Chapter 15: The Locked Third Floor

He Shanyue's gaze instinctively drifted toward the狸猫 (leopard cat) wood carving on the museum shelf.

Almost everyone succumbed to the word "habit." No matter when the same hand is used, the trajectory of its force is essentially consistent; even the intensity of each stroke, the points of pause, and the curvature of the finish reach an astonishing level of uniformity through years of practice—this is also the most fundamental crux of painting appraisal.

And using a brush or a knife is the same hand.

From the few strokes of the leopard cat, He Shanyue judged that the wood carving and the traces of the several painted cats were produced by the same person.

Furthermore, it was a man with a very strong grip.

He Shanyue pulled out the cat with the most distinct brushwork: "This one is somewhat different. Although the technique is slightly unrefined, the expression of the cat is the most vivid and gentle."

Zhou Linian leaned forward with a thin smile, her eyes filled with endless tenderness, and her speech became much more fluid: "Is it? I like this one too. Look, it depicts 'dark clouds covering snow'—the gray across its back and the white on its four paws; it is both spirited and serene."

He Shanyue glanced sideways at Zhou Linian.

A light gray linen robe, two snow-white wrists, and a plain, small face—she was exactly like a "dark clouds covering snow" cat: not exceptionally beautiful, but pitiable and endearing due to her timidity and fearfulness.

The best paintings in the world are those filled with love.

He Shanyue placed the painting on the table without a word and chatted with Zhou Linian for a few moments about trees and cats, finally settling tomorrow's teaching schedule in a consultative tone: "...When we learned to paint as children, our families were poor, so we always carried a sense of urgency to master it quickly to earn money, learning in a superficial manner. The young lady of the Cheng family does not need to beg for food to support her family early on, so we shall go a little slower."

"I have observed that you, Linian, are skilled in line drawing and outlining. You shall teach step-by-step, starting from the simplest stages: branches blooming, petals falling, and buds swelling. You only need to paint; you do not need to speak too much—I will teach the appreciation and appraisal of paintings."

Zhou Linian was stunned. Seeing He Shanyue staring at her, she hurriedly nodded emphatically.

Her slightly balding crown once again became a frequent target of observation.

He Shanyue turned and went back to her room.

Night had fallen completely. Wang Erniang lived in the outer room, while He Shanyue slept in the inner room. They were not far apart, but they were separate rooms.

Wang Erniang closed her eyes and turned over: "If you were a bit more ruthless and left the speaking part of the teaching to that *ma-mou-er*, she wouldn't know what a huge laughingstock she'd make. Once the master sees she can't even speak clearly—she'll be kicked out tomorrow!"

*Ma-mou-er?*

He Shanyue gave a soft "Hmm?" to indicate she didn't understand.

Wang Erniang explained: "That Zhou Linian—we Sichuanese call mute cats *ma-mou-er*."

He Shanyue:...

He Shanyue also turned over without replying.

After a while, in the darkness, Wang Erniang said, "You don't want to see her make a fool of herself, do you?"

He Shanyue still did not answer.

Wang Erniang turned over again, propping herself up on her waist to change the subject: "You and that *ma-mou-er* are poles apart. You paint landscapes with grand, sweeping strokes, while she draws a few lines. You are an orphan, while eight of her kin are buried in the soil. You are taller than her, and you are as beautiful as a painting worth a hundred taels, while she..."

Refraining from judging a girl's appearance, Wang Erniang paused: "Why would the Cheng family pair the two of you together for comparison? What is there to compare?"

Darkness. A silent darkness.

There was no sound from the inner room.

Wang Erniang curled her lip. No wonder for all these years, the "Bridge-Bone" group never invited her to eat hotpot—outwardly, she wore a flawless, beautiful face, acted approachable, and treated people with gentleness; but privately, she was an ice cellar, cold and hard, impossible to warm up.

Wang Erniang turned over again. After a long time, just as she was drifting into a daze of sleep, she heard a voice from the inner room.

"There is one trait she possesses that I do not," He Shanyue said.

Wang Erniang opened her eyes as if sleepwalking: "Huh?"

"Cowardice."

A cold, steady, and emotionless voice drifted from the inner room.

She and Zhou Linian had both been selected; her advantages were obvious at a glance.

But Zhou Linian must possess something the Cheng family needs even more, which would cause them to ignore all disparities and drag the two of them onto the same line for comparison.

Cowardice usually implies being timid, and being timid usually implies being obedient.

The Cheng family wanted an obedient female tutor.

Although He Shanyue could not currently understand the Cheng family's motives, this was the absolutely correct conclusion she had dissected after meeting Zhou Linian.

Wang Erniang drifted in and out of sleep, answering in a daze: "Then what are you going to do? Tuck your head in like a turtle, or pretend to be a broken gourd?"

"I don't necessarily need to get the highest score."

"As long as I ensure my opponent gets a zero," He Shanyue said softly, "I win."

The next day, there was still a faint glow of sunlight in the morning. After noon, it began to rain. Huangqi, the first-class maid serving Lady Duan, invited Zhou and He to the "Zigui Hall" in the southeast corner.

The modest Cheng estate had actually built a private academy in the inner courtyard where the female members resided, specifically for the instruction of unmarried women.

The school was not large but had three floors. The first floor held eight low eucalyptus wood tables on either side. The second floor held zithers, pipas, guzheng, flutes, and several scattered musical scores. The small door on the third floor was locked with a copper lock; no one knew what was inside.

Huangqi bowed: "Although our Cheng family is a merchant house, we are honored with the title of Imperial Merchants. We place equal importance on the upbringing of our masters and young ladies. Poetry, music, etiquette... the 'Six Arts' of a gentleman must all be learned meticulously. Since classes begin today, according to old custom, our Mistress should have presided, but unexpectedly, the Maternal Aunt's daughter fell ill, which disrupted the plans. Therefore, I shall explain the details of the young ladies studying here to you both."

"The Maternal Aunt's daughter fell ill..."—for some reason, He Shanyue suddenly remembered the sudden commotion outside the main hall on her first day at the Cheng residence.

"Aside from the Maternal Aunt's daughter who is suffering from a sudden cold, there are currently four young ladies studying here. The eldest is the niece of Mrs. He from the Cheng family's second branch, surnamed He, called Yaoniang; the second and third are young ladies from the Cheng clan, one called Qiaozhi and the other Xiaozhi; the youngest is the daughter of an old acquaintance of our Mistress's father, surnamed Lin, called Yueyue."

He Shanyue asked: "Do the Master and the Second Master Cheng, who live in this manor, not have daughters of their own?"

Huangqi smiled: "Of course they do. The Master's two daughters are still young, one is nine and the other is seven. The eldest daughter is born of the Mistress, and the second is born of Concubine Gu. The Third Miss, born of the Second Master, is even younger; they are all currently in the outer courtyard studying the Four Books with the young master."

He Shanyue lowered her eyes slightly, concealing the sharpness within them.

Huangqi's smile was dignified and appropriate. The pure silver Warm Chrysanthemum Autumn-Greeting hairpin in her hair was heavier than all of Huangzhi and Huanglian's jewelry combined.

He Shanyue did not ask any more questions. Instead, Zhou Linian stammered a mutter: "...Why are they all other people's daughters? What kind of logic is this..."

Huangqi smiled: "Miss Zhou, you are mistaken. The Cheng family provides free medical consultations and medicine to the public to help the weak; internally, we establish private academies to welcome talented individuals. We are renowned both inside and outside the city."

"Regardless of which family these ladies come from or whether they are surnamed Cheng, as long as they are devoted to learning, the Cheng family provides for their education with kindness, never accepting a single grain in return. This is true benevolence, kindness, and virtue."

Huangqi spoke until Zhou Linian's face turned beet red, as if she were a mere person driven by calculation.

He Shanyue smiled: "May I ask what is locked on the third floor? Is it our studio?"