Chapter 29 — Speaking
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
The moment Dou Ming stepped down from the carriage, she saw her grandmother standing apart from the crowd.
Her grandmother was just as she remembered her: a lilac-colored pongee jacket with no pattern, her jet-black hair coiled in a neat round bun, a lantern-shaped silver hairpin thrust through it, and a pair of silver bracelets on her wrists. She was strolling unhurriedly around the wintersweet tree in front of the ancestral hall steps—a trunk no thicker than a wine cup—her expression perfectly serene. It was like many years ago, when she had woken from a sleep into utter bewilderment, only to look up and see her grandmother crouched contentedly among the vegetable beds, surveying the growth of the melons and greens, and her heart had immediately grown calm.
Grandmother!
Dou Yan's eyes brimmed; only by force did she keep from crying out loud.
Grandfather and Father had been led into the ancestral hall by Third Uncle; she herself was handed over to Tuo Niang and Yuzan to look after.
Third Cousin's six-year-old daughter came running over and tugged at Tuo Niang's trouser leg. "Fourth Aunt, Fourth Aunt, shall we go play cat's cradle?"
In her last life, she had had no real contact with this niece of hers; she did not even know the girl's name.
Dou Yan answered vaguely.
Tuo Niang set her down on the ground, and she darted off at once to her grandmother's side.
Should she call her Aunt Cui, or Grandmother?
Dou Yan hesitated for a moment.
She wanted to call her Grandmother, but feared that if others heard, it would bring trouble down on her.
Fifth Cousin's five-year-old daughter came chasing after her. "Fourth Aunt, Fourth Aunt!"
Her grandmother, hearing the commotion, looked over and saw Dou Yan watching her with curious eyes.
Smiling, she half-squatted and said warmly, "You—you must be Shouyuan?"
Dou Yan nodded, tears spilling over and falling despite herself.
Her grandmother was briefly taken aback, then hurried forward and embraced her. "Don't cry, don't cry!" She wiped her tears, and the calluses on her fingertips scraped a little painfully against her skin, yet her heart felt so utterly grounded.
Yuzan came running up, somewhat uneasy, and addressed her as "Aunt Cui," then snatched Dou Yan away as if seizing her back, murmuring, "The Seventh Master told us to look after the Fourth Miss properly..."
Dou Chiyue.
A faint, bitter smile flickered at the corner of her grandmother's mouth; she said nothing, but drew from her bosom a scarlet pouch embroidered with a pair of orioles and pressed it into Dou Yan's hand. "For you to nibble on!" With that, she turned quickly and walked away.
"Grandmother!" Dou Qu called after her.
Her tall figure paused ever so slightly, then without hesitation she stepped into the side alley beside them and went off toward the rear courtyard of the ancestral hall.
Yuzan said hurriedly, "Fourth Miss, keep your voice down. The Old Master doesn't like Aunt Cui talking much with the Seventh Master, or with you!"
Dou Yan gave a cold laugh and felt a deep humiliation.
If he dislikes her so much, then why did he father Father with Grandmother...
She wanted to go find her grandmother, but Second Cousin's little daughter clung to her and would not let go. "What nice thing did you get?" she asked, drooling as she spoke.
The maid attending her was deeply mortified; she scooped the child up by the waist and headed toward Third Cousin's wife, apologizing on behalf of Third Cousin's little girl all the way, her face red. "Fourth Miss, our little miss is just curious!"
Dou Yan could not help laughing, and the anger in her heart eased considerably.
She opened the pouch. Inside was a small bag of longans.