Shen Zhixin stared intently at Qi Zhenzhen, her smile almost overflowing.
Yuan Xiao returned at this moment, carrying a tea tray in one hand and various tea sets in the other. She carried even more items than Er Xi had at the birthday banquet that day. Indeed, the attendants by Shen Zhixin's side were no ordinary maids. This seemingly harmless young girl was likely also a master.
"Miss, it's not that I want to discourage you, but you have a good talent for martial arts. However, when it comes to tea ceremony, that's another matter," Yuan Xiao said while arranging the tea sets. "If you can't learn it, you'll be discouraged again. And you'll also implicate the second young lady for all her trouble!"
Shen Zhixin glared at Yuan Xiao. "You call me Miss, intelligent and wise. How could I not learn it? Those who taught me before were just talking. Who had Zhenzhen's skill? If Zhenzhen teaches me, I'm sure I can learn it."
She kept calling her Zhenzhen, as if they were very familiar with each other.
Qi Zhenzhen asked Shen Zhixin to perform the previous steps again. She did a decent job. After Qi Zhenzhen pointed out the non-standard parts, she began to demonstrate the "Phoenix Nods Three Times" pouring technique. Her wrist was level with her elbow, and she performed it with fluid grace.
Shen Zhixin watched intently, her face full of admiration. "It's so pleasing to the eye. How could those people before have this skill?"
Her gaze was like that of a devoted fan looking at her idol, fiery and ardent.
Qi Zhenzhen stopped her movements. "Did you see clearly just now? Your wrist and elbow must be level. Use your wrist to exert force, with a light touch and a heavy one. The strength of each movement must be controlled to be the same. It's like practicing martial arts; every move and every stance must be steady and without error."
She expected to practice many times, but to Qi Zhenzhen's surprise, Shen Zhixin performed it perfectly after just one attempt.
What?
She had heard Shen Zhixin say earlier that she had learned before but couldn't grasp the essentials. How could she do it perfectly this time?
Shen Zhixin grinned broadly. "Yuan Xiao, did you see? Your young lady also has talent. She learned it in one go. How about that, isn't it pleasing to the eye?"
"The second young lady is pleasing to the eye. Although your movements are not wrong, they are far from pleasing to the eye. To put it this way, the second young lady is like a maiden wearing a flower, delicate and shy. But for you, it's like a man wearing a flower, completely out of place," Yuan Xiao said earnestly.
Qi Zhenzhen couldn't help but laugh out loud. Fang Momo, Fei Xu, and Er Xi also joined in the laughter.
Shen Zhixin glared. "Say whatever you want. Anyway, I, Miss, have learned the 'Phoenix Nods Three Times' pouring technique! I can report to Grandmother now!"
"Yes, the old madam knows your level. Achieving this much will surely bring her great comfort," Yuan Xiao said seriously.
"Alright, alright, I've remembered all of this. There's no need to practice anymore. I'll just perform it for Grandmother someday. Yuan Xiao, take these things away. They're an eyesore here," Shen Zhixin ordered. "Second young lady, shall we go to the martial arts field for a spar?"
Qi Zhenzhen glanced at Fang Momo. Seeing her displeased expression, she shook her head and refused. "The sun is too strong now, and it's easy to get tanned. Why don't we just sit here and chat? By the way, I brought you a gift."
Er Xi quickly handed the box to Shen Zhixin.
Two cloth dolls were placed side by side. Shen Zhixin picked one up in each hand. "What is this? It looks quite nice, and it has a faint fragrance. I like this fragrance; it's not cloying at all."
At the bottom of the box was a picture album. Shen Zhixin put down the cloth dolls she was holding and picked up the album.
"Huh? This little person looks just like the cloth doll. A picture album? Telling stories?" Shen Zhixin murmured. "It's different from the picture albums I usually see. Mu Guiying has such a good personality, I like her!"
"Oh, I wish I could live in a place like Mu Ke Village, where women are like men and can do anything. That's great." Shen Zhixin was just flipping through casually, but after looking at a few pages, she was deeply captivated.
Qi Zhenzhen had only drawn a few dozen pages, depicting Mu Guiying's life in Mu Ke Village. Some were based on scenes from various TV dramas about Mu Guiying that she had watched before, while others were her own additions. They were quite interesting.
"Is that all?" Shen Zhixin asked, holding up the album. "Zhenzhen, where did you buy this picture album? This story isn't finished, is it? I really dislike it when storybooks end like this, leaving people hanging and whetting their appetite."
"I didn't buy it anywhere; I drew it myself. I heard about it from others before and thought it was interesting, so I drew it into a picture album," Qi Zhenzhen said.
Shen Zhixin grabbed Qi Zhenzhen's hand. "When will you finish drawing the rest of the story? This cloth doll is Mu Guiying. Who is the other cloth doll? Let me guess. Although this picture album is different from the usual tales of talented scholars and beautiful ladies, it should still be about a pair, right? Is this cloth doll Mu Guiying's man?"
Qi Zhenzhen nodded. "You've guessed correctly."
Fang Momo's face darkened. How did the Shen family raise their daughters? They could even say who was whose man. No, she had to go back and tell the old madam that in the future, the Shen family's young ladies should not be invited. What if her young lady also became like the Shen family's daughters?
"Drawing this takes a long time, so you might have to wait. When I'm finished, I'll have someone deliver it to you," Qi Zhenzhen said.
"It's a deal." Shen Zhixin's eyes lit up. "I'm so happy today. I invited you on a whim, but it's been full of surprises. Zhenzhen, are we considered close confidantes from now on? They all find me too rough and don't want to associate with me. Will you also dislike me?"
Qi Zhenzhen found her straightforward nature, saying whatever she thought without hiding anything, very likable.
"I don't think you're rough. Besides, how is this considered rough? It's clearly heroic and spirited, a woman as capable as any man," Qi Zhenzhen said seriously.
Shen Zhixin felt this was the happiest day of her life.
"Miss, Little White Flower is on her way," Yuan Xiao said abruptly.
The smile on Shen Zhixin's face vanished instantly, and her brow furrowed deeply, showing a look of disgust.
Little White Flower? Was that a name or a nickname?
Qi Zhenzhen was still curious when a slender young woman in white walked in. Her face was delicate, with a hint of melancholy in the corners of her eyes. Her large eyes held a misty sheen, and her cherry lips were gently pursed. She was the epitome of a "Little White Flower."
When she spoke, she sounded so frail as if she were about to pass out.
"Xinxin, Uncle Shen said to ask you to spend more time with me when you're free. Why are you always busy?"
Her tone was resentful, as if Shen Zhixin had abandoned her.
Shen Zhixin's brow furrowed even deeper. "Yingying, I'm rough and unrefined. I know nothing about zither, chess, calligraphy, or painting. I really don't know what we have to talk about."
"How can we have nothing to talk about? You can say whatever you want," the young woman named Yingying said pitifully. "I'll listen to whatever you say. I'm new to the Shen mansion and don't know anyone. You're the only one I know. If you don't care about me, who will care about me?"