Chapter 33
Ailin
Ailin helped Meilin set up three small stools in the garden for zither lessons. Since Meilin had begun teaching Treasure and Fortune in addition to Sandy, she needed more help. Unlike the well-behaved Sandy, Treasure and Fortune were little imps who needed constant adult supervision.
The courtyard rang with cheerful voices as Captain Bai led the children into the garden, each with their own child-sized zither.
Meilin’s face lit up at the sight of him, and he gazed back at her with such tenderness that Ailin had to look away.
Since the two of them formalized their betrothal, they had become completely comfortable in each other’s presence.
Ailin was thankful they would be married before the New Year.
They both already seemed like they were in their own world.
When Meilin began instructing Captain Bai on how to help each child tune their zither, Ailin slipped toward the garden’s exit, running into Begonia on her way out.
Begonia looked less than happy as she gave Ailin a report. “The butler said there’s a visitor at the front gate. Do you want to speak with him or send him away?”
Ailin wondered if it was bad news from Hangzhou.
Ever since she’d sent her letter to Enze, she had been anxiously awaiting an update on his situation regarding both the imperial exam and his marriage to Shen Lusi.
It was now the ninth month, but they hadn’t received any word from Hangzhou since Madame Cai’s letter before the Mid-Autumn Festival.
“Who is the visitor?” she asked.
Begonia lowered her voice. “It’s Master Wei.”
Ailin straightened. She had not expected Wei Luobi to show his face at Batong Mansion ever again.
He had broken Meilin’s heart before allowing Magistrate Gao to harass the Jiang family.
Ailin’s contempt for him increased even further after Meilin told her about his treatment of Sandy’s mother, though it was a secret she wasn’t supposed to tell anyone else.
Ailin looked over her shoulder at the happy group of children with Meilin and Captain Bai in the garden. She decided exactly how she would take care of Wei Luobi. She liked to avoid conflict, but that didn’t mean she would let scoundrels hurt her loved ones.
“Begonia, go to the northeastern corner of my room and bring me the hemp bag under the flowerpot. I’ll meet with the visitor in the front courtyard. Let’s handle this between the two of us. Don’t disturb Meilin or Captain Bai.”
Begonia nodded. She despised Wei Luboi as much as Ailin did for having toyed with Meilin’s heart. “Tian is monitoring the front half of the house today, in case you need to call for him.”
“Thank you.”
Walking slowly to the estate’s front courtyard, Ailin met the Jiang family’s butler and instructed him to let Wei Luobi in.
A breeze swept through the courtyard, rustling the red maple leaves on the trees. Ailin stood in her camellia pink ǎoqún as she waited. Her feet would hurt less if she sat, but she wanted to stand as tall as she could.
Wei Luobi followed the butler into the courtyard, looking as handsome as ever in his serpentine way.
The gold embroidery on his cream-colored jacket made him practically sparkle in the sun.
The jade pin in his hair looked as expensive as his clothes.
He brought his hands together and bowed his head in greeting.
“It’s good to see you again, Miss Duan. I heard that your family had the misfortune of running into some Wōkòu this summer, and I wanted to check on you. Are you all recovered?”
“We are well, but may I ask why you are here?” Ailin might as well cut to the point instead of indulging Wei Luobi in superficial niceties.
She had to hide her knowledge about Sandy’s mother, but the way that Wei Luobi had allowed the Gaos to treat the Jiangs was enough justification to cut off relations.
Wei Luobi changed to a different topic. “I am in Suzhou to direct the staging of my latest play. The Romance of the Zither was quite well-received in Hangzhou, and I hope to replicate the success here.”
“Best wishes to you,” Ailin replied curtly.
After a short silence, Wei Luobi asked, “Is it possible to speak to your sister? I regret that I did not explain myself very well when we last parted, which might have led to some misunder-standings.”
Ailin seldom lost her temper, but it flared at his mention of Meilin. “That is not necessary, Master Wei. Your actions spoke for themselves. My sister is better off not seeing you again.”
Wei Luobi dropped his smile for the first time in Ailin’s presence. “You won’t even let me see her one last time? I know I behaved badly toward the end, but isn’t this a little cruel considering how close Meilin and I once were?”
Ailin lifted her chin. “I regret that you find me cruel, but I stand firm.”
“Miss Duan, have you no sympathy for a poor man who had no choice but to marry a magistrate’s spoiled daughter?”
“You should not speak of your wife in that way when you chose to marry her.”
“But how much choice did I have in the matter? The uncle who had long designated me as his heir had just had a son. I have strong suspicions that the concubine’s child is not even his, but what could I do to dispute my disinheritance, powerless writer that I am?
I had to marry someone with the money and connections to back me up. My hands were tied by circumstance.”
Ailin would have laughed at Wei Luobi’s depiction of his own victimhood if he hadn’t hurt others so much. “I pity you.”
He trembled. “I truly loved your sister. You might not believe me, but I really did. I still do.”
Ailin acknowledged that Wei Luobi seemed as sincere as he could be.
For someone unaccustomed to making sacrifices, mere sentiment unbacked by action probably felt like love.
Wei Luobi’s feelings for Meilin might be the closest to true love that he would ever experience. But Meilin deserved more, much more.
“I believe you, but it’s not proper for you to speak of feelings for my sister when you have a legally wedded wife.”
Wei Luobi stepped closer. “I don’t love Gao Sufei. And she doesn’t love me either. Everyone knows that ours is a marriage of convenience. Meilin is the only woman who ever loved me without ever wanting anything in return. I couldn’t help but lose my heart to her. Miss Duan, please let me see her.”
Begonia arrived with Tian in tow, and she responded before Ailin could. “It doesn’t matter what you say now. Miss Meilin has moved on.”
Ailin smiled at her maid’s impertinence.
Wei Luobi looked between Begonia and Ailin. “Is this how you train your servants? To speak so rudely to their superiors?”
Tian folded his arms across his chest, his rolled-up sleeves revealing muscular forearms. “I don’t see a superior here, just a petty man.”
Begonia ignored Wei Luobi altogether, turning to Ailin. “I fetched the item you wanted, Miss Duan. Also, Miss Meilin and Captain Bai said they would love to have your help with the children whenever you’re done here.”
“Bai Yun? That brute?” Wei Luobi’s face darkened. “Is he trying to win over Meilin now that I’m gone?”
Ailin’s sympathy ran out. Wei Luobi had no right to speak ill of Captain Bai. “They are betrothed, Master Wei. Please show some respect.”
Wei Luobi laughed drily. “She’s willing to accept him now? It won’t be easy keeping up with a soldier, especially one who already has a child.”
Ailin held up her hand to keep Begonia and Tian from responding. They were already offended at Wei Luobi’s insults without even knowing the full irony of his words. “Fate works in mysterious ways. As does the human heart.”
“Shall I escort the visitor out, Miss Duan?” Tian asked.
“In a minute. There is something we need to return to Master Wei.” Ailin motioned to Begonia for the hemp bag. She had held onto its contents for far too long, and she was glad to return it now.
Begonia dropped the bag directly and unceremoniously into Wei Luobi’s hand.
He looked surprised when he opened the bag. “This is the jade pendant I gave Meilin as a token of my love.”
“My sister will never need this again,” Ailin said coldly. “Tian, please escort our visitor out.”
Tian stretched his arm toward the exit. “This way, please.”
Wei Luobi made no move to follow Tian. Instead, his eyes took on a disdainful gleam as he stroked the jade tiger pendant in his hand.
“Before I leave, I think I should deliver some interesting news from Hangzhou. The Fans, a family I know you care about, recently celebrated double blessings. Their eldest son, Fan Enze, passed the autumn exam with the highest score in Zhejiang province, and before he set off for Beijing to take the metropolitan exam, the family held a splendid wedding to welcome their new daughter-in-law, the former Miss Shen Lusi.”
Wei Luobi smiled, tossing his jade pendant up and catching it in his hand again before he followed Tian out of the courtyard.
Ailin felt dizzy. She tottered for a moment before Begonia grabbed her elbow to support her. With Begonia’s help, she walked to the nearest bench in a pavilion overlooking the Jiang family’s koi pond. White lotuses floated atop the water.
“Are you all right, miss?” Begonia asked. “I hope that nasty man didn’t upset you.”
Ailin rubbed her temples. “I’m not upset. I promise.”
No. Upset was not sufficient to capture the complexity of Ailin’s feelings. She felt such a mixture of joy and pain that it was impossible to explain.
She didn’t know for sure how Wei Luobi knew the best way to provoke her, but he was clever.
Perhaps he had deduced the tenor of her relationship with Enze and Shen Lusi just from dinner parties at Batong Mansion.
Or maybe Meilin had told him Ailin’s secret back when they were close. It didn’t matter anymore.