Transmigration: of Mysteries and Songs

Chapter 93: The Meeting

The memories came flooding back to her, memories she never once forgot. The first time she'd come to the Painting of Ten Miles, was to meet Situ. She was both amazed by the beauty of the gardens and intrigued by the man that had sat across from her all those months ago.

Under that night sky lit by lotus lanterns, where fireflies danced about the two of them, she felt her heart beat for someone else. Then came the North. The night skies, the kisses, the proposal, and the heartbreak.

Why did I think of all those memories again? I promised myself that I'll forget about them!

"What's wrong, Luodi?" Jiang Moyin repeated again.

"Nothing. What could possibly be wrong?" Feng Luodi brushed the question aside, her eyes turning to the surrounding scenery. "The views of the Painting of Ten Miles are indeed as picturesque as they say!"

However, Jiang Moyin did not let her off so easily this time round. "Luodi, did Situ speak to you about anything?"

It's that name again...

"Hmmm? What could Situ possibly say to me?" Feng Luodi tried to brush him aside again. "Speaking of him, he did indeed help me a lot during my trip to the North."

"Luodi, why wouldn't you tell me the truth?" Jiang Moyin looked at her and saw the sadness in her eyes. He quickly changed the topic. "Well, no matter about that. You seem as if you hadn't had a good night's rest; I'll send you some herbal tea to help with that later."

"Thank you then, elder brother." Feng Luodi forced out a smile.

"No need to be so polite with me, Luodi." Jiang Moyin handed her a cup of warm tea. "The temperatures in spring are always unpredictable - you should put on more clothes when you come out."

"That's rich coming from you, elder brother." Feng Luodi smiled naturally as she took the cup from him. "Your face is scarily pale, yet you've arranged to meet me in this pavilion, exposing yourself to this chilly weather. It'd have been much warmer if we've met in Manchun Tang."

Jiang Moyin tightened the cloak around himself and smiled warmly. "I'd wanted to show you this beauty of Chang'an, but I guess you've already seen it before."

Feng Luodi took a sip of her tea, her brows furrowed together. "Elder brother, what exactly happened to you? You can tell me anything, you know."

"You're still harped on that, aren't you?" Jiang Moyin sighed.

"I never forgot." Feng Luodi looked into his eyes." I remember every person that has ever treated me badly or nicely, and that extends to the people I care about. I can't help it; I'm not a generous person."

The people you care about, huh?

Jiang Moyin sighed again. "I didn't want you to know about it because I was afraid that you'll be scared of such family politics in the future."

"I was born in the middle of such family politics, elder brother. It's just that my family is smaller, and less intolerant compared to yours."

Jiang Moyin set down his cup of tea, his gaze wandering. "It's a simple story, really."

Feng Luodi listened intently.

"My parents were deeply in love with each other, and my mother enjoyed all of his attention. When she was pregnant, one of my father's concubines poisoned my mother's food out of jealousy. Although my mother was treated in time, I, the unborn child, was already harmed by the poisoned. That was why I was born as a premature baby."

Indeed, that was the fear that was hidden at the bottom of Feng Luodi's heart. But, that was also a very common occurrence in that society. How can one man split his heart amongst so many women? There is bound to be injustice and hatred in such a family.