Chi Lingri glared at him, looking a bit wide-eyed, scaring Chi Longting into sitting upright.
"One must not lack courage!"
Chi Lingri emphasized, patting Xu Lin on the shoulder.
Xu Lin chatted with him for quite a while.
Later, as it got dark, Aunt Sun arrived, carrying two large bags of groceries, both vegetables and ats.
anwhile, Zhao Yingqiong and the baby, who had been napping, also woke up.
Not long after, Zhao Yingqiong ca out holding the baby.
"Xu Lin, when did you get here?"
Zhao Yingqiong asked.
"Sister-in-law, I arrived not long ago."
Xu Lin stood up, his gaze falling on Xixi in her arms.
She smiled and asked, "Would you like to hold the baby?"
"I’ll give it a try, I haven’t held a baby before."
"Mmm, her na is Xixi, a girl," Zhao Yingqiong said.
Xu Lin carefully took the baby from her arms.
Thanks to her parents’ good looks, Xixi was naturally beautiful too. Who knows how pretty she’ll beco when she grows up? For now, she’s adorable, blowing bubbles while swaddled, with a pair of big beautiful eyes curiously looking at this stranger, Xu Lin.
"Xixi is really cute!"
Xu Lin said with a smile.
At this, Xixi raised her right hand, full of curiosity on her face. Seeing her reach out as if trying to grab sothing, Xu Lin leaned closer, letting her touch his face. At this, Xixi also laughed happily, stopping her bubble blowing.
His sister-in-law chuckled, "Looks like Xixi really likes you!"
"Goo goo gaa gaa..."
Xixi, having been born not long ago, could only coo and babble without forming words.
But Xu Lin realized she really liked him. After he held her for a while longer, when he tried to pass her back to Zhao Yingqiong, she protested, so Xu Lin had to keep holding her and feeding her formula.
Finally, dinner ti arrived, and Zhao Yingqiong took her back, soothing her for quite a while before Xixi cald down, holding her bottle but still looking at Xu Lin.
Dinner was a feast, all homade dishes, with seven courses and a soup, and Auntie’s cooking was excellent too.
"Xu Lin, eat more!"
Zhao Yingqiong said, "No need to be shy with us."
Xu Lin replied, "Everyone, please help yourselves too."
Xu Lin’s presence felt almost like that of a distinguished guest, everyone treating him warmly, making Xu Lin a little embarrassed.
Dinner went by with everyone talking and laughing.
"Xu Lin, are you going to shower now?"
After having their fill and resting for a bit, Chi Linyue ca over and asked.
Holding Xixi, Zhao Yingqiong said to Chi Longting, "Honey, get a set of new clothes you haven’t worn for Xu Lin to change into."
"I’ll get them right away!"
Chi Longting hurried back to the room to fetch clothes.
Not long after, Chi Longting ca out with a new set of clothes, including a t-shirt, shorts, and underwear. Chi Longting’s build was similar to Xu Lin’s, both around six feet tall with average fras.
"Xu Lin, the clothes are new, never worn, change into them for tonight."
"Thanks, Brother Ting."
Xu Lin accepted the clothes.
Chi Linyue then led Xu Lin to the shower.
This apartnt indeed was two units joined, each with two bathrooms, one public and one in the main bedroom, making four in total.
Chi Linyue took Xu Lin to one of the public bathrooms.
"Shower here!"
Chi Linyue said.
Xu Lin laughed, "Together?"
"In your dreams!" Chi Linyue pinched his cheek.
Finally, Chi Linyue left the bathroom, helping Xu Lin close the door.
Xu Lin took about ten minutes showering and a few more minutes to dry his hair.
As he was about to return to the living room, passing by the study, Xu Lin saw Chi Lingri practicing calligraphy inside.
Seeing Xu Lin look in, Chi Lingri said, "Xu, was the shower hot enough?"
"It was hot enough!"
Xu Lin walked in and asked, "Is Old Sir practicing calligraphy?"
Chi Lingri smiled, "After retiring, with nothing much to do, I practice calligraphy once in a while, though it’s just writing, I can’t really call it calligraphy!"
Xu Lin walked over for a closer look, finding that Chi Lingri was copying regular script.
As for his regular script, it couldn’t be said to be very beautiful; it really did look like practice writing.
With his skill in Flourishing Brush and mastery of calligraphy, Xu Lin understood the ins and outs of calligraphy, though strictly speaking, Chi Lingri’s writing could not yet be classified as calligraphy.
However, these are not words to speak aloud.
Xu Lin curiously asked, "Whose style of regular script is this?"
"Yan Zhenqing!"
Chi Lingri dipped the brush in ink and wrote the character ’Yan’ on the rice paper.
Xu Lin realized, "Oh, it’s Yan Zhenqing’s writing. Yan Tendons Liu Bones, Yan Zhenqing was loyal and upright, with a unique realm in calligraphy."
Actually, Xu Lin could also add that Yan Zhenqing was just like old sir, upright and unyielding.
However, being too clever is not always good.
"Haha, indeed, Yan Zhenqing was loyal to his family!"
Chi Lingri laughed heartily, "Xu, I didn’t expect you to know Yan Zhenqing’s story. Even my grandson, a graduate of a prestigious university, only knows Yan Zhenqing as a calligrapher without a clue about his character, truly embarrassing!"
"Each has their expertise, perhaps Brother Ting is shining brightly in another field."
"Him? He can only be said to be diocre, not an outstanding talent!"
Chi Lingri shook his head.
He continued writing, then pointed to the words he’d written, asking Xu Lin, "Xu, have you read this essay?"
Xu Lin took a glance and said, "Yan Zhenqing’s ’morial to My Nephew’."
"Xu, you are well-read, ’morial to My Nephew’ is famous in the calligraphy world, yet not many laypeople know of it!"
’morial to My Nephew’ is a work by Yan Zhenqing; considered the second most reputable semi-cursive script under heaven, the first being naturally Wang Xizhi’s ’Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection.’
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