Xiao Cao suppressed the restlessness in her heart, reminding herself that this was a grown-up, who was taller and the same age as her, not a large plush toy. Moreover, even though they were twins, there were differences between boys and girls; as they grew older, they should keep their distance.

“Look at how much Xuan’er likes Yang’er. It should be said that they indeed are twins. Xuan’er doesn’t even greet her mother this joyfully,” Han Shi commented, with a mix of satisfaction and a bit of sourness.

Xiao Cao chuckled. “As Seventh Sister said, before seeing anyone else, I was close to Xiao Si in my mother’s belly for ten months. Naturally, we are the closest. Xiao Si likes me too, right?” Alright, she said that just to say it.

Wenren Yang nodded slowly, “Mm, I like it.” His eyes remained slightly closed, and there was a faint smile on his lips.

Han Shi couldn’t stop laughing. This was exactly what she had hoped for, making her incredibly happy.

Xiao Cao walked a bit closer, and Wenren Yang finally looked at her properly, his eyes appearing even clearer.

“Xiao Si, have you been reading too much, causing you to be unable to see things clearly from a distance? There’s nothing wrong with liking to read, but if you continue this way, your eyes might get seriously damaged, and you won’t be able to read anything then. Would you have someone read for you? That would take away the joy of reading and appreciating books yourself…”

Xiao Cao also pondered whether she should get him a pair of glasses. However, without glass or resin, she could only look for natural materials. She wondered if large enough crystals with high transparency would be easy to find. But if acupuncture could help, perhaps it might be possible to reverse his vision issues. She’d never tried it before, so she would need to approach it carefully.

The previously unresponsive person suddenly showed a look of alarm.

Wenren Yang had been gentle and seldom emotional since childhood. He rarely cried or laughed, and as he grew older, this became increasingly evident, making people wonder if there was something wrong. However, time proved that Wenren Yang was very intelligent, smarter than ninety-nine percent of people.

Especially in reading, there were none among his peers who could compare. Not only could he read, memorize, and recite quickly, but he could also understand and apply what he learned rapidly. He was exceptionally quick-witted.

Despite seeming out of it with other things, as soon as it involved any classical argument, his quick wit and sharp tongue would leave others speechless and even spitting blood. His vast reading made him comparable to great scholars.

Some great scholars even admitted that they only had the advantage of age, allowing them to read more books over a longer time, and what they read wasn’t that much more; within a few years, they would have to bow to him.

Many feared being tested by elders, but young Wenren Yang particularly enjoyed it, whether at home, at relatives’ places, or in the academy. His eyes always gleamed with anticipation whenever such opportunities arose.

Wenren Yang was also a child who asked questions whenever he didn’t understand. In the early years, elders could barely deal with him, but they eventually found themselves at a loss for answers. Seeing his eager little eyes, they felt deeply ashamed.

His thinking was unconventional; if Xiao Cao knew, she might call it having too many and too big ideas that ordinary people couldn’t handle.

Since Wenren Yang was about ten, few tested him on his lessons, and those numbers dwindled over time until now, people wondered who was testing whom. They needed to save face too; it made them feel like illiterates, unable to answer anything.

Now, only those famed and talent-loving scholars would discuss relevant subjects with Wenren Yang. Of course, scholars also had their standards, and such opportunities were rare, making Wenren Yang feel “lonely and bored.”

Given this, peers had a love-hate relationship with Wenren Yang. They hated that his presence made everyone else look bad, but they loved that elders wouldn’t test them if he was around. When not needing him, they would avoid him for fear of his constant classical references. They called him a bookworm, speaking derogatorily out loud but with a form of praise.

Once, Wenren Taibo, also an accomplished scholar, stopped discussing academic matters with his son years ago. Instead, he found the joys of fatherhood with his eldest son, Wenren Xu, who felt somewhat miserable. Luckily, Wenren Xu had a decent mindset; otherwise, he might have been psychologically twisted by now.

Excelling in reading is good, but Wenren Yang was excessively excellent, loving books as if wanting to burrow into them. Elders hoped he would read less, but to no avail. Even if they confiscated his books, he could daydream all day, mentally reciting books.

Attempts to distract him by having peers play with him ended in him “daydreaming” again. Those brave enough to play with him soon gave up, unwilling to waste effort and risk being outdone. They needed their dignity too!

Wenren Yang loved reading the most. Even the familiar books were repeatedly read, savoring every word, deeply engrossed.

People wondered if given enough books and food, he might immerse himself in books forever.

Most parents worried about getting their children to read more; Han Shi and his family worried about getting Wenren Yang to read less.

Such a person showing a drastic change in expression was surprising to Han Shi and Wenren Ying.

Xiao Cao maintained her smile. “Don’t read continuously for too long; take a break every half hour. Look at distant objects and massage these acupuncture points,” she demonstrated on her face, “Ensure the environment is well-lit. Don’t read in a bumpy carriage or under direct sunlight, and read less at night. Only with good eye care can Xiao Si enjoy books longer, don’t you agree?”

Wenren Yang earnestly nodded, “Fourth Sister is right. I will pay more attention in the future.”

Han Shi, who had spent years advising to no avail, saw him moved by Xiao Cao’s few words and was unsure how to react but was definitely happy.

It could only be said that Xiao Cao had pinpointed Wenren Yang’s weaknesses all at once.