All Hail Cousin Brother

204 Cousin, I’m Fine!

Chun Xiao felt a lump in her throat and couldn’t help but lower her head to wipe her tears.

Such a silent cry made one feel even worse. It was as if there were too many grievances, sadness, and sorrow that someone couldn’t say out loud and could only bear.

As she cried, her remaining tears flowed out. Yu Youyao did not continue crying.

She opened the incense box.

There were five layers of incense boxes, and each layer contained the incense that Yu Youyao usually used. On the lowest layer, there were incense sticks. She picked up a jade spoon and a handful of the incense sticks. Then, she threw them into the incense burner. There was a soft sound, and wisps of smoke floated out of the furnace.

Yu Youyao placed the letter on it and flipped it to burn it.

As soon as Zhou Linghuai entered the Jade Courtyard, he sensed that something was wrong.

She heard a girl named Xia Tao in front of Yu Youyao say, “Should we comfort Young Miss? She feels terrible. If she stays alone like this and keeps it in her heart, her body will suffer.”

Dong Mei and Chun Xiao stood still. Even if they were worried about Young Miss, how would they know how to comfort her?

“What happened?” Zhou Linghuai suddenly asked.

Xia Tao’s eyes lit up. “Young Master, you’re finally here. Miss is in a bad mood after seeing her mother’s old servant today. She’s staying in the study alone and ignoring everyone.”

Zhou Linghuai’s expression darkened slightly as he nodded.

Dong Mei heaved a sigh of relief. “Young Miss is the closest to Young Master. With him by her side, she probably won’t feel so uncomfortable.”

After Zhou Linghuai entered the room, he did not disturb Yu Youyao.

He looked at the little girl and carefully read the slightly yellowed letters one by one. Then, he carefully flattened them and smoked them one by one. After the fragrance penetrated the paper, he placed them into a wooden box.

He knew that musk-scented paper could last for a long time, and the wooden box was resistant to moisture and insects. Some important letters had to be kept like this to last.

She was so focused that she did not notice that there was someone else in the study.

Zhou Linghuai felt depressed. It was not that the little girl had ignored him.

However, the little girl’s face was tense, and her delicate eyes revealed heartbreaking sadness. There was too much grievance and sadness hidden, but it was difficult to express.

He didn’t know what to do.

It took Yu Youyao two hours to finish burn dozens of pages of the letter. The study was filled with a strong fragrance.

Yu Youyao closed the box carefully. When she looked up, she saw that her cousin had come over and was looking at her. She was stunned for a moment before smiling again. “Cousin, why are you here?!”

Her smile was as bright as ever, but Zhou Linghuai felt his heart ache.

In these two hours, the little girl had experienced countless sufferings of life and death before she could smile again when she saw him.

Zhou Linghuai gently rubbed the top of the little girl’s head. “I’ve arranged for a few old servants to enter the capital. Take some time to meet them. I’ll lend them to you. They’ll be yours. You can make the arrangements yourself.”

At her cousin’s mention, Yu Youyao recalled that she had asked to borrow some people from him previously. As she had been busy at home recently, she was delayed. “Thank you, Cousin.”

Zhou Linghuai glanced at the wooden box in the little girl’s arms and paused for a moment. “Have you learned the new song I taught you previously? That song is a little difficult for beginners. Do you want me to teach you another one?”

Yu Youyao tilted her head. “Cousin, have you forgotten? I just played that song yesterday. You even asked me to practice more.”

Yesterday, on a whim, she thought of the “Parasol Zither Painting” that her cousin had drawn for her, so she pulled her cousin under the Parasol Tree and played a new song for him.

Her cousin had said that she played well and wanted her to practice more.

Zhou Linghuai was stunned for a moment. Then, he recalled the scene of the little girl wearing a yellow and green dress yesterday and playing the zither under the tree. Her pleated dress was spread all over the ground, and there were branches and leaves embroidered on it. Even before the flowers bloomed, he still felt that it was beautiful.

Rubbing the armrest of the wheelchair gently with his fingers, Zhou Linghuai continued, “Ms. Ye’s class talked about the Spring and Autumn Period. It involves Confucianism, Daoism, law, ink, soldiers, fame, and other Hundred Schools of Philosophy. The content is demanding and complicated. I’ll teach you again. In the future, it’ll be easier to learn it at home.”

Yu Youyao smiled and said, “Cousin teaches me every day, and you always talk about the content of Spring and Autumn. I can actually handle Ms. Ye’s classes thanks to you.”

Zhou Linghuai was speechless for a moment. Then, he remembered that the little girl liked to play chess, so he suggested, “Why don’t I play chess with you and see if your chess skills have improved?”

Yu Youyao burst out laughing. “Cousin clearly doesn’t like to play chess with me. You’re so reluctant every time. You thought I couldn’t tell.”

Zhou Linghuai shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t like playing chess with you, but…”

Yu Youyao held her cousin’s hand and smiled. “Actually, I’m deliberately pulling you along to play chess with me. I just want to see you. You clearly can’t stand my chess skills, but you can’t bear to reject my request. Not only are you coaxing me, but you’re also trying your best to set me up so that I can win and be happy. You don’t have to explain. I know everything.”

Zhou Linghuai opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Yu Youyao said softly, “I know. Cousin, you’re worried about me.” The little girl’s eyes were red, and after the baptism of tears, her eyes were also bright. “Cousin, I’m fine!”

Zhou Linghuai’s throat choked, but he still said, “The dead are gone. You…”

He had just started to speak when his words turned into nothing under the little girl’s bright gaze. He couldn’t say anything else.

Yu Youyao climbed onto her cousin’s lap. “I’ve never had a mother since I was young. No matter how much Grandmother doted on me, I just know that she’s different from my mother. I don’t know what it’s like to be doted on by my mother. I’ve always been envious of Second Sister. I always thought that if my mother hadn’t died…” At this point, her eyes turned red, but she didn’t cry. “Cousin, when I saw Nanny Yue today, I realized that I was also someone who had a mother’s love. Even though my mother was no longer around, her love for me didn’t decrease at all.”

The little girl sniffed, and tears welled up in her eyes. She looked pitiful, as if she was about to cry again.

Seeing that she was holding it in, Zhou Linghuai said, “If you want to cry, just cry…”

“I’m not crying.” Yu Youyao sniffed stubbornly and tried her best to hold back the tears in her eyes. Even her voice was choked with sobs. “I’m just happy. My mother said in her letter that when I was in her womb, I was very obedient and didn’t torture her at all. When she was three months pregnant with me, she had a dream about a golden Buddha. Mother told Grandmother that she was very happy and said that I had a Buddhist affinity. Also, when my mother was pregnant with me, she especially liked to eat sour food.”