Chapter 66 — Companionship

"This is no time to quibble over such things," Wang Shuying said to Granny Hu in a low voice. "The Seventh Master is in the prime of life. Even if we do go back to Zhending, that will be at least ten years from now—surely Great-aunt Cui cannot live so long?"

Whether they could truly settle in the capital for good, Wang Shuying was not entirely sure, and she did not dare speak too absolutely.

Granny Hu thought it over and had to agree, and she smiled: "It seems this old servant was worrying overmuch."

"Not at all," Wang Shuying said, taking Granny Hu's hand and speaking earnestly. "All these years, if I had not had you at my side, how could I have held on?"

"The mistress does this old servant too much honor," Granny Hu said, protesting again and again that she dared not accept it.

As mistress and servant spoke, both were somewhat stirred, and Granny Hu, lightly supporting Wang Shuying by the arm, went with her into the inner chamber, where they saw Dou Ming sitting on the large kang by the window, clutching a big bolster, her gaze dull and vacant; the maids and serving women came and went, packing things, yet she seemed not to see them at all.

Wang Shuying's heart gave a lurch, and she hurried forward to embrace her daughter: "Ming, Ming!"

Dou Ming turned her head back. Light returned to her eyes little by little.

Wang Shuying let out a breath and drew her into talk: "Would you like to go and see what else needs to be taken along to the capital...?"

"Nothing at all!" Dou Ming's voice was very high and shrill, piercingly so. "Grandmother will buy me everything—I don't want anything!"

Wang Shuying's eyes grew wet, and she held her daughter and for a long while could not say a word.

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Grandmother invited Dou Huaiying to sit down in the main hall. She brewed him a cup of tea with her own hands and said, perplexed, "You want to take me to stay in the city for a while?"

Dou Huaiying was somewhat embarrassed, and tactfully, in veiled terms, told Grandmother of the business with Pang Jixiu and Wu Shan.

Grandmother chuckled and said, "When a family has a daughter, a hundred families come courting. Our Shouyuan is pretty and sweet-natured. You will have headaches enough over her yet." Then she briskly told Hong Gu to pack, and the matter went so smoothly that Dou Huaiying and Dou Yan were both struck dumb for a moment. Dou Yan marveled inwardly—that Grandmother could hear of Pang Jixiu's designs and simply laugh them off, was it a pure and childlike heart, or was it that she had seen through the ways of the world?

They were back in Zhending before the hour of you.

Wang Shuying was waiting at the second gate to receive Grandmother, Dou Huaiying, and Dou Yan.

Dou Huaiying asked, "Where is Ming?"

Wang Shuying said quickly, "She is a little unwell—it looks like sunstroke. I gave her a little Huoxiang Zhengqi tincture, and she has just lain down. I thought I would send for a doctor to have a look at her shortly."

At this Grandmother wanted to go and see Dou Ming.

Wang Shuying said hurriedly, "The weather is hot and you have had a tiring journey. You had better rest a little first, lest the heat make you ill as well."

Grandmother thought it over, gave a faint smile, and did not insist, and went with Dou Yan to the Qingshuang Pavilion.

Wisteria trailed over the courtyard wall of the Qingshuang Pavilion; thick moss grew beside the steps; nameless little flowers bloomed by the rocks—a wild charm everywhere.

Grandmother liked it very much.

That evening, Dou Ji moved over to stay with Grandmother.

Haitang quietly told her, "The Seventh Master is berating the mistress and the Fifth Miss."

Let them make whatever fuss they pleased, so long as they did not disturb her own life.

"Do not tell Grandmother," Dou Yan instructed Haitang.

Haitang nodded.

Dou Yan called out loudly for Ganlu, telling her to cut up the watermelon that had been cooling in the well.

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The next day, Father took his leave of Grandmother and the Second Old Madam, returned to the North Tower to make offerings to the ancestors, and then set off for the capital with Wang Shuying and Dou Ming.

That evening, the Second Old Madam invited Grandmother over for supper.

Grandmother asked Dou Zhiwei what she thought. "Do you think I should go or not?"

In her last life, Grandmother had always stood before her like a mountain, sheltering her; in this life it was her turn to shield Grandmother from wind and rain, and Dou Yan found the feeling utterly novel, tinged with the quiet pressure and pride of shouldering a great responsibility.

"I shall go with you," Dou Xin said. "One must always pay one's respects to the relatives in the household. If you like them, see more of them; if not, see less. Either way, we live apart from them."

Grandmother thought this made sense, and so she went with Dou Chuqi to take the evening meal.

Only the First Madam kept them company at the table. After the meal, they nibbled fruit and talked over old times, and then dispersed.

Grandmother was delighted, and settled in contentedly at the Qing Shuang Pavilion. Every morning she would walk seven or eight circuits around the rockery until she was drenched in sweat, and only then would she rest.

Dou Yan watched in fear and trembling, and every day walked alongside Grandmother.

At first, for every two circuits Grandmother made, she managed one; gradually, she could match Grandmother circuit for circuit. At the start her whole body ached, and even lifting an arm or a foot was an effort; in time she grew clear-headed and light, her movements nimble.

Grandmother nodded again and again at the sight. "Look at that little face, all red—how full of vigor she looks!"

Dou Yan pressed her lips together and smiled.

By autumn, she discovered that the horse-face skirts she had made in spring now hung too short, revealing the pale yellow silk shoes beneath.

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Fortunately, it is not too late... o(n_n)o~

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