Rong Jin lowered his eyelashes, casting a subtle shadow on his indifferent eyes, softening them with a hint of warmth. It was as if the frozen stream was melting, creating a flowing current.
“Remember to hold it like this next time.”
Rong Jin casually retracted his hand, straightened up, and resumed his cold demeanor.
Tong Sui momentarily snapped back to reality. If it weren’t for the lingering coolness in his hand, he would have thought that Rong Jin’s action of teaching him how to hold the pen was merely a figment of his imagination.
He pulled out another sheet of paper, dipped the pen in ink, and gently wrote two characters on the paper using the adjusted holding posture.
Rong Jin.
Standing nearby, Rong Jin was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Tong Sui to practice writing his name.
“You missed a stroke here.”
He reached out, gripped the pen along with Tong Sui’s hand, and added a stroke on the paper. “Did you remember?”
Tong Sui nodded repeatedly, “I will remember, it’s etched in my heart.”
Rong Jin fell silent for a moment, feeling a subtle emotion rising in his chest. He loosened his grip and turned away, “That’s enough, let’s go eat.”
Tong Sui cheerfully agreed and followed behind him.
Two figures walked through the snowy night, their footsteps crunching in the snow. Though the sound was louder than when alone, it dispelled the years of accumulated loneliness.
The dining hall was filled with enticing aromas.
Tong Sui was already hungry. He felt as though he had returned to his teenage years, where no matter how much he ate, hunger struck him quickly.
Moreover, he was easy to feed, not picky at all; whatever he ate seemed delicious, filled with a sense of happiness.
Rong Jin was accustomed to eating alone, but now with Tong Sui beside him, he found that barrier he had built over the years had been crossed.
He casually glanced over.
Tong Sui sometimes made soft chewing sounds while eating, but it wasn’t annoying; his puffed cheeks resembled a little hamster trying hard to eat.
If he had restrained himself a bit yesterday, now he fully revealed his true self.
Who would dare to relax in front of him like that?
Rong Jin thought for a moment; it seemed he really had not met anyone like that.
At banquets or privately, dining was merely a necessary task to stay alive, but in Tong Sui’s world, it was a form of enjoyment.
After finishing a bowl of rice, Tong Sui turned around and noticed Rong Jin was staring at him.
His face instantly turned red.
“Sir, am I quite the eater?”
“Hmm, eat more, you’re too thin right now.”
Rong Jin’s words gave Tong Sui all the reason to indulge; he unceremoniously served himself a second bowl of rice, filled with motivation as he announced, “I’m going to start eating now!”
Rong Jin could not help but let the corners of his lips curve upwards slightly.
The atmosphere in the dining hall lightened considerably; it was rare to see such harmony here.
The servants marveled inwardly.
This young boy was simply a delight to Rong Jin; otherwise, how could they witness Rong Jin smile? His appetite today was better than usual, and he was eating more than he typically did.
After eating, Tong Sui rushed back to his study to catch up on some homework before washing up and going to bed.
The next day.
Liu Yong must have received instructions from Rong Jin, adding calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting to the curriculum.
Tong Sui’s drawing skills only reached the level of drawing a large goose, let alone attempting expressive ink wash paintings.
It was too challenging for him.
He furrowed his brow, toiling for several days, and finally managed to produce a piece that was somewhat presentable.
“Can I frame this painting?” Tong Sui asked.
“Of course,” Liu Yong replied, “Do you want to keep it as a memento?”
“I want to gift it to you, sir!”
Tong Sui diligently wrote Rong Jin’s name in somewhat unsightly characters on the bottom left corner.
Liu Yong felt a bit embarrassed, saying, “I think it would be better to choose something else…”
“Huh? Doesn’t the sir like paintings?”
Tong Sui remembered seeing many rolled-up paintings in Rong Jin’s room and calligraphy hanging on the wall.
Liu Yong saw the bright, expectant look in his eyes and didn’t want to dampen his confidence.
The calligraphy and paintings in Rong Jin’s room were all masterpieces by renowned masters, and he only accepted works that were exceptionally curated.
Forget it.
After all, it was a child’s sincere affection; no matter how cold Rong Jin was, he would probably just refuse to accept it.
Thus, Tong Sui happily held his framed painting and went to the Department of Ceremonies.
Outside, two guards blocked his way.
“Wait, what are you here for? What’s in your hands?”
A voice from inside the hall called out, “Let him in.”
Tong Sui huffed, clutching his painting, and went inside. He realized that besides Rong Jin, there were also many unfamiliar faces that seemed to be ministers by their clothing.
“Sir.”
Tong Sui obediently sat next to Rong Jin, causing a stir among the group of ministers, as everyone knew Rong Jin had a habit of disliking others getting too close.
They were waiting for Rong Jin to explode, but he merely said in a calm tone, “You all continue discussing what you were saying earlier.”
“Yes,” the ministers resumed their discussions, covering daily expenditure reports and a corruption case concerning the grain transport.
“We have already apprehended the relevant individuals, and in a few days, they will be escorted to the capital.”
About half an hour later, everyone left.
Tong Sui had been sitting for so long that his legs felt numb. He quickly stretched them out, and the painting in his arms fell to the side.
Rong Jin reached out to pick it up. “What is the matter with your sudden visit?”
Seeing him holding his painting, Tong Sui felt a bit embarrassed, blushing as he said, “You’ll know once you open it.”
Rong Jin slowly unfolded it, observing a very personal landscape painting, and noticed the inscription in the bottom left corner. “Is this a gift for me?”
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