AWB Chapter 169 The Villainous Female Supporting Character's Mind Was Read 24
Chapter 169 The Villainous Female Supporting Character's Mind Was Read 24
Wow, is this the gift you gave me?
Not long after, Gu Yanli returned carrying an extremely exquisite wood carving.
Lin Shuwan fell in love with the birthday gift at first sight.
The wood carving is small, only about the size of an adult woman's palm. Perhaps to prevent splinters from pricking her hands, the surface has been repeatedly polished until it is very smooth.
The young girl, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, sat on the saddle, her hair flying in the wind. She held the reins in her left hand and raised the whip in her right, the whip slicing through the sky with a free and unrestrained air.
The horse beneath him raised its front hooves high, as if about to roar to the sky, and the mane on its back of its neck also fluttered, standing tall and majestic.
A man and a horse, seemingly galloping across an endless wilderness, free and unrestrained, yet full of vitality.
Lin Shuwan took the wood carving and looked at it from left to right, admiring it with great affection: "Where did you find this woodcarver? He's so skilled!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Yanli's lips unconsciously curled up, and he deliberately kept everyone in suspense, saying, "Guess."
Lin Shuwan, who had received something she liked, was happy to oblige him and guessed, "Is it Master Yang from the Ancient Cypress Treasure Pavilion?"
Gu Yanli shook his head.
"Is that Master Li from Muyixuan?"
Gu Yanli shook his head again.
"Master Tao of Tao Yi Fang? Who exactly is he? These are the only famous ones I remember in the capital. Just tell me directly!" Lin Shuwan said impatiently, tugging at Gu Yanli's sleeve.
Gu Yanli simply said, "I don't have the money to hire someone to help me carve it."
Lin Shuwan looked at him and suddenly realized, "You didn't carve it yourself, did you?!"
"Hmm," Gu Yanli finally responded.
"You actually carved this! When did you learn this skill? It's no less impressive than the famous woodcarving masters in Beijing!" Lin Shuwan exclaimed with delight.
Gu Yanli smiled but remained silent.
In his previous life, he spent most of his time indoors recuperating. Besides reading and painting, he could only do some wood carving to pass the time.
With practice, one becomes skilled.
However, it was only used for his own amusement, so not many people knew about it.
Upon learning of Lin Shuwan's birthday, he did not express his opinion on the surface, but he kept it in mind.
If it were still her previous life, let alone a small jade pendant or zither, he could easily offer her any rare treasure she desired.
Unexpectedly, I am now suffering from a lack of money.
Madam Lin is kind and sends a monthly allowance, but it's still a bit meager if you're using it for gifts.
Besides, what kind of logic is there in the world to eat someone else's food, use someone else's money, and then use someone else's money to prepare gifts?
This wood carving was inspired by an unexpected moment when Lin Shuwan and I were browsing Wanbaoxuan that day.
Timber is readily available, but the finest timber is worth a fortune.
If it were made into a finished product, its value would increase by more than double, depending on the level of craftsmanship.
It's a decent birthday gift.
As for the content to be carved, I thought I would need to carefully consider it, but who would have thought that as soon as I started, the image was already in my mind.
Before long, the general outline was carved out.
It's what she looks like when she's riding a horse.
It's not surprising; that kind of flamboyant and passionate behavior was exactly what he had sought but could not obtain in his previous life.
Only then did he realize that he remembered perfectly the sparkle in her eyes when she was happy, the curve of her lips when she smiled, and even the angle at which her hair flew through the air in the wind.
With almost no thought required, the carving knife had already stopped at the right position.
Without realizing it, he had become so familiar with her?
Could it be that he... has fallen for her?!
Impossible! How could he possibly like such a reckless, arrogant, and impulsive person?
Although she is indeed protective of her own, generous, and very attentive to him...
From study materials and clothes in the closet to decorations and accessories on the desk, and trinkets you see by chance when you go out...
At first glance, it seems that traces of her are everywhere in this room.
But even if he liked Lin Shuwan, she didn't like him.
No, it's hard to say.
At least, his physical appearance still has some use.
Gu Yanli looked up at Lin Shuwan and saw the joy in her eyes for the wood carving.
But then she remembered that she had also accepted a gift from the Fifth Prince and had chatted with him quite pleasantly, and a lump formed in her throat. She feigned reluctance and said:
"It's just a little trinket, not as valuable as jade ornaments. If you don't like it, I..."
"I love it! This is the best gift I've received today!"
"Is that so?" Gu Yanli suppressed the urge to smile.
“Of course!” Lin Shuwan said earnestly, holding the wooden carving. “Leaving aside the carving skills, the material alone is top-grade sandalwood. This small piece alone cost a lot of money.”
"It may not be much to others, but to you, it should be most of your wealth."
"Moreover, you carved this yourself, so to me, this gift from you is worth a hundred times more than any gold or jade."
A warm feeling welled up in Gu Yanli's heart. It was a kind of luck that something he made with his heart could be liked.
How could a woman who treats others' feelings so seriously be the vicious person in the rumors?
However, he still said something that didn't match his true feelings: "Actually, it's nothing. I live in the manor, and the manor takes care of all my food and lodging. The monthly allowance given by the old lady has nowhere to go, so I might as well use it to please you, my young master."
This high-quality sandalwood is indeed expensive; if the shopkeeper hadn't been impressed by his carving skills, he wouldn't have been able to acquire even this small piece of wood.
Actually, other types of wood could be used, but she was raised with great care and pampering since childhood, and using ordinary wood would feel like doing her a disservice.
That's why he agreed to the shopkeeper's request to carve an extra Buddha statue in exchange.
But he doesn't intend to say these things.
Being short of money is nothing to brag about. (′°????????w°????????｀)
"Very good, very good. If you please me, I'll guarantee you a life of comfort and ease." Lin Shuwan patted Gu Yanli's shoulder, giving him a "you have good taste" look.
However, he didn't control his strength and hit Gu Yanli so hard that he had to take two steps back.
"You..." Lin Shuwan hesitated, unable to finish her sentence.
(Never mind, I'll leave it at that for the sake of this gift.)
(They're so weak.)
(How come I haven't made much progress after practicing for so long?)
(I was too kind after all, otherwise tomorrow...)
Gu Yanli quickly said, "No! Cough, I mean, I just lost my balance, it has nothing to do with you."
"Really?" Lin Shuwan frowned, half believing and half doubting.
"Yes, absolutely not a lie." Gu Yanli said righteously.
Lin Shuwan was skeptical: "Alright then."
(Is it just my imagination? How come I feel like he knows what I'm thinking?)
Oh no, I was careless again.
Gu Yanli held his breath, not daring to reveal the slightest sign of his presence.
(Never mind, it's probably just a coincidence.)
Gu Yanli quietly let out a long sigh of relief, feeling half of his anxiety subside.
We still need to pay more attention in the future.
Although hearing her true feelings was not what he wanted, it was ultimately not the act of a gentleman.
Moreover, if Lin Shuwan knew that he could hear her thoughts, she might distance herself from him.
Let's try to hide it for as long as possible.
"However, you can't even stand steadily, so let's add another incense stick to your horse stance practice tomorrow."
Lin Shuwan casually uttered these words and left, leaving Gu Yanli standing there in a daze, filled with regret.
Why can't its legs stand up straighter?