All Hail Cousin Brother

313 Concubine’s First Award

Yu Youyao’s eyes lit up and she quickly leaned over. “What did Cousin draw? Is it a portrait of Zhong Kui?”

During the Dragon Boat Festival, a portrait of Zhong Kui should be hung to ward off ghosts and ward off evil spirits.

Zhou Linghuai looked up and saw the little girl smiling mischievously. He knew that this girl was being mischievous again. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Cousin. If you want a portrait of Zhong Kui, I’ll draw two paintings for you another day. On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, hang it on the door and I guarantee that a hundred ghosts will avoid you. As for this painting, I’ll…”

As he spoke, he rolled up the painting again, as if he was about to put it back.

!!

Before he could finish speaking, Yu Youyao panicked. She quickly moved closer to her cousin and said, “I’m not disappointed. I’m not disappointed at all. I like whatever Cousin draws. Cousin said that he wanted to give it to me. You can’t go back on your word. Hurry up and unfold the painting for me to see. Cousin hasn’t given me a painting in a long time.”

As she spoke, she even reached out to grab his arm, afraid that he would really take the painting back.

A smile appeared in Zhou Linghuai’s eyes. He did not continue to make things difficult for her and unfolded the scroll bit by bit.

Yu Youyao’s eyes widened. “It’s hollyhocks.”

Hollyhock, also known as the brocade sunflower, was a plant that looked like an anemone. The flowers were like hibiscus, most of them red. They were large and bright and bloomed around the Dragon Boat Festival. It was also known as the “Dragon Boat Festival Flower”. All of it could be used in medicine. It had the effect of reducing heat and detoxification, and reducing swelling and bleeding.

During the Dragon Boat Festival, it was inserted onto the doors and in the rooms. It had the meaning of removing illnesses and filth to ensure safety.

Literary scholars also liked to paint mugworts and hollyhocks. They were elegant, beautiful, and auspicious.

Yu Youyao looked surprised. “The hollyhocks in Cousin’s courtyard have bloomed?”

Hollyhocks and mugwort both had the effect of repelling insects and warding off evil. Therefore, when she helped her cousin decorate the courtyard that day, she planted some in the courtyard. When the weather was hot, there were even fewer mosquitoes in the courtyard.

Zhou Linghuai nodded. “It bloomed this morning. It’s very beautiful.”

Yu Youyao pouted. “The hollyhocks in my courtyard haven’t bloomed yet. It’ll probably be after the Dragon Boat Festival. I’ll go to Cousin’s house to take a look later.”

Zhou Linghuai nodded. “There are a lot of them in The Green House. If you like them, fill a few bottles and put them indoors.”

Yu Youyao agreed happily. “Thank you, Cousin!”

Zhou Linghuai shook his head. “It was also planted by you before.”

It was May, and the Green House was as lively as the Jade Courtyard.

The roses that had fallen into the corner were already indistinguishable.

The vines were wrapped around the branches and leaves, and the greenery was everywhere. The flowers and plants in the courtyard were also thriving, especially the lotus flowers in the vat. They were already budding and would bloom soon.

No matter how many times she looked at the beautiful scenery, she would never get tired of it.

At this moment, the painting had completely unfolded. Yu Youyao fixed her eyes on it.

There were only a few strokes on the painting, but it was solemn and sparse. The lake stone was dyed with light ink as the background, and it was also covered with moss. The small painting on the side of the lake stone was complemented by sesame grass, pomegranate, and other flower leaves. The flower leaves were beautiful and delicate, and they were decorated with sparse weeds and Artemisia shrubs, making the entire painting rich and interesting.

Yu Youyao carefully took the painting and looked at it carefully.

Her face was filled with surprise and joy. “Cousin, your painting is really good. I keep feeling that your painting skills seem to have become much better.”

Her cousin’s previous paintings were also very good.

However, the simpler the painting, the more it tested one’s painting skills. Although she was not proficient in painting, she had more or less learned some skills and had a good eye for it.

Her cousin’s painting was casual and unrestrained. There was a calmness and indifference to the strokes. It was not reserved, nor was it unique. It had a sense of beauty.

Zhou Linghuai chuckled. “As long as you like it.”

After painting the “Bodhisattva”, his painting skills had indeed improved a lot, and he had become more relaxed about the various brush techniques.

After Yu Youyao finished admiring the painting, she carefully rolled it up and put it away. She smiled at her cousin. “Cousin, you said that you wanted to draw me a portrait of Zhong Kui. You can’t go back on your word.”

Zhou Linghuai suddenly felt his hand itch, so he raised his hand and wanted to knock on the little girl’s forehead like before.

However, when he saw the thin fringe on the little girl’s forehead, for some reason, he thought of something. “When my hair first covered my forehead, I broke off the flowers in front of the door. I rode a bamboo horse over and circled the bed to make green plum blossoms…”

Suddenly, she realized that the little girl was already at the age of having her forehead covered.

He couldn’t help but lower his raised hand. Zhou Linghuai restrained the dark tears in his eyes and laughed. “I’ll draw it when I get back. I’ll send it to you tomorrow.”

Yu Youyao held her cousin’s arm and tilted her head to rest on his shoulder. “Cousin, you’re really amazing. You even know how to draw a painting to ward off evil.”

Zhou Linghuai tilted his head and saw the little girl resting her head on his shoulder and smiling brightly. He looked up at the outside of the tree. The bright sunlight was dazzling, but it was not as bright as the little girl’s smile.

Zhou Linghuai brought the green patterned plate on the small table to the little girl.

Orange-yellow loquats were plump and beautiful. Yu Youyao’s mouth watered when she saw them. “They’re loquats. I almost forgot that the Dragon Boat Festival is the time to eat loquats.”

With that, she took a loquat.

Zhou Linghuai quickly picked up his tea and drank it.

When Yu Youyao saw this, she couldn’t hand over the loquat that she had just received. She pursed her lips. “Hmph, Cousin doesn’t like sour food. I won’t force him to eat it!”

Zhou Linghuai held his teacup and smiled without saying anything.

The little girl would not force him to eat it, but as long as she reached out her small hand and handed the loquat to him, he would have no choice but to accept it even if he did not want to eat it.

The loquat was also completely ripe. It had a thin layer of yellow skin that was peeled off with a gentle lift. As it had been placed in a well, it was cold and sweet when eaten. Yu Youyao drooled.

After finishing a loquat, Yu Youyao said, “Cousin, you can’t eat sour food. I’ll make some Sichuan loquat nectar for you another day.”

Zhou Linghuai nodded and put down his teacup.

Yu Youyao continued to eat her loquat.

Zhou Linghuai asked, “How do you plan to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival?”

At the mention of this, Yu Youyao pouted. “The Dragon Boat Festival is a rare grand event. There are dragon boats racing in the moat every year, and it’s very lively. In the past, our family would have reserved a plot of land near the moat to watch the dragon boats racing together. However, this year is the year of the imperial examination. There are many people in the capital, so it’s not appropriate for us to leave the residence anymore. We can only stay in the residence.”

Of course, the most important thing was that her grandmother was old, and it was inconvenient for her cousin to walk or go out. On the other hand, Yu Jianjia had sprained her ankle and was grounded. It was impossible for Madam Yang to specially bring her out.

During the Dragon Boat Festival, the moat was filled with all kinds of people. This was not like the Flower Festival and wasn’t in someone else’s house, so it was not good to trouble Second Aunt to bring her along.

Zhou Linghuai understood immediately. This was just an excuse.

...

The real reason was that no one had brought her along.