Chapter 022

Chapter 022

One wanted to paint as a return gift, and the other agreed. The ink, brush, paper, and inkstone were all prepared, but then they suddenly realized there was a big problem — there was no desk in the room!

There were two floor cabinets against the wall opposite the entrance, used for storing clothes for the other three seasons, but their surfaces were too low to be used as a desk.

The three women scanned the room together, and finally, Lin Ningfang pointed at the floor cabinets and said, "This will do."

Tong Sui noticed that this daughter of the Prime Minister's household had a very easy-going temperament; despite her noble upbringing, she wasn't picky about material things.

But she couldn't let her bend over to paint, especially since it wouldn't be finished quickly.

Tong Sui thought of the study where the old master spent his time. Xiao Zhen had mentioned that everyone in the family could go there to read and practice calligraphy.

She told Lin Ningfang about this.

Lin Ningfang had heard Xiao Yan mention it before but dismissed it as unimportant, or rather, she didn't care much about anything related to the Xiao family.

Including now, she simply wanted to give Tong Sui a proper return gift.

"Let's go there," she agreed with Tong Sui's suggestion.

Tong Sui locked the door of the north room and led the mistress and servant to the central courtyard.

As expected, because Xiao Yan and his brothers weren't around, Xiao Zhen was sitting in the main hall reading, keeping an eye on the activities in the three courtyards.

She asked Lin Ningfang to wait by the side while she went inside to find Xiao Zhen.

"She writes beautifully and wants to give me a piece of calligraphy as a return gift," Tong Sui whispered, lying slightly to Xiao Zhen, whose gaze was both calm and sharp. She didn't want to risk embarrassment if Lin Ningfang's painting didn't resemble her and Xiao Zhen insisted on seeing it.

Xiao Zhen looked at her a few times in surprise and took out a key from his pocket. "Return it when you're done."

With the key obtained so smoothly, Tong Sui smiled. "Sure, don't worry. We'll only stay in the study and won't go to the library."

Xiao Zhen had already returned to his book.

When he saw the three women walking towards the western wing room out of the corner of his eye, he turned his head and noticed the writing tools Ah Zhen was carrying.

Xiao Zhen was aware of what Lin Ningfang had brought to the Xiao household, including the fact that these writing tools were part of Tong Sui's dowry.

Even though the study had these items, she still prepared her own.

Not long after the three women entered, Ah Zhen came out, briskly running towards the western courtyard. Soon, she reappeared with a bunch of wildflowers in her hands.

Noticing the second master watching, Ah Zhen detoured to the main hall door and explained with a smile, "Third Lady said it would look better if Second Lady held a bouquet of flowers while being painted."

Xiao Zhen nodded.

Ah Zhen then headed back to the western wing.

Inside, Tong Sui sat at a desk by the window as Lin Ningfang indicated, but the desk was empty, and Tong Sui had nothing in her hands, so she just sat there idly.

Lin Ningfang sat at another desk across from her, having laid out the paper and was now rolling up her sleeves to grind the ink.

The warm sunlight filtered through the window paper, illuminating the area. Tong Sui watched the slender beauty across from her, enjoying the moment. It seemed she could watch Lin Ningfang grind the ink indefinitely without needing to speak. The only drawback was how thin Lin Ningfang's hands and arms were, almost alarmingly so.

Lost in her thoughts, Lin Ningfang suddenly lifted her eyes.

Tong Sui's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively looked away, as if to prove she hadn't been staring intently.

What Lin Ningfang saw was a blushing, delicate young woman.

When she first met Tong Sui, Lin Ningfang had assumed she would be like Liu Chu, a soft-spoken village girl who would soon be at the beck and call of Madam He and her daughter.

Now, she noticed the difference. Liu Chu's gaze always carried a hint of fear, ready to compromise at any moment. Tong Sui, on the other hand, had clear, bright eyes. Though she might be nervous and shy at first, she would never allow herself to be bullied.

When Lin Ningfang was still a daughter of the Prime Minister's household, she had seen two white foxes in the imperial gardens. One was tame, raised from a young age and willing to let noble ladies stroke its fur. The other had been recently captured and kept alone in a neighboring enclosure, hiding whenever noble ladies approached, watching them warily.

Lin Ningfang thought that Tong Sui was like the wild mountain spirit, always ready to resist even if captured.

That vitality and liveliness were something neither she nor Liu Chu possessed.

As the sisters-in-law observed each other, Ah Zhen returned.

Lin Ningfang left her desk, personally handed the flowers to Tong Sui, and adjusted her posture meticulously, even paying attention to the position of each finger holding the flowers.

Tong Sui stiffly asked, "How long will it take?"

Lin Ningfang stepped back a few paces, looking for the best angle to capture the scene, and replied, "About an hour. Do you have other matters to attend to, Second Sister-in-Law?"

Tong Sui shook her head. "No, I'm just worried about taking too much of your time."

Lin Ningfang sighed lightly, walked back, and adjusted the angle of her head.

Tong Sui: ...

Ah Zhen laughed. "Don't worry, Second Lady. Third Lady wants to make sure your portrait is exquisite. Otherwise, she could finish it in half an hour."

Tong Sui immediately felt Lin Ningfang's kindness. If a daughter of the Prime Minister's household didn't mind the trouble, why should she complain about sitting still for an hour?

In the western courtyard, Madam He noticed that Lin Ningfang had been gone for a long time after going to the toilet and became curious. She specifically went to check the eastern wing room.

"Mother, what are you doing?"

Xiao Yuchan saw her mother peering around the door of her brother's room and asked curiously.

Madam He frowned. "Your third sister-in-law is missing, and Ah Zhen isn't here either. Could they have run away?"

In her view, Lin Ningfang was an ungrateful wolf that could never settle down at home and live a peaceful life with her son.

Xiao Yuchan sneered, "Impossible. Where could they have gone? They know there are refugees around these days." With her slender arms and legs, she could easily grab two of them.

Madam He pointed to the eastern courtyard. "Go look there."

Xiao Yuchan went there and found only Liu Chu in the eastern courtyard. She directly asked Liu Chu about the whereabouts of the other two.

Liu Chu was inside the room, holding embroidery tools. Meeting Xiao Yuchan's questioning gaze, she lowered her eyes and said, "I was too busy to notice anything outside."

Eager to find the others, Xiao Yuchan turned and headed to the central courtyard, asking Xiao Zhen, who was guarding there, "Second Brother, did you see Second Sister-in-Law and Third Sister-in-Law?"

Xiao Zhen: "They're both at the study hall."

Xiao Yuchan was stunned for a moment before reacting, "Why would they go to the study hall?"

Xiao Zhen: "Your Third Sister-in-Law is helping your Second Sister-in-Law paint. You can watch, but don't cause trouble."

Xiao Yuchan pouted, "Who would dare cause trouble? Second Sister-in-Law's tongue could devour me whole. You underestimate her."

Xiao Zhen remained noncommittal.

Xiao Yuchan quickly walked to the western wing and entered the study hall. There, she saw her Second Sister-in-Law sitting elegantly by the window, her Third Sister-in-Law painting, and Ah Zhen grinding ink beside them.

Apart from Ah Zhen making a hushing gesture towards her, neither of the sisters-in-law paid her any attention.

Xiao Yuchan hummed and circled behind Lin Ningfang, leaning down to look at the painting on the table. A rough outline of a woman had already been sketched.

Xiao Yuchan glanced at Tong Sui and said stiffly, "What a waste of time and ink. Drawing this when the village has more pressing matters."

Tong Sui's eyelashes fluttered, and Ah Zhen quickly clarified, "The ink, paper, and brushes are all brought by Second Lady herself. Not a single thing from the study hall was used."

Xiao Yuchan felt slightly awkward and then asked Lin Ningfang, "How long will it take to finish?"

Ah Zhen replied, "We've just started. It'll take another hour. Miss, you can come back later to see the finished painting."

Xiao Yuchan glared at her, "Mind your own business. This is my family's study hall. I can stay as long as I want."

Ah Zhen didn't mind her staying, as long as she didn't disturb their lady while she painted.

Xiao Yuchan wasn't that unruly; she just watched for a while, growing increasingly impatient, wishing she could help finish the painting herself.

"More boring than fishing. Who cares anyway."

She left with disdain and reported back to Madam He, who also came to see the painting but eventually left due to impatience.

---

As the morning exercises in the martial arts training ground were about to end and the two children were nearly returning from the private school, Lin Ningfang finally put down her brush.

Tong Sui had long been allowed to move around, but she didn't want to seem too eager, so she patiently waited in her seat.

Lin Ningfang secretly stretched her sore wrist under the table and stood up, saying, "Second Sister-in-Law, come take a look. I hope it meets your satisfaction."

Tong Sui approached with anticipation and nervousness, looking at the painting on the table and was stunned.

She was clearly sitting in the Xiao family's study hall with all windows closed, yet in the painting, she was depicted sitting on a naturally shaped stone by the river, with flowing water behind her and a stony beach with sparse grass and wildflowers in front, exactly like the Lingshui River.

"Has Third Sister-in-Law been to the riverbank?"

"I haven't, but Ah Zhen described it, and I've seen some rivers from afar."

Tong Sui sighed, "It's truly well-painted."

Ah Zhen teased her, "Second Lady, don't just admire the scenery. Look at yourself and see if you think you're beautiful."

Tong Sui shyly looked at the figure in the painting. At first glance, she thought it was beautiful, but then she began to doubt if this was really her. Could someone raised in a remote village have such a graceful appearance?

Her face flushed.

Suddenly, Xiao Yuchan ran in again, wearing a coarse apron, and rushed straight to the three women.

Seeing the beautiful figure in the painting, Xiao Yuchan was amazed, envious, and jealous, and couldn't help but say sarcastically, "Why did you only paint Second Sister-in-Law? You've been here for so long without even mentioning painting me."

Lin Ningfang replied, "Painting is like poetry; it requires inspiration. I was inspired today after seeing Second Sister-in-Law's flowers."

Xiao Yuchan didn't understand this, "Then since you're inspired today, why not continue and paint me?"

Lin Ningfang: "One painting has already drained my energy. Please understand."

Xiao Yuchan: "Fine, then paint me tomorrow."

Lin Ningfang: "Such things cannot be forced."

With that, she left with Ah Zhen, reminding Tong Sui, "Second Sister-in-Law, don't touch the painting until the ink dries."

Tong Sui: "I remember. Sister-in-Law, please rest. Thank you for your effort."

Watching the master and servant leave, Tong Sui cautiously stood between Xiao Yuchan and the desk.

Xiao Yuchan: "…It's just a painting. Don't act like you're a fairy. I don't care about it!"

She stormed off in anger.

Tong Sui breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't afraid of Xiao Yuchan stealing the painting but worried she might tear it out of spite.

Everyone left, and Tong Sui turned around, carefully touching the edges of the already smooth painting paper, then leaned closer to admire it, having not dared to look closely before.

She was so engrossed that she didn't hear footsteps approaching.

The door on the side of the schoolroom was still open, and as Xiao Zhen approached, he saw the girl inside bending over, her fair and rosy face almost touching the painting paper.

He didn't step further in but watched her for a while, seeing her smile at times and then seem lost in thought.

It wasn't until the sound of Xiao Shouyi and the old man's conversation came from outside that Tong Sui finally paused her admiration of the painting. She looked up and saw the man standing at the door.

Tong Sui: "…When did you arrive?"

Xiao Zhen: "Just now. I heard from Yuchan that Third Younger Brother helped you with a portrait?"

As he spoke, he stepped inside.

Tong Sui wanted to hide the painting but feared the ink might not be dry yet. In her haste, Xiao Zhen had already come close.

Tong Sui's entire face turned red.

Xiao Zhen glanced over the painting and said, "The painting is very well done."

Tong Sui nodded, her eyes slanting towards the painting, her ears waiting to hear if he would say anything else.

Xiao Zhen picked up the brush lying on the inkstone.

Tong Sui panicked, "What are you doing?" Don't start scribbling on it presumptuously.

Xiao Zhen: "Dinner will be ready soon. Let's pack these away and take the painting back to dry."

Tong Sui: "..."

He carried the stationery, while Tong Sui followed closely behind, carefully rolling up the painting. Fortunately, no one was around in the courtyard except for the He family mother and daughter who were cooking in the main room.

Mrs. He called out loudly, "What a nice painting! Let Auntie take a look?"

Seeing that Xiao Zhen didn't slow his pace, Tong Sui naturally didn't comply either, following him through the Moon Gate back to the eastern courtyard.

Liu Chu was about to head to the central courtyard and stood under the eaves.

Xiao Zhen greeted her with "Elder Sister" and continued walking.

Liu Chu glanced at the painting in Tong Sui's hand.

Tong Sui felt both pleased and shy. When Xiao Zhen wasn't looking, she secretly unfolded the painting towards Liu Chu.

Liu Chu's eyes lit up, and she moved closer to see it more clearly.

Tong Sui nodded towards the east wing room, indicating they could look at it together later since Xiao Zhen was present.

Inside the north room, Tong Sui deliberately placed the painting paper on a dowry chest at the other end of the bed, where the surface was flat and wouldn't wrinkle it.

Xiao Zhen looked around the room and chose the wall next to her two chests, saying, "Later, I'll take it to town and have a master frame it and hang it on the wall as decoration."

Hearing this, Tong Sui felt even more embarrassed and lowered her head, saying, "No need, I'll just put it away once it's dry."

Xiao Zhen: "Leave it out. If you don't want to look at it, I will."

Tong Sui: "..."