Song Shiyu smiled but didn’t expose him: “Alright. I’ll be right there. Let me just tidy up the drawings on the table first.”
Pei Jin’an frowned, looking at the messy room, and snorted coldly: “Only you could make a room look like this. And you’re a girl, too—what are you trying to do messing with all this?”
Song Shiyu raised an eyebrow.
“Make something. You’ll understand later.”
Pei Jin’an: “Hmph! It’s probably useless!”
After tidying up, Song Shiyu followed Pei Jin’an to Pei Qinhai’s main room.
Upon arrival, she didn’t bother with pleasantries and immediately asked: “You called me?”
Pei Qinhai: “Yes. It’s time to tell them a story.”
In the past two days, Song Shiyu had been telling the two children Journey to the West, which had surprisingly helped them fall asleep much faster than expected—and without him having to soothe them, saving a lot of effort.
Song Shiyu said: “Alright. If they stay here, they might distract you from reading. In a few days, once I tidy my room, they can just sleep with me.”
Pei Qinhai looked at her upon hearing this.
Song Shiyu cleared her throat and explained: “I can tutor them with their homework. Mostly it’s just reading and writing. If they really don’t understand something, they can ask you. Otherwise, they won’t bother you much—you need to focus on your studies and prepare for the exams.”
He had made a bet with the clan leader.
The family shrine had already issued the official notice.
Given the situation, he had to focus on his studies—his success was crucial.
The county exam was held three times. Once he finished these three exams, he would officially become a xiucai and could enter the prefectural exam.
Pei Qinhai couldn’t afford to waste time.
“Miss Song is right. We can let her tutor us.” Hearing Song Shiyu’s words, Pei Jinxi immediately agreed.
Being a girl, she was smart and mature for her age.
Whether their third uncle passed the exams was important for the future of the Pei family. Previously, they had no choice but to follow him, but now that someone was willing to help, it was obvious they should accept it.
So, Pei Jinxi immediately expressed her support.
Pei Jin’an, however, frowned. He wanted to refuse but was stopped by his sister, who grabbed his arm and gave him a meaningful glance.
Pei Jin’an snorted coldly but didn’t protest further.
Pei Qinhai squinted, thought for a moment, and quickly agreed.
Song Shiyu’s lips curved slightly as she prepared the story illustrations she had drawn for the day.
“Today, I’m going to tell you the story of the Three Fights with the White Bone Demon.”
As she spoke, she opened her drawings and placed them in front of the two children.
The very first drawing—a perfectly detailed skull—made both children shiver.
Of course, this drawing wasn’t just a skull. Upon closer inspection, there was also a stunningly beautiful woman with perfectly proportioned features, a gentle smile, and bright, lively eyes.
Her peasant attire couldn’t hide her elegance and charm.
Not far behind her stood an elderly farmer and his wife, clearly worn with age.
Though slightly frightened, Pei Jin’an was intrigued.
Song Shiyu’s storytelling was exceptional—he had never encountered anything like it before. It was easy to get absorbed.
The inclusion of a skull in the illustration only piqued his curiosity further. Just seeing it, he was already wondering what magical story would unfold next.
Song Shiyu saw the eager expressions on the children’s faces and a small smile appeared at the corners of her lips. She began narrating the story vividly and dramatically.
In the dimly lit room, the candlelight flickered with the wind, but the atmosphere wasn’t eerie.
The family sat together harmoniously.
As Song Shiyu told the story, the two children became more and more captivated.
Not only them—even Pei Qinhai, sitting nearby, had to admit that Song Shiyu was remarkably gifted in storytelling.
Moreover, where did all these stories in her mind come from?
She somehow wove in elements of Buddhism and Taoism, touching on truth, yet also added subtle commentary and satire.
Before he realized it, the story of the Three Fights with the White Bone Demon had ended.
However, the story didn’t immediately lull the children to sleep—Song Shiyu herself was parched from talking, yet the two children were still awake.
During a short break to drink water, Pei Jin’an and Pei Jinxi decided they wanted to try drawing like Song Shiyu. They happily began to copy her illustrations.
Pei Jinxi sighed:
“This drawing feels so vivid. After hearing the story, I think Tang Sanzang was too foolish—he didn’t trust his disciple at all.”
“Yeah. Sun Wukong is really powerful! That foolish monk even drove away his most capable disciple. Next time they face a demon, who will protect him? In short, he’s just dumb!”
Pei Jin’an snorted: “I think the rest of the story will be even better.”
Pei Jinxi: “When Tang Sanzang drove Sun Wukong away, I almost cried. It felt so heartbreaking.”
Pei Jin’an’s lips twitched. He too was secretly touched and, deep inside, felt a restless curiosity about what would happen to Sun Wukong next. Would the journey to the West continue?
But at this moment, Pei Jin’an was too shy to ask Song Shiyu to continue.
Instead, itching with curiosity, he picked up a sheet of paper and tried copying Song Shiyu’s illustrations.
At first, it seemed simple—but once he tried, he realized it was much harder than he expected. Every stroke was difficult.
He couldn’t help but glance at Miss Song.
His earlier dislike of her had turned into surprise and suspicion.
She wasn’t untalented—in fact, she had a mysterious depth to her.
He had thought her incompetent, but she could easily draw simple images, narrate vivid stories, and occasionally speak profound truths without even trying.
Even her choice of words was precise.
She was nothing like the fierce, indifferent Miss Song from before.
While Pei Jin’an and Pei Jinxi practiced their drawings, Song Shiyu finally had a chance to rest.
She brought her oversized plush pillow into the room.
The fluffy, soft pillow sat on the chair, and as she leaned back, she immediately felt comforted.
Now this was perfect!
Her previous workspace had been arranged for maximum comfort, and this was only the beginning—she planned to make it even better.
Song Shiyu still had tasks to complete, so she continued sewing and mending by candlelight.