Chapter 57: Red Flower

Chapter 57: Red Blossom

An awkward silence fell.

Liao Ruofang, however, seemed to have taken a bad fall, and she was accompanied only by a very young maid.

An Ze, instead of stepping forward, retreated several paces.

Lin Qingjiao, standing in the water, wondered, "Is this right?"

An Ze not only kept his distance but also used his fan to cover his eyes.

"One shouldn't look upon what is improper."

Lin Qingjiao retorted, "…But she's your cousin!"

An Ze replied, "I know, but precisely for that reason, I must avoid any appearance of impropriety. Instead, Miss Lin, since our engagement is imminent, allow me to escort you back."

Lin Qingjiao was speechless.

Mother truly had sharp instincts—this Master An was quite unique.

The young maid accompanying Liao Ruofang helped her up from the shallow stream. Liao Ruofang had indeed been quite badly hurt.

"Am I going to die?"

"Don't worry, cousin, you won't die."

"Miss Lin, would you kindly ask your servants to help escort my cousin back?"

Lin Qingjiao turned and looked at the large retinue following her.

In the end, it was indeed Lin Qingjiao's servants who carried Liao Ruofang back.

Lin Qingjiao's shoes and socks were wet, but she did not let An Ze escort her. Instead, she had a woman servant carry her back.

After all, they were not formally engaged yet, so it was not appropriate for him to escort her. But this man was certainly interesting.

When Lin Qingjiao returned, Chen Yuhu learned what had happened.

Mrs. An was also called away by her servants, as Miss Liao had encountered trouble.

Lin Qingjiao changed into a spare set of clothes and recounted the recent events to Chen Yuhu, her eyes crinkling with amusement, clearly both amused and satisfied.

Chen Yuhu also found it amusing. She had been living a life of comfort in the manor every day, feeling as if her bones were growing stiff with disuse, exuding an air of decay.

Unconsciously, it seemed she was being consumed. It was rare to find someone as lively as Master An—this was good. A life like this would be interesting.

After attending to Liao Ruofang's matter, Mrs. An returned and ate with Chen Yuhu and several other young ladies.

Master An, however, ate separately at a small table in the side hall.

Lin Qingjiao changed into a red dress, exquisitely made. The color suited her perfectly, highlighting her beauty to the fullest.

Her features were striking and dignified, and the vibrant red set her off perfectly.

Mrs. An could not take her eyes off her.

Chen Yuhu and Mrs. An enjoyed their meal thoroughly. When they parted, they agreed to complete the formal exchange of gifts upon returning home.

Mrs. An also invited Chen Yuhu to bring the children to the family estate for a few days to escape the summer heat and enjoy horseback riding.

Chen Yuhu agreed.

As they boarded the carriage, Chen Yuhu glanced at Master An and then at Lin Qingjiao beside her. The next time they met, these two would be betrothed.

In front of everyone, Lin Qingjiao and An Ze exchanged engagement seals.

Mrs. An smiled from ear to ear.

She liked confident and graceful girls.

Soon, the two families exchanged marriage horoscopes, and Chen Yuhu became restless and discontent.

She grew irritated by everything and sent a letter to the frontier informing them that their eldest sister was engaged.

Chen Yuhu's dark mood made the rest of the household nervous. She even wondered if she was too idle, which might be causing her mood.

She began pondering the meaning of dying of old age.

What did it mean to die of old age? Could occupying herself with domestic trifles at home every day ensure she died peacefully?

Was it happiness? Did people live only to die respectably?

Suddenly, Chen Yuhu recalled a title she had once seen: "Our Countrymen: A Life Spent Preparing for Death."

She did not want to live like that. Life should have its own meaning.

The life she was living now was the meaning of the former Chen Yuhu.

She, too, should have her own purpose, not just spend her entire life within the women's quarters.

Chen Yuhu fell into deep thought, considering what she could do.

The constraints placed on women in this era were significant. She was not one to write books or make a name through scholarship, nor was that her preference.

If she wanted to do something for women, she needed to choose the right direction.

It had to be something the ruling class needed and supported; only then could it endure. Otherwise, it would not be feasible in this era.

With a desire to make a difference, Chen Yuhu finally emerged from her listlessness.

By the day of the outing with Mrs. An, Chen Yuhu appeared quite calm.

The estate had fresh air and beautiful scenery. Although the marquis's estate was also spacious, the feeling here was different.

Once everything was settled, the children were set loose like little birds.

Strong, capable older servants were assigned to follow them.

Qingjiao and Master An, with small baskets in hand, went into the wild to pick mushrooms. Chen Yuhu smiled her approval. Now that the betrothal formalities were complete, they were engaged.

Still, Chen Yuhu sent many female servants to accompany them.

An Zhi and Yuzhi took makeshift fishing poles, wore broad straw hats, and went to the shallow stream to fish.

They were truly like little birds freed from their cages, utterly delighted. Chen Yuhu realized she was not the only one who had felt confined.

It was just that they had become accustomed to this life, while her newfound awareness had not yet adapted.

Mrs. An and Chen Yuhu went to a nearby small riding arena to see the ponies.

Chen Yuhu wore a neat riding outfit, which was rare for her, with her hair tightly pulled back, looking all set and ready.

Only when Chen Yuhu saw the pony did she realize it was truly a small horse—so small she could get on without help.

Mrs. An's surname is Chi, and her given name is Wanqing.

Noticing Chen Yuhu's hesitation and pause, Mrs. An smiled and said, "Give it a try first. I was worried you might be timid. We have plenty of horses here."

Hesitantly, Chen Yuhu mounted the small horse, seemingly small enough to qualify as child labor.

Clearly, Mrs. An was right.

Sitting on a horse felt completely different from standing on the ground.

Chen Yuhu took a deep breath, not wanting others to see her nervousness—just to save face.

The pony trotted around the arena, not very fast, but Chen Yuhu could feel the wind on her face.

For once, she felt like she was tasting freedom.

By the time she dismounted, her expression had clearly cheered up.

Mrs. An was also riding leisurely, though on a full-grown horse.

Mrs. An had someone bring out a beautiful white horse with red patches.

"Yu Hu, get to know Red Blossom. I'm giving her to you."

"Thank you so much then."

Chi Wanqing watched as Chen Yuhu, like an excited little girl, walked circles around the large horse.

She had just been talking about the other girls, but in truth, she wasn't so different from them.

That entire morning, Chen Yuhu put aside her worries and spent her time walking Red Blossom around, followed by an equally relaxed and content Chi Wanqing.

Chen Yuhu began calling Mrs. An "Wanqing" instead of "Mrs. An."

Only in each other's presence did they have their own names, not just being called someone's wife.

Walking by the stream, they saw the two children fishing, who waved to them from afar.

Yuzhi shouted, "Mother, I want to learn how to ride a horse too!"

Chen Yuhu smiled and said, "Then you should ask your Auntie Chi."

Chi Wanqing replied with a laugh, "Sure, we'll do it together tomorrow."

Leading Red Blossom along the edge of the woods, they spotted a young man and woman standing halfway up the hillside.

The boy caught something and excitedly showed it to the girl, only for her to grab it and toss it back at him.

Chen Yuhu and Chi Wanqing exchanged a glance but said nothing.

Even from far away, they could still hear the boy's distinctive laughter carrying far into the distance.