Xu Yunci's figure gradually disappeared, and Xu Lingqing finally breathed a sigh of relief. Looking in the direction Xu Yunci left, there were Shousong Hall and Chengyu Pavilion. He wondered where he was going at this hour.

"What are you thinking about? By the way, why did you call me over here?" Xu Yunyao asked, feeling that his sister was acting strangely today.

Xu Lingqing snapped out of her daze, looking at him with exasperation. What was he still doing? There was nothing left to do now. His gaze drifted in the direction Xu Yunci had just left, and he asked casually, "Second brother, where are you going at this hour?"

Xu Yunyao had no doubts: "Chengyu Pavilion, right? Sixth Sister has been staying at Chengyu Pavilion these days. If Second Brother wants to find Sixth Sister, then you must go to Chengyu Pavilion."

His candor seemed to be an attempt to answer Xu Lingqing's question. But Xu Lingqing found his demeanor extremely irritating. She truly felt that her foolish brother was unworthy of a new bride; marrying someone with such a brain might only cause her misery.

Chengyu Pavilion was originally arranged by Yang herself, but after Li Shiyue moved in, she added some items to the courtyard herself, giving it a different feel at first glance.

On both sides of the stone steps under the corridor were green grass, with a marble round table and several stools. Li Shiyue simply had a long bench made next to it and hung it tightly with thick ropes like a swing.

Just then, the branches of the old crabapple tree in the courtyard wrapped around both sides, and the swing was slowly set up, with the occasional fragrance of crabapple blossoms filling the air. Xu Lingzi stood by the stone table, her pen dipped in ink, comparing it to Li Shiyue, who was leaning on the swing armrest.

She leaned to one side, her hands crossed and resting on her chin. The painting process was lengthy, and Li Shiyue would occasionally raise her hand to admire the crabapple blossoms before her.

Because of her prone position, her legs were bent, and her skirt fell down, revealing glimpses of the blue toes of her shoes. Adorned with a full, smooth pearl, it shone brightly in the sunlight, just like the smile on her lips.

Xu Yunci saw this scene as soon as he entered. He stood at the door, not wanting to break the peace.

Occasionally, crabapple blossoms would fall, their delicate pink petals landing on her blue skirt, shoulders, hair, and the crabapple hairpin tucked into her hair.

A flower and a gemstone, the gemstone is gorgeous and luxurious, but it cannot compare to the pink one, which is more delicate and dazzling. Xu Lingzi picked up her brush and had just drawn her hair bun. Just as she was about to depict her facial features, she saw Xu Yunci at the door.

"Second brother?"

Xu Lingzi was surprised for a moment, put down her pen, lifted her skirt and ran over. Ignoring Xu Yunci's reaction, she pulled him to the stone table: "Second brother, you've come at the right time. Why don't you finish this painting for your sister?"

Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting have always been hobbies cultivated from childhood by women from aristocratic families. However, there are also women like Xu Lingzi who are more skilled in calligraphy and chess, but whose skills in music and painting really need improvement.

Even Li Shiyue was trained in music and calligraphy from a young age, which is what she is best at.

Li Shiyue was about to get up when Xu Lingzi quickly pressed her back down: "Second brother's painting skills are far superior to mine. Jiaojiao, why don't you take a look today?"

"What? My cousin only painted because she lost. Isn't it cheating to ask my second brother to paint for her?" Li Shiyue couldn't help but clench the handkerchief in her hand. It felt strange to have Xu Yunci paint for her.

Xu Yunci's gaze was filled with doubt. Xu Lingzi lowered her head and pleaded with Li Shiyue, "Good Jiaojiao, just this once. You know my painting is really not presentable."

Xu Yunci stood before the stone table. Xu Lingzi had already begun to draw, only sketching the hair bun. He looked up at Li Shiyue, and indeed, she looked very different.

"I don't even know where to begin with your painting."

Xu Yunci spoke without holding back, simply taking the paper away, pulling out a new sheet, smoothing it out, and pressing it down. His movements were so fluid, as if he were used to doing this. He raised his brush, the tip reaching into the inkstone, and Xu Lingzi jogged over to quickly grind the ink.

Xu Yunci glanced at it, then looked away. He dipped the brush tip in ink, scraping it along the edge of the inkstone to remove any excess. He looked up at Li Shiyue, who was now lying face down, head tilted, seemingly lost in thought.

Xu Yunci withdrew his gaze, the tip of his pen landing on the white paper, swirling gently. Every now and then he would look up at Li Shiyue, then look down again, the pen tip in his hand rotating with his movements.

His wide sleeves were already rolled up, revealing a section of his fair wrist. The man's hands were slender, and when he exerted force with his thumb, the veins on his wrist and the back of his hand became visible.

Li Shiyue could even see the veins on the back of his hand. Painting requires a lot of patience, but Xu Yunci showed no impatience whatsoever, and was even more composed than anyone else.

His hands moved slowly and deliberately, and when he calmly raised his gaze, Li Shiyue was caught in his phoenix eyes and couldn't help but stare in a daze. He didn't lower his head, and Li Shiyue felt as if someone was gripping her heart tightly. Her lips were a little dry, and she subconsciously licked them.

Xu Yunci held the brush and should have been continuing to paint with his head down, but when he saw Li Shiyue make a move, he felt a little thirsty.

As she lowered her head, her eyelids concealed the turbulent emotions surging within her eyes, and she swallowed back the words she had been uttering. Her gaze fell upon the facial features she had already drawn, and she picked up her brush to continue depicting the slender waist that had just caught her eye.

He had an absurd idea: he wanted to reach out and hold her, to hide her away, and not let anyone see her.

Xu Lingzi had disappeared without a trace. When Xu Yunci put down his pen, he realized that no one was beside him. The person lying on the long swing was already somewhat drowsy.

Li Shiyue rested her chin on one hand, while the other remained on the side of the swing. As she lay on her side, the hem of her skirt slid down to the tip of her embroidered shoes, just covering the tiny pearl on the shoe's tip.

With the sachet at her waist and the fragrance of crabapple blossoms surrounding her, and the sun shining brightly, she slowly closed her eyes, like a white cat weary from spring.

Soft and white, it makes you want to hold it in your arms and cherish it.

Xu Yunci's gaze couldn't help but fall on her fair neck. He stared for a long time before looking away. He put his hands behind his back, lowered his head, and looked at the paper on the stone table. Unlike the sleeping Li Shiyue, the person in the painting smiled gently and stroked the crabapple tree in her hand.

With a cheerful smile, that was exactly how Xu Yunci imagined Li Shiyue to smile.

Xu Yunci's gaze was gentle. The ink on the paper had dried. He reached out his left hand and traced the outline of the person in the painting with his fingers, following the ink marks.

When Li Shiyue opened her eyes, she saw this scene: the painting depicted her, and Xu Yunci's expression was so gentle—was he looking at her in the painting?

The idea was bold, and that feeling of tension and unease crept back into my heart.

"Cousin."

The sound was soft, carried gently to Xu Yunci's ears on the breeze. He remained calm, looking up at her across the stone table, showing no embarrassment at not being able to catch her.