Second update, asking for pink votes.
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Shen Liu said seriously that it could be tried, but naturally, unlike Lian Manman and the others, who were only thinking about playing. A greenhouse of gourds was divided into two parts, with Lian Manman, Shen Jin, Shen Qian, and Xiao Qi only getting a small corner, while the majority was requisitioned by Shen Liu.
Lian Manman didn’t inquire what Shen Liu intended to do. She, along with Shen Jin, Shen Qian, and Xiao Qi, gathered together, writing and drawing busily for a while.
Whether it was inscriptions or patterns, naturally, Lian Manman and the others wrote and drew it themselves and took it out to find craftsn for printing and making templates. Besides inscriptions and patterns, several children also thought about modifying the shapes of the gourds. They drew a pile of templates for all kinds of shapes like squares and octagons.
The children took the drawn templates to Shen Liu, and Shen Liu didn’t say much, just ntioning it was just a small patch of land and they could play as they pleased. Hearing this, Lian Manman and the others were naturally delighted and wanted to find craftsn to make the templates.
"No need, just leave the designs here." Shen Liu told them, "I will arrange for soone to go to Prefecture City to find craftsn to make them."
It seems Shen Liu intended to take charge of the whole matter himself.
The children, although slightly disappointed for not doing it themselves, didn’t dwell on it much. What they could do was draw designs; actually making it, they would need others. The people Shen Liu could find would naturally be better than those they could.
"Sixth Master/Sixth Brother, when these gourds are grown, we must get a share." The children were concerned about this, and even the oldest, Shen Jin, said so with a smile to Shen Liu.
"Don’t worry!" Shen Liu looked at the few sheets of designs in his hand, sowhat dismissively.
"Sixth Master, it’s easy to talk about, but when it cos to making it, and making it well, it won’t be easy," Lian Manman reminded Shen Liu, understanding that not only technique but also so luck was needed; the success rate might not be very high. She figured Shen Liu planned to use these gourds for so major purpose and was afraid he was placing unrealistic expectations on them.
"Hmm." Shen Liu glanced at Lian Manman and nodded.
Whatever Shen Liu planned to do, he moved very fast. After Lian Manman and the others viewed the greenhouse, soone was assigned to guard it. When the craftsn Shen Liu arranged for ca from Prefecture City and began work, the outside of the gourd greenhouse was fenced off, turning it into a no-entry zone for idlers.
But these are stories for later.
At dinner, the Shen siblings still wanted to keep Lian Manman and Xiao Qi in Nian Garden for the al, but Lian Manman and Xiao Qi politely refused. When Shen Jin escorted Lian Manman out of Lotus Pavilion, he arranged with her to co back to Nian Garden the next day to play.
The next day, just after Lian Manman and Xiao Qi finished breakfast, the sedan chair sent by the Shen siblings to pick them up arrived. Aunt Luo ca along as usual.
"Didn’t we agree that there was no need to send for us?" Lian Manman said.
Originally, she planned for Xiao Qi to naturally go to Nian Garden to study with Shen Qian today, escorted by Han Zhong and others. Although she promised Shen Jin she would visit, she didn’t plan to go so early. Shen Jin would stay at Nian Garden for so ti, so she couldn’t accompany him every minute.
"... It was our young lady’s special instruction, asking you to go early..." Aunt Luo smiled and said.
When Lian Manman and Xiao Qi arrived at Nian Garden, they were directly taken to Evergreen Garden. As they were ushered into the Upper Room, they saw not only Shen Liu but also Shen Jin and Shen Qian were there. Moreover, Shen Jin and Shen Qian looked very happy.
"You’re finally here, we’ve been waiting for you." Shen Jin got up with a smile and said to Lian Manman.
After greeting each other, they all sat down again.
"Sixth Brother plans to take us out for a walk today," Shen Jin told Lian Manman.
Lian Manman suddenly realized, no wonder Shen Jin and Shen Qian were so happy. Shen Jin, being a girl, probably didn’t get to go out much in an environnt like the Shen Mansion. Even when going out, it was rely from one Second Gate to another, rarely for real leisure. And Shen Qian was naturally happy to have a day off from studying.
At least, that’s what Lian Manman guessed.
"... Xiao Jiu and Xiao Qi have a day’s holiday today," Shen Liu said from the seat of honor, "but don’t be too happy, you two. The howork will need to be made up afterward."
Shen Qian and Xiao Qi exchanged glances and both chuckled.
Lian Manman was quite pleased to hear Shen Liu’s words.
"Sixth Master, where do you plan to go?" Lian Manman asked.
If it’s about sightseeing, within a hundred miles, the most beautiful place is Nian Garden.
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