Sang Wan was delighted to hear this, and quickly smiled and said: "That settles it then, I’ll let you know once I finalize the date with my sister."
"Mm!" Shi Fengju, seeing her eyes gleaming with joy and her eyebrows curved, felt a surge of happiness for no reason, and gently said: "You’ve been working hard these days, once my sister and the others are settled, I’ll take you to the manor for a good two-day break!"
Upon hearing this, Sang Wan lowered her eyes and continued eating without making a sound.
On that day, Sang Wan and Shi Fengju indeed invited Shi Yumei and her husband to the banana garden. Shi Yumei, upon seeing Shi Fengju’s brows furrow, subconsciously frowned and glanced at Sang Wan before blaming Shi Fengju: "Little brother, it’s just a trivial matter, why must you accompany them? Go and do your own things! Do we need to be so particular at home!"
Shi Fengju repeated the reason he had previously given to Sang Wan, and Shi Yumei fell silent. Ren Zhixian, upon hearing this, became enthusiastic, shot his wife a glance, nodded, and said confidently: "Fengju is more thoughtful indeed! Other places might not matter, but the study, do you women understand such matters?"
Shi Fengju rolled his eyes secretly, raised his hand to gesture ’please’, and entered the garden, pretending not to hear his words.
With Shi Fengju around, Shi Yumei didn’t fuss too much, and the arrangements for the living room, warm pavilion, bedroom, bathroom, and side house were quickly settled. Shi Yumei, with a smirk that wasn’t quite a smile, said to Sang Wan: "I’ll have to trouble you when the time comes! I still want to ask for several pieces of furniture from you..."
Sang Wan quickly smiled and agreed, and Shi Fengju also smiled and said: "Big sister, when the time comes, let Miss Wan unlock the warehouse and accompany you to choose. Screens, murals, tea sets, curtains, antique furniture, you can pick whatever you like! If nothing suits your fancy, we can go shopping to buy more! I guarantee you’ll be satisfied!"
Shi Yumei smiled and said: "What if I want a few pieces from your house, will you give them to me?"
"Yes, why not!" Shi Fengju glanced at Sang Wan and had to respond .
Shi Yumei was just casually asking, but seeing Shi Fengju’s glance, she felt uncomfortable again, thinking that Sang Wan was in charge of everything and even her own brother had to look at Sang Wan’s face! Deep down, she was plotting to pick a few items that Sang Wan cherished when the time came.
Upon reaching the study, trouble arose.
The study was part of the east wing room in the garden, on the right side of the main house and the east side of the courtyard, occupying a total of three and a half partitions—a very spacious and bright area.
Ren Zhixian, with hands behind his back, looked around for a while and commented that the room was somewhat cramped. He wanted to knock down the three partitions to make it open, then against one wall, build a ceiling-high bookshelf. At the other end, transform the casement window into a round window, hang a Xiangfei bamboo curtain, and place a long couch or an Arhat bed in front of the window. Outside the window, two slim plum trees and several stalks of green bamboo should be replanted, with Taihu stones piled beside them...
He then went on and on, discussing how big and tall the desk should be, what patterns and sizes to choose for the painted pot, the nuances of the Four Treasures of the Study, murals, and other decorations, where to place the long table, where to set up an incense burner, endlessly detailing numerous things. Finally, concluding: "Other things aside, the furniture in this room should all be matching, crafted to fit the gaps in the floor; it looks more aesthetic and elegant that way!"
Ren Zhixian hadn’t finished speaking, and Shi Fengju’s expression had already changed several times! Does this person even know the meaning of ’shame’? Who does he think he is!
"Brother-in-law, if we start according to this plan, I’m afraid it will take at least half a year to gather everything. What do you plan to do during this time?" Shi Fengju asked with a faint smile.
"It’s no bother!" Ren Zhixian said unabashedly: "I can make do in the main house meanwhile!" Adding a sentence he believed to be significant: "Let’s take it slowly then, I’m doing this for the good of your Shi family! Constructing such a standard, elegant study will benefit your Shi family’s Young Masters if they wish to study in the future! That’s what a real study is like!"
His implication was clear: only a scholar like me understands how to arrange a study, you people reeking of money, do you understand?
Shi Fengju was both amused and annoyed, feeling like he was at a loss dealing with such a person!
"Yes, brother-in-law is a true scholar, with so many exquisite and elegant demands, a scholarly household indeed! It’s truly eye-opening! How can our Shi family compare with the Ren family? Hmm, from a businessman’s perspective, I actually think such a renovation is too costly! Especially since it will be useless in the future, what a waste of silver!"
As Ren Zhixian opened his mouth, presumably about to say something about being ’indignant’ or ’vulgar’, Shi Fengju raised his voice and interjected: "How about this! Since we won’t need it in the future, I don’t want to waste the silver. As long as brother-in-law is comfortable, let’s just arrange it like the study in brother-in-law’s house, so you can feel more at home. What do you think, brother-in-law?"
Ren Zhixian was suddenly lost for words, his face going red and white.
His own study at home? It looked like a study when his parents were alive four or five years ago, but these last two or three years, wasn’t it almost like a storeroom?
Seeing her husband struggling, Shi Yumei smiled and played peacemaker: "Little brother, our Master is just being kind-hearted! Since this study will still be used later, why not—"
"Big sister! That’s far off yet!" Shi Fengju smiled and said: "My son won’t need the study until at least seven or eight years from now, right? By then, this house will probably be so old it needs to be torn down and rebuilt! It won’t be used anymore!"