The Delicate Darling with Her Rough Man

Chapter 31: Chapter 29: I Can Teach You

As for ”Literature” among the Six Arts, it simply meant to study. Reading brings wisdom, so the descendants of the Leng Family were required to read widely. They didn’t need to master subjects like astronomy and geography, but they had to possess a general understanding.

Only by reading enough and gaining a deeper understanding of the world could one learn to handle matters with composure and face the complexities of human nature with greater equanimity.

It was thanks to this wisdom from books that when his grandmother came to cause trouble, Leng Yuan had decisively traded their family courtyard for a formal letter severing their ties, thus avoiding future complications.

The last art was ”Numeracy.” It traditionally referred to metaphysics and fate—the patterns governing the interactions of yin, yang, and the five elements. By Leng Yuan’s time, however, it had been simplified to a more practical skill: being good at accounting, ensuring one wouldn’t be taken advantage of in business.

These traditions passed down through the Leng Family were all eminently practical. If learned well, not only could one avoid many of life’s pitfalls, but one could also strengthen their body and mind. At the very least, they would possess a trade to make a living.

Grandpa Leng never forced anyone to study the Six Arts. Yet, out of all his sons and grandsons, only Leng Yuan had loved learning these skills since childhood. Moreover, he was exceptionally intelligent, displaying a talent that left Grandpa Leng utterly astonished.

Precisely because of this, Grandpa Leng always paid special attention to Leng Yuan.

Eventually, it became natural to see him as the heir.

The novel didn’t elaborate on these details, only mentioning them in passing. After all, he was just a side character, so his background wasn’t described in great detail. After Gu Jiaojiao was written out of the story, Leng Yuan went off to university and disappeared from the plot.

He reappeared at a business conference, by which time Leng Yuan had already become a highly successful business tycoon.

The female and male protagonists also attended the conference, hoping to secure investment. When they ran into Leng Yuan, the female lead was surprised for a moment, then did everything in her power to persuade him to invest in their venture.

And it was precisely this capital that propelled the two protagonists to ever-greater heights in the business world.

In that novel, Leng Yuan actually had more fans than the male lead. They absolutely adored him, flooding the comment sections and calling him ”hubby.”

Gu Jiaojiao had been part of that massive army of Leng Yuan’s fans.

But in stark contrast to Leng Yuan’s popularity, the original ”Gu Jiaojiao” was the most reviled character. For every fan who loved Leng Yuan, there was another who utterly despised her, the villainous female side character.

After all, she had treated him so horribly. For a man as perfect as him, that experience was the only stain on his otherwise flawless record.

As Gu Jiaojiao thought about this, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of smugness. ’The original Gu Jiaojiao was Leng Yuan’s one and only dark past, but I’m going to be his one and only woman. So many fans adored this man, but in the end, I’m the only one who gets to sleep with him.’

The more she thought about it, the happier she became, and the light in her eyes shone ever brighter.

Seeing how much Gu Jiaojiao seemed to admire his calligraphy, Leng Yuan wrapped an arm around her and settled her onto his lap, giving her a clearer view.

”If you like it, I can teach you.”

The man’s voice was low and tinged with a hint of gentleness. His soft tone was like a lover’s whisper, and Gu Jiaojiao’s mind was completely swept away.

She had no idea what Leng Yuan had even said; she just nodded distractedly.

Leng Yuan smiled. ”In that case, starting tomorrow, you’ll practice with a calligraphy copybook for half an hour every day after you get home.”

By the time Gu Jiaojiao snapped out of her daze, the matter was already set in stone. She had no choice. ’Well, I guess I’ll have to practice!’

That night, the two of them didn’t engage in any more... indescribable activities. The reason was simple: Gu Jiaojiao couldn’t handle it. She was well and truly intimidated.

Leng Yuan didn’t make any further moves, simply holding her in his arms as they slept.

Gu Jiaojiao mused that for their relationship to progress, physical intimacy was truly indispensable. ’Just look,’ she thought, ’when I first got here, this man was completely dismissive of me. But after sleeping together twice, he now knows to hold me as we sleep.’

After letting her thoughts wander for a while, Gu Jiaojiao drifted into a deep sleep in Leng Yuan’s embrace.

The next day, they were up while it was still dark outside. By the time Gu Jiaojiao had finished making breakfast, Leng Yuan had already tidied the house.

Aside from his cooking, which couldn’t compare to hers, the man was actually more adept at housework than Gu Jiaojiao was.

Gu Jiaojiao was very satisfied with this arrangement. ’A life together is shared by two people, and so is the housework. I don’t subscribe to that old-fashioned idea that chores are a woman’s job.’