Page 53 of Silk and Sensibility

Grand­mother Jiang’s eyes lit up whenever there was gossip to be traded. “Is young Master Huang the famously rich fellow who took five concubines before the age of thirty?”

“That’s the very one!” Fan Ruoze replied.

Meilin groaned. She couldn’t believe that Enze was tutoring the same degenerate who once asked Junyou to match him with Ailin. Tutoring him seemed like a waste of Enze’s talent as much as marrying him would have been a waste of Ailin’s life. Was Enze so pressed for money that he had to pause his studies to work such a thankless job?

Grand­mother Jiang took an interest in the matter too. “I’m sure tutoring does not pay well enough to marry. Have you boys considered silk trading like your late father? If you need any help or mentorship, I would be glad to introduce you to my sons-in-law.”

“We would love an opportunity like that,” Fan Ruoze replied with alacrity. “Right, Enze?”

When Enze hesitated, Shen Lusi answered for him. “It’s a kind offer you should consider, Enze. If you accept, we may be able to marry even sooner than we thought!”

Meilin cringed, but she turned to check on Ailin before voicing her opinion. To her surprise, Ailin was stone-faced. It looked like she wasn’t listening to the conversation at all. Rather, she was staring into the garden, where a sad-looking wintersweet bush had lost all its blossoms after the recent rains.

As the chatter continued, Meilin considered how she could get Enze and Ailin alone. Could she pretend she had a gift for Enze from Mama that she needed his help to retrieve? It was a silly excuse, but if she could get Enze away from the others, it wouldn’t matter what kind of story she made up.

She was still thinking about the best course of action when Grand­mother Jiang gestured for her maid to help her stand up.

“Oh my!” Grand­mother Jiang said. “I prattled for so long that Ailin and Meilin have barely had a chance to speak. Enze and Ruoze, what do you think of the Duan sisters walking you to the front gate so you can chat with them before you go?”

Meilin widened her eyes. This was the chance she was looking for. Grand­mother Jiang’s nosiness was making itself useful for once!

Unfortunately, Shen Lusi jumped up too. “Miss Duan and Miss Meilin are too new here to know the way. It might be better for me to show Master Enze and Master Ruoze to the gate instead.”

Sensing her opportunity slipping away, Meilin spoke up. “We can’t trouble you so much, Miss Shen. I’m sure Ailin and I can find the way.”

“If you ladies are willing,” Fan Ruoze interjected, “perhaps we could all walk to the gate together?”

Grand­mother Jiang tapped her cane. “Splendid idea. You young people have fun.”

Meilin quickly modified her plans, realizing that Fan Ruoze’s presence created a new opportunity. She could use him to keep Shen Lusi occupied, and then easily get Enze and Ailin alone. She deftly pushed Ailin and Enze ahead and maneuvered herself between them and the other two.

Finding himself next to Shen Lusi, the talkative Fan Ruoze did what Meilin hoped he would. “If I may be so presumptuous, Miss Shen, may I ask you about your fragrance sachet business? You mentioned it in passing when we were with Grand­mother Jiang, and it sounded fascinating.”

Despite being absorbed in his rambling earlier, Shen Lusi raised her eyebrows.

Meilin seized the moment before Shen Lusi could shut down Fan Ruoze’s efforts at conversation. “It looks like you two have a lot of common interests. Why don’t you stay here and chat? Take your time!”

Shen Lusi looked like she wanted to protest, but Meilin physically pulled Ailin and Enze away. She wasn’t going to lose this opportunity no matter what.

As she moved Enze and Ailin into the courtyard beyond, she could hear Fan Ruoze talking. “I know we’ve never officially met before today, Miss Shen, but I have long heard of you and your family. Your late uncle used to tutor my maternal uncles. Even my mother spoke well of him . . .”

Meilin thanked the heavens for Fan Ruoze’s propensity for talking. She hoped he would be able to keep Shen Lusi distracted for a long time, because Ailin really needed the chance to converse with Enze alone. Meilin couldn’t allow her to keep holding her feelings inside while never fighting for herself. After putting others first for so long, Ailin deserved this one chance for happiness.

Meilin led Enze and Ailin past a courtyard with a pond and into another with a rockery. The gray boulders in the shapes of small mountains provided a natural barrier from prying eyes and ears.

Meilin paused, finally allowing Enze and Ailin to do the same. “Isn’t it lovely to be by ourselves again? This brings back memories of Nuolan Garden.”

“It does.” Enze’s wistful smile reassured Meilin that she was doing the right thing. He was obviously grateful for this opportunity.

The sky suddenly darkened as a cloud moved in front of the sun. Rain seemed likely to fall again, but, this time, Meilin rejoiced. Now was the perfect time to retrieve the item she had saved for this moment.

“Would you look at those clouds? You two stay here while I get some umbrellas.”

相思似海深，舊事如天遠。

淚滴千千萬萬行，更使人、愁腸斷。

要見無因見，拚了終難拚。