0001 The Rise of Turbulence in Pingyang 001 A Little Bird Perches in the Garden
"Little sister, be good, listen to A-Yu, and grow up well. When you grow up, Mom will come to find you."
In her dream, her mother was still so gentle, but her face was already blurred. Qi Shuyao silently opened her eyes on the bed. After sleeping all night, she felt even more tired when she woke up. She stared intently at the replica of the celestial palace ceiling on the ceiling, and after a long while, she raised her hand to rub her eyes.
Why didn't I ask her mother when we parted ways? How could I forget to ask her what age is considered grown up?
She rolled out of bed and landed lightly on the floor. Her silk nightgown slid down from her waist to her legs, the fabric so smooth that not a single wrinkle could be seen. She hopped barefoot a few times on the floor in the morning sunlight, feeling light and airy.
On the tree branch in the yard outside the window, the little parrot that the housekeeper keeps is calling the time again. It has recently learned to say "wake up" and flies to her window at eight o'clock, flapping its wings and shouting.
Footsteps sounded outside the door. The new maid came to wake her up. The little girl was only a few years older than Qi Shuyao. She looked at everything with curiosity. She loved strolling around the manor, which combined ancient and modern styles, inside and out, before her master woke up. Every step she took felt like she was passing through many beautiful landscapes.
There was a small hole diagonally below the young lady's door. She could see a blurry view inside by bending down. Through the hole, there was a doorway entangled with tree branches. The moment she looked inside, a small bird landed and hopped around. That space belonged only to it.
Before the maid could come in, Qi Shuyao waved away the talkative little parrot, picked up the shawl that Han's mother had placed on the small sofa, wrapped it around herself, and went to the balcony.
From her room, one can overlook the entire landscape of nearly three hectares of hills behind the estate, and on the lawn not far away, two chubby little cats are already sunbathing.
"Miss, it's chilly outside, please come in."
The little maid had already silently walked up behind her, holding the door screen and waiting for her to return.
"It's already July, how could it be cold?"
"That's true, but things are different here in the mountains compared to outside. It gets chilly in the mornings and evenings."
Qi Shuyao walked back, took off her shawl and threw it to the maid. When she raised her hand, she accidentally hit her left arm and immediately clutched her shoulder and bent over.
"Oh, miss, slow down. It's all my fault for not noticing. The master has already instructed that I should not engage in strenuous activities for the next few days after I received the vaccine yesterday."
Mentioning yesterday's vaccination, the nurse who gave her the injection saw Qi Yu come forward, hold her hand, and then cover her eyes, pursing her lips and making a sarcastic remark.
"You're such a big person, yet you're still afraid of injections and need your dad to hold you."
Even though she wasn't afraid of injections, her hands trembled with anger upon hearing this. The man leaned down and gently comforted her, his face so close that thankfully he couldn't see her bluish-red cheeks.
Frustrated, Qi Shuyao raised her hand and ruffled her hair, making it a mess, to cover her face.
"Where's my dad? What time did he come back after he went out last night?"
"He's not back yet, but he said he'll be home soon and would like you to have breakfast first."
"Oh? Then let's wait for him for a while. Let's go to the living room first, and you can turn on the TV for me."
Qi Shuyao first washed up, then shook the water droplets off her hair and walked into the living room. The TV was broadcasting yesterday's major and minor events, and she lay on the sofa listening while looking at her phone.
"...Yesterday, the first-instance verdict was announced in the case of renowned writer Li Huanguang (real name Li Qing) who brutally murdered a two-year-old boy. Li Qing was sentenced to life imprisonment and deprived of her political rights for life. It is understood that the victim, Mai, was the illegitimate son of her husband, Mai, and his mistress, Bi..."
The familiar name made her raise her eyes. The television screen magnified the female writer's lifeless eyes and numb expression. Qi Shuyao's gaze gradually shifted to the bookshelf next to the television. An entire row of books were by this genius writer. She had once been madly infatuated with her writing style and had even accompanied Qi Yu to visit Chairman Mai, her in-laws.
"Her husband cheated on her and had an illegitimate child. She should kill her husband. Why kill the child? The child is always innocent."
"How can he be innocent? He has a mother who was a mistress and a father who cheated on him. This is retribution."
"Oh dear, my little ancestor, watch your words."
Han's mother was just passing by the living room and casually remarked something, but she didn't expect Qi Shuyao to get so agitated, so she quickly ran over to comfort her.
"Did I say something wrong? I've seen everything that's happened in their family all these years. Mai Hong doesn't come home and lives with his mistress. So what if they had a son? He even brought him home to show off to Sister Qing, bullying her because she's been married for several years and only had a daughter. Doesn't he care about the friendship Sister Qing has had with him since junior high? His old lady is always grumbling, 'You can't keep a child that's not married.' Why doesn't she mention that her son messes around whether he's married or not? It's so feudal..."
She was so angry that she acted as if she were the person involved, wishing she could rush into the TV and tear the scumbag's family apart.
On screen, the female writer didn't seem as fragile as she described. After the final interview, she suddenly looked directly at the camera, her expression as if she were giving an acceptance speech.
"...I just want to remind my sisters not to follow my example. Men are not worth it."
The sentence, which seemed to come out of nowhere, looked like it was being said to a specific person.
"Does she have any sisters? I've never heard of them."
Han's mother didn't care about other people's affairs; she only cared about her little darling.
"We don't need to worry about other people's business. I just wanted to remind you that you must never let a man's love blind you and deceive you with a few sweet words. Otherwise, you'll have a hard time later on."
"How can I see a man clearly?"
Qi Shuyao muttered to herself, as if she had something on her mind.
"But Miss, you don't need to worry too much. No matter what you do, you still have Mr. backing you up. No one will dare to treat you badly. Miss, look, the tassels outside haven't finished blooming yet."
Qi Shuyao turned to look at the backyard. Actually, the trees had already passed their flowering season, but a faint fragrance could still be smelled in the air. She especially liked this kind of tree when she stayed at the Tang family's house. She never expected that Qi Yu would plant two of them for her here. It seems that he can do anything.
Her thoughts had drifted away. Seeing that she was no longer dwelling on what was on TV, Han's mother smiled and left, leaving her alone still muttering to herself.
"They're all lying to me..."
"What are you lying about?"
A pleasant male voice rang out beside her, startling Qi Shuyao so much that she jumped up from the sofa and looked at the newcomer with a terrified expression.
Qi Yu had silently walked up to her without her noticing. He hadn't even had time to change his clothes before bending down and pretending to eavesdrop. His handsome but tired face loomed large in front of her, a smile spreading across his face, his peach blossom eyes fixed on her.
Why were you eavesdropping?!
Qi Shuyao was startled twice in a row, her heart was about to jump out of her chest. She clutched her chest, still in shock, and her legs were weak.
Qi Yu raised his hand and pulled her up. His palm was facing up, and there was a scar running across his entire palm.
In an instant, the entire house became eerily quiet. The servants who were usually there had vanished, the birdsong and cat meows outside the window had all stopped, and even the wind seemed to have stopped blowing. In the empty living room, it seemed that only her heart was pounding incessantly.
The man in front of her exuded his unique fragrance, which captivated her even when he stood still. She wanted to throw off all her burdens and rush up to him like she did when she was a child, hugging his waist and burying her head in his shoulder. He probably wouldn't refuse, but how long could she continue this unreasonable tantrum?
Finally, a gust of wind blew into the suffocating living room, bringing reason back to her. Qi Shuyao pulled her arm away, casually pushed him towards the dining room, glanced back at the television, and immediately changed the subject.
"Have you heard about Sister Li Qing's situation? Wasn't there news before that she was going to be sentenced to death?"
Qi Yu was momentarily lost in thought, his hands empty, a slight chill wafting from the summer breeze. He cleared his throat, trying to suppress this unease and discomfort.
“Mai Hong still has feelings for her. A son can be born again, and even if the person he loves is locked up in prison, there is still something to look forward to.”
Tang Qianjie's story, "Swallows Flying Over the Hall," is complete, totaling 550,000 words. It is now available online at Aifadian and can be read in advance.
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