The night deepened.
He Zhifei, seated behind the desk, raised his head, rubbed his sore wrists, and his gaze drifted uncontrollably towards the window.
Since autumn, the days had grown progressively cooler, and the night wind was as chilling as water.
The study windows were all closed. He Zhifei wasn't looking at the moon outside; the woman seated by the window was more captivating than any moonlight.
Various materials and delicate tools were piled on the small table before her, some carelessly tossed onto the floor, others scattered on her hem. A branch of osmanthus flowers, plucked from outside and placed in a vase by Aunt He in the afternoon, teetered precariously in a corner of the table. Her entire attention was focused on the walnut in her hand, which was already beginning to take on a lifelike form.
When engrossed in her craft, Xie Jiang shed her aura of martial prowess, appearing approachable and amiable.
Perhaps sensing she wouldn't be noticed, He Zhifei allowed his gaze to linger on her until he heard approaching footsteps. He Zhifei then realized with a start that a considerable amount of time had passed.
As soon as Aunt He entered, she began to scold with displeasure, "Have you no idea what time it is? Is there anything more important than the young master's health? To keep him working until now, not allowing him to rest?"
It was as if she was directly calling He Zhifei incompetent.
He Zhifei wanted to say that he had tried to persuade her, but the young master had turned a deaf ear, clearly intending to finish it in one go.
Aunt He shot He Zhifei a fierce glare, then turned and walked towards Xie Jiang by the window.
Before He Zhifei could even open his mouth, Aunt He didn't need his explanation.
What explanation was needed? Causing the young master to be tired was a sign of a subordinate's incompetence. Making the young master unable to rest so late was the greatest sin.
It was only because He Zhifei possessed a refined and elegant demeanor that one felt reluctant to be harsh. If it were Su Yang, Aunt He would have gone up and berated him fiercely.
"..."
He Zhifei wasn't sure if he should feel honored.
The matters that required the young master's review had all been handled in the afternoon.
The young master wasn't necessarily busy while staying in the study. Just now, she had been amusing herself by throwing grapes at his head. The moment he looked up, she sat up straight, as if attentively reviewing incoming correspondence. But as soon as he lowered his head, a grape hit him squarely on the head.
As he picked up his brush, a grape rolled out of his sleeve.
Aside from those that had rolled onto the floor, there were still six plump grapes on the desk before him.
If he hadn't spent so much time by her side, he would never have known that the once formidable Young Master Xie, who could easily resort to violence, harbored such a childlike side.
What could he do with her? Tell her not to tease him?
She would only look at him with innocent eyes, as if she had done nothing at all, and wonder why he was blaming her.
He...
He could only sincerely thank her for the grapes.
He Zhifei sighed helplessly and continued to review the remaining official documents.
As Aunt He reached the area by the window where the table and soft couch were placed, she could clearly see what Xie Jiang was doing.
"What is the young master carving on a walnut?" As long as it wasn't a mentally taxing official duty, Aunt He's heart settled.
Xie Jiang remained silent and didn't look up. After securing a piece of coral, she placed a sesame-seed-sized fish, which she had just finished and placed beside her, into the seabed world within the walnut.
Seeing this, Aunt He didn't want to disturb her and quietly stood by to watch for a while.
Xie Jiang scrutinized the miniature world inside the walnut, feeling that something was still missing. She gently set the walnut down and then found a piece of material, of unknown origin, to continue carving.
Observing the small tools in her hand, which she used with great dexterity, Aunt He couldn't help but caution, "Young master, please be careful and take your time. Don't cut yourself."
Her gaze shifted to the walnut placed on the table. Aunt He's eyes immediately lit up. The walnut shell, split in half, was clearly meticulously polished and connected with metal clasps.
But the most exquisite part wasn't the walnut itself, but what was hidden inside the walnut shell.
Though the space within the walnut shell was small, it contained a magical world.
Various kinds of fish and shrimp, corals of all colors...
The inner shell of the walnut was also coated in a layer of serene and profound deep-sea blue.
"Oh! This is so beautifully made. The young master's hands are so skillful. She's made a sea! Oh my, the little fish are so lifelike, and there's a little crab with chubby little claws..."
As Aunt He marveled, Xie Jiang quickly finished making small conch shells.
Xie Jiang held the walnut in her hand, found three of the most suitable spots, and fixed the conch shells in place.
After examining it from various angles, Xie Jiang nodded in satisfaction, closed the walnut shell. It looked like an ordinary walnut, except for the polished surface which made it appear smoother, with no other peculiarities. Even the metal clasps connecting the shell were hidden within the walnut's interior.
Once the walnut shell was opened, the unexpected would be revealed.
"My young master is truly amazing. Even the trinkets she casually makes are so ingenious. Oh, it's just too beautiful. As long as my young master is willing, what in this world could be difficult for her?"
Aunt He took the walnut, held it carefully in her hands, looked at it repeatedly, and praised it endlessly.
He Zhifei's desk was some distance from the window. From his angle, he couldn't clearly see the wonders within the tiny walnut shell. Hearing Aunt He's effusive praise, he couldn't help but become curious about what Xie Jiang had so meticulously carved.
Suddenly remembering that there was someone else in the study, she eagerly walked to the desk, opened the walnut shell, and showed it to He Zhifei. "Young Master He, quickly take a look at the young master's ingenious creation. Isn't it unique and distinctive?"
Seeing He Zhifei's obvious look of surprise, Aunt He's smile became even more smug. Her young master was simply omnipotent!
From the grand affairs of state to a small walnut, she could handle anything with ease.
He Zhifei extended his hand to Aunt He, took the walnut, and examined it carefully for a while before saying, "It is indeed exquisitely crafted. I didn't expect the young master to be skilled in such things."
Xie Jiang stretched her arms. "I learned it from someone when I was studying before. I haven't done it in many years, so my skills are a bit rusty."
He Zhifei wondered when she had attended school.
When she was very young, she single-handedly turned the Four Continents upside down, and then reshaped them.
Could it have been when she was still in the Duke of Dingguo's mansion?
It was evident that her skills were a bit rusty, but it was already very good.
While the small fish and shrimp couldn't be said to be lifelike, they possessed a unique vitality.
One could tell it was her style.
Aunt He said with pride, "To be able to do so well with just casual learning, my young master is truly intelligent, the most intelligent in the world!"
He Zhifei smiled and nodded. She was indeed naturally intelligent. Aunt He's praise was not entirely unfounded.
However, Aunt He's praise was biased...
He Zhifei couldn't help but recall her inviting him to play chess yesterday.
To avoid certain troubles, he hadn't let her lose too badly, but ultimately, she had lost.
She had whined at Aunt He with expectant eyes, causing Aunt He's heart to ache and glare at him, claiming that the incense he wore was too strong and had affected her train of thought.
He Zhifei didn't even know when he had started wearing incense.
But she still whined at Aunt He.
He Zhifei could only lie and admit that he had indeed worn incense.
Aunt He immediately felt that her young master had lost unfairly. Her young master was omnipotent, capable of anything. How could she possibly lose to Young Master He in a mere game of chess?
While reviewing the official documents, He Zhifei's mind was still occupied with how, the next time she invited him to play chess, he could lose without leaving any trace.