Chapter 8, A Beauty as Precious as Jade
Sun Shao cannot take his eyes off it right now; compared to the fully ripe small bridge, the large bridge, which is merely half an hour older, looks like an old woman.
The large and small bridges spoke of their experiences, while the four young individuals below displayed varying expressions. Sun Shao, a guest, sat at the eastern end, occupying a seat by himself, closely positioned beneath the large bridge. He sat upright, his eyes lowered, seemingly studying the black and red patterns on the lacquered table, paying no attention to the three siblings of the Zhou family across from him. The Zhou siblings observed the silent Sun Shao, somewhat perplexed by his demeanor; he appeared both awkward and self-assured. Zhou Yu, who usually spoke the most, found herself at a loss against Sun Shao in the art of calligraphy, suddenly becoming as mute as a gourd with a sawed-off mouth, resting her chin on her hand, leaning on the table, and rolling her eyes to scrutinize Sun Shao. Zhou Xun, on the other hand, recalled how he had been outsmarted by Sun Shao the previous day; he had clearly boasted about the calligraphy in the book in front of Sun Shao, yet Sun Shao had not revealed that it was his work, resulting in his younger sister's embarrassment today. Zhou Yin contemplated whether he could possibly win in a one-on-one match against Sun Shao, who had been ill for over ten days, especially in Sun Shao's strongest area. Sun Shao's silence, in Zhou Yin's eyes, seemed to indicate that he had not fully recovered and appeared somewhat unwell. However, he felt that taking advantage of this situation was somewhat unscrupulous and not in line with a gentleman's conduct, which left him feeling hesitant.
Sun Shao came into this world and saw the legendary two bridges standing together for the first time. The grand bridge was dressed in a simple deep robe, with even the edges in a light color, making her appear like a piece of white jade, exuding tranquility. Unfortunately, her complexion was poor; despite having applied some rouge, it could not conceal her pale face, and her body was not slender either. Standing there, she looked pitiful, evoking sympathy. In contrast, the petite bridge, who resembled her closely, was quite different. She had a plump figure, a face like a full moon, and her complexion was excellent. Dressed in a grand red deep robe that was both elegant and appropriate, she radiated an air of wealth. The golden phoenix inserted into her high hanging cloud bun shimmered in the sunlight, and the pearls hanging from the mouth of the gilded phoenix swayed at her forehead, complementing her pair of lively and charming eyes, making it hard for anyone to look away.
The elder sister did not speak, merely smiled silently. The two walked to the hall, removed their silk shoes, and stepped onto the brand new mat, taking their seats facing south. The younger sister pushed the elder sister to sit in the esteemed position on the east side, while she herself sat down in the position on the west side. The elder sister glanced around and noticed that there were only six seats in the hall, indicating that today’s arrangement was specifically for her, which relieved her somewhat. Sun Shao had made a horizontal flute yesterday; although he could play a few fresh tunes, they were ultimately not refined sounds. She was still worried that he would not be able to handle the situation and would embarrass himself in front of everyone. Now, seeing that it was merely a small family banquet, she finally felt at ease, and her gaze towards the younger sister softened a bit.
Little Bridge responded to her with a glance, and the two shared a knowing smile, their hands clasped together, momentarily at a loss for words. They were biological sisters; Big Bridge was more composed, while Little Bridge was more vivacious. Originally, their differences were not significant, and the sisters were close and loving, as if they were one person. However, after the fourth year of Jian'an, their circumstances changed drastically. Although both were forcibly taken, for women of their noble lineage, the equally noble Zhou Yu was far more in line with their aesthetic standards than the low-born Sun Ce, who was even worse off as he was assassinated the following year, leaving Big Bridge a widow. In her solitude, she had to endure the cold eyes and resentment of the Wu family, while Little Bridge quickly gave birth to Zhou Xun, being elevated from concubine to wife, living a blissful life with Zhou Yu. In the thirteenth year of Jian'an, Zhou Yu achieved a great victory over Cao Cao's 300,000 troops at Wulin, gaining unparalleled fame. This heroic couple was almost the standard of happiness in the world. At that time, Little Bridge found it hard to understand Big Bridge's feelings; she rarely visited Big Bridge, and even when she did, her words overflowed with satisfaction about her own life, completely disregarding Big Bridge's thoughts. The bond between the sisters inevitably faded and distanced. It was not until the sixteenth year of Jian'an, when Zhou Yu died in Baqiu, that Little Bridge's happy life suddenly vanished, and she finally experienced the pain that Big Bridge had endured for over a decade. In one night, she understood her sister's plight and realized how ignorant and foolish she had been. She regretted deeply, and when she saw Big Bridge again, she was no longer the picture of a happy noblewoman. The relationship between the sisters also reopened the possibility of reconciliation.
"Hee hee hee..." Xiao Qiao laughed, stroking Da Qiao as they walked into the hall, saying as they walked: "Sister, how did you teach him? Now A Man has also become smooth-tongued and knows how to say nice things."
The three individuals each harbored their own thoughts, remaining silent.
Zhou Yu pouted, casting a glance at Sun Shao, who was sitting upright like a clock. Xiao Qiao did not understand, so she turned to Da Qiao and smiled, "Sister, your calligraphy has made great progress recently. A Yu has been deeply engrossed in calligraphy lately, believing she has made considerable advancements, and thus she carefully wrote a piece of calligraphy, intending to show off in front of you. However, your recent work has certainly brought her back to reality."
However, for the bridge, this sister who understands and empathizes with her is already a rare treasure. Compared to the willful young woman from a few years ago, she is quite satisfied. As for what is to come, that is destined by fate and cannot be forced.
In other words, Da Qiao is destined to gain nothing in both emotional and material aspects throughout this lifetime
Sun Shao was taken aback, and only then did he come to his senses: "It has been several days since we last met, and my aunt has become increasingly ... ... increasingly ... ... " He initially intended to say 'seductive,' but upon reflection, he found that term quite unpleasant. It was on the tip of his tongue, yet he swallowed it back. After stammering for a long time, he still could not come up with a suitable word.
However, it must be said that even though they are all widowed now, their circumstances are still different. Although Zhou Yu has passed away, his achievements remain. The lands and retainers that Sun Quan bestowed upon him are still intact, and his troops are preserved, waiting for Zhou Xun to grow up so that he can lead them into battle and achieve great deeds. The Zhou family still holds significant influence in Jiangdong, whereas Sun Shao, the adopted son of Daqiao, is in a different situation. As the son of Sun Ce and the nephew of Sun Quan, he is destined to have no opportunity for great accomplishments. On the contrary, he must conduct himself with utmost caution to avoid arousing Sun Quan's suspicion and incurring unwarranted disaster.
The affairs of the world are fraught with twists and turns. When the sisters relied on each other in Wancheng, who could have anticipated the vast disparity in their fates
"Mother..." Zhou Yuhong blushed, running to Xiao Qiao's side while lifting her dress. She leaned in and whispered a few words into Xiao Qiao's ear, who was also taken aback. Her cherry-red lips formed a round shape, and her jade-like white fingers pointed at Sun Shao: "Sister, is this really the doing of A Man?"
The bridge slightly nodded: "Of course, could I possibly deceive you? If you do not believe me, why not try it right here and now."
The small bridge and the big bridge were engaged in a lively conversation, and after a while, they noticed that the expressions of the three children were not quite right. With a hint of surprise, they said, "You three children, what is going on today? A-Yu, weren't you supposed to ask your aunt about your studies? Why are you just sitting there without moving?"
Xiao Qiao had this intention, but she was afraid that Da Qiao was deliberately saying this to give Sun Shao face, so she did not speak directly. Since Da Qiao had said so, she no longer declined and immediately had someone arrange the writing materials. The three siblings of the Zhou family had long had this intention; they could not believe that Sun Shao had made such great progress in just a few months. At this moment, in order to seek the truth, they disregarded all notions of gentleness, humility, and propriety.
"You little rascal, what are you staring at your aunt for?" With a flick of his hand, Xiao Qiao swept the handkerchief he was holding across Sun Shao's face, chiding him.