Bai Zi Qian wished for earplugs when the two girls squealed.
"Are you really going to treat us, Uncle Bai?" "Really, Uncle Bai?" The two little girls were talking over each other that Bai Zi Qian couldn't also squeeze a word in.
He resorted to shouting over them. "YES I AM," he bellowed. The two girls fell silent, but after a beat, started squealing again. The two dogs had the better idea of staying away from the house, and Bai Zi Qian wished he followed suit.
"We're going to town… we're going to town… we're going to town to buy and eat a lot of sweets and caaaaandies!" the two girls started singing together as they skipped hand in hand with each other, with Bai Zi Qian trailing behind and trying to figure out what kind of tune they were singing to.
He offered to take them to town to celebrate Ami's recovery. She recovered from her injuries faster than Bai Zi Qian thought it would take her, leaving only a scar on the side of her head to show that she had been injured. Ami expertly hid that scar with an elaborate hairstyle from gods know where, but every now and then he could still see at least a tail-end of that crescent-shaped scar.
When they reached the edge of the town, both girls fell back and took one each of Bai Zi Qian's hands. He smiled when they did, but a split second later when he realized how he looked, he pretended to be nonchalant about the judgement in peoples' eyes when they saw a grown man being pulled by two enthusiastic little girls.
They first visited Wang Wei's shop to drop off some of Bai Zi Qian's haul from the hunts. "You've brought more than usual, Zi Qian," Wei remarked. "What's up?"
"Hello Uncle Wang," Ami popped up the counter, her bright little smile wide on her face. Beside her was another who was shyly peeking out behind Ami's back.
Wei laughed aloud. "I was just expecting one, but you brought two!" he chuckled, ignoring Bai Zi Qian's daggered glare. "What exactly are you up to in that hut of yours, Zi Qian? How many ladies have you brought there?"
"Uncle Bai doesn't have any ladies coming over," Ami answered before Bai Zi Qian could. "He's really painfully alone up in the woods, and he's lucky me and Bao are there to keep him company."
Wei smiled at Ami. "He sure is." He took out the money box and brought out quite a big bag of coins. "Here," he said, pushing the bag towards Ami. "That's the payment for the meat Bai Zi Qian brought."
"That's too much, Uncle Wang," Ami again answered before Bai Zi Qian. "You only owe us…" she raised seven fingers.
Wei raised an impressed eyebrow at Bai Zi Qian, then turned to Ami. "I'm giving you…" he raised ten fingers, "for you to take Bai Zi Qian and feed him a lot of sweets." He leaned over and whispered conspiratorially, "He's much too skinny, isn't he?"
Ami and Bao nodded. Bai Zi Qian protested, "I heard that." But Wei, Ami and Bao laughed at him, laughed as if they had long been friends with each other.
"All right, let's keep going," Bai Zi Qian said, ushering them out.
Wei called Ami. "Yes, Uncle Wang?" she asked.
Wei looked at her solemnly. "Take care of him."
Ami smiled. "Yes Uncle Wang."
Bai Zi Qian shook his head. "Isn't that supposed to be my line?" Wei and Ami laughed. Ami patted his arm.
"Uncle Wang knows who takes care of who," she cheekily replied, and waved goodbye to the meatshop owner who was Bai Zi Qian's only friend until now.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Turns out, Wang Wei gave just enough for two girls going shopping. Bai Zi Qian almost regretted telling the girls to buy anything they wanted, but seeing the delight in the two girls' faces erased all regrets away.
Ami and Bao came from two different worlds, one from a rich family, and the other from a poor one, but they bonded perfectly together, liking and trying the same things. Ami really took care of Bao, giving her the first bite in every food they tried, watching her reaction to toys and smiling wide when Bao likes them. Bao, in turn, looked up to Ami a lot, but sometimes she surprises her Big Sister with the more down-to-earth things that she knows.
"Big Sister! Come here, come!" Bao excitedly called Ami over at a stall. Ami ran to her, with Bai Zi Qian leisurely striding along. When they reached her, Bao held something up that was familiar to Bai Zi Qian too, but apparently not to Ami.
"It's a bird whistle, Big Sister," Bao said in reaction to the clueless expression on Ami's face. She blew into the whistle, and Ami looked surprised at the sound it made.
"It sounds so much like a bird!" Ami exclaimed happily.
Bao held it out. "Try it, Big Sister," she said.
Ami took it and blew, laughing delightedly afterwards after hearing the sound. Bai Zi Qian took out some coins and paid the merchant for the whistle.
When they walked away, Ami whispered to Bao, "I'm going to show you something." She whistled a tune. When she held out a finger, a little bird tweeted in response, flew towards them, and landed on her finger.
Bai Zi Qian and Bao were impressed. "How did you do that, Big Sister?" Bao cried out as the bird flew away.
Ami shrugged her shoulders. "I've always done it," she said. "Mother said I got it from my father." Bai Zi Qian's eyebrow slightly twitched, and he looked at Ami strangely. Ami didn't notice, and continued happily chatting with Bao.
Ami held out the whistle to Bao. "Here," she said, but Bao shook her head.
"It's yours, Big Sister," she said. When Ami tried to refuse, Bao shook her head again. "It's my way of saying thank you, and that no matter what happens, you can always remember me with that small toy."
Ami looked touched, tears slowly gathering in her eyes, but before she could cry, Bai Zi Qian pulled the girls away. "You know, you both need a proper meal after all those sweets," he said, leading them away from the stalls and into a restaurant. After finding an empty table in the second floor, they sat and Bai Zi Qian called over a server. While he placed their order. Ami and Bao were whispering to each other.
"What are you two girls plotting now?" Bai Zi Qian said after the server went away with their orders.
Bao looked at Ami, who nodded and put on a most brilliant smile that made Bai Zi Qian completely suspicious. "Uncle Bai," she said in a sweet voice.
"Your tone makes me nervous about a prank coming," Bai Zi Qian said, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at Ami.
Ami laughed. "No, Uncle Bai, don't worry, we won't do anything foolish," she said. "May I borrow some money? We want to buy something."
Bai Zi Qian passed a small bag of coins to her. Ami thought for a while, and said, "Can I have more?"
Bai Zi Qian raised an eyebrow. "What are you going to buy?" he said, but still passing along two more bags of coins. Ami scooped them up into her qiankun pouch. Then she pulled up Bao. "Where are you both going?"
"We won't be long, Uncle Bai," Ami said. "You can go ahead and eat, Uncle Bai," Bao also chimed in. Then, without a backward glance, they hurriedly walked towards the stairs.
"I can't eat three portions by myself!" Bai Zi Qian called out to the girls, who might have heard him, but continued to run down the stairs, giggling all the way. He sighed, and looked out of the window, where he followed with his eyes the two girls out of the restaurant.
"Fancy meeting you here, Bai Zi Qian."
A familiar feminine voice made Bai Zi Qian turn his eyes away from the two girls and look up at the person who addressed him. "Miss Liu," he said, rising from his seat to greet the lady standing beside his table.
Liu Dong Yan, the daughter of Mother Liu and Bai Zi Qian's betrothed, smiled prettily at him. She indeed was a beauty, as Mother Liu claimed. Her slim figure was framed by the silks that flowed down her body, and her face exuded innocence and purity in her almond-shaped eyes, softly curved eyebrows, and full lips. She was attired not too plainly, but not too gaudy also, and the pale colors of her dress enforced that pure aura she maintained. Heads definitely turned as she walked by and when she stood beside Bai Zi Qian's table, not a few were jealous of him.
"May I sit beside you, Zi Qian?" Liu Dong Yan asked.
Bai Zi Qian raised an eyebrow at her familiarity with him, which was definitely not reciprocated, but gestured towards an empty seat in front of him. "I hope this is just a short call, Miss Liu," he said, "because I'm expecting somebody else."
"Oh, you mean the two girls you took in?" Liu Dong Yan said, making Bai Zi Qian raise an eyebrow again at how much she knew about his doings. "That's okay, they can just join us later."
Bai Zi Qian narrowed his eyes. "They're coming back soon. I'm afraid we ordered food just enough for us three."
"Then I'll order for myself." Liu Dong Yan called a server, and placed her order, all the while with the server being starstruck at her. After she had finished and sent the lovestruck server away, she turned to Bai Zi Qian. "It's been a while since I ate with my betrothed. This is a rare chance that I have to take, don't you think?"
Bai Zi Qian didn't miss the emphasis Liu Dong Yan placed on the word "betrothed". "Miss Liu," he said solemnly, "I told you already that you shouldn't hold out much hope on me. I can't give you the life you want, even the wedding that you want."
"And I told you already, Bai Zi Qian, I don't want anybody else but you," Liu Dong Yan said. Her determined expression emphasized her point, but it didn't faze Bai Zi Qian, as he had always seen the same expression on her face whenever the topic of their betrothal came up.
"We've been betrothed for how long? Three years?" Bai Zi Qian changed tack. "The years haven't been kind to me or to you, and we aren't getting any younger."
"What do you mean? Do you see any wrinkles on my face?" Liu Dong Yan cried out, and leaned over to put her face closer to Bai Zi Qian's. He instinctively leaned away, and she laughed. "I know we're not getting any younger, Bai Zi Qian," she said, leaning back again, "so don't you think that's a reason for us to get married already? I mean, the whole town knows we're betrothed, and the people might think we don't care about the promises we made to each other, which is a disgrace for both our families."
Bai Zi Qian gritted his teeth at Liu Dong Yan. Like her mother before her, she doesn't fail to set his blood boiling with her presence, especially the words that came out of her mouth. "We wouldn't have been betrothed if your mother didn't take my mother's jokes seriously," he said. "You and I know that it was only a ploy by your scheming mother to tie our families together, and have your family's hands on my family's wealth."
Liu Dong Yan's face became ugly for a second, but she quickly wiped it off as she saw a lot of eyes on them. "That's not the reason why, Zi Qian," she said. She reached out and held Bai Zi Qian's hand. "I love you."
A clatter behind him made Bai Zi Qian turn around. Ami, with Bao behind her, had just come up to their table, and had definitely heard Liu Dong Yan's words. "Ami," he called softly.
Ami looked at him blankly for a while, then quickly stooped down to pick up the bundle that fell from her hands. "We're back, Uncle Bai," she said quietly, avoiding his eyes. Bao looked at both of them, and the lady seated in front of Bai Zi Qian.
"Miss Liu," Bao said, bowing slightly to acknowledge the lady. Ami followed suit, feeling the woman's eyes on her.
Indeed, Liu Dong Yan was narrowly looking at Ami, then at Bai Zi Qian. So this is the girl that everyone says is Bai Zi Qian's daughter, she thought, scanning Ami up and down. She had never really believed the rumors, since she knew Bai Zi Qian doesn't like and could not have any visitors up on that little house of his, but now that she saw the girl, a seed of doubt was planted in her heart. The girl's narrow face, the turn of her mouth, and especially her eyes, everything in the girl's features strongly suggested that she could be his daughter.
Ami likewise was looking at Liu Dong Yan with distaste. This is Bai Zi Qian's betrothed? Mother Liu's daughter? she thought as she looked at the lady adamantly seated in front of Bai Zi Qian. She might be pretty, but she doesn't hold a candle to my mother.
But the lady said I love you to Bai Zi Qian, and her familiar touch on his hand somehow made Ami angry. But she held it back because, as she reminded herself everyday, Bai Zi Qian is not her father.
She held the bundle behind her as Bai Zi Qian bade them sit, her beside him, and Bao beside Miss Liu. She and Bao had planned to surprise Bai Zi Qian, but with Miss Liu joining them, she didn't think it was an appropriate time for them to do it. She'd have to wait until they decided to go home.
Bai Zi Qian also had the same thought, so he hurried the girls to finish their food. "We have to do some more shopping, Miss Liu," he said, as soon as Ami and Bao took their last spoonful. "If you'll excuse us…"
"I'll be visiting soon, Bai Zi Qian," Liu Dong Yan called out after them as they left the restaurant.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The walk back home was infinitely quieter than the walk to town.
Bai Zi Qian sensed Ami's dejection ever since they saw Miss Liu in town. Not even Bao's cheerfulness could lift her spirits, and even the poor girl gave up when nothing seemed to work. He himself didn't know how to cheer up the girl, so he kept quiet and walked on steadily.
The mood continued on even throughout supper, even when Bai Zi Qian had cooked all of Ami's favorite food. Bai Zi Qian sighed. He didn't realize it, but Ami really held everybody's hearts in her hands, such that when she's happy, they were all happy, and when she's sad, they commiserate with her.
When they finished clearing up and washing the dishes, Bai Zi Qian thought she and Bao would be going into their room. Instead, Bao bid both of them good night, and walked in her and Ami's shared bedroom alone.
Ami stepped out and joined Bai Zi Qian as he fed the dogs. "Uncle Bai, can I talk to you?"
Bai Zi Qian nodded, and gestured that they sit at the bench set outside. "What's up?"
Ami looked unsure where to start, so Bai Zi Qian gave her time. When she asked the question she had longed to ask, it surprised him greatly. "Uncle Bai, are you nearly getting married?"
"Ami…" It was Bai Zi Qian's turn to be speechless.
Ami continued on. "It's just… if it's time for us to leave, you can always say so," she rambled. "Me and Bao had been thinking, because of course, if you're going to marry, your bride might not want us to—"
"Ami," Bai Zi Qian held both the girl's shoulders to stop her talking. "I'm not getting married anytime soon. Besides, I said you could stay her as long as you like, and that goes for Bao too. Whether or not I'm getting married, my promise still stands."
Ami looked at Bai Zi Qian as if to gauge the sincerity of his words. "She loves you," she whispered quietly.
"And that shouldn't stop me from letting you stay in my house," Bai Zi Qian finished for her. "As long as it is my house, Miss Liu cannot and will not dictate who I let stay in my house."
After hearing Bai Zi Qian's declaration, Ami smiled. She took out the bundle that she had been holding tightly and pushed it towards him. "Here, Uncle Bai," she said, smiling at him. "I know this came from your purse, but Bao and I wanted to give you something you could remember us by."
Bai Zi Qian shook his head. "Stop talking as if I'm sending you two away," he said, and Ami chuckled.
"All right then, something that will make you look better than these simple hunter's clothes you have," Ami said. She nudged the parcel. "Go on, open it."
Bai Zi Qian opened the package, and for a while, he sat stunned. "It's new clothes for you, Uncle Bai," Ami said, when Bai Zi Qian fell silent. "We both thought you looked good in green, so we got you green clothes to wear. Uncle Wang said you rarely have any dressy clothes, so we bought you some." Still feeling uncertain about Bai Zi Qian's reaction, she hesitatingly asked, "Do you like it, Uncle Bai?"
You look so good in green, his mother always told Bai Zi Qian, so she had always dressed him in green clothes. But when his parents died, he had packed away all his green clothes, giving some away to the homeless people.
Now, the only person who had made him feel something again made him feel again all the fond memories he ever had with his mother and father, with a simple gesture. He smiled with tears filling his eyes. "I do, Ami," he whispered. "I like it." He gathered Ami in his arms, and gave her a warm hug, a grateful hug. "Thank you."
Ami hugged him back. "Thank you, Uncle Bai."
They broke the hug after a while, and smiled at each other.
Just then, the dogs' ears perked up, and they both raised their heads towards one direction outside of the gate. Ami heard it too, and stood up, looking at the same direction.
"What is it, Ami?" Bai Zi Qian asked, alert at any sign of danger. But Ami slowly walked at that direction, then breaking into a run when she saw who it was emerging from the shadows.
"Mother!"
Bai Zi Qian was stunned at Ami's cry, and stood watching Ami run into the outstretched arms of a woman who very much looked like Ami. They embraced each other as if they had never seen each other for a long time, finally breaking apart to speak animatedly to each other. Then Ami pointed at his direction, and pulled the woman towards the house.
"I want you to meet Uncle Bai, Mother," Ami was saying, but as the two approached, Bai Zi Qian still felt rooted on the spot. Everything seemed to fall silent, so much that he could only hear the beating of his heart.
As the woman approached, he could see that she had on white clothes, simple yet strangely alluring. She wore a few pieces of jewelry on her head, her ears, her neck and her arms, but they made her face and hands sparkle. As she got closer, he could see her red lips, her white, even teeth, the slight blush on her cheeks, and the eyes that sparkled even in the darkness.
The faint smell of acacia flowers wafted towards him, an intoxicating yet strangely familiar scent.
"Good evening, I'm Ami's mother, Li Susu," the woman said, with a melodious tone in her voice. She had finally looked up at him, and to Bai Zi Qian's surprise, as soon as their eyes met, her eyes widened and immediately filled with tears.
"Mother, what's wrong?" Ami asked worriedly, seeing her mother react strangely as soon as she saw Bai Zi Qian. But Li Susu stared at Bai Zi Qian with those tearful eyes, and whispered the name she had longed to call for, surprising both Ami and Bai Zi Qian.
"Tantai Jin…"
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