Isn't it disgusting for a grown man to act spoiled?

"My dearest Granny, if you don't believe me, I'll be heartbroken." Fang Ning ran over and hugged Old Madam Fang's arm, looking wronged. "Am I no longer your little grandson?"

Seeing this, Si Yuheng felt his hair stand on end.

Wasn't a twenty-seven-year-old grown man being utterly nauseating?

How could Old Madam Fang resist the spoiled pleading of her adorable little grandson? She instantly yielded, "Alright, alright, alright. Granny believes you, okay? You little rascal, you still haven't broken the bad habit of acting like a spoiled brat."

Despite her words, the deep indulgence in Old Madam Fang's eyes was entirely genuine.

"Don't worry, Ningning, Third Brother believes you. Is there anything Third Brother can do for you?" Fang Hong ran over. "Third Brother can help you out!"

"Not for the moment, but there will be plenty of work for you to do when the time comes!" Fang Ning said.

Old Master Fang finally spoke up, "Ningning is one of our own family. When the time comes, everyone go and lend a hand. We can't let others make a laughingstock of us because family members don't trust their own. From now on, no one is allowed to speak ill of Ningning outside. The family must stick together!"

"Alright, alright, is it only you who makes sense?" Old Madam Fang glared at him.

Old Master Fang stroked his beard and didn't dare to make a sound.

He was truly a henpecked husband!

"I'm going to cook." Liang Anrong hurriedly slipped away.

"First Sister-in-law, I'll help you." Madam Zhao followed suit.

Upon seeing this, Madam Chen also headed into the kitchen.

Fang Cinian picked up his needles and gave Si Yuheng his acupuncture treatment.

Fang Wenqin and Fang Wenchang picked up their buckets to water the vegetables.

Only the few children and the elderly couple remained in the courtyard.

"Eldest Sister, come, come, I'll teach you all a game. It's so much fun." Fang Ning waved and called Fang Ling over.

The other three children ran over as well.

"Fourth Brother, what game is it?" Fang菲 looked at her eagerly.

Fang Ning drew three nested rectangles on the ground and connected their centers, creating a game board.

She snapped nine short twigs and tore leaves into nine small pieces.

"This is for you; these are your game pieces, and I'll use the leaves. This is called 'Making Three'. There are twenty-four points in total, and we take turns placing pieces on these points. When three pieces form a straight line, you can capture one of the opponent's pieces.

"However, you cannot capture pieces that have already formed a 'Three'. Put an 'X' on the captured spaces..." Fang Ning explained the rules in detail. "Did you understand?"

"I've got it!" Fang Hong raised his hand first and pulled Fang Yu over. "Second Brother, let's play."

"Don't cry if you lose!" Fang Yu raised an eyebrow.

"No way," Fang Hong snorted coldly.

Fang菲 was also itching to play, so Fang Ning gave up her spot to her. "Feifei, you play, Fourth Brother will teach you."

"Really?" Fang菲's eyes lit up, and she happily squatted down beside Fang Ning. "Fourth Brother, will I be able to beat Eldest Sister?"

"That depends on your skill," Fang Ling smiled.

With Fang Ning guiding her through the first round, Fang菲 easily defeated Fang Ling.

Once Fang菲 fully understood the rules, Fang Ning stepped back to watch.

The game of Making Three seemed simple, but playing within such a confined space truly tested one's ingenuity.

Fang Ling was very smart; once she fully grasped the rules, Fang菲 never won another game.

As for that simpleton Fang Hong, he was no match for Fang Yu and quickly turned red-faced, scratching his head and ears in anxiety.

"Admit defeat, Second Brother, you can't beat me!"

"No."

"If you won't admit defeat, how about one copper coin for every win?"

Hearing this, Fang Ning—who had completely forgotten about losing the bayberries earlier—immediately hijacked the conversation. "Alright, one copper coin per loss! You said it yourself, don't you dare call it quits!"

She walked over to Fang Hong and began coaching him.

How could Fang Yu possibly be Fang Ning's match? He was quickly routed and reduced to a disorganized mess.

"Again."

Fang Yu lost.

"Continue!"

Fang Yu was still being thoroughly pummeled.

"Don't stop."

Fang Yu was losing so badly he was almost in tears.

At that moment, Si Yuheng walked out of the room.

He had heard what Fang Ning and the others were discussing earlier, so he walked over to see what kind of game they were playing.

After watching for a while, he realized that although the game looked simple, the tactical battles within it were exceptionally fierce.

"Move here." He couldn't help but point out a move to Fang Yu.

Fang Yu was quite in awe of Si Yuheng and didn't dare disobey his instruction.

Fang Ning raised an eyebrow.

Si Yuheng smiled faintly.

The air was thick with the smoke of battle.

"Here."

"Here."

...

Fang Yu and Fang Hong had become mere tools for the game, while the battle was essentially being fought between Si Yuheng and Fang Ning.

Even Fang Ling and Fang菲 abandoned their own match and ran over to watch.

A match between masters, even on a simple board, was so thrilling that it made people want to applaud.

Neither side could gain the slightest advantage.

Seeing that his opponent was so formidable, Si Yuheng gathered his full focus, just as Fang Ning did.

Fang Yu and Fang Hong quietly shifted out of the way to let the two of them duel, watching with rapt attention.

Old Master Fang and Old Madam Fang, seeing all the children gathered together, grew curious and walked over, eventually squatting down at the side to watch as well.

"Young Master, you might as well admit defeat!"

"There is no such word as 'defeat' in my vocabulary."

"Watch me beat you to a pulp."

"Playing chess relies on brains, not a running mouth."

"Hmph!"

Neither of them was willing to admit defeat.

In the end, Si Yuheng didn't want to bicker with a child and conceded half a move to Fang Ning, allowing her a narrow victory.

"Young Master and Fourth Brother are both so amazing," Fang菲 said, her face full of admiration.

"Wait for it, Feifei. Fourth Brother will carve another set of game pieces for you tomorrow. You can play that one with five other friends," Fang Ning planned to have someone make a set of Chinese checkers; it would be too much of a pity not to teach them such a fun and educational game.

A childhood should be filled with all sorts of entertaining games to truly be called a childhood.

"Really?" Fang菲 was overjoyed. "Fourth Brother, you're the best."

"Ningning, where did you learn this game?"

"Young Master taught me."

Fang Ning shifted the credit onto Si Yuheng without a single shred of psychological burden.

Si Yuheng had long since run out of psychological reactions.

He was already used to it!

"Then what was that other one you mentioned, the one six people can play?"

"Chinese checkers. You need to make pieces in six different colors. As for the board, although we can draw it, I plan to have someone carve it properly out of wood. It'll also be convenient for Feifei to take outside and play to exercise her mind."

Si Yuheng had never even heard of such things.

Yet, he found them remarkably novel.

Seeing that dinner wasn't ready yet, Fang Ning said to Fang菲, "Come on, let's go to Uncle Dashu's house and ask Grandpa Li the Second to make one for us."

"Is it going to be made entirely of wood?"

"Mhm, exactly."

"Grandpa, Granny, I'll be right back."

"Go on then."

Fang Ning took Fang菲 by the hand and went out.

Si Yuheng followed along as well.

Seeing this, Fang Ling and the other two also headed out together.

Old Madam Fang sighed, "I never dared to dream that these siblings could ever get along peacefully. Look at them now, sticking together wherever they go. Going through that accident wasn't entirely a bad thing—at least it made the older ones completely turn over a new leaf."

Old Master Fang agreed wholeheartedly.

When Fang Ning and the others arrived at Dashu's house, Dashu was in the courtyard using his uninjured hand to stack firewood.

"Uncle Dashu, is Grandpa Li the Second at home?" Fang Ning asked.

Hearing the voice, Dashu hurried over. "He's inside the house. Why did you all come over?"

"I want to ask Grandpa Li the Second to make something for me."

Dashu's father was an elderly carpenter. Glass was terribly expensive here, so Fang Ning intended to use wood to make a set of Chinese checkers for Fang菲. For an old carpenter, this couldn't be simpler.

"What does Ningning want made?" Dashu's father walked out of the house, wood shavings still clinging to his clothes.

Fang Ning ran over. "I want to make a set of game pieces."

"Every single day, all you know is how to take advantage of people. And you talk about turning over a new leaf—only absolute fools would believe you," a harsh voice suddenly rang out from the entrance.