Xianglan thought to herself, "Since I've already met Xia Yun, it wouldn't be proper to pretend not to know him. Besides, this rain won't stop anytime soon, so I might as well lend him an umbrella to go home." She truly respected scholars at heart, and seeing that he was willing to sell calligraphy and copy books to support his family, her respect for him grew by two more points. She gave a slight curtsy and said with a smile, "So it's Young Master Xia. Why are you taking shelter from the rain here?"
Unintentional words can strike a chord in the listener. Xianglan's casual question happened to touch upon Xia Yun's guilty conscience. He had come here precisely to steal a glance at Xianglan, and upon hearing her words, his face flushed red as he stammered, unable to form a coherent reply.
Xianglan, however, assumed that Xia Yun had only seen her once and no longer recognized her. She smiled and said, "I'm Chen Wanquan's daughter. We met yesterday."
Only then did Xia Yun clasp his hands and bow, saying, "My respects to you."
Xianglan then said, "The clouds are so thick in the sky, I'm afraid the rain won't stop for a while. Please wait here, I'll go fetch an umbrella for you."
Xianglan was taken aback by this speech and thought, "What does this disjointed rambling mean?" She glanced at Xia Yun's serious and reserved face and suddenly understood, thinking to herself, "'Heaven is keeping a distinguished guest'—he means that he is that 'distinguished guest,' doesn't he?" She suppressed a laugh and, pursing her lips into a smile, said, "So it seems you are truly extraordinary, Young Master. Even when you go to offer incense, Heaven sends rain to keep you."
Xia Yun was indeed implying exactly that. Since childhood, he had excelled in his studies and was accustomed to praise. Everyone said he must be the reincarnation of the Literary Star and would surely rise to prominence in the future, becoming an official or even a minister. Having grown used to such flattery, he too believed he was extraordinary and destined for great achievements, though he modestly replied, "I dare not claim such honor."
Xianglan struggled to hold back her laughter, thinking, "This pedantic and impoverished scholar is rather amusing in his foolishness." Aloud, she said, "In that case, I should all the more fetch an umbrella for Young Master Xia. If such a distinguished talent, whom even Heaven wishes to keep, were to catch a cold from the rain, it would be a great sin."
Xia Yun detected the teasing tone in Xianglan's words but found her speech clever and endearing. He wanted to say more, but just then, he saw Xianglan knock on the door. The matron guarding the back door opened it and, recognizing Xianglan, knew that Song Ke held her in high regard. Song Ke had specifically instructed her, "Xianglan's family lives on the back street. If she ever feels homesick and wants to visit, don't make a fuss. Quietly open the door and let her go home." Thus, the matron beamed and said, "Have you returned home, Miss?"
Xianglan smiled and replied, "Yes, I must trouble you to open the door." As she spoke, she slipped a jug of wine she had brought from home into the matron's hands and said, "This is homemade wine, not like the kind you find outside. Have a couple of sips to try something new."The woman smiled and said, "Then I'll shamelessly accept it." But inwardly she thought, "Never mind appearances, this Xianglan is ten times more clever than Fangsi in speech and action. She always speaks with a smile, gentle and amiable, and handles matters in a way that puts people at ease. Fangsi, on the other hand, often carries an air of disdain—no wonder the Eldest Master doesn’t fancy her." She turned sideways to open the door for Xianglan.
Xianglan asked, "Do you have any spare umbrellas in your room? My former neighbor is outside taking shelter from the rain."
The woman replied, "As it happens, there is one." She hurriedly fetched an umbrella, and Xianglan took it through the crack in the door, handing her own umbrella to Xia Yun as she said, "Take this. When you have time later, just return it to my house."
Xia Yun wanted to say a few more words, but he saw Xianglan slip inside nimbly, and the vermilion side door slammed shut with a "bang."
Xia Yun stood there in a daze for a long while, feeling somewhat lost. But then he thought of the opera The Legend of the White Snake, where Lady White and Xu Xian’s romance began with a borrowed umbrella. Now, it seemed, history was repeating itself. His heart swelled with joy again, and he walked off under the umbrella. For now, we’ll set this aside.
Meanwhile, Xianglan returned to her room, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and re-styled her hair in front of the mirror. Thinking of Xia Yun’s earlier demeanor, she couldn’t help but smile.
Now that her paintings were earning money, her heart felt lighter. If she could save up like this for a while, her family would be able to buy a house and land. With careful management and her father dealing in antiques, it was only a matter of time before they prospered. Though her background was humble, with a comfortable family fortune and her exceptional talent in calligraphy and painting, she was by no means unworthy of Song Ke. While she didn’t force things, she had never been one to settle for less. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, she was determined to live a flourishing life.
After chatting and laughing with the maids in her room for a while, Xianglan suddenly saw Juanhua, the chief maid of Song Zancha, arrive. Xianglan and the others quickly offered her a seat and served tea. Juanhua sat down and said with a smile, "Our young lady sent me to ask for Sister Xianglan’s help. She has been staying at the Lin residence for many days and now wishes to host a banquet at home for the Lin family’s young ladies, as well as the daughter of Duke Xian. We’ve heard that Sister Xianglan is skilled at preparing delicate dishes, so we’d like to ask you to make two or three courses for the occasion, saving us the trouble of hiring an outside chef."
Xianglan agreed readily. Song Zancha was a quiet person who lived with Song Yima but rarely even stepped out of her room. The swing in her courtyard had never been seen in use by her, and she always seemed burdened with worries. Previously, Song Zancha had been staying at the Lin residence, but after Xianglan was purchased by the Song family, Song Ke sent a carriage to bring his sister back. Loving the crow for the sake of the rook, Xianglan, out of affection for Song Ke, also cared for Song Zancha, often saving her a portion of any fresh delicacies she made. Song Zancha always reciprocated with gifts—sometimes a pot of flowers, sometimes seasonal fruits—and thus, they maintained a harmonious relationship.
Not long after, Song Ke returned home, and Juanhua took her leave. Though Song Ke had used an umbrella, the rain outside was so heavy that half of his clothes were still soaked. After bathing in the washroom, the meal was finally served in his room.Song Ke ate with hearty appetite, wolfing down his food. After the meal was cleared away, fresh fruits and hot tea were served. Song Ke then shared some of the day’s news and interesting events, adding, “Today, I heard from Xiuhong that Lin Jinlou has made great contributions in suppressing bandits. Although the bandit threat hasn’t been completely eradicated, he has pacified two cities. The imperial commendation decree will be issued in the next few days, and the Emperor is extremely pleased. It’s likely he’ll be promoted to general.”
Mentioning Lin Jinlou made Xianglan uneasy, and she said, “It’s just suppressing bandits—how could that lead to such a big promotion?”
Song Ke shook his head and said, “He earned this through real battles and bloodshed. Don’t underestimate him just because his inner household is chaotic or because he’s known for being flirtatious and lustful. He governs effectively, commands troops skillfully, and has thoroughly studied The Art of War. Otherwise, even with the influence of his parents and ancestors, he wouldn’t have achieved such success at such a young age.”
Xianglan thought to herself that Lin Jinlou was not just flirtatious and lustful but also tyrannical, self-centered, and plagued by greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt. Although Lin Jinlou had once saved her, she still regarded him as a fearsome figure. Hearing Song Ke praise him now, she felt a strange discomfort and remarked, “With his ability to fight and kill, it’s only fitting that he married a wife as fierce as a yaksha. They make a perfect pair.”
Song Ke couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Zhao Yuechan’s reputation is well-known among officials, and the Zhao family’s influence is formidable. It’s gotten to the point where people who want to send Lin Jinlou beautiful concubines or maids don’t dare, for fear of making things worse.”
Xianglan said, “Evil people are tormented by their own kind—it must be karma from a past life. Otherwise, how did those two end up together?”
Song Ke also laughed and said, “I think you and I must have been connected in a past life too. Otherwise, why did we feel like old friends from the moment we met?” As he spoke, he glanced at Xianglan and subtly tried to take her hand.
Xianglan blushed, spat lightly, and said, “Ugh! Shameless.” She stood up and retreated to the inner room.
Song Ke simply smiled. The night passed without further incident.
The rain pattered on throughout the night, and the following days remained drizzly. As a result, the banquet hosted by Song Zancha was postponed for a few days. On the fifth day, the sky finally cleared in the early morning. At the hour of Si, two carriages slowly arrived at the entrance of the Song residence. It turned out to be the Lin family young ladies and Zheng Jingxian, the daughter of Duke Xian.
Two matrons hurried out from the gate, holding cloth to cover the entrance. The young ladies then stepped down from the carriages one by one, holding their maids’ hands as they made their way inside. Guo Mama personally greeted them at the door, cautioning from time to time, “Young ladies, watch your step. It rained yesterday, and the ground is slippery.”
The group proceeded to the inner gate. Xianglan quietly hid behind a pillar in the Covered Corridor, peeking outside. She saw Lin Dongling and her maid Nange walking at the front, followed by Lin Dongxiu and her maid Hanzhi. Zheng Jingxian, with her maid, walked leisurely at the rear, hands clasped behind her back.
Song Zancha stood at the inner gate to welcome them. As the guests arrived, she hurried down the steps and warmly ushered them into the inner residence. Lin Dongling said, “Second Sister has caught a chill and won’t be able to come today.”
Song Zancha replied, “Our family has some pills that are excellent for treating chills. Later, Sister Ling, could you take them back for her?”
After the young ladies had all entered, Xianglan returned to her room, thinking to herself, “I’ve heard the servants in the Lin residence gossiping that all three unmarried Lin young ladies have feelings for Song Ke. Now that Lin Dongqi is about to be engaged, she’s avoiding even coming to the Song residence to steer clear of suspicion. As for Lin Dongling and Lin Dongxiu, both dressed up elaborately today—it seems they still have other intentions.”Just as Xianglan had anticipated, these two harbored ulterior motives. Knowing Fangsi was favored by Song Yima, they discreetly sent their trusted maids to inquire through her. While the young ladies were freely chatting and amusing themselves in their rooms, Nange, Hanzhi, and Zheng Jingxian’s maid Yue’er went to speak with Fangsi.
Nange asked, “Why is your young lady no longer staying with the Lin family? And why has Eldest Master Song also stopped coming to the residence?”
Hanzhi added, “Could it be because his studies are too demanding? But he should still take care of his health.”
Fangsi, who was already seething with anger, sneered and said, “It’s not about his studies. It’s because a new celestial beauty has arrived in his chambers, captivating Eldest Master’s eyes and making him unable to tear himself away.”
Nange and Hanzhi exchanged glances and asked in unison, “What is this all about?”
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