Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

The afternoon sunlight slanted through the window, casting diamond-patterned shadows on the blue brick floor.

Liu Wenying sat at her desk by the window, unfolding a volume of geography.

With all matters at the almshouse settled, I finally have a rare half-day of leisure.

She was happy to steal a moment of leisure and become engrossed in reading a book.

Footsteps came from under the corridor, neither hurried nor slow.

Liu Wenying looked up and saw Pei Zeyu, dressed in a frost-colored casual outfit, stepping into the courtyard.

He was not wearing an official hat today, and his black hair was half-tied up with a jade hairpin, which made him look less solemn in the court and more relaxed.

Liu Wenying closed the book, slightly surprised: "Why does Second Master have time to come over at this hour?"

"No bathing today."

Seeing the lingering surprise in her eyes, he smiled slightly and said, "Why aren't you welcoming me?"

Liu Wenying hurriedly stood up to offer him a seat, "How could I dare? It's just that it's rare to see Second Master on leave. Last time you said you were taking a break, you were summoned by the Ministry of Personnel before you even had lunch."

Taking advantage of this precious time together, Pei Zeyu didn't want to dwell on it too much. He sat down beside her, his gaze sweeping over the books on her desk. "What are you looking at?"

"The geographical records of the Great Wei Dynasty specifically mention that there is a Crescent Moon Spring in Longxi, surrounded by sand dunes, with the stars and moon reflected in the water, which has never dried up for thousands of years."

Moreover, the book also describes listening to the wind by the spring at midnight and faintly hearing the camel bells.

Liu Wenying had seen Crescent Lake in modern times. If she could see it again, it would be a way to remember the era she could never return to.

Pei Zeyu sensed the melancholy in her tone, "Which place do you like?"

"Yes, it's amazing. In the vast sea of ​​sand, there is a clear spring that never dries up, even after thousands of years. I wish I could see it with my own eyes again."

She said "again," which Pei Zeyu keenly noticed.

The farthest place Liu Wenying, who originally lived in Xinghua Village, had ever been was the capital. Therefore, the Crescent Lake in the Northwest that she mentioned must have been a place she visited in another world.

"Once things calm down a bit after this period, I'll go with you, how about that?"

Liu Wenying turned back to look at him, her eyes brightening briefly before dimming again.

"You don't have the time, and besides, it's a long way there; a round trip would take at least two months..."

Pei Zeyu interrupted, "The Ministry of Personnel doesn't need me to function. If you really want to leave, it's not impossible."

"Really? It's a deal! Pinky promise!"

The little finger was slender and white, and a smile flickered in Pei Zeyu's eyes.

He raised his hand and solemnly hooked his pinky with hers: "It's settled."

A breeze blew in through the open window, turning the pages of the book.

Several sheets of paper slipped out of the book. Liu Wenying hurriedly picked them up, and Pei Zeyu also bent down to pick up the one at his feet. He saw that the paper was covered with annotations.

Pei Zeyu: "Is this your handwriting?"

Liu Wenying didn't find anything wrong with it and nodded, saying, "I just jotted it down while reading the geography book, it's nothing."

Pei Zeyu: "Your handwriting is good, but the strokes are too soft. Who taught you that?"

Not only is it nice, but it also looks very familiar.

Liu Wenying was completely unaware of the deeper meaning in his words: "Xue Bi, his handwriting is so beautiful, but I can never learn it. Look how beautiful his model is."

Pei Zeyu took the paper; it contained Xue Bi's handwriting, elegant and graceful, truly possessing character.

Setting the template aside, Pei Zeyu said in a calm tone, "It has the form but lacks the spirit. I'll write it for you."

"Hey, don't put people down."

Back then, Grand Tutor Xue Bi's calligraphy was famous in the capital. Like father, like son, so how bad could Xue Bi be?

But if Liu Wenying said it, she would probably only get a reply from Pei Zeyu: being famous isn't necessarily a good thing.

Pei Zeyu picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and began writing on the blank Xuan paper beside him, saying as he wrote, "Watch this, practicing calligraphy is like standing on your own two feet; you need strength and structure."

He put pen to paper, the strokes sharp as knives, cutting through the paper.

The character "陇" leaps off the page, horizontal like a solitary pine tree, vertical like cold iron, its sharpness restrained at the turning point, yet possessing a dignified and unyielding spirit.

In stark contrast to Xue Bi's gentle and refined style, his calligraphy is upright yet sharp, elegant yet powerful.

Liu Wenying stared in astonishment, then clicked her tongue and said, "Your handwriting is just like your personality. Your handwriting is indeed like you."

"Where does it resemble?"

After examining it carefully, Liu Wenying said, "It looks aloof and upright on the outside, but upon closer inspection, there is an unyielding spirit hidden in its brushstrokes."

After commenting, she added, "It's beautiful, but it's too difficult to write. You can't do it without decades of practice."

"That's because you haven't grasped the essentials yet. I'll teach you."

Liu Wenying was about to decline, saying that being literate and good at bookkeeping was enough for her...

But Pei Zeyu had already grabbed her wrist and led her to the table.

With his other hand, he wrapped his arm around her waist, almost half-embracing her, trapping her between the desk and his chest.

Liu Wenying's ears burned slightly. "Second Master..."

Pei Zeyu acted as if he hadn't heard her, shoving the calligraphy brush into her hand like the strictest teacher, "Hold on tight."

It is said that practicing calligraphy can make one's mind more and more calm, but Liu Wenying's heartbeat became even more chaotic.

Even a slight tremor in the hand could cause ink to drip onto the rice paper.

Pei Zeyu chuckled softly, "What's there to be nervous about?"

"No, I'm not nervous, it's just... are you always this approachable when teaching people to write?"

He would guide her wrist, writing stroke by stroke, letting her feel how to wield the brush and control the pressure.

At the same time, his body heat would seep through his clothes, and the ironing would spread warmth across his back.

Pei Zeyu looked down at her, a smile in his eyes: "I've never taught anyone else, only you."

A sudden gust of wind blew in through the window, carrying pink and white petals that fluttered and danced in the breeze.

A petal landed right on her temple. Pei Zeyu loosened his grip on the pen and picked up the petal.

He placed the flower petals on the still-wet table and continued teaching her to write.

Under Pei Zeyu's guidance, Liu Wenying's brushstrokes, while still elegant, have also gained a touch of strength and vigor.

He guided her to write the last stroke, then raised his pen, his sleeve brushing against the back of her hand.

Pei Zeyu didn't let go, and in that position, he asked in her ear, "Now? Whose handwriting do you think is better?"

Feeling this was a potentially disastrous question, Liu Wenying thought carefully before cautiously answering, "...Of course, Master Pei's teaching is better."

He gazed into her smiling eyes, then gently scratched the bridge of her nose. "You're such a chatterbox."

The hands around her waist didn't loosen; instead, they tightened even more.

The wind was still blowing, and petals kept drifting in, landing on their hair and shoulders.

The sunlight cast their overlapping shadows onto the rice paper, the ink still wet, their clothes filled with the fragrance of flowers.

After finishing her calligraphy practice, Ling'er brought out lunch.

The two casually mentioned it and found they understood each other, deciding to eat in the courtyard, where the food was laid out.

During the meal, Liu Wenying picked up food for him with her chopsticks, and Pei Zeyu fed her fish meat that had been deboned.

Liu Wenying's mouth was stuffed full, and before she could even swallow, he stuffed more food into her mouth.

"Second Master, don't just think about me, it'll get cold if we don't eat soon."

Pei Zeyu picked up another piece of boneless fish and gave it to her, saying, "Don't talk while eating."

Liu Wenying had no other choice but to keep chewing.

After rinsing their mouths, the two took a walk around the estate to aid digestion.

The crabapple blossoms are in full bloom, and pink and red petals have fallen to the ground.

Pei Zeyu bent down and picked a whole flower, then tucked it into her hair.

There were no mirrors around, so Liu Wenying could only ask him, "Does it look good?"

She tilted her head back, and sunlight filtered through the flower branches, casting dappled shadows on her cheeks.

The crabapple blossom tucked into her hair made her eyes and brows appear even more vibrant.

Pei Zeyu nodded with a smile, "It looks good."

Liu Wenying lifted her skirt and ran forward. She saw the largest blooming flower, picked it, and tiptoed to tuck it behind his ear.

Who says men can't wear flowers in their hair? Pei Zeyu, adorned with flowers, exudes even more elegance; the flowers and leaves accentuate his features, and his cool demeanor is imbued with a subtle fragrance.

"Second Master is extremely handsome too!"

…………