When Little Ji was five, a family moved into the residence next door to the General’s Manor. It was the household of Chief Justice Han, newly appointed to the post.
That said, they could hardly be called newcomers. The residence had always belonged to the Han family; Chief Justice Han had merely been serving in the provinces these past two years and had never lived there. Now that he had been transferred back to the capital, he had moved his entire family home.
It was spring, and Little Ji had just returned from an outing in the countryside. His soft-soled tiger-head shoes, embroidered with silver thread, were caked in mud. The tiger faces looked as though they had rolled around in a muddy ditch, and even the hem of his robe was spattered with yellow-brown flecks.
Afraid that Little Dad would punish him, he urged the carriage to hurry. He had to get back and change his clothes and shoes before Little Dad and Daddy returned from the banquet at Uncle Yang’s residence in the Ministry of Personnel.
The moment the carriage stopped, the little boy hurried to scramble out. His nurse cried, “Oh, goodness!” and rushed forward to catch the precious, mischievous young master. But before she could even touch his clothes, the little fellow slipped from the carriage with a wet “whoosh,” like a plump, round mudfish.
Little Ji had only run two steps when his round eyes were drawn to the Han residence next door.
People were constantly going in and out of the house, carrying trunks and cages. It was a scene of great bustle.
He waddled toward it, and at the entrance to the Han residence, a little girl with a sprout-like ponytail was walking toward him too.
The two children stared at each other’s chubby cheeks and round, protruding bellies. Their eyes widened, and then, with waving arms and dancing feet, they cheered and ran toward each other.
There was plenty of rain in the capital during spring, and the mist was thick. The sky remained gray and overcast day after day.
Little Ji went to Rongrong’s house to eat a great braised pork knuckle one day, and the next day Rongrong came to the manor to eat milk cakes. The two little ones could pass a great deal of time simply by eating together. They did not mind the endless spring rain, nor did they care that the sun refused to come out.
Rongrong lifted a large bowl of goat’s milk and gulped it all down. A white mustache had formed around her mouth.
She pointed at a redwood box beside the daybed. “What’s inside? Is it your toy?”
Rongrong had noticed that box a long time ago. Little Ji treasured it dearly. There were wooden horses, bamboo dragonflies, Chinese rings, and all sorts of other toys in the room—Little Ji had let her play with everything. But he had never once opened that box.
Earlier, he had been carrying around a round, adorable wooden persimmon. She had wanted to play with it, but Little Ji had snatched it away and hidden it inside the box with a sharp little clap.
When she had grown unhappy, he had even been willing to give her his favorite wooden saber. But he still refused to let her see the wooden persimmon.
When they went boating on the spring lake, he wore a little jade persimmon and a little golden persimmon tied to his belt. They were exquisitely made and terribly cute, yet he would not let anyone even touch them.
The moment Little Ji heard Rongrong ask about the box, he slid down from his stool and hugged it tightly, like a mother hen guarding her eggs.
“These are Big Brother’s books and clay figurines and whistles. They belong only to Big Brother! Nobody is allowed to look!”
Rongrong pouted, her little lips nearly long enough to hang an oil jar from. Little Ji was so stingy.
“Fine, I won’t look.”
But her anger lasted only as long as it took to swallow one mouthful of milk bun. Then she turned and asked curiously, “Do you have a big brother? Why haven’t I seen him?”
“Big Brother is in the palace.”
Afraid Rongrong would not know where the palace was, Little Ji explained, “It’s where Uncle Han goes to work. It’s really huge. Not only do all the uncles and older men work there, there are lots of people living there too. There are beautiful gardens and pretty ladies.”
Rongrong blinked. She had never been to the palace.
“My Brother Shu is really nice. Every time he comes over, he brings me pastries and toys that can only be found in the palace. He also reads picture books to me!”
Whenever he spoke of Little Shu, Little Ji puffed out his chest. His mouth would not stop moving, and he chattered like a little chick.
“Brother Shu is so pretty, and he’s not fierce at all. He understands everything I say!”
Rongrong leaned against the table and listened to Little Ji, her eyes shining like little stars.
Little Ji’s big brother was wonderful!
She suddenly stood up and raised both arms. “I’m going to marry Brother Shu!”
Little Ji froze.
“Auntie says Uncle Changqing is wonderful. She likes Uncle Changqing, so she wants to marry him. That way, they can stay together forever.”
Rongrong hopped excitedly. “I like Brother Shu too! I’m going to marry him!”
Another child liked Brother Shu too, and Little Ji was very happy. Seeing Rongrong so delighted, he jumped up with her. Yet he still felt a little confused, as though something was not quite right.
Oh! Now he knew!
If Rongrong married Brother Shu, what would happen to him?
Little Ji hurriedly said, “Then I’ll marry Brother Shu too!”
…
Little Shu stepped down from the carriage and took the cherry preserve prepared earlier from one of the palace attendants. He walked leisurely toward the General’s Manor.
Grandma Qin had not been in good health lately. She had spent most of her life in a small place in the eastern provinces, and now that she was old, she found it difficult to adjust to a new environment. Falling ill had also made her think constantly of her son and daughter-in-law, who had died in the war, and she could hardly get out of bed.
Little Shu had stayed by her side and had been unable to leave the palace. It had been more than a month since he had gone to see Little Ji. Now that his grandmother’s condition had improved, he had immediately come out of the palace, bringing along Little Ji’s favorite cherry preserve. He hoped Little Ji would not be angry with him.
The people at the General’s Manor were already used to his visits. They hurried over to greet him, their manner both respectful and familiar.
“The young heir hasn’t come by in quite some time, and our young master talks about him all the time. Once he knows you’ve come, he’ll be overjoyed!”
Qin Shu’s lips curved into a faint smile. He told the servants not to hurry and announce his arrival, lest Little Ji come running out to meet him. He would go and find the boy himself.
“The young master and Rongrong are inside,” the nurse said.
Qin Shu’s steps paused. He caught the unfamiliar name at once.
He asked calmly, “Who is Rongrong?”
“She’s Chief Justice Han’s daughter. Chief Justice Han was transferred to the capital a month ago, and their residence is right next door to ours.”
The nurse smiled as she told Qin Shu, “Miss Han and our young master get along very well. There’s been a lot of rain this month, so the two children often keep each other company.”
By then, the sounds of two children laughing and chattering had already reached them. Qin Shu lifted his eyes toward the closed door.
He did not walk over. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the curtain of rain beneath the eaves. In the lotus pond, the two red carp he had once fed kept surfacing again and again. The pond bottom was too stuffy on rainy days.
“Brother Shu… Brother Shu!”
Little Ji had taken off his shoes and climbed onto the daybed. He happened to be crawling toward the window, wanting to look at the peach tree in the garden. The rain had grown heavier, and he wondered whether the little peaches that had just begun to form had been knocked down.
He did not see the peaches. Instead, his bright eyes spotted the young heir first.
He called out excitedly to Little Shu. When he clearly saw that the other boy had noticed him but did not answer, the little chick rolled off the daybed and ran outside without even putting on his tiger-head shoes.
Qin Shu looked at the round figure running toward him barefoot. His brows twitched.
“Why aren’t you wearing shoes?”
“I’ll put them on when I go back inside.”
“Brother, you haven’t come in so long! Little Dad wouldn’t even let me go to the palace to look for you!”
Little Ji took Little Shu’s hand. “Since you weren’t here, there was a huge, beautiful bluebird kite that I couldn’t bear to fly. And Grandfather got me a brand-new peace drum! Little Parrot even learned two more phrases!”
Listening to the endless stream of chatter, the coldness in Qin Shu’s eyes seemed to scatter like mist blown away by the wind. He gently squeezed Little Ji’s hand.
“Grandma was ill, so I couldn’t leave.”
Little Ji’s voice immediately grew softer. “Is she better now?”
“Mm.”
Little Ji threw his arms around Little Shu. “Big Brother, you mustn’t ever get sick.”
“All right.”
Little Shu agreed, and then his gaze swept toward the half-open door, where a little head with braided pigtails was peeking around the edge. A pair of round eyes blinked at him.
Seeing this, Little Ji hurriedly pulled Little Shu into the room.
Once inside, Little Shu caught sight of Rongrong and couldn’t help pausing for a moment.
He looked back at Little Ji. The two little children were so round and chubby that they looked as if they had been carved from the same mold.
Little Shu lowered his eyelids, hiding the fleeting smile in his eyes.
Rongrong was not normally a shy child, but seeing that Little Shu neither smiled nor spoke much, she was still a little afraid of him.
Yet seeing how close Little Ji and Little Shu were, she grew bolder. She came over as well and called out, “Big Brother.”
Little Shu said nothing. He simply opened the food box and let the two chubby little ones share the pastries inside.
Little Ji had already buried his head over the food box. He let out an excited “Wow!” and told Rongrong, “It’s cherry cakes!”
Rongrong ran over too, jumping up and down with delight.
Little Shu sat at one end of the cushioned couch, watching the two chubby children kneeling by the low table, their cheeks puffed up as they ate. His gaze was gentler than usual.
Little Ji picked out a large piece and held it up to Little Shu’s mouth. “Big Brother, Rongrong said you’re really nice. She wants to marry you.”
With her mouth full of sweet, fragrant cherry cake, Rongrong liked Little Shu even more. Seeing Little Ji speak for her, she hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Little Shu frowned and said very seriously, “No.”
The two little ones instantly looked as though someone had poured cold water over them. They both became frantic.
“Why not?” Little Ji demanded loudly. “Rongrong and I already agreed—we’re both going to marry you!”
Little Shu suddenly choked, the tips of his ears turning red.
“Little gers and little girls can’t get married.”
Rongrong tilted her head. “Then can an older ger and an older girl get married?”
Little Ji hurriedly nodded along and looked at Little Shu.
Little Shu had no idea how to explain things to the two children. He shook his head helplessly and turned his gaze elsewhere.
Little Ji and Rongrong looked at each other, unable to understand why Little Shu had stopped talking.
Rongrong pouted. “It must be because only one person can marry Brother Shu. Two people aren’t allowed!”
“Then I’m going to marry Brother Shu!” Little Ji cried.
“No!” Rongrong shouted. “I was the first one to say I wanted to marry Brother Shu!”
“Being first doesn’t count.”
Little Ji planted his hands on his hips and said fiercely, “Only brave children can marry Brother Shu! I dare to catch giant toads. Do you?”
Rongrong puffed out her cheeks. “I dare! I even dare to chase geese that bite people! I’m the bravest child!”
The two little ones argued until they were on the verge of hitting each other. Little Shu hurriedly tried to separate them, but the two heavy, chubby children were surprisingly strong. He could barely hold them back.
Sweat began to bead on Little Shu’s forehead. He was frantically pressing one child down while the other struggled free—this was even more troublesome than dealing with an entire roomful of adults in the palace.
Outside, rain pattered softly. Inside, the two chubby little ones wrestled and squabbled, with Little Shu caught helplessly between them.
The days of spring were still long indeed~
