Chapter 19

Blinded?

“Haha” Shen Yao Xing gave a dry laugh, closing her mouth, somewhat speechless: “Elder sister, please don’t joke, you know I avoid those men at all costs…”

The handsome young man’s lips curled slightly, his cool eyes softening, his gaze moving from the young girl’s hair to her pink lips, half-jokingly asking: “Could it be that Zhao Zhao avoids elder sister as well?”

“Of course not.” Shen Yao Xing pouted, sitting up straight, her gaze falling back on her writing, slow strokes producing unattractive characters: “You’re my elder sister, how could you be compared to those people outside.”

The speaker may be unaware, but the listener is attentive. The young girl’s words might have just been meant to explain their familial relationship, but to Song Si Nian’s ears, it had a different meaning. His heart pounded heavily, a few traces of blush appearing on his face.

Indeed, in Zhao Zhao’s heart, he was different from those people.

Song Si Nian turned his face slightly, lowering his gaze to fix on the carpet, his hand on his knee tightening. After a good while of calming his inner turmoil, he dared to look at the young girl again, her fair profile still carrying some baby fat, enticingly young.

The young man’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, forcing him to look away again. His gaze fell on her fingers holding the brush incorrectly, he moved slightly, standing behind the young girl.

Shen Yao Xing felt the warmth approaching from behind, turning her head in confusion: “Elder sister, what are you doing?”

As soon as she spoke, the man’s bent index finger tapped her forehead.

“What, have you forgotten how to hold a brush?”

Shen Yao Xing rubbed her forehead, though it didn’t hurt, she still felt a bit upset: “I’m already such a grown person, why are you still tapping my forehead!”

Song Si Nian’s figure was tall and slender, his features undeniably elegant and refined. Looking down at the young girl, he said coolly: “Indeed, Zhao Zhao is such a grown person now. If your mother knew you haven’t even learned to hold a brush properly, I’m afraid it wouldn’t be as simple as just being punished with writing characters.”

Shen Yao Xing’s most feared person could be said to be Madam Shen. Just mentioning her made her hesitate to argue, especially now when she was clearly in the wrong. Shen Yao Xing quietly changed her brush-holding posture, but as soon as she did, her forehead was tapped again.

“Wrong.” Song Si Nian pointed out mercilessly.

After changing postures several times and still being wrong, Shen Yao Xing got angry. She no longer cared about right or wrong, lying on the writing desk and scribbling wildly on the paper.

Song Si Nian sighed silently, leaning down slightly, his black hair falling beside the young girl’s face. Shen Yao Xing only felt her hand warm up as the young man adjusted her brush-holding posture hand-in-hand.

The warm sensation made Shen Yao Xing feel uncomfortable all over. After all, it wasn’t like when they were little; they were both grown now, wasn’t this behavior a bit inappropriate? Before she could think it through, the warmth left.

Song Si Nian’s eyes flickered slightly, his retracted hand behind his back gently rubbing, his voice unchanged: “Remember this posture, otherwise next time I’ll tell mother.”

“Oh” Shen Yao Xing didn’t think much of it, honestly lowering her head to continue writing.

The young man stood behind her, looking down at her writing from above her head, his brows slightly furrowed, unable to resist saying: “How is your writing still so ugly.”

This comment was undoubtedly hurtful. Shen Yao Xing’s face immediately soured, her hand pressed down hard, instantly tearing the paper with the brush tip.

A light laugh came from behind. Shen Yao Xing, with a sour face, crumpled the torn paper into a ball and threw it aside, taking a new sheet to continue writing.

Song Si Nian smiled helplessly, sitting back down beside the writing desk.

The room returned to silence. As Shen Yao Xing wrote, her posture became increasingly casual, one hand propping up her chin, her brush strokes becoming more and more careless. She glanced at the few sheets of written paper on the desk, sighing incessantly.

It had been nearly half an hour, and she had only written about a hundred small characters. When would this ever end?

Shen Yao Xing boredly poked the paper with her brush tip, her gaze slowly drifting towards the young man reading a book. Suddenly, an idea formed in her mind.

Song Si Nian’s gaze left his book, glancing at the young girl leaning towards him from the writing desk. He saw her grinning, smiling brightly at him.

Knowing what she was thinking, Song Si Nian didn’t speak, quietly waiting for the young girl to speak first.

“Um…” Shen Yao Xing rubbed her hands, constantly hinting at the writing on the table with her eyes.

“Want me to help you write?” Song Si Nian asked.

The young girl nodded repeatedly.

Song Si Nian closed his book, a beautiful smile curling at his lips, asking in return: “Why should I? This is mother’s punishment for you.”

Shen Yao Xing became a bit anxious, grabbing the unwritten paper and the wolf-hair brush and placing them in front of him: “Elder sister, you’re the best at imitating my handwriting. Please help me, otherwise I definitely won’t finish in two hours!”

After a round of begging and playing pitiful, the young man finally agreed. Shen Yao Xing felt much lighter. Even when imitating her handwriting, Song Si Nian wrote much faster than her, soon filling two sheets of paper.

When people relax, they easily get distracted. Shen Yao Xing’s brush stopped on the paper, her eyes already wandering out the window, until the young man tapped her desk to bring her back to reality.

Shen Yao Xing stayed still for a quarter of an hour, but couldn’t resist the itch. She secretly glanced at Song Si Nian, who was focused on writing, suddenly spreading one hand and making a fist with the other, making a hammer-hitting-board gesture: “Ah! Right! Qing Shu made sugar water for me and I forgot to drink it. I’ll go find her. Elder sister, please keep writing for me, I’ll be right back!”

Without waiting for a response, she dashed out like a wild beast released from its cage, disappearing in an instant.

Song Si Nian silently looked at that spot for a long while, quietly putting down the brush in his hand, reaching out his long arm to take the wolf-hair brush that still carried the young girl’s warmth. His lips slightly pursed, he lowered his gaze and continued writing.

————

Shen Yao Xing had been confined in the manor for a few days. During these days, Madam Shen truly had people guarding the courtyard, not allowing her to run outside. She had clearly said that after writing five hundred large characters and five hundred small characters, she wouldn’t need to be confined.

Although none of these characters were written by her.

She herself was a bit hyperactive, and being cooped up in the courtyard for a few days had nearly made her moldy.

Shen Yao Xing sat on top of the velvet flower tree, able to see most of the manor’s scenery. Some servants in gray clothes were busy with their tasks. No one lived in the courtyard next to hers; the nearest occupied courtyard was Song Si Nian’s, though it took some time to walk there due to the winding paths.

Withdrawing her gaze, the young girl lazily lay on her side on a branch, closing her eyes. She hadn’t been there long when she frowned at the noise from below.

“Young Miss, Young Miss, I have good news for you!”

“Mm, tell me.”

Qing Shu smiled brightly, as if she had picked up silver: “The Madam has allowed you to leave the courtyard!”

Shen Yao Xing suddenly opened her eyes, sitting up, exclaiming happily: “Really?”

“Yes!” Qing Shu nodded vigorously.

Shen Yao Xing quickly leapt down from the tree.

Qing Shu seemed even more excited than her: “That’s great, Young Miss, let’s quickly go to the Madam.”

Just as she was about to step forward, her foot paused, looking at the excited person in confusion: “Why go to my mother? Hasn’t she already allowed me to go out?”

“Yes, the Madam said to let Young Miss accompany her to Yu Bao Zhai for tea.”

“……”

Well, as long as she could go out, it was better than staying in the courtyard all day.

The streets of the capital city could be described as a sea of people, but fortunately, the roads were wide enough not to feel crowded.

This place was not as casual as Tai Zhou City; there were requirements for how both men and women dressed. Women were not allowed to bare their upper bodies casually, and unmarried men needed to wear veils. Of course, this wasn’t a hard and fast rule. Generally, those who cared about this aspect were either prominent figures in the capital or those compelled by family traditions, or some who considered themselves of superior cultivation.

Madam Shen glanced at her daughter walking with her hands behind her head, a bit slovenly, and frowned, reprimanding: “Walk properly, don’t let people laugh at you.”

“Tsk” Shen Yao Xing was a bit impatient, but still obediently put her hands down.

Hei Sha and Bai Sha, along with Qing Shu, followed behind at just the right distance, neither daring to get too close nor speak casually, only responsible for vigilantly watching the surroundings to avoid any unexpected situations and protect their masters in time.

They soon arrived at Yu Bao Zhai, the most famous restaurant in the capital. Almost everyone who could afford to dine here was either wealthy or noble. As soon as they entered the restaurant, a waiter enthusiastically greeted them.

“How many distinguished guests?”

Bai Sha, standing behind, stepped forward, taking out her waist token to show.

The waiter’s face paled, hurriedly stepping back two steps, bowing sideways to the two people in front, smiling apologetically: “Please follow me, distinguished guests!”

Saying this, the waiter led them up to a second-floor private room. The location was good, with a view of the busiest area of the capital city from the window.

Shen Yao Xing sat by the window in the viewing seat, propping her chin, looking sideways at the people on the street.

Only she and Madam Shen were in the room, with Hei Sha and the other two waiting outside the door. Honestly, Shen Yao Xing would rather be with the three of them guarding the door than sitting here with nothing to say to Madam Shen.

“What are you doing sitting there? Come drink tea and talk with me.” Madam Shen picked up her teacup and took a sip, saying calmly.

Shen Yao Xing remained unmoved, almost half of her body leaning out the window, her gaze attracted by an old lady carrying tanghulu on the street. She swallowed and said without turning her head: “Mother, let Qing Shu go down and buy me a stick of tanghulu.”

“Nonsense!” Madam Shen’s brows furrowed, but feeling her reaction was too strong, she let out a breath, putting the teacup on the table: “With good food available, why eat those things? The dishes will be served soon, sit down properly and eat.”

Shen Yao Xing knew Madam Shen looked down on the things sold at street stalls. To her, those things were only suitable for commoners.

She didn’t say anything more, knowing she couldn’t correct Madam Shen’s thinking. There was no choice but to compromise.

The young girl slowly moved to sit at the round table. After the dishes were served, Madam Shen first put some food in her bowl, looking at her and saying: “In a few days, I will arrange a homecoming banquet for you. You must be well-prepared at that time, don’t embarrass yourself, understand?”

Hearing about the banquet, Shen Yao Xing suddenly felt the tender and smooth fish in her mouth lose its flavor. She forced herself to swallow the fish, her whole face wrinkling: “Is that really necessary?”

It sounded nice, what homecoming banquet, it was actually a matchmaking banquet arranged for her! It was always like this, always saying they wouldn’t force her to marry, but in reality, using various means to arrange so-called eye-catching people for her.

Madam Shen was resolute on this matter, allowing no refusal.

The whole table of dishes suddenly lost its appeal. The young girl put down her chopsticks in a huff, pushing herself towards the carved window near the corridor and opening it. Seeing this, Madam Shen didn’t say anything, just glanced once and continued eating.

The first floor hall was almost full, everyone talking and laughing. The conversation at the table closest to the second floor caught Shen Yao Xing’s attention.

“In the competition held in Tai Zhou City last time, I heard the final winner was a fierce-looking woman, seven feet tall.” The amazed look, as if having seen it in person, made people inclined to believe at least some of it.

One person laughed loudly upon hearing this: “No wonder she could win. Being so tall, wouldn’t she step on someone to death with just one foot?”

“That’s quite right, haha…”

……

While they continued talking over there, Shen Yao Xing was already confused.

How could she be so big without knowing it herself?!