After seeing Zhao Ziling off, Lin Yan turned around and returned to his new residence.
The afterglow of the setting sun shines on the blue bricks and gray tiles, gilding the entire courtyard with a warm golden hue.
He stood at the gate of the courtyard, looking at the spacious three-courtyard house in front of him, and felt a sense of emotion.
Not long ago, the family lived in a cramped old house, struggling to make ends meet, but now they have such a magnificent new home.
"Third brother, what are you daydreaming about?" The eldest brother, Lin Feng, walked out of the main hall, carrying a lantern in his hand, and patted him on the shoulder with a smile. "Come in quickly, I'll show you your room!"
Lin Yan snapped out of her daze and followed her older brother through the front yard.
The layout of the new house is much more refined than that of the old house, with winding corridors and lush flowers and trees.
As they walked, the eldest brother introduced the rooms: "This is the main house of our parents. The east wing is for your second sister, and the west wing is for you. There's also a small study in the backyard, which Dad said is specifically for you to use for studying."
Pushing open the carved wooden door of the west wing, a faint scent of pine wafts out.
The interior furnishings were simple yet exquisite: a rosewood desk was placed by the window, with brand-new writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones on it;
Against the wall was a large bed with a light blue cloth canopy embroidered with several clumps of green bamboo. In the corner stood a bookshelf, not yet full, but already displaying several of the classics Lin Yan often read as a child, such as the Three Character Classic, the Hundred Family Surnames, and the Thousand Character Classic.
Lin Yan walked to the desk and gently stroked the smooth surface with his fingertips.
Outside the window, wisteria blossoms droop down, and occasionally a petal drifts in on the breeze, landing beside the inkstone.
He suddenly remembered the Duan inkstone that Zhao Ziling had given him today—its pine and crane design was exquisite and elegant, and it must be quite valuable.
The deep friendship he shared with his classmates warmed his heart even more.
"How is it? Are you satisfied?" Lin Feng leaned against the doorframe, smiling broadly.
"My sister specifically chose this room, saying that the lighting is good and it won't hurt your eyes when you read."
Lin Yan nodded, his throat slightly choked.
He walked to the bookshelf, pulled out a copy of the Analects, and on the title page was Lin Yunjuan's beautiful small regular script: "May my third brother achieve great success in the imperial examination and live up to his years of hard study."
He stroked the handwriting, thinking that his second sister must have suffered a lot in the past six months to achieve her current situation.
Lin Yan was unaware that Lin Yun had only been in this world for a little over two months. He assumed that his second sister had changed since his eldest brother started gambling.
"Big brother, our family... is really different now," Lin Yan said in a low voice.
Lin Feng was silent for a moment, then put his arm around his younger brother's shoulder: "Yes. I used to be a scoundrel, almost dragging this family down with me. Thanks to my second sister..."
He paused, his voice filled with guilt and gratitude, "Now that I'm learning business from her, I realize how hard she's worked. Third brother, you must live up to her expectations and not let down the whole family's hard work."
Lin Yan nodded solemnly.
Outside the window, dusk was deepening, and a few sparrows returning to their nests flew across the eaves, their chirping making the courtyard even more tranquil.
"Let's go, your parents must be getting impatient." Lin Feng blew out the lantern and led him out of the house.
As Lin Yan walked through the corridor, he couldn't help but stop.
The pavilion in the backyard was bathed in moonlight, and the wind chimes hanging from its corners tinkled.
He recalled what Xiaotao had said during the day—this pavilion is the best place to cool off in the summer.
In a daze, he seemed to see a future night where the whole family sat around in the pavilion, his second sister brewing tea, his parents chatting, while he and his eldest brother played chess...
This is a scene I never dared to imagine before.
The main hall was brightly lit.
Lin's father and mother sat at the head of the table, and Lin Yun was pouring tea for them.
Seeing the two brothers come in, Lin's mother quickly waved her over: "Yan'er, come and see what your mother has prepared for you!"
Several bundles were piled on the table: two brand-new indigo long gowns, with fine stitches;
A packet of dried osmanthus flowers, made by Lin's mother, is used to make tea to calm the nerves;
There was also a pair of thick-soled cloth shoes, with sturdy soles.
Lin's mother took Lin Yan's hand, her eyes slightly red: "Studying is hard work, you must take good care of yourself at school. If you need anything, just send a message back..."
Lin's father coughed lightly and took out a purse from his sleeve: "There are twenty taels of silver here. Take it. When you're traveling, don't be stingy with what you need to spend."
The purse was heavy, embroidered with the words "Peace and Safety," and the stitches were slightly immature—it was actually Lin Yun's handiwork from her childhood.
Lin Yan felt a surge of warmth in his heart and was about to decline when he heard Lin Yun laugh:
"Third brother, don't think it's too little. When your good news comes, your second sister will make you a set of golden saddle and stirrups!"
Her eyes sparkled, and she added, "However, if a classmate like Young Master Zhao comes a few more times, I'm afraid I'll have to spend all my savings!"
The whole family burst into laughter.
Lin Yan's ears turned bright red, and she stammered, "Second Sister, don't talk nonsense! Brother Zhao today..."
The words were on the tip of her tongue, but then she remembered Zhao Ziling staring blankly at Lin Yun, and she was speechless for a moment.
Lin Yun had already turned to get some dessert, her skirt fluttering like a butterfly. In the candlelight, the silver hairpin adorning her hair shone brightly, making her profile appear as beautiful as jade.
Lin Yan suddenly understood why Zhao Ziling had lost his composure. This second sister was indeed as radiant as a pearl, unforgettable to anyone who saw her.
As night deepened, the family's laughter and conversation gradually subsided.
Lin's mother got up, straightened Lin Yan's collar, and said softly, "Go and rest. You still have to study tomorrow."
Lin Yan nodded and returned to the west wing with his bundle in his arms.
Moonlight filtered through the window screen, casting dappled shadows on the desk.
He stroked the wrinkles on his new clothes, recalling Zhao Ziling's unfinished words at parting, as well as his parents' earnest gaze, the silver hairpin in his second sister's hair, and his eldest brother's rough yet warm hands... A surge of emotions welled up in his heart.
He gently unfolded the Analects and, by the candlelight, saw the sentence: "A scholar cannot but be resolute and persevering, for his burden is heavy and his journey is long."
Outside the window, a night breeze swept by, and wisteria blossoms fell in a soft rustling. Everyone in this family was striving to improve, and he couldn't fall behind.
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