Chapter 300: Chapter 121 Miss Lu San_4
The night was cold and quiet, with the occasional sound of firecrackers from afar. The small courtyard was in disarray after the feast, reflecting the shambles of the party’s end.
There is no feast that does not co to an end, and next New Year’s Eve, she probably wouldn’t be celebrating with them.
Lu Tong squatted down, picking up the spilled wine jars and cups from the ground, along with the leftovers, throwing them into the slop bucket. She ticulously wiped the wooden table clean and moved it back to its original spot.
She then returned to the kitchen to tidy up the stove and wash the dishes from today.
She washed slowly, as if by doing so she could extend the New Year festivities a little longer. Finally, she brought over fresh water and, in the glow of the candlelight, splashed it over the courtyard’s slate stones.
The slate stones, now washed, glead brightly, reflecting the moon above like rippling water.
The gentle moonlight watched over her, and the small courtyard regained its initial tidiness, erasing all traces of the banquet.
The laughter, the boisterous talk, off-key singing, straightforward and almost crude toasts, along with the shadows of those people, all faded away.
Only the plum tree branches swayed.
Lu Tong clasped the large copper tray in her arms, placing it on the stone platform beneath the eaves at the edge of the courtyard.
In the tray, broken cypress branches surrounded split-open red tangerines and ripe persimmons, an exceptionally festive and lively sight.
She did not toss the contents of the tray into the discarded slop bucket, perhaps out of regret, or maybe because she couldn’t bear to do so.
The winter night was chilly, the moonlight cool. She stopped in front of the stone platform, reached out, and took a split tangerine from the tray. She peeled off the skin, placed a segnt of the sweet fruit into her mouth.
The tangerine was frosty, like sweet snow, sliding down her throat, overripe and thus sweet with a hint of bitterness.
Standing in the courtyard, she silently ate the whole tangerine.
The wind picked up at night, slashing across faces and leaving cheeks painfully cold. Having finished the tangerine, Lu Tong whispered to the lively copper tray, "May all be well."
May all be well.
She rembered Du Changqing swearing atop the table to learn how to kill fish, Miao Liangfang poking him in the face with his cane from under the table, Ah Cheng begging Yin Zheng to tie a rabbit-shaped silk ribbon, and the clumsy gestures Yin Zheng made mimicking the shape of a rabbit...
The small courtyard was tranquil; a slight smile ford on Lu Tong’s face.
She didn’t know if the future would bring her smooth sailing; that sounded too luxurious, but tonight, at least for this night, she found brief solace in this well-wishing phrase...
And warmth.
Lu Tong returned to the front of her sleeping quarters. A large Red Knot crafted by Ah Cheng still hung on the door, a lucky charm believed to ward off evil and bring good fortune.
She pushed the door open and went inside.
She hadn’t blown out the light before leaving; the oil lamp on the desk was still lit. Lu Tong closed the door, took a couple of steps inward, her lips holding the lingering hint of a smile, when suddenly, her hairs stood on end, and she whipped around to look at the window.
Beneath the dim candlelight, there stood a person who had appeared at so unknown ti.
That person was leaning against the corner of the desk, looking down at a thin sheet of paper in hand. Hearing Lu Tong, he looked up, revealing a familiar face.
Pei Yunng.
Lu Tong’s expression turned cold.
Pei Yunng locked eyes with her.
The young man’s delicate features were softened in the hazy light, his hand that held the blade well-defined, long and beautiful, loosely pinching the thin sheet of paper.
He was clearly smiling, yet his eyes were as cold as snow.
"Is this your revenge list?" He flicked the paper in his hand carelessly, asking nonchalantly, "Why is my na still on it?"
Lu Tong’s pupils shrank.
That thin scroll was cramd with nas; so crossed out, so seed to have been added recently. Under the candle’s fla, they looked like black worms painted on, or like curses etched into flesh, exuding a chill and grim aura.
Lu Tong tensed up, staring coldly at the person before her.
The young man smiled briefly, fixing his gaze on Lu Tong as he stepped forward, against the play of light and shadow.
"Let’s talk."
"Miss Lu San, Lu Min," he said lightly.
Reviews
All reviews (0)