Water Mirrored Moon - 水鏡月

Part I - Born of the Water Moon: 4. Pearls

It was probably about a half month later that Cui Xi decided to go back to the river to search for her suitcase. She had finally recovered well enough that trekking up and down the mountain no longer made her lungs hurt.

Master Yang had explained that he and A'Yu, whom she now called Xiao Yu, had hidden the suitcase under a bush. As the mountain was quite remote, the suitcase was very likely still where they had left it.

Although she tried not to show her anxiety, Cui Xi desperately wanted her suitcase. The idea that the comforts of the modern world were just a walk away made her insane. While Yang Ming Xi and Xiao Yu treated her very well, Cui Xi wasn't sure how long she wanted to stay with them on the mountain. She hadn't given up the idea that she was just in some remote place with no telephone, but she couldn't deny that everything about the situation was very weird.

When Xiao Yu shook her awake that morning, Cui Xi had already decided that it was time to find the suitcase.

Seeing the expression on her face, Xiao Yu very correctly guessed what was on her mind.

"We can go today if you want, A'Xi," said Xiao Yu. "Da's gone down the mountain to see some patients so he won't be back before evening. Let's go together today."

Cui Xi bit her lip, nodding. She really did want to go.

"Alright then," Xiao Yu agreed, drawing a comb through Cui Xi's hair. She carefully avoided the cartilage piercing at the top of the right ear, still marvelling that such a thing could be put there. She knew that wealthy woman in the capital pierced their ears, but only in the lower lobe. Cui Xi had six hooped earrings through her ears, including the cartilage piercing, each with its own cat-eyed bead. It made her look exotic like a foreigner.

Xiao Yu sighed with pleasure as she drew her fingers through the heavy dark silk of A'Xi's hair. "So pretty!" she smiled.

Cui Xi still wasn't used to it, but Xiao Yu had taken the scissors away with fright when she had tried to cut it.

"Our body and hair are given by our parents! You can't do that!" Xiao Yu had cried, snatching the scissors away.

"But it's too long! I can't do anything with it," Cui Xi had protested.

"I promise to help you. I've never had a sister. This is fun for me. Just let me do it," Xiao Yu had laughed.

And so, every morning she would help Cui Xi comb it and twist part of it up into a chignon secured with a plain wooden pin.

Xiao Yu had of course reported everything to her father. It was evident to her that Cui Xi was used to being cared for. The girl could barely do her hair herself and didn't know how to dress herself either, so both father and daughter could only conclude that she had previously had servants to do this for her.

"There!" Xiao Yu smiled, turning her in front of the small bronze mirror.