Chapter 86: Cousin’s Smile Is Really Good

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Why did she write the word “Jiao [1. Jiao means charming]”?

He could almost imagine that in a few years, when the little girl grew up, how could the word “Jiao” compare to her?

Zhou Linghuai suddenly recalled the scene of the little girl’s petite body being wrapped in his arms like a bean pod. His grip on the teacup tightened.

It wasn’t until a chill spread across his wrist that he lowered his head to take a look. Only then did he realize that he had unknowingly spilled the tea in his hand. The tea had accidentally wet his sleeve, and even the rice paper on the desk was wet.

Zhou Linghuai took a sip, put down the teacup in his hand, and laid out the paper again. He picked up a brush and began to practice his semi-cursive script. He practiced with sheep wool bristles and his strokes were continuous. The words were wild, but the calligraphy was messy, majestic, and unrestrained.

If Chang An was around, he would have known that Young Master only wrote cursive calligraphy when he was upset.

However, at this moment, Chang An and Chun Xiao were both in the outer room beside the study, listening to the commotion in the room. They did not dare to disturb Miss from practicing her calligraphy.

After he finished writing, Zhou Linghuai felt refreshed. Even his body was covered in sweat. His pale face was slightly red, and there was a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.

He took a deep breath and immediately felt his mouth go dry. He raised his hand to get some tea, but a cup of tea was delivered to him in time. Without thinking, he lowered his head and took a sip.

After drinking a cup of tea, Zhou Linghuai tilted his head and saw that his cousin had sat down beside him. She was holding her cheeks with both hands and looking at him innocently.

Looking down at the teacup in his hand, Zhou Linghuai suddenly realized that this tea had been sent to him by his cousin.

Yu Youyao pointed at Zhou Linghuai’s handwriting. “I don’t even know what Cousin wrote.”

“It’s a semi-cursive script.” Zhou Linghuai paused for a moment and suddenly looked down. For a moment, he forgot what he had written. He hurriedly looked at the words. After reading for a while, he realized what he had written. “Cao Zhi’s ‘Ode to the Goddess of Luo’.”

He suddenly remembered that there was a prime minister in history who liked to write in cursive. Once, when he got a good sentence, he picked up his pen and quickly wrote it down. The entire paper was filled with cursive calligraphy.

He asked his nephew to copy it down.

When they reached the place where the penmanship was strange and was difficult to copy, his nephew stopped in a daze and asked him, “What words are these?”

The Prime Minister looked at it seriously for a long time. He didn’t know what he had written, so he blamed his nephew. “Why didn’t you ask earlier? I’d even forgotten what I had written.”

Yu Youyao’s eyes lit up. “I know the ‘Ode to the Goddess of Luo.’ It describes a woman’s beauty.”

The young girl’s clear voice was very pleasant, but it stunned Zhou Linghuai. He did not expect to write this. He looked down and was speechless for a long time.

Yu Youyao pointed at the ‘Ode to the Goddess of Luo’ and asked, “Cousin, can you give this calligraphy piece to me?”

Zhou Linghuai couldn’t help but ask, “I thought you didn’t recognize the words on it?”

Yu Youyao waved her hand. “I just think that Cousin’s handwriting is very beautiful. I want to frame it and hang it in the house. It doesn’t matter if I can’t read it!”

Zhou Linghuai found it funny. She didn’t even know how to read it, yet she said that it was well-written. He couldn’t help but want to tease her. “Oh? What’s well-written? Don’t you think that the handwriting is messy?”

Yu Youyao shook her head and looked at the calligraphy carefully. “I can’t tell. I just feel that Cousin’s calligraphy is impressive and unrestrained. Although there’s no order to it, it’s mixed and detailed. Although it’s not as rigorous as ordinary calligraphy, it’s a kind of state of mind that surpasses the law.” After thinking for a while, she racked her brains and continued, “If I have to say what’s good about it, it should be that when it’s written quickly, it’s done according to one’s heart and will. Fortunately, the artistic conception isn’t in the words.”

When Zhou Linghuai heard this, he smiled. It was not his usual faint smile, which was like the cold spring wind. Although his smile was cold, it was clear and bright, like a flute in the forest. He laughed loudly, and his laughter was low and pleasant, with a hint of the sound of a flute.

Chang An, who was guarding the outer room, suddenly heard a burst of clear and bright laughter. His eyes widened in shock, and he hurriedly craned his neck to look into the study. However, the screen blocked his vision, so he could only see vague figures inside.

Chun Xiao, who was doing needlework at the side, couldn’t help but ask. “What are you doing?”

Even with squinted eyes, she couldn’t see clearly. Chang An was scratching his heart. “Didn’t you hear my young master laughing just now?”

Chun Xiao couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “That’s it?”

Chang An sank back into his chair. “What else?”

Chun Xiao was a little speechless. She picked up the embroidery and continued to sew. “What’s so strange about that? My young mistress has been likable since she was young. Old Madam is such a serious person, but she’s often made her laugh non-stop. Everyone says that my young miss is a blessed person.”

Chang An thought to himself, “That’s because you don’t know how difficult it is for my young master to smile.”

However, on careful thought, ever since Young Master had gotten to know Eldest Miss Yu, he had indeed smiled more often. However, this was the first time he had laughed so happily.

In the past, he still had a lot of opinions about Eldest Miss Yu and felt that she was too troublesome. However, as time passed, he realized that even though Eldest Miss Yu was too troublesome, Young Master was willing to indulge her. Now, she was getting more and more popular.

In the study, Yu Youyao tilted her head to look at her cousin. “Cousin, you look really good when you smile.”

Zhou Linghuai stroked her hair and said in a clear voice, “You can’t even memorize ‘Born in Troubles and Die in Peace’. It’s rare that you can think of the saying, ‘When the wind blows and the rain blows, the brush will swallow everything before it reaches its target’.”

Yu Youyao glared at him angrily. “Cousin, don’t laugh at me.”

Zhou Linghuai laughed.

“Don’t laugh.” Yu Youyao was furious. “Am I wrong?”

“No, you’re right.” Zhou Linghuai stopped laughing and stroked her soft head again. “Legend has it that Boya’s ambition lies in the mountains. Zhong Ziqi said, ‘Goodness, it’s as high as Mount Tai.’ Boya’s ambition is like flowing water. Zhong Ziqi said, ‘Goodness, it’s as vast as a river.’ What Boya wanted, Zhong Ziqi would get.”

Thus, Boya made Zhong Ziqi his confidant!

Yu Youyao was a little confused. “This is an allusion to ‘High Mountains and Flowing Water.’ I’ve heard Ms. Ye mention it before. Why are you suddenly talking about this?”

Zhou Linghuai smiled again. “It’s nothing. I was just expressing my feelings.”

Yu Youyao nodded in confusion. “Cousin, can you give me this calligraphy piece?”

She did not know much about cursive calligraphy, but she felt that the cursive calligraphy that her cousin had written was his true nature, unlike the hidden and sharp nature of the books he copied.

“Do you really want it?” Zhou Linghuai’s eyes were smiling, and there was a hint of mischief in the depths of his eyes.