29 The Black Bellied Fox (1/2)
Li Jia poured tea while two girls sat in silence.
”Li Jia, please leave us.”
”Yes, second young miss.”
XieRong sipped her tea leisurely, her eyes closed and her stance relaxed.
”Tell me what you have to say fast. I don't want to spend more time with you than I have to. I'm only here because grandfather ordered me to.”
”Elder sister, why do hate me and my younger sister?”
RuiLing glared at XieRong.
”Don't call me 'elder sister'! I hate you, and I hate your sister as you both are the only black stains on our golden reputation, because your mother spoiled the Guo family name!”
”No, elder sister, you and I, both know that is just an excuse. This time tell me the real reason as to why you don't like us.”
RuiLing bit her lip and turned her head away stubbornly.
XieRong let out a deep breath.
”It's because me and my sister are taking away all of the attention that previously belonged to elder sister, isn't it? Elder sister can't bear that the children of a woman who ran away with another man are receiving more attention than elder sister, are living in the same house as elder sister.”
RuiLing still refused to say anything.
”And the reason elder sister does not want to say it out loud is because elder sister doesn't want to admit it. Elder sister is too proud and stubborn to admit it, just like grandfather.”
”If you know, then why did you ask? And don't call me elder sister!”
”Because I thought if elder sister said it out loud it would make elder sister feel better.”
”Is this why you dragged me here? To humiliate me?”
”No, elder sister, I didn't bring elder sister here to humiliate elder sister, I brought elder sister here to share two stories.”
”Why would you bring me here to tell stories? I'm no child!”
XieRong laughed.
”Believe me, they are no stories for children. They are my mother's story and mine up until I entered the Guo Residence, but before I share them with elder sister, elder sister must give me her blood oath to keep this a secret until I say otherwise. Are you still interested?”
RuiLing thought for a while before she nodded her head, biting her finger to draw blood as XieRong did the same. She was curious to know what was important enough that would require her to make a blood bond.
”I, Guo RuiLing, sign this blood oath with Guo XieRong to not reveal this secret until the mentioned party says so otherwise.”
XieRong began to tell her cousin about everything she, her sister and her mother had gone through in the Fa Residence. She left the details of her journey to the Guo Residence, choosing only to describe the pain she had gone through during her treatment and the frequent nightmares she had about her mother's death before she learned to meditate.
”So tell me, elder sister, even if my mother had run away with another man after going through all what she had, would she have been wrong?”
RuiLing looked down with tears in her eyes. She didn't have a answer. She knew it would have been wrong to run away, but at the same time, she felt that she would have definitely run away in her aunt's situation. Besides, her aunt hadn't run away, she was murdered.
”I won't force elder sister to like us or even talk to us if elder sister decides not to after this. Frankly speaking, I don't really care how elder sister feels. I decided to talk to you because first asked me to, otherwise I wouldn't have even considered telling elder sister anything of what I have told elder sister. Elder sister reminds me too much of Fa MeiLien. So, I will not ask much. Elder sister can hate me as long as elder sister doesn't get in my way.”
XieRong stood up to leave.
”The Old General's stubbornness and pride made him lose his daughter, elder sister. Don't follow in his footsteps. Otherwise, it won't be long before elder sister loses something precious as well. I know elder sister has led a sheltered and happy life, and because of it elder sister doesn't know what the world out there is really like. It's not all black and white as the books say. People are shaped to do things according to the circumstances that life gives them.”
XieRong closed the door behind her saying, ”I'll be leaving to go see the city by the hour of the horse (11.00 to 13.00), elder sister can choose to join me if you wish.”
When she found her uncle, he was sitting to the side with her elder brother in her elder brother's courtyard.
”Who won?” she asked, as she approached them.
She could already tell who had won even as she asked.