Zhou Linghuai interrupted her. “It’s fine. I also have to practice my calligraphy for an hour every day. I’ll practice with Cousin instead of in the courtyard.”

Yu Youyao rejected him tactfully. “D-Forget it. I’ll practice my calligraphy by myself and slowly master it. How can I trouble Cousin to run to the Jade Courtyard every day?”

The corners of Zhou Linghuai’s mouth twitched slightly. “I’m not tired. It’s just that I’ll have to trouble you in the future to prepare an extra set of food for lunch. Please forgive me for disturbing you.”

At this point, what else could Yu Youyao do? She could only lower her head and agree.

In the past, she had never liked to write. After practicing for a while last night, she felt that practicing calligraphy was boring, so she was even less interested. She had originally planned to just practice casually and get by. However, her cousin wanted to teach her how to write, so she had no choice but to work hard.

Zhou Linghuai asked Yu Youyao what class she had attended today, so he explained “Mannerisms” to her. The complicated and trivial etiquette and standards were much simpler after her cousin explained them.

Not long after, Nanny Xu ordered someone to prepare dinner.

After lunch, the two of them went to the study.

Thinking about how her cousin would be coming to the Jade Courtyard to teach her calligraphy for a long time, Yu Youyao got someone to move a table and pick out the best Four Treasures of the Study, placing them in the small study room.

Thus, there was a place for Zhou Linghuai in the small study.

The afternoon sun shone brightly on the windows of the study, illuminating everything. On the antique shelves, there were a few pots of orchids with long, dark green leaves. They were long and beautiful, and the light green buds sprouted, adding to the elegance.

Zhou Linghuai sat in front of the desk and drank his tea. “Write a few words for me first.”

Yu Youyao sat in front of the desk with a long face as she spread out the paper. She used the white jade Qilin paperweight to flatten it. Her tender hand held a brush as she took out her most serious stance and wrote the words “Yu Youyao” one by one.

“Cousin, I’m done.”

Zhou Linghuai put down his teacup and leaned closer to take a look. There was no expression on his face as he said calmly, “Pour the ink away. We’ll start by grinding the ink.”

Yu Youyao’s face fell again. “What does bad handwriting have to do with the ink?”

She also knew that the quality of the ink would affect her handwriting, but the ink she used was the old ink that her grandmother had sent over yesterday. It was the best inkstone.

Glancing at old ink on the inkstone, even someone as calm as Zhou Linghuai couldn’t help but hold his breath. This girl was really reckless. “Do as I say first.”

Her cousin’s tone was indifferent, as if he was no different from usual. However, when Yu Youyao heard this, she felt a sense of fear in her heart. This was probably what people often meant when they said that one should not be angry.

“Got it, Cousin!” Yu Youyao shrank back. Although she was full of questions, she still poured out the remaining ink in the inkstone and washed it with clean water.

Zhou Linghuai did not say much. He held a bowl in one hand and slowly dipped it into the water. With the other hand, he held the ink stick and slowly grounded it.

Yu Youyao had a sharp mind, so she could tell at a glance that when her cousin was grinding the ink, not only did it move quickly and slowly, but it also revealed a neutral and peaceful rhythm. Moreover, the ink strips were flat, not crooked, and slanted. They formed circles vertically in the inkstone.

There was a faint fragrance of ink, and it filled the study room, making it smell even more elegant.

Yu Youyao was embarrassed for a moment. Previously, when she was studying ink, she had only rubbed it casually. The ink that was rubbed out always had a smell of oil and ink. It wasn’t a pleasant smell, nor was it unpleasant. However, after smelling it for a long time, it became annoying and unbearable, so even practicing calligraphy felt unbearable.

Zhou Linghuai tilted his head and saw that the little girl was deep in thought. The corners of his lips curled up slightly, and he let go of the ink stick. He picked up a full brush from the brush holder and dipped it into the ink.

It was extremely difficult to control all the bristles, but it was suitable for calligraphy, cursive calligraphy, and even paintings. There was softness in its firmness, sharpness in its strokes, and a hidden aura.

The Great Zhou Dynasty was very popular. The sheep’s hair emphasized wrist strength and internal energy, so it was called the “Hidden Edge.” Only very few people who had mastered calligraphy would use it.

As soon as the words “Yu Youyao” were formed, Zhou Linghuai put down his pen. “Take a closer look.”

Yu Youyao took a look and saw that it was written by her cousin on the left. The words “A Dragon Leaps Through the Heavenly Gates, A Tiger Rests in the Phoenix Tower” were written in bold and bold strokes, yet they did not lose their elegance.

She had written the words on the right. The handwriting that she had originally thought was decent, now that she compared it, was simply tragic.

Seeing that she was looking at him carefully, Zhou Linghuai asked, “Did you notice anything different?”

Yu Youyao pouted and threw away the brush in her hand. “Cousin, you’re doing this on purpose!”

Zhou Linghuai said helplessly, “I’m not asking you to read the words. I’m asking you to observe the ink. Take a closer look at the difference between the two.”

Yu Youyao was a little unhappy, but she still lowered her head to take a closer look. Soon, she could tell what was going on.

The words she had written were dark and lusterless. The pen was paper-thin and weak, and there were still water stains seeping through the edges of the ink.

On the other hand, her cousin’s handwriting was deep and shiny. The brush stroke was strong, but the ink did not seep through the paper. The handwriting looked neat and clean, and the ink was faint.

No matter how stupid Yu Youyao was, she still understood. “Was it because my ink wasn’t polished thoroughly, causing the ink to not mix well?”

Zhou Linghuai nodded. “Ink quality is also important. Do you want to know more?”

Yu Youyao’s interest was piqued. She quickly said, “Yes!”

Zhou Linghuai chuckled. “If you want to know the ink grinding, you can tell from the handwriting. Cousin’s ink was uneven, and the color was too thick. It wasn’t delicate enough. The words she wrote looked crude, impatient, and untidy.”

Yu Youyao took a closer look at the words she had written previously. They were indeed filled with an impetuous aura.

Zhou Linghuai continued, “To grind ink, you have to be neutral and calm. The process of grinding ink has to be heavy and slow. Make a circle vertically on the inkstone. Don’t grind it diagonally or push it straight. The color of the ink has to be moderate in darkness. It doesn’t matter if it’s too thick or too light. As a woman, the ink should be dark.”

At this point, when he saw Yu Youyao’s puzzled expression, Zhou Linghuai added, “What do I mean by dark? When it is appropriately dark, it will look beautiful and clean. Cousin, why don’t you try it again?”

Yu Youyao’s knowledge had really increased. She did not expect that grinding ink would be so meticulous. She held the ink stick and began to grind slowly according to her cousin’s instructions. “Cousin, is that so?”

After watching for a while, Zhou Linghuai came up behind her and covered her hand that was holding the ink stick with one hand. “I’ll grind it with you first.”

Her cousin’s chest was pressed against her back. She could even feel his slightly rugged chest under his thin shirt. He wasn’t as thin as she had imagined. Instead, he looked strong and firm. Yu Youyao was stunned.