Chapter4

Shaoxing – First Encounter (Part Three)

When Yu Manyi was eighty years old, she revisited the old place. The young guide explaining things to the tourists didn’t take them to see the cellar. Indeed, the Yu family estate changed scenery with every step, even the ridge beasts on the eaves were among the finest in the region—who would care to look at a cellar? So Yu Manyi could only wait until the crowd dispersed, then, leaning on her cane, she groped her way through the familiar paths into the depths of the courtyard. In a secluded corner, she lifted open that now moldy, rotten door from the bottom up—

Then, the sky quickly dimmed. A bright moon hung on the treetops in the courtyard, and the damp scent of southern soil rushed into her face. Sixteen-year-old Yu Manyi descended the ladder holding a candle and felt her way to that young body lying in the corner.

He wasn't dead. The snacks she had left in his hand were gone, and the water jug was half empty. Yu Manyi bent down to listen for his heartbeat and felt a steady, unbroken rhythm—beat after beat—with a kind of stubborn tenacity.

She gathered some straw behind her and sat cross-legged beside him, then pulled out the food and medicine she had secretly taken for him. She tried to pry his mouth open to stuff the rice mash in, but his lips were tightly shut. Yu Manyi grew increasingly forceful, but he wouldn’t cooperate at all. Eventually, she even got angry.

This was a completely new emotion for Yu Manyi—she had never been angry at anyone before. It was a kind of emotion that only arose under the premise of safety, the kind that surfaced when she knew the other posed no threat to her. Furious, she gave him a shove, then stood up and paced around the cellar twice, before kicking his waist with the tip of her shoe in annoyance.

In the darkness, her ankle was once again grabbed.

Her first instinct, of course, was to scream—but she immediately realized it would alert the others, so like Song Qi, she pressed her lips tightly shut. She also noticed that compared to last time, Song Qi’s grip was much weaker—he must have done it merely to stop her from kicking him.

The cellar door had already been closed. The candle in the corner was the only source of light. The wax light was closer to Yu Manyi, which made her shadow stretch taller than her actual figure. She once again looked down at Song Qi—only this time, from even closer, she could see more clearly. His complexion wasn't pale thanks to the color of the candlelight. Yu Manyi was surprised to find that despite being so badly injured, he had somehow cleaned the blood and dirt off his face while she was gone. He really cared too much about appearances.

That grip had drained the last of Song Qi’s strength. In the next moment, his hand slowly dropped to her foot. Yu Manyi lifted her skirt slightly and crouched down beside him.

He quietly stared at her without saying a word.

“You don’t need to waste your strength explaining who you are,” she said. “I know who you are. I also know why you’re like this. This is the Yu family’s cellar. You know the Yu family, right? You came once before.”

A faint hint of surprise appeared on Song Qi’s face.

“Don’t go out just yet. The You family is looking for you,” she continued. “No one ever comes to this cellar. When your injuries are better, I’ll help you find a way to sneak out.”He nodded. Yu Manyi could tell that speaking was very difficult for him—back then, that plea of “Help me” had sounded hoarse. By the candlelight, she examined his neck and saw deep rope marks. His vocal cords were probably injured too.

Because she didn’t need him to say anything, their first conversation was very short. Yu Manyi thought for a moment, then placed the food and water she’d brought within his reach, signaling that he could eat once he regained strength. He didn’t seem to like being fed.

Song Qi nodded again, his eyes fixed steadily on her.

Yu Manyi felt there was nothing more she could do. She unwrapped a small cotton blanket she had carried on her back. The bedding in her room was all too large—if it went missing, it would be noticeable. So she had brought a small blanket from her childhood and covered him with it.

“Then I’m going. I’ll come again at this time tomorrow,” she said.

Yu Manyi cupped the candle in her palms and carefully climbed up the ladder out of the cellar. Just as she was about to push the door open, a low male voice came from behind her: “What’s your name?”

She turned around and lowered her voice too. “My name is Yu Manyi.”

With that, she pushed the cellar door open. The clear moonlight poured into the cellar, replacing the candlelight. But as Yu Manyi left, both the moonlight and the candlelight disappeared from Song Qi’s view.

Yu Manyi’s routine was completely disrupted—even her cousin’s visit hadn’t thrown her off like this. She had to wake up before dawn to wash the bowls from the night before and return them to their place in the kitchen, lest the steward, always watching for servants stealing utensils, noticed something amiss.

Then she ate breakfast, hiding an egg up her sleeve. During the day, when there were fewer people at home, she would circle around the kitchen now and then, looking for those unaccounted, unwatched leftovers. Dinner was crowded, and the amount of food she could take was limited—she had to stay sharp, act swiftly, and seize opportunities. And at the end of it all, she still had to fill a jug of water and carry it back to her room under the pretense of being thirsty.

She visited him after everyone had gone to sleep, sitting by his side, starting with careful words that gradually became uncontrollable chatter—Yu Manyi was surprised to discover that the man she had picked up was the first person in the entire household willing to listen to her go on and on. At a certain moment, she realized this—and it was like opening a floodgate. She wanted to pour out all the trivial things she had kept bottled up in her heart for sixteen years.

She couldn’t be sure whether Song Qi was annoyed by her endless rambling, the way her Third Uncle grew tired of Third Aunt’s chatter by his pillow. Song Qi had injured his throat and spoke very little, but he responded to every bit of what she said with the proper reply—even if it was only a “Mm,” “Okay,” or “Indeed.”For example, yesterday when Yu Manyi asked him if she talked too much, he sighed and said, “Indeed.” Yu Manyi got a little angry, carried the two empty bowls back to her room, and decided she’d bring him less food today—let him go a little hungrier, so he could realize how important she was.

She didn’t get a chance to put that plan into action, though, because Third Aunt disrupted her usual post-lunch routine of sneaking into the kitchen for leftovers.

The moment she sat down, she sensed that Third Aunt had something to say. After the whole meal was finished, Third Aunt finally called her over and told her to return to her room and change into clothes suitable for going out. Yu Manyi was surprised—she was going out, and with Third Aunt accompanying her?

Even though this was only the second time in ten days, it still counted as a remarkably high frequency of outings in Yu Manyi’s life. The first time had been in secret, behind the family’s back. On the way to change clothes, she kept pondering the reason Third Aunt was taking her out, and a terrifying suspicion crept into her mind:

Third Aunt had found out she brought someone back. She was taking her to the You family to make an apology.

With that fear in her heart, Yu Manyi went upstairs, changed clothes, combed her hair, and finally dawdled to a stop at Third Aunt’s door. Third Aunt had also changed clothes—brighter and more refined than usual, making her look a bit younger. She smiled at Yu Manyi and led the way downstairs. Yu Manyi couldn’t understand the meaning behind that smile and could only follow, uneasy.

By the time they left the house, two rickshaw drivers were already waiting outside. This was Yu Manyi’s first time riding in a rickshaw—in the past, whenever she went out with Second Uncle, it had always been by carriage or sedan chair. She sat upright with her legs together and found that the rickshaw, when moving, was very smooth—none of the bumpiness of carriages or sedan chairs.

The rickshaw was open, and when she turned to hold the side rail, she could see the vendors calling out from their stalls, the passersby, and the countless rivers and arched bridges scattered across Shaoxing. When they passed a street corner, the faint scent of osmanthus that had lingered in the air suddenly grew strong. Yu Manyi leaned out and saw two elderly women sifting osmanthus blossoms with flat bamboo baskets. Pale golden petals drifted onto the stone slabs at the door, and the wind scattered them all over the ground.

Yu Manyi realized they weren’t going to the You family after all, and she let out a breath of relief in the fragrance of osmanthus.

The two rickshaws turned onto a road along the river and eventually stopped in front of a fabric store. Yu Manyi got out and could see all kinds of silks and cloth through the open shop doors.

Third Aunt stepped in first, exchanged a few quiet words with the proprietress, and soon a bolt of red silk was brought before them.

The shopkeeper enthusiastically introduced it: this was new stock sent from Hangzhou, patterned with subtle floral designs, perfect for making wedding garments for a bride. Embroidery masters were in high demand these days. Since the young miss of the Yu family would be marrying in two years, it would be wise to purchase the fabric now and book a place in the embroidery queue. Once the design and threads in gold and silver were sent over—peonies, pomegranates, auspicious patterns—not a single motif should be missing.

Yu Manyi was caught off guard. She knew she was to marry her cousin, but she had never thought about what that truly meant. This bolt of fabric meant to become her wedding dress made the engagement suddenly feel very real for the first time. She stammered for quite a while, and unexpectedly, Third Aunt—who was usually not known for patience—stepped beside her and asked, “Do you like it?”

Yu Manyi was shocked. Third Aunt had never asked for her opinion on anything before.“This fabric, for your wedding dress—do you like it?” Third Aunt continued asking, her expression a little softer. “There aren’t many things we women can decide for ourselves. A wedding dress is one of them. If you like it, we’ll settle it now, so no one else snatches it up.”

Yu Manyi couldn’t say whether she liked it or not. She couldn’t form an opinion on something she had no concept of. She reached out to touch the bolt of silk—her fingertips brushing over the smooth surface, feeling a slight roughness where the hidden patterns were, then smoothness again.

She tried hard to imagine this fabric embroidered with peonies, pomegranates, and baoxiang flowers—and herself wearing this red garment, marrying a man whose face she could barely recall.

Suddenly, Yu Manyi realized the image felt very strange to her. She could imagine her own face clearly, but couldn’t picture the face of her cousin standing beside her. Or perhaps the person standing next to her didn’t even have a face.

Frightened, she shoved the bolt of silk back toward the shopkeeper. The two other women in the room were visibly surprised.

“Looks like Miss Yu doesn’t like this one,” the shopkeeper reacted first, forcing a smile. “No problem. Once the winter shipment arrives, you can come back—surely you’ll find one that pleases you.”

Third Aunt, however, quickly turned cold after recovering. “Keep this one on hold for two more days. If I can’t find another, I’ll come back and settle on this.”

“But isn’t it Miss Yu’s—” The shopkeeper started to speak, unaware of Yu Manyi’s status within the Yu family.

“What does she know?” Third Aunt shot her a sidelong glance and sneered coldly. “Already acting picky—doesn’t know what’s good for her.”

Yu Manyi lowered her head, feeling regret for her earlier lack of appreciation. She followed Third Aunt out of the fabric shop and saw her say a few words to the rickshaw puller in front. That man gave Yu Manyi a surprised glance, then lifted the rickshaw and took off.

Yu Manyi stood there in confusion, watching Third Aunt get into the remaining rickshaw and say, without even looking at her, “Walk back on your own.”

Only then did Yu Manyi realize that her push earlier had caused serious trouble.

She had never gone out alone before, and now, for the first time, she felt the difference in physical endurance between people. The distance the rickshaw covered in half an hour took her the whole afternoon to walk, and she even took a wrong turn because she didn’t know the route.

By the time she got home, it was already dark. When the gatekeeper saw it was her, he scolded right away: “Miss, how could you get so caught up in the marketplace fun that you didn’t come back? Do you know what time it is? There’s some leftover food in the kitchen—go eat quickly.”

Yu Manyi calmly asked, “Is that what my Third Aunt told you to say?”The gatekeeper replied, “She’s a kind person. She even explained a lot to Master Yu on your behalf.”

Yu Manyi nodded and said, “She’s certainly considerate.”

After walking the whole afternoon, her calves were swollen and sore. She was so exhausted that she had lost all appetite. Staring at the few bowls of cold rice that were brought out, she realized that no one would care if she snuck food from the kitchen today—no one would even notice she wasn’t in her room. So, without hesitation, she picked up the bowls and walked directly toward the cellar.

She had never actually eaten a meal with Song Qi before.

They said to come late and take less, but she came earlier than usual and took more than usual. Song Qi could tell she was in a bad mood and listened to her recount the day more quietly than ever. As he listened, he slowly sat up from the ground, resting his back against the wall. His body had still not fully recovered in the past few days, but today he was finally able to sit up and even slowly move around the cellar.

Yu Manyi’s retelling was just that—a recounting. There was no blame or anger in her tone. She had simply walked too far, was very tired, and now sat beside him hugging her knees, slowly leaning her head on them.

“I really do like my cousin,” she said with her eyes closed, affirming herself. “Because I got engaged to him, my life has improved so much. After I marry him, it will surely get even better. I suppose I just didn’t like that red fabric.”

She didn’t need to set it up with much context. After all, in these ten days, she had told Song Qi every petty detail of her life—down to the origins of her engagement and the relationships between her cousin and Third Aunt. Song Qi, who normally didn’t pay her much attention, suddenly lifted his eyes upon hearing her words.

“You want to say something?” Yu Manyi asked. “Is your throat better?”

In just ten days, Song Qi’s throat hadn’t improved much, but he still managed to feel his way to the water bowl and take a sip. Then, choosing his words carefully, he said:

“I just think it’s a coincidence. That concubine from the You family said the exact same thing as you.”

He had actually brought up that concubine from the You family on his own.

Yu Manyi wasn’t slow-witted. She froze for just a moment before understanding Song Qi’s implication. At first, she was shocked—then a little angry. But she wasn’t someone who lashed out easily, so she first examined her own reaction in that brief moment—

She had been hoping to marry her cousin for two whole years. During those two years, not a moment passed without her imagining how her life would change completely the instant her bridal veil was lifted. She would no longer be the orphaned daughter adopted into the Yu family without parents; she would become the mistress of a new household and begin a new life.By then, she would no longer have to lower her voice and be submissive in front of Third Aunt. Her cousin had seen the wounds on her arms and did not approve of Third Aunt’s actions—so he would surely stand up for her and protect her.

She had pinned all her hopes of changing her fate on this marriage, and what was Song Qi saying now? He actually compared her destiny to that of the concubine from the You family—this was no different from destroying all her hopes for the future!

If what he said was true, then what would her outcome be? What would it become?

Third Aunt and Second Aunt had both helped her romanticize the idea of marrying her cousin. Even though that piece of red cloth had given her a moment of fear, Yu Manyi didn’t believe it could shake the values she had been raised with since childhood. She had taken such a great risk to save Song Qi’s life, and yet he said something like this to her—Yu Manyi couldn’t help but feel upset.

After thinking it all through, Yu Manyi felt even more justified in her anger. She threw the food in her hands down beside her feet, her tone and expression tinged with frustration.

“What do you mean by that?” she demanded. “I would never be locked up in some attic!”