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Yu Youyao stammered and said nothing.

Zhou Linghuai called Chang An over. “Bring me the painting I drew yesterday.”

Yu Youyao’s eyes lit up. She wanted to ask her cousin what he had drawn, but when she thought about how she would be able to see it with her own eyes soon, she restrained herself from asking. However, her eyes inevitably darted in the direction Chang An had left in.

Zhou Linghuai couldn’t help but laugh.

!!

Not long after, Chang An returned with a painting in his hand. Before he could approach, Yu Youyao had already run over to take the painting and asked her cousin. “Cousin, can I see it now?”

The corners of Zhou Linghuai’s lips curled up. “It’s a gift for you. It can be used anytime.”

Before he could finish speaking, Yu Youyao had already smiled widely. She couldn’t wait any longer and carefully unfolded the scroll.

The first thing that came into view was the tall green jade umbrella. Every leaf on it was dense and well-defined, with clear veins. There were strings of faint yellow-green flowers on the branches. They were trumpet-shaped flowers without petals, but the stamens grew and hung on the branches, making them look even more beautiful and elegant. They were truly lifelike.

“This is the Chinese parasol tree in my courtyard. Cousin, it’s really beautiful. It’s just like the real thing.” Yu Youyao’s eyes lit up. She unfolded the scroll and saw an incense table under the tree. There was an incense burner with a phoenix head. There was also a faint green incense fragrance.

On the table, there was a seven-stringed zither. A young girl in a green dress was kneeling in front of the table. She was quiet and beautiful. Her fair hand was plucking the strings, and she was wearing a string of yellow-green parasol flowers on her head. The long stamens hung by her temples, making her look gentle and elegant. Her eight-piece dress was like a blooming lotus.

Yu Youyao’s eyes suddenly widened. Her voice was cheerful and delicate. “Cousin, Cousin, you drew me. I didn’t know I was so good-looking.”

The little girl in the painting still looked young and tender, but there was a hint of charm in her eyes, and her lips were a little delicate. From time to time, her expression revealed a hint of tenderness and quiet beauty.

But she was beautiful.

Zhou Linghuai hummed softly and smiled. That day, when he was testing the young lady’s zither skills, she had said that she wanted to play the zither for him under the Chinese parasol tree. After returning to the courtyard, he felt an itch and drew the young lady playing the zither under the Chinese parasol tree. Although he was good at painting, he was usually surrounded by flowers, birds, and mountains. However, he rarely saw people in the scenery, but it was still pleasing to the eye.

Yu Youyao held the painting and looked at it happily. She looked at it for a long time, but couldn’t get enough of it. “Cousin, I like it so much. Thank you, Cousin.”

Seeing that she had finally smiled, Zhou Linghuai heaved a sigh of relief.

Yu Youyao held the painting excitedly and returned to the Jade Courtyard. She lit an incense stick and placed the painting aside to smoke. A painting that had been smoked by an incense stick would be able to maintain the brush ink on it. The paper would not rot, and the color would remain the same for many years.

After smoking the painting, Yu Youyao took the best fragrant wooden box and carefully placed it in the box.

The older the incense wood, the more it could prevent dampness and insects, and ensure that the paper did not rot.

The next day, Yu Youyao found Shopkeeper Wang from Baoxing Rice Shop and entered the residence. “Grandmother, we have to do good deeds in order to return Grandmother’s kindness. It’s time to set up the porridge station in the rice shop. From April 6th, for three consecutive days, use the old rice from the past to make porridge. The porridge has to be thick. The old rice has to be checked carefully. We can’t eat the moldy rice or give it away.”

Large families also had the tradition of providing porridge during the new year, holidays, and disasters.

Wang Dongquan nodded repeatedly. “Yes.” Then, he asked, “The porridge tent has been set up. Eldest Miss, do you want to find time to go over and take a look?”

Large families gave porridge and rice for the sake of a good reputation. The main family had to step in and pretend to help so that others could see and gain a reputation for being kind.

Yu Youyao shook her head. “I won’t go. I’m too young to go out. Get someone to send a message to First Madam and ask her what she thinks.”

One couldn’t just be superficial, especially when it came to reputation. It wasn’t just a matter of showing one’s face.

She was still young, so it didn’t matter how much trouble she caused at home. It would also be fine if news of this spread outside. At this age, she should stay at home. The elders were in charge of the matters outside, so it wasn’t her place to step up and cause trouble outside.

When Wang Dongquan heard this, he couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. This Eldest Miss of the residence was really not an ordinary person. She knew how to behave and did things clearly.

As a result, everyone in the residence also knew that Eldest Miss was going to set up a porridge stall in the rice shop. They even exaggerated that Eldest Miss was kind and benevolent.

When Yang Shuwan received the news, she couldn’t help but feel angry again. She asked Yu Youyao, “Old Madam, you’re paying respects to Buddha. The Buddha Festival is also our family’s big day. In the past, we didn’t have any porridge to give out. Why are we doing it this year?”

Yu Youyao lowered her eyes and ignored Yang Shuwan’s ugly expression. “I’m doing this because I want Grandmother to pay respects to Buddha, and also because I want to accumulate good fortune for my family. As juniors, we should also do good deeds and accumulate good karma for Grandmother, so that she can live a long and healthy life. I want to set up a porridge tent to show my filial piety to her.”

Her words were filled with filial piety towards Old Madam Yu.

Even though Yang Shuwan was unhappy, she couldn’t say anything else. She forced a smile. “Why didn’t you discuss such a big matter with Mother?”

Yu Youyao chuckled. “Mother is in charge of the family’s matters every day, and she still has to go to Grandmother’s house to copy Buddhist scriptures. It’s inevitable that she won’t be able to attend to some small matters. As a daughter, I naturally can’t bear to see Mother working hard, so I have to share some of Mother’s burden. Otherwise, Mother will fall sick and suffer again like before.”

Every word and sentence was glib, and it was linked to being filial to her again.

At this moment, Yang Shuwan could barely smile anymore. How could she be willing to let go of the anger in her heart? “You’re still young. Don’t you know that the matter of the porridge stall is very serious? How can it be easily done?”

Yu Youyao said, “In the past, the family often built a porridge shed, and everything inside has its usual practice. Manager Wang is a capable person. With him personally supervising, it naturally won’t go wrong. If Mother is worried, when the porridge shed is built, she can go over and take a look personally. With Mother watching from the side, it’ll be even better.”

At this point, Yang Shuwan’s anger was all bottled up in her heart. She could only send Yu Youyao away and return to her room to vent her anger.