Having heard that Ren Shimin was going to the warm room in the garden to drink tea and play chess, Ren Yaoqi walked straight out of the corridor and headed towards the path leading to the garden.
The Ren family's garden, with its pavilions, terraces, waterside pavilions, and eaves, was all in the southern style. Although many cold-sensitive plants in the garden couldn't survive due to the location, the seasonal flowers were rotated every season, so the garden was always filled with flowers year-round.
In the garden stood a pavilion in the middle of the lake, a perfect spot for enjoying the cool air in the summer. However, because it was surrounded by spring and summer seasonal flowers and plants, in autumn and winter the pavilion was covered in withered lotus leaves and branches or a vast expanse of white. Moreover, the wind was drafty and biting, so when autumn arrived, the masters of the Ren family abandoned the pavilion and headed for the warm pavilion nestled in the plum grove in the northwest corner.
Although the warm room was small, it had floor heating and the windows on all four sides were covered with cellophane, allowing for a faint glimpse of sparse shadows slanting across the surrounding landscape, creating a delicate and elegant atmosphere. Ren Shimin would often come here to paint.
When Ren Yaoqi approached the warm room, it was silent inside, but Ren Yaoqi still kept walking.
"You go wait in the pavilion over there. I'll come out after talking to my father." In a pavilion not far away, two maids were warming themselves around a charcoal basin. It seemed that they were the maids in charge of the warm room and were sent out by their master.
Seeing someone coming, the two maids stood up. One of them was about to go over to greet them, but Xier smiled and walked over quickly without waiting for them to come over. Xueli was originally thinking about something, and after thinking for a while, she bowed and turned to follow Xier.
Ren Yaoqi raised his hand and opened the curtain of the warm room.
A low table sat in the center of the warm room, with Ren Yijun and a young stranger sitting at either end. Ren Shimin sat sideways, sipping from a teapot as he watched the game. All three, whether playing or watching, were so engrossed in the game that they didn't even notice someone entering.
However, Ren Yijun's servant, who was squatting on the side, looked up and saw Ren Yaoqi gently gestured to him, so he squatted back down.
This was the first time that Ren Yaoqi saw the legendary young master of the Han family clearly.
She saw that he had taken off his fur cloak and was only wearing a white robe with orchids embroidered on the cuffs and collar. He had black hair, well-trimmed eyebrows, a high nose bridge, and thin lips. He tilted his head slightly and looked thoughtful, serious and silent. From the corner of her eye, she could see that the corners of his slightly drooped eyes were slightly raised.
This is a man with outstanding appearance and calm temperament.
As if he noticed Ren Yaoqi's gaze, he raised his eyes and looked over, his narrow eyes were as dark and deep as a winter night.
Ren Yaoqi lowered his eyes calmly, bowed in his direction, and then walked to Ren Shimin without looking away.
Ren Shimin saw her for the first time and was surprised, but he still waved his hand gently, indicating that she should be quiet for now and wait until the game was over. It was a rule that Ren Shimin always followed: watch a chess game in silence and don't interrupt the players' train of thought.
Ren Yijun frowned and glared at her with undisguised displeasure on his face, then quickly turned his head away and stopped looking at her.
Ren Yaoqi stood quietly behind Ren Shimin, staring at the chessboard in front of him without showing any anger.
Ren Yijun and Ren Shimin bonded because they shared similar interests. Besides composing poetry, playing the qin, and painting, they also loved chess, a skill at which both were considered experts.
However, despite this, Ren Yijun showed signs of defeat in this game.
A quarter of an hour later, Ren Yijun let out a long sigh and admitted defeat.
"I lost again!" Ren Yijun said, his tone not a hint of displeasure. Then he turned to Ren Shimin and said, "Uncle San, this guy is really powerful. I've lost three times in a row, so why don't you take the field? You must put a dent in this guy's prestige!"
Master Han lowered his head and smiled, picking up the chess pieces silently.
Ren Shimin had been watching the game for half a day and had already developed a chess addiction. He was eager to try. He looked at Ren Yaoqi and asked, "Yaoyao, if you have anything to do, can you wait until Daddy finishes playing chess?"
Ren Yaoqi nodded, and Ren Shimin immediately and happily changed seats with Ren Yiju.
The battle begins again.
Ren Yaoqi continued to watch silently, her presence low. Therefore, no one thought she was in the way.
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