357 Family Banquet

Yu Youyao seemed to have woken up from a dream. Only then did she realize that she had fallen asleep on her cousin’s lap. She quickly got up. “Cousin, weren’t we in class? Why did I fall asleep? I didn’t press against your leg just now, right?”

In fact, if he maintained this posture for a long time, his entire body would be numb, and he wouldn’t be able to feel the pain.

Zhou Linghuai shook his head. “No.”

Seeing the smile on her cousin’s face, Yu Youyao patted her chest lightly. “That’s good, that’s good.”

Zhou Linghuai handed her a cup of tea.

After sleeping for so long, Yu Youyao was indeed a little thirsty. She took the teacup and drank slowly. “What time is it now?”

Zhou Linghuai took out his watch from his wallet and looked down. “It’s 3pm.”

Yu Youyao’s eyes widened. “I actually slept for so long.” She quickly got up from the chair, but she had curled up for too long just now. Her legs couldn’t help but go numb and she was about to collapse.

Zhou Linghuai pulled her into his arms and asked anxiously, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? I’ll get Uncle Sun to come over and take a look at you.”

Yu Youyao lay in her cousin’s arms in a daze. Perhaps because he had been using bamboo juice to make tea recently, her cousin had a faint bamboo fragrance on him. Even in the hot summer, he still had a hint of coldness. Even the wooden rhinoceros incense beads could not hide his elegance.

She couldn’t help but sniffle and shake her head in a daze. “No, my legs are just a little numb, so I couldn’t stand still for a moment. Cousin, don’t worry. I’m fine.”

Zhou Linghuai heaved a sigh of relief and let go of Yu Youyao. “You have to be more careful in the future.”

Yu Youyao nodded. “Cousin, I’ll go back to the house to wash up first. I still have to go to the main kitchen later to see how the dinner preparations are going.”

She did not have time to accompany her cousin anymore.

Zhou Linghuai nodded. “I’ll be reading under the Parasol Tree. Go ahead!”

Yu Youyao smiled. “When I’m done, I’ll come back and play chess with you. My chess skills have improved recently. I have to impress you.”

The corners of Zhou Linghuai’s mouth twitched. “Let’s wait and see.”

Her chess skills were getting worse by the day. Fortunately, he had already come to terms with it and treated it as playing with the little girl. He also felt that it was interesting.

Yu Youyao was so busy that her feet did not touch the ground.

When she was done, it was already 4pm. Madam Yao brought her children back to the residence after watching the dragon boat race.

Zhou Linghuai and Yu Youyao went to An Shou Hall.

Yu Shuangbai’s face flushed red. She pulled Yu Youyao along and happily told her about the dragon boat race in the moat. “… Big Sister, it’s a pity that you didn’t go with us. The dragon boat race this year was very interesting. The emperor personally came, and a hundred officials accompanied him. The dragon boat race was prepared very grandly. Even the Zhenguo Marquis Residence prepared a dragon boat. I heard that it was third place. The emperor rewarded the winners with a lot gifts…”

When Yu Youyao heard this, she was a little surprised.

In the past, the emperor had never seen the Dragon Boat Race.

However, Yu Youyao did not feel any regret.

At midnight, Yu Zongzheng and Yu Zongshen returned and greeted Old Madam Yu.

Rewards came from the palace and they were the Dragon Boat Festival gifts sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to reward the meritorious officials. There were Zongzi, realgar wine, sachets, and other items. It was not surprising. It was a tradition every year.

Everyone from the Yu Residence knelt down one after another to thank the emperor for his kindness and politely sent the eunuch out of the residence.

The entire family gathered and chatted about today’s Dragon Boat Festival.

Yu Youyao arranged for the servants to prepare the banquet.

This was Yu Youyao’s first time holding a family banquet and Madam Yao did not help. However, she sent a nanny to watch from the side. She had to give her a chance to train.

At 7pm, the banquet was ready, and everyone moved to the reception pavilion.

Yu Zongzheng had never cared about the affairs of the family, but he saw that the table was done well. Be it the arrangement or the patterns, everything was exquisite. He was much better than Madam Yang, so he couldn’t help but feel overjoyed. He patted Yu Youyao’s small shoulder on the spot. “Yao Yao, you’ve worked hard today.”

Yu Youyao chuckled and said nothing.

Everyone sat down. Xia Tao came over to report, “Eldest Madam, Third Miss, Fourth Young Master, Fourth Miss, the dishes for the two concubines have all been sent over.”

When everyone heard this, they also felt that Yu Youyao was a meticulous person.

“Let’s begin!” After Yu Youyao finished speaking, she picked up a piece of steamed bass and placed it in her grandmother’s bowl.

Old Madam Yu smiled until her eyes narrowed. “This is Yao Yao’er’s first time holding a family banquet, and she’s already holding it well. She’s much better than when Grandmother was young.”

Madam Yao had always been sensible. “Isn’t that so? At noon, I didn’t have time to help. At night, I couldn’t help even if I wanted to. Yao Yao is young, but she’s not careless at all.”

Yu Youyao was a little embarrassed by the praise. She quickly said, “There are also traditions in the family, so I arranged for a meal. We also have to thank the servants.”

Old Madam Yu smiled.

No matter how capable the servants were, they had to give in to their master.

For example, Madam Yang was flustered even at a small family banquet.

The family banquet lasted until 9pm before it ended.

Yu Youyao instructed the servants to pack up. It took another hour.

After everything was arranged, Yu Youyao left the hall and saw her cousin sitting alone under the corridor, reading a book. There was a lantern above his head, and the sparse lights shone on him. Even though the lights were dim, he looked as if he could glow.

Yu Youyao couldn’t bear to disturb him anymore.

“Is everything arranged?” Zhou Linghuai closed the book and looked up at her. The sparse light shone into his eyes, and there seemed to be a faint fire flickering in them.

Yu Youyao smiled and nodded slightly. “Yes, did Cousin wait for a long time?”

After a long day, everyone went back to rest. She did not expect her cousin to still be waiting for her.

Zhou Linghuai asked instead, “Are you tired?”

Yu Youyao walked to her cousin’s side and shook her head and nodded. “I didn’t feel tired before, but I’m suddenly a little tired now.”

Her cousin had said that she did not need to act in front of him!

Zhou Linghuai pursed his lips. “I’ll send you back. Rest early today.”

Yu Youyao returned to the Jade Courtyard with her cousin. “The candlelight is dim outside. Cousin, you can’t read in the dim light in the future. It’s not good for your eyes.”

In the silent night, she only heard Zhou Linghuai say, “Okay.”

Along the way, the lights were dim, illuminating the long corridor. It seemed to have no end, but it also stretched their shadows…

The lively afterglow of the Dragon Boat Festival ended after two to three days.

After a heavy rain, the weather became hotter and hotter.

Yu Youyao had already changed into the summer clothes that were made in Jinxiu Manor.

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