Grandmother tapped the little rascal's forehead and touched her necklace. Compared to the strange gifts of the past, this one seemed quite presentable.
"Do you like it?"
"I do." She looked Zhu Changle over. "You've tanned quite a bit. Did you have fun?"
"So much fun! I never knew there were so many types of wild monkeys! They're so clever, they could even understand what I was saying."
Grandmother laughed, "Did you bring one back with you?"
"No, they have a big group. It's better for them to play together."
Zhu Changle swayed Grandmother's hand, then stepped back to kneel and kowtow. "I've missed two of your birthdays already. I wish you a long life of a hundred years, Grandmother."
"I'll try my best to live up to your wish."
"Then try even harder and live to two hundred!"
"That I can't promise." Grandmother pulled her up and pinched her cheek. "You've lost weight."
Of course she had lost weight, eating fish every day until she felt like she smelled like one. Zhu Changle threw herself into Grandmother's arms, whining and coaxing to change the subject. She made Grandmother's eyes soften with mirth, then persuaded her to leave the Buddha hall to have a meal with the family.
Whining, coaxing, laughing loudly - none of these quite fit the behavior expected of a young lady from a good family. Yet in the Zhu Family, known for its strict rules, it was surprisingly harmonious, with everyone indulging her.
"Have you made Grandmother and Mother happy?" Zhu Changwang teased as he watched his youngest sister bounce into the courtyard. On the table in front of him were a tea set, some dishes, and a plate of raw meat.
"Of course, they were grinning from ear to ear." Zhu Changle gestured behind her ears, looking so smug that Zhu Changwang's hand twitched on his folded fan.
She grabbed a plate of fried cakes and sat cross-legged in the wide chair next to her big brother. As she ate, she sought answers from him. "Second Sister-in-law doesn't seem to like me much. Did Second Brother say something bad about me?"
"How could your Second Brother say anything bad about you?" Zhu Changwang smiled. "You noticed?"
Zhu Changle grumbled and leaned back into the chair, sitting improperly. Though they had only shared one meal together, she wasn't stupid. Of course she had noticed.
She also knew Second Brother wouldn't do that. Although his tolerance for her only lasted a day before he started demanding she follow this rule or that, that's just how bookworms were. It was impossible that he would speak ill of her.
"Some people are destined to get along, others aren't. Just consider that you and Madam Xu aren't fated to be close."
Zhu Changle thought about it and immediately agreed, putting the small matter out of her mind. She put down the empty plate, picked up another, and started chatting with her big brother about everything under the sun while eating.
Zhu Changwang watched her with smiling eyes, occasionally agreeing and refilling her tea cup. He listened to her talk about life on the island. Though she had been alone, though it was all tricks she had invented to pass the time, anyone else might have gone mad from loneliness. But she had managed to make each day exciting and wonderful. Her happiness wasn't fake - she genuinely found it fun, just as she genuinely felt no need to worry about people she wasn't destined to be close to.
Madam Xu wouldn't understand this point. She would even misinterpret Chang Ning's attempts to manage Changle as dislike, rather than the siblings' way of interacting.
But what did it matter? As long as Changle was happy.
"Do you have any plans for the future?"
"I made plans with Dingding two years ago to go to Guan Mountain, but then Master dumped me on that island. I'll have to ask if he still wants to go." Zhu Changle frowned. "That brat better not have gone without me. I'll beat him to death if he snuck off alone."
"Guan Mountain? That's at the border. What are you going there for?"
"His parents met with misfortune there years ago. He wants to look for clues."
Zhu Changwang nodded slightly. He knew from Changle that Dingding had never met his father, and his mother had passed away early. He was raised by his maternal grandfather.
Having emptied another plate, Changle clasped her hands and blew out a few notes. With a cry, a golden eagle swooped down, folding its wings to land lightly on her shoulder and nuzzle her affectionately.
"How did you get so heavy?" Zhu Changle flicked its chin and stroked it. "When you hunt, go far away. If you do something bad, don't bring it back here. I won't acknowledge it."
Zhu Changwang often felt his little sister's thinking needed correction. Even if you truly felt that way, you shouldn't say such things out loud.
"Little Golden, look at that big plate of meat. Big Brother prepared it for you. Quick, call him Big Brother."
The golden eagle really did let out a short cry towards Zhu Changwang. Of course, the sound bore no resemblance to "Big Brother," but Changle was utterly pleased. She stroked its back, praising, "So well-behaved. Go eat."
Zhu Changwang laughed. It was practically supernatural. "Your Third Sister had a son. He's three months old now."
"Mother told me. How is it that I've missed all the happy events!" Zhu Changle wailed, collapsing onto the table. Little Golden thought something was wrong and pecked her gently.
Zhu Changle hugged it tightly, squeezing and kneading. "Is her husband's family treating her well?"
"Given the relationship between our families, it can't be too bad."
That made sense. Zhu Changle nodded. "I'll stay with Grandmother for two days, then go visit her."
Zhu Changwang watched the flailing Little Golden and asked, "I remember you saying it could deliver messages."
"For our Little Golden, that's not even worth mentioning. Isn't that right, Little Golden?" Zhu Changle pressed the eagle's head to make it nod, while mimicking its voice: "Yes, it's nothing. It's nothing!"
Having had her fun, Zhu Changle noticed her brother's thoughtful look and pouted. "Big Brother, don't take advantage of Little Golden's inability to speak to scheme against it!"
"Didn't it just call me Big Brother?"
Tossing Little Golden onto the table to eat the meat, Zhu Changle walked over to crouch in front of her brother, holding onto his wheelchair. "Big Brother, has something happened?"
Zhu Changwang tapped her forehead with his fan. "Why do you say that?"
"I feel like something's off. Father's forehead wrinkles are deep enough to trap mosquitoes, and you, Big Brother, didn't look so... so troubled two years ago."
Zhu Changwang smiled and patted her head. "You've become more perceptive."
Zhu Changle glanced at her brother. She had sensed that tension the moment she entered the study. Her father and brother, one old fox and one young fox working together, had always been the ones to deal with others. Now this situation made her think - could it be that His Majesty had finally made up his mind and was going to move against her father?!
"Smack!"
Zhu Changle felt a pain on her head. She covered it and looked up, yelling, "I'm telling Mother you hit me!"
"What nonsense are you thinking!" Zhu Changwang raised his fan, pretending he would hit her again.
Zhu Changle leaned back. "Did I say that out loud?"
"The Capital City is different from anywhere else. Be careful not to bring trouble upon yourself with careless words."
"I know, I'm just at home." Zhu Changle lowered her voice, knowing she was in the wrong. When she was away, she missed her family terribly. But every time she came back, she'd want to leave after just a few days. It wasn't her fault - she couldn't stand a life full of "don't do this" and "that's not allowed"!
But every time she came back, she spent time with her family wholeheartedly. When accompanying Grandmother, she'd stay in the Buddha hall every day. While Grandmother prayed and chanted sutras, she would meditate and practice martial arts. Or she'd drag out Grandmother's rest items and sleep next to her. When Grandmother was free, she'd regale her with tales of her great deeds outside. She made her life of chasing cats and teasing dogs sound fascinating. The old lady's mood would lighten so much that she could eat half a bowl more at meals.
Of course, she had to spend time with Mother too. Zhu Changle had perfected the art of whining and coaxing. She was mischievous yet considerate. With Second Brother, they had entered the usual stage of him scolding and her talking back. Though she had only been back for a few short days, the Zhu Family suddenly felt lively and chaotic. They lost some tranquility but gained vitality.
