All Hail Cousin Brother

Chapter 507: The Only One

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

After living in the Yu Residence for so long, Zhou Linghuai was already used to spending the holidays with Yu Youyao.

Only then did Yu Youyao realize that during this period of time, she had been making all kinds of incense recipes. Apart from that, she had not been involved in anything else in the residence.

This morning, Chun Xiao even mentioned, “It’s the Laba Festival today. The palace rewarded us with Laba porridge yesterday. Old Madam distributed some to the various courtyards. As we are still in mourning for the King of Zhouli, all the banquets have been abolished. We only prepared a ceremony for the Laba Festival and will not be holding a banquet. Everyone will celebrate it simply with just some Laba porridge.”

Those words had entered her one ear and out the other.

During breakfast, she was thinking about ways to improve the incense recipe. She only knew to eat porridge. Later on, when she entered the incense room, she completely forgot about this matter.

It was not until it snowed outside that Yu Youyao left the incense room, worried about her cousin.

It was probably because her cousin was waiting to celebrate the holidays with her, but because she did not go to The Green House, he came over himself.

Yu Youyao smiled. “I forgot that it’s the Laba Festival today. Calculating the days, it’ll be the 21st day of the King of Zhouli’s funeral tomorrow. It’s time to move on.”

In the past, during the Laba Festival, the family would be busy preparing a table for the Laba banquet. The family would then gather together and chat about the auspicious meanings of the snow.

This year, the day passed by coldly. She did not feel the atmosphere of the Laba

Festival at all, but did not take it to heart.

However, Yu Youyao was still very happy.

When the King of Zhouli’s funeral completes, this matter would really come to an end. Everything could be turned around again. She hoped that from then on, her cousin would be reborn.

Zhou Linghuai understood what she meant and said meaningfully, “From now on, I really have nothing to hold on to and worry about in this world.”

Upon hearing this, she knew that her cousin was really planning to let it go.

Yu Youyao was delighted. She held her cousin’s hand and smiled brightly. “Why won’t you have something to hold on to? Don’t you still have me?!”

Since she had delivered herself to his door, Zhou Linghuai naturally had no reason to reject her. “Alright, from now on, you’re the only one in my world.”

He had changed his words to “the only one”. The greed) anger, and obsession in his heart were like vines that wrapped around him.

Yu Youyao did not hear the difference and only felt happy. “Then Cousin, you have to remember at all times that from now on, no matter if it’s close or far away, I’ll always be worried about you. Firstly, I wish for Cousin to be living a long life. Secondly, I wish for you to always be healthy. Thirdly, I wish that we’d be like swallows on a beam and we’ll always be together.”

The original sentence should be: “Firstly, I wish for you, my husband, to be living a long life. Secondly, I wish for myself to always be healthy for you.”

Yu Youyao liked the beautiful hope of eternal companionship in this poem, but she felt that the original sentence did not seem accurate when used on her and her cousin. It was even a little strange, so she changed it.

With this change, it was more in line with the relationship between her and her cousin. They were pure and sincere and wanted to accompany each other.

Yu Youyao smiled brightly and happily. Her eyes were sparkling, pure and clear.

The exquisiteness of the poem was that when the same poem was used on different people in different environments, there would be different interpretations and understandings. One could consciously change the lyrics accordingly.

But in Zhou Linghuai’s ears, that was not the case at all.

He was proficient in poetry. The first thing he thought of was that Yu Youyao might have changed the words to “cousin” and “you to always be healthy” to make the poem be about cousins.

However, Yu Youyao had forgotten that they were not real cousins.

Putting aside the fact that they were not cousins, they were two people not related by blood who wanted to be together…

Zhou Linghuai took a deep look at Yu Youyao. The young lady was smiling mindlessly, not knowing that she had sold herself with just a poem.

The words “young and ignorant” were most suitable for her.

Zhou Linghuai sighed in his heart. This girl was shrewd and intelligent when it came to dealing with people, but sometimes, she was muddle-headed and foolish. It made him feel a little helpless.

This was too much. Zhou Linghuai suppressed his thoughts and smiled. “I prepared a gift for Cousin.”

He had said that he would prepare a gift for her every New Year and festival.

He had always remembered that he could not miss even the Laba Festival. Yu Youyao’s eyes lit up and she quickly asked, “Let me see it.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Xia Tao ran into the house. “Miss, there are several carts of large rocks outside. They said that the Dragon Resting Stones

were transported from Wutai Mountain. The Young Master specially found them. Even Old Madam and the Second Master were alarmed…

Yu Youyao smiled and turned to look at her cousin. “Is it the Dragon Resting Stones?

Zhou Linghuai nodded. “That’s right. The journey to Shanxi is long, and it’s going to be autumn and winter. It was not easy to travel. It took a long time to get here. Although the stones have been transported into the capital, they still have to be carved. After that, they’ll be placed in an icehouse to hide for the winter. When the weather is hot next year, it’ll be cold for the summer.”

Yu Youyao was overjoyed. “I’ll go out and take a look too.”

Zhou Linghuai was about to say that they would go together.

Yu Youyao seemed to have guessed that he would say that. She glared at him again. “Just wait for me in the house obediently. I’ll be back soon. I won’t make Cousin wait too long.”

Zhou Linghuai was helpless, but with the little girl’s delicate and fierce expression, he could only nod and agree.

After receiving the guarantee, Yu Youyao stood up from the stool, picked up her skirt, and was about to run out.

Zhou Linghuai frowned. “Come back and put on your cloak. Take the hand furnace with you too.”

Yu Youyao retracted her foot and returned to the house resentfully.

Xia Tao had already brought over a long cloak with a fur tie and hat, as well as a jade hand furnace to warm her hands. After Yu Youyao put on her clothes, she was allowed to leave by her cousin.

The snowstorm outside had gotten heavier. Yu Youyao tightened her fur-collared hat and walked along the corridor to the front of the hanging flower door.

There were already quite a number of people gathered around the three large rocks in front of the hanging flower door, pointing and talking

“The weather is so cold. The journey to the west of Shanxi is long and stretches for 100,000 miles. The mountain path is rugged and difficult to walk on, and there are many bandits around. Young Master has really put in a lot of effort for a few rocks.”

“These aren’t ordinary stones. They’re Dragon Resting Stones produced by Wutai Mountain in Shanxi. They’re also called cooling stones. One stone is worth tens of thousands of gold. They were delivered into the capital by an

escort company:

“I heard that this stone was mined at a high place on Mount Wutai, a place where it’s covered in snow all year round so it’s cold. When it’s placed in the house in the summer, it can reduce the heat and dryness.”

“I know, our Eldest Miss is even more afraid of the heat than Old Madam when it’s summer. I’m afraid this stone was specially found by the Young Master to give to Eldest Miss!”

“Young Master dotes on Eldest Miss the most. It’s most likely the case…”

As soon as the stone was transported into the residence, everyone in the residence knew that it was for the Eldest Miss.

Yu Youyao smiled secretly and quickly looked at the stone.

The largest piece was six feet tall (two meters). It looked like a mountain and was dark green in color. The stone had the patterns of flowers, birds, and insects. It was extremely beautiful..