"Can you also paint and write?"
This time, the village chief and Old Li were even more surprised.
The village chief, Old Li, and Old Shen had once attended school together when they were young.
Although they only attended for two or three years without earning any titles, they had a deep appreciation for scholars.
Sadly, their sons were all underachievers, but fortunately, their grandsons had stepped up.
The Shen Family produced Shen Qingfeng, whose literary skills were really quite good. However, they were delayed due to Zhang Xiaolian’s illness, and later, due to Shen Tao, he simply stopped attending school. If he had continued, he could have probably achieved the title of a Scholar.
At the village chief’s house, it was his eldest grandson, He Qiuge, He Qiutian’s brother, who passed the Tongsheng exam last year.
As for the Li family, it was naturally Li Wei. Li Wei was the youngest of the three, yet his grades were the best.
The village chief was most fond of Li Wei; he excelled in his studies and wasn’t arrogant. If Old Li hadn’t arranged for Li Wei to be engaged to Shen Qingju early on, the village chief would have wanted to pair He Qiutian with Li Wei.
The three old men were not so pedantic and did not agree with the idea that girls should remain uneducated. In their view, anyone willing to learn should be allowed, regardless of gender.
This is why Shen Shan and Dong Yao let Shen Qingju follow Shen Qingzhu and Shen Qingping to study and write with Shen Qingfeng.
Old Shen smiled and said, "Qinglan just painted a picture yesterday. It was of Qingfeng’s family of three, painted so vividly and charmingly. Qingfeng cherished it like a treasure and put it away."
The village chief and Old Li were envious upon hearing this, and they praised Old Shen for having such a precious granddaughter, making him beam with joy and unable to contain his happiness.
As for the one being praised, however, she listened to the three old men telling stories as if the story’s protagonist wasn’t her.
After the village chief, Old Li, and Li Wei left, it was nearly the hour of dusk.
The other members of the Shen Family had dissipated much of the alcohol, and each went back to their homes.
Shen Qinglan sharply noticed Li Wei slipping something to Shen Qingju, who had just come out of the kitchen after washing pots and bowls.
It was a small wooden box about the length of two adult fingers, and Shen Qinglan instinctively thought it was some kind of hair ornament like a hairpin.
Shen Qingju, afraid of being seen, quickly hid it and didn’t forget to sneak a glare at Li Wei during the process.
Li Wei handed the item so swiftly that if you didn’t look closely, you would think he was merely passing by Shen Qingju.
Shen Qingju initially thought no one but herself knew about Li Wei giving her something and was about to breathe a sigh of relief when she looked up, meeting Shen Qinglan’s seemingly teasing gaze.
Her face instantly flushed.
After the other members of the Shen Family had left, she cleared her throat, approached Shen Qinglan, and tentatively asked, "Did you see everything?" Read full story at 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅✦𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾✦𝗇𝖾𝗍
Shen Qinglan slowly raised her eyelids, her voice still eerie, "You’re asking... if brother-in-law gave you someth..."
Before she could finish the word "thing," Shen Qinglan’s mouth was covered by Shen Qingju.
Shen Qingju warned in a low voice, "Shut up, he’s still not your brother-in-law!"
Shen Qinglan gently removed the hand covering her mouth, then let out a small "Oh."
Seeing her being obedient, Shen Qingju was just about to relax when Shen Qinglan continued in her eerie voice, "He will be sooner or later."
Shen Qingju looked around and, seeing no one nearby, glared fiercely at Shen Qinglan and then took the thing back to her room.
Just after Shen Qingju left, Shen Qinglan heard Dong Yao calling her, "Qinglan, the bathwater is ready in the room. Go wash early, so it doesn’t get cold."