Chapter 5 — The One Who Remembers Me Instead

Ky Minh Chau walked over and grabbed my hand, looked me up and down, then smiled and said:
"Your face is not bad. It seems that Miss Qi treats you quite well?"
Having finished speaking, she glanced at Qi Yu standing behind me, her eyes filled with judgment.
“Please remember, sister.”
I withdrew my hand, my expression unchanged. Qi Yu took a step forward, not leaving a trace but covering half of his body behind, then bowed to his grandmother:
"Grandmother is doing well. A Nguyen often mentions you to me."
Grandmother looked at the two of us, a few lines of laughter appeared in the corners of her eyes:
“Good, good.”
Mother was busy ordering people to serve food, constantly telling her servants to put the dishes the elder sister liked to eat in front of her. Sweet and sour fish, eight treasure duck, lotus root powder and cinnamon flowers... The food covered half the table. In front of me there is only a plate of stir-fried vegetables and a bowl of chicken soup. Qi Du looked at that plate of food, didn't say anything, just pushed the plate of beef sauce in front of him towards me. At the party, the elder sister was the one who talked the most. She told her how comfortable life at the Lang family was, how Lang Nghien went out with her to spring vacation, helped her draw her eyebrows, and even bought a pair of parrots to hang in the hallway to make her happy. The mother's face brightened when she heard it, and the father also nodded repeatedly. Grandmother occasionally replied, but her eyes often fell on me. We eat quietly. The stewed chicken soup was very delicious, I wonder if Te Du had told the kitchen in advance or not. I remember the cinnamon flower cake he gave me that night. Somewhere in my heart suddenly softened, but I pressed it back. After the party ended, the elder sister took me to the backyard to see the parrots. She carried her dress and walked ahead. Just like when I was a child, she was always three steps ahead of me.
"A Nguyen, didn't you say that Miss Qi's temper is not good? Why do I see that he is quite gentle?"
"That's OK."
I said. She turned her head to look at me and suddenly burst out laughing:
“Are you afraid I'll take him away?”
“You're so stupid and tasteless, you really should be worried.”
I stop walking. Ky Minh Chau walked in front of the parrot cage and raised his hand to tease one. The blue-feathered parrot flapped its wings and cried out twice. I suddenly smiled.
“You should still take care of yourself more.”
Since childhood, the eldest sister has been accustomed to living as she pleases. Many men in the capital are her brothers. They drank together and rode horses together. Even after getting married, she never restrained herself. Even though I never intentionally listened, those rumors still reached my ears. Lang Nghien is being placed in the middle of those rumors, how much longer can he endure? The elder sister's expression changed slightly. I turned around and left. Behind him came Ky Minh Chau's embarrassed and angry voice:
"Ky Vong Nguyen! What do you mean?"
I don't turn back. When I stepped out of the round gate, Te Du was standing under the cinnamon tree waiting for me. In his hand he held a bowl of hot almond milk. When it was given to me, the bottom of the bowl was still hot.
"You couldn't eat much on the table just now. Drink a little to fill your stomach."
I took the bowl. The bowl is warm against the palm of your hand, the warmth spreads along your fingertips. I wanted to say something, my lips moved. In the end, I just bowed my head and drank the entire bowl of almond milk one sip at a time. He stood by, not asking anything.
12
After that visit home, my life at Te family became more and more peaceful. Te's temperament Project is much more subtle than we think. He remembers that I don't like eating herbs. He remembers that before sleeping we must drink a cup of warm honey water. He remembered that every month on those days my stomach hurt, so he always told the kitchen to prepare ginger tea with red sugar in advance. He never brought those things up. He just did everything quietly. My mother-in-law also treats me gently. Mrs. Qi is a straightforward person, her housekeeper is extremely strict but generous to her daughter-in-law. The first time I managed government affairs, I made a mistake and mistakenly calculated a monthly payment. Mrs. Qi just smiled:
"It's hard to avoid mistakes the first time. Just learn slowly."
Don't blame, don't retort, and don't compare yourself to anyone. In the evening, while I was sitting under the lamp checking the books, Qi Yu returned from the study room. He looked at me, didn't say anything, just changed the cold cup of tea on the table into a warm one. I bowed my head and plucked the abacus seeds, suddenly feeling my eyes get a little wet. Those small good things are like spring rain falling under the eaves, drop by drop. Didn't feel anything at first. By the time I realized it, they had accumulated into a puddle. It took us a long time to learn to believe that the rain wouldn't suddenly stop.
13
Early spring next year. Bich Dao, the maid next to Ky Minh Chau, ran all night to knock on Te family's door. Her whole body was covered in mud, her face was pale. As soon as she saw me, she immediately knelt down.
"Second Miss! Eldest Miss... Eldest Miss has been kicked out by the Lang family!"
My hand holding the cup of tea stopped. Bich Dao cried until she couldn't breathe, intermittently recounting the beginning and end of the incident. After marrying into the Lang family, Ky Minh Chau was initially quite peaceful.