Fear not a woman's scolding, but dread her tears. The logic of this young girl is indeed beyond comprehension. Lin Wanrong shook his head helplessly and said, "Alright, speak up. What kind of poetry do you fancy?"
Xiao Yushuang clapped her hands excitedly and said, "I knew it! Lin San, you're a good person. Then, reluctantly, let's have a bit of everything—poetry about the wind, flowers, snow, and moon."
Lin Wanrong glared at her fiercely, and Xiao Yushuang playfully stuck out her tongue. Perhaps she felt her request was a bit excessive. She said, "Alright, alright, just casually recite a poem. I'm testing you."
Lin Wanrong glanced at the garden, where autumn leaves were falling. Thinking of Fragrant Hills in Beijing, it should be covered in red maple leaves by now. A hint of nostalgia flashed in his eyes as he recited:
"Red leaves rustle in the late autumn, a sip of wine by the long pavilion.
Lingering clouds return to Mount Taihua, sparse rain passes through Zhongtiao.
Tree colors follow the distant pass, river sounds reach the far-off sea.
Returning to the capital tomorrow, still dreaming of fishing and woodcutting."
This poem might not be perfectly balanced in its structure, but its profound sentiment suited Lin Wanrong's current melancholy mood.
"Returning to the capital tomorrow, still dreaming of fishing and woodcutting..." Xiao Yushuang repeated blankly, then looked at him and asked, "Lin San, are you homesick?"
Although she was young, Xiao Yushuang was clever. She saw through Lin Wanrong's melancholy. Lin Wanrong glanced at her, smiled, and said, "Just reciting casually. Apologies if it sounds laughable, Miss Second."
Xiao Yushuang laughed and said, "So you're this talented! But when I saw you memorize the Three-Character Classic silently that day, why don't you know how to write?"
Lin Wanrong found it amusing but explained, "Miss Second, I don't like memorizing those dead things like the Classic of Poetry and the Three-Character Classic. In my hometown, we don't write characters like this, and we don't use brushes."
"Oh, I see." Xiao Yushuang nodded and said, "So my unintentional act led our Xiao family to discover a great talent. Haha, when the time comes, Mother and Sister will definitely praise me."
Getting along with Miss Second, aside from her occasional temper, everything else was quite pleasant. Lin Wanrong teased, "I'm not a great talent; I'm just making a living here."
After chatting for a while, it seemed that Xiao Yushuang's injuries on her buttocks wouldn't recover anytime soon. She frowned and said, "Lin San, I can't move right now. Can you not leave for a while and accompany me? Can you tell me a story? You're good at storytelling, right?"
Lin Wanrong pondered. If he called maidservants to help her now, the news of him beating Xiao family's Second Miss might be exposed. Well, he decided to stay with her for a while and leave when she felt better.
Closing the door behind him, Lin Wanrong sat back down beside her and said, "Alright, let me tell you the story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai."
The young girl curled up, hands clasped on her knees, head resting on her hands. She turned to look at him attentively, listening to this age-old tale.
Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai was probably one of the earliest romantic stories in China, with unparalleled emotional appeal. When Xiao Yushuang heard about Ma Wencai forcing Zhu Yingtai to death and Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai transforming into butterflies, tears were already streaming down her face. She hatedly exclaimed, "This Ma Wencai is truly a villain. Liang Shanbo is also a fool; why couldn't he see that Zhu Yingtai was a woman?"
Lin Wanrong chuckled and said, "Exactly because he couldn't see it that the story has been passed down through the ages. If he had seen through it, the story would have ended with a happy couple, and it wouldn't have been so widely spread."
With a tear-stained face, Miss Second criticized, "This Liang Shanbo is really foolish. How can't he see that Zhu Yingtai is a girl?"
"Things in this world are unpredictable, and you're still too young. When you grow up, you'll gradually understand," Lin Wanrong consoled her. In this moment, he felt a trace of sympathy for this young girl.
Looking at the girl eagerly watching him, Lin Wanrong didn't know what kind of story to tell her. Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf? The Black Cat Sheriff and the Monkey King? Meteor Garden or Crayon Shin-chan? The last time he told a story was over a decade ago for his sister, and he had long forgotten what he said.
"Lin San, what kind of story are you going to tell me?" Xiao Yushuang asked urgently as Lin Wanrong remained silent for a long time.
"Oh, okay. Let me tell you the story of Romeo and Juliet," Lin Wanrong thought of some classic dramas and casually mentioned one, regardless of its appropriateness.
The little girl curled up her knees, clasping her hands on them, turned her head, and looked at him attentively, listening to this age-old love story.
"Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, probably the oldest romance drama in China, has unparalleled sentiment. The little girl, who heard about Ma Wencai forcing Zhu Yingtai to death and Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai turning into butterflies, already had tears streaming down her face. Hatingly, she exclaimed, 'This Ma Wencai is truly a villain. Liang Shanbo is also a fool; why couldn't he see that Zhu Yingtai was a woman?'
Lin Wanrong chuckled and said, 'Exactly because he couldn't see it that the story has been passed down through the ages. If he had seen through it, the story would have ended with a happy couple, and it wouldn't have been so widely spread.'
With a tear-stained face, Miss Second criticized, 'This Liang Shanbo is really foolish. How can't he see that Zhu Yingtai is a girl?'
'Things in this world are unpredictable, and you're still too young. When you grow up, you'll gradually understand,' Lin Wanrong consoled her. In this moment, he felt a trace of sympathy for this young girl.
Looking at the girl eagerly watching him, Lin Wanrong didn't know what kind of story to tell her. Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf? The Black Cat Sheriff and the Monkey King? Meteor Garden or Crayon Shin-chan? The last time he told a story was over a decade ago for his sister, and he had long forgotten what he said.
'Lin San, what kind of story are you going to tell me?' Xiao Yushuang asked urgently as Lin Wanrong remained silent for a long time.
'Oh, okay. Let me tell you the story of Romeo and Juliet,' Lin Wanrong thought of some classic dramas and casually mentioned one
, regardless of its appropriateness.
The little girl curled up her knees, clasping her hands on them, turned her head, and looked at him attentively, listening to this age-old love story."