Chapter 184 Peace of Mind
Coming down from the terrace, Lin Yan escorted Si Zhui back to Yunshen Pavilion. Lan Xichen was already waiting in the living room. Seeing the two of them enter together, Si Zhui still wearing Lin Yan's suit jacket, the worry in his eyes faded a little.
"Uncle." Si Zhui walked forward and handed over the second self-review he had written. His voice was clear and crisp. "I have finished my self-review."
Lan Xichen took the self-reflection and saw that it not only contained a statement of self-reflection but also included a line of small text: "I have apologized to Brother Lin Yan and promised never to go to dangerous places without permission again." He nodded with satisfaction, "That's good to know. In the future, I will think more about the consequences when I encounter any problems, and don't make everyone worry anymore."
"Yeah!" Si Zhui nodded vigorously, then turned to look at Lin Yan with a bit of reluctance in his eyes.
Lin Yan understood his look and said to Lan Xichen, "I'll pick him up this afternoon. I promised to teach him how to carve a wooden kite."
Lan Xichen smiled and agreed, "Go ahead, don't delay your studies."
The afternoon sun was just right, and Lin Yan appeared at the entrance of Yunshen Pavilion on time. Sizhui was already waiting in the yard, schoolbag on his back, clutching the unfinished piece of mahogany. When he saw him approaching, his eyes lit up instantly, like candies soaked in sunlight.
"Brother Lin!" He ran over and naturally held Lin Yan's hand. The warmth from his fingertips came through his skin, making him feel very reassured.
In Lin Yan's villa, the woodcarving tools were already prepared. Si Zhui sat at the low table, watching Lin Yan skillfully adjust the carving knife, and suddenly whispered, "Brother Lin, yesterday... I'm sorry for wrinkling your suit."
Lin Yan paused while sharpening the knife, raised his eyes to look at him, a smile on his lips: "It's okay, wrinkles can be ironed, as long as you are okay."
Si Zhui's face flushed slightly. He lowered his head, picked up the carving knife, and imitated Lin Yan's movements on the wood. The pain in his back had eased a lot, but the thought of the ruler that night still frightened him a little, and his hand trembled slightly as he held the carving knife.
"Don't be afraid." Lin Yan noticed his nervousness, reached out and held his hand, guiding him to cut, "Be steady, like this..."
A warm palm rested on his hand, carrying a familiar warmth and strength. Si Zhui's heart slowly settled. Following Lin Yan's guidance, the carving knife drew smooth arcs on the wood, and sawdust fell like scattered sunlight.
"Yes, that's it." Lin Yan's voice sounded in his ears, full of encouragement, "Look, as long as you keep steady, you can carve out the shape you want."
Sizhui's eyes lit up as he watched the kite tail gradually take shape on the wood. He suddenly realized that when Lin Yan taught him to carve wood, it was completely different from when he handled documents at the company—there was no longer that distant coldness, only patience and gentleness, like a spring breeze blowing across the lake, rippling circles of water.
Time flew by as the two of them, one teaching and the other learning, and as the sun set, the outline of the wooden kite became clear. Although the lines were still a little immature, it was a significant improvement over before.
"That's all for today." Lin Yan put away the carving knife. "I'll carve the rest tomorrow. Don't get too tired."
Sizhui nodded, but didn't stand up. Instead, he picked up a scrap of scrap material and carefully carved something. Lin Yan didn't disturb him. He sat aside and put away his tools, but he kept an eye on his movements from the corner of his eye.
After a while, Si Zhui handed over the scrap, his cheeks flushed: "Here you go."
It was a small wooden plaque with two crooked characters engraved on it - "Lin Yan". Next to it was a picture of a grinning little man holding a carving knife.
Lin Yan took the wooden sign, rubbing his fingertips over the inscriptions on it, and a sudden warmth welled up in his heart. This child always used the most clumsy ways to express the most sincere feelings.
"It's well carved," he said seriously, putting the wooden sign into his pocket. "I like it very much."
Si Zhui laughed so hard that his eyes narrowed into slits, like a kitten that had stolen some candy.
When leaving the villa, Si Zhui suddenly remembered something and took out a small box from his schoolbag: "I almost forgot, this is for you."
Inside the box was a peach wood bead strung with a red string, with a small "An" character engraved on it. "Grandpa Lin said peach wood can ward off evil spirits. I'm giving this to you to bless you with smooth work and peace."
Lin Yan took the beads. There was still a small piece of thread wrapped around the end of the red string, obviously Sizhui had strung them together himself. He looked down at the character "安". It wasn't carved neatly, but every stroke was carefully crafted.
"Thank you." He put the beads on his wrist. The red string was particularly conspicuous on his fair wrist. "I will wear it all the time."
Si Zhui looked at the red string around his wrist and smiled brightly. He knew the scars from that night might still be there, but the knot in his heart had slowly unraveled. Just like these peach wood beads, only after being polished by a carving knife could they become warm and smooth.
Back at Yunshen Pavilion, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji had already returned. Sizhui told them about the carved wooden plaque and the peach wood beads, his face full of pride.
"It seems that our Sizhui has grown up and knows how to care for others." Wei Wuxian smiled and rubbed his hair, but a trace of heartache flashed in his eyes - this child always grows armor quietly after experiencing wind and rain.
Lan Wangji looked at him and said in a gentle voice, "From now on, discuss things with Lin Yan more often and don't act so willfully."
"Yeah!" Si Zhui nodded vigorously, but he was thinking in his heart that he would finish carving the wooden kite tomorrow and give it to Brother Lin as a gift.
The moonlight from outside the window gently poured in, illuminating the smile on the boy's face. He knew that there would always be bumps and bruises on the road to growth, the pain of making mistakes, and the grievance of being taught a lesson. But as long as there were people who cared about him, those scars would slowly turn into medals, reminding him how to grow up better.
And his story with Lin Yan continues. Just like the unfinished wooden kite, it will become more and more refined and warmer with the polish of time.
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