Meiya's face suddenly turned red, and she shook her head hurriedly, stammering, "No, no. How could I have practiced calligraphy when I can't even recognize a few words?"
"But your handwriting is beautiful," Chen Qingxuan looked at the "Zhong" characters again. Then he said to Mei Ya, "Want to practice calligraphy? Then I can teach you later, okay?"
Mei Ya was startled. Looking at Chen Qingxuan's smiling face, another face appeared in her mind uncontrollably...
"Don't hold it too tightly. Don't be so stiff in your fingers. What are you so nervous about? You're about to break the brush."
"I've never held a pen before. You don't know, but when I see these pens, inkstones, and paper, my calves start to cramp. I'm not afraid of anything except these."
"What's there to be afraid of? It's just like embroidery needles. Practice makes perfect. Don't be afraid. I'll teach you how to write."
"You see, I just don't have any talent."
"When I first wrote, it was even uglier than this. The teacher even slapped my hand. Didn't I tell you to treat this pen as an embroidery needle?"
"How can it be compared with an embroidery needle? This is my first time using an embroidery needle and it works great. Good Master, please teach me again!"
"You don't even pay a cent. How can the master want to teach you?"
"Is that enough?"
"That's enough..."
…
That day, in the warm winter sun, she held a pen for the first time in her life. She was really nervous, but fortunately Zhong Mingwei's hands were holding hers the whole time. Those hands were really big, big and warm, wrapping her whole hands inside. Then she was no longer nervous, and her hands stopped shaking. Under the guidance of that big hand, she left ink marks on rice paper for the first time in her life. It was also the first time that she kissed the rich fragrance of ink until she was dizzy.
…
"What's wrong?" Meiya didn't say anything for a long time. Chen Qingxuan asked worriedly, "Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere? Why is your face so red? Did you not close the window properly when you went to bed last night?"
There was a sudden heavy rain in the late night yesterday, accompanied by rumbling spring thunder and strong winds, which blew down several trees outside.
"No, no, I'm fine," Mei Ya shook her head hurriedly, lowering her head to tidy up the pens, inkstones, and papers on the table, while casually saying, "Mr. Chen, what would you like to eat for lunch?"
"What? I'm just starting to teach you how to write, and you're already thinking about paying my tuition?" Chen Qingxuan suddenly laughed.
Mei Ya's hands suddenly froze, and she paused, then hung the brush on the pen holder. When she looked up, the smile on her face was gone. Her face, which had been flushed just now, had now returned to its normal color. She looked at Chen Qingxuan and said slowly, "Mr. Chen, I don't want to learn to write anymore."
"What's wrong?" Chen Qingxuan was confused, "Why do you suddenly not want to write?"
"I already have a master who teaches me calligraphy, and I don't want to find another one." Mei Ya said softly.
Chen Qingxuan was startled, then he leaned over and whispered, "Is it him?"
Mei Ya nodded and said nothing more. She took the copy of "Hundred Family Names" and left the room, leaving Chen Qingxuan alone staring at the page full of "Zhong" characters of different sizes.
…
There was door and window repairing at home, and the hammering went on all day long. Not to mention Pang Yi, even Gu Changlin was annoyed. The old man said he didn't want to stay at home at all, and went down the mountain for a stroll. Pang Yi actually wanted to go down the mountain too. He hadn't seen Xiao An since he sent her back that night, and he missed her very much. But looking at Zhong Mingwei lying on the kang, he decided not to go anywhere. He sat obediently in the outer hall, listening to the banging noises outside, until his ears were callused.
"Pang Yi." Pang Yi was drowsy in the outer hall when he heard Zhong Mingwei's voice coming from the bedroom.
"Hey!" Pang Yi hurriedly responded, then pushed the door open and went in, "Master, you called me?"
Zhong Mingwei sat up from the kang. He hadn't eaten or slept well for a few days. He looked so haggard that Pang Yi didn't dare to look at him any more. He hurriedly made a cup of jasmine tea and handed it to Zhong Mingwei with both hands: "Sir, please drink a cup of tea to moisten your throat first."
Zhong Mingwei was not thirsty at all, but looking at the lingering jasmine flowers in the cup, he took it anyway and drank it mouthful after mouthful. Even though his mouth was full of sores, he couldn't wait for the tea to cool down, so he drank the whole cup of tea. After finishing the tea, he didn't put the cup down, but held it tightly in his hand, and then asked Pang Yi, "Have you got the house deed ready?"
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