Li naturally agreed very much. Not only did she give her more than a dozen silver ingots to reward Cheng Chi's people, she also took two boxes made of fir wood and gave them to Zhou Shaojin, saying, "There are two hundred-year-old ginsengs in this box. When you go there later, bring them to your uncle Chi. I also know that your uncle Chi didn't help my eldest brother for this, and this little thing is not enough to express the Li family's gratitude to your uncle Chi, but this is a little gift from the Li family, and I am also offering a gift to you. I hope your uncle Chi will accept it no matter what."
Zhou Shaojin didn't know why Cheng Chi would help Li's brother.
The things sent by the Li family naturally fell into the hands of Uncle Chi.
She just helped to carry it over.
Zhou Shaojin agreed, took Nanny Shang, and went to Chaoyang Gate in a sedan chair.
Cheng Chi hadn't seen Zhou Shaojin for several days. When he heard that she was coming, he turned down a social engagement and waited for her at home.
Zhou Shaojin felt embarrassed, and dared not say that she missed the man in front of her very much. Any thank you was just an excuse, she just wanted to come and see him, so she was a little flustered when she met Cheng Chi. She took the cedar wood box that Li asked her to bring and stuffed it into Cheng Chi's hand, saying, "This is what the madam asked me to bring, saying thank you for introducing Liu Yong to Uncle Li!"
Seeing her shy and timid, her face as pretty as a flower, her pair of clear and bright eyes half-lidded looking at her feet, Cheng Chi couldn't help but curl his lips slightly, and suddenly he felt playful. He slowly leaned over and blew hot air into her ear and said, "What does the Li family's eldest master have to do with me? I just wanted to ask my Shao Jin for a good word... Who knew that when we met, she didn't even say hello, but just stuffed two boxes into my hand... I waited at home for a long time in vain..."
The familiar breath and the unfamiliar tenderness made Zhou Shaojin blush. The corners of his mouth twitched, and he didn't know what to say. After a while, he raised his eyelids and saw a smile in Cheng Chi's eyes.
Zhou Shaojin was so angry that he pushed him away.
Cheng Chi smiled gently, but he felt a little lost inside.
Her little girl finally knew to push him away. But she didn't know if she would give him a hard time in the future if she was not satisfied.
However, compared to the momentary happiness, it is better to let Zhou Shaojin express his emotions smoothly - the two of them will be together for a long time in the future, he can't always guess her thoughts, and she can't always wait for him to rescue her. Appropriate rejection and appropriate affirmation will make the relationship between the two last longer.
He took two steps back and took Zhou Shaojin's hand, saying, "You came just in time. A few days ago, I drew a picture of a golden pheasant and wanted to give it to Guan Ge'er on his 100th day. Can you help me take a look at it?"
Zhou Shaojin was led by him to the large desk.
There are two blooming peonies painted on a small piece of rice paper. A golden pheasant sticks its head out from under the peony flowers and looks up at a pair of fluttering butterflies in the upper right corner. Its posture is naive, playful and cute.
Zhou Shaojin didn't expect Cheng Chi's painting skills to be so good.
She stood there for a moment, then came back to her senses and said, "Uncle Chi, I heard that people who are good at martial arts usually spend a lot of time practicing. How come you still have time to read and paint, and you passed the imperial examination..."
Zhou Shaojin blinked and looked at Cheng Chi.
This is more touching than directly praising his painting skills and then deleting the content.
Cheng Chi laughed and said, "If you want to do something, you can always find time for it."
But if you are not smart, even if you can find the time, you won’t be as capable as Uncle Chi, right
Zhou Shaojin looked at Cheng Chi with red eyes, nakedly filled with admiration.
Cheng Chi felt better and said, "Then I'll send this painting over when the time comes."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and nodded. Seeing brushes, paste and other things placed next to the large desk, he hesitated and asked, "Uncle Chi, are you going to... frame the calligraphy and paintings yourself?"
As the saying goes, "30% of the painting and calligraphy, 70% of the mounting". What kind of painting matches what kind of scroll, whether it is mounted on silk or paper, is a sophisticated skill. Usually, the top mounting masters are hard to find, and sometimes you have to wait for more than half a year before your painting and calligraphy is arranged.
Cheng Chi smiled and said, "I painted it myself, so there's no need to bother. I can frame it myself!"
But without the three-pointer, you wouldn’t dare to take over, right
Otherwise, if the painting is not mounted properly, the one you mount this year will be ruined next year. What’s the point then!
Thinking of this, Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but be eager to try, and said: "Uncle Chi, can I help you frame it?"
Cheng Chi was a little surprised. Looking at Zhou Shaojin's bright face, he suddenly thought that this was not bad. He could frame his paintings with her in the future. He also liked bronze and stone carving. Shaojin was careful. If she was interested in mounting, they could also repair ancient books together.
Thinking of this, Cheng Chi also became interested.
The two of them selected materials, scraped the pulp, cut the edges, and inlaid the paintings together... Cheng Chi explained to Zhou Shaojin the things to pay attention to while instructing her to use a knife to press the paper. During this time, he held Zhou Shaojin in his arms and taught her step by step how to practice inlaying paper using the discarded edge materials.
Zhou Shaojin's face was burning, but the breath against her vest was so clean, and his body temperature was so warm, making her feel as if she had drunk a cup of aged pear blossom white. Her head was slightly flushed, and the heat rushed to her face.
Cheng Chi looked at Zhou Shaojin's face, which was particularly gentle and peaceful with her eyelids drooping, and he wanted to pick her up and kiss her twice, and then rub her hard into his body.
How can there be such a well-behaved and sensible little girl
He resisted the urge to kiss Zhou Shaojin, but instead let her go with a smile, walked aside and continued to frame the peacock painting he had drawn, leaving Zhou Shaojin to practice mounting the painting alone.
Outside the house, the green bamboos are swaying and the thick shades are quiet, giving people a feeling that time has stopped and the years are peaceful and tranquil.
Zhou Shaojin quietly looked up at Cheng Chi.
He was mounting calligraphy and paintings carefully.
The sleeves of his moon-white Songjiang fine cloth were rolled up at his elbows, revealing his fair and strong arms, making his slender fingers look even more steady and powerful.
Zhou Shaojin's eyelids turned red and he felt a little weird.
Uncle Chi always finds excuses to "bully" her, so why is he so... quiet today
Was it because he had something to do today? Or was it because she pushed him away and made him feel a little embarrassed
Zhou Shaojin was very conflicted.
She wanted Cheng Chi to treat her as he did before, but she also thought it would be nice if she could spend the rest of her life with Uncle Chi quietly like she does now... She was absent-minded and the paper was wrinkled.
Zhou Shaojin was so embarrassed that he didn't dare to look at Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi came over and hugged her and kissed her pink cheeks, saying softly, "Not bad, not bad. At least the paper is framed, much better than I thought!" Then he cut a piece of rice paper for her and said, "Practice more. I'm counting on you to frame calligraphy and paintings for me, so I can save money!"
Uncle Chi started talking nonsense to her again.
Zhou Shaojin pouted and said, "Uncle Chi, is he still short of that little bit of money? He is just asking me to do hard labor!"
Cheng Chi teased her and said, "Not bad! Now you finally know how to settle accounts. You know I'm making you do hard labor!"
Zhou Shaojin started arguing with him, saying, "When have I ever learned not to settle accounts? I was just giving in to you before to avoid ruining the relationship between relatives!"
"Aren't you afraid of ruining our relationship now?" Cheng Chi said with a smile, "It seems Confucius was right. Only women and villains are hard to raise. If you get close to them, they will be disrespectful. If you keep away from them, they will complain."
She sounded as if she was arrogant and domineering.
Zhou Shaojin quietly hid the paper-cutting knife under the pile of rice paper.
Cheng Chi pretended not to see it, and after a while he looked around: "Where is my paper cutter?"
Zhou Shaojin lowered his head and smiled with his lips pursed.
Cheng Chi ordered her, "Shao Jin, go to the small study in the inner house and get me another paper cutter."
Zhou Shaojin opened his eyes wide.
Cheng Chi said seriously, "Go! I'm waiting to use it! It seems to be on the multi-treasure grid in the small study in the inner house. If it's not there, you can look for it in the drawer of the desk. If that doesn't work, it's on the bedside of the inner room. I think I used it last night..."
Zhou Shaojin glared at Cheng Chi secretly and left the study angrily.
Cheng Chi couldn't help but laugh silently.
Zhou Shaojin walked out of the bamboo forest.
The early summer sun can make people sweat lightly when shining on their bodies.
Qingfeng and Langyue were standing at the door talking about something.
Both of them grew taller. Qingfeng was a head taller than Langyue, with distinct facial features and a serious expression. Langyue had a round face and smiled before he spoke, looking amiable and amiable.
Zhou Shaojin rolled his eyes, smiled and called out "Qingfeng", saying, "Uncle Chi doesn't know where he put the paper cutter, go and help find one!"
Qingfeng replied "yes" and turned to leave the yard.
Lang Yue smiled and called her "Second Cousin" and walked forward to greet her.
She sat down at the stone table in the bamboo forest.
But before she sat down, Lang Yue suddenly shouted, "Second cousin, the stone bench is cold. I'll ask someone to get you a cushion."
It’s better to let Cheng Chi wait there!
Zhou Shaojin chuckled and said, "By the way, make me a cup of tea. I'll wait for Qingfeng's paper cutter to arrive before going in."
Lang Yue did not suspect anything. He not only brought a cushion, but also brought a cup of tea as she requested, and chatted with Zhou Shaojin about family matters.
Cheng Chi didn't really let Zhou Shaojin go find a paper cutter. When she walked out of the study, he was going to pretend that she had found it by accident. However, when he looked up, Zhou Shaojin had already turned out of the bamboo forest. When he walked over, he saw Zhou Shaojin smiling and asking Qingfeng to help her find a paper cutter.
He looked at Zhou Shaojin's cheerful smile and started laughing too. He shook his head secretly, let her play around, and turned back to the study.
After a while, Zhou Shaojin came back and handed the paper cutter to Cheng Chi while shouting "It's so hot".
Cheng Chi laughed, reached out his hand to touch her forehead, and said, "Where are you hot? Let me help you wipe the sweat off!"
Zhou Shaojin knew that he was exposed, and ran away with a smile.
Cheng Chi found the paper cutter from the pile of rice paper and said with a smile, "Oh, how come there is a paper cutter in this room!"
Zhou Shaojin laughed non-stop.
Cheng Chi smiled and grabbed her, kissed her fiercely, and then pushed her to the armchair in front of the big desk, saying, "Hurry up and learn how to inlay the painting, or you won't have any food tonight!"
Zhou Shaojin had bright red lips and glared at him coquettishly.
Just like the flowers in a meticulous painting, after being dyed with colors, they suddenly become alive.
Cheng Chi's heart was pounding.
Or maybe, all those temptations and love were just to allow her to bloom like this moment
He smiled slightly.
※
Brothers and sisters, today's update.
There will be more updates for everyone to read tomorrow morning!
O(∩_∩)O~
※(To be continued)