Chapter 16: Sister Yao, You Are Too Close
In the quiet house.
Fang Zhiyue sat at the desk, and Si Yao stood behind him.
"Sister Yao...why don't you just write the two words 'Hu Ji' and I'll carve them. You really don't need to teach me..."
He looked at her somewhat uncomfortably.
Unconsciously biting her lip, she said, "I'm just a country bumpkin, and at my age, it's too late to learn now."
"Sit upright."
Si Yao put a hand on his shoulder.
His chest was slightly depressed and hung behind him.
With his other hand, he picked up the pen from the desk and put it into his hand, holding his hand and slowly began to write on the paper.
"Since you want to do business, you have to learn some characters. Merchants are cunning. If they try to trick you on the contract, what will you do?"
Her lips rested on his ear, and her breath lingered faintly around Fang Zhiyue.
"Today I will teach you some simple words, and we will progress step by step."
Fang Zhiyue's mind was buzzing.
Didn't even notice what she was saying.
All my attention was focused on Si Yao.
She put one hand on his shoulder and the other on the back of his hand, and Fang Zhiyue was almost trapped in her arms.
This is really not the distance that a stepfather and stepdaughter should have.
Fang Zhiyue wanted to remind him, but he couldn't find the opportunity.
I could only sit on the stool awkwardly and stiffly, staring blankly at the white paper in front of me.
Si Yao seemed unaware of it, and his chest leaned forward again, touching his back.
She seemed too focused to realize anything was wrong.
Fang Zhiyue's cheeks were getting hotter and hotter, and he finally warned her: "...Sister Yao, you are too close to me..."
"What did my father say?"
Si Yao suddenly turned her head, and her straight nose brushed against his cheek.
A pair of dark and deep eyes looked at him calmly, as if they could absorb him.
The heat on Fang Zhiyue's cheeks immediately spread to his neck. He stepped back suddenly, his eyes widening unconsciously.
"Feel sorry."
Si Yao was stunned for a moment, then seemed to come to his senses.
She gently let him go and straightened her back. "Just now, I was too focused on teaching you how to write. Please don't be angry."
"I……"
Fang Zhiyue opened his mouth, wanting to say something but not knowing how to start.
He looked at Si Yao's apologetic expression.
If you really care about it, it would seem like you are making a big deal out of nothing.
Fang Zhiyue could only suppress the discomfort in his heart and shook his head at her: "It's okay, you didn't mean it. And you did it to teach me how to write."
He turned his eyes away and his gaze fell on the rice paper on the desk.
"I will practice these words well, please help me, Sister Yao."
After saying that, he reached out, picked up the rice paper and walked out, his steps hurried as if there was a wild beast chasing him.
Si Yao did not follow him. He sat down where he had just sat, feeling his remaining warmth.
She touched the tip of her nose lightly with her fingertips, and the soft and smooth touch seemed to linger there.
*
During the time Si Yao was at home, in addition to reviewing his lessons, he also taught Fang Zhiyue calligraphy.
Fang Zhiyue is really not a smart student.
Si Yao was always patient with him.
No matter how many times he makes mistakes, I can always tolerate him with a smile.
"Don't worry, if you make a mistake, just rewrite it."
Such a gentle look gradually dispelled the discomfort in Fang Zhiyue's heart.
Getting along with Si Yao became natural again.
After dinner that day, Si Yao knocked on Fang Zhiyue's door.
"Sister Yao, what's wrong?"
Fang Zhiyue was slightly surprised to see her coming so late.
"Are you ready for bed?"
Si Yao saw that he was only wearing a thin shirt, and his eyes rested on his face with restraint.
"I won't be home for a few days. I'll be leaving for Yunzhou soon. While I'm gone, you can practice calligraphy with this copybook."
As she spoke, she handed him the thing in her hand.
Fang Zhiyue reached out to take it, and felt a little moved when looking at the calligraphy in his hand.
He didn't expect Si Yao to be so attentive in teaching him and not mind his stupidity at all.
He held the calligraphy copybook tightly in his arms and raised his head: "Don't worry, I will practice hard while you are away. When you come back, I will definitely learn all the characters in this copybook."
"Um."
Si Yao nodded slightly, his voice gentle: "I'm going to Yunzhou to participate in the Autumn Examination. I don't know if I can return before the Mid-Autumn Festival. I always stayed at home in previous years, so I don't know if I can make it this time."
There was a hint of regret in her words.
Fang Zhiyue's mind was impulsive, and he spoke without thinking: "Don't worry, Sister Yao. If you can't make it back, I will go to Yunzhou to look for you."
"real?"
Si Yao spoke without waiting for his reaction.
There was a hint of smile in her eyes, "If that's the case, I don't have to worry about anything."
Fang Zhiyue looked at her relaxed appearance.
It is difficult to take it back once it is exported.
I could only bite the bullet and nodded, "Don't worry, just go to Yunzhou."
"good…"
Si Yao achieved his goal and did not stay long.
She whispered to Fang Zhiyue, "It's getting late, little father, go to bed early."
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the house.
Fang Zhiyue watched her enter the house and then closed the door.
Looking at the copybook in her hand, each one was carefully handwritten by Si Yao, and all of them were her hard work.
He suddenly looked at the wild peach pit on the table.
Thinking to myself——
Maybe he should also make a return gift for Sister Yao.
The next morning, a light drizzle suddenly fell from the sky.
Fang Zhiyue stood in front of the stove and saw Si Yao walked out of the house neatly dressed.
I was immediately stunned. "Are you going out? Aren't you leaving in a few days?"
Why is it so sudden?
"I've been at home for too long. I still need to go to the academy to take care of some things. I'll also leave town and go to Yunzhou later."
Si Yao walked up to him with the bag and stood still.
He took a meat pie from the stove and said, "No need for breakfast. I have to go to Aunt Zhang first. I will write home when I get to Yunzhou."
After explaining, she turned and walked out.
As soon as he left the Si family yard, Fang Zhiyue hurriedly caught up with him from behind.
He grabbed her arm and said, "Wait a minute, Sister Yao..."
He took a breath and stuffed a bag of silver into her hand. "Take this money. It was originally set aside for your travel expenses. Yunzhou is not like home. There are many places to spend money. Don't be stingy."
Si Yao weighed the heavy purse in his hand.
Looking at Fang Zhiyue's serious and concerned expression.
He didn't refuse and took it: "Okay, don't worry, little father, I will use this money well."
"Go back quickly, there's no need to send me off."
She suddenly raised her sleeve and wiped the raindrops from his forehead.
She stretched out her hand and covered his forehead. "The rain is getting heavier. Be careful not to catch a cold."
Fang Zhiyue felt relieved when he saw her accept it.
He nodded and turned to walk home.
*
It was already noon when I returned to the academy.
As soon as Si Yao entered the dormitory, Mu Tong blocked her.
Crossing his arms, he looked unhappy and said, "Junior sister, you are not authentic."
"What's wrong?"
Si Yao glanced at her, walked past her and continued walking inside.
Mu Tong complained angrily behind her, "That day at the government banquet, you left me alone and walked away. How could you have the heart to do that?"
"Didn't Master Yan have anyone send you back?"
Si Yao looked at her and asked back.
Mu Tong: "...I gave it to you. But you can't leave me alone. I'm still your senior sister and an innocent girl. What if someone kills me?"
Si Yao: “…”
He stared at her calmly without saying a word.
"Okay, okay, just kidding."
Mu Tong was the first to break his composure, shrugged his shoulders, walked to the bed and sat down.
"During the few days you were away from the academy, the young master of the county magistrate's family came to look for you several times. Junior sister, aren't you moved?"
"Why are you looking for me?"
Si Yao frowned, looking indifferent.
The words he said were also very unkind, "I have no connection with him. We only met once at the banquet. It was just a quick encounter, so how can I say that I am not moved."
Mu Tong: “…”
He seemed speechless at her words.
She wondered aloud: "To be honest, I don't know what he sees in you?"
With her boring and dull personality, who can stand it?
The two were talking.
Suddenly, a gentle voice came from outside the door.
"Ms. Si, I finally see you."
Yan An led the servant to stand at the door of the student dormitory, with a faint smile on his lips.
When Si Yao heard the noise, he frowned instantly.
Ignoring Mu Tong who was sitting on the bed with a teasing look in his eyes, he walked out.
She stopped at the veranda, turned around and looked at Yan An who was following behind her, and asked, "Master Yan, what do you want to talk to me about?"
"Can't I come to see you if I have nothing to do?"
Yan An joked.
There was a hint of liveliness between his eyebrows: "Are you afraid of me, Miss Si? Do I look scary?"
"If Master Yan has nothing else to do, I will take my leave."
But Si Yao was in no mood to gossip with him.
There was a hint of impatience hidden deep in his eyes.
For her, among all the men in this world, Fang Zhiyue is the only one who deserves her patience.
She was about to leave after she finished speaking.
Seeing this, Yan An stopped joking and spoke bluntly: "Why are you so heartless, Lady Si? I think I am not bad looking and have a good family background, so I should be more than enough to match Lady Si."
"I have no plans to get married."
Si Yao paused.
"Why?"
Yan An stared at her back and pursed his lips slightly.
"Could it be that Miss Si already has someone in her heart?"
Si Yao didn't answer.
He walked straight out of the corridor.
Yan An stood there, staring at her receding figure.
He turned to the servant and said, "Go back and send someone to check Si Yuzhuo's family situation to see if she has any childhood sweethearts."
He wanted to see if there was anyone more outstanding than him, the son of the county magistrate.
Here, Si Yao returned to the student dormitory.
Mu Tong stopped her again, "What did you talk about with Master Yan? He even chased her all the way to the Student's Dormitory. He's really obsessed with you."
Her words sounded a bit sour.
But Si Yao was in no mood to talk to her about these trivial matters.
It’s better to read two more pages of the book.
She ignored her and went to sit on the bed.
Mu Tong came closer and said, "Why don't you say something? What did you say?"
"Senior Sister—"
Si Yao suddenly spoke.
"Well, you go." Mu Tong pricked up his ears and listened carefully.
"Quiet."
Mu Tong: “…”
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