Chapter 1 — White Cat Leads Good Luck

Bui Thieu bet with his sister and intentionally let the cat I raised run away. Sister leaned on his shoulder, laughing heartlessly.
"I bet in less than three days, that cold-faced Liu Zhaoling will definitely get angry."
Bui Thieu said again: "Since childhood, she has not liked to cry and make a fuss. She will definitely not lose her temper over this little thing. I understand her better than you." They all guessed wrong. I went crazy looking for the cat. From noon until dark, I called until my voice was hoarse and my eyes were red from crying. I lost my footing and fell into the cold lake water. High fever that hasn't subsided for three days, even in my dreams I call the cat's name. At this time, Bui Thieu panicked, hugged the cat and sat guard in front of my bed.
"Chieu Nguyet was just joking. She has always been generous, absolutely don't compare yourself with her."
I don't want to hear these excuses anymore, so I mentioned something else.
“Bui Thieu, let's cancel the marriage.”
01
There were dark circles under Bui Thieu's eyes, looking like he hadn't slept all night.
“Just because of a cat, you want to cancel your marriage with me?”
“Yes, just because of this.”
Bui Thieu's face immediately darkened, and the cat in his arms took the opportunity to jump down.
"Chieu Linh, can you be a little more reasonable? We were just joking with you. You made such a fuss like this, it's like me and Chieu Nguyet are really bullying you."
To find Nguyen Tieu, I searched every cave and alley, calling until my throat was hoarse, crying until my eyes were swollen. I fell into the lake, almost drowned, and had a fever for three days and three nights. This joke is not funny at all. I tried to prop myself up and said: "Leave Nguyen Tieu, you can go." Bui Thieu seemed to want to say something, but his eyes fell on my dry, cracked lips due to fever, and in the end he stopped.
"You're still sick, I won't argue with you. Wait until you're cured before we continue."
Nguyen Tieu let out a "meow" sound from the ground and approached his feet. Bui Thieu lowered his head to look at it. Not knowing where his anger came from, he kicked it away.
“Bui Thieu!”
I was so scared that I lost my soul, immediately threw off the blanket and rushed to help Nguyen Tieu. The whole person fell to the ground, blood oozing from the palm of his hand, causing pain until his eyes continuously darkened. Bui Thieu panicked and squatted down, trying to help me.
"I didn't mean it. Chieu Linh, I didn't want to hurt you. I was just angry for a moment so I..."
I gritted my teeth, tears rolling around in my eye sockets. I conveniently touched a hard object on the ground and threw it aggressively at Bui Thieu. The object hit his shoulder and fell to the ground. A crunching sound rang out. Bui Thieu and I bent down to look at the same time. The jade pendant carved in the shape of twin lotus flowers was broken in half from the middle.
02
When we got engaged, Bui Thieu gave me this piece of jade. He said his hands were clumsy, touching more than ten pieces of jade before he could make one complete piece.
“No matter how heavy the rain and wind will be in the future, even if all the flower petals are knocked down, our roots will still grow together in the end.”
"She must wear it for the rest of her life and cannot lose it."
Begonia flowers outside the window fell on his shoulders. I blushed and nodded, kept the jade close to my body, and never left it day and night. It turns out that life is so short, so short that it hasn't even gone through the cycle of spring and autumn. Bui Thieu lowered his head and looked for a long time. When he looked up, his eyes were red.
“Okay, very good.”
"Cancel the marriage, cancel the marriage. Liu Chieu Linh, if you have the ability, don't regret it for the rest of your life hate!"
Having finished speaking, he kicked away the broken piece of jade and left without turning around. He closed the door so hard it shook the sky. I slowly bent down, picked up the two halves of the jade piece, and squeezed it tightly in my palm. The edges of the jade piece cut into the wound, mixing with the newly oozing blood. I suddenly remembered when I was little, every time Bui Thieu and his sister teased me, he would give me a packet of pine nut candy. We counted each pill and hid it in a small box, accumulating a whole box. Then the box got damp, the candy melted into a sticky puddle of syrup that couldn't be cleaned no matter how much you wiped it. It turns out there had been a premonition all along. All the sweetness he gave me will eventually turn into this. Sticky hands, messy, don't know how to clean up. The cat in my arms meowed loudly. I bent down to look at it. At this point, I was surprised to discover that the fur color was wrong. Nguyen Tieu's front leg has a tuft of yellow hair, like a small birthmark. But this cat doesn't have it. This is not Nguyen Tieu. Bui Thieu found a cat like him to deceive me. He couldn't find Nguyen Tieu, yet he still eloquently blamed me for making a big deal out of a small matter.
03
Mrs. Bui and her mother were close friends at home. The two families often visited, and of course their children also played together. She likes to laugh and be boisterous, has a sweet mouth and knows how to be a babe, and is loved by everyone wherever she goes. I have a quiet personality and don't like to cry and make a fuss, so they think of ways to tease me into opening my mouth, wanting to see me lose my temper. At first it was just some childish mischief, like hiding my books and dropping a frog into my inkstand. I have never cried and made a fuss. Because I know, crying is useless. I don't know when, those teasing started getting more and more excessive. Sister, while I was taking a nap, poured cold water on my blanket. That guy stole my homework to fold paper boats, causing me to be scolded by the master and punished for copying. Every time that happened, father and mother said: "Sister, you didn't mean it, please be more generous." One winter, my great-grandmother sent me a silk flower from Jiangnan, very delicately made, saying it was for me. I was extremely happy, put it in my hair and looked in the bronze mirror for half a day. That was the first time I discovered that my appearance was not inferior to my sister. The next day, the silk flower was gone. I rummaged through the makeup box and finally found it at the bottom of the water jar in the yard. The flower petals were soaked until their color faded, like a drowned butterfly. Sister tilted her head and stuck out her tongue at me.
“This flower is rustic and not worthy of you.”
I looked into her eyes and suddenly understood something. She didn't like this silk flower at all. She just can't stand me having anything. Even if it's just a small joy that belongs to us, as small as a silk flower. My things must be broken, must be broken, must be something that sister chose and left behind. Only then can she be a perfect sister in every aspect. After that, we don't wear new clothes anymore, we don't wear flowers, we don't put things we like in easy-to-see places. Mother patted my head and sighed: "Chieu Linh is like that, has a cold personality, and doesn't like colorful things." After every incident, Bui Thieu always came to me looking guilty, apologizing on behalf of himself and also on behalf of his sister. He brought it to me Novelty version, a packet of pine nut candy or the best layer cake in the east of the city. He will lower his posture, carefully coax and please me. As the days passed, I gradually developed some vague feelings for him.
04
Later, when she reached adulthood, her father and mother wanted to cooperate with her with Bui Thieu. But she shook her head like a drum.
"I don't want to get married so early. I want to fight in the streets and become a chivalrous female companion!"
Father and mother looked at each other. Her mother advised her sister: "What's the use of a young lady going into the streets?"
“Why not?”
The older sister spoke eloquently: "In the past there was Nhiep An Nuong, today there is Lu Chieu Nguyet. You have practiced swords for so many years, is it a waste of practice?" This story reached Bui Thieu's ears, and he felt very happy. That day he came home to visit and saw his sister dancing with swords in the yard. The sister danced until her head was covered in sweat and her hair was loose. Bui Thieu leaned against the hallway pillar and looked for a moment, then smiled and shook his head.
“What are you shaking your head for?” The older sister retracted her sword and used her sleeve to wipe her sweat.
“I just feel lucky that I never said I wanted to marry you.”
"Fly!"
Sister spat at him.
"Who needs you to marry? With your slovenly appearance, I don't even pay attention."
“Yes, yes.” Bui Thieu laughed and clasped his hands.
"Miss Lu is the one who wants to fight in the rivers and lakes to become a female warrior. How can this coward dare to climb high?"
The older sister snorted and asked him again: "So who do you want to marry?" Bui Thieu thought for a moment, his eyes fell on the person. I was reading a book in the hallway and felt his eyes so I raised my head. He looked at me, smiling.
"Marrying someone like Chieu Linh, gentle and quiet, how nice."
My face immediately turned red. Sister looked at him, looked at me again, then kicked him in the calf.
“Then you go marry him!”
Bui Thieu was so hurt that he bared his teeth and rolled his eyes, hugged his legs and jumped up.
“Why did you kick me?”
The older sister put her hands on her hips.
“If you look at my sister again, I will not only kick you but also gouge your eyes out!”
The two people rioted in a group in the yard. I bowed my head and pretended to read the book in my hand, but I couldn't read a single word.
05
Not long after, Mrs. Bui actually came to the house. Mother thought she was here to discuss her sister's marriage, so she quickly sent her maid to invite her father. But Mrs. Bui waved her hand and said: "I have come to marry Chieu Linh on behalf of Thieu Nhi." Mother and father looked at each other, momentarily not knowing what to say. My sister's marriage hasn't been decided yet, my sister has already been approached by someone to propose marriage, so it won't be known if word gets out. But Mrs. Bui did not pay attention to these things. She held my hand and kept praising me:
"I have seen this Chieu Linh child from childhood to adulthood. He has a good personality and beautiful appearance. He is a perfect match for our family's Thieu Nhi. That stupid son of mine, he doesn't say anything with his mouth, but in his heart he likes her very much."
She turned to my mother and said:
"We've been close for so many years, I won't beat around the bush anymore. If you feel it's appropriate, let's just decide on this marriage. I guarantee that after Chieu Linh marries, I will love her like my own daughter."
Mother looked at father awkwardly. Father was silent for a moment, then asked Mrs. Bui: "So Chieu Nguyet's side..." Mrs. Bui pouted.
“That girl has a good heart, Thieu Nhi is useless We can't even get into its eyes.”
In the end, this marriage was decided. When Mrs. Bui left, she held my hand and smiled until her eyebrows arched.
“Good child, from now on you will be part of our family. If you have any worries, just tell your aunt, she will take care of you."
I was stunned, my nose suddenly stinging. My mother's thoughts were all on her sister, what she shared with me was just a little leftover rice and soup. But Mrs. Bui is not like that, her eyes looking at me are truly filled with love.
06
My sister suddenly got a serious illness. She no longer said she wanted to fight in the streets anymore. She locked herself in her room every day, broke things, got angry, and no one advised her. That guy is a favored person. She was used to the fact that all good things had to pass through her hands first. She may not need it, but others are not allowed to have it. Father called me to the study room, his face dark.
“Are you unhappy with teasing your sister?”
I shook my head.
“From childhood to adulthood, my older sister always gave in to me in everything. Now that it's good, I'll steal his marriage again!
I want to say, it's clear that Mrs. Bui came to the door herself to ask for marriage. Why did you turn into a robber? But I don't say. Because I know, explaining is useless. Mother also came to advise me, everything inside and out was my fault.