Chapter Nine The Night Breeze is Slightly Cool

  Xī Tù Xīn's new bedroom on the second floor was slowly tidying up her various messy little trinkets, occasionally pulling out earplugs that blocked out the deafening music to listen to the movements downstairs.

  7:30... 8:00... 8:30...

  As the time she and Wu Jiang had agreed on drew near, if everything went according to her usual routine, at this moment her father would either not be back yet or be watching TV with her mother on the second floor. She could make preparations and slip out of the window for an hour before sneaking back in unnoticed to wash up and sleep. But she never expected that within just one day, she would lose her stronghold, and the smooth path that had been full of hope would be fraught with obstacles.

  The conversation from downstairs occasionally entered Ci Xue's ears, and without thinking, it could be guessed that Dad was pulling Yao Qiyun to talk heart-to-heart, and Mom also served as the audience.

  Situ Jiu'an's usual grand theories, which were not well-received by his wife and daughter, finally found a receptive audience in Yao Qiyun. He spoke at length about the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, men's ambitions and aspirations, and once again lamented the hardships faced by revolutionaries, expounding on the significance of adversity to one's life. It was as if all the unfortunate children were destined for greatness, like a "chosen one". Yao Qiyun occasionally responded with a few words in a low voice, which Situ Yu couldn't quite make out, but presumably they were words of agreement and admiration, and her eyes must have been filled with reverence for Uncle Situ.

  Where in the world can you find a more compatible combination than the two men downstairs? Yao Qiyun looks like he has suffered, and has a diligent and persevering spirit that is most appreciated by Situ Jiu'an. He is simply born to meet the perfect son image outlined in Situ Jiu'an's heart, no wonder he has a relieved and satisfied expression.

  She wasn't very concerned about this, she was already fed up with the worldview that her father had been trying to impose on her. She also didn't have much interest in Jiu An Tang's medicine sales. Now that there was Yao Qi Yun, perhaps her father's expectations and desire to confide would find a more suitable target, and he could let her off easy. But what was pressing at the moment was that Wu Jiang and his gang were still waiting for her, and she really wanted to go out, while the scene downstairs made it clear that she wouldn't be able to escape.

  Situ Xuan and Wu Jiang were both infatuated with fighting crickets during that time, which would have been a favorite pastime of spoiled rich kids in ancient times. When Wu Jiang first showed off his "beloved general" (a prized cricket), Situ Xuan was quite disdainful, as this was almost a necessary prop for the villainous young master who kidnaps commoner girls in TV dramas. However, after being around it for so long, she unknowingly became fascinated with the fun of it too.

  The fun of catching cicadas lies in doing it yourself, which is the main event for Citu Xuan. Now is the best time to catch cicadas, and although there are some near their homes, they are not many, so Wu Jiang took her on a bicycle to a martyr's tomb 15 minutes away with other enthusiasts. The place has lush grass and trees, and it's usually deserted, especially at night, making it an insect paradise and Citu Xuan's paradise, where she caught her most prized cicadas. For this, Citu Xuan had prepared a set of equipment: flashlight, perfume, woven cicada cage, long-sleeved clothes, none of which could be missing, all stored at Wu Jiang's place. Originally, these equipment would have been used again tonight, and she was about to catch some good ones to show off in front of Wu Jiang, but ended up being stuck here.

  It was a little past nine o'clock, and it seemed that Yao Qiyun was also tired. Mr. and Mrs. Situ Ji'an told him to rest well and went upstairs one after another. Situ Ji'an took a bath, while Xue Shaoping knocked on her daughter's door. Situ Yue said in a muffled voice that she was sleepy, so she went back to her room to watch TV.

  Xīu Xīn's heart was filled with joy, and she began to stir restlessly. Hearing that her parents were quiet on the other side, she snuck downstairs like a thief. The front door was locked, and that damned door would creak loudly enough to startle everyone in the house whenever it opened or closed. Her own bedroom door was tightly shut, and who knows what that guy was doing inside? She scratched her head, tiptoeing around his door, thinking of ways to slip out through the window without him noticing.

  She turned around a few times, still at a loss, and then stuck her ear to the door to listen for any movement inside. The soundproofing of this door was average, she knew it best, but what was strange was that there was not a single sound from the other side, no water sounds, footsteps, music...not even half a cough, he was as quiet as if he didn't exist.

  Just then, a faint "creak" sound came, and Situ Xuan was puzzled for half a second. Before she reacted and tried to dodge, the door opened, and she still maintained an extremely stealthy posture.

  Situ Xigang chuckled twice, straightened up, pretending he hadn't just been acting like a voyeuristic pervert, covering up his embarrassment, and greeted the new owner of the room with a "Hey!"

  Under her brilliant smile, Yao Qiyun's tense and unexpected expression made him even more at a loss, his face still red, speaking with eyes that dared not focus on hers, "I... is there something?"

  "Uh..." Sito suddenly became clever, "It's like this, I originally lived here, just moved upstairs today, and suddenly remembered that there were still some things forgotten to take. It just so happens that it can be used, so I came down to find it. You're not asleep, are you? Can I come in?"

  Yao Qiyun didn't say a word and hastily made way for her to enter.

  The room was basically the same as when Situ Xuan moved out, with only a small amount of luggage, an old-fashioned broken travel bag in the corner under the desk. On the desktop, however, there was a book lying open, and when Situ Xuan walked over, he pretended to take a casual glance, but it turned out to be a high school English textbook. Suddenly, his admiration for her surged like the Yellow River, unstoppable. He was only slightly older than her, but their levels were worlds apart.

  She originally had a lot of things, and it was impossible to move them all cleanly in a hurry. There were still things that hadn't been taken away in the drawers, wardrobe, and on the desk. Since she had come in, she might as well make an effort, so she listlessly rummaged through the books and trinkets in the desk drawer.

  Yao Qiyun was behind him, while Situ Xuan had his back to him and still couldn't hear any sound from him. She tidied up for a moment, feeling that it was unusual for someone to be so silent, thinking to herself, he can't have left the room, can he?

  She turned back with high expectations, only to be greatly disappointed. He was standing in front of the wardrobe by the door, like a human floor lamp. What's even stranger is that the light from this "lamp" seemed to be shining on her back. In the instant she turned around, it moved away as if startled.

  This awkwardness is also contagious, and his at-a-loss expression made Situ Xin feel that this scene was a bit hard to get used to. She turned her head again, flipped out a few books, hesitated for a while, and couldn't bear it anymore, so she put down the things in her hand, smiled all over her face, and asked, "Do you want to take a bath?"

  "What?" Yao Qiyun was stunned by this abrupt question, seemingly utterly perplexed by her words and intentions.

  Situ Xuan also felt that his words sounded strange, so he quickly added: "I mean, after sitting in the car for a day, taking a bath will make you feel better."

  "No need... I mean I'll wash it myself, I'll go wash now." Yao Qiyun stuttered.

  "Go take a bath now, don't mind me, I still have some laundry to collect."

  "Don't worry, you take it, I'm in no hurry."

  "You're not busy anyway, why don't you go take a bath?"

  "It's okay, it's okay...... I'll wait for you to finish collecting and then wash."

  It's only natural, as a normal person, you wouldn't think of taking a bath when there are strangers in the room. Xīnguāng also understood this in her heart, but she had no choice, for the sake of her bright future, she could only bathe, and must bathe!

  Then she smiled and said: "What are you afraid of? I won't peek at yours."

  "I didn't mean it that way, I'm not afraid of you looking at me... no... I didn't say you look at me..." The more Yao Qiyun explained, the more he felt like he couldn't make himself clear. He really couldn't understand why they had to discuss his bathing so passionately.

  Unlike before, Situ Xuan would definitely laugh uncontrollably, but now she just wants to stuff this guy into the bathroom.

  Her eyes were so full of longing, as if saying: "Wash, wash, wash..."

  In such a situation, Yao Qiyun felt that if he didn't take a bath, he would be like someone with a hidden illness who couldn't face water. He hesitated to approach the desk, and Situ Xuan immediately sensed his wavering, intending to get some clean clothes from his luggage, hastily making way for him at the desk.

  Just as Yao Qiyun's face turned red while rummaging through the travel bag, Xue Shaoping's voice came from the stairs.

  "Situ Xuan, what are you doing downstairs?"

  Xī zǐ jué's joyful heart suddenly turned cold, and he hastily replied: "I'll go down to fetch a few books."

  "Did you get it? Don't disturb Yiyun, come here, Mom has a few words to say to you."

  The outskirts bathed in moonlight, the grass filled with dewy breath, the laughter of playmates, the loud and fierce crickets... Xīu Yuè's heart was shattered, her eyes wide open as she watched her hopes shatter like bubbles. She seemed to have understood a harsh reality, tonight, she couldn't go out.

  She reluctantly walked out of the house, but heard Yao Qiyun's distinctive Mandarin with a rural accent.

  "You forgot your stuff!"

  Situ Xuan suddenly remembered that he had come to fetch books, and reluctantly returned with several books in his arms. As he passed by Yao Qiyun's side, she suddenly had an idea.

  "Yao Qiyun, can you help me with something?"

  "Me?" He was startled by her eagerness and didn't dare believe he could be of any help to her.

  "I'm used to living in this room and I really don't want to move to the second floor. Can you swap rooms with me? Anyway, you just arrived, every place in the house is pretty much the same to you." Even if I soak in the hot tub tonight, being able to move back is the best solution.

  "But..."

  Yao Qiyun's hesitation gave Si Tu Jue more hope, she knew what he was worried about. "I've talked to my parents, but it didn't work out. They think this room is a bit bigger. My dad would give you anything good if he could. Why don't you go talk to him and tell him you're willing to move to the second floor? He definitely won't object."

  Yao Qiyun fell silent.

  "Come on, just say something!" Si Tu Jue urged, taking advantage of the situation and lightly pushing Yao Qi Yun's arm, "Will you or not?"

  Yao Qiyun felt embarrassed and pulled her hand back, "You like this room so much?"

  "Of course!" Situ Jin hastily nodded, then tentatively asked, "You promised?"

  He didn't say a word, but instead showed a slightly shy smile.

  Xīu Xīn's heart was filled with joy, and even her response to her mother's urging from upstairs became more cheerful.

  "He's coming, he'll be here right away."

  She ran out of the door and then remembered that she had forgotten something. So she stuck her head back in and smiled sweetly.

  "Thank you, you're too kind."

  It seems that Yao Qiyun is not so annoying after all, and even his appearance has become more pleasing to Situ Xin's eyes. Father's praise for him is not unreasonable. Thinking about his poor life experience, coming from a humble background, living under someone else's roof, she felt a few points of sympathy in her heart. Since they will be seeing each other often, it's better to get along well with each other, which would be good for everyone.

  "My name is Situ Xuan, the 'Situ' is the same as my dad's, and the 'Xuan' means a jade that is missing a piece."

  "I know," Yao Qiyun said in a low voice.

  Situ Xuan smiled, "My dad's introduction doesn't count."

  He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Situ Xuan had already closed the door from outside for him.

  Situ Xinyuan went upstairs in a good mood, and her mother was already waiting for her in her "temporary" room. When she came up, she pulled her onto the bed and had a whispered conversation with her daughter. It was nothing more than that from now on, she should get along well with Yao Qiyun, not be naughty and tease others, which would make her father unhappy. Also, as a girl, when she grew up, she couldn't be as casual as when she was a child, especially since there was a boy in the house, she had to pay attention to her every move.

  Cai Tuo Xin nodded her head like a chick pecking at rice, with an attitude that accepted everything. As soon as Mom left the room, she took out all the clothes that had just been hung in the new room's closet and re-packed them, and was relieved that many things hadn't been unpacked from their boxes yet, for tomorrow she would be returning to her own territory again.

  Yao Qiyun downstairs was also collecting things he couldn't resist, doing something with his hands to make his brain more organized.

  Every door and window, every table and chair in this house seems exquisite and illusory to him. Mr. Sutu said that from now on, this is his home, and he never dreamed that he would have such a day, and all of this, struggling like a weed in the quagmire of poverty.

  Mr. Sito's kindness to him would be repaid for the rest of his life, needless to say, although Aunt Xue had a hidden meaning in her words, she was also very gentle with him, he was an outsider, and she had some resentment in her heart, which is not surprising. Never mind, in the days to come, he will let time and his own actions make her completely change her opinion of him.

  Everything in front of him has already exceeded Yao Qiyun's wildest dreams, he just hopes to get along well with them and repay the kindness of the Situ family, absolutely cannot make any mistakes that would disappoint Mr. and Mrs. Situ in the slightest.

  There was also Sutong Xue, whose hair was longer than when they first met in the countryside two years ago. It had grown taller and more... beautiful. Yao Qiyun straightened her waist and saw a stranger in the large mirror, not only because of the new clothes that stood out, but also because of the smile at the corner of her mouth that had never disappeared since she left.

  He walked to the window, feeling the night breeze blowing through the gap in the curtains cool his feverish head. He was about to pull open the curtains to take a good look outside at the view she saw every morning when she woke up, and see what it was that drew her to linger in this room so much.

  The curtain had just been lifted a corner, when several shrill whistles were heard from outside. Just as he was hesitating, the glass on the other side of the curtain was tapped.

  "Steward, steward..." It was a boy's voice, lowered to its lowest tone, softly calling out.

  The thick velvet curtains were silently grasped at the fingertips.

  "What are you doing, Situ? We've been waiting for you for a long time. If you're not coming, just say so... Situ, are you in there?"

  No one answered.

  The boy outside seemed to sense something was wrong and realized he might have made a mistake, so he quickly ran away with his tail between his legs.

  Inside the curtain, Yao Qiyun opened a corner from one side and only managed to see a shadow jumping over the four-season green tree hedge and the few leaves that fell with him.

  It was unclear how much time had passed before the curtain finally fell completely from one hand.

  The night wind is a good thing, it can make people extremely clear in an instant, of course, it can also shatter a dream that has just been woven, making one's heart very cool.

  The next day at breakfast, when Situ Ke came downstairs, his mother had already prepared breakfast. Situ Jiu'an was reading the newspaper by the dining table, while Yao Qiyun was arranging bowls and chopsticks on the side.

  Seeing his daughter, Si Tu Jiu An poked his face out from behind a corner of the newspaper. Before he could even open his mouth, Si Tu Xuan quickly pointed to the clock and said, "I got up ten minutes earlier than you asked me to! You're going to give yourself stomach pain training so early in the morning!"

  Situ Jiu'an could only shake his head.

  From sitting down to picking up chopsticks, Situ Xuan had already yawned twice.

  "You're the one who slept the most, and you're still the most sleepy. Did you sneak out last night?" Si Tu Jiu An said gruffly.

  Situ Xuan didn't dare to speak the truth, she was actually repacking things until dawn. She took a big sip of soy milk and muttered: "Just changed a bed sheet, can't get used to it, insomnia."

  She took the opportunity to secretly kick Yao Qiyun, who had just sat down under the table, hinting that he should bring up the matter of changing rooms, and now was a good time.

  He didn't know if he was slow-witted or just hadn't reacted yet, but Yao Qiyun withdrew his foot and lowered his head to eat, with an expression that seemed completely unaware.

  Situ Xuan hurriedly, when he kicked again, his foot was already out of reach, and he could only deliberately make some noise with the bowl and chopsticks. When he looked over, he quickly squeezed his eyes shut.

  He still had no reaction to her hint.

  It was Jiu'an who saw through it. "If you're going to eat something, then just eat it, Jiuxuan, what's wrong with you?"

  Situ Xuan looked at Yao Qiyun and said straightforwardly, "Dad, he has something to say to you."

  "Who?"

  Situ Xuan pointed at Yao Qiyun and thought to himself, "This time even the most obtuse person should understand."

  "Don't you know how to address people by their names? The older you get, the more impolite you become."

  "Brother, I really can't bring myself to call you that. If I call you by your name, you can't say I'm being impolite."

  Situ Jiu'an no longer paid attention to her, and finally turned his face to one side, quietly eating and minding his own business, Yao Qiyun. He said in a gentle tone: "Do you have something to tell me, Qiyun?"

  "Of course there is." Si Tu Jue hastily replied.

  "Did I ask you?"

  "Mom, look at Dad, when he talks to him, it's as warm as spring breeze, but when he talks to me, it's as ruthless as autumn wind sweeping away leaves. Isn't that too biased?" Si Tu Jue said coquettishly to Xue Shao Ping.

  Xue Shaoping smiled and said, "Don't interrupt, let's hear what Yun has to say."

  Yao Qiyun swallowed the last thing in her mouth, then smiled and said shyly: "Oh, I remembered, it was Ah Yue who wanted to switch rooms with me, no problem, I can live anywhere, we can move later."

  "You child, didn't I tell you before? Now you're not letting people be at ease again." Before even waiting for Si Tu Jiu An to speak up, Xue Shao Ping also turned to her daughter with a hint of blame.

  Situ Xin seemed to be stunned, unable to say a word, and could only stare at Yao Qiyun with an expression that changed from shock to confusion, and then turned icy cold.