All Hail Cousin Brother

213 His Heart Trembled

When the little girl left yesterday, she was frowning and pouting. She looked helpless and amused, but he couldn’t help but feel a little worried. The little girl was really angry.

Hence, he spent the night carving the pendant of the two fishes and lotus.

Today, after setting up the chess game and waiting for an entire morning, he still did not see the little girl coming over, so he simply brought the double fish pendant to the Jade Courtyard to look for her. From afar, he could hear her playing the song “Flowing Sand and Wild Geese” in a mess and was frustrated. He guessed that the little girl was indeed angry.

However, he did not know whether to laugh or cry!

Soon, Yu Youyao ran over with a red string and sat in front of him. She first put the yellow jade pendant into the string and nimbly pierced it with her fingers. “Cousin, look, I’ve also tied a plum blossom knot.”

Zhou Linghuai’s breathing slowed down as he thought of the golden Buddha pendant on his neck.

Yu Youyao leaned over, and Zhou Linghuai suddenly tightened his grip on the armrest. He froze and did not move. The little girl gently lifted the collar of his shirt and took out the golden Buddha pendant hidden in his shirt.

Yu Youyao stepped back and showed the yellow jade pendant to her cousin. “Cousin, what’s the texture of this yellow jade? It looks very similar to golden beeswax.”

“It’s Golden Steatite Stone, not jade.” Zhou Linghuai lowered his head. The golden beeswax Buddha pendant shone brightly under the sun. After wearing it for so long, he was used to having such an item on his chest. Now that he had suddenly lost the warmth of the beeswax, he was a little unaccustomed to it.

Yu Youyao’s eyes widened bit by bit. “Golden Steatite Stone!”

Seeing her shocked expression, Zhou Linghuai explained, “The yellow frozen stone is golden in color and as thick as beeswax, so it’s also known as beeswax stone. It’s originally from the remaining stone material that I engraved previously. When I saw that you liked it, I engraved this yellow frozen stone pendant.”

Yu Youyao looked incredulous. “You actually used Golden Steatite Stone to carve the pendant. You’re wasting such a precious treasure. Why didn’t you carve a seal for me? I’m already ten years old and can already use a seal…”

Yu Youyao was also used to seeing good things. Golden Steatite Stones were rare, but she still recognized them. She had even seen her cousin’s Golden Steatite Stone seal before.

However, she had never expected her cousin to have carved such a precious and rare pendant.

Of course, she had mistaken the Golden Steatite Stone for jade.

Zhou Linghuai’s lips curled up slightly, but he hid his smile. “Even if I use the remaining scraps, it won’t be easy to carve a seal for Cousin.”

Yu Youyao pouted in frustration. “I don’t mind. I’m willing to use a seal carved from the same material as Cousin!”

Zhou Linghuai stopped talking.

Yu Youyao sighed and looked down at the exquisite and lifelike lotus pendant in the jade box. She was delighted again. “So be it. I’ll be happy no matter what Cousin gives me.”

The little girl’s happy expression made Zhou Linghuai chuckle.

Yu Youyao handed the Golden Steatite Stone pendant with the plum blossom knot to her cousin. “Cousin, help me put it on.”

Zhou Linghuai was stunned for a moment before taking the red string. The plum blossom knot on it was no different from the one on his neck. The double fish and lotus pendant in his hand was also golden in color, and it was very similar to the texture of the beeswax Buddha pendant. Even he found it difficult to tell them apart. However, on closer inspection, it was a little more colorful than the beeswax Buddha pendant. It seemed that the little girl looked very beautiful when she wore it.

Yu Youyao turned around and squatted in front of her cousin. After waiting for a while, she did not see her cousin move. She turned around and said, “Cousin, help me put it on.”

This impatient posture made Zhou Linghuai smile. His jade-like fingers gently twirled the red string around the little girl’s neck, but he carefully avoided touching her.

After that, Zhou Linghuai looked at the red strings at both ends and felt troubled.

Previously, when the little girl had helped him wear the beeswax Buddha pendant, she had tied a plum blossom knot behind his head to keep it in place. But he didn’t know how to tie a plum blossom knot!

After waiting for a while, before her cousin could help her knot the pendant, Yu Youyao urged again, “Cousin, I’m still waiting.”

Zhou Linghuai pursed his lips and seriously tied a “gift” knot for her. He had never learned how to tie a rope. Other than the “gift” knot, he did not know anything else.

A knot was a knot. Zhou Linghuai still had to help the young lady adjust the tightness of the pendant, but the young lady suddenly turned around. Zhou Linghuai’s fingertips brushed past the young lady’s fair face, and his fingers felt sticky. Just like the Golden Steatite Stone he had played with in his hand previously, it felt moist to the core, and his heart trembled slightly.

Yu Youyao was also stunned for a moment, but she did not take it seriously. “I’ll wear the Golden Steatite Stone pendant that Cousin gave me well. I definitely won’t take it off easily.”

Zhou Linghuai lowered his eyes to hide the strange look in them. When he looked up again, his eyes were already clear. “Okay!”

Yang Shuwan brought Yu Jianjia back to the residence in the middle of the afternoon. She went to An Shou Hall to report Old Madam Yu.

Seeing the unsatisfied expressions on their faces, Old Madam Yu knew that they probably had something else to do outside today.

Yang Shuwan was worried that Old Madam would be unhappy that she had only brought her daughter out and not Yu Youyao, so she said, “I went to the Thousand Gold today and found some fashionable and beautiful jewelry, so I also bought a set for Yao Yao.” She paused and thought of Yu Qingning, who was detained at the Hanlu Academy to learn the rules. “Even Qingning has one.”

How could Old Madam Yu not know what she was thinking? She waved her hand. “You’re too kind.”

Yu Jianjia bowed to her grandmother. “Mother and I picked the first one together. I thought that since it was Eldest Sister’s birthday in a few days, it should be arranged outside.

These words were really said beautifully. She had said that the clothes Yang Shuwan had brought her out to wear for the flower festival were meant to celebrate Yu Youyao’s birthday.

Old Madam Yu glanced at Yu Jianjia indifferently and did not say anything.

However, Yang Shuwan reacted and asked with a smile, “I wonder how Yao Yao’s birthday is going? Which families have you invited? Have you sent out all the invitations?”

It was Yu Youyao’s tenth birthday. Even if she, as her stepmother, did not have much experience, she should ask about it.

Old Madam Yu’s expression did not change. “We’ve invited the Song family of the Marquis of Zhenguo, the Tang family of the Hanlin Academy and the Qi family of the Zuodu censor. These three families are close to us, and there are also sisters around Yao Yao’s age.”

Yang Shuwan could no longer maintain the smile on her face. “You didn’t invite the Yang family?”

The Yang family she was talking about was her maternal family, the Yang Residence, where the left censor was from.

On Yu Youyao’s birthday, she had to invite elder sisters of similar age to visit, but she did not invite her maiden family. Even though she did not have much feelings for her maiden family, she could not help but feel a little uncomfortable.

Even Old Madam Yu’s voice softened. “Yao Yao doesn’t have much contact with your family.”

These words made Yang Shuwan’s expression stiffen.

Logically speaking, if she married into the Yu Residence and became Yu Youyao’s stepmother, then her maternal family would become Yu Youyao’s external family.