Chapter 48 Weaving Clothes
From the time Jiang Xi could remember, she had been living in Hongyun Garden without realizing it.
He was unaware of the rising and setting of the sun, the changing of the seasons, and the fact that his world consisted only of the small Red Cloud Garden.
He learned to dress and eat from his wet nurse when he was young, and barely understood that people need to eat to live.
But he couldn't understand the gloom in the wet nurse's eyes. Every day when he opened his eyes, he would sit blankly on the threshold, watching her sigh and lament.
Even his first words were learned by imitating his wet nurse. At first, the wet nurse was curious and taught him to speak, but later, the wet nurse gradually stopped speaking, and so did he.
After the wet nurse left, the courtyard was filled with maids and servants who brought him meals. They were all unwilling to speak to him and would leave after delivering the food from a distance.
Every day he would sit on the threshold, watching the bright, dazzling sun rise and set, staring until his eyes were dry and tears streamed down his face, but he would still keep watching.
Until one day, a maidservant, while delivering food, laughed at her companion beside her:
"Look at that dirty young master, he's staring at the sun until his eyes are red, isn't he afraid of going blind and never being able to see again!"
After that, Jiang Xi realized that one's eyes cannot stare at the sun for too long. Later, he learned to stare at the shadows on the ground, watching the shadows go from long to short and then back to long, and the sky also changed from bright to dark.
Afterwards, maids and servants came and went delivering food, but none of them were willing to stop.
"Could he be mute?"
"My God, he actually ate with his hands! How ill-mannered!"
"He's both stupid and boring, who would want to serve him!"
The weather went from hot to cold, and white feathers floated in the water, many, many times.
His hair was so long that it covered his face. When he squatted down and stood up, he would trip over it. Sometimes he would even fall on his own when he sat on the threshold.
His clothes became shorter, and when he shed white hair, the areas not covered would turn red, painful, and itchy. He scratched himself until his skin bled to relieve the itch several times.
Then a steward came and threw him a few long clothes and a long blanket.
He doesn't wear new clothes and often wears the wrong ones. He secretly observes the outfits of the maids and servants to figure out the correct way to dress.
After what seemed like an eternity, the person in charge returned.
However, this time the steward said he would find him a maid to serve him.
Jiang Xi went to sit in front of the door. He realized this time that this person wouldn't stay for long, and she would leave just like them because she didn't like him.
No one would be willing to stop for him.
On the first day, she said her name was Shang Yuji and asked him what his name was.
Name...name...
He thought about it for a long time.
"If you don't want to talk about it, then don't. I have offended you."
The thought that she thought he didn't want to tell her his name and was about to get up and leave brought him back to his distant memories.
The wet nurse called out to him: "Jiang, Jiang... Jiang Xi, Xi, go..."
He hadn't spoken for a long time, so his voice must have sounded terrible, because she was frowning and looked...unhappy. Yes, that's how the nanny frowned and sighed every day.
"The 'xi' in 'stream'?"
She would be happy as long as she nodded... So Jiang Xi didn't know which word she was referring to, but she still nodded in agreement: "Mm."
"Go away? Flow away?"
"……Um."
"It sounds like the stream in our village has flowed away. Young master, what a beautiful name."
"Um."
"Then I'll cook some food for the young master first."
"Um!"
"..."
After that, Jiang Xi would often stare at her, and his old habit of staring at the sun and shadows turned into staring at her.
The trajectory of her movements is more interesting than the sun and shadow.
She would call him "Young Master," help him bathe, and cook him hot meals that were much better than the flavorful or cold meals he used to eat.
She would talk to him, even if he responded very slowly, it didn't matter.
She would take care of everything perfectly, even fixing his hair, which had been bothering him for so long, with just a small bamboo stick!
Her hair was wrapped around the bamboo and tied up so it wouldn't trip him up anymore.
She said he cries a lot. He doesn't usually cry, but after meeting her, he wanted to shed all the tears he hadn't shed in over a decade.
All his tears were for her!
She would also talk to the steward and ask him to send clothes, bedding, food, and utensils to the garden. He never imagined that there were so many new things in the world.
Being with her, he saw many new things he had never seen before.
Every day is new and exciting!
Her embrace was so warm; it was the warmest place he had ever been.
Moreover, she stayed with him for a very long time, unlike what others said, that she would stay for a few days and then try to leave.
Once she left, Hongyun Garden seemed to fall silent; in her words, he felt bored.
He gets so bored without her.
I used to be alone, so why did time fly by back then? But now that she's gone, time seems to drag on forever.
She said she was leaving the Jiang family. He knew nothing and wondered if she would despise him and abandon him.
She didn't abandon him; she took him with her and ran away together, saying they would always be together!
Forever and ever, never to be apart!
He would follow her everywhere as long as she was there.
This was her promise; they would never be apart.
We can't be apart... We can't...
She was so good to him; if she weren't by his side one day, he would die.
"Waaah, Aji... I'll be good and obedient, you, you... Waaah, don't abandon me... don't leave me behind..."
He kept stuffing food into his mouth while tears streamed down his face.
Shang Yuji patted his back skillfully: "Why are you crying? You should be happy on your birthday."
"I... I'm so happy, uh, with Ah Ji here, I'm so happy, waah..."
Shang Yuji: This doesn't sound like happiness.
Jiang Xi gulped down the soup, put down her bowl and chopsticks, and wiped away her tears haphazardly, saying, "Tomorrow is Aji's birthday, uh, I've prepared a... a birthday gift..."
He grabbed Shang Yuji's hand and sobbed as he finished speaking: "Take, Aji, look, look at the congratulatory gift!"
"Shouldn't we look at the gift tomorrow?" Shang Yuji asked, getting up as well.
"I want to be happy, and I want Ah Ji to be happy too!"
And so, they blew out the kitchen candles, and the two of them, hand in hand, headed towards Jiangxi's residence.
The moonlight reflected off the snow, illuminating the path ahead.
It also illuminated a corner of the open doorway, revealing a long red dress.
By lighting a candle and using its light, Shang Yuji could see its original appearance.
It was a fiery red wedding dress with tightly stitched, intricate embroidery, resembling a blooming peony.
A weight settled on her shoulder, and Jiang Xi said in a muffled voice from behind her, "This is my first time knitting a wedding dress, and there are some parts that I didn't do well. Ah Ji, wait for me, I can knit a prettier one for you."
Shang Yuji was momentarily at a loss for words. Hesitantly, she raised her hand and pointed to the magnificent wedding dress: "Did you knit this yourself?"
"Hmm... The book teaches how to weave, and I even consulted with the embroiderers at the cloth shop about weaving techniques."
What? The books given by Senior Yi can actually be used to do practical things?
No, you're thinking off-topic. She pointed at herself again: "For me?"
Hearing her question, Jiang Xi replied with a rising tone, "Yes, it was made according to Aji's measurements!"
He had held Ah Ji for so long that he knew her size inside and out.
When did you start doing it?
Jiang Xi paused for a moment: "After we finished talking about becoming husband and wife..."
Not long after, he learned to weave the wedding dress quickly and well. Was he even gifted with needlework and embroidery skills?
He nuzzled her shoulder and neck pleadingly, saying, "I will defeat Lin Mingshan and become the leader of the younger generation of martial arts masters. Ah Ji, you can give me your answer then."
We were still marveling at the exquisite craftsmanship of the wedding dress, when did the conversation suddenly shift to Lin Mingshan and the leader?
She simply led Jiang Xi to sit down on his bedside.
Since he usually went to her room to find her, Shang Yuji hadn't really looked closely at the furnishings inside.
It looks neat and clean at first glance, but the furnishings are much simpler than hers.
Jiang Xi obediently sat down beside her. The candlelight was lush and bright, and the beauty under the lamplight was breathtakingly beautiful in a hazy glow.
Shang Yuji's gaze fell on the red mole on his left cheek and asked, "How did this involve Lin Mingshan?"
“Ah Ji said before that she would give me an answer when I became very skilled in martial arts. I asked my master, and she said that being skilled meant being able to defeat Lin Mingshan and become the new generation of martial arts leader.”
A few days ago, Jiang Xi saw Lin Mingshan in the lobby. His footwork was unpredictable and his martial arts were profound. Jiang Xi realized that she could not defeat him for the time being.
He added, "Ah Ji, although I can't beat him right now, I'll be able to soon. Just wait for me..."
Seeing his serious expression, Shang Yuji laughed out loud: "If I wanted you to become the new leader of the martial arts world, would you also want to do it?"
Jiang Xi looked dazed and replied, "Mm."
If Ah Ji wants it, he will do it.
He then lowered his head and began to think seriously.
Unexpectedly, he was actually considering it, and Shang Yuji stopped him.
Suppressing his thoughts, she asked again, "Why did you decide to weave me several wedding dresses? Do you know what it means to wear multiple wedding dresses?"
Jiang Xi smiled and said, "The wedding dress is beautiful. We'll knit a few more for Aji to wear."
Traditionally, it is believed that a wedding dress can only be worn on the wedding day, and wearing it multiple times signifies separation and reunion, or multiple marriages. However, these beliefs are not important to Jiangxi Qu.
Even his marriage was something he learned from Shang Yuji's explanations and from the books his master gave him; these worldly principles couldn't bind him at all.
He simply didn't know these principles existed.
What does it matter if he wears multiple wedding dresses? As long as Aji looks good in one, he'll knit a few more.
His reply was both unexpected and reasonable. Shang Yuji did not intend to deny his understanding and simply explained the meaning of the wedding dress.
When Jiang Xi finally understood what Shang Yuji meant, she thought that Shang Yuji did not support her decision to weave a wedding dress for her again.
He visibly wilted, and Shang Yuji couldn't help but reach out and pinch the soft flesh on his face, chuckling, "Make me other pretty clothes, make them that look like wedding dresses but aren't. When someone asks why I'm wearing a wedding dress, I'll deny it's a wedding dress and say it's just an ordinary long dress."
We can't keep pressing her for answers after she's already denied it, can we?
Jiang Xi's eyes lit up: "Aji, you're so smart!"
"From now on, I'll take care of Aji's clothes!"
Shang Yuji covered her face helplessly, "There's really no need for that!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
