“Father, look at this…”
“Father, look—did I polish it nicely?”
Bright daylight streamed in through the open window. Chu Mingse sat on a small stool beneath it, her silhouette traced with a soft, fluffy golden edge. She was excitedly showing the curved wheel segment in her hands to Chu Qingyuan.
A “wheel segment” was one piece of the Plain Sedan Chair’s rim—several curved segments joined together formed one complete, enormous wheel ring.
Making a wheel segment normally took at least a month or more—far too long. Fortunately, Chu Qingyuan had some carpenter friends who had spare wheel segments made in advance. He bought them all, fine-tuned them himself, and handed them to Chu Mingse to polish.
Chu Qingyuan set down the spoke he had been coating with tung oil, walked over, and felt the piece, nodding with satisfaction. “Not only is it pretty, but it’s also polished extremely well—not a single burr or sharp edge.”
“Sese is truly amazing!” Chu Qingyuan praised without reservation.
Chu Mingse curved her eyes into a smile, revealing a neat row of small white teeth. She set down the whetstone in her hand and asked expectantly, “Can it be finished today?”
Chu Qingyuan shook his head. The wood for the axle not only had to be polished until perfectly smooth, but also coated with tung oil to prevent rot and moisture.
“After the tung oil is applied, it still needs to dry. The sun has been strong these past two days—I reckon it should be about ready by tomorrow.”
“Then do we still need to apply lacquer?”
“Applying lacquer would take even longer, and the lacquer craftsman I know isn’t free these days either. The natural wood color looks lovely as is. Besides, didn’t you and your mother already make new ‘clothes’ for the sedan chair?”
“That’s true—the ‘clothes’ I made with my own hands are beautiful too!”
Chu Mingse had very particular standards for how the Plain Sedan Chair should look. Brother Xuetuan was so handsome—how could he ride in an ugly sedan chair?
So she had pestered Qu He into making cushions and a backrest for the sedan chair. The two of them picked out some plain, elegant fabrics together, and Chu Mingse sewed a few symbolic stitches, counting it as her own handiwork.
Thinking that tomorrow Brother Xuetuan would be able to ride in the new sedan chair, Chu Mingse could hardly contain her excitement.
She hummed a little tune, scooped up Little Chestnut, and happily headed next door.
Because of the cat-abuser incident, Chu Mingse had been keeping a strict watch over Little Chestnut these past few days, taking her everywhere she went. She also couldn’t bear to trim Little Chestnut’s claws anymore—if there was ever another wicked person who harmed the innocent, she’d let Little Chestnut scratch his face to ribbons!
Little Chestnut was very well-behaved too. Whenever she clung to Chu Mingse, she would carefully tuck in her claws, showing only her soft little paw pads, and had never once torn Chu Mingse’s clothes.
Qu He had privately said to Chu Qingyuan that ever since the Pei family’s door had opened to Sese, she had spent her days practicing calligraphy alongside Pei Zhaoxue, becoming far more quiet and well-behaved. Qu He hadn’t had to mend a single piece of Sese’s clothing since.
The neighbors of Denghua Lane saw all this and couldn’t help but envy them.
Last time, a few people had witnessed the county office’s clerk asking Pei Zhaoxue to stay behind. They quietly made inquiries and learned that this young Lord Pei, despite his age, had already earned a scholarly title.
Most of the people in the lane had originally felt little fondness for the newcomer who had appeared out of nowhere and kept his doors shut, and they privately speculated that with his crippled legs, perhaps his temperament was gloomy and withdrawn as well…
But now, whenever they ran into Qu He, they would openly or subtly ask whether their own children could go to the Pei residence to study alongside Sese.
The neighbors in Denghua Lane saw this and were filled with envy.
When the yamen’s secretary had asked Pei Zhaoxue to stay last time, a few people had witnessed it. They quietly made inquiries and learned that this young Master Pei, despite his youth, already held an official scholarly title.
Most of the lane’s residents had initially harbored little fondness for the new neighbor who had appeared suddenly and kept his doors shut, privately speculating that his crippled legs might mean he was gloomy and reclusive by nature…
Now, whenever they ran into Qu He, they would openly or subtly ask whether she could let their children study reading and writing alongside Sese at the Pei residence.
Their words were even quite assertive: “He’s a young scholar, and I heard he ranked first! Wouldn’t it be a waste for Sese not to take the imperial exams with such a fine tutor?”
“That’s right, my second son can already recite the Analects and will surely become an official someday. Why not let him study alongside her?”
Qu He was usually gentle and good-natured, and everyone assumed she was easy to persuade. But to their surprise, her face turned cold on the spot.
“Master Pei is only here to relax, not to serve as a schoolteacher. What obligation does he have to teach your sons to read?”
“If you want to send your children to study at his residence, have you considered how much tuition you’d pay? Or are you hoping someone will watch your kids for free?”
“And how is my Sese’s studying a waste? Even if she never takes the imperial exams, she still needs to learn how to conduct herself. Only by understanding benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness can one truly live as a person—don’t you all agree?”
Qu He’s barrage left the neighbors covering their faces and scurrying away, never daring to bring up the matter again.
Steward Wang had witnessed the entire scene and quietly gave a thumbs-up from the side. No wonder the Chu family could raise a young lady like Chu Mingse—her parents were no ordinary folk!
No wonder the mistress had been so eager to send them away from the capital, quietly instructing them to come to Shuijin Town. It had truly saved the young master’s life.
Since the day he stepped out of the courtyard, the young master’s door no longer remained as tightly shut as before. Every afternoon, he left it open, waiting for Chu Mingse to come bounding in.
The room was filled daily with sunlight and the fragrance of grass and flowers, no longer carrying that stale, decaying air of despair.
Chu Mingse, with a small chestnut perched on her head, sat upright in her chair. On the desk before her lay yesterday’s calligraphy practice sheets, marked with several red circles around the poorly written characters that she needed to rewrite today.
She had just picked up her brush to begin copying when a hand pinched the brush handle.
“What’s wrong, Brother Xuetuan?” Chu Mingse turned her head in confusion.
Pei Zhaoxue’s gaze fell on her hands. “What happened to your hands?”
Chu Mingse looked down and saw several distinct red marks on the hand holding the brush.
The brush was pulled away with a firm tug.
Pei Zhaoxue drew both of Chu Mingse’s hands in front of him. The red marks on the child’s tender, fair skin stung his eyes.
“It’s nothing, really! This is…” Chu Mingse trailed off, looking a bit troubled.
To finish the Plain Sedan Chair sooner, she had taken on the task of sanding the wood these past few days, hugging the fine sandpaper from morning to night, nearly falling asleep clutching the wood.
Even though she wore the gloves her mother had sewn for her, the skin on her hands still bore the marks of her hard work.
“Mm…” Chu Mingse didn’t want to tell Pei Zhaoxue about the new Plain Sedan Chair just yet.
She wasn’t really the type to keep a surprise bottled up, but she had held it in for days. Tomorrow she would finally deliver the surprise—and yet today, he had noticed something and started questioning her!
If she confessed everything now, wouldn’t all that holding back have been for nothing?
“If it’s inconvenient to say, then don’t.” Pei Zhaoxue withdrew his hands and stopped pressing, only adding a faint reminder, “If your hands hurt, write fewer characters today.”
“They don’t hurt at all! I can write even more!” Chu Mingse quickly picked up her brush and sat up straight again.
After writing one character, she couldn’t help stealing a glance at the person beside her. She had a feeling Brother Xuetuan seemed a little unhappy.
Was he upset that she was keeping something from him, thinking she was growing distant?
Chu Mingse nibbled on the end of her brush, wrote a couple of strokes, then squirmed restlessly in her chair.
Xuetuan-gege was definitely unhappy—he hadn’t even corrected her bad habit of biting her brush!
Chu Mingse glanced sideways at Pei Zhaoxue, but he didn’t spare her even a glance from the corner of his eye.
She shifted her bottom, inching closer to Pei Zhaoxue, but he remained perfectly still.
She leaned in bit by bit, bringing her head close to his, yet still received no response.
Finally, she stuck her head right into his lap, and the little chestnut perched atop her head extended its warm paw pads, gently patting his cheek.
Pei Zhaoxue could no longer pretend not to notice. He set down his brush and asked, “Something on your mind?”
Chu Mingse nodded eagerly. “Yes!”
It had just occurred to her that she hadn’t prepared just one surprise—she could show him one today.
“I was planning to give it to you tomorrow, which is why I hesitated earlier and didn’t tell you.” Chu Mingse pulled a plain white handkerchief from her bosom and placed it on the table. She unfolded it to reveal what was wrapped inside. “I carved this myself. Is it pretty?”
On the plain white handkerchief lay a wooden hairpin carved from boxwood.
The wood itself was a warm, light honey color, and the top of the pin was carved into a little cat stretching lazily. Shallow engraved lines traced the direction of its fur, while a few smooth, flowing curves simply outlined the plump little cat’s body—exquisite, adorable, and remarkably lifelike.
Pei Zhaoxue recognized at a glance that this hairpin shared the same carving style as the little wooden figure that had been sitting by the window.
“For me?”
“Yes!” Chu Mingse nodded vigorously. “This little cat is Xiaolizi. When you wear it, it’s like me and Xiaolizi are keeping you company.”
The ice in Pei Zhaoxue’s eyes melted in an instant. Just moments ago, he’d thought she had worn her hands raw carving a wooden figure for someone else, hiding it from him all the while. So it was actually…
“It’s very beautiful. I like it very much. But your hands…”
Before he could finish his admonition, Chu Mingse jumped off her chair and moved it behind him.
Pei Zhaoxue: “What are you doing?”
“Don’t move.” Chu Mingse stepped onto the chair and pressed down on Pei Zhaoxue’s shoulders to keep him still. “I’m going to tie up your hair for you!”
She said with great pride, “Mother said I’m really good at tying hair.”
She’d been practicing on her own hair every night these past few days, and could now confidently call herself a seasoned hand at it.
A boy’s topknot was so simple—she could manage it with just a little effort.
But once she got started, she realized she’d underestimated the task.
Pei Zhaoxue’s hair was thick and jet-black; it took both hands cupped together just to hold it all. Winding it up was even more laborious, as the silky strands kept slipping out of her small palms.
After much fumbling, she finally managed to gather a bun at the back of his head.
She covered the bun with both hands, afraid that if she let go even one hand to grab the hairpin, it would all come undone. Flustered, she directed him: “Xuetuan-gege, quickly pick up the hairpin and push it through the bun in my hands… ah, actually, why don’t you hold the bun and I’ll…”
Before she could finish, the hairpin slid smoothly through the base of the bun, securing all that dark hair firmly in place.
“Alright, you can let go now.”
“I’ll go get the bronze mirror!” Seeing the task accomplished, Chu Mingse jumped off the chair and ran to fetch the mirror, eager to have Pei Zhaoxue inspect her handiwork.
The polished bronze mirror reflected Pei Zhaoxue’s clear-browed face, with stray strands of hair sticking out messily behind his head.
The bun couldn’t be called attractive—”disheveled” was the only word that fit.
Chu Mingse quietly moved her fingers, intending to gently push the mirror away.
Pfft.
A soft laugh suddenly broke the silence in the air.
In the bronze mirror, Pei Zhaoxue’s eyes curved into a smiling expression, as if ice and snow had melted and spring light had burst forth.
Chu Mingse was stunned by the sight, her small movements unconsciously coming to a halt as she simply stared, then smiled along with him.
Author’s note:
None.