Chapter 7: Making Trouble

In the blink of an eye, it was almost Mid-Autumn Festival, and the weather was getting colder day by day.

A few days ago, the Gao family sent an invitation, expressing their intention to visit the Xie family. Now that they had arrived, Leng Shi was entertaining them in the main hall. As they arrived early, Xie Zhen and Xie Xian were still sleeping, so Leng Shi didn’t wake them up.

When Xie Zhen woke up, she found herself alone in the room.

She changed into a vertical-collared cloak with embroidered Suzhou peony pattern lace. Her round flower bud hairstyle was adorned with strands of pearls and golden chains, swaying with her every move, making her look even more lively and playful. After searching for a while and not finding Xie Xian, she learned from a maid that Xie Xian was in Madam Xie’s main room.

“Ah Xian, what are you doing?” She ran in from the doorway, looking puzzled.

Xie Xian was standing on a mahogany embroidered stool, shaking her head and swaying her body in front of a mirror with a floral branch and four birds, “Big sister, look at me. Am I beautiful like this?”

Approaching for a closer look, Xie Zhen discovered that she was wearing Leng Shi’s jade cicada and golden sparrow hairpin.

Suppressing her laughter, Xie Zhen looked left and right. Spontaneously, Xie Xian had twisted her hair into a spiral bun and pinned it with a hairpin. Her little face was very tender, yet she tried to look like an adult. It was both amusing and adorable. Every little girl has a dream of being a young lady, and little Xie Xian was no exception.

Xie Zhen gave a serious assessment, “You’re beautiful, but it seems like something is missing.”

Curiously, Xie Xian repeatedly asked, “What’s missing?”

She climbed down from the chair, swaying over to Xie Zhen, looking at her with eager eyes.

Xie Zhen had a flash of inspiration, pointing to the dressing table’s cosmetics, “Mother always applies a bit of rouge and powder. Why don’t you give it a try?”

Xie Xian clapped her hands and said, “Okay, okay.”

After a moment of silence, the two little ones sneaked a glance outside, their heads pressed together. Xie Zhen said, “Mother is in the front yard; we can’t let her know.”

Xie Xian nodded vigorously, covering her mouth, “None of us are allowed to say anything.”

The two little ones reached a consensus and began to act around the cosmetics of Leng Shi. The activities in the inner room couldn’t be hidden from the outside maids, but these two were innocent, actually thinking that no one knew what they were up to. The pair Shuangyu and Shuangyan helplessly exchanged glances, hoping that Madam Leng would return soon.

Xie Zhen opened the lotus petal lacquer box, revealing the bright red jade blush inside. She cut a piece and applied it on Xie Xian’s face, saying, “Don’t move.”

Xie Xian obediently stayed still.

After applying the blush, Xie Zhen opened another box containing finely ground powder. Thinking of how her mother’s face always became whiter after application, she dipped her hands in it and evenly spread it on her sister’s face. Next were the eyebrows, lip color… after completing the makeover, Xie Zhen clapped her hands, “Done!”

Xie Xian eagerly turned her head to look in the mirror but was suddenly startled by the little monster in the mirror. She burst into tears, exclaiming, “Ugly!”

They both inherited Leng Shi’s delicate skin. Now, with Xie Xian’s face covered in powder and vermilion, she looked even paler, resembling a little ghost straight out of a storybook. No wonder Xie Xian cried so sadly; she was afraid that her sister would dress her up like this, and she wouldn’t be able to change back.

Xie Zhen also thought it didn’t look very good and apologized to her sister, “How about I let you do the same to me?”

Xie Xian jumped down from the embroidered stool, crying and refusing, “What if Sister becomes as ugly as me…?”

After saying this, she cried even more heartbreakingly.

Xie Zhen hurriedly comforted her, “Ah Xian is not ugly; Ah Xian is the most beautiful! No one is more beautiful than Ah Xian!”

Outside, the maidservant heard the commotion and quickly ran to check the inner room. Upon seeing Xie Xian’s messy face, Shuangyu couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “What’s happening?”

Xie Xian sniffled, “Shuangyu sister is laughing; Ah Jie must be deceiving me…”

Xie Zhen hurriedly pushed them both out, taking responsibility for the situation she caused. “It’s okay, it’s okay. I have something to discuss with Ah Xian. You two, go out quickly…”

The two girls turned back, concerned. “But…”

Before they could finish, Xie Zhen pushed them to the door. They didn’t dare to resist, afraid of accidentally harming the delicate little miss. They stood outside, helplessly watching as the door closed before their eyes.

Inside the room, Xie Zhen rushed back to the inner room. “Ah Xian, Ah Xian?”

At this moment, Xie Xian stood in front of a wooden rack, staring blankly at the floor. She had intended to wash her face, but the bronze basin was too high, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t reach it. In the end, her head accidentally hit the wooden rack, shattering the jade hairpin on her head.

The jade hairpin broke into two pieces, falling to the ground.

Xie Zhen approached, following her gaze down, and was suddenly shocked, her small mouth forming a circle.

Terrified, Xie Xian forgot to cry, turning her head to look at her helplessly. “Ah Jie, what should I do… I broke the hairpin…”

It was the favorite hairpin of their mother. She knew their mother would scold her! Just thinking about their mother’s stern face scolding her made her scared, and she shrunk her neck, big tears rolling down. Normally, her crying would be pitiful and endearing, but now, with her strange makeup, tears smearing the rouge, she looked both miserable and comical.

Xie Zhen, being older, quickly calmed down, fetched an embroidered stool from the side, stood on it, and took a cloth from the wooden rack, dipping it in water to wash Xie Xian’s face. “Don’t be afraid, let me figure out a solution.”

Bending down, she carefully wiped Xie Xian’s face. This time, Xie Xian dared not move, standing obediently, big eyes blinking as she watched, full of expectation. After washing her face, Xie Zhen picked up the broken jade hairpin from the floor, placing it on her lap, contemplating for a while.

What to do, what to do? Their mother would be back soon, and if she saw this scene, she would surely be angry. Should she just throw it away? If their mother couldn’t find it, maybe she would forget over time.

But what if Mother finds out… she really couldn’t bring herself to throw it away.

After all, Xie Zhen was just a five-year-old child, and in the eyes of a child, their parents’ belongings were sacred.

Just when she was distressed, Shuangyu called from outside, “Second Miss, Third Miss, Madam is calling you to the front yard to meet the guests,” and she was about to push the door open.

Xie Xian, in a hurry, spun around, “Ah Jie, what should I do? Will Mother scold me?”

In her urgency, Xie Zhen wrapped the broken jade hairpin in a silk handkerchief, tucked it into her bosom, and quietly led Xie Xian out of the main room.

She reassured, “No, I’m here!”

Locking the door from the inside, Shuangyu and Shuangyan couldn’t enter from outside. Finally, they managed to keep the two little misses out, both sighing in relief. Though curious about what they were doing inside, it wasn’t the time to inquire. They quickly escorted the two girls to the main hall.

In the main hall, besides the elderly Madam Gao and several other ladies, there were Gao Xun, Gao Tongtong, and a few other children. Gao Tongtong was dressed up, wearing new and brightly colored clothes, even having a thin layer of powder on her face. At just eight years old, she looked beautiful, but there was a sense of maturity not fitting for her age.

Her hair was styled in a hanging bun, adorned with a jade and golden cicada hairpin, somewhat similar to the one from the Gao family.

As soon as Xie Zhen and Xie Xian entered, they noticed the hairpin on her head.

Madam Gao asked them to take the brothers and sisters to the backyard to play. “Ah Zhen, Ah Xian, take the older brothers and sisters to the backyard.”

Xie Zhen obediently nodded and led the children out.

Walking in the corridor, Xie Xian occasionally turned her head to look at the hairpin on Gao Tongtong’s head, her little face filled with curiosity. Gao Tongtong thought she was admiring her appearance today and raised her head even higher, thinking she looked especially good today.

Xie Zhen also wanted to take a look, but she was constantly engaged in conversation by Gao Xun and couldn’t find the opportunity to break free.

Gao Xun seemed happy to see her again. “Ah Zhen, where are you taking us?”

Xie Zhen pointed ahead, “There’s a courtyard there with a lake and a swing. Also, we have Da Qiansui and Xiao Qiansui that Ah Xian and I raise. I’ll take you to see.”

The courtyard was named Chunhua Wu, specially prepared by Xie Liqing for his two daughters. It was their little garden where they could arrange and cultivate whatever they wanted, and neither he nor Madam Leng would interfere. Xie Zhen led the children there, and in the courtyard, there was a pond with over a dozen carp, as well as a big and a small turtle, the so-called Da Qiansui and Xiao Qiansui.

Above the pond, there was an arched bridge leading to a rockery. Underneath the rockery, various flowers and plants were planted, a masterpiece of Xie Zhen and Xie Xian. However, since it was autumn, most of the flowers had withered, leaving only a few scattered chrysanthemums still blooming.

On the other side of the courtyard were two swings, one belonging to Xie Zhen and the other to Xie Xian, placed side by side. Normally, the two little ones would swing here, competing to see who could swing higher, and their laughter could be heard from far away.

The two younger children from the Gao family enthusiastically rushed over, each claiming a swing and swinging back and forth. Xie Zhen, preoccupied with her thoughts, didn’t stop them. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t let anyone touch those swings.

She and Gao Xun squatted by the pond, contemplating. “Do you know…”

She hesitated, seeming embarrassed. Gao Xun thought she was about to say something serious, got nervous for a while, but then Xie Zhen surprised her by asking, “Do you know where Gao Tongtong bought the hairpin on her head?”

Gao Xun exclaimed, “Do you like that one?”

She didn’t like it, but if she knew where to buy it, she could get the exact same one. Later, she would put it in her mother’s jewelry box and her mother would surely not notice.

However, she couldn’t speak the truth, so she nodded heavily, “I think it looks pretty good.”

Gao Xun felt that his chance had come and quickly expressed himself in front of the little fairy, “That hairpin was the one I gave to sister on her eighth birthday. I certainly know where to get it. If you like it, I’ll go buy one for you tomorrow!”

Xie Zhen’s eyes lit up, her dark eyes shining, “Really? Can you take me there? I want to see it for myself!”

Gao Xun’s eyes were even brighter than hers, “Of course, of course!”

She finally resolved a big issue in her heart, smiling brightly, and sincerely said, “Thank you, you are truly a good person!”

Gao Xun was overjoyed, feeling that she was dazzling, making him a bit dizzy. But he forgot that tomorrow was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and he had already made plans to go out with Li Yu… Oh well, he could just bring him along.

Meanwhile, Xie Xian was still persistently pestering Gao Tongtong.

Gao Tongtong was a bit impatient, “Why are you always following me?”

Xie Xian, shorter by a head, looked up at her hairpin, following her step by step, “Can you let me see the hairpin…”

The more she looked at it, the more it resembled her mother’s hairpin. She wondered if she could give it to her. If she placed it with other hairpins, would her mother notice?

Gao Tongtong had no interest in this courtyard at all. She dressed up so nicely just to meet Xie Rong. However, after circling around for a long time and not seeing him, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed and a bit irritated.

Gao Tongtong said, “No, don’t follow me anymore.”

Xie Xian trotted behind her with short legs, speaking in a pleading tone, “I’ll just take a quick look… just one look!” As she said this, she raised a chubby finger, indicating that it really would be just one look.

Gao Tongtong was not swayed at all and proudly declared, “Not even one look. I really like this hairpin, what if you damage it?”

Xie Xian quickly assured, “I won’t!”

She persisted, reaching out to grab Gao Tongtong’s sleeve, pleading in a soft voice, “Sister Gao Tong, please…”

These were newly made clothes for Gao Tongtong; how could she bear to let her grab them? She felt a bit annoyed and immediately pushed her away, saying, “I said no, and it means no!”

Xie Xian, unstable, retreated several steps.

Seeing that she was about to collide with the small hill behind her, which was rugged and could lead to bleeding if hit, Xie Zhen, from a distance, ran towards them in panic, shouting, “Ah Xian!”

Before she could reach them, Xie Xian had already fallen into a familiar embrace.

Looking up, it was her brother, Xie Rong.

Xie Xian felt a bit wronged, her mouth about to cry, “Brother…”

Xie Rong tightly embraced her, rubbed her head, and looked at Gao Tongtong on the other side. He had a serious expression, low eyebrows, and a unique authority despite his young age.

No need for words; it felt oppressive.

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