Chapter 136: It Is Different Now

Shen Nanyuan arched her brows in slight surprise, taken aback by Shen Jinyu’s words.

"Wu Miaofu asked you to carve one for her?"

"Yes," Shen Jinyu replied. "Cousin bought me some treats I like from Moonlight Restaurant a few days ago, so she brought them to Qingfeng Pavilion. I happened to be carving something, and when she saw it, she liked it a lot and asked me to give her one."

Wu Miaofu had always been introverted and rarely spoke much, so this sudden request made Shen Nanyuan feel quite surprised.

She nodded and said with a smile, "Well, you two are actually of a similar age; she is only a few months older than you."

Shen Jinyu pursed his lips and glanced at Shen Nanyuan, remaining silently quiet.

Despite that, he still didn't particularly like Wu Miaofu.

Therefore, after having a servant deliver the finished bird carving to Wu Miaofu’s courtyard, he had turned around and brought this little figurine to see his sister personally.

"How much longer is Cousin going to stay with us?"

In the blink of an eye, she had already been living at the Duke of Zhen’s Mansion for nearly a month, with no intention of leaving... This was really quite a long stay.

Shen Nanyuan shook her head. "I don’t know. She will probably stay for a while longer."

Moreover, the main reason she had come here had yet to be fulfilled, so she certainly wouldn’t leave so soon. However, looking at her now, Wu Miaofu didn't seem to be in any particular rush.

Shen Nanyuan lowered her eyes, looking at the exquisite little figurine in her hand. After a moment of thought, she continued, "Jinyu, teach me how to carve these things. I really like this kind of handicraft."

Shen Jinyu was naturally overjoyed and nodded vigorously. "Of course, Sister!"

It was indeed much more relaxing and pleasant to chat with his sister. Especially since he could tell that she truly liked the things he made, which made him extremely happy.

"Our Jinyu, I feel like you could open a shop for these crafts in the future. You do it so well; there are probably few people in all of the capital who can compare."

Hearing this, Shen Jinyu’s smile grew even brighter.

Watching him, Shen Nanyuan couldn't help but suppress a laugh. Sometimes, he was quite amusing.

"If you have no plans tomorrow, then come over."

Shen Jinyu nodded firmly. "Okay."

***

The next day, Wu Miaofu gracefully went to Qingfeng Pavilion with Liu'er, only to find upon arriving that Shen Jinyu was not there; he had gone to Shaohua Courtyard.

"The Young Master went to see the Eldest Miss early this morning, taking his carving tools with him. It seems the Eldest Miss liked the little figurine the Young Master gave her yesterday, so she wanted to learn, and the Young Master was so happy that he went right over."

The smile on Wu Miaofu’s face stiffened.

"A little figurine?"

"Yes," the servant said. "The Young Master just learned how, so he carved one and sent it over. If the Cousin has something to discuss with the Young Master, you can go to Shaohua Courtyard."

Wu Miaofu paused. "Actually, it’s nothing important..."

"Then when the Young Master returns, I will let him know you came by, Cousin."

"No need," Wu Miaofu said, turning slightly to the side as Liu'er handed the food box in her hand to the servant. "These are pastries. I really liked the bird my cousin gave me, so I came specifically to thank him. Since he isn't here, please pass these on to him."

The servant took it and bowed. "Yes, Miss."

Wu Miaofu turned away, her hands clenching slightly.

She truly hadn't expected that Shen Jinyu would also make something for Shen Nanyuan. After walking a few steps, she stopped and said softly, "Let's go take a look at the Eldest Miss's place."

Liu'er bowed her head. "Yes, Miss."

Learning to carve was no easy feat. Looking at the various tools Shen Jinyu had brought, Shen Nanyuan suddenly felt a bit overwhelmed.

"This is called a round gouge."

He held up a tool with a curved blade to show her, then set it down and picked up another. "This is a flat chisel."

"And this one is what I use most often; it’s called a slanted knife."

Shen Jinyu spoke enthusiastically, his love for these tools evident. There were many other tools, and he introduced them one by one. Finally, his eyes shining, he asked, "Sister, what would you like to carve?"

"...Which one is the simplest?"

"For a beginner, I think a double-fish pattern is the easiest," Shen Jinyu said, placing a prepared round piece of wood in front of her. "Sister, draw the pattern first. Once you're done, you can carve it directly according to the design."

A servant nearby had already ground the ink. Shen Nanyuan picked up a brush and carefully drew the pattern. She then took the flat chisel from Shen Jinyu. Qingrui, watching from the side, felt quite anxious.

"Miss, be careful not to hurt your hands."

Shen Jinyu, sitting opposite her and continuing to work on his own half-finished piece, remarked, "Usually, beginners accidentally hurt their hands."

***

This honest answer made Qingrui gasp. She hesitated for a moment and said, "Miss, perhaps we shouldn't learn this..."

Hands were so important...

Shen Nanyuan sighed helplessly. "It’s fine, I will try to be as careful as I can."

Although she had felt a bit overwhelmed by the tools at first, once she actually started carving, she found it quite interesting, and time slipped away without her noticing.

After a while, Qingrui seemed to notice something. She leaned over and whispered into Shen Nanyuan’s ear, "The Cousin is here."

Shen Nanyuan paused and turned her head to look. She saw Wu Miaofu walking over slowly, a faint, gentle smile on her face. She called out softly, "Eldest Cousin, Little Cousin."

They say that one is defined by their clothes, and seeing her now, it was certainly true.

She wore a gown made of fine pale yellow silk, which made her look exceptionally beautiful and delicate. A jade hairpin adorned her hair, with a few stray locks framing her face, making her look like a lotus emerging from the water. As she walked, the light gauze of her skirt fluttered, and her skin was as white as snow—she was stunningly lovely.

She was completely different from how she had appeared a month ago; it was as if she had become a different person.

Shen Jinyu pursed his lips slightly but still greeted, "Cousin."

Wu Miaofu looked at the items in front of them with curiosity. "What are you doing?"

"Sister is learning to carve."

"I see. That sounds quite interesting."

Shen Nanyuan paused and glanced at Wu Miaofu, feeling more and more that she was truly different from before.

Previously, she would only sit timidly by her side, and only speak when spoken to. Now, she was actually initiating conversations.

Was it because she had stayed here long enough to feel at home?

Wu Miaofu asked cautiously, "Could I learn too?"

Her eyes were dark and round, like apricots, and looked very lively.

"..." Shen Jinyu said, "Cousin, you probably shouldn't."

He continued to focus on his work. "You have to hold a blade; if you're not careful, you'll hurt your hands."