Lu Xiao Shu remembered that during the last summer, Mr Wu and her father came back with wild meat from their game. Dinner was set up in the yard and they happily opened some wine that was made from wild grapes. Miao Cui Lan folded a clean cotton gauze into four layers and used it to filter the wine as she poured into a white porcelain cup. The wine was sparkling and glittering in red, making it very lovely.
Mr Wu was suddenly whimsical, asking Lu Qi to recite the poem “Vintage Wine in Luminous Glasses”. As a matter of fact, Lu Qi did not really like to study, he had just learned enlightenment books such as “Three Character Classic” and “Tales from the Hundred Surnames”. Sometimes, Mr Wu would teach them to recite some simple poems but Lu Qi had trouble to even recite “Three Character Classic”, so he had completely forgotten about the extra homework. In any case, he would naturally neglect homework that did not require examination.
Lu Qi stammered, having trouble reciting the poem. Noticing his mother’s glare, he became more nervous. What a pity, if he could not recall it, there was no way the poem would appear in his mind if he thought hard enough.
Seeing that their mother’s expression was turning darker by the second, Lu Xiao Shu suggested, “Brother must’ve forgotten about it briefly. I know how to recite it, Brother taught me before.”
“Oh? This little one must be lying, or are you serious about it?” Mr Wu could not help but chuckle. Mr Wu knew that Lu Qi did not like studying, but seeing Miao Cui Lan’s expression at Lu Qi, he regretted asking him to recite. Now that Lu Xiao Shu was trying to help resolve this situation, would he refuse it?
Lu Xiao Shu rolled her eyes but she insisted, “I’m serious. If I can recite it, can you promise me something, sir?”
“Okay, I’ll promise you if you can recite it.” Mr Wu simply agreed with a carefree smile. He thought to himself: What could a little girl want from me? If she loves to play, I just have to bring her out to play!
Lu Xiao Shu was overjoyed and she recited it correctly, putting Mr Wu and Lu Zhong in surprise. Miao Cui Lan glared at Lu Qi, “Look at you! You’re not even close to your little sister!” Remembering that Lu Xiao Shu told her that her brother taught her the poem, she felt a little better.
Lu Zhong was overjoyed, hugging her and praising her. Meanwhile, Lu Xiao Shu could not wait but gazed at Mr Wu, requesting, “Mr Wu, could you please bring me with you next time you go on a hunt?”
That came as a shock to Mr Wu. Bringing such a young kid to the forest, this…
“Sir, you can’t break your promise!” Lu Xiao Shu pouted.
Mr Wu could not take back his words in front of everyone, so he merely coughed, “Fine, but you’re still too little. I’ll bring you with me when you’re older. What do you say?”
“He’s right. You’re such a wild little girl. Look at you, you have such little legs and arms, do you even have enough energy to walk?” Miao Cui Lan joked. Deep down, she sighed heavily. As the girl grew older every day, the naughtier she became as well. When it was New Year’s, she would secretly light the firecrackers when no one was watching. One time, she would climb the tall persimmon tree in the yard too and ended up not being able to get down, screaming for her father to help her as she hugged the tree. Then, it was that little pond with fish in the yard. She could have asked the adults to get the fish if she wanted to eat them, but she wanted to get them herself, eventually falling into the pond and gulping a few mouthfuls of water. It was a good thing that Xiao Xue was always with her and she cried for help, or else what could have happened would be terrible. Though she was fine, once she was saved, Xiao Shu was choking on laughter while she coughed up water.
This time was no exception, this little girl actually wanted to go hunting uphill.
Lu Xiao Shu lowered her gaze at her little arms and legs, she had no choice but to agree and huff, “Mr Wu, I’ll grow up next year! Next year, I’ll be three and I’ll be able to walk faster, then can you bring me along?”
“Alright, fine! Once you’re three, I’ll bring you along!” Mr Wu promised, thinking that she was really humorous.
From then on, Mr Wu loved to teach her poems so that she could recite them. Astoundingly, she was able to memorize them well. Mr Wu was always so surprised that he loved her intelligence, saying that she was one of a kind.
After that incident, everyone agreed that the little girl’s memory was very good. She might not be that skilled at everything else, but her memory was definitely the best! If she promised others something and they forgot about it, she would be lazy to fulfil the promise and not remind them, but if someone promised her something, she would never allow them to forget about the promise.
Thus, when her third birthday was coming up, she began to remind Mr Wu about his promise ever so often. Determined that on her third birthday, she wanted to go to the forest in the hills.
Mr Wu and her father were both shocked, while Miao Cui Lan pinched her eyebrows and chided, “Little girl, you can’t remember other things but you can remember this?”
Mr Wu’s shoulder shook with laughter, he said after giving it a thought, “Alright, we’ll bring you hunting on your birthday. We’ll catch something good for your birthday. However, once that day is over, we won’t be going anymore and you’re not allowed to nag at me for not keeping my promise!”
Lu Xiao Shu hurriedly nodded, replying, “Sir, you’re a gentleman, you won’t deceive me! When that day comes, you won’t come up with some excuses, right?”
Mr Wu chortled, “Of course, not! Even if I fall sick, I’ll still bring you hunting, okay?”
Lu Xiao Shu was relieved. She gleefully nodded and had been counting down to this day ever since.
However, it poured…
How could she not feel depressed?
“The rain has already wet your clothes, get in now! What’s wrong with both of you? Once Mr Wu is here, we’ll start having dinner! I made lots of delicious dishes. Come on in!” Miao Cui Lan convinced the sisters to go back into the house. She found the frustration on Lu Xiao Shu’s face really amusing.
Lu Xiao Shu could not do anything about it, eventually giving up and entering the house. She glanced back at the heavy downpour, thinking, Is Mr Wu a psychic? Did he know one month ago that the rain would come today? Huh… it must be why he made that promise so spontaneously.
Not long later, Lu Qi came home from school. He kept his umbrella in his bag and had a change of clean clothes. After that, the three siblings played with each other while Lu Zhong and Miao Cui Lan kept themselves busy in the kitchen.
Lu Xiao Shu sniffed the air, and she could smell the heavenly aroma of the dishes which lifted her mood greatly. She silently thought to herself: Father and Mother really do love me a lot. Since there’ll be so much tasty food, I guess… it’s fine that I don’t get to go to the forest.
“Sister! Brother-in-law!” An anxious voice came from the yard while it poured outside, accompanied by footsteps splashing in the puddles.
“It’s our uncle!” Lu Qi hopped out of the house, greeting his uncle, then sprinting to the kitchen to inform, “Father, Mother! Uncle is here! He even brought a girl!”
“You little brat, what on earth are you saying?” Miao Cui Lan snapped, “Watch what you’re saying… Chu He, what’s this…”
Once Miao Cui Lan heard what her son said, she scolded him while walking out of the kitchen. It appeared that her son was right, her little brother, Miao Chu He, had brought a young lady who was waiting at the end of the corridor. Miao Chu He had an umbrella in his hand as rainwater dripped from the tip of the umbrella. The girl was around sixteen or seventeen years old and she wore a lake green embroidery dress. She was slim and her face was delicate and pretty. Perhaps it was the rain that made her face pale, it made her eyes look dark and shiny.
Both of them had probably gone through a long journey in the downpour. They were a mess as almost half of their clothes were wet while the edges of their robes and their shoes were all muddied. Even their hair was wet and the girl’s hair matted to her pale face. She looked like a little flower that had been blown around in a storm, such a poor thing.
However, Miao Cui Lan had no pity for them. Instead, she was shocked and furious. She had eyes to see and it was obvious with how they acted around each other. Clearly, those two were a couple in love!
“What’s this? It’s pouring outside, and instead of staying put in the academy, you came to my place?” Miao Cui Lan demanded with a dark tone.
“Sister, please help us!” Miao Chu He approached her and held her arm, “Please, Sister!”
Miao Chu He’s hands were cold and icy, damp from the rain. His hands were thin like bamboo and it was pale from the coldness.
“What exactly is going on?” Miao Cui Lan demanded again as she became distressed yet more enraged because of her brother’s expression.
“We, we… “ Miao Chu He was slightly startled. He held the girl’s hand and begged, “Sister, this is Tong Yu Er. I want to wed her as my wife, please help me!”
“Oh?” Miao Cui Lan sharp eyes swept over them like lightning. Tong Yu Er lowered her head in panic, hiding behind Miao Chu He.
“Speaking of which, you’re not young anymore. It is time for you to marry anyway.” Miao Cui Lan suddenly smiled, “Miss Tong, where do you live? I will send a matchmaker to the Tong Family to ask for your hand in marriage! Still, how could Miss Tong follow another man back to their house when no rituals were done yet? This would reflect badly on Miss Tong, so perhaps you should return for now.”
Tong Yu Er’s pale face turned paler as she bit on her lips nervously. She slightly shivered with her head lowered, not daring to say anything.
“Sister, I, I… “ Miao Chu He was getting anxious yet he kept stammering, unable to speak the words he wished to say.
“Enough!” What else did Miao Cui Lan not understand? She coldly stated, “Are you trying to elope? You’re a scholar, how could you not understand that this isn’t right? Chu He, you’ve disappointed me greatly! I have always stood against you marrying because our family can’t even be considered a family. You can’t even live in peace, would she be able to when she marries you? All this mess would only distract you from studying, that’s why I never brought up marriage to you! I kept thinking that once you pass the exams and come home, only then will we find you a wife. By then, no one would bully or look down on your wife! I didn’t expect my kindness to be repaid in this manner! Look at yourself, what do you think you’re doing?”
