Chapter 189 World 8 (12)
Shen Yunshan had initially assumed that Baoshan wouldn't be able to persist in learning to read and write for long. After all, studying wasn't fun, and could even be considered tedious. But he hadn't expected that Baoshan, despite her soft nature, could endure the boredom and study alongside him for several days.
An oil lamp sat in the middle of the mahogany desk. Shen Liushi found a round stool. Shen Yunshan and Baoshan sat on either side of the desk. Shen Yunshan held a scroll, reading silently. When he grew tired of studying, he would pause and pinch his tense brows with two fingers.
Shen Yunshan leaned slightly to the side and could see Baoshan standing straight, her neck and slender waist forming a straight line. Baoshan remembered Shen Yunshan's instructions on how to hold a brush, but the moment the tip of the brush touched the rice paper, it went limp, no longer under her control.
Looking at the blurred marks on the rice paper, Bao Shan's brows furrowed, and she subconsciously raised her eyes to look at Shen Yunshan. However, when she saw Shen Yunshan's indifferent expression, her brows turned lonely. She pursed her lips, confused as to why her cousin Yunshan ignored her.
——Is she too stupid and makes cousin Yunshan annoyed?
Bao Shan's eyelashes trembled slightly, and the hand holding the brush moved slightly, and the ink-soaked brush fell on her dress. Bao Shan quickly stood up, but a large black ink stain had already been left on her dress.
Shen Yunshan put down the scroll in his hand and walked towards the treasure fan.
"What is it?"
Bao Shan clutched the edge of her dress and said in a low voice, "The dress is stained with ink..."
She took out her handkerchief and gently wiped the ink stains off her body, but it was in vain, and even the handkerchief was stained with black ink.
Shen Yunshan leaned over, took the handkerchief from Baoshan's hand, wiped it twice, and said, "Grind some soapberry into powder and soak it in water, and it will be removed."
Not hearing Baoshan's response, Shen Yunshan raised his head, only to see her face pale and about to cry. He couldn't help but stroke his forehead and said, "It's just a dress, there's no need to worry so much..."
When Shen Yunshan was studying in the private school, there were many children who knocked over their inkstones and soiled their new clothes.
However, women are different from men, and their minds may be more delicate.
"Cousin Yunshan."
Baoshan suddenly called Shen Yunshan.
"Well, what is it?"
Baoshan's voice was thin and trembling, "I heard there's a girl enrolled in the academy?"
Shen Yunshan nodded: "Yes, the daughter of a wealthy family was sent here to learn and understand the truth."
Bao Shan's body stiffened slightly, and she spoke softly, "Then they must have a lot of energy when writing. Unlike me, I can't even write well, so my cousin Yunshan doesn't want to look at it carefully..."
Shen Yunshan was slightly stunned. How could he have been like this before? Shen Yunshan thought carefully again. He had indeed been deliberately distancing himself from the treasure fan these days.
It was just because when she was teaching Baoshan how to write that day, Shen Yunshan felt that there was something wrong between them, so he intentionally distanced himself from her. It was not because he thought she was unteachable.
Shen Yunshan picked up the rice paper that Baoshan had just written on. There were only a few scattered words on it, and most of the rice paper was soaked with ink.
Bao Shan looked embarrassed at this, but Shen Yunshan looked at her for a long time and commented softly, "You have made great progress."
"Every pen has its own style. If you were like them, you might be able to write beautiful calligraphy."
It is too biased to compare the knowledge of an orphan girl without parents with that of the noble ladies who were raised in luxury.
"But here, the brushstrokes should be retracted, not released..."
Shen Yunshan no longer avoided suspicion. He taught Baoshan at the request of Shen Liushi.
But after all, Baoshan was to be sensible, and this intentional alienation made Baoshan even more timid, which was really contrary to the original intention of studying, and it was really not right.
Bao Shan sat back on the round stool, listening to Shen Yunshan's teachings, feeling the breath of the two people, blending with each other as they got close.
It was late at night, the lights were bright, and shadows of people were intertwined on the walls.
The Li family at the head of the village was enjoying a surge of popularity these days. This was because the Li family had been going to town more and more frequently, and every time they returned to the village, they were smiling. The aroma of the smoke from their kitchen was mingled with the scent of meat, and Li Qiuran had even had two new dresses made.
Some people who were familiar with the Li family were asking if there was any good news happening to the Li family.
Li's parents did not hide anything and just said that Li Dongran had made some rice cakes by himself. He used white rice and glutinous rice, mixed it with red dates, steamed it in a pot, made a big pot and took it to the town to sell.
Unexpectedly, such simple food was very popular among the nobles and earned a lot of money.
Although the Li family could not be said to have made a fortune, they could at least have a taste of meat.
The woman who came to inquire was moved and thought to herself: She knew that Li Dongran was a hardworking and capable person, but he just didn't look good.
It seems that Li Dongran actually has the ability to do business and make money. If this gets out, Li Dongran will not have to worry about his marriage.
The woman thought this, but her expression remained calm as she complimented Li's mother, "You are truly good at educating children. You have raised them so well. Where's that girl Dong Ran? Why don't I see her?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Dongran, dressed in coarse cloth, walked in and called out, "Auntie."
The woman looked at Li Dongran's clothes and felt strange. The method of making rice cake was invented by Li Dongran, and it was Li Dongran who worked hard to make it and then took it to the town to sell.
He was so greedy that he couldn't even afford to buy Li Dongran a piece of cloth to make him a new dress.
Li Qiuran ran in right after him and complained to Li's mother, "My blue short coat has been soaking in the tub for ages, and Li Dongran still hasn't washed it clean!"
Mother Li frowned immediately, and Li Dongran quickly explained, "I'm busy making rice cakes. I'll go later."
Li Qiuran snorted softly, "Don't forget!"
After saying that, Li Qiuran left in a hurry. From beginning to end, he didn't even call the woman, but Li's mother thought it was natural.
The woman lowered her eyelids. Li Dongran's clothes were worn out, but Li Qiuran's dress was newly made.
Could it be that the Li couple are really so biased?
The woman spoke tentatively, "Dong Ran is not young anymore, and he hasn't decided on a marriage yet. Given his reputation for being hardworking, what kind of family does he want to marry?"
The woman had her own plans. Although Li Dongran was not beautiful, farmers mainly looked for virtuous wives.
As long as Li's mother is willing to give in, Li Dongran will naturally be able to find a good husband.
But Mother Li shook her head and said, "Qiu Ran hasn't even arranged a marriage yet. How can the younger sister get married before the elder sister?"
And when Li Dongran leaves the Li family, she will belong to the man.
No matter what delicious ideas I come up with, I will definitely give them to my in-laws first, and I won’t have any time to care about them at that time.
The woman was a little upset, but still had some hope. She turned to ask Li Dongran: "Dongran, do you have a boyfriend you like? I will ask for you."
The woman saw clearly that the Li family kept Li Dongran just because they wanted her to continue working for the Li family, and they completely ignored Li Dongran's future.
If Li Dongran was willing, she could find a suitable man in private and take him away. However, it would take some effort to leave the Li family.
Li Dongran looked slightly stunned. On ordinary days, if someone came to his house to talk about marriage, it must be for Li Qiuran.
This was the first time someone asked her what kind of man she was looking for.
The handsome figure of Shen Yunshan emerged in Li Dongran's mind, like the warm spring breeze and the bright moon.
But Li Dongran knew very well that Shen Yunshan didn't even like Li Qiuran, so how could he like her?
Mother Li frowned, looking dissatisfied: "She's just a little girl, what does she know about marriage?"
Li Dongran remained silent. If she were to marry someone else, she would rather obey her mother and marry later. She could still keep a little fantasy in her heart...
Seeing this, the woman knew that Li Dongran was also a man who would not resist, so she stopped interfering and said a few flattering words. As she listened, Li's mother's brows gradually relaxed.
When the woman left the Li family, she sighed. With Li Dongran's personality, she wondered if she would still be tied down by the Li family even after getting married.
No matter how capable you are, how can you live a happy life if you are surrounded by a family?
The freshly baked rice cakes were white and tender, with only a hint of red at the top, looking very tempting. Li Dongran picked a few and gave them to the people in his village. As he reached the door of the Shen family's house, Li Dongran tugged at his dress, looking at the worn-out clothes on his body, and a trace of embarrassment emerged in his heart.
After earning money from selling rice cakes, she also wanted to make new clothes.
But Li's mother said that she was small and would not be able to wear the new clothes for more than a few days, so it would be better to wait until Li Qiuran had worn out the clothes before giving them to her.
Li Dongran's eyes dimmed, he raised his hand and tapped the Shen family's door lightly.
Light footsteps were heard and the door opened.
Li Dongran just opened his mouth: "Brother Shen..."
Then she saw Baoshan wearing a purple dress, looking at her tenderly.
"Miss Li, cousin Yunshan is...studying his lessons. Miss Li, if you have anything to say, I'll tell my cousin."
Li Dongran shook his head and handed the wrapped rice cake to Baoshan.
Baoshan looked at the fragrant rice cake, her beautiful eyes full of doubts: "What is this..."
Li Dongran explained, "These are freshly made rice cakes. I brought them to Brother Shen... so you can have a taste."
Bao Shan looked at the two square pieces of rice cake in her hand and smiled softly, "How do you eat this?"
Li Dongran was slightly startled: "Just take it and eat it."
After saying that, Li Dongran realized that she was only thinking about Shen Yunshan and Shen Liushi, and had forgotten about the treasure fan.
Suddenly, Li Dongran didn't know how to explain. It was just a small piece of rice cake, so could he ask the Shen family to cut it into pieces?
Seeing Baoshan leaning outside the door and not coming in for a long time, Shen Liushi walked over to take a look and saw the rice cake in Baoshan's hand.
Shen Liushi was not a weak woman like Baoshan who knew nothing. She could tell at a glance that the rice cakes sent by Li Dongran were missing the amount for one person.
"How much is one of these rice cakes?"
Li Dongran didn’t understand the intention of Shen Liushi’s words, so he just answered honestly: “Two copper coins.”
Shen Liushi immediately counted out six copper coins and stuffed them into the hands of Li Dongran, who was pale.
"Please, bring us another rice cake."
Li Dongran didn't want to accept these copper coins: "Aunt Shen, you don't need these. I sent them to you to eat."
Shen Liushi said stiffly: "No need, the Shen family and your Li family are not related. Besides, these rice cakes also require white rice to make, it's not good to take advantage of your family."
Because they did not agree to Li Qiuran's marriage, the Li family was very unhappy with the Shen family, and Shen Liu knew this very well.
Shen Liu thought that as soon as she took over the rice cakes, the Li family would speak sarcastically about the Shen family.
It was just a matter of six copper coins, and Shen Liushi didn't want to make too much trouble and owe the Li family a favor for nothing.
Shen Liushi pulled the treasure fan, feeling quite disappointed that someone had sent them two pieces of rice cakes, deliberately humiliating them.
This distant niece with a soft personality is so polite to Li Dongran.
The door was slammed shut.
Only Li Dongran, holding six copper coins tightly, stood dejectedly outside the Shen family's door.
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