Word Cycle
"I don't understand what she's talking about." The two had already reached the bottom of the inpatient building of the Fifth Hospital. Du Pianjian took out her phone and glanced at it. "I don't understand what you want to ask either."
"If you feel unwell, be sure to tell me as soon as possible."
Du Pianjian gripped her phone tightly as she refreshed the feed, all messages coming from the same account.
"I don't want you to drag this out to the point where it's incurable." Yu Zou sighed, his weakness only showing under the shadows, before he stepped into the light and became bright with it.
Yu Zou apologized to the on-duty medical staff, obediently returned to his ward and lay down. Du Pianjian handed him a glass of water, sat by the bed and watched him drink it all, and slowly said, "My attending physician once told me, 'You can't understand normal people, just as normal people can't understand you.' Now that I don't understand her, it just proves that I have recovered."
Yu Zou dutifully spent the remaining observation period. Time didn't seem to fly by while he was hospitalized; by the time he was discharged, it was almost time for his annual leave. Everyone tacitly and automatically adhered to a certain agreement, and nothing strange happened during the Spring Festival.
On New Year's Eve, Yu Zou was even able to eat with his mother in the house where they used to live together, but they tacitly avoided talking about the topic. According to the schedule in the folder, on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, Yu Zou needed to spend a day and a night at the Du family's old house, and on the eighth day, Du Pianjian would come to Yu Zou's house to spend a day and a night.
The trial of Du Pianxing's crimes was swift, and with Yu Zou's encouragement, the spread of the rumors was terrifying, affecting an unexpected number of people. Thus, the once orderly dinner table now only contained Du Junwu's family and Du Junchang and his son; the atmosphere was so somber and oppressive, and the food tasted bland.
The two remained at the very end of the table, Yu Zou drinking from a Ru porcelain wine cup, occasionally clinking glasses with Du Pianjian when she raised hers. After the meal, they followed Du Junzhang to the small courtyard in the corner, as usual.
The room was quaint and the heating system was nowhere to be seen. The temperature was only slightly higher than outside. Yu Zou wanted to spend the night on the couch in the outer room, but Du Pianjian told him to sleep on a makeshift bed on the floor in the inner room.
The temperature inside the room was several degrees higher than outside. Yu Zou was covered with two quilts and felt very suffocated. Du Pianjian moved to the edge of the bed and asked, "Are you cold?"
Yu Zou said, "It's alright."
Du Pianjian stretched out her arm, touched Yu Zou's face with the back of her hand, slid down his earlobe to his neck, and said, "Hmm... it's actually not bad. When I was a child, I always felt very cold in this room during the winter, and even several quilts weren't enough to keep me warm."
Yu Zou suddenly woke up and opened his eyes to see Du Pianjian with her arm draped over the edge of the bed, her head resting in the crook of her arm, her eyes half-closed, murmuring, "I can't sleep."
"Do you want me to lull you to sleep, or stay awake with you?"
"See if you're sleepy or not."
"My skills at putting people to sleep are so-so."
"Ordinary? Who said that?"
"Self-evaluation, what do you want me to do?"
Du Pianjian shrank under the covers, only revealing her curved eyes, and said in a muffled voice, "Sing."
"You'd rather I stay awake with you."
The song is truly awful. Yu's off-key singing could drive Du Pianjian from the Du residence to the university for a whole day's commute. He'd put his phone in his mouth for five minutes and it'd show he'd met his daily exercise goal. Strange people; whenever they're involved, the music seems to suddenly die. And that's not enough; with their last breath, they let out a desperate wail: Get away! Don't touch me!
Du Pianjian gradually fell asleep to the eerie singing. When she woke up the next day, she saw that Yu Zou was still asleep, so she bypassed him and went directly to the ancestral hall. In the morning, there was homework to do, and the unmarried children gathered in the ancestral hall to wake up, kneeling facing the ancestral tablets and silently reciting a thick book of ancestral precepts.
Du Pianren whispered to his younger sister, "Did you hear anything yesterday?"
Du Junmei, still with her eyes closed, replied with a yawn, "No, what was that sound?", as her brother had forcibly dragged her out of bed that morning.
"The wailing and howling of ghosts and wolves were faint and indistinct."
"Did the ancestors of the Du family manifest themselves?" Du Junmei sneered, glancing at the memorial tablet.
Du Pianjian lowered his head slightly, hiding the smile on his lips.
"A thousand-mile dike can be breached by a single blow." The same eyebrows and eyes only showed endless melancholy on Du Pianren's face. The actions of Du Pianxing and his son made the Du family universally condemned. The glory they once shared was now shared, and the infamy they bore was now shared as well. His and his sister's past achievements were questioned, and the ongoing projects were being re-examined, like an elevator that had been going up suddenly malfunctioning and plummeting down.
"Tsk." Du Junmei opened her eyes impatiently. "It's good that he's dead."
Du Pianren said softly, "Dad is still trying to figure something out."
"Let him think what he wants." Du Junmei suddenly smiled, looked up and looked at each of the memorial tablets, counting their names.
Whether you finish reciting or not is not important; what matters is kneeling for the required amount of time.
When the time came, the three of them immediately stood up. The twins walked in front, while Du Pianjian followed behind, calling Yu Zou to wake him up for breakfast. Du Junmei glanced back and turned around to say, "Brother, this..."
Du Pianren looked puzzled, but still turned the corner, and the two parted ways with Du Pianjian.
Du Pianjian arrived at the dining hall, sat down, and remotely guided Yu Zou on the route. When the others appeared at the dining hall entrance, Du Junmei and her brother also appeared. Yu Zou sat down next to Du Pianjian and asked, "Didn't have a nightmare?"
Du Pianjian said, "No, the technique is quite good."
Just then, the twins pulled out chairs to sit down, but a voice stopped them in their tracks. They both looked at each other with strange eyes. Du Junmei was pulled down by Du Pianren's sleeves before she finally sat down.
“Thank you for the recognition from the professionals. This is my…” Before Yu Zou could finish speaking, Du Junmei stood up abruptly and uttered the word “honor” under her angry glare.
"Yu Zou! This is the Du family. Even though Du Pianjian is surrounded by rumors and gossip, you are not allowed to speak ill of him. You better watch your words and actions!"
What did I do?
“You know it in your heart, and so do you, Du Pianjian!” Du Junmei pointed at Du Pianjian forcefully.
Yu Zou thought for a while and realized that his cousin's unusually harsh attitude could only be because he had disturbed their rest by singing yesterday. But he really sang very softly, so he asked Du Pianjian, "Is your room not soundproof?"
"Still talking!" Du Junmei's words were sharp and cutting.
Du Pianjian closed his eyes and nodded, saying, "One should not speak while eating or sleeping."
Yu Zou felt only embarrassment. To make their child behave, they'd actually made the room not soundproof—this family was truly one of a kind. What's wrong with talking before bed?! Were parents supposed to patrol at night with their "family rules," barging in and giving three slaps to any child who talked? If it were him, he'd go insane too. In other words, it was already quite remarkable that Du Pianjian had grown up to be like this.
In the afternoon, Yu Zou took Du Pianjian to the villa where he spent his childhood, a place where he had once felt genuine happiness, even though half of it was feigned. Du Pianjian looked around the detached villa; a layer of fog had condensed on the car window. He reached out and wiped it away, asking curiously, "Will we live here after we get married?"
The car lurched violently, and Du Pianjian hit her head on the window. She covered her head and looked back. Yu Zou pushed the lever to start the car again and said calmly, "No, there is a separate bridal chamber in another place."
The garage elevator leads directly to the living room, where the opulent and intricate decor revives naturalism, with even the most unassuming handrails adorned with intricate carvings. The ceiling is painted with flowers and starry skies, bluebells embellishing the cross-shaped stars, while the hanging glass chandelier makes them even more dazzling. The soft pink and blue tones, accented with gold and white, create a dreamy and warm atmosphere, as if stepping into paradise.
The housekeeper greeted them at the elevator entrance, and Yu Zou asked about his mother's whereabouts. The housekeeper said that Yu Wangyue was waiting in the music room.
"The music room?" Yu Zou confirmed again.
"Yes, the music room. Madam said that Mr. Du should go there alone."
Yu Zou was puzzled. He looked down and met Du Pianjian's gaze, who was standing a step closer to him. After a moment's thought, he comforted her, "My mother is very easy to get along with. You don't need to worry that she will make things difficult for you."
Du Pianjian followed the butler to the music room. The door opened, revealing three stained-glass windows that framed the floor. Above, a painting depicted the gods of music and art, while a Steinway grand piano stood silently below. Yu Wangyue, sitting on a Victorian antique sofa, was drinking tea. Seeing Du Pianjian arrive, she stood up and smiled at him.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Yu Wangyue suddenly said, "I love art but have absolutely no musical talent, a trait I completely inherited from Yu Zou. So it's not surprising that he would find a partner who is good at music. The moment I met you, I truly felt that fate was predetermined. Because I know your mother."
Du Pianjian gripped the teacup tightly as she listened to Yu Wangyue recount: "After A Yuan took over Yu Long, I switched careers to become a curator. Being able to curate exhibitions for the artworks I love has always been my dream, and that time was one of the happiest times of my life. Your mother, Tan Zhenjing, was the most sought-after and talented musician in the Shoushu Musical Theatre at the time, and I was fortunate enough to be responsible for interviewing and planning five principals, including her. As a result, I have some valuable materials."
Yu Wangyue pressed the remote control, and the wall-mounted TV turned on. Tan Zhenjing, with his neat short black hair and impeccably elegant white cheongsam, played a solo on a pipa. His fingering was skillful, his emotions rich, and his expression relaxed and composed. What followed was an interview between Yu Wangyue and Tan Zhenjing. Tan Zhenjing presented Yu Wangyue with the pipa he had just used to play, and during the conversation, he was arrogant and boastful, seemingly unconcerned about the media's negative comments and his colleagues' veiled praise.
Yu Wangyue smiled: "I can tell you're very happy after your marriage."
"Of course! Do you know why I agreed to this interview?"
"Because of my sincerity?"
“Sincerity? You’re hilarious. I thought you understood me.” Tan Zhenjing frowned slightly, his tone regretful. “When it comes to choosing a partner.”
"...Do you mean the 'mismatch' aspect?"
"That's right! I don't understand why people are so bound by the word 'matching' these days. Gender has to match, pheromones have to match, identities have to match, looks have to match, but why doesn't anyone talk about whether other more important things match? Personality, hobbies, values, common topics, each one is important."
"I think that liking something is the most important thing."
"That doesn't conflict, Planner Yu. Please describe my talent to your heart's content. Even if Tan Zhenjing gets married and has children, he will still be someone they can only look up to. Saying some low-class things won't improve their skills by the slightest."
"certainly."
The video recording ended there. The light in the temperature-controlled cabinet next to the television came on, revealing a black mother-of-pearl inlaid pipa standing quietly inside. Yu Wangyue placed a small key in Du Pianjian's palm, looked into his eyes, and solemnly said, "Consider this pipa that your mother once played as your gift. And I'm giving you the words your mother once gave me as well."
"Don't be greedy for pheromones, don't be bound by compatibility, and cut ties decisively."
Leaving the music room, the butler led the way. Du Pianjian was still pondering those words, the key in her hand gradually warming. The door opened in front of her, and Du Pianjian looked around before asking, "Where's Yu Zou?"
"In the room opposite yours. Where is the pipa placed for you?"
"Alright then." Du Pianjian pointed to the bedside, and the maid put it down and left immediately. The key opened the temperature-controlled cabinet, and cold air rolled out. Du Pianjian took out the pipa, pressed the strings, and the same melody appeared again.
Du Pianjian, holding a pipa, knocked on Yu Zou's door. After hearing "Come in," she pushed the door open and saw Yu Zou hurriedly tying his tie. He said, "I have to go out for a bit. You'll have to stay here by yourself."
"Does it have to be today? You don't have to pretend in front of your parents anymore?"
"If we get too close, Shao Yuan will become suspicious."
"Aren't you afraid your mother will have doubts? She still thinks we're a very good match."
“She only thinks the best of me. If you’re uncomfortable, you can lock yourself in your room and stay there for as long as you want. If there’s anything else, just let them come to me. I’m so sorry.” Yu Zou clasped his hands together and bowed to Du Pianjian to ask for his forgiveness, then grabbed his coat and strode out.
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