Little Hua Zhi
Glancing at the water clock, the six- or seven-year-old Hua Zhi, her hair styled in twin buns, patted her little buns and turned to her slightly taller senior maids. "Did you bring enough food and drinks?"
Little Nian Qiu lifted the bamboo basket and lifted the cloth cover. "Look, Miss, everything is odorless. I guarantee no one will notice."
Hua Zhi nodded in satisfaction. Even when doing something mischievous, one must be self-aware and avoid leaving any evidence to be caught.
Thinking of the wonderfully fragrant Library, Hua Zhi’s heart leaped with excitement. She wished she could stay there every day without ever leaving. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible—she was the obedient, quiet, and unremarkable eldest daughter of the Hua family. She couldn’t stand out too much. Reflecting on the persona she had set for herself, Hua Zhi felt a twinge of regret. Actually, a bookworm eldest daughter would have been acceptable too.
Little Ying Chun and Little Bao Xia were left behind to cover for her. Ying Chun, with a serious expression, reminded the timid Fu Dong, "Once Miss gets absorbed in her books, she forgets everything. You must take good care of her, understand?"
Little Fu Dong pressed her lips together and nodded repeatedly.
Ying Chun then turned to Little Nian Qiu. "Stay alert. Don’t wait until someone is right in front of you to notice."
"Yes, I understand."
Hua Zhi watched her maids’ interactions with a smile, not bothering to point out that this wasn’t such a big deal. If they were discovered, she could always come up with an excuse to explain it away. Still, it was better to avoid being noticed—after all, she was the most inconspicuous eldest daughter of the Hua family!
The trio, familiar with the route, wound their way through the corridors and arrived at the Library. Hua Zhi had long since figured out that, except on rest days, the men of the family were either at court, in school, or out and about at this hour. None would be idling at home, much less visiting the Library. For most of the day, this vast Library belonged to her.
Hua Zhi’s eyes sparkled with joy—life was truly wonderful!
Little Nian Qiu pushed open the Library door and peeked inside. Confirming it was empty, she hurriedly let her mistress in. Little Fu Dong quickly followed, and Nian Qiu closed the door behind them. She then went to the far end of the corridor, retrieved a cloth hidden there, and began wiping the pillars, keeping a vigilant watch in all directions for her mistress.
This wasn’t their first time doing this, so the earlier nervousness had faded. As she kept watch, Nian Qiu traced characters on the pillar with her finger. Her mistress had taught them ten new characters just yesterday, and she still hadn’t mastered them. This was a perfect opportunity to practice.
Nian Qiu felt a bit disheartened. Among the four of them, she was the slowest learner. Her three sisters had already grasped the characters, but she hadn’t. She needed to work harder.
Unbeknownst to her, Nian Qiu, who had stayed up late studying the night before, gradually dozed off against the pillar. She didn’t notice the middle-aged, elegantly dressed Scholar Hua, clad in scholarly robes, approaching from the other end of the corridor with his hands clasped behind his back.
Steward Xu, walking beside him, was about to scold the little maid for napping, but Scholar Hua waved him off. Smiling, he glanced at her and continued on his way. A child so young, especially in a strict household like theirs, getting drowsy was only natural. Let her rest for a while—what harm could it do?
Arriving at the Library, Scholar Hua gestured for the steward to wait outside and pushed the door open himself. As he stepped in, he froze. The girl sitting by the bookshelf, clutching a book with an expression of sheer bliss—as if a bookworm had fallen into a library—looked remarkably like the eldest daughter of his eldest son’s family.Little Fu Dong also saw the person who pushed the door open and entered. Startled, she quickly stepped in front of her young mistress, shielding her from view. Blocked from the light, little Hua Zhi discontentedly pushed her aside, "Move over, move over."
"Young mistress..."
Without looking up, little Hua Zhi said, "I'm not hungry, nor thirsty."
Little Fu Dong was nearly in tears—not every time she sought out her young mistress was to offer her food or drink!
Lord Hua watched with amusement, casting a faint glance at the little maid. Seeing how the young girl, though visibly trembling, still stood protectively before her mistress, and recalling the other little maid dozing off outside, Hua Yizheng's smile deepened. This was truly... interesting.
Approaching quietly, he gently moved aside the unsteady little maid and looked at his lively eldest granddaughter. Reaching out, he took the book from her hands. Watching as she lifted her head in confusion, momentarily stunned before lowering her head respectfully to greet him, her expression docile—just as he had seen her before.
Flipping through the book in his hand, he found it to be a collection of biographies of common folk. Anything that could be placed in the Hua family Library naturally had its merits. He had read this book years ago—it featured not court officials or great scholars, nor famous figures or heroes, but rather obscure individuals from the common people who possessed unique skills. He hadn't expected his granddaughter, born into wealth and privilege, to take such delight in it.
Sitting on the floor with his back to the bookshelf, Hua Yizheng pointed to the spot opposite him. "Sit and talk."
Little Hua Zhi's mind raced through several thoughts, finally settling on one: confront soldiers with arms, and floodwaters with earthworks.
So she truly sat down opposite him, still appearing proper, yet also somewhat improper due to sitting on the floor.
"Do you like it?"
"Yes."
"Do you come here often?"
Hua Zhi considered her words. "I've been here several times."
Hua Yizheng nodded, changing the topic by waving the book in his hand instead of pressing further. "Do you find enjoyment in it?"
"Yes."
"Tell me about it."
Hua Zhi replied cautiously, "They are very impressive."
"Oh? You find illiterate people with no official titles impressive?"
"Yes."
"In what way are they impressive?"
At that time, Hua Zhi didn't know her grandfather very well yet. Worried that he might deem such books unworthy of the Library and have them all removed, she cautiously maintained the demeanor expected of a six-year-old. "They may not know how to read, but they possess skills that none of us have."
"That makes sense." Hua Yizheng smiled, then abruptly changed the subject again. "Do you recognize all the characters?"
"Yes." After a pause, Hua Zhi added, "Some of them."
"Can you write them?"
"Not very well."
Every response was so guarded. Surrounded by the scent of ink, Hua Yizheng took a comfortable deep breath and exhaled silently. Every few generations, the Hua family would produce someone exceptionally talented. But compared to their outward brilliance, his eldest granddaughter's humility pleased him more. The world wasn't short of clever people—what it lacked were those who knew how to conceal their cleverness.
Handing the book back to her, Hua Yizheng stood up, retrieved a few books from another shelf, and leisurely departed.
Little Hua Zhi and the terrified, sweat-drenched Fu Dong exchanged glances, momentarily puzzled by her grandfather's intentions. For the next few days, she didn't return to the Library.The Library was like a treasure trove of immense allure to her. After noticing that her grandfather treated her no differently and that nothing had changed at home, she couldn't resist sneaking back there again after the day off. Several uneventful days later, she returned to her usual routine, even feeling a bit emboldened by having gained official approval. She realized her grandfather wouldn't expose her in this matter, so the next time she saw him, she already regarded herself as an insider who could share secrets.
PS: It took a bit longer than expected. I've been sick since finishing the main text and couldn't find the right inspiration, so I'm revisiting childhood memories to get back into the flow.
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