Chapter 10: Day and Night

It has been three days since the incident and ShuangLin hasn't stopped crying not even once.

And the moment I think she has stopped wailling she surprises me again by trying to kill herself. Either by falling eating something she isn't supposed to or managing to some how overheat herself.

Trying to keep ShuangLin cool became a problem. 

On the contrary Daiyu was always quiet and her skin was cool to the touch.

Both of my children are so different.

"Dinner's ready." Wenrou calls.

"Coming." I pick up Daiyu and sit at the table.

I sit and place Daiyu on my lap. She needs milk again, but I am not in the mood to talk to Pei Ling.

She glances from the other side of the table. ShuangLin on the floor on a blanket screaming her tiny lungs out.

The entire family sits in a somber mood that we can't seem to get out of. It is impossible to know how we can fix this.

________

In the field Hua Li tugs at my sleeve.

She tips her hat to cover her face and walks away. Her tan robes swish around her as she walks away from me to go and harvest rice as our tribute for the new Emperor. 

The Emperor also requested in the next two years to send women into court from our providence. My family will be getting together in the next few months to discuss this. Which means meeting all of my cousins and distant family. As if I am ready for that.

I shake of the thought and smile at Hua Li. I shouldn't worry much as nothing worse can happen in the time between the family meeting. The Jianxi family reunion will be one the state talks of for years, so I can't screw up now.

As I walk into the house to get something I overhear Pei Ling and Wenrou talking.

"You've been poisoning Daiyu haven't you?" Wenrou's voice asks.

"Why would that be a problem?" Pei Ling answers.

"You remember what Hua Li said Lady Pei, you shouldn't. I am warning you. This needs to stop." Wenrou urges. "I fear you are pushing everyone away from you."

Pei Ling scoffs.

"It's their fault." She says grumpily.

A sigh comes from Wenrou and I try to listen in closer.

"Why won't it just die?" She says. "How could this be. No matter how strong the poison, it just lives."

"Don't say that." I could almost hear the frown on Wenrou's face.

"Then say what? I have been cursed with two children, and to top it off it's dark. It must be evil."

"You don't mean that, right?" Wenrou asks.

"Of course I mean it! I wish it dies!"

"You think the same about me don't you too!" Wenrou burst out off the room in tears and dashes to her room.

"Wait no, Wenrou, I didn't mean it about you. You're nice!" Pei Ling chases her down the hall only to have Wenrou slam the door in her face.

"You only say that cause you treat me like I am your servant!"

__________

During lunch Wenrou doesn't talk much to anyone at all and doesn't even spare a glance to Pei Ling who was trying to get her attention with no avail.

"ShuangLin look at Auntie Wenrou. Can you say hello?" She frowns again when her efforts result to failure.

Hua Li looks over exasperated and tugs at my sleeve again.

"I am getting bored of watching this, do you want to go somewhere else?" She mouths to me.

I nod resting my chopsticks down and excusing myself fom the meal.

Hua Li takes me to my room and sits down on my chair.

"He Shen, may I have a child as well?" She covers her face with her fan.

I almost slap myself physically instead of mentally. So this is what the side stepping and shy behaviour was for. I am guessing that she is jealous.

I will see about it.

She smiles and covers it with her fan.

"Thank you!"

"But you must wear this."

"Eh... what is it?" She looks at it confused from behind her fan.

"A blindfold." I explain with great confidence.

"Um, A-Shen, you know what—"

"Shhhhhhh...." I say putting a finger to her mouth while the other pulls down her fan.

"Pei Ling did the same. It is a fairly even condition." I explain dipping it in the substance I was given.

"But—"

"Child or no child?"

"Fine you win." She says folding her arms. "When everyone is asleep."

"Okay." I state.

We wait until later in the day and I put the blindfold over her eyes.

It was mixed by the doctor for something. Don't know why my parents had it but they said that it gets more concentrated the longer it ferments.

"Whatever it is, it is making Hua Li make weird sounds." I sigh out and look to the heavens again. 

"You think you can give me assistance here? This is quite the situation I am in." I turn to look at Hua Li who has now fallen asleep after being under the effects of the drugs for three hours.

I leave the window open and lay down next to Hua Li.

In the morning I wake up first. Fortunately and sneak out of the room to have breakfast.

In the kitchen Wenrou is wiping her tears.

She has been isolated for so long now, way longer than usual.

"Want help making breakfast?" I ask.

She turns to me surprised.

"Shen-xiong? What are you doing up?" She asks cutting some raw vegetables. She puts them into the pan and sprinkles seasonings that she prepared in a bowl. The heat is turned off and she covers the pan and shakes it so that the oil covers the vegetables.

"I just got up early." I tell her.

I walk up to the stove and kneel down to cut the meat.

"How are we cutting it?" I ask playfully swinging the knife around my finger.

"In chunks, I am trying somthing new today."

I look over and see a strange powder by her feet.

"What is that for?"

She looks down at what I noticed.

"Oh, it is rice powder." She walks up to me and cuts the meat into squares. 

"Just how much have you made?" I ask.

"Enough that we will be eating rice powder type foods for a week." She grabs the meat I finished and puts it to steam.

"Morning," Hua Li says yawning. A very awake Daiyu sits in her arms.

She sits down and places Daiyu on her lap.

The baby makes grabbing arms.

"Morning Daiyu!" I cheer picking up the baby.

I place her back down into Hua Li's arms and return to help out.

I noticed that Pei Ling walked in and watch as she picks up Daiyu to feed her.

Keeping her in my sights I watch making sure Daiyu is being fed properly.

I turn my attention to Wenrou who looks sad again.

I don't exactly know what to say.

____

When I wake up the doctor had come.

The sun barely risen from ithe horizon. A purple color fades across the sky as the suns golden yellow glow stretches through the dark sky.

"Doctor?"

Elder doctor Shen and his son were is Hua Li's room with my parents.

"You sure are quick Gao gonzi. She is pregnant. Congratulations."

Hua Li begins to cry.

"What happened?" I ask.

"I am just so happy. But I am also sad I will have to keep it secret for a while." She says. 

"I don't exactly trust Pei Ling with any knowlege of my pregnancy and Wenrou is too depressed to want to talk about anything with anyone." She finishes.

"Other than checking up on you we wanted to see how Pei Ling's children are doing."

I go to my room to find Pei Ling nursing Daiyu.

I stand by the door, watching.

"No more crying, you have the ugliest cry I have ever heard. I don't know why your father loves you so... more than Shuanglin." She yells.

"What is so special about you? You look like a commoner. I can't see why." She cries.

Two women crying in my house for two entirely opposing things.

I shake my head softly.

Then I hear a heartwrentching giggle.

"Even laughing at my pain. What a cruel child I have." She starts to laugh too.

My parents should already be showing Shuanglin to the doctors

Daiyu is then picked up again by Pei Ling and craddled in her arms.

"You are an irregular pearl aren't you.But there must be somewhere you shine." She says while crying.

"If I must, then let me be allowed to see you shine. Obviously I have sinned. You holy child, the Gods blessed you. Forgive me, your mother.

Daiyu boops Pei Ling on the nose. Then giggles loudly.

Wisps of gold radiates off of her body.

"Pei Ling, I must take her now."

"No wait! She was going to say something to me." Pei Ling Protests.

"The doctor needs her." I state taking away the baby.

"Here you are. One freshly fed Daiyu." I state as she became a loaf in my hands.

_____________________

Shuanglin and Daiyu are both heathy. No major problems we should know about?" Asks elder doctor Shen.

Pei Ling enters the room and sits down on Hua Li's bed.

"We are done now." I state handing Daiyu and Shuanglin back to Pei Ling.

The twins squiggle and squirm. Daiyu seems more advanced compared to her quieter younger sister. She is already so alert.