A pair of hands
"Come here." The man's voice sounded somewhat lazy and hoarse.
Xi Chun was afraid that if the other person opened his eyes and saw her, he would mistake her for a thief, which would be terrible. Helpless, Xi Chun put down the ink and tiptoed behind the man.
"My head hurts, can you massage it for me?" Wei Qiao lowered his hand from his head and casually placed both hands on his knees. The aftereffects of the bamboo leaf wine were too strong; now he only felt a throbbing headache. For a moment, he forgot that everyone in Xuesongtang was out on the street and mistook Xichun for his servant, Agui. Agui had learned a little massage from his mother, and sometimes when he had a headache, he would call Agui to massage him, which sometimes helped.
Upon closer inspection, Wei Qiao's eyes were tightly closed, his brows were furrowed, his long eyelashes trembled uneasily, and his thin lips were the color of fine rouge.
"So beautiful." Xi Chun exclaimed sincerely. Upon closer inspection, she felt that she had seen this person somewhere before, but she realized that this person was Wei Qiao, the second young master of the manor. How could she have met the second young master before? Xi Chun thought that she must be mistaken. Even if someone is a beauty, there are beauties in the world who look alike.
Seeing Wei Qiao's brows furrow even more, Xi Chun quickly placed her hands on his head. The moment her hands touched his skin, Xi Chun felt Wei Qiao's body stiffen for a moment. Xi Chun recalled the techniques taught to her by the itinerant doctor she often ate at her grandfather's wonton stall, and began to move her hands across Wei Qiao's face and head.
Taiyang acupoint, Zanzhu acupoint, Baihui acupoint, Fengchi acupoint. Xichun silently recited the acupoints in her mind while thinking about the techniques. For a moment, she treated Wei Qiao's head as a demonstration puppet, and massaged it with utmost seriousness and precision.
Wei Qiao initially felt that A Gui's hands were different today; they were softer and gentler. Even the massage technique was different from usual. He tried hard to recall A Gui's technique, but under Xi Chun's hands, he felt the throbbing pain in his head lessen, and his head felt more relaxed than ever before.
Xi Chun massaged the Fengchi acupoint and prepared to end the massage. She turned her head to look at Wei Qiao and saw that his face was relaxed and his head was nodding forward unconsciously. Xi Chun knew that he had fallen asleep. Her grandfather sometimes fell asleep like this while sitting on the stool at the stall.
Xichun didn't want to look for the ink anymore. As long as it was safe and sound, that was enough. Anyway, it was all in the mansion, and it would naturally go back when it got hungry and needed to eat.
Xi Chun took three steps at a time and slipped out of Xuesong Hall as if she were fleeing. At this moment, her fear of ghosts and monsters suddenly lessened a lot. Under the moonlight, she went to pick up the lantern that had fallen in the garden before running back to Qingwu Garden.
When she got back, she found that Ink had arrived home before her. After eating and drinking its fill, it was fast asleep on the bench in the main room, and she could hear its even snoring when she got close.
Xi Chun glared at it with a smile, thinking how annoying the ink was.
A-Gui and his group released river lanterns on the Dongyang River, ate osmanthus sugar and sour plum drink, and watched the lantern festival. They didn't return until almost midnight. The journey was crowded and difficult, and they didn't enter the gate of Xuesong Hall until 1:15 AM the next day.
"Why is the second young master asleep in the stone pavilion? Quickly call him back to his room, or he'll catch a cold."
Fu Qing, with her sharp eyes, spotted Wei Qiao asleep on the stone table as soon as she entered the courtyard. The candles had been extinguished, and the soft moonlight bathed him.
Upon hearing this, A-Gui hurriedly went to Wei Qiao's side and gently patted Wei Qiao's shoulder, "Second Young Master, wake up, wake up."
Wei Qiao was fast asleep when he reluctantly opened his eyes and found that A Gui and the others had returned.
The next moment, Wei Qiao was fully awake. Ah Gui had only just returned, so who else could it be but Ah Gui who was giving him a massage?
Those hands were so soft and supple; they were clearly a woman's hands.
Wei Qiao's expression turned cold, and his sharp eyes stared thoughtfully in the direction of the Xuesong Hall's main gate.
The next day, Wei Qiao had just dismounted at the gate of the mansion after returning home from his duty when the steward stopped him.
"Second Young Master, Master wants to see you in the front yard to discuss something."
A-Gui took the reins from Wei Qiao, and Zhao Yu followed Wei Qiao into the side hall of the front yard.
Dressed in a straw-white straight-legged outfit, Wei Changsong was sitting on a yellow pearwood armchair at the top of the hall, drinking tea, while a maid stood beside him fanning him.
Wei Qiao walked up to him with a cold expression and bowed. "I wonder what important matter Father has summoned me for?"
"Why wouldn't I, as your father, call you here if it weren't for something important?"
Not hearing Wei Qiao's reply, Wei Changsong looked up and saw Wei Qiao's red official robe, adorned with the same peacock emblem as his own. He had spent his entire life climbing the ranks to become Vice Minister of Rites, while Wei Qiao had risen through the ranks to a third-rank official in just a few years. Wei Changsong was filled with envy. But then he remembered that no matter how capable Wei Qiao was, he was still his son, and no matter how talented a son was, he could never surpass his father. This made him feel much better.
Thinking of this, he softened his tone. "I called you here today to talk about your marriage. You're twenty-three this year, and many people your age already have both a son and a daughter."
Looking up, she saw that Wei Qiao was still standing, and then gestured for him to sit down. As soon as Wei Qiao sat down, a maid brought him a cup of Longjing tea. Wei Qiao took a small sip and placed it on the table beside him.
"Your father is also anxious about your marriage. Now that you have achieved success and fame, you deserve a good girl to match you. The eldest daughter of the Duke of Huguo's mansion is dignified and quiet, and she is only twenty years old. She is a good match for you. I think we can choose an auspicious day to go to her door to propose marriage and settle this fate for you."
A perfect match? The whole capital knows that young lady is arrogant, domineering, and promiscuous. She bought a mansion outside the capital and kept male prostitutes. When her fiancé argued with her, she ordered him to be thrown from the third floor, breaking his leg. Her fiancé's family were only minor officials in the capital, and he was forced to break off the engagement.
Wei Qiao smiled coldly, "Father, are you after the power of the Duke of Huguo's mansion? If you want to get promoted so much, why don't you divorce Mother and marry the eldest daughter of the Duke of Huguo's mansion yourself?"
"You!" Wei Changsong roared in fury, raising his hand to smash the teacup beside him at Wei Qiao's feet. He had intended to smash it on Wei Qiao's head, but his aim was poor, and it only hit the floor tiles in front of Wei Qiao. The splashed water soaked the hem of Wei Qiao's red official robe.
Wei Qiao glanced at the broken, plain white teacup, stood up, and bowed to Wei Changsong. "My marriage is none of your concern, Father. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."
Watching Wei Qiao turn and leave, Wei Changsong stared at his retreating figure with venomous eyes.
In just over two months, the mint that Xichun had planted had grown into a lush patch. Xichun had already harvested it many times, and even made two mint sachets from scraps of old clothes, just like Aunt Liu had done, to give to Caihuan. In July, the sycamore trees entered their final flowering season, and the bright, tender yellow faded. Every day, while sweeping, Xichun would always find small, curled, purplish-red flowers. The pea-sized berries were protected in the center by small, boat-like, greenish-blue rinds, and soon they would burst open into five petals. The rinds were initially greenish-blue, then turned yellow, red, and purple, displaying a rainbow of colors until they finally matured into hard, woody pieces.
Caihuan told her that the fruit of the parasol tree was edible, and last year Xichun had given Caihuan some of the harvested, yellowish-brown fruit. Caihuan asked her mother to roast it and give her a small jar. The roasted fruit had a aroma similar to melon seeds, and Xichun ate it slowly for a month before reluctantly finishing it.
The days were long and tedious. Xi Chun's figure grew wildly, like summer mint; her breasts swelled, her face became more alluring, and even her hands seemed to grow longer and thinner. But her heart was locked in the dead of winter, and facing the vibrant summer, she always felt a trembling unease. She was like a paulownia tree rooted in the Green Wutong Garden, no matter how lush she grew, she could only remain in this small world, her branches and leaves unable to reach beyond.
After being humiliated by Wei Qiao, Wei Changsong vented his anger on Zhang Yunyao. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he yelled at Zhang Yunyao with a stern face, "That brat Wei Qiao has gone completely out of control! You, as his mother, have really failed to discipline him!"
Zhang Yunyao was sitting on the daybed, fanning herself with a silk fan, when she saw Wei Changsong rush in. She gave him an unpleasant glance. Wei Changsong sat down on the other side of the daybed. Zhang Yunyao got up and poured him a cup of tea, handing it to him. Wei Changsong didn't take it. Zhang Yunyao put the teacup down in front of him, turned back to her seat, and picked up the silk fan to continue fanning herself. She knew that Wei Changsong must have told Wei Qiao about the eldest daughter of the Duke of Huguo's mansion. She had long advised him that the Duke of Huguo's mansion was too powerful; how could their family possibly be worthy of it? Besides, the eldest daughter was arrogant and domineering. If they married her, wouldn't she, as her mother-in-law, have to take orders from her? She wouldn't do such a losing proposition!
After a long pause, Zhang Yunyao slowly spoke up: "As the master knows, although I am Wei Qiao's nominal mother, I am actually her aunt. Wei Qiao and my sister are just like each other, both very opinionated."
Hearing Wei Changsong snort heavily, Zhang Yunyao secretly rolled her eyes and continued, "Besides, he's someone who can speak for the Emperor now, so we shouldn't provoke him. After all, he's not as attentive and respectful to us as Kang'er is, and he might have a lot of resentment towards us. Master, you should just let him be."
Hearing Zhang Yunyao mention Wei Kang, Wei Changsong's heart clenched again. Wei Kang was his first son. Although he couldn't say he particularly liked Zhang Yunyao, Wei Kang was his most beloved son. He witnessed Wei Kang's birth, watched him learn to speak, from almost falling while standing to walking smoothly. He hired a tutor for Wei Kang's early education, holding his little hand and teaching him to write...
Thinking of all the moments he shared with Wei Kang, tears welled up in Wei Changsong's eyes, and his throat tightened. "Kang'er is a good boy."
He sighed and continued, "It's just a pity that Kang'er left too early, far too early."
Hearing Wei Changsong's emotional words, Zhang Yunyao's eyes welled up with tears. She had never loved Wei Changsong; their decades-long marriage had been maintained solely by suppressing her resentment. She felt that Wei Changsong probably felt the same way, his eyes always filled with disdain when he looked at her, a trait he had maintained since his youth. Wei Changsong was fond of beautiful women; the reason he brought concubines into the mansion was because he disliked their aging and fading beauty.
But Kang'er was different. Kang'er was the only thing she and Wei Changsong shared a common ground with; they both loved this child dearly and cherished him like a precious treasure as he grew up. Kang'er was so sensible and had never caused them any heartache from childhood to adulthood. Even when he was paralyzed in bed, he never showed the slightest impatience towards his parents, only guilt for not being able to be with them for long. How could parents not be heartbroken to lose such a young child?
Wei Changsong took out a handkerchief to wipe away his tears and took a sip of tea. He got up, put his hands behind his back, walked to the window, looked up at the azure sky, and then looked down at the hollyhocks in the courtyard that were in full bloom.
"The hollyhocks are blooming," Wei Changsong said.
Hearing the sound, Zhang Yunyao also went to the window. The hollyhocks stood straight, pointing towards the sky, their large, peach-pink flowers adorning the branches. A smile appeared on her face. These hollyhocks were planted by Wei Kang and herself when he was five years old. As a child, Wei Kang was distressed about his short stature and always hoped to grow taller. His eyes would light up whenever he saw hollyhocks while shopping with her. They bought them and planted them in her yard, with Wei Kang saying that one day he would grow taller than a hollyhock.
Recalling Wei Kang's innocent words, her smile deepened, "August is just a few days away, and it will be Kang'er's birthday again."
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