She remained quiet for a long moment. Pei Lin had almost begun to wonder if she wouldever speak when a faint, clear voice broke rhe silence.
"My name is...Ruan Ye."
It was not her real name, she did note ven remember the name her mother gave her. Still the name was hers from her past life. Though that life had ended, she decided she would carry this identity into the world she now inhibited.
"Ruan as in 'river', and Yue as in 'moon's?" Pei Lin asked, tilting his head slightly, curious.
Ruan Ye shook her head with a faint, iconic smile. "Ruan as in 'bamboo reed,' and Yue as in 'hidden clarity."
Pei Lin repeated the name softly in his mind, as if committing it to memory. Then almost i instinctively, she asked, "Do You have a mirror?"
Pei Lin hesitated onky briefly before opening a small wooden box he kept at the base of the cabinet. It contained personal items left by his family: a simple brush, inkstone, and a small polished mirror. He handed it to her ever so gently.
With the mirror facing her, Ruan Yue squinted at her reflection. Although her face was unrecognizable, looking at her eyebrows, eyes, lips, and nose, it was clearly identical to her face before she died, only younger, she appeared to be about sixteen or seventeen years old.
No woman was indifferent to her appearance, Pei Lin thought she was sad over her appearancewith the frown on b
her face, and spoke to comfort her: "Miss Ruan Yue, appearance is merely superficial. Even the most beautiful face will return to dust after death. In life..."
"You're rambling," Ruan Yue thought to herself, but said aloud, "Put it away. I'm tired." With that, she closed her eyes, pretending to sleep.
Seeing this, Pei Lin put the mirror away and sat down at a nearby table. He laid out paper and writing brushes, picked up a book, and began his own work.
As the sky gradually darkened, Pei Lin noticed it was becoming difficult to read. He got up to light an oil lamp. The small flame illuminated the quiet room.
Absorbed in his book, Pei Lin didn't notice that Ruan Yue had long since opened her eyes and was watching him intently.
As usual, Pei Lin studied until the end of the hai hour (around 11 PM). He then put away the writing materials on the table and took two thick clothes from a nearby cabinet. He draped one over himself and folded the other into a square, placing it on the table. He was about to blow out the oil lamp when Ruan Yue spoke.
"Where do you plan to sleep?" she asked, having watched his movements all along.
Pei Lin turned to look at her, smiling a bit embarrassedly. "My home is bare. There's only one bed. I'm sorry for the poor accommodation, Miss Ruan."
"Have you always lived alone?" she wondered, thinking of whether he had parents or family members.
"I've just moved out," Pei Lin replied simply.
Ruan Yue was silent for a moment before asking, "Didn't you buy me to have children?"
"You misunderstand," Pei Lin finally realized why she had been looking at him that way when she woke up earlier. He hurriedly explained, "I only couldn't bear to see you suffer. Once you've recovered and are good to go from here, I'll help you leave."
Ruan Yue stared at him expressionlessly. Pei Lin returned her gaze with a faint smile, his eyes clear and sincere.
After a while, Ruan Yue looked away and closed her eyes.
She was lucky to have met a kind person. At last, she could sleep peacefully.
Pei Lin blew out the oil lamp and fell asleep on the table. The room plunged into darkness and silence.
The weakened Ruan Yue fell into a deep sleep but, at some point, inexplicably woke up with perfect clarity.
As soon as she opened her eyes, Ruan Yue noticed something was amiss. Instead of the thatched roof of Pei Lin's house, she saw a row of bamboo beams. She quickly turned her head to the side and found no one there. This was a bamboo house, and she was lying on a bamboo bed.
Soon, Jiang Ning discovered something even more magical, her injuries had completely healed. She could move her hands and feet freely, and her body was full of energy.
What was happening?
Had she died again? Was this another world?
Ruan Yue sat up on the bamboo bed, looking at her unscathed limbs, her mind filled with doubt and confusion. In just one day, she had experienced death, rebirth, and now found herself in this unfamiliar place. The series of events left even her who had seen most of the world's darkness feeling overwhelmed.
"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" A clear chicken's crow rang out, followed by a man's voice from somewhere nearby: "It's dawn."
Ruan Yue couldn't see anyone, but the man's voice seemed close by and familiar, it almost sounded like... it was Pei Lin.
In the next instant, Ruan Yue's eyes flew open. She was back in the thatched house, lying on the coarse bedsheet, once again a cripple unable to move her broken limbs.
Was that just a dream? Ruan Yue wondered, turning her head to the side. Sure enough, Pei Lin had risen and was stretching his stiff muscles. A man of nearly six feet tall sleeping hunched over a small table all night must have been uncomfortable.
Pei Lin sensed someone watching him and turned to find Ruan Yue looking his way.
"Miss Ruan, did the rooster's crow wake you?" Pei Lin asked with a smile.
Ruan Yue, still pondering the bamboo house from her dream, didn't answer.
Unfazed by her coldness, Pei Lin continued, "That's He Zhao's rooster. It crows at this time every day. You should go back to sleep. I'll prepare some light breakfast for you."
With that, Pei Lin ducked into the kitchen. After a flurry of activity, he emerged half an hour later with a bowl and sat down beside the bed.
"Here, let me feed you," Pei Lin said, scooping up a spoonful and bringing it to Ruan Yue's mouth.
Ruan Yue detected the familiar aroma of vegetable porridge, though atleast this time it was much softer and fully cooked. She accepted the spoon, swallowing carefully, the meal warming her stomach and otherwise cold body.
After making sure she had finished everything in the bowl, Pei Lin tidied the small room and stepped out briefly after taking with him the used bowl.
Ruan Yue's gaze followed him until his figure disappeared beyond the doorway. Only then did she close her eyes to rest. The night's sleep had improved her spirits, but her injuries seemed to hurt more, especially where the bones in her hands and feet were broken. The pain came in waves, it was excruciating.
When Pei Lin returned, an elderly woman accompanied him, she was of a smaller build but lively, with snow-white hair.
"Third Great Aunt, this way." Pei Lin led the woman inside the room whilst supporting her hands.
"This old woman's back is still strong, no need to support me," the elderly woman brushed his hand away, appearing cheerful slowly managing to step over the little stair on the doorway. The pair walked into the house.
The Third Great Aunt as Pei Lin had addressed her, walked straight to the bedside. Looking at Ruan Yue's mutilated face, she sighed. She lifted the blanket, frowning at the blood-soaked clothes, and muttered, "What a tragedy."
Pei Lin spoke up, "Third Great Aunt, I'll go boil some water. Please, have a seat here for a moment."
"Oh, you can go now!" Third Great Aunt's eyes never left Ruan Yue, her face full of sympathy.
Ruan Yue did not change her cold expression, listening to their conversation she looked at the few old clothes the elderly woman was holding in her arms. She guessed that Pei Lin had asked the elderly lady to come and take care of her.
This body of hers had clearly endured some kind of torment as not only was it covered in injuries, but her clothes were tattered, her face was grimy, and her hair was nearly matted.
"Ah, child, who beat you so badly? They were far too cruel," Third Great Aunt asked with concern, her voice tinged with sorrow.
"I don't know," Ruan Yue replied honestly.
Third Great Aunt assumed she didn't want to talk about it and didn't press further, fearing she might touch upon a painful subject.
Ruan Yue's gaze shifted to the jade hairpin she still clutches, giving a faint glow. That was the only object she had managed to grab in the bamboo house. And now it seemed all she saw had been real.