Li Fusu asked with concern: "Has Tanlang prepared a gift? It's better to prepare the gift more carefully. Do you want me and A-mei to prepare a good one for you?"

Ouyang Rong shook his head: "You don't need to bother me."

"Da Lang, please prepare one for me." Yan Liulang rubbed his hands:

"Although I don't know if Miss Xie will invite me to this birthday party, but just in case."

His face was not red, his heart was not beating, and he said longingly: "As old as I am, Yan Liu, I have never participated in the birthday banquet of such a wealthy family with five surnames."

Li Fusu didn't pay attention and nodded, "Okay, I'll prepare one for you too."

Not long after, Li Fusu and Yan Liulang discussed the matter of giving gifts. Ouyang Rong was cooking alone beside him and did not join.

From time to time, he looked in the direction of the peaks of the twin peaks, frowning slightly as if thinking about business matters.

From time to time, he turns to look at his chat friends and shakes his head slightly.

…

After lunch.

In the afternoon, Ouyang Rong did not accompany Fusu, and Yan Liulang went to Chaisangfang for a stroll.

Returned to the Huaiye Lane mansion early.

He walked straight through the bamboo forest, returned to Yinbingzhai, and walked into the west wing where the sundries were kept.

Ouyang Rong took out a pile of bamboo products and placed them in the yard.

Taking advantage of the rare clear sunshine in winter, Ouyang Rong sat on a small bench in the yard, lowered his head and continued to cut bamboo, weaving bamboo strips with flexible techniques.

It was faintly visible that the bamboo product he was weaving in his hands looked a bit like a pair of open umbrella ribs.

"Didn't Tanlang make several objects called abacus? Why are you still busy with these recently?"

Ye Weilai carried a plate of fruit and walked into the bamboo forest courtyard. When she saw Ouyang Rong with his head down and concentrating on his handiwork, she asked curiously.

Ouyang Rong said without raising his head: "After finishing the abacus, let's make another oil-paper umbrella."

"Oil-paper umbrella?"

"Well, give it away."

"Are you saying thank you to the girl?"

"Um."

The silver-haired girl's blue eyes were envious: "Tan Lang is determined."

Ouyang Rong shook his head, "My craftsmanship is not very good, it's a bit slow."

Ye Weilai said softly: "It is light on etiquette but heavy on affection."

She walked over and wiped the sweat from Ouyang Rong's forehead.

Ouyang Rong has been making this oil-paper umbrella intermittently for a decade, so he just made it after making the abacus.

These days, every time after he was busy with official duties in Jiangzhou Hall and cooperating with Wang Caozhi and others, whenever he had free time, he devoted himself to it, finishing a little bit every day, slowly.

The second day, afternoon.

In the courtyard, on a bench between a pile of bamboo strips, Ouyang Rong suddenly leaned back and let out a long breath.

In my hand, a brand new oil-paper umbrella is finally completed.

He opened the oil-paper umbrella and tried it back and forth. After a while, he nodded with satisfaction.

"You should like it." He muttered.

...It's better to prepare Tanlang's gift with more care...

Li Dalang's instructions at noon vaguely rang in Ouyang Rong's ears.

"The white paper on the umbrella is too monotonous. How about adding some calligraphy to it to make it look more elegant and refined?"

Ouyang Rong closed his umbrella, stood up instantly, and went out with his umbrella.

He went straight to Xingzifang, followed the address in his memory, and found Yuan Huaimin, who was lying on a bamboo chair and basking in the sun.

"Last time I saw you were pretty good at painting, could you help me add a painting to this umbrella?"

Ouyang Rong spoke concisely and to the point, and held out the oil-paper umbrella.

Yuan Huaimin, who was sleeping on a bamboo chair in the courtyard, suddenly woke up:

"What painting?"

"Pictures are suitable for giving as gifts. Well, actually poems and so on are also suitable."

Ouyang Rong said with a smile: "Brother Huaimin, isn't he a great poet?"

"Don't think about poetry. I don't compose poetry easily, as it can easily scare ghosts and gods. Well, I'll give you a good picture."

Yuan Huaimin was full of pride and righteous speech.

Ouyang Rong twitched the corner of his mouth: "Okay."

"correct."

Yuan Huaimin turned around and said, "Brother Lianghan, I was quite inspired by my time with Dongmei a few days ago. How about..."

Ouyang Rong said casually: "What inspiration, the inspiration of being kicked by it?"

Yuan Huaimin looked a little confused, waved his hands and said:

"No, it's a picture of a horse taking a bath. Why don't you draw the winter plum on it?"

"no."

Ouyang Rong said with a straight face: "Can you stop worrying about your bathing pictures? You should be more reliable as a gift to a girl."

Yuan Huaimin had a look of regret on his face and a regretful tone:

"It's a pity that I have such an unrivaled talent. Okay, here's a picture of a lady wearing a hairpin. Women will definitely like it. I know a little bit about it."

Ouyang Rong suggested: "Don't just know a little bit, come up with someone who is good at it."

"Hey, I know a little bit about being humble. Do you understand being humble?"

Ouyang Rong said in a nonchalant tone: "That's up to you, just don't doodle."

"no problem."

Yuan Huaimin took the oil-paper umbrella with a solemn expression, turned around and walked towards the bathroom.

Ouyang Rong was stunned: "What are you waiting for?"

"You have to take a bath...not...you have to bathe and change clothes before you can paint."

"..." Ouyang Rong was speechless and waved his hands as if to dismiss: "Okay, okay, hurry up."

"okay."

Not knowing what his quirk was, Yuan Huaimin took a bath and incense in a serious manner before walking into his study and painting behind closed doors.

Leave Ouyang Rong in the hospital

An hour passed and the door did not open.

"Done yet?"

Ouyang Rong couldn't help but stepped forward, banged on the door, and urged him. Yuan Huaimin then hesitated and reluctantly handed in the manuscript.

Ouyang Rong opened the umbrella and took a look. He found that there was no ghost or mistake in drawing the symbols, and he was slightly relieved.

As for the quality of the paintings, in the eyes of Ouyang Rong, who had seen too many exquisitely colored pictures in his previous life, these ladies with hairpins were definitely not as good-looking as real people.

He just thought it looked okay.

Not wanting to listen to Yuan Huaimin's self-praising, Ouyang Rong put away his oil-paper umbrella, turned around and left.

As the sun set, Ouyang Rong returned to Huaiye Lane. Outside the door, there was a little maid with a dumpling face waiting for him.

It's Li Guo'er's personal maid, Cai Shou.

"Sir, this is the invitation letter for Miss Xie's birthday party tomorrow. Please accept it. By the way..."

In addition to the gilded invitation, she tilted her head and handed over another thing:

"Thank you, little lady, for coming to see the young lady this afternoon and asking her to deliver a gift to you."

"Forward me a gift?"

Ouyang Rong was puzzled: "Isn't it her birthday gift? Why are you giving me a gift?"

Cai Shou shook her head: "Anyway, Madam Xie asked my lady to take care of it. She has been having trouble getting out of bed recently. Madam Xie said she asked you to put it away properly so that you can... use it as a backup."

"As a spare?" Ouyang Rong looked curious, took it, and weighed it in his hand. It seemed to be jade, which was very valuable.

Looking at Cai Shou's lively figure leaving, he touched his chin:
Chapter completed!