LC chapter 5

 

A wind picked up at night, and soon, it began to snow. Lin Ruan leaned against the window to watch. Under the streetlights, the snowflakes danced, creating a beautiful sight.

Zhan Xi emerged from the bathroom and asked, “What are you looking at?”

“It’s snowing outside, sir.”

Zhan Xi walked over to the bed and said, “It snows every year in Beijing. What’s so strange about that?”

Lin Ruan rubbed his nose, closed the window, and drew up the curtains. With the thick curtains drawn, the light from outside was blocked out and the chill of the wind seemed to fade.

Zhan Xi waved to Lin Ruan, who walked over and knelt down obediently.

Zhan Xi touched Lin Ruan’s face, which was slightly chilled by the wind.

“How long until school’s holiday?”

Lin Ruan thought for a moment. “About a month.”

Zhan Xi replied casually, “I’ll talk to Uncle Tong tomorrow and get you a new room.”

“Change?” Lin Ruan asked. “Why?”

“No reason,” Zhan Xi said. “The room downstairs is too small.”

People like Zhan Xi, who came from large courtyard houses, seem to prefer spacious rooms. Zhan Xi’s room on the second floor was created by combining two rooms. Still, Uncle Tong often complained that the Lan Mansion lacked the gardens and courtyards of Prince Chun’s Palace, leaving him no room to stretch out.

The snow continued to fall until the next day. By morning, the snow was half a foot thick, covering the backs of your ankles.

Lin Ruan ate breakfast with Zhan Xi. By this time, he was used to eating with him and no longer had the same thoughts as he did the first time.

“It’s snowing hard outside. Let’s have Shi Ning drive you to school,” Zhan Xi said suddenly.

Lin Ruan asked, “Will that bother you, sir?”

“No,” Zhan Xi replied. “If it’s still snowing after school, Shi Ning will pick you up.”

Lin Ruan was flattered and surprised. “Thank you, sir.”

After dinner, Shi Ning drove Lin Ruan to school. He opened the car door for Lin Ruan and addressed him as “Young Master.”

Lin Ruan was surprised. “Young master?”

Shi Ning smiled and said, “You’re of a different status, after all. It’s fine at home, but outside, you have to be more respectful. That’s the rule.”

Rules, rules, rules. This family has so many. Uncle Tong has his own, Zhan Xi has his own, and the rest—Aunt Cao, A Yue, and Shi Ning—each have theirs. Lin Ruan wondered if he should create his own set of rules. Then he thought better of it, fearing that few people would abide by them.

The sedan arrived at the gate of Yenching University, attracting a crowd of onlookers. Lin Ruan got out, still wearing his thick scarf.

“I’m here. Thank you,” he said to Shi Ning. Shi Ning waved and drove away.

The crowd’s attention shifted to Lin Ruan again. Sedans were still a rarity these days, rarely seen.

Meng Zhen emerged from the crowd and greeted Lin Ruan. He was Lin Ruan’s classmate and friend.

Lin Ruan and Meng Zhen entered the school together. Still, many onlookers gathered, staring at Lin Ruan and whispering to each other, oblivious to their surroundings.

Meng Zhen glared at them. “Look! What are you looking at? Have you ever seen a sedan?”

The crowd gradually dispersed after hearing this. A man walked past Lin Ruan, gently bumping into him as he reached Lin Ruan’s side. Then, he walked on without looking back.

Meng Zhen looked and said, “What’s wrong with Li Mingwen? He didn’t even apologize after bumping into someone.”

Li Mingwen was the monitor of Lin Ruan’s class. He had excellent grades and was always at the top of his department. Actually, when they first started college, Li Mingwen and Lin Ruan were roommates. However, Lin Ruan was only there for two weeks before being asked to leave, so they didn’t interact much.

Yenching University had first-rate academic facilities, where two people shared a dorm room complete with a bathtub, water dispenser, and phone booth. However, Yenching University’s tuition was staggeringly high, costing three or four times more than the average private university. Li Mingwen came from a modest family, but he was hardworking and diligent, holding down a part-time job to support himself through school. The department’s faculty and dean were very fond of him.

Lin Ruan walked over to Meng Zhen. “Did I offend him in some way?”

“Who knows? He always acts like the world has wronged him.” Meng Zhen clapped his hands. “I know. It must have been the speech contest.”

“What about the speech contest?”

“You didn’t attend the finals. He won the championship. I mentioned that your speech draft was better than his and would have won if it had been delivered. He overheard me and took offense.” Meng Zhen added, “He’s been giving you the cold shoulder all week, but you just didn’t notice.”

So that’s it.” Lin Ruan said, “Then I’ll stay away from him in the future.”

Meng Zhen waved his hand and asked, “Who sent you here just now? Is it your brother? I’ve never seen him before.”

“He’s not my brother.”

“Then what is he to you?” Meng Zhen pressed.

Lin Ruan hesitated for a moment before saying, “My family.”

“A family member?” Meng Zhen asked. “Was that family member the reason you took leave from the speech contest last week?”

Lin Ruan considered it. “I suppose so.”

Meng Zhen frowned. “What do you mean by ‘I suppose so’?”

“I guess…it’s just…” Lin Ruan didn’t finish his sentence and started running ahead.

“You didn’t finish explaining!” Meng Zhen saw Lin Ruan running off and hurried after him. He shouted, startling the birds from the frozen lake surface as he chased after him.

Meng Zhen was the kind of person who would ask questions until he got to the bottom of things—or, as he put it, he was just too bored. His family owned two silk shops, a pawnshop, and an herbal pharmacy, which made them quite wealthy. His parents doted on him, and his older brother was also very kind to him. With money, family, and confidence, Meng Zhen had never worried about anything.

To uncover who exactly Lin Ruan meant by “family,” Meng Zhen grilled him all day. By the time school let out in the afternoon, his interest had shifted from Lin Ruan’s family to Lin Ruan’s home.

Lin Ruan’s family background was widely acknowledged as privileged at school. He always wore fine clothes and used quality items. Gentle, humble, and well-mannered, he carried himself with an air of calm composure in both speech and action. Many speculated that he was the young master of a prominent family.

As his best friend, Meng Zhen suddenly realized that he knew nothing about Lin Ruan’s family circumstances.

I’m such a terrible friend—I haven’t cared about Lin Ruan at all!

“Just tell me! I really want to know!” Meng Zhen tugged at Lin Ruan’s sleeve. His voice was whiny and pleading, and he sounded like a spoiled child.

Lin Ruan looked at Meng Zhen. “You really want to know?”

Meng Zhen nodded vigorously.

Lin Ruan considered it. “All right, then. I’ll tell you.”

Meng Zhen immediately beamed and nodded rapidly, though his grip remained tight.

Lin Ruan studied him, and he studied Lin Ruan. “I’m afraid you’ll do what you did this morning and run off before I finish.”

Lin Ruan sighed helplessly. “Fine. It’s not really a secret anyway. You know the Lan Mansion, right?”

“Who doesn’t know the third master of the Lan Mansion?” Meng Zhen’s eyes widened in surprise. “Could you be the young master of the Lan Mansion?”

Meng Zhen thought again. “But wait. Zhan Xi has the surname Zhan, and you have the surname Lin. You two can’t possibly be related.”

Lin Ruan smiled. “I’m not the young master of the Lan Mansion, and Zhan Xi doesn’t have the surname Zhan, either.”

“Right, right, right. Zhan Xi is a bannerman[mfn]旗人 (qírén) bannerman, In Qing dynasty China, society was divided into the Eight Banners (八旗), which were military and social units of the Manchu, Mongol, and Han bannermen.[/mfn].” Meng Zhen finally recalled.

Lin Ruan explained, “Actually, I’m a servant of the Lan Mansion. I was sold to them when I was young. My master is kind, so he allowed me to study. Last week, I took leave because the master returned from abroad.”

Meng Zhen fell silent, clearly processing this information.

“I didn’t tell you earlier because it’s complicated. I have parents and a younger brother, but my household registration is with the Lan Mansion. The man who brought me here this morning is the steward’s son and the master’s assistant. Though we share no blood ties, we truly are family.”

Meng Zhen remained silent. Lin Ruan frowned and whispered, “Is something wrong?”

Images of the Ten Great Tortures of the Qing Dynasty flooded Meng Zhen’s mind. The term “servant” seemed inherently tied to misery. Lost in thought, Meng Zhen’s eyes reddened. “Does it hurt?” he asked.

Lin Ruan: “?”

Meng Zhen looked at Lin Ruan’s arm with reddened eyes. “Let me see if there are any injuries on your arm.”

“What are you thinking?” Lin Ruan dodged Meng Zhen’s gesture and said, “I’ve told you, the master is a very kind person. He sent me to school and never shortchanged me on food or clothing.” Lin Ruan looked at Meng Zhen with concern. “Have you been reading too many novels?”

Meng Zhen snapped back to reality, realizing he had overthought it. He scratched his head and gave a nervous chuckle.

The two continued walking. Snow still clung to the trees lining the path, falling in a soft rustle with the slightest movement.

“Speaking of Master Zhan,” Meng Zhen said, “I’ve always had one question: What’s his real surname? Yehe Nara? Borjigit? Some even say he’s a Mongolian prince!”

Lin Ruan thought for a moment. “The Master does have fiefs in Mongolia, but he isn’t a Mongolian prince. He was a Prince of the Blood while the Emperor was still alive. He’s probably closer to that branch of the imperial family.”

Meng Zhen nodded appreciatively, then pressed on. “So, is he super old-fashioned? Does he make everyone kneel and pay respects at home? Does he only take three bites of each dish at meals? Does he have eight cooks just for himself?”

Lin Ruan glanced at him, a hint of resignation in his eyes. “The Master studied abroad. He’s quite open-minded. He doesn’t demand constant kneeling and greetings, nor is he extravagant in his lifestyle regarding food or clothing.”

Before Meng Zhen could ask more questions, a small sedan pulled up beside them. The window rolled down. Shi Ning was sitting in the driver’s seat. “Young Master, the Master sent me to take you home.”

Shi Ning also addressed Zhan Xi like that. This thought suddenly crossed Lin Ruan’s mind.

Meng Zhen looked curiously at Shi Ning, who returned his gaze. “Is this young master’s classmate?”

Lin Ruan snapped back to attention. “This is my classmate, Meng Zhen.”

Meng Zhen greeted Shining, who smiled and nodded in return.

“Would you like to invite Meng to our home for a visit?” Shining inquired.

“Really?” Meng Zhen’s eyes lit up with excitement.

Lin Ruan glanced at the delighted Meng Zhen and didn’t refuse. Together, they got into the car.

The car drove toward the Lan Mansion. Tall ginkgo trees lined the roadside. The iron gate swung open and the car passed through the garden, stopping directly in front of the house.

Meng Zhen gazed at the Lan Mansion garden through the car window. Though it was winter, the garden didn’t appear bleak. Paired with the stately, Western-style mansion, the garden resembled the estates of Western nobility depicted in books. Yet, it also exuded an Eastern elegance and dignified beauty.

Meng Zhen murmured to Lin Ruan, “Your family home is so big.”

Lin Ruan didn’t think it was particularly large and merely nodded in agreement. Shi Ning, who had overheard them, remarked, “It’s not that big, really. The advantage is the convenient parking—no need to drive halfway down the street to the back gate.”

He was referring to the Chun Prince’s Mansion. It was inconvenient to drive a small car there—one had to circle halfway around the block to park at another gate. Even then, one couldn’t drive into the compound and had to walk through layer upon layer of courtyards. Thinking of this, Lin Ruan nodded in agreement.

Meng Zhen: Is this… is this… Versailles[mfn]Versailles refers to the Palace of Versailles (French: Château de Versailles), a grand royal palace located near Paris, France. Today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, famous for its Hall of Mirrors, gardens, and fountains.[/mfn]?