Against the Current - Chapter 83

Chapter 83 - Fangsi

It took a full month of medicine before Xianglan's illness finally cleared, and the bruising on her face completely faded away. Midsummer had arrived by then, bringing with it the hum of cicadas and the croaking of frogs, dense leafy shades, and an entire trellis of roses filling the courtyard with fragrance.

Xianglan sat in the cool shade of the veranda, meticulously working on her needlework. Junxi brought out a small low table and smiled, saying, "Take a break. You've been sewing all day long—be careful not to work yourself into a sickness."

"Needlework isn't something that can be finished in a day or two. Come have a slice of watermelon to cool off from the summer heat. This was just pulled straight out of the well, so it's wonderfully refreshing." Yuexi briskly carried over a round watermelon, sliced it with a knife, handed a piece to Xianglan, and then turned to invite Junxi over.

Xianglan took a bite and found it wonderfully sweet, crisp, and cool. She asked, "Do Madam and the Young Mistress have any in their rooms?"

Junxi replied, "Those two rooms were served first. Madam even rewarded us with lychee drinks, and we'll chill some in the ice chest tonight to serve to Eldest Young Master." As she spoke, she seated herself beside Yuexi, and the three of them gathered closely around the small table, eating watermelon while chatting and laughing.

A gentle breeze swept past. Xianglan smoothed the stray locks of hair beside her temples and looked out at every tree and blade of grass in the courtyard, feeling a deep sense of peace.

The Song family residence was not particularly large, consisting merely of a two-courtyard compound. While it lacked the grand scale of the Lin family's pavilions, terraces, waterside pavilions, and sprawling halls, the emerald bamboo, banana trees, and exotic rocks and plants possessed a unique and charming appeal of their time. The Song household had a simple family structure with very few servants, numbering barely a dozen people in total. Observing closely, Xianglan noticed that the Song family did not display many precious antiques or decorative pieces, yet items like the beast-handled lion-eared white jade incense burner and the twin-handled deer-headed bronze tripod were undeniably high-value treasures. The armrests, neck rolls, and seat cushions they used were uniformly made of semi-new Kesi damask and silk. From this, one could tell how prosperous such a family must have been in the past; though half of that opulent, extravagant aura had now faded, the household remained thoroughly solid and well-provided.

A few days prior, Song Ke had sent her to kowtow to Madam Song, merely explaining that Xianglan was a maid he had purchased from outside. Xianglan had originally been anxious, terrified that someone might recognize her as having come from the Lin family, but she did not realize that Madam Song was entirely unobservant by nature. Furthermore, the Lin family possessed countless maids, and Madam Song only ever recognized the prominent, powerful senior maids by Lady Qin and Lady Wang; naturally, she had no recollection of Xianglan. Song Tanchai had only crossed paths with Xianglan twice, and so much time had passed that upon seeing her again, she merely felt a vague sense of familiarity without sensing anything amiss, even going so far as to gift her a set of brightly colored garments she rarely wore herself.

Xianglan had virtually no chores to attend to each day. Perhaps because Song Ke had given instructions, Junxi and Yuexi vied with one another to finish all the work, treating her almost like a young mistress or grandmother of the household. Xianglan insisted on finding some needlework to do, and seeing that others could not dissuade her, they finally let her be.

After the three of them finished eating their watermelon, Junxi cleared away the table and placed the remaining slices onto a tray to take to the front courtyard for the junior servants to enjoy. Meanwhile, Yuexi opened up a wicker chest, pulled out the winter cotton robes, and spread them out in the courtyard to air under the sun. Xianglan went over to help and sorted out a bolt of deep greenish-blue brocade fabric from the bottom of the wardrobe.

Yuexi smiled and said, "This was left over from tailoring Eldest Young Master's winter robes last year. There wasn't enough material left to make another pair of shoes, and I lack the craftsmanship to make a hat, so it would have been a waste to just throw it away and left it sitting in the cabinet instead."

Xianglan smiled and said, "If it has no other use, give it to me. I've just thought of something to make with it."

Yuexi said dismissively, "Take it. Leaving it there will only gather dust."

Xianglan took the fabric, and in less than an afternoon, crafted a stationery pouch. She then fetched a brush, inkstone, and paper to carefully sketch out a pattern, first embroidering a cluster of bamboo upon the pouch. Junxi praised it, saying, "This bamboo is embroidered so handsomely—it's both vibrant and perfectly neat."

Sitting in her room, Xianglan sewed straight through until dusk. Rubbing her aching neck with her hand, she looked up and saw Song Ke standing silently in the doorway watching her, though she had no idea how long he had been standing there.

Xianglan hastily stood up and asked, "Why did you just stand at the door when you came back?" As she spoke, she invited him into the room, hurried to pour him a cup of tea, and turned back to ask, "It's hot outside; the bathwater in the washroom has been prepared for a long time, and there are ice-chilled melons and fruits in the room. Would you like to have some?"

Song Ke did not answer immediately. He was dressed in a soft silk straight robe the color of a thousand grasses, secured at the waist with a jade-colored belt. His countenance was as flawless as jade, and he simply stood there looking at Xianglan with a gentle smile. Outside, the weather was stifling and hot; he had spent the entire afternoon wrestling with matters concerning the family's properties and had returned with a belly full of frustration. Yet the moment he stepped inside, he saw Xianglan sitting quietly upon the gold-inlaid arhat bed, embroidering in tranquil silence. Her face, lovely as a hibiscus, was cast downward, exposing the fair, delicate skin of her neck as her nimble fingers danced through the stitches—a scene both serene and breathtakingly lovely.

Song Ke felt all his irritation instantly scatter beyond the highest clouds, and the corners of his mouth curled upward of their own accord. He remained standing there, staring fixedly at her for a long time. At that moment, Xianglan brought him tea and water, and helped retrieve his everyday house garments. Song Ke felt she looked more and more like a devoted young wife welcoming her husband home. Feeling slightly lightheaded, he took a seat and watched Xianglan bustle back and forth as she arranged a plate of melons, fruits, pears, and peaches on the small kang table beside him.

Song Ke gave a soft cough and said, "Your health has only just improved, stop wearing yourself out. Where are Junxi and Yuexi?"

"They went over to the Young Mistress's room to help pick out fabrics. A fresh batch of various colored textile bolts was just delivered from the shop, and they said they need to tailor a few new outfits," Xianglan replied as she wrung out a hand towel and handed him his tea. "I'm already completely well, and I'm not that fragile."

Song Ke wiped his face and hands before replying, "Even so, you still need to recuperate for a while longer. In my opinion, it wouldn't hurt to keep taking nourishing medicines for another half a year before stopping." He glanced at Xianglan and asked, "Everyone else went to pick out fabrics, why didn't you go?" Ever since Xianglan arrived at the Song household, she had worn either Song Tanchai's old clothes or two sets of new maid garments. Song Ke had therefore ordered his staff to bring back several bolts of fabric from the store, intending to have a couple of seasonal outfits made for her. However, singling Xianglan out exclusively would be far too conspicuous, so he had had the fabrics sent directly to Song Tanchai's quarters for everyone to select from. He hadn't expected Xianglan to skip it entirely.

Xianglan smiled, her delicate brows curving gracefully: "If I went, who would watch the room? The tea and water would go cold, and would you have to summon the matrons from outside to wait on you?"

That smile made Song Ke's heart skip a beat. Finding that expression both familiar and exquisite, it plucked at the strings of his heart, leaving him momentarily dazed.

Seeing Song Ke staring at her in a daze, Xianglan felt a blush creep up her cheeks. Though feeling shy, she maintained her guard and cleverly diverted the conversation as if nothing were amiss. "Is the Eldest Young Master going to bathe first, or have dinner?"

Realizing he had lost his composure, Song Ke lowered his gaze and coughed softly, acting as though he hadn't heard her question. "Since you didn't go pick out fabrics, I happened to have two bolts brought here myself. See if you like them; if they suit you, you can keep them." With that, he lifted the door curtain and called out to the junior errand boy on duty in the veranda, "Lvdou, bring those two bolts of fabric over here."

A moment later, Lvdou indeed came in hugging two bolts of cloth—one a sky-blue fine cotton, and the other a concubine-red silk damask. Both were top-grade materials, soft and densely woven without appearing ostentatious.

Xianglan stroked them repeatedly. Watching her slightly lowered eyelashes, Song Ke felt as though a soft feather were brushing gently across his heart. Seeing that the kingfisher hairpin on her head had slipped crookedly, he instinctively reached out and adjusted it back into place. Xianglan hurriedly raised her head, their gazes locking instantly. At that precise moment, the door curtain rustled, and Fangsi walked in carrying a bolt of ivory-white fabric. Seeing the intimate posture of the two of them, her expression darkened instantly. She said coldly, "Oh, what a scene! It seems I've come at a rather inopportune time."

Fangsi was Madam Song's most favored senior maid, and her mother, Mother Guo, was Madam Song's trusted confidante, later married to a respectable steward. Following the death of Master Song, while they were struggling as an isolated widow and orphan through rough storms, Mother Guo had remained steadfastly loyal and never left their side. Her daughter Fangsi also entered the manor to serve the masters, prompting Madam Song to hold her in particularly high regard.

Fangsi was tall and fair-skinned, with almond-shaped eyes and thin lips. While not an absolute beauty, she possessed a certain attractiveness and was exceptionally articulate. Madam Song had taken a liking to her, sounded out Mother Guo's intentions, and discovering that Fangsi was willing to serve by Song Ke's side, had promised Fangsi to Song Ke as a concubine. To everyone's surprise, however, Song Ke had refused, even rebuking Madam Song for meddling needlessly.

Madam Song regarded this son as the apple of her eye and the sole hope for her remaining years, and thus dared not violate his wishes. When Fangsi learned of this, she wept bitterly and hid herself away for three full days. Afterward, however, she constantly sent items over to Song Ke's quarters and loved to laugh and chat with Junxi and Yuexi, becoming even more assiduous than before. Earlier, when she saw Xianglan bedridden and completely unrecognizable from illness, she had even uttered a few sympathetic sighs over how pitiful the girl was. But as Xianglan grew healthier day by day and the scars on her face healed completely, Fangsi's attitude toward Xianglan grew increasingly cold and aloof.

Secretly annoyed that Fangsi had chosen this exact moment to barge in, Song Ke lowered his hand from Xianglan's hair with an expressionless face, turned around, and demanded, "What are you here for?"

Nursing a bitter grievance in her heart, Fangsi swallowed her jealousy and replied, "Madam said this color is lovely and wanted to ask the Eldest Young Master's opinion. If you like it, I can make a winter cloak for you." Her eyes darted stealthily toward Song Ke's face.

Song Ke replied with a faint, indifferent smile, "Didn't I already say I won't be adding any more garments this year? Tell Mother and Sister to choose for themselves. Besides, with the summer weather this hot, who wears a winter cloak?"

Fangsi quickly added, "If not a cloak, I can make a pair of loose-legged trousers instead."

Seeing Fangsi's eyes grow red-rimmed, Song Ke softened his tone and said, "You already have your hands full with the needlework in Madam's quarters, so why add more chores to your plate? My clothes already have people to make them; you just focus on serving Madam well."

Fangsi shook her head frantically. "It's just making a pair of trousers, it won't take much trouble at all." Fearing that Song Ke might refuse, she took a few steps forward, forced a smile at Xianglan, and said, "Junxi and Yuexi's sewing is a bit crude, and since Sister Xianglan has only just arrived and her health is still delicate, she shouldn't overwork herself either. After thinking it over, I figured I might as well handle the needlework for the Eldest Young Master's quarters."

Song Ke thought to himself: Fangsi is the most favored maid by my mother's side; I cannot openly reject my mother's face like this. It's just a pair of trousers—if she insists on making them, I might as well let her. With no other choice, he gave a helpless nod.

Delighted as if she had struck treasure, Fangsi's face broke into a radiant smile as she said happily, "I can finish it in two or three days!" Her gaze lingered longingly on Song Ke.

Song Ke smiled faintly, nodded, and rose to go to the washroom to bathe, leaving Fangsi and Xianglan staring at each other wide-eyed in the room.

Fangsi looked Xianglan up and down from head to toe, her expression dripping with haughtiness. "I never got around to asking you—when you were first bought into the manor by the Eldest Young Master as a sickly invalid, what was that all about?"

Xianglan glanced at Fangsi, walked over to light the lamp on the table, and replied indifferently, "Is that something Madam sent you to ask me, or are you asking on your own accord?"

Fangsi had not expected Xianglan to retort in such a manner, and she froze in utter astonishment.