This white grass paper was pilfered from the Xu family's study by Nian Jiaojiao.
Unlike the pure white and fine texture of Xuan paper, white grass paper was rougher in make, with faint brownish speckles mixed in.
For a prominent household like the Xu residence, Xuan paper was primarily used, and grass paper was not kept in large quantities.
When Nian Jiaojiao picked up the grass paper intending to ask Xu Xuan for a couple of sheets, the latter waved her hand grandly, shaking her head and dismissively stating that she wouldn't deign to use such inferior paper, allowing Nian Jiaojiao to take as much as she pleased.
Thus, Nian Jiaojiao unceremoniously swept all the grass paper from the study.
...
Bathing in the moonlight outside the window, Nian Jiaojiao picked up her brush to practice calligraphy.
Before long, Yucuan and Xingyun entered.
"Wife, the water you wanted is ready."
Xingyun struggled to lift the wooden bucket, with Yucuan helping to carry it from behind.
Nian Jiaojiao quickly got up to lend a hand.
"Thud!"
The wooden bucket landed heavily.
"This is all hot water. I'll fetch some cool water to mix it."
"Alright, thank you," Nian Jiaojiao nodded in gratitude.
After Xingyun left, only Nian Jiaojiao and Yucuan remained in the room.
A moment of silence passed. Perhaps at a loss for words, Yucuan's gaze drifted, inadvertently landing on the Xuan paper and brush on the table.
"Oh, Wife, are you practicing calligraphy?"
"Mm, just casually practicing."
As Nian Jiaojiao spoke, she subtly blocked his path.
"It's already dark, why aren't you lighting a lamp? It's bad for your eyes."
Yucuan said this and turned to retrieve a kerosene lamp from a corner of the room and light it.
"We have lamps at home?" Nian Jiaojiao was somewhat surprised. She hadn't noticed them before, assuming the household was too poor to afford lamps.
"Mm... this was brought by Wife."
"Me?"
Nian Jiaojiao blinked, then recalled.
When the original host had rushed out of her home, her father, while her mother wasn't paying attention, had secretly packed many daily necessities for her.
The kerosene lamp was one of them.
However, the original host did not study, and she went to bed early at night, so the lamp was left aside and never used.
After Yucuan married into the family, she carefully stored the kerosene lamp in a wooden box.
Just as Nian Jiaojiao was contemplating, Yucuan had already walked over to the table.
"This... is? Nian... Jiaojiao?"
Yucuan read it out softly, with a peculiar expression on her face.
"What is it?!" Nian Jiaojiao exclaimed guiltily.
"No, nothing. I just feel that Wife's calligraphy is quite unique," Yucuan suppressed a chuckle.
Nian Jiaojiao felt a bit indignant.
She had a foundation in calligraphy; her Yan style and running script had won first prize at the provincial level!
It was just that the original host's body was uncooperative. Not only did it lack muscle in her hands, but there was also a bunch of flabby flesh.
This resulted in Nian Jiaojiao's hands being unable to exert any force, and as her hand hung in the air, it would uncontrollably "fly" out.
Thus, the three characters "Nian Jiaojiao" on the paper could truly be described as "soaring dragons and leaping tigers."
...
Autumn morning.
The sky had not yet fully brightened.
A layer of withered leaves had accumulated under the old tree in the courtyard. A cool breeze swept through, causing over a dozen leaves to somersault several times.
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, two, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, three, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, four, two, three..."
"What's with the commotion so early in the morning? Heh heh."
The counting was interrupted by this mocking laughter. Nian Jiaojiao lowered her raised arm and turned her head, only to see a refined-looking man lazily leaning against the doorframe.
However, what should have been a beautiful picture of a handsome man was completely ruined by the sarcastic expression on his face.
Nian Jiaojiao glanced at him but ignored him, continuing her movements.
"Five, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, six, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight..."
The third husband, Nan Qing, suddenly felt bored and stopped speaking, merely watching Nian Jiaojiao continue her somewhat peculiar movements.
Just as Nian Jiaojiao was getting more enthusiastic with her exercises, her peripheral vision caught a furtive figure outside the fence, constantly peeking into the courtyard.
She stopped her movements, tiptoed to the courtyard's edge, and circled around to the figure's back.
"What are you looking at?"
Nian Jiaojiao's sudden voice startled the other person.
When the man turned around and realized it was Nian Jiaojiao, he let out a long sigh of relief.
"You child, you scared me to death."
The middle-aged man speaking wore a light cyan linen robe. Although there were fine lines around his eyes, the charm of his youth was still discernible.
Seeing the man's familiar demeanor, Nian Jiaojiao paused for a moment to think:
"Father?"
The man was indeed the biological father of the original host, Li Shi.
"Da Bao, how have you been lately? Look at you, how have you lost so much weight? Is it that you don't have enough money?"
Li Shi examined Nian Jiaojiao up and down, a hint of heartache flashing in his eyes.
"Heh heh, I was just fat before. Now I'm strong and lean. I've been exercising more, so my skin is tighter!" Nian Jiaojiao replied instinctively.
"What do you mean 'strong and lean'? You're talking nonsense."
Li Shi looked unconvinced. He observed that Nian Jiaojiao's face was indeed rosy, which reassured him.
He took Nian Jiaojiao's hands and, seeing her slightly awkward expression, sighed softly:
"I haven't seen you for a while, yet you've become distant with me."
Nian Jiaojiao remained silent.
In her memory, the man before her had doted on the original host.
No matter how unruly the original host was, the man had always been incredibly protective and loving towards her.
As the saying goes, "A kind father spoils his son!"
Although Nian Jiaojiao felt this inwardly, she couldn't bring herself to dislike this gentle and loving father.
"Father, why have you come today?"
Nian Jiaojiao's ordinary question was misunderstood by Li Shi.
Li Shi appeared troubled:
"Da Bao, do you blame your father for not visiting you for so long? Your mother... alas, forget it. Your father only managed to sneak out this time while your mother was away."
Clearly, the original host's mother did not permit Li Shi to visit her.
Nian Jiaojiao felt no particular emotion about this and casually asked:
"Away?"
"Yes," Li Shi said, a hint of indignation creeping into his tone.
"It's all because of your sister's studies. Now, the entire family dotes on her! Looking at your mother's attitude, it's as if she's cultivating a top scholar."
Li Shi glanced at Nian Jiaojiao again. Seeing her expressionless face, he felt a bit strange that she wasn't agreeing with him as she used to, but he didn't think much of it and continued:
"Speaking of studies, it should be Da Bao who goes. Da Bao, you've been smart and sensible since you were little, you're sure to bring glory to the Nian family name!"
Nian Jiaojiao felt a wave of awkwardness.
Given how foolish and arrogant the original host was, she was anything but "smart." Only her father, Li Shi, would think that.
Seeing that Li Shi seemed to have opened the floodgates and was about to praise her endlessly, Nian Jiaojiao quickly stopped him:
"Father, please stop praising me."
Li Shi gave Nian Jiaojiao a look, his expression one of naturalness:
"This child, you're being shy in front of your own father. Alright, I won't say it anymore, is that better?"
Nian Jiaojiao mused inwardly: What was she being shy about? She was feeling embarrassed for the original host!
Li Shi lowered his head and took out a gray cloth bundle from his embrace, handing it over: "Here, take this!"
Nian Jiaojiao looked at the cloth bundle in her hand with some confusion, judging by its weight that it wasn't light.
She opened the cloth bundle. There was a piece of broken silver, and the rest were copper coins, numbering over a hundred.
Nian Jiaojiao then looked at his faded clothes, which had several patches sewn onto them. It was likely not easy for him to save up this money.
Thinking of this, her nose stung a little.
Although the Nian family was well-off, due to the original host's issues, Li Shi's situation within the Nian family was likely not easy. Yet, he had always considered the original host.
The original host had only ever cared about how much money Li Shi brought her to squander, completely ignoring her father's circumstances.