All Hail Cousin Brother

193 Cousin, Why Are You Here?

Song Mingzhao nodded. “Thank you, Grandmother Yu.”

After chatting for a while, Song Mingzhao wanted to leave.

Old Madam Yu turned to Yu Youyao and said, “Send Mingzhao off.”

Yu Youyao was not very happy, but she did not show it on her face. Song Mingzhao had specially come to greet her. His presence was important and the The Yu Residence had to be respectful but they couldn’t possibly ask Grandmother to send him off!

The two of them walked out of the door side by side. Yu Youyao was small, and she was not even as tall as Song Mingzhao’s shoulder. However, when they stood together, the man’s handsome and noble appearance and the woman’s delicate appearance made everyone’s eyes light up.

Yu Youyao sent him to the entrance of the courtyard and stopped. “Prince Song, take care.”

Song Mingzhao stood rooted to the ground and turned to look at Yu Youyao. “I heard that Eldest Miss Yu goes to the Precious Peace Temple with Grandmother every year on the Buddhist Festival?”

Yu Youyao nodded. “Grandmother lit a lamp for my mother in the temple. I have to come over every year to add oil to the lamp and mourn.”

Song Mingzhao was silent for a while.

However, Yu Youyao did not know whether to leave or stay. It was awkward for her to just stand with him. After enduring it for a while, she asked, “Prince, is there anything else?”

Song Mingzhao glanced at Yu Youyao, as if he had something to say. However, he saw the faint expression on her face, so he shook his head. “No, Miss, you don’t have to send me off anymore. Go back!”

Yu Youyao heaved a sigh of relief and bowed to Song Mingzhao. Before he left, she returned to the courtyard.

Song Mingzhao tilted his head and saw Eldest Miss Yu, who was brushing shoulders with him, from the corner of his eye. There was a smile on her lips. Her eyes were like sparkling stars and the smile made them look bright and clear.

Eldest Miss Yu did not seem to like him much.

He lowered his head and fiddled with the broken jade on his wrist out of habit before striding away.

Seeing that her granddaughter had returned to her room, Old Madam Yu said, “I wonder if Young Master Song is here to pay his respects or to thank you.”

When Yu Youyao heard this, her eyelids twitched again. “Of course he’s here to pay his respects and thank me. Young Master Song isn’t someone who doesn’t know his priorities. How can he not know his priorities? Besides, Young Master Song is a junior. There’s nothing to criticize when he didn’t specially come to pay his respects when he heard that Grandmother was also at the Precious Peace Temple. Grandmother Song is close to Grandmother, so he specially came over to show his etiquette.”

Old Madam Yu knew this logic better than her, so she glanced at her. “I just said it casually, but you can already say so much. You’ve really grown.”

She could also sense that Yao Yao was avoiding Song Mingzhao, but she didn’t think too much about it. Although she wasn’t at the age where men and women had to be wary of each other, a daughter of a good family would show more manners and upbringing when she saw another man, regardless of whether her elders were around.

Yu Youyao stuck out her tongue. Since it concerned Song Mingzhao, she didn’t say anything else.

Old Madam Yu lowered her eyes and looked at the medicinal tea in her hand. The smoke from the tea hid the many thoughts in her eyes.

Song Mingzhao’s thoughts were very deep, and it wasn’t easy to guess.

His actions today were in line with etiquette, and he was grateful to Yao Yao. However, his attitude towards Yao Yao was a little obscure, and no one could tell what he was thinking.

After thinking for a while, Old Madam Yu chuckled. “I’ll go to Master Hui Neng’s meditation room to listen to the meditation. Stay here alone. If you want to go out for a walk, bring your maid servants with you. You can’t walk around on your own.”

There was no need to be in a hurry to think about this. After all, there was still a long way to go. She had to watch carefully to see if it was good or bad.

Yu Youyao nodded and personally sent her grandmother to the meditation room. When she returned to the room, a small monk brought over the Bodhi Tree branches and leaves that Yu Youyao had asked for previously.

She had to take a good look at what she was given on the spot. Yu Youyao scanned them carefully and did not find any problems. However, she found a folded note under the cloth bag.

Yu Youyao’s breathing tightened, but she did not plan to make it public. She turned around and instructed Chun Xiao, “You don’t have to wait on me. Go and rest too.”

Seeing that Chun Xiao had left and even thoughtfully closed the door, Yu Youyao unfolded the note. She had originally felt uneasy and asked the temple for something, but a note had slipped in. No matter how she looked at it, this matter seemed abnormal. However, when Yu Youyao saw the familiar words on it, she smiled.

After memorizing the contents of the note, Yu Youyao burned it and called Chun Xiao over. “It’s rare for me to come to the Precious Peace Temple. I plan to go to the meditation room to listen so that I can pray for Grandmother and Cousin.”

There was nothing wrong with this, but Chun Xiao couldn’t help but ask, “Doesn’t Miss usually hate to go to the meditation room to listen to the meditation? Old Madam always goes alone and doesn’t bring Miss along.” Today, it was very strange.

Yu Youyao did not explain. “I suddenly want to go.”

Chun Xiao had no choice.

Yu Youyao brought Chun Xiao and the two old maids out of the room. When she saw a small monk, she went forward and asked, “Where’s Master Hui Ji’s meditation room?”

The little monk pointed the way. Yu Youyao thanked him and was about to go over.

Chun Xiao felt a little uneasy. “Young Miss, aren’t you going to Old Madam’s place?”

Yu Youyao shook her head. “I just want to listen to the meditation on a whim. I don’t want to disturb Grandmother’s peace.”

She was quite self-aware, so Chun Xiao did not say anything else.

Master Hui Ji’s meditation room was not far away. They arrived after a turn. Yu Youyao instructed two old maids to guard outside and brought Chun Xiao into the room. She asked Chun Xiao to stay in the outer room while she entered the inner room alone.

The room was a little dark, with sparse light and shadow seeping in through the window. It was quiet. Yu Youyao immediately saw her cousin sitting under the window of the meditation room. There was a chessboard in front of him, with black and white pieces crisscrossing it.

“Cousin!” Yu Youyao’s voice was cheerful. She sat down opposite her cousin and asked with a smile, “Why are you here at the Precious Peace Temple? You even got someone to send me a note.”

The corners of Zhou Linghuai’s lips also curled up slightly. “I have some matters to settle. Thinking that you were also at the Precious Peace Temple, I borrowed Master Hui Ji’s meditation hall to meet you. There’s nothing special.”

Yu Youyao suddenly thought of the man in black who had called her cousin “Young Master.” Her eyelids twitched, but she did not ask what was going on. Instead, she changed the topic. “Isn’t today the dau Uncle Sun will refine the pills? Why are you still moving around?”

Zhou Linghuai smiled. “Uncle Sun is the one refining the pills, not me. It doesn’t matter if I’m not around.”

That was true. Yu Youyao nodded. “How’s Uncle Sun’s pill refinement going? Was it successful? Unfortunately, I wasn’t in the residence. Otherwise, I would have seen it with my own eyes.”

nZhou Linghuai’s smile deepened. “Everything is going well. However, it’s not that easy to refine pills. Once the furnace is opened, the pills won’t be refined immediately.”