Hey! Host! I asked you to have a child, not to have a strategy.

Zhu Baishao seemed to finally feel his kindness. She was stunned for a moment before shaking her head with a smile on her face. "Thank you, uncle. I don't need it."

"But..." She seemed a little hesitant.

"Sister-in-law, if you have anything to say, just say it." The young boy's eyes sparkled.

"I heard that uncle studies very hard... I wonder if you can bring me some books... money..."

She seemed a little embarrassed to entrust her brother-in-law to do such a thing, but Zhao Qing agreed without waiting for her to finish.

"Sister-in-law, what book do you need? Tell me the title and I'll bring it to you next time I have a day off. As for the money, I'll also withdraw it from the public account, so you don't have to pay for it."

Zhu Baishao's eyelashes trembled, "Well, well, then I'll trouble you, uncle."

She listed the titles of several books one by one, then thanked him and went towards the ancestral hall.

He didn't know if it was Zhao Qing's illusion, but he felt that her steps were lighter than before.

My sister-in-law is only in her twenties, and her life has just begun. She is still so young, but she is trapped in this small courtyard and ancestral hall, which is lifeless...

If my second brother dies, does that mean my sister-in-law's life will also be buried?

Why?

……

Zhao Qing has a heavy academic workload and only has time to return home during holidays.

But he felt that home was too depressing and was never willing to go back.

He preferred to discuss poetry and prose, and drink wine with his classmates in the private school, enjoying himself.

But after meeting Zhu Baishao, in the dead of night, when he was alone on the bed, in a confined space, he was always worried and had wild thoughts in his mind.

He knew this was wrong.

He respected and loved his brother, but... his brother was dead, but his sister-in-law was still young.

She became a widow right after she entered the palace, and many people in the mansion were talking about her in private...

He felt sad for her.

Before going on vacation, Zhao Qing asked someone to buy the books that Zhu Baishao wanted, but he did not plan to give them to her all at once. By sending them to her one by one, he could see her more often and talk to her more.

As soon as the teacher left the school, his classmates and friends began to invite each other to go to Mingyue Tower to listen to music and compose lyrics.

When they invited Zhao Qing as usual, he refused, "I'm really sorry, I have something else to go home for."

Some people wanted to say something, but someone gave them a look: his second brother just passed away, how could he be in the mood to go out and have fun.

The others suddenly realized and stopped holding Zhao Qing.

After returning home and dealing with the inquiries from his elders, Zhao Qing wanted to go to the side yard, but he met his mother on the way and was stopped.

His mother looked at him suspiciously and asked him where he was going with a smile on his face and hurried steps.

Zhao Qing's heart trembled, and he shook the book in his hand, "I just read a good article, and I was so excited that I wanted to share it with my friends."

His mother didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "It's getting so late. Let's go tomorrow."

Zhao Qing agreed and followed her mother to the main hall.

He suppressed his restless heart and waited until after lunch the next day before he took his books and went straight to the attic.

When Zhao Qing walked over, Zhu Baishao was sitting in the corridor, leaning against a stone pillar. Her long black hair was not fully combed up as usual, but half tied up and left loosely behind her head.

She half-closed her eyes, seeming sleepy.

Perhaps the sound of him opening the door woke her up, and she opened her eyes and looked over.

Her usually calm and cold eyes were now misty, revealing a rare cuteness.

This made Zhao Qing more clearly aware of her youth, and of the regret mixed with anger in her heart.

Why is he angry? Because...

He was lost in thought when Zhu Baishao straightened his appearance and stood up, "Uncle."

Zhao Qing had just realized his rebellious thoughts when he heard her voice. He was suddenly a little flustered. He raised his foot and wanted to walk inside, but tripped on the steps and almost fell.

"Are you OK?"

"fine."

Zhao Qing was very good at hiding his emotions. When he looked up again, there was no trace of strangeness on his face.

He handed over the book in his arms, "I'm really sorry, the bookstore is out of stock these days, I only bought this one, but I have already told the store owner that if the books arrive, he will send a servant to notify me, and I will buy them and send them to you then."

"Besides these books, do you have anything else you want to buy? I can help you."

Zhu Baishao couldn't wait to take the book and started flipping through it. The corners of her mouth gradually rose and she revealed a smile.

"Thank you for your concern, uncle. I don't need anything else."

Zhao Qing saw that she was dressed in plain clothes and seemed to be satisfied with just this one book. He felt uncomfortable for some reason and rashly took the book back.

"Why bother reading this Taoist collection? I'll buy you some storybooks and picture albums later..."

Zhu Baishao shook her head and interrupted him, "Thank you for your kindness, uncle, but I don't need it."

She reached out and took the book back again.

Her sleeve slid through Zhao Qing's fingertips, as if being brushed by a feather, feeling a little itchy, and also a heart-pounding tremor.

His heart began to thump as she approached.

"Why not? Are you willing to live such a boring life? Living in this small courtyard, copying prayer scriptures for your whole life?"

Zhao Qing was a little emotional. He clenched his hands and said, "Or are you willing to do this because you care about your second brother?"

He has always been good at forbearance, but today, for the first time in his life, he was very emotional and showed his emotions openly.

Zhu Baishao looked at him in surprise, "Uncle, why do you say that?"

"My parents' orders and the matchmaker's words, even if I have never seen my husband before, once we get married, I will be his wife. This is the way the world is, what else can I do?"

Zhao Qing looked at her blankly. He didn't see any emotional fluctuations related to love between men and women in her eyes. He should be happy that she didn't love his second brother, but she seemed to like no one, and he didn't know what to do.

He swallowed the bitterness in his heart and forced a smile, "I didn't think it through."

Zhu Baishao's gaze fell on his drooping eyelashes, her brows furrowed, then immediately relaxed.

She seemed to think that she was overthinking. A young boy like this liked to daydream all day long.

"Uncle is still young, it's okay."

Having said that, she still slowly took a few steps back, putting some distance between them.

Zhao Qing subconsciously wanted to take a step forward, but when he saw Zhu Baishao's brows were about to turn cold again, he came to his senses and stood still.

"…The book has been delivered, so I won't bother you anymore."

He chose to leave.

Seeing this, Zhu Baishao's expression eased a little.

Zhao Qing also thought to himself that he was too impatient.

When he reached the gate of the courtyard, he turned around and asked, "I wonder if my uncle has come to bother...my sister-in-law these days?"

The two words that he had spoken fluently before, now circled on the tip of his tongue before being uttered with difficulty.