After tending to her wound, Luo Yiyu regained her composure. Wiping away the blood with a handkerchief, she saw it had stopped bleeding and shook her head, saying, “Nanny, it’s fine. No need to bandage it.”
Love can truly twist one’s heart. Even when he passed by without looking at her, she couldn’t help but overthink…
Yiyu kept wondering why he had complimented her clothes yesterday but didn’t look at her today. Was today’s outfit not as appealing?
She wore a cherry blossom pink long vest with a gauze outer layer and a light green embroidered skirt. Surely it looked better than yesterday’s outfit…
Or perhaps he simply hadn’t noticed she was here.
Yining quietly observed Yiyu, growing increasingly disappointed. While she could understand Yiyu’s actions given her young age, the infatuated look on her face showed she hadn’t given up on Cheng Lang. This also meant that Cheng Lang hadn’t firmly rejected her advances.
Cheng Lang had always been adept at handling such situations. He was cordial to other women but never for long. He seemed to have a bit of affection for everyone, yet was utterly heartless at the same time. Why did Yiyu insist on pursuing such a man?
Yining sat beside Yiyu and asked softly, “Fourth Sister, is your injury alright now?”
It was rare for young Yining to speak with this fourth sister. Both had proud and stubborn personalities; getting along without quarreling was an achievement in itself. Yining’s deliberate show of concern even caught the attention of Yilien, who looked up from her needlework.
Yiyu lightly sucked her finger and replied coolly, “It’s nothing.” She disliked Yining and had no desire to converse with her.
Yining, however, smiled and showed Yiyu her embroidery hoop. “Fourth Sister, I’ve embroidered a lotus flower here and want to add a poem. But I don’t know how to embroider characters. Could you help me? I’d like to embroider ‘Exquisite dice conceal red beans within, do you know my longing that cuts to the bone?’ Do you know these lines, Fourth Sister?”
Yiyu’s body stiffened at these words, as if doused with cold water, suddenly jolted to alertness.
She stared at Yining in disbelief, unable to speak for a long moment. How could Yining know… How could she possibly know?
Yining turned to the matron and said, “Nanny, may I accompany Fourth Sister for a short rest? Is that alright?”
Seeing Yiyu’s poor complexion, the matron waved them off.
Once in the back room, Yining closed the door. Yiyu finally moved her lips, asking softly, “Seventh Sister, why do you insist on embroidering these two lines?”
Yining sighed inwardly at Yiyu’s lack of perceptiveness. Did she need to spell it out?
“Does Fourth Sister not like these lines?” Yining looked at her, smiling with childlike innocence. “I quite enjoy this poem; it feels pleasant to recite. But what good is bone-deep longing? Today it was just me who noticed, but what if someone else sees it tomorrow? Has Fourth Sister considered that?”
Yiyu’s face alternated between flushing and paling as she stared at Yining in utter disbelief.
Yining paused before adding, “I’m saying this for your good.”
Yiyu clutched her embroidered handkerchief tightly, suppressing her trembling emotions. After a long moment, she said, “You… please don’t tell anyone.”
“As long as Fourth Sister doesn’t act foolishly again,” Yining’s voice was gentle yet carried a subtle strength. “Why would I tell anyone? But Fourth Sister should consider our other sisters too. If this gets out, how will Grandmother and First Aunt handle it?”
The maids could only see the two whispering but couldn’t make out their words.
To Yiyu, however, Yining’s words fell like heavy bells, each toll making her face burn with shame.
She wasn’t unaware of these implications but had always harbored a sense of luck, believing no one would discover her actions. She never expected Yining to find out.
If Yining told Grandmother or Madam Chen… Yiyu could imagine the consequences all too well.
“I… I was foolish,” Yiyu bit her lip. “Just don’t tell anyone, Sister.”
It was rare for the usually proud Yiyu to humble herself, and her gaze towards Yining held a hint of pleading. Yining wasn’t one to endlessly hold others’ mistakes against them. Despite their usual friction, she was willing to do Yiyu this favor.
“Does Fourth Sister really like Second Young Master Cheng that much?” Yining asked softly.
Yiyu looked at her young seventh sister, her gaze growing distant. “I do like him… and I think he likes me too. But when I told Mother, she didn’t approve.”
She wasn’t sure why she was confiding in a child, but perhaps she truly had no one else to talk to.
Yining couldn’t sympathize with her, as her actions were incredibly reckless. If others found out now, all the Luo girls would be implicated. But Yining didn’t blame her; after all, she was still just a child herself.
“I understand. I’ll keep Fourth Sister’s secret,” Yining smiled. “Don’t worry, just don’t act foolishly again in the future.”
Yiyu nodded.
As long as Yining didn’t reveal this, everything else could be managed.
Her gaze towards Yining now held less hostility.
Having achieved her goal, Yining didn’t pursue the conversation further. As the sun grew warmer, Old Madam Luo called them back to eat watermelon that had been chilled in the well since morning. Cut into small pieces and served in crystal dishes with cane syrup, it was sweet and refreshingly cool.
The young men had already paid their respects and left. Old Madam Luo had Yining sit beside her to eat watermelon while teaching her to recite the “Book of Songs.” Yining gazed at Old Madam Luo’s aged profile and nestled into her embrace.
Old Madam Luo smiled indulgently. “It’s so hot, yet you still want to cling to me?”
“I love Grandmother, so I love clinging to you,” Yining blinked and said. “And I won’t trouble you with other worries. Don’t you like me, Grandmother?”
Old Madam Luo laughed and patted her back, feeling her heart melt as she held the child.
Yining did depend on Old Madam Luo, having lived with her since her rebirth. The old lady had shielded and cared for her. How could she not love her?
She breathed in the faint scent of sandalwood from the old lady, feeling completely at ease.
So, she decided to let Yiyu’s matter rest. She had done what she could to advise her, hoping to prevent such troubles from bothering Grandmother.
Yining closed her eyes.
Early the next morning, Yining rose, remembering that Luo Shenyuan had asked her to come for some books.
Tutor Gu had family matters to attend to, so there were no lessons for a few days. Yining went to Luo Shenyuan’s quarters, where he was still writing.
His study was austere, with an inkstone and brush holder on the long table, and a large blue-green porcelain jar filled with old scrolls nearby. A pot of four-season orchids sat on a high table, in full bloom this season. The pale green, butterfly-like flowers perched on the stems, their subtle fragrance barely detectable in the air. Luo Shenyuan was leaning over the table, writing with fluid strokes.
Yining stood at the door, not wanting to disturb him. His eyelashes lowered in concentration, his profile serene.
After a while, he set down his brush and said calmly, “Why don’t you come in?”
Yining smiled and approached. “Third Brother, how did you know I was here?”
Looking down, she saw that Luo Shenyuan had been writing an eight-legged essay, having just reached the opening section. He had stopped writing when she arrived.
Luo Shenyuan glanced at her and set his brush aside. “My hearing is sharp; I could hear your footsteps.”
Noticing Yining, who barely reached his waist, intently studying his writing, he patted her head. “You won’t understand this. Come with me.”
So he knew she wouldn’t understand…
Yining rubbed her head, thinking to herself that even if she couldn’t understand, couldn’t she still watch him write?
Of course, while girls did study, it was mainly to comprehend content. Those preparing for imperial examinations, however, had to memorize, internalize, and synthesize the material on a completely different level. It was normal for her not to understand; it would be problematic if she did.
Yining could only follow him to the back parlor, where she watched him select several books from the shelves. He briefly flipped through them before handing them to her. “These are all good. Take them back to read.”
Yining was bewildered. She wasn’t taking the imperial exams, so why read so many books?
“Third Brother, you should focus on your studies…” Yining said softly. “It’s not useful for me to read these.”
Luo Shenyuan turned to look at her, his tone slightly lowered as he called her name firmly: “Yining…”
Yining felt a subtle pressure in his tone. As he looked at her, she could only nod reluctantly and compromise, hugging the books. “Alright, I’ll take them all back to read.”
He stroked her head and said, “That’s better. People learn virtue from books.”
Yining felt that being so short had its disadvantages, such as both Luo Shenyuan and Grandmother often patting her head.
As she left the parlor, seeing he was about to resume writing, she asked, “Third Brother, I heard that First Brother and Second Brother study late, and First Aunt sends them nourishing soups every day. Do you get any?”
Luo Shenyuan didn’t answer immediately. After a moment, he said calmly, “No one sends me any.”
Yining knew that Lin Hairu didn’t look after him, but hearing his tone devoid of any emotion, as if he were used to it and found nothing unusual about it, she felt a pang in her heart.
“I’ll have the kitchen send you some!” Yining smiled and asked, “Do you like pork trotter soup?”
A faint smile appeared on Luo Shenyuan’s lips but quickly disappeared. Without looking at her, he said coolly, “There’s no need. I don’t care for pork trotter soup.”
Yining quite enjoyed pork trotter soup herself… What was wrong with it?
She pondered this silently as she took the books and bid farewell to Luo Shenyuan. Noticing the sun outside, he put down his brush and said, “I’ll walk you back.”
“Third Brother, weren’t you writing? There’s no need to see me off,” Yining said, signaling Xuezhi to bring her oil-paper umbrella.
But Luo Shenyuan had already stepped out. “I’m going to pay respects to Grandmother anyway, so I might as well walk you back.” He walked to the corridor, sunlight falling on his tall figure, making him appear as straight as a pine tree. Yining felt a moment of daze before she heard Luo Shenyuan turn and say calmly, “Aren’t you coming?”
Yining hurried over with a few small steps, and he took her hand. She could feel his warm, dry palm and the calluses on his fingertips.
Her heart immediately felt more at ease.
Xuezhi opened the oil-paper umbrella to shade her from the sun as they walked along the stone path.
The Yuzhan flowers along the small path were in bloom, their fragrance rich in the sweltering summer air. Xuezhi picked one and tucked it into Yining’s sleeve. Yining raised her sleeve to smell it, thinking she finally understood what the ancients meant by “sleeves full of fragrance.”
Luo Shenyuan noticed her lowering her head to smell the flower, and when she looked up, her nose was dusted with pale yellow pollen. He smiled and called, “Yining.” Unsure why he was calling her, she looked up at him. Luo Shenyuan reached out to wipe her nose tip, saying, “You’ve got pollen on your nose.”
His slender fingertip, now bearing a bit of pollen, flicked it away gently.
Yining responded with an “Oh” and smiled brightly at him. “Thank you, Third Brother.”
As Yining looked up, she noticed someone in the distance, standing under a tree’s shade by the lake. Two guards accompanied him, suggesting he wasn’t from the Cheng family. The man wore a moon-white Hangzhou silk robe and was tall and slender, appearing to be Cheng Lang.
When Luo Shenyuan saw the person standing beside Cheng Lang, his expression darkened slightly. Realizing he was still holding young Yining’s hand, he stepped back and said softly, “Don’t speak.”