Vol 1 Chapter 13 (1/2)

Chapter 13: Falling Petals

The first day of the New Yeara bellyful of bad te a quizzical look, but Xiao Feng just shakes his head indicating that he doesn’t know I can’t wait any longer so I bow to Grandpa and then rush off to the Bamboo Residence

It is the first ti and the door opens Before I can say anything, Jiu Ye sly asks “Is it Xiao Yu?”

His voice is the best defuser and ently enters the roo it He puts down the ba knife to welcome me in to sit down

I sit down next to hiry?”

I rery then? Hoas your New Year? Last night Tian Cao draggedwith them…”

I furrow lare at the table, but he continues nattering on and on, fro drunk, to…

I’ve never seen hiry, can’t you tell? You should ask why I’?”

He looks innocent and ry? Did I do anything wrong?”

I give a sigh of annoyance and flop on the table Why is he so clueless? What is it that I like about hi on the surface but really keeping people thousands of miles away He does know a lot, but it’s not like I want to ly a Han citizen but perhaps plotting so to think of more bad qualities he possesses

He looks hopeless “I asked but you won’t answer, so what should I do now?” I angrily slap the table “You have no sincerity! Youabout howthe New Year!”

The roory at me I raise my head to look at hiold and jade earrings “Is this sincere enough for you?”

I raise old represents the sand and the green is the water Even though the Yue Ya Spring is but a sed to use old jade) and find an even deeper olden desert, and al The artisan who crafted this delicate piece is truly talented

I study it and then put it on, with a stone face I say “Not bad Seeing as how generous you are, I’ll let this one slide”

I try to be serious but can’t helpat me but his eyes had a flash of concern, and then he averts his eyes

shi+ Yu co bowls and places it before ht you forgot and didn’t keep your promise”

He doesn’t say anything for a fewin the softest of voices “How can I forget? No rab the bowl of noodles and reply indistinctly “Happy or not, it all depends on you”

Finished with the birthday noodles, Jiu Ye chats with me and then picks up the ba a flute? He nods “This barown for ten years No e It has a beautiful na Bae bamboo flute”

I lean forward to look “So this is the fa at the spots on it, it resembles tears It’s so pretty”

Jiu Ye suddenly stiffens and then expertly distances hiive it to reat h “I am someone who never rejects a present”

He nods but doesn’t say anything else

When I leave the shi+ Estate, I run into Shen Xing and Tian Cao and I bow to the sees s but doesn’t co “Jiu Ye spent all that effort, so it was to give you a present”

I touch the earrings and asks what he means? Tian Cao s, but doesn’t practice every day Because this was such a delicate piece, for this item, he even went to consult an expert for a few days He wasted a lot of great pieces of jade to get it right He is really talented with these pieces, fro hi in the world to make is a woman’s piece of jewelry”

I du Jiu Ye hand made this?” He just smiles at me and bows farewell I stand there in a daze

“I don’t kno old I anant and about to beco around If there isn’t soet ht for me, I will seize the opportunity If there is a chance of happiness before me and I don’t seize it, Papa will call me a fool Am I a fool? Of course I’m not I am the beautiful, s cloud, I will capture you You are who I like, right? You once said we are different, but I a hard to read all the books you like I believe I can be the same type of person as you If you want to be the condor, I will be the wind to keep you afloat; if you are want of leaving this all behind, we can buy a few horses and disappear; thank God you don’t like Confucious, because I respect hih if you like him, I will try to behave myself…”

I bite down on the ink brush and look at the cloth I aet so confusing? I’ve told myself many times that he will like me, he will like me…… I’m afraid to write more, so I write the date on the side and quickly put this cloth away

……………………………………

I shake for a good long while before a fortune telling stick pops out of the cannister Huo Qu Bing reaches over and is about to grab it but I’ve already retrieved it He asks “What are you wishi+ng to know?” and I shakeyou”

He humphed “What could you possibly ask for? If it’s not business then it’s ht now your business is in the palm of your hands, why ask the fortune on that So clearly it e

A fortune stick reader is looking attowards hihs “Why are you not asking now?”

I hold the fortune stick init into the bushes “Not asking anymore He can tell another person’s fortune but not his own He’s dressed well and clearly is hoping to get paid well after telling me what I want to hear Why doesn’t he tell his own fortune, as to whether he can get my business?”

He laughs “As least you knohen to stop, so that means you’re not so desperate yet”

Thinking back, I feel so silly But when I saw the sign that said “Telling Marriage Fortunes”, my feet just walkedto find any doctor I feel silly now but still want to act like I’ it out”

Huo Qu Bing looks atust of wind blew past and I breathed in the scent “It’s so fragrant, what kind of flower is this?”