0056 Yichun Liquor (Seven)
After nightfall, only a few drops of rain remained in the sky.
Shu Mingde's personal page, Ake, sat on a bench in the veranda, nodding his head, drowsy as he listened to the patter of rain on the banana leaves.
This is one of the few shortcomings in serving the young master.
Because the young master was favored, his food and clothing were among the best of all the servants in the household, except for one thing—
The young master studied diligently, reading until midnight every day before going to sleep, which often kept his companion company.
Ake glanced at the brightly lit inner room, estimated the time in his mind, and figured that Shu Mingde would not summon him in for a while. So he buried his face in his arms, preparing to take a short nap.
Half-asleep, he suddenly glimpsed a graceful young woman leaning against a paper umbrella, carrying a silk lantern with inscriptions, drifting towards him through the moss-covered moon gate.
He didn't pay much attention at first, only saying that it was no wonder there was no moon in the sky tonight, because the Moon Fairy had secretly descended to the mortal world.
He was startled awake when the girl stood before him, her body enveloped in a cool mist of rain.
"Second, Second Miss." Ake stood up abruptly.
Shu Fu didn't delve into his dereliction of duty and dozing off. She closed her umbrella, leaned against the wall, and said gently to him, "Young Master, are you still awake? Please go in and tell him that I have finished writing what he asked me to write, and I'm bringing it to him now."
Ake readily agreed, turned and went into the inner room, and soon poked his head out again to invite Shufu in.
As soon as Shu Fu entered the study, a wave of the fragrance of books and the warmth of ink washed away the chill.
When Shu Mingde saw her arrive, he was overjoyed and quickly pulled up a round chair for her, and then instructed Ake to bring some hot tea.
The young man sat beside her, speaking affectionately: "Sister, you've come at the perfect time. I've just finished the first draft of that policy essay, and I would appreciate your corrections."
As he spoke, he handed a stack of white deer paper covered with ink writing to Shu Fu, and then took the manuscript she had brought from Shu Fu.
Shu Fu clutched the papers in her hand, recalling how Zhan Yaoguang had followed her all the way from the west room to the door before she left, gently reminding her to return immediately. For a moment, she considered politely declining Shu Mingde's offer.
But her younger brother's eyes were so sincere, and academic matters were indeed not to be taken lightly, so she suppressed the turmoil in her heart and focused on reading his policy essays.
Shu Mingde's writing skills are indeed quite good. His writing shows no trace of the immaturity of a ten-year-old child. His viewpoints are clear and his examples are compelling. Even if it were placed in the talent-rich Lanshan Academy, it would be considered an above-average article.
After reading it, Shu Fu sincerely praised, "You wrote very well, I have nothing to change."
She read it again quickly and exclaimed with delight, "Moreover, we have so many similar views. Is this what it means for siblings to understand each other?"
Shu Mingde had also finished reading Shu Fu's manuscript. Hearing her say this, he couldn't help but feel a little ashamed: "No, the main point of my policy essay was something my elder sister had already discussed with me. If we really want to talk about it, my elder sister and I are more in sync. However, my elder sister's essay is better. Many of her views are more incisive. Please allow me to take a few paragraphs from her views and refine the essay."
Shufu readily agreed.
Having received her permission, Shu Mingde immediately dipped his brush in ink and began to write. After writing only two lines, he suddenly looked up at the girl in front of him and said, "Sister, you are truly amazing. I spent half a day talking with my classmates and received your insightful guidance. After returning home, I meditated day and night to write these things. Sister, you finished them in just one afternoon. If you were a man, you would surely make all the boys in our academy lose face."
Upon hearing this, Shu Fu's eyelashes fluttered slightly, her lips pressed tightly together, and she remained silent for a moment.
After praising the article, Shu Mingde buried himself in revising it again, unaware that the girl sitting opposite him had quietly stood up and walked to the window.
Shu Fu stood before the window, her fingers tracing the cracked stripes of the windowpane. The wind and rain outside had intensified again, and the chilling air seeped through the paper and struck her palm, reminding her of the thin layer of ice on the pond in the manor that spring.
The chill of last winter dissipated in the warm, gentle spring, and the thin ice also dissipated and cracked away, eventually all turning into the warm water and muddy mud in the pond.
She suddenly turned around and whispered to Shu Mingde, who was writing with his head down, "No, Mingde."
Shu Mingde looked up at her blankly, only to hear her say gently and slowly, "If you want to praise me, you don't need to make me pretend to be a man. There are many women who are just like me or even better than me, but people despise them and always keep them out of history."
“But I have never doubted myself because I am a woman. I am very happy that I am the person you are in front of me.”
Shu Mingde was deeply moved. Before he could say anything, he saw the girl step out of the room, open her umbrella, and carry a lamp, disappearing into the torrential night rain.
...
The next day, Shu Mingde was to return to Lanshan Academy. Just before his departure, he and Ake stood in front of the carriage at the back gate, waiting for something, no one knew.
As night fell, a few barks of dogs could still be heard in the deep alley, along with the occasional chirping of cicadas.
A-Ke yawned with his back turned, then slowly turned back and said to Shu Mingde, "Young master, what are you waiting for?"
The sooner he gets on the bus, the sooner he can catch up on his sleep.
Shu Mingde's face was slightly pale. He stood stubbornly for a moment until even Luo Shi couldn't help but inquire, at which point he slowly asked, "Where is my elder sister?"
Everyone then realized what was going on.
If we're talking about someone who always sees Shu Mingde off whenever he returns to school, then Shu Fu is the only one in the entire household who does.
Even Luo Shi missed several times due to her poor health, but Shu Fu never missed a single one.
Luo frowned slightly and turned her head to send someone to the Spring Evening Pavilion to call for someone.
After waiting a while, a figure gracefully walked into the mansion. Shu Mingde's eyes brightened slightly, but when the person got closer, he realized that the person was not Shu Fu, but A Jian, the maid who had been with Shu Fu these days.
A-Jian, still half-asleep, curtsied to everyone: "What do you need me to do, Madam and Young Master?"
Shu Mingde quickly asked, "Didn't my elder sister come?"
A-Jian shook his head blankly: "No, the young lady should still be asleep at this hour."
The young man's eyes suddenly darkened, breaking Luo's heart. She said to A-Jian, "Go back and wake your young lady up. It won't disturb her sleep for long."
Upon hearing this, A-Jian felt quite sorry for Shu-Fu and moved reluctantly. Fortunately, Shu-Ming-De spoke up to defuse the situation: "Sister A-Jian, don't go. Let your sister sleep a little longer."
He recalled the hurtful words he had uttered at the banquet that day, and the speech that had completely stunned him the night before. He vaguely guessed that the rift between the two siblings was not only due to the disagreements caused by the elder sister, but perhaps also due to some differences in their views.
Fortunately, he is still young and has enough time to figure out his sister's intentions. Perhaps when he can truly understand her, the two of them will be able to reconcile.
Shu Mingde sensed some enlightenment and relaxed a lot. He smiled at Ajian and said, "Please pass on a message to my sister for me: Mingde will observe and think more, and I will definitely go to find her when I have some understanding. Please don't send me away then."
After saying that, he led A-Ke onto the carriage, and they drove away under the moonlight.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
