Chapter 20: Flower sauce condenses fragrance, ink scroll hides warmth
Dusk, like water-soaked cotton wool, gently pressed against the eaves of the Fang Mansion. Beneath the grape trellis in the west courtyard, the evening breeze, carrying the sweet fragrance of roses and mingling with the aroma of rice wafting from the kitchen, wove a warm web across the blue brick floor. Little Swallow squatted beside a bamboo basket, spreading half-dried rose petals into a porcelain jar. Her fingertips were stained with sticky icing sugar, like a layer of honey. She wore a soft, water-red silk blouse, her sleeves rolled up to her forearms. Her exposed wrists were stained with pink petal crumbs, like a glimmer of sunset.
"Put it on slowly, layer by layer, petals and sugar. Press it down so it doesn't spoil." Mrs. Li sat on a nearby bamboo stool, a smooth bamboo pestle in her hand, carefully grinding the petals at the bottom of the jar. The icing sugar melted into a sticky syrup as it met the petals' juices, intensifying the sweet aroma in the air. Seeing her daughter scatter sugar all over the table, she couldn't help laughing and wiped her nose with a handkerchief. "You're not making flower jam, you're playing with candy. Be careful of a toothache."
Little Swallow stuck out her tongue and quickly used a small spoon to scrape the sugar off the table back into the jar. She said sweetly, "The rose jam Mom makes won't hurt your teeth, it'll be sweet to your heart." Suddenly, she remembered something, her eyes sparkling. "Once it's ready, how about giving a jar to the abbot of Hanshan Temple? He likes elegant flavors, and this rose jam will definitely suit his taste."
"Okay." Li smiled and nodded, the bamboo pestle rustling as it crushed the petals. "After they've been exposed to the sun for a while, seal the jar and have your eldest brother deliver it in person." She pushed the crushed petals in front of her daughter. "Here, spread this layer on top and remember to compact it."
Xiaoyanzi stretched out her palm and gently pressed it against the petals. Her palm was stained with icing sugar, cool and sticky. The petals sank slightly under her hand, and a sweet fragrance emanated from between her fingers. She suddenly remembered the little malt sugar she had only been willing to buy during the Spring Festival in her previous life in the slum. It was also sticky and sweet, but the sweetness back then was always a little bitter. She sniffed, suppressing this thought, and looked up with a smile: "Mom, how long does it take to dry this flower jam before I can eat it? I can't wait to spread it on my steamed buns."
"What's the rush?" Xiao Jian came out of the study, a chess manual in hand. Seeing his sister's nose stained with icing sugar, like a little squirrel that had licked honey, he couldn't help but flick her forehead with his finger. "It needs to be sun-dried for at least seven days, so that the sugar and the juice of the petals can blend thoroughly, and then it will be sweet." He placed the chess manual on the stone table, his eyes falling on the petals in the porcelain jar. "We picked enough roses today. Mother said we could save some for sachets and put them in your piano case."
"Sachet!" Little Swallow's eyes lit up. She immediately put down the spoon and ran to the sewing basket to look for something. "I want to embroider it myself! A little rose and a little butterfly will definitely look beautiful!" She picked up a piece of pink silk thread and threaded it through the eye of the embroidery needle. It took her three tries to get it in. She raised her chin proudly. "See, I'm amazing, right?"
Xiao Jian leaned against the pillar of the grape trellis, watching her serious profile. The setting sun shone through the leaves onto her hair, dyeing it a golden brown. He suddenly remembered that when his sister first arrived at the Fang family after her rebirth, her hands were shaking even when she was threading a needle. Now, she can not only learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but also has a good grasp of needlework. A smile of satisfaction filled his eyes. "Excellent! Much better than the crooked lotus embroidery you made last time."
"That's right!" Xiaoyanzi retorted, stiffening her neck. Her needle didn't stop moving, and the thread slowly outlined the outline of a rose on the plain cloth. "Mr. Zhou said I'm making rapid progress. In a few days, I'm going to embroider a purse for Dad."
As he spoke, Fang Zhihang emerged from the corridor, waving a bamboo fan. On the fan were inscribed the words "A Gentle Breeze," which he had written himself. In the corner of the courtyard, he saw a mother and daughter making flower jam, their son watching his daughter embroider. The setting sun stained the scene with warmth, and he couldn't help but slow down his pace, fearing to disturb the tranquility. He walked over to the stone table, picked up the rose that Xiaoyanzi had just finished embroidering, and brushed his fingertips across the fabric. "The stitching is much neater than last month. It seems a lot of effort was put into it."
"Look, Dad!" Little Swallow held up the piece of cloth to show him, her eyes sparkling. "I haven't embroidered the butterfly yet. When I'm done, I'll ask Mom to sew it into a sachet for me and hang it on the zither."
"Okay." Fang Zhihang nodded with a smile, tapping his palm lightly with his fan. "Tomorrow, the young lady from Madam Wang's residence will be visiting. She also loves playing the piano, so you two can have a good time chatting." He saw his daughter's smile falter, and quickly added, "It's just an ordinary visit. We can drink tea and play the piano. Don't be nervous."
Xiaoyanzi tightened her grip on the embroidery needle, the tip of the needle nearly piercing her fingertips. She thought back to the mansions of the rich and powerful in her past life, where the rules and regulations always seemed suffocating. But looking at her father's gentle eyes, she suppressed her concerns and whispered, "I...I will play the piano well and not embarrass my parents."
Li noticed her nervousness and held her hand. "Just go have fun. Miss Wang is easygoing, you two will definitely get along." She laid the last layer of petals and sprinkled a thick layer of icing sugar on them. "The flower jam is ready. Have the kitchen steam some buns tomorrow so we can try it first."
At dinner, the kitchen was steaming new wheat buns. They were plump and steaming hot from the oven. Mrs. Li scooped a spoonful of freshly made flower sauce and spread it on the buns. The sweet aroma of roses mixed with the aroma of wheat made Xiaoyanzi's mouth water. She took a big bite of the bun, the sweet sauce staining the corners of her mouth. Her eyes widened. "Delicious! Sweeter than osmanthus cake!"
Fang Zhihang also tasted it and nodded in praise, "This flower sauce is well made, sweet but not greasy, with a refreshing fragrance." He looked at Xiao Jian and said, "Send some to Master Zhang next door tomorrow. He loves flower tea, and the flower sauce goes perfectly with it."
"I want to go too!" Little Swallow quickly raised her hand, her mouth still stuffed with steamed buns, and mumbled, "Master Zhang's cat has laid kittens. I want to go and see."
Xiao Jian wiped the sauce from the corner of her mouth and said, "Eat slowly. No one's going to snatch it from you. If you want to go, go. But first, you have to practice the piece you're going to play tomorrow. Don't embarrass yourself in front of Miss Wang."
"I won't embarrass myself!" Xiaoyanzi stuffed the last bite of steamed bun into her mouth, patted her belly, and stood up. "I'm going to practice the piano now. I promise it will be more beautiful than the bells of Hanshan Temple!"
As the night deepened, the candlelight in the study lit up. Xiaoyanzi sat at the guqin, her fingertips gently plucking the strings. The tune of "The Sound of Bells and Chimes" flowed slowly, more steady than the sound in last night's dream. Moonlight filtered through the window lattice, falling on the strings, casting a faint silver glow. Xiao Jian sat at the chess table across from her, his hands settling on the chess endgame, his gaze constantly fixed on his sister, listening to the peaceful sound of the guqin, a faint smile playing on his lips.
In between the sounds of the piano, Xiaoyanzi suddenly looked up, gazed at the moonlight outside the window, and whispered, "Brother, do you think there is such beautiful piano music in the capital?"
Xiao Jian put down the chess piece and walked over to her. His eyes fell on the curiosity and vigilance in her eyes. He said gently, "The capital has its bustling city, and Jiangnan has its tranquility. Wherever we are, that's home." His fingertips brushed across the strings of the zither, and a clear and melodious sound lingered. "No matter where we go in the future, as long as we are together as a family, we have nothing to fear."
Little Swallow nodded vigorously, her fingertips resting on the strings again. The tune suddenly brightened, like a mountain spring leaping over rocks, full of life. The candlelight flickered gently in the breeze, casting the shadows of the brother and sister on the wall, snuggling together like a warm painting.
As the night deepened, the candlelight gradually dimmed. Little Swallow lay in bed, the sweet aroma of rose jam still lingering on her nose. The faint chirping of cicadas outside the window and the muted laughter of her parents' room filled her ears. She touched the freshly embroidered rose sachet beside her pillow. The fabric was soft, and the dried flowers inside exuded a delicate fragrance. The warmth of this life, like this rose jam, slowly simmered, gradually congealing. She would cherish this fragrance, guarding her family, protecting this peace, forever and ever.
Moonlight streamed down the edge of the bed, illuminating her sleeping face with exceptional softness. A faint smile curved the corners of her mouth, as if she had dreamed of a jar full of rose jam, sweet and warm. The first volume of her Jiangnan years quietly drew to a close amidst the fragrance of flowers and the sound of piano music. Meanwhile, the distant capital, carrying with it unknown storms and warmth, slowly approached her along the road of time.
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