyue stepped forward with a sharp look.
"He works at the teahouse and he's a friend. He'll be staying here from now on, so be nice," she declared, hands on her hips.
The guards exchanged glances but didn't protest further.
RenJie, ever sensitive to people's moods, could tell from that brief moment that he wasn't welcome. He dropped his gaze to the ground, only to be nudged forward as Yao Xinyue rolled her eyes.
"Ling gege, should we get him a room?" she asked once they stepped inside.
"No need. He'll stay with me," Yao Zixian replied simply, veering left down a quiet corridor and entering a secluded courtyard.
RenJie gave a small bow toward Yao Xinyue before rushing to catch up. She gave a complicated smile and waved them off.
Inside the courtyard stood a humble structure with two plain rooms divided by a thin wooden partition. Yao Zixian led him to the smaller room and pushed open the worn door with care.
It was a cramped space, cluttered with scrolls and books. A makeshift bed sat in the corner, barely large enough for one, with a threadbare blanket and a basin for washing up. No table, no chair. Just the barest necessities.
"As you can see, it's not much, but we'll manage," Yao Zixian said as he moved among the piles of books, stacking them to make space.
"Gege, I can sleep outside."
Yao Zixian froze mid-motion and turned around, serious.
"First of all, don't call me gege. You're not a little girl. Call me Zixian Ge."
Then, he suddenly pouted. "Second, I get nightmares if I sleep alone. So you'll sleep with me, right?"
RenJie blinked at the dramatic shift in tone, stunned. Then he burst into laughter.
Seeing him laugh so freely, Yao Zixian's expression softened. He motioned RenJie inside.
RenJie stepped carefully, avoiding the teetering stacks of books, and found a spot beside Zixian. They sat so close their shoulders touched. It had been a long time since RenJie had been this near to anyone. Ever since his mother's passing, he'd never let anyone get too close.
He glanced at the bed. Zixian had extended it slightly, but it was still going to be a tight fit.
Zixian gave it one last futile tug and sighed. "Well, you're stuck with me. And fair warning, I like to cuddle."
RenJie grimaced. "Zixian Ge, I can sleep on the floor."
"There's no space," Zixian replied. "And no, you're not sleeping on my books. You know the old saying. Disrespect books, and you'll grow up illiterate."
"I'm already illiterate, so it doesn't matter," RenJie said with a shrug.
Zixian paused, then turned and stepped outside to the small courtyard. He picked up two slender branches and handed one to RenJie before squatting down in the sandy ground.
"Do you know how to write your name?"
RenJie shook his head. Zixian thought for a moment, then began to write in the sand.
Ren Jie (仁杰).
"The word Ren means kindness and benevolence. Jie means outstanding or exceptional. I imagine that's what your mother hoped you'd become."
He wrote each stroke slowly, with care. RenJie watched, then tried to imitate the characters. His grip was awkward, and the strokes were crooked. Zixian gently corrected his fingers and guided him through it.
RenJie stared at the characters in awe. "What about your name, Gege?"
Still holding RenJie's hand, Zixian wrote again.
Yao Zi Xian (姚子贤).
"Zi just means 'child.' Xian means virtuous. Probably my mother's wish. For me to be a good, filial child with strong morals."
"You really live up to your name," RenJie said earnestly.
Zixian blinked, caught off guard.
RenJie grinned. "Zixian Ge is virtuous and still very much a child."
"You little brat." Zixian raised his hand to flick him.
But RenJie quickly added, "And someone with good character. I can vouch for that."
Zixian's hand hovered mid-air before he gently flicked RenJie's forehead.
"You kids talk too much nonsense," he muttered, turning away. "Keep practicing. I'll test you before dinner."
As Zixian walked back inside, RenJie noticed the tips of his ears turning pink. He stifled a laugh and returned to his writing.
When Zixian came out again, he found the only characters on the ground were "Yao Zixian." He smacked RenJie lightly on the head, earning a sheepish grin. Still, he brought dinner and made sure that night, RenJie practiced writing his own name instead.