Chapter 17

The clouds in the sky are dim, but the osmanthus tree can be seen again.

The weeds in the yard were covered with frost, making the yard look even more lonely.

Qiu Niang stood guard at the porch, while Gu Luoyan sat in the old house with her eyes closed to rest.

It's the ninth day of the first lunar month again. Winter is getting thicker under the dilapidated houses and broken tiles.

The frost on the grass looked like pearls or tears in the moonlight. Suddenly, the wind roared, the man guarding the porch looked moved, and a white shadow appeared on the low wall.

Qiu Niang ran towards the wall, muttering to herself, and then smiled anxiously, "Cat, cat."

The white cat on the wall was holding something in its mouth. When it saw Qiu Niang running towards it, it just watched quietly. It didn't jump down from the wall until Gu Luoyan leaned forward. It flew straight past Qiu Niang and ran towards Gu Luoyan.

Gu Luoyan stood silently at the porch. When he saw the white cat running to his feet, he saw Qiu Niang following the white cat intently.

The white cat put something down from its mouth and then stepped onto the porch to try to rub against Gu Luoyan. Gu Luoyan took a step back and then walked around the white cat to pick up the copper lock on the ground.

There was a word "An" carved on the lock, and it was the door lock used by ordinary people.

Gu Luoyan's gaze softened. Then the white cat moved towards her feet again, and this time it finally touched her feet, transforming into a white light.

It cried out in satisfaction.

Qiu Niang approached, but didn't come any closer. Gu Luoyan went to see her, only to see her staring at the white cat and laughing. She wanted to go over to Qiu Niang, but she waved her hand and shook her head slightly, perhaps scaring the white cat at her feet.

So Gu Luoyan stopped and Qiu Niang stood far away and watched.

Something sank in her heart, a tight pain. Gu Luoyan leaned over to look at the white cat, finally squatting down and stroking the nonexistent fur. She tried to tell the white cat, "Thank you for your hard work, cat."

The white cat arched its body hard to touch the palm of Gu Luoyan's hand that was caressing her. It cried again and narrowed its eyes.

"Cat." Gu Luoyan's voice was a little hoarse, but there was still a smile on her face. She said to the white cat like coaxing a child: "Look at mother, mother misses you very much." She stretched out her hand and pointed at Qiu Niang, asking the white cat to look at the person over there.

The white cat looked in the direction of her fingertips, stared at Qiu Niang confusedly for a while, then turned around and tried to rub Gu Luoyan's hand.

"Aunt Qiu..." Gu Luoyan choked.

Qiu Niang shook her head, tears glistening in her eyes. She looked at the white cat reluctantly, then smiled, tears rolling down her cheeks. "It doesn't matter if the cat doesn't remember me. I remember the cat, and I will always remember it."

The wind blew through the frost flowers, casting a shadow of the moon. The white cat looked up at Gu Luoyan, not knowing why she was crying, and could only meow.

It waited for Gu Luoyan to give it something this time, but nothing happened.

Gu Luoyan looked at her and told her over and over again: "Mao'er, there's nothing for you to bring this time. Just remember one name - Suqiu."

"That's your mother's name."

"Just remember and go."

The moon dipped into the clouds, and the chill grew even stronger. Gu Luoyan held Qiu Niang's arm and watched the white cat go away.

Gu Luoyan leaned on Qiu Niang's shoulder, hugged her, and wiped the tears from her face.

She whispered softly in Qiuniang's ear: "Bai Lang sent a letter saying that the families of those maids have been settled, and there are no more eyes around Gu Ji. It will be soon, soon..."

Qiu Niang cried silently. She held Gu Luoyan's hand tightly, trembling. Without saying a word, she pressed her forehead against Gu Luoyan's.

There is no moon in the night. Speaking of this desolate and dilapidated courtyard, I still remember the fruit on the south wall, as if it were just yesterday.

This courtyard faces south, hence the name South Courtyard. A long time ago, an old friend lived here. She planted fruit trees under the south wall and invited everyone to pick fruit in the autumn.

Gu Luoyan thought about it and couldn't help but say: "Sister..."

The fruit trees by the south wall are no longer there. How long has it been since I last saw Yan Nanji? Just hearing her name makes me feel unfamiliar. Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. Who knows Yan Nanji anymore?

Gu Luoyan looked up at the cloud curtain in the sky, hugged Qiu Niang, and seemed to see the fruit trees in the courtyard again; the sweet osmanthus flowers were fragrant, and the wind blew them all over the yard. The owner of the courtyard always smiled and shared the sweetest fruits with her.

Sister, Gu Ji misses you.

·

Bright red fruits hung from the treetops. It was a bountiful autumn, and the south courtyard was filled with joy. Children chased each other from the gate to the inner rooms, their laughter unceasing, followed by scolding.

"Cat! Behave yourself! You might be thinking of getting punished again!"

The youngest girl at the front looked back after hearing this, but just stuck out her tongue and continued running without listening to the advice. When she saw the woman behind her chasing her, she went into the house, hid behind someone, and giggled.

The woman came running after them, panting. Seeing the people in the house, she glimpsed the naughty boy hiding behind them. She glared angrily, but she also bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, young lady. Our little boy is naughty and I'm sorry to trouble you."

The woman smiled and stroked the cat's head, then asked the maid to bring tea and handed it to the woman: "Don't be angry, Aunt Qiu, have a cup of tea to calm down first. The cat is old enough, just let her play. A little bit of trouble will be over, it won't cause any trouble."

The cat responded with a playful grin, poking its head out from behind the man with a smug look on its face.

Qiu Niang replied "yes," and gave the cat another fierce look before she gave up. She was about to leave when someone stumbled in from the yard, stepped through the door, and shouted "Sister, sister."

He suddenly met Qiu Niang's eyes and was frightened for a moment, then hurriedly bowed to Qiu Niang.

Qiu Niang was righteous and frustrated that she couldn't catch her own child. Seeing the newcomer being so rude, she spoke in a calm voice: "Miss Luo Yan, what kind of rudeness is this? She needs to learn some etiquette and learn some rules to correct the bad habits."

The girl blushed and lowered her head, hesitatingly answering, "Aunt Qiu's teachings are... Gu Ji has taken note."

"Oh, aunt, they are all children, it would be better if they were lively. Besides, they are in my south courtyard, and there are no outsiders here. Please prepare some fruit baskets." The woman came over and took Gu Luoyan's hand, trying to smooth things over.

"Miss, please pamper them." Qiu Niang nodded to the woman dissatisfiedly, then retreated to look for the fruit basket.

Gu Luoyan breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Qiu Niang retreat. The cat behind the woman also came out, drank the tea that Qiu Niang hadn't, and proudly sat down on the wooden chair at the top, inviting Gu Luoyan and the woman to join him.

The woman smiled at them, listened to Gu Luoyan's recounting of the day's trivia, and then wiped the crumbs from Mao'er's mouth. Then she said, "How about we go pick some fruit together later? Mao will call Aunt Qiu, and Luoyan will call everyone in the backyard."

"good!"

Gu Luoyan tightened his clenched hands, looked at the cat above him, then looked at the woman beside him, and smiled happily.

The sweet fragrance of osmanthus filled the courtyard. Autumn was a season of abundant harvest. From afar, Qiu Niang could be seen approaching the courtyard with several fruit baskets. Maoer ran out first, while Gu Luoyan walked slowly, led by the woman.

As the breeze blew, the sweet scent of osmanthus filled the woman's body, and was covered with sunshine, making her heart warm. Gu Luoyan approached the woman and said shyly, "Sister, you smell so good."

Yan Nanzhi looked down at her and curved his eyes gently: "It's the fragrance of flowers and fruits, not the fragrance of my sister."

"No matter what, sister is the best." Gu Luoyan hugged her coquettishly.

Yan Nanzhi patted Gu Luoyan's back helplessly, with a smile on his face. Coincidentally, his eyes met someone coming from the backyard.

She still looked at him with a smile.

Seeing him nod and look away as if nothing had happened, a blush appeared on the tips of his ears.

Yan Nanzhi whispered to Gu Luoyan, "Luoyan, can you please ask Brother Bailang to come and help us pick the fruit?"

Gu Luoyan went there and pulled the man over to the orchard.

The man turned to look at her, but turned away before his eyes met hers.

Yan Nanzhi found it funny.

The orchard was already crowded with people. Yan Nanzhi also walked over there.

In the vast Red Pavilion, only here was the sound of ceaseless laughter and joy. Maids and servants played with children, while guards climbed trees and picked fruit.

Osmanthus petals fell all over the ground, stained with the fragrance of soil.

In the evening, they would set up a big pot and a bonfire, and everyone would sit around and chat freely, forgetting their identities, worries, and the high walls around them.

The South Courtyard is both enviable and suspicious.

All of this was done by the owner of the courtyard, Yan Nanji.

After autumn, it is time for winter.