Chapter 76: My Honor

Lu Yao scarcely dared to breathe, anxiously watching Ye Zehong, eager to see how he would smooth over his words perfectly. Ye Yingtang glanced at both Lu Yao and Ye Zehong with a probing gaze, suspicion clouding his expression. Lu Yao was so unnerved by his stare that she stiffened, forcing a dry smile and not daring to show even the slightest extra emotion, inwardly reminding herself not to betray any guilt.

Ye Zehong, however, looked at Lu Yao with calm composure and smiled lightly. "I... heard others mention it," he replied. The explanation was reasonable and convincing.

Ye Yingtang’s satisfaction grew, the smile on his face deepening. "It seems the reputation of Lawyer Lu as a talented woman is indeed widely known."

"Mr. Ye, you flatter me," Lu Yao replied with relief, her smile now much more natural.

"Come, come, show us your skills," Ye Yingtang prompted, giving up his seat.

Lu Yao took a deep breath, pondered for a minute, and then wrote a poem on the rice paper. In contrast to Ye Yingtang's bold and unrestrained calligraphy style, Lu Yao's handwriting was meticulously neat, each stroke precise and upright, as if printed rather than written.

"Zheng Xie's 'Bamboo and Stone'—it is indeed a poem Lawyer Lu would appreciate," Ye Yingtang remarked. At first, he had simply admired Lu Yao, but now, seeing her calmly and steadily compose the poem, he found himself genuinely impressed. He felt that choosing Lu Yao as the legal representative had been his most correct decision.

"Forgive my humble attempt," Lu Yao said, setting down the brush and smiling embarrassedly.

"Lawyer Lu’s calligraphy flows smoothly, her strokes are ethereal, her characters upright and balanced, every line steady and strong," Ye Yingtang praised as he picked up her work, growing more fond of it the longer he looked.

Lu Yao seized the moment to glance at Ye Zehong, her eyes tinged with a trace of reproach. Ye Zehong, however, smiled with pride, much like a parent watching their precious daughter being praised by her teacher.

"Lawyer Lu, may I have this piece as a gift?" Ye Yingtang asked, unable to part with the calligraphy.

"It would be my honor," Lu Yao replied, her shy smile betraying a small delight at being recognized by the head of the capital's most prestigious family.

"If Xiaohua had half your composure and talent, it would be wonderful," Ye Yingtang sighed suddenly, shaking his head in regret.

Lu Yao's face showed a hint of confusion. She tentatively asked, "Mr. Ye, surely you must be joking. Miss Ye is the truly gifted one—her work is adored by everyone. No one can rival her talent in ink painting."

"If only she could actually paint those pictures herself, I would..." Ye Yingtang realized he had said too much and stopped himself, finishing with, "Ah, let it go. Children have their own fate."

From these brief words, Lu Yao gleaned an important clue. It seemed that everyone in the Ye family knew those paintings attributed to Ye Hua were not truly hers. In her heart, she was ninety-nine percent certain that Ye Hua was the culprit who had hurt her and her mother years ago! The remaining one percent of doubt was something she needed solid evidence to resolve.

Next, Ye Yingtang, delighted to have found a calligraphy companion in Lu Yao, eagerly invited her to write more. Ye Zehong stood to the side, his face filled with approving smiles. The atmosphere in the study was harmonious and warm.

Outside the study, Qiao Wan’er observed the scene with growing resentment. Why should the unremarkable Lu Yao receive Ye Yingtang’s favor? Unable to bear it any longer, she left in anger. Passing by the tea room, she saw Yang Lan beckoning to her.

Qiao Wan’er entered the tea room, sitting down with a face ashen with rage. Seeing her distressed expression, Yang Lan hurriedly asked, "Wan’er, what happened? Why are you so upset?"