Blossom

In the summer, the Great Mercy Temple was lush with ancient trees and refreshing breezes, yet it couldn't compare to the serene elegance of the Dou family's backyard. However, for a young lady like Dou Pinyi, who rarely ventured out, every corner was filled with wonder and delight.

She tugged at Wu Ya's sleeve and pointed to a nearby ornamental rock. "Look, doesn't it resemble a maiden waiting to dress up?"

Wu Ya cast a disinterested glance. "That's a Lingbi rock. Small pieces are fine for decoration, but Taihu Rock would be more fitting by this bamboo grove!" Her gaze then drifted to Dou Zhao and Dou Pinshu walking ahead of them.

The two were whispering to each other, mostly with Dou Pinshu talking and Dou Zhao listening. Occasionally, Dou Zhao would respond, prompting Dou Pinshu to giggle like a carefree child of seven or eight.

So utterly naive! Wu Ya grumbled inwardly.

Dou Pinyi frowned. "Wu Ya, what's wrong with you today? You've been scowling all day, replying coldly to everything. If you look down on a rural place like the Great Mercy Temple, just say so. Your attitude is really spoiling the mood!" With that, she shook off Wu Ya's hand.

"Oh, I'm not upset with you," Wu Ya quickly amended, grabbing Dou Pinyi's hand again. Not wanting to admit her jealousy of Dou Zhao, she said, "I just find the weather too hot. Walking around like this, drenched in sweat, is very uncomfortable."

"Really? I don't think so." Dou Pinyi glanced up at the dense canopy overhead. "I actually feel cooler here than at home."

"Maybe I'm just more sensitive to heat," Wu Ya replied dismissively, eager to change the subject. "By the way, I met your fifth aunt in the Capital."

"Really?" Dou Pinyi's eyes lit up. She had always yearned to visit the Capital, but her father, Dou Guangchang, neither assisted with family affairs nor held any official rank, making such a trip unlikely. Eager for news from the Capital, she asked, "How is she?"

"I saw her at Grand Secretary He's son's wedding banquet," Wu Ya explained. "She's staying with her maternal grandmother now, about as tall as me. She speaks softly, with dimples when she smiles. She gets along well with the He family's daughters and greeted me politely when we met. She seems to be doing fine."

Dou Pinyi was puzzled. "But doesn't Seventh Granduncle's residence belong to Jing'an Temple Alley? Why is she staying with her maternal grandparents? What about her mother? Aren't they together?"

"I heard Old Madam Wang adores her and insisted on keeping her close," Wu Ya said. "Her mother looked rather haggard, not in good spirits." Lowering her voice, she added, "One of the ladies at the banquet mentioned that she couldn't bear a son and even forbade your seventh granduncle from taking a concubine."

Dou Pinyi gasped in shock.

"Don't you dare tell anyone!" Wu Ya warned hastily.

"I won't, I won't!" Dou Pinyi nodded vigorously. "If my mother heard me say such things—"

Wu Ya sighed in relief.

Dou Pinyi hesitated, watching Dou Zhao and Dou Pinshu admiring the bamboo ahead. "Seventh Aunt, should we tell Fourth Aunt about this?"

"Why would you do that?" Wu Ya quickly interjected. "What if she tells your great-grandmother?"

True.Dou Pinyi nodded, her gaze towards Dou Zhao now tinged with sympathy and pity.

Dou Zhao, however, didn’t notice. She chatted idly with Dou Pinshu as they climbed the small hill behind the temple, where an octagonal pavilion had been built.

Dou Zhengchang and the others had already arrived. A dozen or so boys, around eight or nine years old, were either tidying the stone tables and stools, heating small red clay stoves, or arranging brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and board games like Go and Backgammon.

When Dou Zhao led Dou Pinshu into the pavilion, Wu Shan, noticing Wu Ya and Dou Pinyi still halfway up the hill being assisted by two sturdy old women, smiled and handed Dou Zhao a celadon-glazed lotus leaf cup. "Try this—it’s aged plum blossom snow water collected by the abbot of Daci Temple."

Dou Zhao didn’t take it, laughing instead. "If I drink this, what will you use to brew tea?"

Wu Shan glanced back at Dou Zhengchang and the others, who were deep in conversation, then winked at her and whispered, "Just one cup—they won’t notice."

Dou Zhao stifled a laugh, but Dou Pinshu snatched the cup from her side, chiding, "All this back-and-forth, and here I am, parched!" She then sipped the snow water in small gulps, exhaling contentedly. "So refreshing!"

Wu Shan and Dou Zhao exchanged glances and couldn’t help but laugh.

The laughter caught Dou Qijun’s attention, and he hurried over. "What’s so funny?"

Wu Shan shot Dou Pinshu a look and said, "Nothing, nothing. Shu Jie’er just told a joke."

Dou Pinshu grinned at Dou Qijun, holding the now-empty cup.

Wu Ya and Dou Pinyi finally made it up the hill. Seeing her brother’s gentle smile, Wu Ya felt a pang of jealousy and whined, "Brother, I’m exhausted!"

"That’s why I told you not to come!" Wu Shan replied bluntly, showing no sympathy. "Fourth Sister walks laps around the East Wing Courtyard every day and even helps Consort Cui weed and catch bugs. How could you compare?"

Tears welled up in Wu Ya’s eyes.

Dou Zhao quickly intervened. "We’re all thirsty—is the tea ready yet?"

A young servant from Wu Shan’s household came trotting over with a teacup. "It’s ready, Fourth Miss, it’s ready!" Spotting Wu Ya and the others, he froze, then scurried back.

The group watched, puzzled.

He returned moments later with several more cups, sweating profusely as he offered, "Young masters, young ladies, please enjoy your tea."

Everyone burst into laughter, and the mood lightened.

The girls sat on the bamboo-matted leaning rail in the pavilion, sipping tea, while Dou Qiguang sketched the distant hills and forests. Gradually, Dou Zhengchang, Dou Pinyi, and the others drifted over to watch.

Wu Ya was debating whether to join them when her brother approached.

"Fourth Sister, what have you been up to lately?" He sat beside Wu Ya, his tone open and natural. "At the end of this month, I’ll be going to the Capital with Mother and A Qi. We might not return until after the New Year. Do you have any letters or things you’d like me to bring to Seventh Uncle?"

Dou Zhao smiled. "People from home often go to the Capital, so there’s nothing special to send."

Wu Shan persisted, "Then is there anything you’d like me to bring back? During temple fairs at the Great Xiangguo Temple and Baiyun Temple in the Capital, vendors from all over gather there—you can find anything.""I can't think of anything I'm lacking," Dou Zhao said with a smile. "If I remember something later, I can always ask Brother Wu Shan to bring it for me."

Wu Shan then asked, "I heard from Aunt Six that you're growing lotuses in a vat. How does that work? Can they survive?"

Speaking of something she loved, Dou Zhao's smile brightened noticeably, her voice softening with patience. "I'm actually growing water lilies. Have you seen them before? They're quite similar to lotuses, but while lotus leaves and flowers rise above the water, water lilies float on the surface. They're common in the south, but less so here. I'm just trying it out this year..."

"Really?" Wu Shan's eyes widened. "I've never heard of growing flowers like that..."

Suddenly, Wu Ya, who had been sitting between them, sprang to her feet. Pointing at Wu Shan, she launched into a rapid-fire tirade: "We have two water lilies growing in our backyard! One of them is the White Fairy variety! Haven't you seen them? You were the one who killed the White Fairy! Grandfather was furious, and it was only because Great-grandfather protected you that you got off with copying the Three Character Classic ten times! How dare you pretend not to know about water lilies!"

Silence fell over the pavilion and its surroundings, so profound it seemed eternal, broken only by the sound of wind rustling through clothing.

"I truly didn't know those were water lilies!" Wu Shan's gaze was as clear and transparent as spring water. "Weren't those what you called noon flowers?" He suddenly clapped his hand to his forehead and looked at Dou Zhao. "Do you mean to say water lilies are what we call noon flowers?"

Dou Zhao couldn't help herself—she turned away, shaking with silent laughter.

Wu Ya's face flushed red then paled. She spun around and ran out of the pavilion.

Wu Shan quickly chased after her, catching up to his sister under a large tree. He asked solemnly, "Why do you have it in for Fourth Sister Dou?"

"I... I..." Tears immediately welled up in Wu Ya's eyes. "I'm your real sister!" she wailed loudly.

Wu Shan was taken aback. After a long pause, he took out a handkerchief to wipe Wu Ya's tears, speaking gently: "Silly girl, when have you not been my sister? You're not just my sister—you'll always be my dear sister, the one I care for most. But just because you're my sister doesn't mean I should only ever be nice to you. Think about it—does that make sense?" He continued, "Look, when you came back, I was so happy I specially had someone bring you an imported pocket watch from Ji Shi's shop in Zhen Ding. Did I buy one for Fourth Sister Dou? No, because that's what you like. Fourth Sister Dou prefers stationery, so I bought her a box of plain fan papers. Did I buy any for you?" As he spoke, he took the folding fan hanging at his waist and opened it. "See? Fourth Sister even gave me and Zhigeer each a folding fan. And you—I've given you so many nice things, but what have you ever given me?" Then he said sternly, "If you keep this up, I'll only give gifts to Fourth Sister from now on, and nothing for you!"

Wu Ya looked at Wu Shan with tear-filled eyes. "R-really?"

"Really!" Wu Shan said firmly.

Wu Ya lowered her head.Wu Shan said, "Go and apologize to Sister Dou Zhao." Then he muttered to himself, "I've given you so many things, what have you ever given me in return? But Sister Zhao—even when I give her the smallest gift, she always reciprocates... And you still say I'm not good to you... Who always took the blame for you when you got into trouble as a child? The older you get, the less likable you become..."

Wu Ya glared fiercely at her brother, but recalling his past kindness to her, her growing jealousy toward Dou Zhao diminished somewhat.

Seeing the Wu siblings approach, Dou Qijun laughed and said, "Alright, alright, enough watching the show. Let's go eat some watermelon. If we wait any longer, it'll be as hot as the stones outside."

Before leaving home, Dou Dechang had chilled two watermelons with ice to bring up the mountain.

Though Dou Pinyi and Dou Pinshu still had doubts, they didn't dwell on them amid the cheerful banter of Dou Dechang and the others. Everyone either sat at the stone table or on the leaning rail, waiting to eat watermelon.

Blushing, Wu Ya walked up to Dou Zhao and whispered, "It was my fault—I shouldn't have lost my temper."

Dou Zhao looked up in surprise and saw Wu Shan's sparkling eyes.