Chapter 500 — Escaping the Heat

Ji Lingze was grateful to the Dou family for all they had done for her, and she waited on Grandmother with the utmost deference; and Dou Huaide, for the first time, felt that he was a member of this household.

In private, Dou Chiyou said to Song Yan with a sigh, "Well, I suppose one gains a little and loses a little."

Song Yan nodded, took Dou Zhiwei's hand, and said, "Tomorrow I will send you and Yuanheng to the Xiangshan Villa. What do you say, shall we ask Old Madam to go along with you?"

Dou Zhiwei nodded again and again; she thought Grandmother ought to enjoy her remaining years, and travel about and see the world while she still had the strength for it.

But Grandmother hesitated.

All her life she had been unwilling to become a vague, unaccountable burden upon her children and grandchildren, and she had never much cared for gadding about.

Song Yan urged her: "If Shouyuan goes off alone with the child, and you are not there to lend a hand, I shall not be easy in my mind."

Grandmother chuckled at that, and cheerfully gave her consent.

Ji Lingze packed Grandmother's things for her with her own hands.

Grandmother was delighted; she patted Ji Lingze's hand and gave her a pair of mutton-fat jade bracelets.

Ji Lingze saw that the jade was lustrous and flawless, and knew it for a fine old piece, so she resolutely refused it. But Grandmother said, "Just take it. I have a few old things about me besides, all of them my own picking. I had meant them for your mother-in-law, but never gave them in the end; and Sister Ming, I daresay, would not care for them. So you and Shouyuan may divide them between you."

She was pouring out her very heart to the girl, and treated her as though she were her own granddaughter.

Ji Lingze's eyes went red. When Dou Zhiwei's carriage came round, she helped Grandmother out through the ornamental gate.

Dou Zhiwei greeted Ji Lingze with a smile and exchanged a few pleasantries, then climbed into the carriage with Grandmother and drove out of the city.

Mindful of Dou Zhiwei's health, they kept the carriage to a slow pace, and it was dusk by the time they reached Xiangshan.

The moment they stepped down, a cool wind came rushing to meet them.

Grandmother drew a deep breath and laughed. "This is a fine spot!" Yuanheng, too, struggled out of his nurse's arms and jumped down, then ran off to tug at the foxtail grass.

Dou Zhiwei had Ruozhu carry Yuanheng back, saying, "Mind the insects in the grass, or they will bite you."

Yuanheng tilted his little head. "This is a road. Everyone walks here. There are no little bugs. They won't bite me."

"So you have an answer for everything!" Hearing her son's clear voice, Dou Zhiwei felt as though warm water had spilled over her heart, and she gave his little bottom a light pat.

Yuanheng giggled.

The steward and the maids and old women who had come out to receive them all laughed as well, and the steward even praised him to Song Yan: "The young master is truly clever!"

"He merely began talking a little early, that is all," Song Yan said with a modest wave of his hand, though pride and pleasure were hard to hide in his brow.

The steward and the housekeeper exchanged a glance, then respectfully led Song Yan and Dou Zhiwei into the villa.

In the middle of the courtyard stood a great grape trellis, its branches and leaves luxuriant, hung all over with green, unripe grapes; the very sight of it seemed to dispel much of the summer heat.

Grandmother liked it very much, and said with a smile, "It would be even better with a table set here."

The steward at once said eagerly, "Old Madam speaks truly! This servant will fetch a square table this very moment."

Song Yan, seeing that Grandmother still kept the habits of country estate life, simply said, "Shall we have supper laid under the grape trellis?"

"Oh, yes!" Grandmother was, just as expected, full of enthusiasm.

Dou Zhiwei went back to her room smiling to wash and change, and then dined with Grandmother beneath the trellis.

The evening wind passed through, and the whole courtyard was fragrant with hosta flowers.

The chickens and ducks had been raised at the villa itself, and the melons and vegetables had been picked from the garden behind only moments before, fresh and delicious.

It was Yuanheng's first meal out of doors, and he was so excited that he insisted on holding the chopsticks himself; but his hands were small and weak, and after a few jabs the food fell onto the table, splashing soup and gravy everywhere, until even Song Yan's clothes were speckled with grease.

Dou Zhiwei called the wet nurse over and told her to set a separate table for Yuanheng.

Song Yan would not allow it. "It is the liveliness I want," he said, laughing. "Leave him be, let him make his racket. A boy must not be too well-behaved; a little noise does him good."

Grandmother smiled fondly. "A boy ought to be managed by his father. Shouyuan, you keep out of it."

The two of them joined forces and overruled Dou Zhiwei.

Yuanheng grew all the more unbridled, digging out the grains of rice with his spoon and scattering them everywhere.

Supper was got through at last; the quick-witted steward had long since prepared cooling beds and watermelon chilled in well water, and they sat on the beds eating melon and talking of this and that.

Dou Zhiwei let out a satisfied breath, hoping that all the days to come might be as merry and warm and heart-filling as this one. (To be continued)