As they approached the city gate, Lu Chang slowed the horse, letting Ming Shu take in the scenery outside Bianjing.
The city gates of Bianjing were far more prosperous and bustling than any other city gates Ming Shu had passed on her journey. Outside the gates stood refreshment stalls for travelers, with tables and chairs set in the open air. Several people sat there, exchanging farewell bows. Nearby, vendors called out selling Hu Bing flatbread, while others carrying candied hawthorn walked back and forth, deliberately lingering when they encountered people with children… There was a constant stream of people at the gates, with the melodious sound of camel bells ringing as a merchant caravan slowly entered the city. Among them were foreign beauties with golden hair and blue eyes, catching Ming Shu’s transfixed gaze.
“Brother, look!” Ming Shu suddenly grabbed his arm excitedly.
Following her gaze, Lu Chang saw the commoners waiting to enter the city automatically making way for an approaching procession. Amid the thunderous gongs and drums emerged a group of people – a young lord riding proudly on horseback, servants carrying lanterns and boxes, followed by an eight-bearer sedan chair…
“It’s a wedding procession! How exciting!” Ming Shu turned her head in delight, thoroughly entertained.
Lu Chang couldn’t understand what was so fascinating about it, but seeing her flushed cheeks, with wisps of hair blowing across her face by the wind, and her eyes sparkling like stars, he unconsciously reached out to tuck her stray hair behind her ear, asking with a smile, “Thinking about getting married?”
“Doesn’t Brother want to take a wife?” Ming Shu countered without blushing, completely unmoved by Lu Chang’s gesture, merely feeling that her brother was being particularly gentle and loving at that moment.
After tucking her hair behind her other ear, Lu Chang’s hand suddenly froze near her ear, the smile gradually stiffening on his face – what was he doing?
Even for siblings, this gesture was too intimate.
What had he been doing from earlier until now?
He had snatched the horse from Tao Yiqian, shared the ride with her, accompanied her to view Bianjing’s prosperity, let his mood rise and fall with hers, and even made such tender gestures. He stared blankly at his hand, as if it wasn’t his as if his body wasn’t his own…
“Brother?” Ming Shu called out, puzzled by his daze.
Lu Chang snapped out of it, quickly withdrew his hand, jumped down from the horse, and switched to leading it on foot. Ming Shu on horseback watched his retreating in confusion, deeply perplexed.
Lu Chang’s expressions were changing far too quickly.
The Great An Dynasty allowed relatively free movement, with commoners not requiring travel permits. Moreover, with Lu Chang’s recommendation letter from the prefectural school and his status as the top scholar of Jiangning, they quickly passed through the city gates. They had switched back to the carriage, and Ming Shu sat as usual beside Lu Chang, looking around to take in the prosperous capital.
Tao Yiqian rode his horse beside the carriage, seemingly trying to make up for his earlier missed opportunity by enthusiastically introducing the sights of Bianjing.
“Bianjing has eight scenic spots. The Fan Platform Spring Views in the southeast is best for spring outings with wine to enjoy the season’s beauty; the Iron Pagoda Touching Clouds in the northeast has twelve levels, each offering different views as you climb. At the highest point, you feel as if you’re treading clouds and touching the sky, hence the name ‘Touching Clouds’; the Sui Dyke Willow Mist is perfect for young ladies like you to visit with companions – standing under those willows is like being in a painting…”
“What about this season?” Ming Shu listened intently.
“This season is best for visiting Liang Garden – its snow scenery is unparalleled in the world.” Tao Yiqian raised his thumb, his expression also showing longing.
Actually, this was his first time in the capital too, but he had thoroughly researched all the interesting and delicious places in Bianjing before coming. Although his introduction was somewhat bookish, it didn’t stop him from showing off in front of Ming Shu.
“Young Master Tao, are you planning to follow us to our home?”
Ming Shu was listening with great interest when Lu Chang suddenly interrupted. Tao Yiqian abruptly fell silent. Though they were close in age, for some reason he always felt inferior in Lu Chang’s presence. Lu Chang’s gaze made it seem as if he was trying to lead his sister astray – heaven knows, he, Tao Yiqian, never had such unsavory thoughts!
“Uh…” Awakened by Lu Chang’s words, Tao Yiqian finally noticed they had reached a crossroads, with his escort guards already heading in a different direction from the Lu siblings. The head guard was looking helplessly at him, who had almost wandered off following the Lu family’s carriage. His face reddened as he smacked his forehead and said with an embarrassed smile, “Look at me, I was so caught up talking with Ming Shu that I forgot to watch the road. May I know where you’re staying in the capital, Lu Brother? I’d like to visit another day to express my gratitude…”
Before Tao Yiqian could finish, Lu Chang had already whipped the horses to speed up, his voice drifting back: “No need, let’s part ways here.”
Finally rid of that persistent Tao Yiqian, Lu Chang’s mood improved slightly as he took Madam Zeng and Ming Shu to find an eatery.
The entrance was hung with heavy felt curtains, and though small inside, the aroma of food mixed with rising steam made it feel exceptionally warm. Ming Shu rubbed her hands and helped Madam Zeng choose a table to sit down. Lu Chang first ordered three cups of Grandma’s Tea before asking what they wanted to eat. Being a small establishment, they naturally served common people’s fare like pancakes, noodles, and soups. Eventually, they each ordered a bowl of noodles and a plate of sanzi. The sanzi was twisted into thin strands and fried golden and crispy. Ming Shu’s favorite way to eat it was to break it into pieces and soak it in the noodle soup. The broth was made from lamb bones with spices to remove the gamey taste. With hand-pulled noodles topped with sliced lamb and sprinkled with green onions, it was the most satisfying meal they’d had since starting their journey to the capital.
Ming Shu loved meat and ate the lamb mixed with sanzi, practically in seventh heaven. She quickly finished the meat when suddenly chopsticks came from the side. Looking up, she found that Lu Chang had barely touched his food but was transferring all his lamb to her bowl.
“I don’t like meat,” Lu Chang explained when he caught Ming Shu’s gaze, quickly lowering his head to eat his noodles.
Ming Shu looked at Madam Zeng.
Madam Zeng smiled lovingly, “Go ahead and eat, your brother dotes on you.”
Ming Shu felt warmth flood her heart, sweetly responded with an “Mm,” and happily continued eating her noodles, keeping this kindness firmly in her heart. When others show three parts of kindness, return it tenfold – she was determined to help support her mother and brother.
Soon all three finished their meals. Ming Shu’s appetite hadn’t been this good in a long time; she even drank all her soup. When she looked up, she found Lu Chang staring at her again. Lu Chang felt somewhat uncomfortable – back home, she had at least nine dishes per meal, yet she would pick at her food like a little bird, eating only a bite or two of each dish, maintaining her proper young lady’s demeanor. Now, following him, she even enjoyed a simple bowl of noodles heartily. He was letting her down.
“Don’t move!” Ming Shu unaware of his complicated thoughts, suddenly commanded while staring intently at him.
Lu Chang was confused, only seeing Ming Shu’s face drawing closer. He inexplicably tensed up as she slowly raised her hand, her fingertip reaching toward the corner of his lips, her fingertip briefly brushing across…
“See, green onion,” Ming Shu smiled, showing him the scallion piece on her fingertip, intending to tease the always-serious Lu Chang.
Lu Chang’s redness started from his ears and spread slowly – when her fingertip had brushed past, it felt like the touch of a fine feather, most enchanting.
“Lu Ming Shu!”
Ming Shu hadn’t expected Lu Chang to get angry. He called her full name with a stern face, looking somewhat fierce.
“Just speak in the future, don’t get physical!” Lu Chang said.
“?” Ming Shu was stunned – the way he put it made her sound like some kind of lecher.
“Men and women should maintain proper distance,” he said coldly.
“Aren’t we siblings?” Ming Shu argued, turning to look at the customers at the next table – she hadn’t done anything wrong, had she? Weren’t other siblings just as close?
Lu Chang followed her gaze to see a family of four at the next table, two of whom were also siblings. The sister was happily hugging her brother’s leg while the brother fed her spoonful by spoonful. Their parents sat beside them watching contentedly, a perfect picture of family harmony, except…
Their brother was barely over ten years old, and the sister was only five or six!
“Even as siblings, we’re grown now and should know proper boundaries and avoid suspicion,” Lu Chang looked away and said firmly.
Ming Shu was angry too – she might not know how siblings should interact, but he had fed her before, wiped her mouth, held her hand… How come when he did these things, there was no need to avoid suspicion, but when she did something, it became improper?
“Mother!” Ming Shu immediately turned to Madam Zeng, “Look at Brother! He was the one who said family shouldn’t be distant, but now he’s complaining that I’m too familiar. How can he be like this!”
Such skillful double standards!
Madam Zeng had been drinking tea and watching them argue without any intention of mediating, but when Ming Shu appealed to her like this, she immediately turned a stern face to Lu Chang: “Why are you being fierce with your sister? Is this your first day being an elder brother? Don’t you know how to speak properly?”
Lu Chang was left speechless by his mother’s rebuke. Her questioning clearly had deeper meaning – he was the one who wanted to recognize her as a sister, so he should act like a proper elder brother!
“I’ll go pay the bill and get the carriage,” Lu Chang chose not to argue with the mother-daughter pair and simply got up to settle the account.
Stepping out of the eatery, cooled by the breeze, Lu Chang calmed down and began to puzzle over his sudden loss of emotional control – this wasn’t the first time, and the previous times had all been because of Ming Shu.
After the exchange of words at the eatery, Ming Shu was also annoyed and refused to speak to Lu Chang. She stayed in the carriage even when they reached their destination, just listening to Lu Chang negotiate with people outside.
Before deciding to go to the capital, Lu Chang had already arranged for someone to inquire about houses in Beijing, just waiting to pay the rent and move in upon arrival. Unfortunately, due to various setbacks along the way, he arrived in Beijing nearly a month later than planned, and the landlord rented the house to someone else after waiting for dozens of days.
“I’m truly sorry,” said their former neighbor from Long Kang Lane who was helping the Lu family find housing, feeling guilty about the situation.
With the New Year approaching, finding suitable rental property was already very difficult. Lu Chang could only repeatedly entreat his neighbor for help. After some thought, the neighbor said, “Well, there is one family with a vacant house for rent, but the house is somewhat larger, and the rent is twice as high as the previous one we found for you.”
Twice as much… this was far beyond Lu Chang’s budget.
Lu Chang clenched his hand, seeing that there were only three days until New Year’s Eve. Just as he was about to grit his teeth and agree, a jade-white hand suddenly extended from the carriage and tossed something over.
Lu Chang caught it reflexively – it was a money pouch.
Inside were the ten taels of silver from the earlier captured bandits, which Ming Shu had been keeping.
Though still angry and not speaking to Lu Chang, she had thrown out the silver.
Gritting his teeth to rent the house, Lu Chang, accompanied by the neighbor, met the landlord, inspected the house, signed the contract, paid the deposit, and quickly received the keys.
Although the housing expenses left them with barely any money, when Lu Chang saw the house, he felt the money was well spent. Both were street-facing two-story buildings – the cheaper one only had one hall and one room. Lu Chang would be going to the capital’s Songling Academy after the New Year to prepare for examinations; that house would have been enough for just Madam Zeng, but now with Ming Shu added, one bedroom wasn’t enough. This current house perfectly solved that problem.
The first floor had a kitchen, hall, and bathroom, while the second floor had two separate rooms, one large and one small. The smaller room would be perfect for Ming Shu, so his mother wouldn’t have to squeeze into one room with her.
“You’ll stay with Mother these few days. After the New Year when I go to Songling Academy, this room will be yours,” Lu Chang was quite satisfied with this building.
“Hmph.” Ming Shu was ungrateful, still holding a grudge, and turned away.
Lu Chang rubbed his nose and went out to move their luggage.
When he finished carrying all the trunks upstairs and came back down, Ming Shu had already clumsily drawn water and was carefully carrying it upstairs to clean the furniture. Seeing this, Lu Chang stepped forward to help, but she brushed his hand away: “No need, keeping the proper distance.”
“…” Lu Chang was silent.
He hadn’t realized before that she could hold such a grudge!
Taking a quick step to catch up with her, he snatched the bucket from her hands: “I spoke wrongly. Miss Ming Shu, you have a minister’s generous heart, can you forgive me this once?”
Ming Shu couldn’t bear being called “Miss,” and hearing it, her anger dissipated by half. Her cold expression broke into a smile as she let him carry the bucket upstairs, saying, “Just put it by the bed. I’ll wipe the bed, you go help Mother.”
Only then did Lu Chang shake his head and leave, letting her do the light work of wiping tables and beds.
The sky gradually darkened as the family of three cleaned. The kitchen was cleaned first, and Madam Zeng had already started the fire and began cooking. Lu Chang carried heavy items up and down the stairs.
Ming Shu stayed upstairs cleaning. The bed frame and boxes were wiped clean, bedding laid out properly, and clothes folded neatly on the bed, just waiting to be put into the wardrobe. Although Ming Shu had never done such work before, she learned to do it properly, albeit slowly.
When Lu Chang came to call her for dinner, he found her sleeping sweetly with her head resting on her arms at the table.
She must be tired.
Lu Chang walked over and sat beside her, about to wake her when he suddenly heard her sleep-talk: “Brother, eat meat! Meat… all you can eat!”
Her sleep-talking voice was soft, like winter tangyuan with sesame and peanut filling, both sweet and heartwarming, suddenly piercing Lu Chang’s heart. Lu Chang felt warm from head to toe, his gaze softening as he looked at her arm, exposed to the air from rolling up her sleeves for work. Without thinking, he gently drew her closer, then took her already cold arm and slowly untied her sleeve bindings, letting down her rolled-up sleeves.
His gaze slowly moved up from her hands, finally settling on her face.
For an instant, his heart fluttered, and some thought flashed by like a shooting star, yet like a flash of lightning, it startled him awake.
Lu Chang was shocked by his own thoughts, suddenly withdrawing his hand, causing Ming Shu’s head to drop and bump against the table.
She rubbed her forehead as she woke up, complaining, “I’ve already lost my memory from bumps, are you determined to knock me silly?”
Lu Chang had already stood up. He felt… he couldn’t stay by Ming Shu’s side anymore.
Author’s Note:
Ming Shu: Why can you do it but I can’t!
Little Lu: No reason why.
Ming Shu: Your double standards are