“I learned this skill in secret and I don’t want anyone to know! If anyone finds out… too much ambition might only bring me harm in the end.” Back then, she had gone undercover for a year and a half when she was working on a case at the National Institute of Architectural Design. She mastered many architectural skills in order to gather clues. She knew inside-out the architectural design of Huanghe Tower, Yueyang Tower, Tengwang Pavilion, Tianshou Pavilion, and the Imperial Palace…
Xiaobao tilted his head and cutely asked in return, “Addition? What’s wrong with math?”
Qi Qingyao smiled. Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, she explained, “It has nothing to do with math! ‘Ambition is the downfall of a wealthy man’… let me teach you this saying.”
With that, Qi Qingyao took a blank sheet of paper and picked up the brush as she went. Dipping the brush in a little ink, she wrote down the phrase quickly.
Xiaobao found that his mother’s handwriting was pretty. The natural and smooth cursive handwriting was tinged with a distinctively wild flavor.
‘Huh?’
Something was not right.
‘How can Mother write?
‘Including the prescription written for Heir Pei’s treatment last time… Mother shouldn’t know how to write.
‘Grandfather…
‘Them!
‘People in the family had always said that Mother was not right in the head ever since she was young, and that she was illiterate. There was no way she should be able to write.’
As Xiaobao watched her write now… her handwriting was so pretty. She knew how to charm people and design houses.
Xiaobao frowned and looked at Qi Qingyao with bright eyes.
Qi Qingyao thought the little guy could not read, so she taught him.
“What this phrase means is that commoners shouldn’t stash treasure away privately. There’s no reason for commoners to have treasures unless it was stolen. What it came to mean later on is that a person could be harmed for having talents and ideals that others might be jealous of.”
“Mm…” Xiaobao nodded, vaguely understanding. He gave his mother another thoughtful look.
Qi Qingyao rested her head on his little head and hugged him. As she played with her child’s cute little chubby hands, she whispered, “Think about me, your mother, who was a complete fool before this. While I’m no longer a fool now, it is still supposedly impossible for me to master architectural design. I’m afraid it’ll cause some trouble if someone finds out about this. What if someone takes me away to have me design a house for their family?”
“I don’t want Mother to be taken away!” Xiaobao was very worried.
“Then this matter must be kept secret, understand?” Qi Qingyao scratched the little kid’s nose lightly.
“I understand. I’ll definitely keep it a secret.” Seriousness was written all over Xiaobao’s chubby face.
Qi Qingyao kissed Xiaobao’s soft, fair face with a smile.
She then put him down, sorted out the blueprints on the tabletop, and prepared to go to bed.
Xiaobao was carried to bed by Qi Qingyao. She was too sleepy to even bother changing into her pajamas.
Xiaobao, on the other hand, could not sleep. He held onto Qi Qingyao’s shirt sleeve and questioned his mother with a frown.
“Then… Mother, how did you learn to design buildings?”
“Well… just imagine that I was able to master it on my own after getting struck by lightning in broad daylight,” Qi Qingyao scratched her head and responded abstractly.
Xiaobao, “…”
Could he actually imagine something like that?
She had mastered it without being taught?
“I’ll finish designing the blueprints later and hand them over to the professional engineering team. The master will surely get it right after taking a look at my blueprints.” Qi Qingyao said in a daze. “With a complete blueprint, we’ll be able to move into the new house in about a month, right before the new year comes. Alright, good boy, I’m so sleepy now…”
Qi Qingyao slept late into the morning the next day!
When she woke up, her three children were all sitting by her and looking at her.
“Huh? Why are all of you sitting here?” Qi Qingyao sat up and asked while rubbing her eyes.
Erniu threw herself onto the bed and held onto Qi Qingyao’s arm. In tears, she said pitifully, “Mother, you didn’t wake up and we thought…”
“You thought? Hm?”
“…it’s nothing. Quickly get up to have lunch!” Erniu wiped her eyes and said.
Qi Qingyao, “???”
‘Could it be that these children thought that I would never wake up again?!’
