Morning light pierced through the carved window lattice, casting dappled, golden patterns across the blue brick floor like a meticulously painted scroll. The intertwining lotus motifs carved into the frame broke the sunlight into tiny, shimmering spots that danced and flickered upon the bricks. Shen Mingyue had just placed the final steamer basket of steamed buns onto the stone table.
As she lifted the lid, a billow of white steam surged upward, carrying the rich fragrance of wheat and savory meat filling throughout the entire courtyard. From the back garden came a rapid clatter—the sound of wooden swords clashing against one another, or striking against wooden shields. Following the noise, she looked over to see Gu Jinghong kneeling on one knee, guiding three children through the basics of swordplay hand in hand.
Six-year-old A Man brandished a wooden sword with unsteady steps, his chubby little hands barely managing to grip the hilt while the decorative tassel tangled itself around Gu Jinghong's belt. This caused Su Li, who was standing nearby drawing water, to laugh so hard she could no longer stand straight, spilling most of the water from her wooden bucket and pooling it into a small puddle on the ground. "A Man is acting up again!"
Chapter 146