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墨書 Inktalez
“Xiao Han? What are you daydreaming about? Come eat!” Ye Xiaohan was lost in thought, momentarily dazed, when Liu Bei noticed her sudden stillness and asked in confusion.
Liu Yang waved his hand in front of Ye Xiaohan. “Sister-in-law, snap out of it!”
“Hey!” Ye Xiaohan swatted Liu Yang's hand away. “My thoughts are right here with me; you just talk too much!” Interrupted by them, her train of thought was broken, and it seemed she wouldn’t be able to recall it for now.
It was just a fleeting thought anyway, so Ye Xiaohan didn’t dwell on it. If she couldn’t remember, then so be it.
“How’s the progress at the house, Liu Bei?” With Liu Bei overseeing things, Ye Xiaohan hadn’t gone to check on the construction much lately. Whenever a decision needed to be made, Liu Bei would consult her; otherwise, he was usually the one busy with the work.
That said, there really wasn’t much for Ye Xiaohan to worry about. Aside from choosing the colors of the tiles and the types of plants for the garden according to her preferences, everything else was handled by Liu Bei.
Liu Bei still wasn’t fond of the house, but since he had committed to it, he would do his best: “The craftsmanship is quite good. At this rate, it should be completed within a month.”
A month was still a bit beyond Ye Xiaohan’s expectations; she looked forward to moving into the new home every day. However, she knew that good things take time—she understood that sharpening the axe doesn’t hinder the work of cutting wood.
What puzzled Ye Xiaohan was that although Liu Bei didn’t seem to know much about construction, after visiting several times, she found that the current building was quite exquisite. Upon inquiry, she confirmed that it wasn’t merely the craftsmen’s ideas; it must have been due to Liu Bei having skilled personnel in this area.
Previously, based on her encounters with mysterious figures in black and Liu Bei’s secretive behavior late at night, she had concluded that he was involved in something dark—perhaps related to organized crime or underworld villains in this era.
However, now she suspected her judgment might be inaccurate. What would a villain who secretly sabotages things need skilled builders for? To master architectural principles for destruction?
In any case, Liu Bei’s identity had become even more suspicious.
A month passed just like that, and finally, the construction of the house was complete.
Under Lubei's insistence, an auspicious day was chosen, and firecrackers were set off at the right time. Ye Xiaohan couldn't wait to move in.
There wasn't much to bring from the Liu family. Aside from some new clothes made not long ago, everything else was left behind. She decided to welcome the new by discarding the old, letting go of all her worries.
Ye Xiaohan was satisfied as she toured the house; this would be her territory from now on. It marked her first foothold in this sudden yet meaningful new world.
"Sister-in-law, this place is beautiful! There are red carp in the lake!" Liu Yang exclaimed, leading Liu Qi around the house. They were captivated by the waterway and leaned over the edge of the artificial lake, playing with bamboo poles to catch fish.
Ye Xiaohan reminded them, "Be careful not to fall in, Liu Yang. Don't get your clothes wet; you might catch a cold later, and that would be troublesome."
The two boys nodded enthusiastically but remained by the shore, engrossed in their play.
Seeing this, Liu Bei raised his voice slightly, "Liu Yang, how old are you? Stop messing around and don’t lead Qi astray. Come back now."
Upon hearing Liu Bei speak, Liu Yang obediently got up and took Liu Qi's hand, following behind them quietly as they continued their tour.
Ye Xiaohan couldn't help but laugh but felt that laughing out loud would embarrass Liu Yang, so she held it in. However, seeing him act so obediently only made her want to laugh more, and eventually, she burst into giggles.
The backyard was lined with green bamboo; when sunlight filtered through, it cast dappled shadows on the ground. Ye Xiaohan's laughter fell like fragments onto the earth, blending with the light spots below.
Liu Yang didn’t mind being laughed at; he cheerfully suggested to Ye Xiaohan, "Sister-in-law, business at the shop has been getting better and better lately. We can hardly fit all the customers; people bump into each other just turning around. Shouldn’t we open a branch? It would help disperse the crowd and make it more convenient for customers while also expanding Peach Blossom Studio's visibility."
The term "visibility" was something Ye Xiaohan had taught him; she often used it, and now it had become Liu Yang's catchphrase as well.
Ye Xiaohan was somewhat surprised by his keen insight. At such a young age, he already had a business instinct like this. She found herself looking at Liu Yang with newfound respect; he seemed to be even more promising than she had imagined.
In fact, Ye Xiaohan had entered a blind spot; she only saw Liu Yang's progress but overlooked the foundation of that progress, which was built upon the material culture she had brought.
Although Liu Yang was originally intelligent, his education was limited. No matter how smart he was, he was constrained and lacked the space to flourish. However, ever since Ye Xiaohan appeared, she first encouraged Liu Yang to attend school and then led by example, teaching him the management of business through her words and actions.
Ye Xiaohan employed modern scientific concepts, and under her influence, Liu Yang naturally experienced a breakthrough that was akin to flying. Compared to the average person of this era, he was undoubtedly more exceptional.
"I happen to have the same idea." Previously, she only thought of Liu Yang as capable; now that Ye Xiaohan had witnessed his abilities, she planned to cultivate him as her right-hand man and spoke frankly about business matters with him.
"Our current shop can no longer meet our expansion needs; opening a branch is inevitable. I had already planned to implement this after moving. Once we have sorted out the new place, you can come with me to check out potential storefronts." Since she intended to teach him, she would start from the very beginning.
Liu Yang was assigned an important task and felt satisfied. "Alright, I will definitely find the best shop for Peach Blossom Studio's branch."
Liu Bei also wanted to help and offered to accompany them. Ye Xiaohan thought that whether it was one or two people, it would be manageable, so she agreed to bring him along.
Moreover, having Liu Bei by her side would facilitate daily observation. On another note, Liu Bei needed to disguise his identity; he spent his free time hunting to present himself as merely a hunter.
Ye Xiaohan did not know what considerations led him to settle on this plan, but hunting was indeed too dangerous. Since Ye Xiaohan arrived at the Liu household, Liu Bei had sustained several wounds. Although they were not severe injuries, they were still quite dangerous.
After touring around for a while, it was getting late. The family cheerfully went to the kitchen to cook. Eating rice freshly prepared in their new pot, Ye Xiaohan felt that even plain rice could fill her up three bowls.
After dinner and some conversation, Ye Xiaohan realized that entertainment activities in ancient times were too scarce. She kept thinking about when she could find time to play poker or mahjong after meals.
Before that, checking Liu Yang's homework had become Ye Xiaohan's new favorite pastime.
Liu Yang learned quickly; although his foundation was weak, he caught up at an impressive pace. He had been reading "The Great Learning," but within just over a month, he was already studying "Doctrine of the Mean."
After moving into the new house, Ye Xiaohan specifically set aside a study for Liu Yang, filling it with various books arranged on the shelves in a haphazard manner. Her educational philosophy differed from the local belief that "all pursuits are inferior; only studying is noble." She did not restrict Liu Yang to only reading books for examinations.
Ye Xiaohan encouraged Liu Yang to attend school, partly because he had a talent for learning and enjoyed it, and partly to broaden his horizons. She never insisted that he must take the imperial examinations in the future.
In her view, there were countless professions, and excellence could be found in any field as long as one acted with integrity and sincerity. As long as one lived a worthy life, that was enough.
Liu Yang loved reading; he read both serious literature and light novels. With his own study, he was so happy that he almost wanted to live there, feeling even more grateful to Ye Xiaohan.
After some time, Liu Qi, at around seven years old, began to doze off, her head bobbing as her eyelids grew heavy. Liu Bei gently picked her up and carried her to her own room.
Liu Qi's room was centrally located, with Liu Bei's room on one side and Ye Xiaohan's on the other. This arrangement was made to better care for Liu Qi, in case she needed something during the night, like water or a trip to the bathroom. Children could easily develop high fevers at night.
The two of them slept in their respective rooms; even if one didn't wake up in time, the other would be there.
Although these days Ye Xiaohan had become more accustomed to the Liu household and slept more soundly—almost like a rock—Liu Bei was the one who took care of these matters.
Liu Bei seemed to have light sleep; even the slightest noise could wake him instantly.
After settling Liu Qi in bed and tucking her in, Ye Xiaohan and Liu Bei quietly stepped out of the room.
As they closed the door behind them, the moonlight illuminated the two standing at the threshold, creating a subtly charged atmosphere.
Liu Bei's tall figure felt even more imposing up close, and Ye Xiaohan sensed an unfamiliar pressure from him. In the dimness of night, his features were less distinct; the scar on his face blurred into shadow.
Without unnecessary details, Liu Bei's strong profile became particularly striking. As they stood closer together, Ye Xiaohan could distinctly feel Liu Bei's presence; even through the air, she sensed his warmth.
She felt a bit uneasy.
As for Liu Bei, he could only sense the lingering fragrance emanating from Ye Xiaohan, which wrapped around his senses, leaving him momentarily disoriented and unsure of how to respond appropriately.
"Um, good, get some rest early. Good night." Ye Xiaohan snapped back to reality first, awkwardly squeezing out a sentence before taking a step back, lowering her head and avoiding Liu Bei's gaze.
Liu Bei finally regained his composure and hurriedly replied, "Okay, okay, you should rest early."
"Mm." Ye Xiaohan hurriedly walked to her room, opened the door, stepped inside, and closed the door in one swift motion.
Liu Bei stood there dazed for a moment, staring at Ye Xiaohan's room before turning back to his own.
The oil lamps in both rooms flickered to life one after another and then extinguished in succession.
As the night deepened, the house fell silent, with only the gentle breeze rustling through the leaves, creating a faint whispering sound.
In the stillness of the night, a patch of grass in the backyard stirred without any wind. After a few chaotic movements, a shadow suddenly burst forth from within and swiftly darted around the house.
The shadow flitted about for a while as if confirming something before quickly dashing off in a particular direction.
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