This time, Su Zhe had not only failed his challenge, but would never get another chance to try. He had lost to the scholar he'd called a know-it-all.
The Five Kui Oxen Painting before him was executed at a level that fully matched a master painter's. His own skill, meanwhile... still fell short of that.
Who was the one acting like a know-it-all, after all?
Su Zhe bowed to Yuan Zhong. "Uncle Yuan, I'm fine."
Perhaps, just as Uncle Yuan had said, it was a good thing the Five-Eyes Diagram challenge had been taken down. He should collect himself and prepare for the County Exam.
"Good, as long as you're fine." Yuan Zhong nodded lightly, then turned his gaze to Su Qian. "Su Qian, stop looking at the paintings. Take your brother home."
"Huh? Oh." Su Qian answered, her gaze still fixed ahead. Without much thought, she said, "Brother, it's fine. It's just a painting. Let's stop looking and go home."
She said this, but her feet didn't move. From the corner of her eye, she kept glancing toward the inner courtyard, where the scholar Chu Ming had gone earlier.
Suddenly, her lovely eyes shifted to Chu Yu beside her. She remembered that the scholar had left an original painting at the Painting Rain Pavilion—the one he'd offered to Chu Yu, who had turned it down.
At the thought, Su Qian could barely hide her excitement. Those watching had no idea what was going on...
"..." Su Zhe's brows knitted slightly.
He and Su Qian had depended on each other for survival. He could tell at a glance what was on his little sister's mind.
Su Zhe drew a shallow breath and pulled Su Qian to his side. Then he turned to Chu Yu and gave a slight bow. "Young