Chapter Twenty-One: Poetry and Emotion
Inside the camphor garden, upon hearing Yun Yao's words, the lady showed a hint of surprise, but quickly, that surprise turned into a smile.
She nodded slightly, looking at the young man with interest, and smiled gently, "That's wonderful. With you by my side, discussing poetry will make my time recuperating in this garden a little more interesting."
Yun Yao and his wife exchanged a smile. He pondered for a moment, then slowly recited a poem: "'Recuperating in the quiet summer, the suburban garden is lush with flowers and trees. The cool breeze from the mountain stream seeps in through the window at dusk, and the green bamboo is lovely after the rain.' Madam, you see, this poem depicts the poet recuperating in a quiet summer garden in the suburbs. The garden is verdant, and the cool breeze from the mountain stream seeps in through the carved window. After the rain, the new bamboo is even greener and more vibrant. This is quite similar to the scene we are in now."
Upon hearing this, the lady sighed softly and said, "That is indeed the case. However, even if I am recuperating in a leisurely manner like the person in the poem, I still feel somewhat troubled because of this illness."
Yun Yao's poem perfectly captures the leisure and tranquility she finds while recuperating in the garden. Yet, beneath this tranquility, a lingering attachment to the past and a hope for recovery remain in her heart.
At this moment, Yun Yao recalled the past, when his grandmother, a Chinese professor, would often playfully complain to him with poems when she was ill. Thinking of these things, Yun Yao felt even more tender.
So he gently took his wife's hand and comforted her tenderly, "My lady, there's no need to be upset. As the poem says, 'Lying on your sickbed for a long time, your body and mind are filled with sorrow, and despite all the treatments, you still feel restless. The green bamboo by the window rustles in the wind, and the fragrance of books in the quiet room fills your eyes.' Even though you are ill, you still have the green bamboo by the window and the fragrance of books in the quiet room to accompany you, which is a unique kind of scenery."
The lady looked at Yun Yao with admiration in her eyes and said softly, "With you by my side, interpreting poems for me, I feel much more at ease even when I am recuperating."
After having a long conversation about poetry and literature with Yun Yao, the lady looked at the elegant young man beside her who was quietly flipping through a collection of poems and couldn't help but ask, "Yun'er, how do you know so many poems and articles?"
Yun Yao raised his eyes and smiled, his gaze nostalgic: "My grandmother and mother also liked these things. I was often by their side, so I learned a little bit from what I saw and heard."
He recalled how, when his grandmother was ill, she would often open a collection of poems and read Su Shi's lyrics to soothe her soul. "Books are my pillow, I sit and read Su Shi's poems. I long for the autumn frost that cannot be reflected in the mirror, and I do not say that spring dreams have already become old age."
The few lines of poetry that his grandmother often read to him were so much like her state of mind. She always tried to draw strength from the poems of the ancients to comfort herself during her illness. Despite her injuries and illness, she hoped to be as clear as frost and snow, and not let the disease wear down her will.
Now, Yun Yao looked up at his ailing and frail wife, feeling a deep sense of emotion.
Even a figure as extraordinary as this lady, whose name is etched in history, is bound by birth, aging, sickness, and death. Life is not carefree; only by aspiring to the east wind can one find true peace.
As night fell, the garden was enveloped in tranquility. Yun Yao closed his book, and under the lamplight, he looked sincerely at his wife and said gently, "I wish you a speedy recovery, so that you may not fail to appreciate the poetic beauty of this garden and enjoy the changing seasons and the magnificent scenery of the mountains and rivers once again."
...
After returning from the camphor garden that day, Yun Yao felt a rare joy in his heart. Since the passing of his maternal grandparents and mother, he had not been able to chat about poetry and lyrics so freely with someone for a long time.
Such a brief moment seemed to bring him back to the happiness of "when it was just an ordinary day".
Yun Yao had a different opinion about the lady.
Even someone as remarkable as Madam possesses such a vulnerable, poetic, and tender side during her illness, making it impossible for him to continue viewing her as someone like Qin Rao, whom he should be wary of.
Even the smallest, most subtle connection between his wife and his grandmother and mother on this day became a place he couldn't help but want to get closer to.
He began to worry about his wife's condition. Thinking of his relatives who had been ill before, he sincerely hoped that his wife could suffer less pain and recover as soon as possible.
Yun Yao knew he was empathizing with her, and he also understood that a person like the Madam couldn't possibly have much in common with his grandmother or mother.
The lady was always surrounded by countless professional medical staff, so there was really no need for him to worry unnecessarily. But Yun Yao thought that if she needed his help at this moment, he would do his duty without hesitation.
Yun Yao never expected that such an opportunity would actually come.
Two days later, Butler Cheng brought news that Madam had given orders for Yun Yao to move into the Camphor Garden as a nursing assistant to accompany Madam.
Butler Cheng asked Xing Yu, who was standing nearby, to help Yun Yao pack her things, as he went to attend to other matters.
While Yun Yao was still in shock at the news, Xing Yu said sarcastically, "I didn't realize you were so capable. You've already climbed the social ladder by composing poems and adding fragrance to the air. This is the first time someone has managed to get the Madam to personally order them to move into the Camphor Garden."
Yun Yao glanced at him strangely. He could tell that Xing Yu's words didn't actually contain jealousy, but rather anger and heartache. Moreover, Cuiwei Manor always maintained strict rules, and things that happened in the camphor garden couldn't possibly be easily leaked out. He was genuinely puzzled. "Xing Yu, how did you know about my conversation with Madam about poetry?"
Xing Yu pursed his lips. Lately, he had been increasingly revealing his true nature in front of Yun Yao; he was quite arrogant.
He said irritably, "Of course I have my own connections, and it's fine to tell you. I'm actually a distant relative of your wife's cousins, you could say I'm a relative of relatives, which is why I was able to get into Cuiwei Villa. Don't you think that someone like me who got in through connections is no different from you, both of us are dishonorable?"
Yun Yao laughed at his defiant words. Actually, Xing Yu was quite capable among the lady's attendants; his nursing and assistant-related knowledge was highly professional, and he was also very efficient. However, he was young, only two years younger than Yun Yao, and his attitude towards her was rather awkward and strange. He was usually very aloof and taciturn in front of others, but with Yun Yao, he always seemed familiar with her and had a habit of unrestrainedly teasing her.
Yun Yao couldn't help but ask the question that had been bothering him: "Xing Yu, haven't I seen you somewhere before?"
Xing Yu's eyes widened instantly. He panicked for a moment, then immediately feigned sarcasm and said, "How is this possible? Are you dreaming?"
Seeing his reaction, Yun Yao had a vague idea in his mind, but he deliberately said, "I think so too. After all, you are a relative of the madam's cousin, so how could you have met me before?"
"Yun Yao!" Xing Yu couldn't help but get angry. He glared at him with exasperation. "Are you doing this on purpose? I've been standing in front of you for so long, do you really not remember anything?"
Yun Yao stared blankly at his angry expression. A blurry little figure flashed through his mind, and he asked uncertainly, "You...you are 'Little Mute'?"
In Yun Yao's memory, "Little Mute" was a chubby, quiet little boy at the Blue Orphanage. He was one of Yun Yao's childhood playmates. At that time, Yun Yao, who was still in kindergarten, often went to the Blue Orphanage near her home with her grandparents to do volunteer work. It was there that she met "Little Mute," who was often isolated by the other children and never spoke.
No one knows the real name of "Little Mute," but everyone can tell who he likes the most—"Little Mute" loves to follow Yun Yao's grandmother around, often laughing uproariously at her jokes. His initial encounter with Yun Yao stemmed from jealousy of her being her grandmother's grandson; their relationship began as a case of "enemies becoming friends."
Later, Yunyao started elementary school and was taken back to his home in the city by his parents. He saw "Little Mute" less and less. Until one year, he went to the Blue Orphanage but couldn't find "Little Mute". His grandmother told him that "Little Mute" had been found and adopted by his relatives in another city and was no longer in Nanhang.
Unexpectedly, after so many years, "Little Mute" is no longer that chubby, silent little boy; he has become Xing Yu, the aloof and arrogant man from Cuiwei Manor.
Yun Yao was both shocked and filled with mixed emotions. In his current predicament, to encounter his childhood friend like this was truly a cruel twist of fate.
"Twelve years... You, you can still recognize me." Yun Yao recalled the complicated expression on his face when he first saw him, guessing that the "little mute" recognized him at first glance.
Xing Yu snorted coldly: "You look exactly the same as when you were a child, who wouldn't recognize you?" Xing Yu thought that actually, Yun Yao was just too good-looking. Such a child was practically radiant in the orphanage back then, unforgettable to everyone who saw him. At that time, he both hated that he was Grandma Yun's biological grandson, and secretly agreed that such a wonderful Grandma Yun's grandson was indeed outstanding.
Old friends reunited, but under such circumstances, and for a moment neither of them spoke.
After a long pause, Xing Yu spoke up as if he couldn't take it anymore: "Alright, alright, don't look like that. Let me tell you, I've had a terrible time too. I'm actually an illegitimate child. The couple who gave birth to me didn't want me, so I ended up in an orphanage. Later, when I was eight years old, the man couldn't have any more children after being married for many years, so he reluctantly took me back."
Upon hearing this, Yun Yao looked at him with concern: "How have you been all these years?"
"You still have time to worry about me?" Xing Yu said angrily, "I really didn't expect to see you here! It was that old scoundrel Cheng who brought you in. That old scoundrel Cheng is always flattering Madam, and he's the one who instigates all those lewd things. Yun Yao, where is Grandma? How could they let you do such a thing? You're really going to drive me crazy!"
Yun Yao's eyes instantly reddened. He looked at Xing Yu and said with difficulty, "My grandparents passed away a few years ago. I...I..." His throat felt like it was blocked by a stone, and he couldn't say anything. He was so ashamed that he wanted to disappear.
Xing Yu's eyes reddened upon hearing that his grandmother had passed away, but seeing Yun Yao's current state, he couldn't bear it and pretended to be impatient, saying, "Alright, even if you don't tell me, I have ways to find out. I was planning to investigate properly after seeing you here..."
He glanced out the window, but still hadn't seen Butler Cheng. He breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to Yun Yao with concern and said, "Yun Yao, listen to me. Don't do anything to make Madam 'like' you anymore. It's dangerous. Madam isn't an ordinary person. Those common people think it's a shortcut to heaven and great wealth, but it's all an abyss. One day, even people like them will fall and be shattered. Trust me, just be like me, diligently being a good assistant and attendant. After a while, when Madam forgets about you, I'll find a way to send you away..."
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