Winter Begonia - Winter Begonia - Chapter 95

Chapter 95

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Shang Xirui listened to the news, leaned

back in his chair and cried out in pleasure! Li Tianyao also said that he was

relieved and said: “Boss Shang should have gone to Jiang’s house himself, it

would have been a real pleasure to hit him in the face!”

Shang Xirui had a smile on his lips, he shook his head slowly and said: “I won’t go, I’m afraid of being annoyed.” Shang Xirui doesn’t have the patience to deal with complicated matters.

Cheng Fengtai thought to himself as he took a few bites of his steak, then he suddenly said with a straight face: “Oh, there’s some bad news for Boss Shang. The Old Madam of the Prince’s House died on the second day of the Lunar New Year, your friend Shunzi was unable to eat or drink, he cried for three days and nights. When it came time to bury her, he jumped into the grave at one end, he wouldn’t come up, Prince-An had them buried together.”

Shang Xirui had not yet spoken, Li Tianyao had already turned pale and said: “In what age is it that the Prince-An’s court still has the practice of burying living people?”

Cheng Fengtai laughed and said: “Hey, Boss Li, you don’t know…”

“Once Shunzi is dead, there will be no one who knows how to play in the huge Prince-An Mansion!”

Shang Xirui is in a happy mood, he deliberately interrupts Cheng Fengtai’s words and Li Tianyao’s naughtiness, Cheng Fengtai immediately understands, the two men talk to each other with their eyes, laughing and laughing, laughing in a bad way.

Cheng Fengtai lifted his glass and said: “Here’s to Shunzi, loyalty and courage.”

Shang Xirui clinked his teacup with his and said: “To Pear Garden, the soulmate.”

Li Tianyao was still in a daze: “No, I said… A living person! Buried just like that? This is outrageous! You still think it’s their Aisingioro’s world (imperial era)!”

Cheng Fengtai couldn’t help but laugh and asked, digressing: “Boss Shang left Beiping for half a month, what news do you have for me?”

Shang Xirui heard that Cheng Fengtai had spent a lot of money on his behalf, he couldn’t say anything about being Liu Hanyun’s godfather, he felt like he had let Cheng Fengtai down by going to all that trouble. Li Tianyao was unconcerned and interjected: “Boss Shang! Hey! We Boss Shang are now half a committee member!”

Then he told Cheng Fengtai what had happened. Cheng Fengtai had a much better knowledge of the political situation than the opera singers, after listening to the story, he was going over the pros and cons in his mind, he didn’t say anything for a long time, he couldn’t tell whether he was happy or not. Li Tianyao realised that he had spoken too much and looked shy. Cheng Fengtai then joked: “Boss Shang is so lucky, he must have got a big bonus. You pay for this meal.”

There was no more joking and no more talking, they ate and took a short break before going to the theatre. Alone, Shang Xirui couldn’t resist asking: “What did you say about my godfather?” Cheng Fengtai fell silent again and only after a long time did he say: “Liu Hongyun has been staying in Nanjing, I don’t know much about him. I don’t know much about him but his god sons, he’s taken all the promising youngsters from all walked of life who don’t have any backing, on that basis alone, I don’t believe that he’s only interested in fame and has no ambition. Politicians are too complicated, Boss Shang should not be involved with those people.”

In a few words, Shang Xirui’s fears were addressed and he was sickly and unhappy. He had the temperament of a dull ruler, he loved to be flattered, even if he was right but not if he didn’t like it. He was in the mood for a little frolic with Cheng Fengtai but now he was in no mood for it, he fell asleep under the covers. But he had an advantage, once he woke up, he soon forgot all these little things and was happy to eat and drink as usual. It was Li Tianyao who had been angry with the royal family for a long time, Cheng Fengtai drove them to the theatre and Li Tianyao talked about it in the car all the way to the backstage and couldn’t help but say: “You know what! The royal family in Beiping still uses living people for burial maids! Buried together with the coffin! Isn’t that scary?” Those who listened changed their appearance and colour and expressed their fright.

Shang Xirui only grinned silently, as if he could hold it in. Cheng Fengtai looked so cute and annoying, he couldn’t help but scratch his nose and whispered: “Are you feeling bored? What’s so naughty about it?”

Shang Xirui smiled and said with a raised eyebrow: “I’d love to, it’s fun!”

Cheng Fengtai wanted to kiss him.

Backstage preparations are in full swing, time flies. We haven’t seen any sign of Sheng Ziyun all day, Shang Xirui doesn’t even mention him. Cheng Fengtai automatically took charge of the bag, leaned over the dressing table and gesticulates, says the sapphire headdress looks good, matches the colour of the dress, took the hairpin and pushed it into Shang Xirui’s head. Shang Xirui was annoyed, turned his head away and said: “Don’t make trouble!” Li Tianyao laughed and said: “Boss Shang, just let Second Master stick it in your head!”

Shang Xirui was ashamed, so he clenches his fist and gave Cheng Fengtai a couple of pats.

When Shang Xirui came on stage for the finale, Cheng Fengtai first stood behind the curtain with his teapot and watched for a while, then sat in Shang Xirui’s seat as usual, sipping Shang Xirui’s tea while reading the newspaper and chatting with Li Tianyao. Li Tianyao had gotten to know Shang Xirui’s temper over the years, he said: “When Boss Shang came off the stage, when he saw that you have drunk all his tea, you will be beaten again, won’t you? Cheng Fengtai added some hot water to the teapot and mixed it with a cup of honey and slowly shook the teapot to make it even. Li Tianyao secretly admired the meticulousness of the local men, a young master’s family but with a heart to serve people, really rare. Shang Xirui leaves the play, a whirlwind rolled backstage, sweat soaked through his clothes in winter, his make-up soaked with sweat. Without saying a word, he raised his chin to Cheng Fengtai, who put the teapot to his lips, watered the flowers and asked him: “Is it all right?” Shang Xirui said: “It’s not bad. It’s too much honey to pickle my throat.” Cheng Fengtai said: “Remember!”

The hairdresser helped Shang Xirui to remove his hair and face, Cheng Fengtai saw that the washbasin was shared by all, when he touched it, it was indeed greasy with a layer of powder and grime. He frowned in disgust, scrubbed it twice with soap, then poured hot water over it and dipped the towel in it, to disinfect it from the heat.

Li Tianyao just can’t get his head around Cheng Fengtai. You can say that he was a fan of opera, Shang Xirui had just sung but he hadn’t been paying attention; if you were to say that he was charming, the trick was to make an opera singer look good, to satisfy the opera singer’s vanity two flower baskets would be more appropriate than two gold insoles. Cheng Fengtai is not a man who is short of money, he’s a man who’s been working behind the scenes, a set of unseen efforts, just like giving Shang Xirui gold insoles, Shang Xirui doesn’t know it himself and no one else does, what’s point? The opera singer is a taste of life is that unusual?

Outside the door, a small handyman ran in and said in a panic: “Boss Li! There’s a fake foreign devil outside! He’s mumbling Inglis(English), he’s barging right into the back!”

Then came Li Tianyao’s big shaft, Li Tianyao couldn’t get out of it. Shang Xirui shoved Cheng Fengtai and said: “Listen, there’s a fake foreign devil here! You go and meet him!”

Cheng Fengtai was aggrieved and said: “Why Boss Shang, am I a fake foreign devil in your mind?” Although he said that, he still smiled at Li Tianyao and said: “I know a few words of foreign language, leave it to me, don’t delay Mr. Li on stage.” Li Tianyao thanked Cheng Fengtai and quick off to the theatre.

The man outside was a “fake foreigner”, because he had dark eyes and dark hair and his face was on the delicate side, he was obviously an East Asian. The young man is holding a box in his hand, he was chasing and dodging the handyman, he looked very dexterous. As soon as the handyman lunged at him, he lifted the box high in the air, as if holding a jade seal and shouts “Oh, my God!”

He

asked him politely in English what he wants to do. The young man, probably not

expecting an English speaker in this place of singing, stammered and said that

he was a friend of Shang Xirui’s and had come to give him a gift. He asked him

his name so he could go in and pass on a message, he couldn’t say it vaguely.

Cheng Fengtai, of course, did not believe him, it was not unusual for fans to

pretend to be Shang Xirui’s friends in order to meet him and for those who

pretended to be his own cousins and aunts to let him in and meet Sir Shang, if

he cried and laughed and went crazy, he could not be dragged away. Cheng Fengtai

smiled at him, hesitant and unbelieving. As soon as the young man came to his

senses, he opened the box and showed it to Cheng Fengtai and explained a few

words. Cheng Fengtai saw the contents of the box and was immediately convinced

and heard the young man say: “I met Mr. Shang Xirui at Yanjing University, we

were introduced by Mr. Du Ruofang.”

Du Ruofang was Du Qi courtesy name, there was nothing to disbelieve. Cheng Fengtai leads the young man backstage, Shang Xirui is washing his face. Cheng Fengtai asked the young man to sit down for a moment, he does not sit down, he looked at Shang Xirui with his box in his hand with a smile. Shang Xirui’s face was still dripping with water, he dried his eyes and looked at the youth, he did not recognise who he was. The young man was in no hurry to introduce himself, as if he was sure Shang Xirui would remember him. He was wrong about Shang Xirui, if he had been a character in an opera play, no matter how many years had passed, Shang Xirui would have been able to pronounce his name when he saw his face. Would Shang Xirui have taken him seriously if he had been a living man with no face? At that moment, a vendor brought in a few bowls of cinnamon dumplings from the back door for the female opera singers, Shang Xirui smelled the sweet aroma and actually took two steps to look around and said: “What are you eating?” Shang Xirui is so good with women, she only bothered to ask and immediately got a bowl in his hand and ate it.

The young man could not hold back any longer, he said in a Shandong accent: “Boss Shang, I am Xue Zhicheng! You’ve forgotten me!”

Cheng Fengtai turned his head and looked at the boy in surprise, as if he had heard the cat cry out “woof”, thinking: “You can speak Chinese, damn it? Then why were you pretending with me!

Shang Xirui scooped a dumpling into his

mouth, looked at Xue Zhicheng. Xue Zhicheng knows that if he doesn’t check his identity,

he’ll be kicked out backstage, so he puts the box down and picked up a folding

fan from the dressing table, opened it and does two dance moves and said: “《Lady Butterfly!》”

This was a good reminder, when it came to theatre, there is nothing Shang Xirui can’t remember, even if it’s just one movement and one word, otherwise, it would be a waste to talk to him face to face all night. Shang Xirui quickly ate the two remaining dumplings in his bowl in one go, wiping his hands and saying: “So, it’s you! It’s been a long time! You’ve changed a lot! Please sit down!”

It’s no wonder Shang Xirui couldn’t remember

Xue Zhicheng. It’s been six or seven years since we met in the drama club at

Yanjing University. At that time, Xue Zhicheng didn’t speak a word of Chinese, Du

Qi had to translate it and told Shang Xirui the story of the opera play《Lady Butterfly》. Shang Xirui invited Xue Zhicheng to

the garden the next day to listen to the opera, thanks to Du Qi’s kindness. Xue

Zhicheng and Shang Xirui talked for days in such an incomprehensible

environment. Xue Zhicheng showed Shang Xirui the insect specimens he had

collected in China, all big bugs and moths and disgusted Shang Xirui. The next

day, Shang Xirui took Xue Zhicheng to drink bean juice and eat charred rings, also

disgusting Xue Zhicheng. At the end of the day, Xue Zhicheng even hugged Shang Xirui

and shed tears, as if the friendship was deep.

“Du once said that you were his muse, the source of all his artistic inspiration. So, that time, I went to Beiping to see you.”

Xue Zhicheng said: “After meeting you, I was convinced that Du was not exaggerating. I learned Chinese, just to tell you this in person one day.”

It turned out that Xue Zhicheng had learned Chinese from Shang Xirui’s hometown. Shang Xirui didn’t know who the muse was, he didn’t have the heart to ask but seeing Xue Zhicheng’s expression of fascination, it must be good, it was a good thing, so he smiled politely and thanked him. Cheng Fengtai found it very tedious and couldn’t help but whisper in Shang Xirui’s ear: “The muse is the foreign god of the old man. He means, Boss Shang, you’re like a grand master.”

This was a nice thing to say in the Shuiyun House but outside the Shuiyun House, it was unbelievable and unbearable! Shang Xirui jumped up from his chair as if his buttocks had been burned by fire and said: “What a thing to say! I am sorry to hear that!”

Xue Zhicheng held the well protected box in his lap and said: “I came to see you the other day when I heard you were in Shanghai but your servants prevented me from seeing you. Today I have to pretend to be a foreigner, they can’t do anything about foreigners.”

Shang Xirui wanted to say that you are a foreigner! Xue Zhicheng slowly opened the box and presented its contents to Shang Xirui and Shang Xirui swallowed his words. Inside the box a blue butterfly perched peacefully on a golden hairpin, its wings shimmered like silk, like pearls, like a piece of moonlight on the sea, the most precious material could not have made such a beautiful shine.

Xue Zhicheng said: “I remember what you said, the more authentic the stage, the better. This is a real butterfly I caught on the American continent.”

Shang Xirui could not resist the temptation of the glitter, he held the butterfly hairpin up to the light and looked at it again and again, the back of the butterfly was framed with a very thin sheet of glass, the hairpin underneath was of red gold, it must have been very sturdy to wear on stage. The opera singers gathered around and marvelled at the butterfly, saying: “This butterfly is a bit of A-Cui but even A-Cui can’t be this big.”

Xue Zhicheng only looked at Shang Xirui and said: “There’s a poem I made for you inside, please take it too!”

Shang Xirui was used to receiving gifts from

theatregoers, he accepted them with some little excuses. Xue Zhicheng sat backstage

for a long time, showing off his Chinese to Shang Xirui, talking about his

views on Chinese opera culture, which were of course very amateurish, using

western opera, eastern rhetoric as an analogy. He does not know that Chinese

opera is self-contained, no need for reference, no way to compare it, just as

the most beautiful English cannot translate 《the Book of Songs》, to listen to Chinese opera with

foreign ears, there is no way to match the tenon. Shang Xirui did not argue

with him, he listened with the usual casual attitude of an opera fan, smiling

lightly, as if he were a cricket. Xue Zhicheng’s smile became a kind of

approval in Shang Xirui’s eyes, as he talked, he put his hand in Shang Xirui’s

and shook it.

Cheng Fengtai was not used to his pampering, it seems that everyone likes to touch and rub Shang Xirui, what’s wrong with Shang Xirui’s body dripping with honey? Cheng Fengtai took Xue Zhicheng’s hand away and said to him in English, pretentiously: “Sorry, Du probably didn’t tell you in China, opera singers playing female roles were not to be touched by men off stage, otherwise they will anger our Chinese muse.”

Xue Zhicheng loves to hear this kind of nonsense, all the more so as Chinese opera is unpredictable and reserved and mysterious. He sat down and talked in a dignified manner. Shang Xirui, although he did not understand English, saw Cheng Fengtai smiling at him and guessed that Cheng Fengtai was talking nonsense to fool the boy again.

After this encounter, anyone could see that Xue Zhicheng was a fool. Shang Xirui and Cheng Fengtai were looking at each other in a distracted way, he didn’t even know it. It wasn’t until Li Tianyao came off stage to remove his make-up and everyone had to go back, that Xue Zhicheng left, promising Shang Xirui that he would come to Beiping one day and Shang Xirui nodded and said: “You’re here, I’ll even buy you bean juice. I’ll buy you bean juice.” Xue Zhicheng’s teacher in Shandong had not taught him the word “bean juice”, he could not place it in the right context and was flattered.

As soon as Xue Zhicheng left, everyone immediately made jokes about Shang Xirui. Li Tianyao laughed in surprise and said: “Amazing! Even the Japanese are listening to the play! Boss Shang is really something!”

Shang Xirui waved his hand in a pretentious manner, he looked down on foreigners from the bottom of his heart and said: “What do they know! It’s just a novelty! If they know anything about theatre, they’ll have to be born again!”

Everyone laughed at this. Cheng Fengtai grabbed Shang Xirui by the back of the neck and whispered: “Boss Shang has a godfather in the blink of an eye and a Japanese opera fan in the blink of an eye, what else don’t I know?”

Shang Xirui’s eyes glanced up at his face, smiling, he said: “There’s a lot you don’t know! Jiulang received foreign ambassadors for Prince Qin, I’ve met many foreigners, red and white, a Japanese is nothing!”

Li Tianyao said: “Is there a red man?”

Shang Xirui replied: “Some foreigners have a red face, they can sing Guan Gong without dressing up!”

That night Lao Ge finished his job for Cheng Fengtai and returned to work as a driver. Cheng Fengtai had the box from Xue Zhicheng under his arm, he and Lao Ge exchanged words for a while, suddenly a man came out of the road in front of him, Li Tianyao shouted, Lao Ge nearly stepped on the brakes. Li Tianyao spoke with a baffled tone: “Isn’t that Young Master Yun?”

Sheng Ziyun looks furious, stood in front of the car and stared at Cheng Fengtai, his face is covered in tears, he punches the hood of the car and yells: “Cheng Fengtai!!!”

Cheng Fengtai was called by name by Sheng Ziyun, he reached for the car door then, ready to teach Sheng Ziyun the rules but before he could do so, Sheng Ziyun turned his head and ran away. Cheng Fengtai muttered something about a brat but in his heart he knew exactly why Sheng Ziyun was there. Shang Xirui was in a daze as to what Sheng Ziyun’s indignation and tears were about, many fans had an exclusive desire for him, like a lover’s relationship but so what? These two people don’t give a damn about Sheng Ziyun, they don’t even say a word about him.

Shang Xirui and Li Tianyao are chatting in the back seat, Cheng Fengtai is unable to intervene and has nothing better to do than to open Xue Zhicheng’s box. Inside was a letter with a butterfly hairpin, the paper was nicely folded, the print was perfumed and the Chinese characters were very elegant. Cheng Fengtai read the acid poem and immediately crumpled the letter into a ball and flew it out of the window and cursed the hell out of him.

So, much for singing and sleeping, it was almost time for the Lantern Festival, it was time to go back anyway. Cheng Fengtai went to the Sheng family to return the car, met up with old school friend Sheng Ziyun for dinner, didn’t meet Sheng Ziyun. Sheng Ziyun had stayed in Shanghai a while ago to be a tag along for Shang Xirui, the university had started and he didn’t even think about going to class, he just made up stories for his family. But the day after that tearful night, Sheng Ziyun rushed back to Beiping like a ghost. When Cheng Fengtai asked him about his brother’s time in Beiping, he said, as if he were telling an anecdote: “Kids these days are so big, it’s amazing! When we were in school we used to invite girls to drink cold drinks and go to the park. Nowadays, they know how to play opera singer! I don’t know where he learnt it from!”

Sheng Ziyun pushed up his glasses and frowned: “Opera singer?

Cheng Fengtai said: “I can’t tell you that.”

Sheng Ziyun’s eyebrows furrowed tighter and tighter, looking at Cheng Fengtai’s dangling face but the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but smile a little and said: “I asked you to look after him, why are you telling me now? When did this happen?”

Cheng Fengtai said: “I didn’t notice any sooner. He’s a big boy, can I put him on a leash? He’s also a student of literature, it’s normal to listen to opera, I wouldn’t have thought he’d be like that.”

Sheng Ziyun put away his smile and said: “If I hadn’t asked you today, you wouldn’t have thought to tell me. Then let’s give credit where credit is due! Rent me an apartment in Beiping, the dormitory is no longer available, I’ll find someone to keep an eye on him.”

Cheng Fengtai agrees, goes back to the hotel to pack his bags and finds Li Tianyao slipping money to Shang Xirui. After a week of singing, Shang Xirui earned $2,000, Li Tianyao wrote a cheque and puts it in a red envelope but Shang Xirui refused to take it, pushing and pulling with Li Tianyao. Li Tianyao was determined to do the favour, she didn’t want to be accused of taking advantage of Shang Xirui, she was not unethical. Shang Xirui was determined not to do it, he said: “We agreed to help you stand on the stage at the beginning, we didn’t mention the box office. You’re giving me money now, I can’t take it, we had a deal!”

In Shang Xirui’s mind, what’s “agreed” is ironclad, nothing can be changed, not even in his favour, he can’t turn the corner, he’s so short of breath He is at a loss for words. Cheng Fengtai always felt that his inability to adapt was in fact a sign of mental incompetence, out of the rules and conventions, he would not act. Li Tianyao just thought Shang Xirui was embarrassed, still shoving money into his arms, Shang Xirui held Li Tianyao’s wrist firmly, Li Tianyao spoke with a baffled tone: “How can you say that Boss Shang, I’m giving you money, you’re like catching a thief.”

Cheng Fengtai separated the two men before Shang Xirui could see them and said to Li Tianyao: “This friendship between the two bosses, how vulgar it is to get involved in money! In the future, you’ll be able to rely on Mr. Li when you’re in the opera are you afraid you won’t have the chance to get along?”

Li Tianyao smiled at this and did not insist. The next morning Cheng Shang and his wife left for Beiping with a Chu Qionghua, Li Tianyao went to see them off, he took Shang Xirui with him and paced a few steps away, he said to Shang Xirui: “Boss Shang is a generous and blessed man who is not a stickler, this Pear Garden circle in Sijiucheng is too deep. Garden circle, the water is too deep, people’s hearts are repeated, Boss Shang has to take every step.”

Shang Xirui nodded and laughed and said: “I’ve been in this circle since I was a child, I’ve always had a way of getting things done.”

Li Tianyao said: “You don’t have to go all the way, like this time, it’s disgusting! We have no other way out, we’re rolling in the mud with no face and no skin, you’re different.” He glanced at Cheng Fengtai and said: “I’ve been watching these days, I can see that Cheng Fengtai is not an ordinary womanizer, he seemed to have a genuine interest in you. When you have the chance to quit the theatre, let Cheng Fengtai help you, help you to do some serious business-like Yuan Xiaodi, to be respectable, isn’t it better than being in the lower class?”

Shang Xirui couldn’t bear to hear this kind of self-deprecating talk, his smile changed a bit but he couldn’t refute it with Li Tianyao, especially when he couldn’t even dream of stopping singing one day, he wondered how Li Tianyao could think of it, it was ridiculous! Shang Xirui actually knows, most of his peers see opera as a way to support their families, not a vocation and it’s not unusual for them to change careers. I don’t know if I can count on two hands the number of people who really like opera.

Li Tianyao realized that he had misspoken and hastened to make-up for it by saying: “Look at me, what a bastard thing I said, Boss Shang, don’t get upset.”

With the separation imminent, Shang Xirui suddenly understood the human condition and said sweetly: “Boss Li told me what was best in your mind, I appreciate it. But it’s true, we all have our own ambitions, I was born in this muddy water, if I get to shore, I won’t be able to breathe.”

That was all they had to say, they bowed

their hands to each other and said goodbye. Shang Xirui got on the train and Li

Tianyao watched them from the platform. Shang Xirui waved goodbye to Li Tianyao,

between the gaps in the crowd, it was as if Li Tianyao had drawn a picture of

Liu Jin’s flowery face from 《Buddha’s Path》 in the blink of an eye it was no

longer there.

Shang Xirui’s godfather was really useful. After Cao Guixiu’s scare, the Jiang family didn’t dare to say another word but they couldn’t prevent others from saying something. When Liu Hanyun’s review appeared in the press, the Beiping Pear Garden was silent, other theatre critics followed suit and in the end it gave Shang Xirui some credibility. The only two people missing from the show were Du Qi and Sheng Ziyun. Du Qi was too fawning to go along with them and the editor turned down several offers to write for him. Once again, he proved that Seventh Young Master is a screwball who prefers to argue rather than agree and he is not to be trifled with. Sheng Ziyun’s side of the story is a mixed bag. Sheng Ziyun’s hatred is born out of love and it’s not Shang Xirui he hates. He hates Cheng Fengtai for being a dirty and uncouth man, for seducing Shang Xirui, a simple theatre goer and for sullying Shang Xirui’s body and reputation. After a few days of silence back at school and a narrow encounter one day, he calls out to Fan Jinling.

Fan Jinling, because of rumours of a past engagement to Sheng Ziyun, some bastards said that Sheng Ziyun came to Beiping to study in reality it was for a marriage between Sheng and Fan familes. Probably the parents had discussed it in the past but it was just talk, there was no real matchmaking or anything. In the past two years she has kept away from Sheng Ziyun, just to avoid rumours and now she is in love with Du Jiu.

Sheng Ziyun said: “Come with me, I have something to say to you.”

Fan Jinling’s female classmates nudged her and scowled at her, shaming her into saying: “I’m not going! If you have something to say, say it here!”

Sheng Ziyun grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her into a corner behind her back. Fan Jinling’s face was furious but her heart was not all angry. Even though she had absolutely no intention of looking at Sheng Ziyun, a girl’s heart can’t help but feel a little bit of fantasy. Besides, when Sheng Ziyun is silent like this, he looks a bit like a handsome boy. Fan Jinling blushed and turned her head away from Sheng Ziyun’s stare, she had it in her mind that if Sheng Ziyun said anything she shouldn’t say, she would have to say no. She was going to be engaged to Du Jiu after she graduated this year, she couldn’t let Sheng Ziyun have any illusions at this time.

Sheng Ziyun’s voice was very cold, he said to her: “Tell your brother in-law to stay away from Shang Xirui, he has a family now, he should do more for his own family.”

Fan Jinling froze for a moment, her eyes widened and she said: “What nonsense are you talking about! My brother in-law and Shang Xirui, it was Shang Xirui who seduced my brother in-law too!”

Sheng Ziyun said angrily: “Slander! Shang Xirui was busy singing in Shanghai during the New Year, why did your brother in-law go after him? What else could Shang Xirui have done to seduce him?”

Fan Jinling was dumbfounded, she couldn’t think of the right words to say to Sheng Ziyun, the two men exchanged angry glanced and the class was over. After class Fan Jinling ran to see her sister at the Cheng family, she was still sitting cross legged on the bed smoking, embroidering, patting the children to sleep, as she had done for ten years, the first thing she said when she saw her was: “A girl walks in such a hurry, her braids are falling apart and her forehead. When you get married, you’ll see how much your aunt will dislike you!”

Second Mistress called for the maid to re-braid Fan Jinling’s hair. As soon as Fan Jinling’s hair had been brushed out, she was at peace. Second Mistress told her that she was having dumplings stuffed with lamb for dinner, the family had been eating rice because Cheng Fengtai was not used to noodles and that today, when her sister came to the house, she could eat them freely, no need to compromise with Cheng Fengtai. Tell her that Auntie Five’s nephew is getting married but the bride’s gift includes a pair of eight painted beauty screens and a white jade incense burner, both of which belong to the Fan family, Auntie Five must have stolen them and put them on her mother’s house. Auntie Five thought she was out of the house when Miss Fan was out of the house but she knew everything.

Fan Jinling sat in front of the dressing table without saying anything, since she has had Du Jiu, she has gradually become aware of the marriage between a man and a woman, she can see that her sister and her brother in-law are not compatible. Fan Jinling was afraid to tell her sister about the rumours and asked: “My brother in-law was not at home during the New Year, where did he go?”

Second Mistress was angry about the incident, complaining that Fan Lian was useless and that Cheng Fengtai had to travel halfway across China to work. Second Mistress clearly trusted her young husband than for her brother. Fan Jinling was silent, she ate her dinner and left with a heavy heart.

~Winter Begonia~

Winter Begonia:

Chapters List

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