The Orphan Girl Shows Up (Continued)
Shen Ruoxin looked at the girl in front of her, who was holding a bowl and looking like a frightened little bird, and her heart was filled with a mixture of emotions. All the plans for the future of the Splendid Pavilion and the speculations about Zhang Ji's next conspiracy seemed to be temporarily dispelled at this moment by these pure and frightened eyes.
You... "Settle down first." Shen Ruoxin slowed down her voice, trying to appear gentle and harmless. "This is the Brocade Pavilion. No one will hurt you." When you have a break and miss home, I'll figure out a way to help you find your family, okay?
The little girl nodded half-understandingly and then lowered her head quickly, casting a small shadow under her eyelids with her long eyelashes.
Shen Ruoxin instructed A Xing, "Tidy up a clean room for her. It should be the empty side room at the very back of the row where you live. It's close and convenient to look after her." Use new bedding and find her a few old clothes that fit her well. Don't be too conspicuous.
"Yes, Second Miss." Ah Xing agreed and added some minced meat to the little girl's bowl. "Eat slowly. Don't choke."
For the next two days, the little girl who called herself "A Shi" temporarily settled down in the backyard of the Splendid Pavilion. She remained taciturn. Most of the time, she stayed quietly in her small room or followed A Xing from afar like a little tail. She is very sensible. She never asks for anything on her own initiative, nor does she run around or move around. It's just that those big black and bright eyes are always observing everything around her without showing any emotion.
Shen Ruoxin didn't disturb her too much. She just ordered the kitchen to prepare some easily digestible food for her separately and asked A Xing to look after her more. She knew in her heart that the child had been quite frightened and needed time to adapt gradually. The current situation in the Splendid Pavilion was already complicated. Taking in a child of unknown origin was not a wise move, but looking at those clear yet timid eyes, she ultimately couldn't bring herself to push her back into that unpredictable marketplace.
On this day, Shen Ruoxin was in her small study, discussing the final draft of the "Four Seasons Elegance" series of handkerchiefs with Li Molan and Wang Xiuniang. After the supply of gold and silver threads was cut off, they devoted more effort to the innovation of color matching and stitching techniques, striving to create a texture and artistic conception that rival that of gold and jade with the most ordinary silk threads.
"Second Miss, look at this' Summer Rain and Lotus Wind '. If the veins along the edge of the lotus leaf were outlined with dark green silk threads mixed with extremely fine silver-gray threads, wouldn't it appear more three-dimensional?" " Wang Xiuniang pointed at a freshly drawn pattern and made a suggestion.
Li Molan then picked up another sketch of "Winter Snow and Cold Plum Blossoms" : "If the branches of this plum blossom were embroidered with 'random needles' to create a sense of vigor and vitality, and then a few white threads resembling snow were added to the tips of the branches, it might be even more interesting."
Shen Ruoxin listened attentively and from time to time picked up a pen to underline and make revisions on the pattern. A Xing came in with some refreshments and gently placed them on the table. As usual, A Shi followed A Xing quietly and stopped at the door. His tiny figure was hidden behind the door panel, with only a pair of eyes exposed, curiously gazing at the scene in the study.
Shen Ruoxin was lost in thought at a newly conceived design of "Autumn River Fishing Retreat". This picture has a complex composition, with distant mountains and nearby water, reeds and fishing boats. Although the figures are small, their expressions need to be precise. She was pondering how to use several shades of grey and ochre silk threads to depict the vastness and desolation of the long autumn sky, especially the reflection of the ripples on the water surface, which required extremely delicate needlework transitions.
"The ripples here," Shen Ruoxin pointed the pattern with the tip of her pen. "Perhaps we can draw inspiration from the 'shuttling' technique in kesi weaving, interweaving extremely fine, bright silver silk threads (not gold or silver threads, but another kind of lustrous silk thread) with water-colored silk threads to create a faintly visible reflection..." As she spoke, she quickly sketched a few strokes on the waste paper beside her to indicate.
Li Molan and Wang Xiuniang both came over to have a look and found this idea quite novel. The three of them whispered a few more words about the details. Then, A Xing gently led A Shi away from the door. The little girl made no sound from beginning to end, just like a shadow thrown into the water, leaving no trace.
Shen Ruoxin and the others didn't pay attention.
However, the next morning, when the sweeping woman went to clean the open space in the backyard, she found that a small moist patch of mud near the corner was covered with strange patterns drawn with branches.
The old woman couldn't understand it. She just felt it was crooked and wanted to go and clean it up. Just then, A Xing passed by with a laundry basin in her hand. By chance, she glanced at it and suddenly stopped in her tracks.
"Wait!" A Xing put down the basin, walked over quickly and squatted down to examine it carefully.
Not only are there "Summer rain and lotus breeze" and "Winter snow and cold plum blossoms", but there is even the most complex composition of "Autumn River Fishing Retreat"! Even the schematic needlework diagram that the second young lady casually sketched on a piece of waste paper, depicting the ripples on the water surface, was drawn exactly as it was!
A Xing drew in a sharp breath and hurriedly ran to look for Shen Ruoxin.
After hearing A Xing's description, Shen Ruoxin also looked puzzled and immediately followed her to the backyard. When she saw those patterns on the muddy ground with her own eyes, the shock in her heart was beyond words.
These patterns, especially the "Autumn River Fishing Hide" and the schematic diagram of the wave light needle technique, were only briefly discussed in the study yesterday. Ashi merely took a distant look at them from the door, and it took no more than the time of a cup of tea! How could she remember such a complex composition and details precisely and draw them from memory?
This is by no means something that ordinary children can do!
Shen Ruoxin's heart began to beat suddenly. She recalled that one day Ah Xing had casually mentioned that Ah Shi had imitated Coach Li's posture of holding a needle so vividly... Could it be...
A bold idea emerged in her mind.
She immediately asked A Xing to go and find A Shi. The little girl was brought over. Seeing the pattern she had drawn surrounded by people, she seemed a little scared and lowered her head, not daring to look at anyone.
Shen Ruoxin tried her best to keep her voice calm and gentle: "A Shi, these..." Was it drawn by you?
Ashi hesitated for a moment and nodded slightly.
Shen Ruoxin took out a rather distinctive silver button with plum blossom patterns from her sleeve. This was a spare on the front of her dress. She placed the button on the open ground in front of Ashi and pointed: "You..." Could you draw this?
Ashi looked at the button, then at Shen Ruoxin's encouraging gaze. After a moment's hesitation, he picked up a small branch on the ground and began to draw on the empty space beside it.
Her movements were not fast and even a bit clumsy, but her brushstrokes were exceptionally accurate. The five petals of the plum blossom, the shape of the stamens, and even the subtle concave and convex patterns along the edges of the buttons were all meticulously outlined by her with simple lines. Although there is no color and the proportion is slightly distorted, the charm and key details are astonishingly similar!
Imitation ability! Remember everything you see!
Shen Ruoxin is almost certain! This child possesses observation skills, memory and imitative abilities far beyond those of ordinary people! This is simply... For embroidery art that requires meticulous observation, precise memory and dexterous imitation. A gift from heaven!
She suppressed her excitement and squatted down again, looking into Ashi's eyes and asking word by word, "Ashi, you..." Would you like... Learn embroidery?
Ashi raised his head. For the first time, in his big, black and white eyes, a distinct emotion that was different from fear and confusion was revealed - it was a mixture of curiosity, longing, and a faint, imperceptible light that seemed like a glimmer of redemption.
She nodded vigorously.
Shen Ruoxin smiled, a smile that came from the bottom of her heart, carrying a sense of relief and unexpected joy. She felt that perhaps she had really found a treasure. This is not merely about taking in an orphan girl out of sympathy, but also about discovering an unpolished seed with unlimited potential for the future of the Splendid Pavilion!
She decided to teach the child herself and cultivate her into a talented person. Not only embroidery skills, but also reading, writing, accounting... She wants to endow herself with the ability to change her own destiny.
However, just as Shen Ruoxin was immersed in the joy of this unexpected discovery and began to plan how to cultivate A Shi, Wang Bo from the front yard walked in quickly with a solemn expression, his voice carrying a hint of imperceptible tension:
Miss Two! Outside... Two people came outside, dressed as if they were from the countryside. They named each other by name, saying they were looking for their niece who got lost in the city a few days ago...
Wang Bo paused for a moment, swallowed hard with difficulty and added, "They..." The appearance, dress and... of the girl they described It's almost exactly like Ah Shi! Also said... It was because she heard that Miss Shen Er of Jinxiu Pavilion was kind-hearted. Two days ago, she saved a girl in Maque Lane. She specially... He came to the door especially to claim his relatives!