Chapter 22 Ridiculousness

Chapter 22 Ridiculousness

Madame Wei noticed Liang Yun's gaze drifting out the window, his thin lips and the sharp, tense line of his jaw. He seemed to be admiring the flower branches the maids had freshly picked that morning, or perhaps he was watching the two chattering thrushes on the moon beam.

Liang Yun's indifferent gaze made Madame Wei's heart clench slightly.

She had summoned Madam Ruan, only to make her wait in the scorching courtyard sun. Naturally, to wear her down.

However, in front of Liang Yun, Madame Wei had to consider her dignity and couldn't go too far—

Madame Wei slowly twirled the sandalwood beads between her fingers and whispered to the maid, "Don’t leave her standing outside; have her make tea in the tea room."

As the long-time matriarch of the Liang family and a daughter-in-law for even longer, Madame Wei was a pro at handling her daughter-in-law, with plenty of ways to make her suffer quietly.

The maid nodded and hurried into the courtyard.

...

Ying Shi was called to make tea, and she felt relieved.

She lit the stove, warmed the teacups, and ground the tea leaves, tossing them into the boiling water.

Soon, the tea kettle bubbled again.

As Liang Yun and Madame Wei talked, the crisp sound of crystal bead curtains swaying reached his ears.

He turned and saw the young girl stepping out of the tea room.

Her delicate hands held a tea tray with a white-glazed bowl from the official kiln. She walked gracefully on the soft carpet, each step bathed in the dazzling light from the flower window, as if stepping on lotuses.

The opulence of the Liang residence was on full display in Madame Wei's garden.

The main hall’s doors and windows were half-open, with silk and emerald bead curtains. The floor was covered with a velvet carpet embroidered with 'Five Blessings Offering Longevity.' A basin of ice stood in the center, incense smoke curling up, blending with the frost, creating a light fragrance.

Despite the scorching summer heat, Madame Wei sat upright in the hall, dressed in layers, holding a round fan. Though she held the silk fan, the maids beside her waved feather fans to cool her.

As Ying Shi entered, a wave of coolness hit her, a stark contrast to the stifling heat outside.

The cold air tickled her nose, and Ying Shi fought the urge to sneeze.

Madame Wei pointed at Liang Yun and said to Ying Shi, "Your elder brother has just returned from the palace. Serve him a cup of tea first."

Ying Shi nodded, handed the tea tray to a maid, and picked up a cup herself. Her slender waist curved gracefully as she approached him.

Her head was slightly lowered, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, revealing a section of her delicate, white neck under the collar.

The freshly brewed tea steamed with a faint mist, enveloping her exquisitely painted eyebrows and full lips.

"Brother, have some tea."

Her voice was soft, like the gentlest spring breeze.

A ray of light from the window fell on her hand, making it appear even more lustrous than the jade porcelain she held.

Liang Yun took it.

Ying Shi was as docile as a jade statue, showing no sign of temper in front of Madame Wei.

She glided gracefully with delicate steps, holding a teacup and offering it once more to Madame Wei.

Liang Yun's fingers traced the rim of the cup, his gaze cold.

It was clear to all that Madame Wei harbored no fondness for her.

Though Ying Shi kept her head bowed and was utterly submissive, Madame Wei deliberately snubbed her.

Yet Liang Yun, who typically wouldn't exchange a word with her in a year, remained this time.

Afraid that others might witness the tension between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, Madame Wei grudgingly extended her hand to accept the cup.

To her surprise, the cup was scalding. Madame Wei frowned briefly before coolly returning it to the tea tray in Ying Shi's hands.

A sharp clink of porcelain suddenly shattered the room's silence, and the tea bowl tipped over, splashing hot tea.

Ying Shi's sleeves retreated, and her fine brows knitted slightly.

Were Liang Yun not present, Madame Wei might have unleashed her sarcasm.

Madame Wei inhaled deeply, her gaze icy as it swept over her: "I told you to brew tea, and you served it scalding."

Ying Shi quickly said: "My apologies, I'll prepare another cup..."

"Never mind, I wouldn't dream of troubling you further. Return to your scripture copying!"

Ying Shi tucked her hands back into her sleeves, bowed, and departed.

Her silhouette resembled the clouds at the horizon, the sunset's glow illuminating her layered sleeves, unveiling a dark, damp watermark.

Liang Yun's knuckles abruptly tightened.

They blanched.

...

Beneath the crimson-orange hues of twilight, Ying Shi sent away the unwilling Xiang Yao and came alone to the Liang family's Buddhist hall.

The Buddhist hall in the front courtyard was majestic and ancient, with beams made of golden-thread nanmu thick enough for one person to embrace, towering several zhang high.

The hall's towering incense burner emitted smoke that curled ceaselessly throughout the day.

The aroma of sandalwood mingling with the incense smoke was rather soothing, as if it truly had the miraculous effect of cleansing worldly troubles.

Ying Shi inhaled the calming sandalwood scent and slowly knelt down, arranging her brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

She got up to lay out the half-copied "Rebirth Sutra" from last night, and she had been copying for who knows how long.

The sunlight outside gradually faded, and the candlelight beside her seemed dim.

Ying Shi put down her brush, rubbed her sore eyes, and listening to the faint chirping of insects outside the hall, she felt drowsy.

She propped her chin with one hand and closed her eyes, intending to take a short nap.

Unexpectedly, she heard the sound of footsteps rustling behind her.

In the darkness, sounds seemed to amplify.

Ying Shi blinked awake and glanced over her shoulder, seeing a tall, slender figure standing at the wide open door of the Buddhist hall.

The man emerged from the shadowy corridor, the dim light casting his eyes like a misty sea.

Ying Shi straightened up slightly, her surprise evident, her drowsiness evaporating in an instant.

"What brings you here, elder brother?"

Liang Yun’s eyes settled on her hand.

As she copied the Buddhist scriptures, she had rolled up her sleeves to her elbows to avoid staining them with ink. Her entire arm was bare, slender and pale.

However, a crimson burn mark on the back of her hand spoiled the perfection.

Her fingers were as delicate as jade bamboo shoots, and even the slightest mark would stand out starkly, let alone the burn from the scalding tea.

Catching his gaze, Ying Shi froze and quickly tried to tuck her burned hand back into her sleeve.

Even now, she was hiding her injury, a gesture that struck Liang Yun as both childish and pitiful.

"I was passing by and noticed the candlelight," Liang Yun said in a flat tone, as if explaining.

With that, he handed her a medicine bottle.

"Don’t delay treating a burn. Apply this right away," he said.

Ying Shi, realizing belatedly, reached out awkwardly, but Liang Yun had already uncapped it and set it on the table before her.

The ointment was snow-white and creamy—was it pearl cream?

A man carrying pearl cream?

Ying Shi’s eyes widened, momentarily speechless.

Then she noticed Liang Yun’s eyes lingering on the neatly copied scriptures in elegant calligraphy.

Ying Shi had excellent handwriting.

Her characters were round and graceful, precise yet with a subtle sharpness in each stroke.

It mirrored her personality...

Outwardly gentle, but inwardly stubborn and a little temperamental.

Liang Yun saw through it clearly. In fact, during the two days and nights they had spent together, he had already figured out her temperament.

She had a somewhat peculiar nature.

Outwardly gentle, but her moods were changeable, and she carried heavy thoughts.

Her eyes betrayed her heavy thoughts; she was incapable of lying.

She often sighed softly for no reason, unaware of it herself.

This was—the scripture she was copying for her younger brother.

Every word... expressed her deep affection. Her feelings for Liang Ji...

For reasons unknown, Liang Yun was suddenly overwhelmed by gloom. Looking at these words, his chest felt unbearably heavy.

Some things are truly mysterious; two people who were destined to be lines that would never cross.

If it weren't for Liang Ji, the two would never have crossed paths.

But now, things have changed.

Everything is gradually changing.

For a moment, Liang Yun couldn't help but wonder,

What is it about his brother that makes her so fond, so unforgettable...

"Leave it for now, it's not too late to copy it later," he heard his deep voice say.

But Ying Shi let out a soft "Ah," and then shook her head: "That's not possible..."

She had been overworked lately, serving Madame Wei during the day and copying scriptures at night.

In just a few days, she had grown even thinner.

Perhaps Ying Shi herself hadn't noticed, but when she spoke to Liang Yun, her voice was gentle, and her eyes always seemed to be clouded with a soft mist.

Liang Yun looked down at her for a moment, then suggested, "It's late, you should go back and rest. We'll deal with this tomorrow."

"No," Ying Shi stubbornly shook her head, completely missing the subtext in his words.

"If Mother doesn't see it tomorrow, she might get angry again..." Her brows were furrowed, her delicate nose slightly wrinkled, her lively and pretty face swaying in front of Liang Yun.

As the eldest brother, Liang Yun had always been strict with Liang Ji and Liang Zhi when they were kids and tried to skip their homework, showing no leniency.

But with Ying Shi, Liang Yun's hints became outright suggestions. For the first time in his life, he said something so outrageous it was almost unthinkable. A lie to mislead an elder.

"I'll finish copying it tonight and bring it to you tomorrow morning."

Ying Shi was stunned, her long lashes slowly lifting, her eyes mirroring his cold, frosty expression.