A special skill?
Zhang Momo’s first thought was one of suspicion: Does Lin Yu’er even possess such a thing?
Chang An glanced at He Jiulin.
He Jiulin waved his hand dismissively. “Take the Madam to the study!”
Only then did Chang An obediently lead the way.
“Madam, please follow me!”
Lin Yu’er spread her arms wide and swaggered along behind him.
From behind, He Jiulin watched Lin Yu’er’s retreating figure—her legs splayed outward in a pronounced duck walk, her posture even more manly than a man’s—and let out a helpless sigh.
Then, recalling the earlier incident, a flicker of shame and irritation flashed in his eyes.
He straightened his robes, took a towel, and dried his hair until it no longer dripped. After ensuring there was nothing amiss with his appearance, he made his way to the study.
Before he even stepped inside, he heard Chang An’s panicked voice.
“Madam, this isn’t a game! I beg you, please be careful! Earlier, you just drew a circle on that piece of paper—isn’t that a complete waste?”
“Ahhh, Madam, be gentle! The brush! The brush tip has split from how you’re writing!!!”
“This servant has never seen anyone use a brush like you do! Waaah, that brush is a specially made dragon-handle sable hair brush! Three hundred taels! You’re squandering three hundred taels like this! Zhang Momo, please talk some sense into the Madam!”
Zhang Momo’s anxious voice chimed in, also trying to persuade her about something, though it was drowned out by Chang An’s terrified cries.
Suddenly catching sight of the figure standing at the doorway, Chang An guiltily and nervously dropped to his knees, wailing as he tattled.
“Marquis, the Madam insisted on painting as soon as she entered! This servant simply couldn’t stop her!”
He Jiulin emerged from the night outside the door. Dressed in silver-white robes, his dark hair was simply tied up with a wooden hairpin. Outside, he seemed bathed in a soft moonlight, as if favored by the moon itself; inside, he was enveloped in the warm glow of orange candlelight, exuding a bright and elegant charm like a gentle breeze caressing a jade tree.
“Hey, you’re here?!”
Lin Yu’er looked up at He Jiulin and, pointing at Chang An, began to complain as well:
“This venerable one finally felt inspired to showcase my special skill, but this Dog Egg kept trying to stop me! One moment he says the paper can’t be used, the next he says the brush is ruined. Blathering on and on—so annoying!”
As she spoke, she picked up several sheets of drawing paper and showed them to He Jiulin.
“Just tell me, isn’t my talent earth-shattering and awe-inspiring? Countless people have fought tooth and nail, bloodied and bruised, just to obtain one of my paintings! How could I possibly disgrace your paper and brushes?!”
He Jiulin lifted his eyes to look at the drawings.
Then.
The silence was deafening.
On the papers, one drawing featured a small circle filled with pockmarks; another depicted a little flower with a center full of teeth; yet another showed a small turtle carrying a large black pot on its back…
In that moment, even Zhang Momo felt secondhand embarrassment for Lin Yu’er, her toes curling inside her shoes.
Suddenly, one of the drawings slipped from Lin Yu’er’s hand.
He Jiulin stepped forward to pick it up. Staring at the overlapping circles drawn on it, he frowned slightly. “Madam said people fought until they were bloodied and bruised over your paintings?”
Lin Yu’er nodded firmly. “Yeah!”
“Really?!” He Jiulin pressed, this time glancing subtly at Zhang Momo.
Zhang Momo immediately felt a chill run down her spine. “This… this old servant isn’t quite sure.”
Lin Yu’er’s eyes slowly widened.
“What are you all winking and blinking for? I’m not blind! Ah, I get it—you don’t believe me, do you? Fine if my male concubine doesn’t believe me, but even my magic weapon doubts me? Every last one of you! Don’t come begging for my paintings next time you encounter ghosts! Hmph!”
She flung the brush violently, sending it flying straight into a potted plant!
Lin Yu’er fumed as she stormed off.
After a few steps, she turned back.
“They’re all mine! I’d rather use them as toilet paper than leave them here to protect you! Hmph! Hmph!”
Spreading her arms, she gathered all the paintings into her embrace and marched away again.
This time, no matter what Zhang Momo said behind her, Lin Yu’er paid no attention.
He Jiulin watched the whirlwind arrival and furious departure, his brow slightly raised.
Staring at the lone ghost talisman left in his hand, he hesitated a moment before folding it carefully and tucking it into his robe.
Chang An glanced at the paper, then at his master, scratching his head in confusion.
…
The next day.
Lin Yu’er emerged from her room with dark circles under her eyes, having tossed and turned all night without sleep.
“Madam, the meal is ready. Please come eat,” Du Du called out.
Scratching an itch, Lin Yu’er ambled over.
“Wow, wontons! These are delicious.”
Zhang Momo brought a small stool to the dining table, preparing to style Lin Yu’er’s hair, but Lin Yu’er tilted her head away, evading her hand.
“I don’t want you doing my hair!”
Zhang Momo smiled gently and explained, “Madam, this servant was at fault last night. I worried that if I praised your paintings too highly, your male concubine might feel inferior, so I deliberately spoke ambiguously. But truly, your paintings are the finest! They simply don’t recognize quality!”
Lin Yu’er snorted coldly.
When Zhang Momo tried to style her hair again, she dodged once more.
She even picked up her bowl of wontons and moved to another spot.
“You’re still lying.”
“This servant isn’t.”
“You are. There’s a tiny flame flickering above your head—I saw it! You’re definitely lying.”
Zhang Momo instinctively touched her head, then remembered that the world through a madperson’s eyes is different.
If there were truly flames, her hair would be scorched—how could she not feel it?
She believed in Lin Yu’er’s auditory hallucinations and acknowledged her inexplicable luck, but she remained skeptical about the paintings.
“Du Du, do my hair,” Lin Yu’er commanded.
“Ah, me?” Du Du pointed at herself. “But I’m not very good at it!”
Lin Yu’er was already slurping down her wontons.
When eating, nothing else existed in her world.
In the end, Du Du merely smoothed her hair with a comb, while Zhang Momo seized the chance while Lin Yu’er was distracted to quickly fashion a simple bun, securing it with a tasseled hairpin and an amber orchid crystal hairpiece.
Just as Lin Yu’er gulped down the last of her soup, a young maid entered to announce that Yue Yiniang requested an audience.
“Oh? She’s allowed out now?”
Du Du replied, “Yes. The Marquis learned she’s been keeping you company, so he lifted her confinement.”
Lin Yu’er pulled an apple from her sleeve, took a bite, abandoned her bowl, and dashed outside. “Where is she? Where?”
Yue Yiniang stood in the courtyard, gazing wistfully at the flourishing flowers before turning with a melancholic expression.
“Madam, the plants in your garden grow exceptionally well!”
“Is that so? I think so too.” Lin Yu’er chewed on an apple, speaking cheerfully while taking a deep breath of the floral scent in the courtyard. “It’s both beautiful and fragrant.”
Xie Xinyue: …
Your yard is surrounded by flowers, while mine was stripped bare just so you could play in the mud.
It seems that having a screw loose isn’t entirely a disadvantage—at least sometimes when faced with others’ complaints, her thick skin keeps her completely unaffected.
“If you ever want to see flowers in the future, come to my house! Look as much as you like, no charge!” Lin Yu’er crunched into another bite of apple, speaking with great generosity.
Xie Xinyue: “I thank you kindly!”
“No need to thank me.” Lin Yu’er waved her hand dismissively.
Then her clear eyes rolled toward the two maids, noticing their empty hands and lack of gifts, immediately becoming less enthusiastic.
Xie Xinyue, skilled at reading expressions, pulled out a stack of silver notes from her sleeve and said with a smile, “Madam, I’ve come today to thank you.”
“Thank me?” Lin Yu’er finished the last of her apple and casually tossed the core aside, where it was promptly cleaned up by a maid standing nearby.
Xie Xinyue continued, “Does Madam remember the curse we cast together yesterday afternoon?”