Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Simplicity and Purity Can Also Be Touching

No matter what, sincerity of heart is essential when seeking a master.

The neighborhood office was already set up. Various office supplies had been arranged in the spacious rooms, and a gatekeeper had arrived, taking up residence in the side room by the main gate.

Director Zhang was a warm and friendly person and quickly introduced Zhao Nuanyue to everyone, so they all became reasonably familiar with one another.

After that day, Zhao Nuanyue went to the hospital as usual, but she made a point to avoid Guo Dongmei, not getting into any confrontations with her.

Zhao Nuanyue took Little Red Carp to the courtyard house by Qingya Lake. The back courtyard was now where Zhao Nuanyue lived, so Little Red Carp could rest there. After letting Director Zhang know, Nuanyue went to a nearby store to buy filling ingredients like adzuki beans, mung beans, and red dates.

With all the preparations complete, she was just waiting for Zhao Nuan Yang to finish his painting and for the apprenticeship ceremony date to be set. Then, Zhao Nuanyue would start making the pastries.

The ceremony was set for the twenty-sixth of the twelfth lunar month.

Zhao Nuanyue had started letting the dough rise and preparing the fillings the night before. At five o’clock the next morning, she began making the flaky pastries.

Zhao Nuan Yang got up to help, and Little Red Carp, eager to eat the delicious pastries, also woke up early.

It was just so warm by the stove that Little Red Carp started to doze off. Zhao Nuan Yang held her in his arms, not wanting her to fall or get cold.

By seven in the morning, when everyone came into the dining room, the table was laden with four large plates of flaky pastries, each the size of a child’s palm. Each plate had a different filling: adzuki bean, mung bean, red date, and a savory meat floss.

Zhao Nuanyue had gone to great lengths to make the meat floss. In the end, her hard work paid off, and she actually managed to make it.

In the past two days, Zhao Nuanyue had found materials and woven a beautiful bamboo basket. She found a clean piece of red cloth, lined the basket with paper, and then neatly arranged twelve of each of the four types of pastries inside.

Yesterday, Zhao Nuanyue had also picked a few budding plum blossoms from the backyard at Qingya Lake and tucked them onto the edge of the basket, adding a touch of elegance.

"Junior Sister, you’re really incredible," Liu Wenqiang said, his eyes fixed on the pastries. "You woke up so early and made all this."

"Heh, I also made rice porridge and some side dishes—sweet and sour radishes and pickled vegetables. That’s breakfast," Zhao Nuanyue said with a smile. "The round ones are adzuki bean, the square ones are mung bean, the long ones are red date, and the oval ones are meat floss, which is savory. Master, Madam Sun, what flavor would you like? I’ll get it for you."

"No need, Nuanyue. You sit down and eat too. We’ll help ourselves," Sun Haoran said with a smile. He then picked up his chopsticks and took a red date-flavored pastry. "Here, my dear, this is your favorite—red date."

"Alright, thank you, my dear." Madam Sun chuckled softly, her eyes full of warmth.

’Even at their age, they supported each other through thick and thin. They understood each other completely, and their bond was exceptionally strong.’

Zhao Nuanyue envied such a relationship. Having weathered storms and seen rainbows together, they had always supported each other along the way.

In contrast, He Qiang and his wife hadn’t made it through the toughest times.

’It wasn’t that they were bad people, just that their love wasn’t deep enough!’

Seeing that their master had started eating, Liu Wenqiang, Tang Kai Xuan, and the others also hurried to grab a pastry and dig in. They were fragrant, flaky, crisp, and delicious. Even someone with bad teeth could eat them.

"This is so delicious," Liu Wenqiang said with a laugh. "Junior Sister, next time I’ll buy the ingredients. Would you make them for us again?"

"Of course. The ingredients don’t actually cost much; it’s just a lot of work. But if everyone enjoys them, then the effort makes me happy," Zhao Nuanyue said with a smile. "Madam Sun, Master, what do you think?"

"Delicious. I think they’re even better than the pastries from Osmanthus Building," Madam Sun praised. "Nuanyue, you’re truly multitalented."

"Thank you for the compliment, Madam Sun. I know how to make other desserts, too. It’s just that goods are scarce right now. When I can get my hands on more ingredients in the future, I’ll make more delicious things for Master, Madam Sun, and my Senior Brothers," Zhao Nuanyue said with a smile. Hearing everyone’s praise and seeing them eat so happily made her happy as well.

’When she received care from others, she had to give it back. She couldn’t just take their kindness for granted.’

After breakfast, Zhao Nuan Yang changed into the black, standing-collar Yixian Suit that Zhao Nuanyue had a tailor make for him. Paired with his tall, slender frame, the well-fitting suit made him look exceptionally sharp.

"Nuanyang, what did you paint?" Tang Kai Xuan was curious, wondering what kind of painting Zhao Nuan Yang would bring to the apprenticeship ceremony.

Zhao Nuan Yang smiled and, together with his sister, unrolled the scroll. The painting depicted a beautiful girl with a ponytail and a little girl with her hair in a half-up style, flying a kite on a green meadow. In the background were beautiful green mountains and distant waters. Nearby, a clear river flowed, with a small skiff floating upon it. Someone was fishing from the boat, while others worked in the farm fields...

A vast blue sky, fluffy white clouds, and wild geese returning with the warm weather...

The scene depicted in the painting was very simple, but it revealed the happiness in Zhao Nuan Yang’s heart and his longing for a beautiful life.

For something so unadorned and simple to be able to move people—that was truly precious.

"Are the two people flying the kite Junior Sister and Little Red Carp?" Tang Kai Xuan asked, stunned by the painting. He saw happiness and peace in it.

’In this era, wasn’t this kind of peaceful and contented life what everyone needed most?’

"Yes, that’s my sister and Little Red Carp," Zhao Nuan Yang chuckled lightly. "I hope that we can be happy, and I also hope that all the common people can live in peace and happiness."

No one spoke. They all just gazed quietly at the painting.

Little Red Carp was especially happy. Her big brother’s painting actually included her—she was overjoyed.

After a long moment, Zhao Nuanyue finally spoke slowly, "Master, I’ll have to trouble you to take Nuanyang to the apprenticeship ceremony today. Should I... go as well?"

As his older sister and guardian, Zhao Nuanyue would go without hesitation if she was needed, for the sake of her younger brother’s future.

Hearing this, Sun Haoran shook his head. "This is an apprenticeship ceremony, not a battle. There’s no need to be nervous or afraid. Nuanyang’s painting has stunned us, and it will move Master Hu as well. As for you, you should just go to the hospital as usual."

Since her master said so, Zhao Nuanyue didn’t insist. ’Her little brother has grown up, and with his master by his side, everything should be fine.’

"Do your best, Nuanyang," Zhao Nuanyue said encouragingly. "No matter the outcome, we have to stay confident. Only with a strong and tranquil heart can you create beautiful paintings."

"Go, Big Brother! You’re the best!" Little Red Carp said, clenching her small fists to encourage Zhao Nuan Yang. "Big Brother made Little Red Carp look so pretty in the painting. Little Red Carp loves it."

"Alright, I’m heading out then." Zhao Nuan Yang rolled up the painting scroll, placed it in a wooden box, and held it to his chest. Then, carrying the box of pastries, he followed Sun Haoran and got into the car.

Liu Wenqiang was also very happy today, hoping that Zhao Nuan Yang would achieve immediate success.

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