Overdo - One Glance Tips a City, Another Tips a State

One Glance Tips a City, Another Tips a State

Rain drummed against the floor-to-ceiling windows, emitting a faint "pitter-patter." It left behind an oval-shaped water stain. Before that stain could dissipate, another oval overlapped it. The ovals grew more numerous, clustering closer together, until streaks of water slid down the glass, sliding down, down...

Mother’s vanity sat right beneath the window. I heard she loved the rain dearly. I cannot clearly recall her face, and I have never seen a photograph of her. However, many elders always say that I look like her, so I often gaze into the mirror. I am very beautiful, but it stops at beautiful, and this beauty is only because I had an exceptionally beautiful mother. Everyone says my mother wasn't just pretty; she was beautiful. When Uncle Lei mentioned my mother, he told me: "One glance tips a city, another glance tips a state. Understand?"

I do not think he was exaggerating, because if you casually ask any of our family friends, most will overflow with praise: "The Third Young Master's wife? A beauty, a true beauty..."

Oh, I forgot to explain: "Third Young Master" was my father's nickname in his youth. He was known to ride his horse, leaning against the sloping bridge, attracting the attention of every beauty in the city. He was also known to fly into a rage, shocking the regional lords. I have heard many legends about him, yet I have never heard anyone tell a story about him and my mother, not even he himself mentions it. I do not believe it is because the story was too dull; on the contrary, how could a beauty like my mother and a figure like my father not have a grand and stirring legend? I don't believe it! The uncles all say my appearance is like my mother's, but my personality is exactly like my father's. I admit, my temper is volatile; I am easily provoked, very much like my hot-headed father. Every time I mention my mother, my father either flies into a rage or turns and walks away. This only convinces me that there is a secret story hidden in between. I yearn to uncover this mystery; I have been searching, investigating. I do not believe there isn't a single word or fragment to prove this story exists.

It was a dusk filled with the lingering feeling of rain, and I was searching for books in the large study. As I sat at the top of the ladder looking through those ancient thread-bound volumes, I unintentionally opened one, and a thin piece of paper fell out. Like a delicate butterfly, it fluttered to the ground. I thought it was a bookmark, but when I picked it up, I realized it was a piece of plain stationery with only a few words written on it:

"Mu Lan: Forgive me for being unable to come see you. After our last meeting, he flew into a terrible rage; the scene was truly frightening. He does not believe me; he said he will never believe me again. I am truly in despair." The handwriting on the note was delicate and frail; I had never seen it before. I stood there, stunned, and only after a long moment did I turn over the book I had been holding. It was a volume of Song Dynasty Poetry. The page where the stationery was tucked featured the anonymous work, "Nine Songs of the Loom." "The eighth song of the loom, who knows whose poem it is? Woven into a piece of desolate intent, reading through the lines, weary and wordless, unable to bear further contemplation." Next to this poem, in that same frail handwriting, was a line of small annotations: "Unable to bear further contemplation. Even if one buys a thousand-gold Rhapsody of Xiangru, how could I gain a backward glance?" I hesitated, wondering: this handwriting is not Grandma’s, nor does it belong to either of my aunts. Who, then, could have written it? Who would write on the books in the study? Could it be Mother?

I possess my father's "act on impulse" temper, so I immediately began investigating this Mu Lan. I called Uncle Lei, and the moment he heard my voice, he laughed. "Young Lady, what is the matter this time? Don't tell me you're asking me to find a lost classmate again like last time."

I smiled and said, "Uncle Lei, this time I still need to trouble you to help me find someone."

Uncle Lei only sighed, "Who is bold enough to hide from you? Let the old man go drag them out and apologize to the Young Lady!"

I was amused by him. "Uncle Lei, this time is a bit more troublesome. I only know her name is Mu Lan. I don't know if her surname is Mu and her name is Lan, or if her full name is Mu Lan. I don't know how old she is, nor do I know what she looks like, or if she is dead or alive. Uncle Lei, please, you must find a way to find her."

Uncle Lei went silent. He was quiet for a long while before suddenly asking: "Why are you looking for her? Does your father know?"

I keenly detected the vigilance in his tone. Could there be some obstacle in the way—an obstacle set by my father? I asked: "What does this have to do with Father?"

Uncle Lei remained silent for a long time before saying: "Little girl, Mu Lan is dead. She died a long time ago. In that car... she was there too."

I was stunned, dumbfounded. I asked blankly: "She was also in that car... she was with Mother..."

Uncle Lei replied: "Yes, she was your mother's good friend. That day, she was accompanying your mother."

My only lead was severed again. I don't know how I hung up the phone; I just sat there staring blankly. She died? She met with an accident alongside Mother? She was Mother's good friend, and that day she just happened to be accompanying Mother...

I must have sat there for a long time, because I didn't even know when my father returned or when it turned dark. It wasn't until Ah Zhu came to call me for dinner that I snapped back to reality and hurried downstairs to the dining room.

Several guests had arrived, including Uncle Lei. They were sitting in the living room chatting with my father, making the place very lively. Father had gone to the Pumen base to inspect troops today, so he was in full military uniform. When Father wears his uniform, he looks exceptionally heroic—more vibrant than when he wears a suit. Even now that he is older and his temples are slightly dusted with gray, he still possesses a sharp, imposing aura.

Father’s gaze was as cold as always. He opened with a direct question: "Your Uncle Lei just said you were asking him about Mu Lan." Being betrayed so quickly was within my expectations. I shot a look at Uncle Lei, and he offered a helpless smile. I wanted to find an excuse, but couldn't, so I looked at Father calmly. "I heard from someone that she was Mother’s good friend, so I wanted to ask. Who knew Uncle Lei would say she was dead."

Father stared at me with his piercing eyes for a full ten seconds. I didn't dare take a deep breath.

Finally, he said: "I’ve told you so many times, don’t keep bothering your uncles with trivial matters. They are people who handle major affairs. Do you hear me?"

I replied with an "mm," and Uncle Lei quickly jumped in to smooth things over. "Sir, I went to check on the property over at Green Lake. There is quite a bit that needs repair. I’m afraid we need to start work quickly; it will be troublesome once the rainy season arrives."

Father said: "Oh, leave it to Little Xu to handle. Let's go eat." He turned and walked toward the dining room. Only then did I pull a face at Uncle Lei. Uncle Lei smiled, "Once the cat is away, the little mouse is going to rebel again?" I arched my eyebrows, and the other uncles all laughed silently. I followed Uncle Lei into the dining room, where the kitchen had already begun serving the appetizers.

During the meal, Father and the uncles kept talking about their business, and I buried my head in my food. Father’s mood didn't look very good, but I was used to it; he was in a bad mood all year round. I rarely saw him smile, just like Grandpa back in the day. Grandpa was always full of worries—making phone calls, losing his temper, scolding people...

Yet, Grandpa liked me very much. I was handed over to my grandmother to be raised while I was still in swaddling clothes, and I grew up in the Shuangqiao official residence. Every time Grandpa would slam the table and scold people, those dejected uncles would always find a way to carry me into the study. Whenever Grandpa saw me, he would take my hand to go for a walk in the garden or take me to see the orchids he planted.

By the time I was a little older, Grandpa’s temper was even worse, but every time he saw me, he was still very happy. He would put down his work, tell people to get chocolate for me to eat, and have me recite poems for him. Sometimes, he would take me out to play. The Green Lake residence at Fengjing River, the Maple Port residence by the sea, and the Rui Sui residence were all places he often took me. His affection for me was different from Grandma’s. When Grandma loved me, she taught me etiquette and hired tutors to teach me piano and literature. Grandpa’s love for me was pure indulgence—whatever I wanted, he gave me. Once, while he was napping, I snuck in, stood on a chair to grab the brush from his desk, and painted the character "King" on his forehead. After he woke up, he flew into a great rage, called the director of the attendant’s office to scold him severely, and then ordered someone to take me to the study. I thought he was going to hit me, so I burst into tears. To my surprise, he didn't scold me at all; instead, he ordered someone to bring chocolate to coax me. I was in the middle of losing my baby teeth at the time, and Grandma wouldn't allow me to eat candy, so I immediately stopped crying and laughed. I knew that as long as it was something Grandpa gave me, no one dared to forbid me from eating it, including Grandma. I said: "It’s so good to be Grandpa; everyone is afraid of you, and you can do whatever you want.”

Grandpa laughed heartily, picked me up and kissed me, calling me "little silly."

But the year I turned six, Grandpa fell gravely ill. He became very sick, and everyone had to send him to the hospital; the house became as chaotic as if the world were ending. Grandma and my aunts were all crying. Every day, the nanny would take me to the ward to visit Grandpa, and it was in that hospital room that I saw my father for the first time after becoming old enough to understand things.

He had just rushed back from abroad. Grandma told me to call him Father. I stood there like a mute, refusing to speak. Father scrutinized me, frowned, and said, "How did she grow so tall?"

Grandma said, "She's six now; of course she's this tall."

Father did not like me; I knew it from that very encounter. Later, after Grandpa passed away, I was sent to live by Father's side. He stopped going abroad, yet I still rarely saw him. He was very busy and didn't return home every day. Even when he did come home, I wouldn't see him...

The following year, he married again. I instinctively felt repulsed by this. I acted out and refused to attend his wedding. He was extremely annoyed and, for the first time, struck me; he hauled me onto his lap and spanked me. Just because of that one beating, the feud between her and me was set in stone.

I think she initially wanted to win me over, buying me many toys and new clothes. I threw the toys and clothes right out the window. I even snuck into her room and used scissors to shred all of her beautiful qipaos. She angrily told Father, and the result was that I got beaten again.

I still remember the scene vividly: I stood in the center of the room, not a single tear falling. I held my head high, my back straight as a rod, my fists clenched tight, and cursed her with clear articulation: "You witch! You wicked queen! My mother is watching you from heaven! You will be struck by lightning and die!"

She was furious, and Father’s expression changed as well. From then on, Father rarely interfered in the disputes between her and me. Later on, when Father fell out with her, he was always at odds with her and, conversely, began to favor me.

However, Father still did not like me at all; every time he spoke to me, he would lose his temper within three sentences. Just like tonight—since his mood wasn't very good, I played dumb and didn't interject. After dinner, he and the uncles sat in the small living room drinking tea and chatting. Uncle Wang suddenly remembered something and said, "Sir, there’s an interesting story from today."

Father asked, "What interesting story?"

He said, "The promotion list for the Second Fleet was submitted today. While they were doing the initial review, they saw someone's photo and were startled. It just so happened that I walked by, and they pulled me over to take a look. I was also shocked; I thought someone was playing a joke and had mixed your old photograph from your youth in with the files to mess with us—I was your personal aide, after all; that photo truly bears a striking resemblance to how you looked when you were young."

Uncle Li laughed, "That alike? I’m a bit skeptical."

Uncle Wang said, "Everyone said it looked like you, except for Jilai. He was the only one who disagreed. He stared at it for a long time after taking it, then said, 'In what way does this look like the Commander? I think it looks quite a lot like Mr. Murong Feng.' Everyone burst into laughter."

Father also laughed. "Only Jilai loves to be contrary. If you say he looks like me, he will never admit it; he must play devil's advocate. It must be that he really looks very much like me, so even he couldn't deny it, and had to say it wasn't like me, but like the 'Commander'—but am I not the Commander?"

The uncles all laughed. Uncle Chen said, "There are so many coincidences in this world. Last time, we were also checking some files and dug up a photo of someone. Everyone who saw it said he looked like me. Old He said, 'Ha! Old Chen, hurry up and review your romantic debts from your youth. Think hard about whether you were an old acquaintance of his mother; who knows, you might even have a son in your old age.' They teased me for a full three or four days before they finally let me off the hook."

Father’s mood gradually improved. He feigned deep thought, "Oh? Then shouldn't I also recall now if I knew the person's mother?" The uncles all laughed, and I lowered my head, laughing secretly as well. Uncle Wang said offhandedly, "If you really did know their mother, Sir, you must give me a hint. I want to be the first to suck up to the Crown Prince—this time he's being promoted from Lieutenant to Captain—I’m going to tell them: 'What’s the point of promoting him to Captain? Bring me the forms, and I’ll just fill them out as Major General!'"

Father laughed loudly and said, "Nonsense!"

Uncle Wang flipped through his briefcase and said with a smile, "I even brought his file; let me show you." He took out a folder and handed it to Father with both hands. "Take a look, Sir, doesn't it look a lot like you?"

Father's eyes were a bit farsighted, so he held it far away to see it clearly. I took the opportunity to turn my face to peek as well. Never mind Father—even I was startled. There are quite a few photos of Father from his youth at home; if this one were mixed in with them, I bet even my younger aunt wouldn't be able to tell the difference at a glance. He has the same thick brows as Father, deep-set and piercing eyes, and that straight bridge of the nose, which is the hallmark of the Murong family—even I, who inherited my appearance entirely from my mother, look exactly like Father when it comes to the nose.

If one looks extremely closely, the only difference is that his lips aren't quite like Father's; Father’s lips are very thin, while his are slightly fuller. Also, Father has a square face, and so does he, but his chin is a bit sharper than Father's. But—he really is a handsome young man!

Father was truly taken aback as well. After a long moment, he said, "It is alike! It truly is." He studied it carefully, scrutinizing it. "When I was his age, I was also in the military, but the uniforms were in the old style back then. If he were wearing that old-fashioned military uniform, he would look exactly like me!"

Uncle Lei smiled and said, "You were a higher rank than he is when you were in the military—I remember your final promotion was to Brigadier General."

Father asked, "How old is this person?”

Uncle Wang said: "Twenty-three years old. He returned last year from the Naval War College in the United States."

Father said: "Young people these days are truly remarkable. Back in our day, we could never rise through the ranks so quickly. I was considered to be taking a shortcut, rising six grades in ten years, and even then, I don't know how much gossip I stirred up." As he spoke, he casually flipped the file to the next page, squinting to read the fine print. "Hm, born on July 7th..."

Father closed the file and returned it to Uncle Wang. Uncle Wang was still joking: "That's it, looks like there's no hope. I was counting on you really knowing his mother."

Father gave a small laugh. The uncles began to chat and joke again, bringing up many other topics to keep Father entertained. Father was in an unusually good mood tonight; he listened to their rambling chatter and even interjected with a question or two from time to time. They talked for a long while, and it wasn't until I was so sleepy I could barely keep my eyes open that they finally took their leave. Father stood up to see them out; they repeatedly said, "You shouldn't have," and Father stopped, watching them file out. I was tired and wanted to say goodnight to Father before heading upstairs to sleep, but just then, Father called out to Uncle Lei, who was the last to leave. "Shaogong, I have something to discuss with you."

I found it funny to hear Father address Uncle Lei that way. Uncle Lei started as his personal aide, so Father was used to calling him by his given name. Even though Uncle Lei was high-ranking and powerful now, with temples dusted in white, he still reacted with the conditioned reflex of an aide as soon as Father called him, straightening his posture immediately. "Yes, sir."

It was still that same deferential, submissive tone of a personal aide, which I found even more amusing. As if by some strange twist of fate, I stayed behind the corner of the wall, wanting to wait until they finished talking to bid Father goodnight.

Father, however, remained silent for a long time. I found it strange; didn't he have something to tell Uncle Lei?

Uncle Lei was the one who finally spoke. Though his voice was very low, I could still hear him: "Sir... it’s such a coincidence... why is it his birthday on July 7th?"

My heart hammered in my chest. What was he talking about? What did this bizarre, out-of-the-blue question mean?

Father still didn't say a word. Uncle Lei added: "Should I send someone to investigate?"

My heart pounded like a drum. Oh! What are they talking about?!

Father finally spoke: "That child... didn't he die at the age of three?"

Uncle Lei replied: "Yes. I was personally standing right there, watching..."

My ears began to ring, as if an air force squadron were landing, the thunderous roar blurring my vision. I sucked in cold air through my teeth, bit by bit. Oh! Heavens! What on earth have I just heard? A secret?! An earth-shattering secret! A secret buried for years!

I forced myself to stay calm, but I had already missed several sentences. All I could hear was Uncle Lei continuously responding: "Yes! Yes!..."

I desperately tried to steady my nerves. I heard Father sigh softly; I heard him say: "He really looks like him, especially that sharp chin. He looks exactly like his mother..."

I bit down hard on my palm, struggling to suppress my breathing. Heavens! Father really did have an "old acquaintance"! My god! That handsome captain really might be Father's son!

Uncle Lei said: "Rest assured, sir, I will send someone to look into it immediately."

Father’s voice was filled with visible pain: "His mother, back then..."

God!

Who was that old acquaintance?

Thunderclap after thunderclap rolled over my head. I was dizzy and lightheaded; I was completely terrified by this secret!

Uncle Lei was trying to reassure him: "Don't think too much about it. I'll go check right now."

Uncle Lei took his leave. I tiptoed toward the staircase and then sprinted back to my room in one breath, collapsing onto my bed!

Oh! Heavens! How could such a secret exist?! How could such a person exist?!

I don't know when I finally fell asleep. I tossed and turned all night, plagued by nightmares. I woke up covered in a cold sweat that soaked my pajamas. By the time I woke up from my nightmares, the sky had long since brightened. I got up to take a shower. The hot water spraying over my body and face made me sober, made me resolute. I said to myself: "I must do something! I must do something! They have gone to investigate, and I, too, shall investigate the truth I want to know! I have to know the truth of the matter!"

I acted as soon as I made up my mind. After showering, I changed into clothes for going out and told Director Liang that I was going to play at Grandpa Mu's house. He didn't suspect a thing and dispatched a car and an escort to take me out. Grandpa Mu's grandson, Mu Shiyang, was my childhood playmate and a very resourceful person. When I saw him, I quietly told him: "I want to go to Fu River to play."

He said: "Alright, I'll go with you." I covertly pointed to the bodyguards not far away and whispered: "I don't want to bring any tails." He smiled. We had pulled this kind of thing off a few times, ditching the aides to go out for a late-night snack or something similar. He was Uncle Lei's nephew, and Uncle Lei was the top superior of the aide's office. On top of that, Father liked Mu Shiyang very much, so the aide's office always covered for us. As long as we weren't doing anything too outrageous, they turned a blind eye, pretending they didn't know.

He said: "I have a way."

He really did have a way. He told the aides that we were going to his room on the second floor to play chess, then dragged me upstairs, instructing the servants on how to handle any later inquiries from the aides. We then slipped down the servants' back staircase, darted through the garden, and sneaked into the garage. He personally drove his off-road jeep, and with me in tow, we slipped out of the Mu family gates without a soul noticing.

Long live the air of freedom! I felt like screaming at the top of my lungs. We sped down the highway, traveling without a single obstruction. It took us just over two hours to reach Fu River. Just as he was about to drive into the city, I said: "I want to go to Wanshan." He froze for a moment and said: "Go to Wanshan? It's too late; I'm afraid we won't make it back today."

I said: "I have to go to Wanshan!"

He said: "No. If we can't make it back today, Grandpa will be furious."

I said: "If you don't take me, I'll never talk to you again! I mean what I say!"

He sighed. I knew he would agree. Sure enough, he said dejectedly: "Fine, you're vicious."

We continued along the road and finally arrived at Wanshan. He asked me: "Where in Wanshan do you want to go?"

I said: "The Second Fleet base."

He was shocked and turned his head to look at me, "What are you going there for?"

"Don't you worry about it!”

He said: "You can't get into the base. It’s a restricted military zone; civilians are not allowed."

I took the special pass out of my handbag and waved it. "With this, I can even enter the Shuangqiao official residence; surely it doesn't have a higher security level than that."

He stared at me as if I were a monster, and finally said: "You really have nothing better to do!" Then he turned the car around. I cried out in anxiety: "What are you doing?"

He said: "Taking you back to Wuchi! I think you’re simply having a fever dream; you don't even know what you’re doing!"

I said, word for word: "I am not having a fever dream, and I know exactly what I am doing. If you aren't willing to accompany me, then you can just go back alone."

He scoffed, "What are you going to do by running off to a military base alone? If I don't drag you back immediately, then I would be the one having a fever dream!"

I said: "If you drag me back now, I will never speak to you again for the rest of my life! I mean it!"

He scrutinized me, gauging how much conviction was in my words. I stared him down, and he finally surrendered, muttering: "Grandpa is going to peel the skin off my back... and Uncle too. Good heavens!"

I said: "I will help you plead for mercy."

He slanted a glance at me, grunted, and said insincerely: "Then I thank you in advance."

We turned the car around once again. Since we didn't know the way, we asked for directions as we went, and it wasn't until dusk was falling that we arrived outside the base. The military harbor at twilight was truly beautiful. Looking in through the wire mesh fence, the entire sky was filled with rose-purple sunset clouds; the closer to the horizon, the deeper the color became. Where the sea met the sky, it turned into a heavy, dark red, faintly suffused with a layer of purple mist. The seawater was a deep, purplish blue, and the arcs of the waves were uniform and graceful. In the crescent-shaped bay, neat warships were moored quietly, one after another, like a group of sleeping children.

Mu Shiyang negotiated with the guards at the gate. He had always been resourceful; I knew that. He took out his pass and mine, and the guards finally let us through. He drove into the base, turned his face, and asked me: "Now, surely you can tell me what you want to do."

I said: "I’ll get off here, you go back."

He slammed on the brakes. If it weren't for my seatbelt, my head would surely have hit the ceiling of the car. I glared at him. "How are you driving?" He said: "You must be crazy! If I leave you here alone and go back, then I must be crazy, too."

I curled my lip. "I don't want anyone to know what I’m going to do next." He said: "If you want to stay here alone, I swear, I will drag you back, even if it’s by force! Even if you refuse to talk to me for the next lifetime, I will get you back to Wuchi!"

I had never seen him in such a temper. I was stunned for a moment, then said: "Fine. I’m going to look for someone. If you want to follow me, go ahead." He asked: "Who are you looking for?" I said distressfully: "That’s the difficult part; I don't know."

He looked at me as if I were a monster again, saying slowly: "They say a girl changes eighteen times as she grows, becoming more beautiful each time, but you are becoming more like a monster with every change!"

I glared at him fiercely and said: "I don't know his name, but I know he is twenty-three years old this year, is a Captain in the military, his birthday is July 7th, and he looks..." I swallowed a mouthful of saliva, "...he looks very good!"

"Good-looking?" He seemed pensive. "Have you met him?"

"No." I confessed. "I only saw his photo at Father's place."

He fell into deep thought. After a while, he suddenly realized: "Oh! I get it! You fell in love at first sight with his photo, so you ran over here to try and see him in person!" He concluded self-righteously: "Childish little girl!" I wanted to roll my eyes at him. I said: "Yes! You really are smart; you even guessed that!" I mocked him on purpose: "But you guessed wrong this time. Father was the one who showed me the photo—he wanted to arrange a blind date for me!"

He laughed heartily. "A blind date? You, a blind date? How old are you this year? Girl, if you’re going to lie, at least make it sound reasonable so people believe you." I spoke with righteous indignation: "How is it unreasonable? My eldest aunt married at nineteen, and my younger aunt at eighteen. When my grandmother married my grandfather, she was even younger—only seventeen. The girls in our family all marry early. I’m seventeen this year, why couldn't Father arrange a blind date for me?"

He was left speechless. It took him a long time to ask: "That Captain... is he good-looking?"

I tilted my head and said: "Of course, better-looking than any boy I’ve ever seen." He said dismissively: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!" I said: "Let’s say you’re right." I pushed the car door open to get out, and he hurriedly followed. The sea breeze was fierce, blowing my hair into a mess. I bit my lip and said: "But how am I supposed to find someone with no name and no surname?"

He looked at me with that same sidelong glance and said: "Beg me. If you beg me, I’ll find a way to find your sweetheart."

I said readily: "Fine, I beg you." He wasn't prepared for me to do that, so he paused for a moment before saying: "Give me some time to think of a way." I taunted him on purpose: "Arrogant. Ha! Out of ideas this time, aren't you!" He was provoked. "Who says I’m out of ideas?!"

He really had a way once he said he did. He made a few phone calls and then told me: "Let’s go! There is only one person in the Second Fleet born on July 7th. His name is Zhuo Zheng, and he lives in Room 207 of Building D in the Ren District."

I was overjoyed and said: "Mu Shiyang, you really are a great guy!" He shrugged and looked around: "Ren District... it should be over there..."

We found the Ren District, found Building D, and went up to the second floor. We stood in front of the door to Room 207. My heart was pounding, my breathing was rapid, and I grabbed Mu Shiyang's hand, feeling a bit timid. He smiled at me: "What are you afraid of? Isn't he supposed to be very good-looking?" I glared at him, but my mood unknowingly relaxed. I said: "Will you knock on the door for me, please?"

He shrugged again and raised his hand to knock. No one answered. He knocked again; still no response.

I was extremely disappointed and pounded on the door a few times myself. The door next to us opened, and a young officer poked his head out: "Are you looking for Zhuo Zheng?" I asked: "Is he not here?" He said: "He just stepped out." I asked disappointedly: "Where did he go?" He looked us over and asked: "Who are you..."

Mu Shiyang took out his work badge and flashed it: "Office of the Shuangqiao Residence." The officer asked with surprise: "Is there something wrong with Zhuo Zheng?" Mu Shiyang said: "No, just some official business to discuss with him." He glanced at me and said intentionally: "But it’s good news.”

The officer replied without hesitation: "We just received a call ordering him to go see the Commander-in-Chief." We thanked him and headed downstairs. Standing at the foot of the building, Mu Shiyang looked at me and asked: "Are we going to wait for him here, or are we going to find him? If you ask me, we had better head back quickly, otherwise we won't make it back to Wuchi tonight." I said without the slightest hesitation: "Of course we wait. I must see him."

He said: "I’ve known you for seventeen years, but I understand you less and less. One day, you are going to turn into a little monster!"

I couldn't be bothered to explain to him, nor did I want to. We just sat in the car and waited. The sky gradually dimmed; the sunset clouds on the horizon slowly transformed into a black velvet curtain, and one by one, the stars revealed their mischievous eyes. The telephone in Mu Shiyang’s car rang—it was the Aide-de-Camp’s Office calling. They were in a state of panic. "Mr. Mu, are you with the Young Lady?"

He glanced at me and said: "Of course I am with her." The aides seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, yet they still asked with extreme unease, "Where are you now?" Mu Shiyang chuckled and said: "You’ve only just realized the Young Lady is missing? Be careful that Director Liang doesn't dock your pay." The aides felt even more relieved, assuming we were just hiding and playing a prank on them, so they said: "Mr. Mu, stop scaring us. The Young Lady should come home." I took the phone and said to them: "Come find me. Once you find me, I’ll go home." I hung up before they could say another word.

Mu Shiyang said: "You are going to be the death of both me and them."

I knew it. If the aides didn't find us after midnight, there would absolutely be chaos. In truth, I was terrified, but I consoled him haphazardly: "It’s nothing. At worst, Uncle Lei will curse you out, and Father will give me a good scolding." He said: "I am not that optimistic. I think—I’m going to lose half my life."

I blurted out: "I’ll be buried with you. Besides, it’s better to die under a peony flower; one remains romantic even as a ghost." He laughed heartily, looking me up and down, and said with sarcasm: "Dying under a peony flower is one thing—I think you can only count as a sprig of dogtail grass!" I rolled my eyes at him, "And you are only worthy of dying under a sprig of dogtail grass!" We bickered, though in truth, we were comforting each other. The sky darkened completely, yet Zhuo Zheng remained nowhere to be seen. I grew anxious. Mu Shiyang saw through my heart; he also wanted to fulfill my wish as soon as possible so we could return to Wuchi, so he asked: "Do you want to go find him?" I asked: "How do we find him?" Mu Shiyang said: "We go directly to see Commander Fan. Perhaps Zhuo Zheng is with him. Even if he isn't, if he steps in, we will surely find him immediately."

I cried out: "No! That Commander Fan might have seen me, and he definitely knows you. If he finds out I snuck out, he will definitely escort us both back." Mu Shiyang said: "It doesn't matter much if he knows me. As for you, he has only crossed paths with you once or twice; if we go find him, he might not recognize you. Let's make this quick before the Aide’s Office lets the whole world know."

Waiting around like this wasn't a solution, so I agreed. We had just stepped onto the stairs when we encountered a young officer brushing past us. Mu Shiyang caught a glimpse of his epaulets and blurted out: "Zhuo Zheng." The man actually turned back, looking at us both with suspicion. My heart beat fast and hard. Such familiar eyes! Father’s eyes! Although the expression was different, and the age was different, they were the same. Mu Shiyang was also stunned for a moment, but he reacted quickly and asked: "Are you Zhuo Zheng, if I may ask?" The man arched his eyebrows. Good heavens! Even that small gesture of confusion was exactly like Father. I gasped for air and heard him say: "I am." Mu Shiyang took out his work badge again, "We would like to speak with you."

He glanced at the badge and said: "Is this for official business?" Mu Shiyang, however, seemed to grow suspicious himself, saying: "Mr. Zhuo, I find you very familiar. Have we met before?" Zhuo Zheng laughed, "Many people have told me that I have a familiar face. I suppose I have a common face."

A common face? No! Not at all! Father’s photographs were everywhere; of course everyone would feel he looked familiar. Mu Shiyang shook his head, "No! I have definitely seen you." I wanted to stop him from thinking about it, but I couldn't find the words to interrupt. My brain was a mess, threatening to go on strike. Zhuo Zheng was also scrutinizing me, his expression also one of surprise and suspicion. He asked me: "Miss, what is your surname?"

I answered haphazardly: "My surname is Mu." Mu Shiyang smiled, and I glared at him—let him have his small victory. There was nothing to be done about it. Zhuo Zheng coughed lightly and asked: "What is your business, the two of you?" Mu Shiyang looked at me. I was tongue-tied, not knowing what to say.

Finally, I asked: "Mr. Zhuo, what… what do your parents do?" Both Mu Shiyang and Zhuo Zheng looked at me in astonishment. I knew I sounded like a census taker. But… how was I supposed to phrase it? Although Zhuo Zheng was confused, he still replied: "I am an orphan. My foster mother was a primary school teacher."

An orphan? I was confused, "Is your original surname Zhuo?" He said: "That is my foster mother’s surname." Looking at his face, which mirrored Father’s so closely, I suddenly felt cowardly. I said: "Thank you." Then I said to Mu Shiyang: "Let’s go."

My sudden change left Mu Shiyang baffled; I imagine he was calling me a little monster in his heart again. Zhuo Zheng was also perplexed; he had likely never seen anyone conduct "official business" this way. He asked Mu Shiyang: "Is there anything else?" Mu Shiyang was still focused on deep thought, and hearing the question, he blurted out: "Yes." He took a step back before realizing what he had said. His face turned pale as if he had seen a ghost. He seemed frightened by his own reaction. He looked at Zhuo Zheng in confusion, and Zhuo Zheng looked back at him, just as confused. I hurriedly pulled at him: "Let’s go."

I dragged him away quickly to take our leave. It wasn't until we were in the car that he was still completely bewildered: "How strange! What has gotten into me? I've seen a ghost! This isn't the Executive Office, and he isn't the Commander…" He suddenly jumped up, "Heavens!" He stared at me wide-eyed, and I looked back at him.

His face was ashen! He finally realized why Zhuo Zheng looked familiar! I think he had figured it out! Sure enough, he muttered to himself: "No wonder… no wonder my heart races the moment I see him, why I feel guilty the moment he frowns, why I…” He looked at me in disbelief: "I actually…" To tell the truth, just seeing the way Zhuo Zheng frowned earlier made my own heart race. The moment he stiffened his face, he looked exactly like Father.

He asked me: "Is this what you meant when you said he was… good-looking?"

I nodded. He let out a long breath and said: "You’ve tricked me thoroughly!" Immediately, he thought of it: "Why did you come to find him?" He was far too clever and had guessed it instantly; his expression changed drastically: "He… he…"

I have known him for seventeen years, and this was the first time I had ever seen him so tongue-tied. Among our family friends, he was famous for his poise and insight, known as the head of the "Four Young Masters of Wuchi." His family was also famous for their class; they prided themselves on being a noble household, emphasizing that one should remain "unmoved even if Mount Tai crumbles before them." Yet, at this moment, he was stunned into such a state.

He gasped for air and said: "Little girl, you are really going to be the death of me this time." Getting involved in my family’s private affairs was extremely unwise, especially a private matter like this. He was clearly thinking of my father and let out a long, heavy sigh.

I argued: "I wanted to come find him alone, but you insisted on following me."

He didn't speak, and I suspect he was angry. I was a bit afraid, so I said: "I’m sorry." He shook his head, already back to his usual calm self. He touched my hair and said: "Forget it. We are already here, anyway. We need to discuss how to keep this under wraps and pull off the impossible.”