Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Singing a puppet show for Daiyu, the two of them alone...
Daiyu has been very unhappy these days. Although she doesn't care about Lingguan's affairs, Baoyu's winking at Xiangyun clearly shows that he thinks she is stingy.
In recent years, Princess Zhongshun often ordered people to send gifts to the Jia Mansion. She did not use the monthly allowance of the mansion and only kept it to reward the servants. She often went to the mansion and went out to parties with the princess. She was no longer like a frightened bird like before, afraid that others would look down on her. Although such things were a bit unpleasant, she did not annoy anyone.
Moreover, the three of them grew up together, but they thought of herself like this. Daiyu was a little angry for a moment. In addition, after the banquet, she heard Xiangyun and Baoyu quarreling, and the two of them said in words that they could not take jokes.
It would have been fine if Xiangyun didn't come often, so it would have been fine if she didn't know about her. But Baoyu saw her every day and still felt this way. It was really a waste of her to regard him as a close brother. So she became even more angry, and when Baoyu came to see her, she made a few sarcastic remarks about him. Baoyu was already unhappy about being scolded by Xiangyun, and after hearing Daiyu's words, he couldn't help but think of the fact that Daiyu distanced herself from him and got close to Wu Tianyue. He also quarreled with Daiyu, and the situation was very unpleasant.
However, their anger came and went quickly. The next day, Fengjie came in person to apologize to Daiyu. The three of them were very ashamed and naturally reconciled. But afterwards, rumors began to spread in the mansion that Daiyu was stingy and could not tolerate the little actor who looked like herself, so she asked Wu Tianyue to take her away.
Daiyu originally thought it was a rumor, but it turned out to be true. She also thought about how Wu Tianyue had the opportunity to tell her when they met that day, but he said nothing. He was probably afraid that she would have some thoughts. Daiyu felt even more uncomfortable than when Baoyu misunderstood her. It might be understandable for others to do this, but why did he think this way?
She was so angry that she thought about asking him to explain himself after they moved into the Grand View Garden. But unfortunately, Wu Tianyue had not shown up since they entered the garden.
Daiyu became more and more sad. Every day, apart from playing in the garden at the invitation of her sisters, she would sit idly in the house. Today, she was reading in front of the window and came across Li Shangyin's "The guests in the high pavilion have left, and the flowers in the small garden are flying in disorder." She couldn't help but bring herself into the story and felt that in the end she would end up with "only her clothes getting wet."
Thinking of this, tears fell again. Suddenly, I remembered that the peach blossoms in the garden were in full bloom recently, and the petals were scattered all over the ground. If I didn't take care of them, they would be trampled on by people. So I thought of collecting them and burying them so that they could have a clean end and not have to bear the unclear reputation like myself.
Unexpectedly, just as she had ordered Zijuan to prepare her things and was about to go out, she heard Wu Tianyue's voice. Turning around, she saw that it was really him and smiled. Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly thought of Lingguan's incident and turned her head away and snorted, "How come the prince has time to come to me? I'm not good at speaking and I can't learn opera."
"Who asked you to learn opera?" Seeing that she was really angry, Wu Tianyue hurriedly explained, "I went to the palace with so much trouble to ask for someone because of you. That actor looks like you..."
Daiyu was furious and didn't want to hear him. She interrupted, "Don't use me as a scapegoat. It makes me look petty. I can't even tolerate someone who looks like me."
"When have I ever used you as a raft?" Wu Tianyue continued, "She looks like you. If she stays here, people will inevitably gossip about her. Even if no one says anything, what if someone wants to make a fuss about her? Now that I know about this, how can I just let it go?"
Daiyu had heard this from everyone else, but she was still angry that he hadn't explained it to her earlier, so she remained silent.
Seeing that Daiyu still ignored him, Wu Tianyue said aggrievedly, "You are so angry because you think I am meddling in your affairs?"
Seeing him so tearful, Daiyu's heart softened, but she was unwilling to admit defeat, so she said awkwardly, "Who said you were meddling in other people's business?"
"Then what do you mean?" Wu Tianyue was a little tired after these busy days. Now that she misunderstood him, he felt uncomfortable and wronged. "I'm just worried that someone in this mansion would say something bad. Besides, since I know she looks like you, how can I bear to let her work hard rehearsing all day long."
Daiyu had not thought of this reason. She was relieved that he knew her, and touched that he was so thoughtful. Thousands of words came to her lips, but she wanted to say something but felt that she should not say it, and was speechless for a moment.
Seeing that she was silent, Wu Tianyue thought about it and felt that he was indeed disrespectful to her by acting first and asking for her consent later. It was normal for her to be angry and misunderstand. However, Daiyu was stubborn, and any further explanation would inevitably be beating around the bush. After arguing for nothing, he changed the subject and said to her, "I've learned something interesting recently. Do you want to see it?"
Daiyu was just thinking about how to respond to him, and when she heard him say this, she breathed a sigh of relief: "What's so funny?"
Seeing that she didn't object, Wu Tianyue mysteriously pulled her into the house, looked around, and muttered, "This place is really too small."
But he also knew that it was Daiyu's own choice. She was already angry, and if he said too much, she would probably ignore him even more. He didn't dare to comment too much and hurriedly asked the maid to bring the things.
Daiyu saw the maid who had come with him bring up an exquisitely crafted stick puppet. She remembered that her mother had used the same puppet in the puppet shows she watched with her when she was a child. She asked in surprise, "Where did you get it?"
Wu Tianyue didn't say anything, but raised the corner of his mouth proudly, "Look, brother, let me show you what talent is." Then he cleared his throat, took the puppet, posed and was about to speak, but suddenly thought of his handsome appearance, and it would ruin his image if someone heard him. He hurriedly drove all the maids out, and then slowly began to sing.
At first Daiyu thought he was going to ask the little maid to sing for her, but then she saw him calling someone out and pretending to sing, which she found a little funny. She was about to ask him if he was going to sing himself, but before she could say anything, she heard him actually start singing.
At this moment, Daiyu felt that all the sounds in the world had disappeared. She could no longer hear the whispers of the maids outside, nor the rustling of the breeze through the bamboo forest. The only sound she could hear was Wu Tianyue's not very proficient but extremely beautiful Yangzhou lyrics, which kept coming into her ears and soothing her lonely heart.
Daiyu had not watched this puppet show since she came to the Jia Mansion. When she listened to it, the scene in front of her eyes was her mother accompanying her to watch the show, and the next moment it was Wu Tianyue's serious look at manipulating the puppet. A warm current surged from her heart, making her eyes hot and her nose sore.
Wu Tianyue had a lot of things to do and only had time to practice for a while at night. Because he was proficient in weapons, he learned the movements of operating the puppet very quickly, but his singing was a little worse. Now he was trying hard to recall while performing, for fear of losing face in front of Daiyu.
Before she finished singing, she suddenly saw tears in Daiyu's eyes and her fingertips trembling slightly. She was shocked: "Is it so bad? Didn't the masters say I was very talented?"
Then he muttered, "It's a good thing I didn't sing for you on your birthday this year, otherwise..."
Before he could finish his words, Daiyu suddenly rushed over and hugged his waist, burying her face in his arms. Wu Tianyue was afraid that the puppet would poke her, so he quickly threw the puppet away and gently put his arm around her shoulders.
He lowered his head and was about to ask what was wrong when the faint fragrance of Daiyu rose up and filled his breath.
Daiyu had never been so fragile in front of him. Wu Tianyue held her gently in his arms. He always felt that the smell he was used to smelling became very overbearing and distinct, drilling into his nostrils, making his body stiff and his ears hot.
This feeling was unfamiliar to Wu Tianyue, and he was a little overwhelmed. He could only mentally prepare himself. It had been so long since they had met, so it was normal for him to be unfamiliar with the smell. After half a day, seeing that Daiyu still did not retreat, he stammered, "You...you just now...what did you want the hoe for?"
Daiyu was also embarrassed at this moment. Her previous action was subconscious. After rushing into his arms, she didn't know what to do. When she heard him speak, she quickly withdrew and pretended to be calm. "I was admiring the flowers in the garden a few days ago. I saw that the flowers were scattered everywhere and easily trampled. So I dug a flower grave to bury them. Today, I thought that they would fall all over the ground again, so I thought I would go and sweep it up."
Wu Tianyue also pretended nothing had happened, coughed and said, "I'll go with you."
He didn't mention what happened just now. Daiyu breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in agreement.
Just as he was about to speak, he saw the puppet being thrown to the ground. He subconsciously bent down to pick it up, intending to put it away himself. After he stood up, he realized what was happening and said hurriedly, "It's a pity that such a delicate puppet is broken. I'll find someone to fix it and return it to you."
Wu Tianyue thought of the hug just now and his face turned redder. He replied, "It is indeed very expensive. You can take your time to repair it."
How could a dignified prince like him possibly be short of such a small sum? Daiyu couldn't help laughing out loud. Before entering the inner room, she felt ashamed of having just cried. She was afraid that Wu Tianyue might be laughing at her in his heart, so she turned around and said, "Don't talk about my yard behind my back. I just love these bamboos and the quietness of this place."
"I know you love it." Wu Tianyue was also a little confused, and subconsciously followed her and talked about the house. "But it's too cool here for you. Mother planted a bamboo forest for you in Xianyun Tower a while ago. There's a curved fence hidden in the forest, and there's a bamboo house. Outside the house is the lake in the building, and you can even go fishing. It should be finished in the next few days. You can go back and visit it when you have time. You can read and write in the bamboo forest every day, and sleep outside at night. You can enjoy the bamboo and not worry about catching a cold."
"Thank you, Madam, for me." Daiyu put away the puppet. She was delighted to hear this, but she still defended the house she had chosen. "Here, we can keep the brazier warm at night, so it won't be cold."
Seeing her persistence, Wu Tianyue nodded and said, "I will ask Lan Ye to deliver charcoal tomorrow. It is a tribute from the palace and is better than those outside."
"The Queen sent it a long time ago," Daiyu said, and walked out of the room, picked up the flower hoe and said, "Let's go."
Wu Tianyue took the flower hoe, broom and flower bag easily, and followed her out of Xiaoxiang Pavilion to the peach forest at Qinfang Gate.
Zijuan saw the two of them doing something in the house, and then came out with red faces. They were not as noisy as usual, but rather very harmonious. She couldn't help but feel a little worried, but seeing that Nanny Wang and the others didn't react, she didn't know what to say and just watched them leave.
Wu Tianyue and the other person were actually very awkward. They didn't chatter as they used to, but walked in silence, one in front and one behind, towards the flower grave that Daiyu had dug earlier. Wu Tianyue was not used to this atmosphere, and he took the initiative to sweep the flowers in the flower bag as he walked.
Before they reached the place, they saw Baoyu fiddling with something in front of them, as if he was trying to put something in his clothes.
Someone appeared, breaking the strange atmosphere. Both of them breathed a sigh of relief. Daiyu walked up quickly and asked, "What are you doing here?"
The author has something to say:
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Thanks to the little angels "Don't Want to Go to Work" and "Waiting for the Flowers to Bloom" for irrigating the nutrient solution~
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