Chapter 4
Xue Shangyang nodded and handed her the gift he had just bought. "Happy birthday."
She happily took it, then glanced at the wrapped gift box. Her gaze shifted past Xue Shangyang in front of her, landing on Yang Ye on the other side of the car. Yang Ye stood quietly, her backlit eyes revealing a hint of coldness and distance, yet also a gentleness that emanated from within, like a young lady steeped in decorum, her every word and action polite and reserved, unassuming and unassuming.
She approached Xue Shangyang cautiously, nudged him with her elbow, and asked in a low voice, "Is this the one you just married?"
"Yes," Xue Shangyang responded decisively, turned and walked towards Yang Ye, naturally took her hand, and brought her over to introduce, "This is your sister-in-law, Niu Hulu Zhaoran."
"Niuhulu..." She widened her eyes, her tone filled with disbelief, "Eight Banners?!"
She looked back and forth between Yang Ye and Xue Shangyang. After a moment, she suddenly reached out and grabbed Xue Shangyang's arm, forcibly pulling him away from Yang Ye and pulling him aside. She asked anxiously in a suppressed voice, "My brother said you married a lady from a rich family, why is she still from the Eight Banners?"
Xue Shangyang asked in return: "Is there anything wrong with this?"
"Will your uncle agree to your marrying her?"
"I'm the one getting married, why should he disagree?"
She looked at Yang Ye again, and this time her eyes were more complicated. Yang Ye had an almost indifferent smile on his face, as if he didn't care about what had happened or her surprise just now.
"Isn't it said that the people of the Eight Banners are arrogant and look down on us Han people?" She muttered in a low voice, with doubt and temptation in her words.
She had heard many rumors about the Eight Banners of the Manchus before. They said that they were proud of their noble status, and even now that they had lost their dignity, they still looked down on the Han people and sneered at them, as if the Han people were as lowly as a speck of dust in their eyes.
Xue Shangyang chuckled and asked with a hint of sarcasm: "Then look at your sister-in-law, is she such a person?"
She looked at Yang Ye again, feeling uncertain and uneasy. But Yang Ye's expression remained calm, his smile unchanged, as if he were a bystander. He neither refuted nor argued, as if the conversation they had just discussed about her was irrelevant. Her calmness and composure only made her seem narrow-minded.
She was standing some distance away from them, but it was just the right distance, with an appropriate smile, not too familiar, but not completely unfamiliar either.
Yang Ye like this made her feel inexplicably at peace, but also made her a little overwhelmed.
Xue Shangyang interrupted her thoughts and said, "Okay, why don't you go and apologize to your sister-in-law?"
The woman's face lit up with a smile when she heard this. She walked over, her eyes lingering on Yang Ye's face, a little hesitant. She opened her mouth and tried to call out the name, "Niu Hulu?"
Before she finished speaking, she looked straight at Yang Ye. The Manchu surname was really hard to pronounce, so she couldn't help asking, "Do you have a Han surname?"
Yang Ye smiled slightly, her expression still calm, and she replied gently: "I haven't taken a Chinese surname yet."
The woman frowned, "Then how should I call you?"
As if he could see the other party's reluctance, Yang Ye paused and added: "If you feel it is inconvenient, you can call me Zhao Zhao."
The woman was startled and repeated subconsciously, "Is it the Chao Chao in Chao Chao Mu Mu?"
"No, it's the truth," Yang Ye explained.
The truth is so clear that it is not far away if the heart is connected.
"Sister Zhao Zhao, my name is Zheng Yue"
"Zheng Ming's sister." Xue Shangyang lowered his head and whispered in Yang Ye's ear.
Entering the quadrangle, this place must have been converted from a former official residence. It had a neat layout, with flying eaves, brackets, and carved beams and painted buildings. She was holding Xue Shangyang's arm, and as soon as she appeared at the door, she was spotted by many familiar people. Someone raised their hand to pat the shoulder of the person next to them, pointed in their direction, and walked over.
The spacious lobby was illuminated by electric lights, as bright as day. In each corner stood several blue-and-white porcelain vases, nearly half a person's height. The vases were intricately painted with floral and bird designs, the colors warm and the patterns clean. A few bouquets of colorful balls dangled from the tops. Most of the men present were dressed in suits like Xue Shangyang, while the women, like Miss Zheng, wore ankle-length dresses and small leather shoes. She was the only one wearing a simple, plain cheongsam, which seemed a bit odd in such an occasion.
Xue Shangyang was chatting with a few friends who had come to chat. Yang Ye looked around boredly. Across from them was a young man of about the same height as Xue Shangyang. From the moment they entered, his gaze had been fixed on them. He ended the conversation with a few words and walked over to them with a glass of wine.
Miss Zheng, who had just come in with them, saw him coming and went over happily, hugged the man's arm, and the two whispered something. She looked like she was acting coquettishly.
The man tapped her forehead, walked over to her, looked at Yang Ye meaningfully, then raised his glass and signaled the waiter in the lobby to bring two more glasses of wine. "This is the red wine just sent from England. Try it."
Xue Shangyang raised his eyebrows, picked up the wine glasses on the tray, and gave one to Yang Ye.
Yang Ye looked at the dark red liquid, swirling the glass and silently taking a sip. The dry, astringent taste was different from the wine she'd secretly tasted as a child, the wine from Ama's cellar. The wine in Ama's cellar was strong, easily intoxicating just by opening the lid and smelling it. But this wine was not only clean, but also didn't irritate the throat.
The more she drank, the more she liked it. Xue Shangyang leaned close to her ear and said, "Drink less and just taste it."
Yang Ye looked up at the face in front of him, with a moment of fear in his eyes, but he remained calm, "I can drink quite well."
"Even if you can drink a lot, drink less. This isn't a place where you need to drink. Just have a little bit to show off."
"Why are you pretending when you're here with me?" The man overheard the whispers between Xue Shangyang and Yang Ye. He immediately retorted, looking at Yang Ye with a smile and asked, "Sister-in-law, can't you drink?"
"I'm fine," Yang Ye replied.
"Everyone said it's okay," Zheng Ming picked up the wine glass and gestured, "What do you think of my wine, sister-in-law?"
"fine"
"What kind of description is this?" Zheng Ming raised his eyebrows slightly. He saw Yang Ye with great interest, as if he was expecting what kind of evaluation she would give.
Yang Ye looked at the little bit of wine left in the glass, "light as nectar flowing gently, thick as red clouds entering the cup lightly"
Zheng Ming was stunned, and the action of picking up the wine glass stopped for a moment. He smiled and suddenly looked at Yang Ye carefully, "Is my sister-in-law really as the rumors say?"
He then looked at Xue Shangyang who was watching her closely like a child, "No wonder you kept hiding her and refused to bring her out to see us. So that's why..."
"Hidden?" Yang Ye wondered, she turned to ask Xue Shangyang.
"Yeah," Zheng Ming replied naturally, as if he was pouring out his grievances to her, "Since you two got married, we have talked about it several times, wanting him to bring you out to meet us, but he either said you were busy or found this or that excuse, just like hiding a treasure."
After hearing this, Yang Ye couldn't help but chuckle. She looked at Xue Shangyang, who was pouting, with his ears slightly red and his eyes a little unnatural. She said, "I was feeling a little unwell earlier, so it was really hard for me to go out. I'm really sorry."
These words seemed to be an explanation to Xue Shangyang, but he was also taking the responsibility on himself.
"Are you okay now?" Zheng Ming asked again.
"Yes, it's much better," Yang Ye replied with a smile.
"You have to come out more often in the future." Zheng Ming took a sip of wine, and then thought of something. He slapped his head with the hand that was not holding the wine glass. "Look at my memory, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Zheng Ming, and this is my sister Zheng Yue. I'm sure you have met me. Shangyang and I met when we were studying at Connecticut. I am a few months older than him. If you don't mind, you can call me Brother Zheng."
"Brother Zheng," Yang Ye called out with a smile.
"What are you taking advantage of?" Xue Shangyang immediately defended him, "You are only a month older than me, why are you calling me big brother?"
"Even if I'm a day or two older, I'm still older than you, not to mention it's over a month."
The two of them were bickering while talking. Yang Ye, who was standing nearby, saw that they were like children, only knowing how to show off their power but saying words that were actually meaningless. He felt a little helpless and embarrassed.
Zheng Yue came to her side and said, "Don't pay attention to them, they are just like that."
Yang Ye turned around and saw a pair of smiling eyes. She extended her hand, a fresh handshake, and the silver bracelet on her wrist slid out. "My name is Zheng Yue. Can I call you Sister Zhao Zhao?"
"Of course," Yang Ye replied. Feeling the warmth from the other person's palm, her tense emotions relaxed slightly. She heard her own answer, and her voice seemed even more natural and light than she had imagined.
"Sister Zhaozhao, let's sit over there." Zheng Yue pointed to the corner of the lobby, where there were several dark brown leather sofas. Unlike the lively scene of toasts and socializing in the lobby, there were several tall green plants next to the sofas. The dazzling white light from above filtered through the leaves of the green plants, and the light seeping onto the sofas became softer.
Yang Ye nodded slightly, and walked with Zheng Yue through the crowd of people who were talking. As they passed, several inquiring eyes fell on her back, making Yang Ye feel uncomfortable and her steps became slow. Zheng Yue took her arm with familiarity and naturalness, and the slightly intimate gesture made her body stiffen briefly.
Zheng Yue sensed something was wrong with her, "Sister Zhao Zhao, what's wrong with you?"
Yang Ye responded with a smile, "I'm fine"
The two of them sat on the sofa. Zheng Yue turned sideways and asked, "Sister Zhao Zhao, what did you mean by that sentence you just said?"
Yang Ye was a step slower, then said: "Nothing, just saying that the wine is delicious"
As her fingers stroked the non-existent wrinkles on the cheongsam, Zheng Yue's eyes seemed to be constantly examining her own face.
Yang Ye looked up, and Zheng Yue suddenly came over and took her hand. The two of them moved closer, and Yang Ye could smell the faint scent of jasmine hair oil on her body.
"Sister Zhao Zhao..." Zheng Yue's eyes carefully examined her facial features, from her eyes to her nose to her mouth. She looked at her for a long time, until Yang Ye's back started to tingle and she felt a little uncomfortable. Then she finally spoke, "Sister Zhao Zhao, you are not what I imagined."
Yang Ye clutched the cheongsam material on her knees, her palms slightly sweaty. She pretended to be calm and asked, "What's the difference?"
"I can't say for sure." Zheng Yue stepped back a little. "My brother told me earlier that Brother Shangyang married a girl from a wealthy family. I originally thought she would be like Sister Duan Ying."
She suddenly realized that she might have said something wrong, and immediately explained, "Sister Zhaozhao, don't misunderstand me. Sister Duan Ying is Brother Shangyang's cousin-in-law. There's nothing wrong between them."
Yang Ye looked at her anxiously waving her hands and said with a smile: "I know Duan Ying. I have met her before."
"Really?" Zheng Yue was surprised. She sat down again and asked, "Then what kind of person do you think Sister Duan Ying is?"
Yang Ye thought carefully about the short-haired woman he had met before. She and Duan Ying were only destined to meet at first sight, but she had something that he longed for but could not reach. Her free and unrestrained soul and the courage to break through the cage made her yearn for it and fear it at the same time.
"Warm and free and easy," said Yang Ye.
"Well, that's why I like Sister Duan Ying very much," Zheng Yue said. "My mother told me that women should be like Sister Duan Ying, daring to love and hate, daring to act and take responsibility. We should be free, not confined to the attic. Today's times have changed, and we women can also make our own way in the world."
"Yes," Yang Ye replied softly. She saw the longing expression on Zheng Yue's face. The bright white light fell on the girl's face, reflecting the clear and fiery light in her eyes.
Yang Ye suddenly felt an inexplicable pain in her heart. She remembered the "Legislation for Women" and "Biographies of Women" that she often read in her room, as well as the Buddhist scriptures on the shelf in the Buddhist hall.
"Sister Zhao Zhao," Zheng Yue tilted her head and looked at her, "What are you thinking about?"
Yang Ye came back to his senses and forced a smile, "Nothing."
Only then did she realize that she had completely clenched her hands without knowing when, and the pain of her nails pressing against the palm of her hand. Zheng Yue looked at her anxiously, "Sister Zhao Zhao, are you angry?"
Yang Ye let go of her hand and smoothed out her wrinkled face. She said to herself, "Why should I be angry?"
"Because, because..." Zheng Yue thought about it for a long time, but still couldn't say that sentence.
The phonograph in the lobby played the latest music, its brisk melody a stark contrast to the somewhat subtle atmosphere. Yang Ye raised the wine glass she had just brought and took a sip. The wine, having been left out for so long, had a bitter taste that spread from his throat to the tip of his tongue.
"Perhaps in your eyes, I am the one trapped in the attic," Yang Ye said frankly. He could first explain what Zheng Yue wanted to say but didn't dare. "I used to envy you, but I didn't envy you. I envied my brother. He is a man, so he can come and go freely. I am different. Unless it is a special festival, or when I am with the elders of the family, otherwise, I can't even step out of that door."
"When I was twenty years old, I took advantage of the servants not noticing and quietly slipped out through the back door." Yang Ye continued to tell her with a smile, "I was standing in the alley and saw the small door that I had closed. That's when I realized that I could go out not only through the main door of the hall, but also through this inconspicuous small door. Maybe I had never noticed it before."
"What happened next?" Zheng Yue asked.
"I walked and looked around the street for a long time. There were seventy-two blue bricks at the entrance of Yanzhi Lane, three of which were cracked by car wheels. The storyteller at the entrance of the teahouse was telling the eleventh chapter of Nie Yinniang. I don't know how to describe my mood at that time. I should have been happy, but I was more worried. I was afraid that my family would find out that I had sneaked out, so I walked in a hurry that day. A lot of things were just a quick glance, only catching my eyes but not my brain. I walked until the sun set, and I felt that I didn't see anything. Later, when I returned to the mansion, as expected, I was discovered by my eldest brother."
"Ah, were you scolded?" Zheng Yue asked.
Yang Ye shook his head. "He didn't scold me, nor did he lock me up in a small dark room to let me reflect on myself. He told me that it was not safe outside now, and told me to remember to bring two servants with me when I went out. I was really stupid at that time. I even asked my eldest brother why he didn't scold me. My eldest brother was very surprised. He asked me why I had to listen to the scolding. I said that it was because I went against our father's wishes and went out without permission. My eldest brother said that everyone has the right to go out. Now is not the past. The emperor is gone, and those torturous rules in the past should no longer exist."
"Perhaps the small door was just the first step for me to go out, and what really made me go out was my own thoughts." Yang Ye smiled, which was different from the slightly restrained smile just now. At this moment, she was truly relaxed. "Actually, you were wrong just now. The attic has its own scenery. The flowers and birds on the embroidery stand are no less spiritual than the real mountains and rivers. The daughter trapped in the attic does not need others to pity her. What she sees in the attic may be no less than what she sees outside. Of course, the daughters who dare to take risks and fight are even more wonderful. They have seen a lot of new things. They are free and wanton. Perhaps, when the daughter who fights and fights meets the daughter in the attic, then everyone can go out together."
Zheng Yue quietly watched Yang Ye, listening slowly. She seemed to sense an unprecedented tranquility in Yang Ye. It wasn't the pure tranquility of someone who hadn't experienced anything, but rather the tranquility of a soul that had seen the vicissitudes of life and returned to the ordinary, like a clarity tempered by a long period of time.
"Sister Zhao Zhao, I like you." Zheng Yue's expression changed from indifference at first to shock, and then to excitement. The moment she blurted out the words, she immediately realized her abruptness and quickly waved her hand, "No, I mean I like listening to you talk."
Yang Ye was slightly startled, then she laughed cheerfully, her laughter becoming increasingly refreshing, completely different from her usual restrained smile. She said, "Thank you, this is the first time I've heard someone say they like listening to me talk."
Zheng Yue grabbed her hand and asked happily, "Sister Zhao Zhao, can I come to play with you often in the future?"
Yang Ye replied: "Of course."
Zheng Yue suddenly realized, "Brother Shangyang is right."
"What did he say?"
Zheng Yue came closer, but said mysteriously, "Hey, I won't tell you."
"You went to so much trouble to organize this cocktail party just so we could all get to know her?" Zheng Ming asked jokingly. Holding onto the railing beside him, he looked at the person chatting and laughing with Zheng Yue. It should be said that the woman, aside from her good looks, wasn't anything special. He turned to look at Xue Shangyang standing next to him. His gaze was intense, fixed on the woman who was giggling with her hands covering her mouth. It seemed as if he hadn't taken his eyes off her since they'd been talking.
Zheng Ming elbowed him and said, "That's enough. You've been staring at me all night."
Xue Shangyang was helpless, "I can't see enough"
"What is it about her that you like? You've met so many people, why did you choose this one?"
Xue Shangyang looked at Yang Ye carefully, smiled and said nothing.
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