Chapter 147: An Afternoon of Fish-Watching
Chapter 147: An Afternoon of Fish-Watching
Su Su still loved fish very much, and when Liu Hemeng mentioned it, she happily nodded, "Let's go!"
The two little girls excitedly held hands and walked towards the backyard to see the fish.
The water flow in the princely mansion had a rather intricate path. On a larger scale, it encircled the entire mansion, forming a complete loop.
In the eyes of many, water governed wealth and fortune. Thus, the water source of the princely mansion was designed to avoid outward flow, eventually circulating back into the mansion, symbolizing the retention of wealth and the continuous flourishing of fortune.
Due to this circular water source, there were numerous ponds in the mansion, and with its vast area, there were plenty of places to keep fish.
Liu Hemeng led Su Su to a pond along the path from the main courtyard to the eastern courtyard.
Although Liu Hemeng didn't visit the mansion often, she had heard about this pond from her grandfather.
She knew that the fish in this particular pond were kept casually and didn't belong to anyone specifically. Even if they accidentally overfed them and some fish died, no one would blame them.
With the princess absent, Liu Hemeng wasn't sure if any of the concubines would create trouble. After all, she had witnessed Su Concubine's mischief, which was eventually put down by the princess.
However, to be honest, the concubines brought into the mansion by the Prince of Qi in recent years had been getting worse and worse.
Of course, these were just her thoughts; Liu Hemeng dared not voice them aloud.
With no other options, the two little girls could only go and see the fish that could be considered ownerless.
Su Su, unaware of these concerns, happily let her sister lead her by the hand.
The distance was quite far for the young girls, taking them half a day to walk there.
However, neither of them felt tired.
The two girls happily made their way there.
The temperature in the afternoon was high, and the water temperature was pleasant as well. Thus, the fish were actively swimming on the surface, enjoying the comfortable and warm afternoon.
The pond was home to various breeds of goldfish.
Su Su couldn't identify them but thought they looked beautiful with their red and white colors intertwining.
Especially when they swam faster, their colors interwove more frequently, like red and white lights constantly changing positions, making the scene even more dazzling.
There was no viewing spot by this pond, so the two girls initially squatted to get a better view.
Soon, they found squatting tiresome, and Liu Hemeng sat down directly on the ground.
Seeing her sister sit down, Su Su followed suit.
If it were in the past, Su Su would have worried about dirtying her clothes. She only had that one set of clothes, which was already half-old, barely covering her body.
But now...
She had many sets of clothes, so it wouldn't matter if one got dirty.
Su Su thought about it uncertainly and then sat down beside Liu Hemeng, imitating her posture.
The two girls sat there with their legs crossed, watching the fish swim back and forth.
Liu Hemeng didn't recognize most of these fish, but that didn't stop her from commenting, "The one with the big head looks pretty, and its eyes are so bulging!"
"Look at the big red ball on that one's head!"
...
She kept giving her opinions about the fish.
Some of them reappeared in her line of sight, but she couldn't be sure if they were the same ones. She just commented on whichever fish caught her attention.
Su Su listened to her words, her gaze shifting back and forth, her eyes almost becoming dizzy.
The little girl didn't understand, but she kept responding with "uh-huh" and "yes."
Hearing her responses, Liu Hemeng became even more enthusiastic.
"Those two kissed! They must have!"
"Wow, how come they turned against each other after kissing?
"
...
Liu Hemeng's voice grew louder and more excited as she spoke.
Su Su followed the direction of her finger but saw only the fish with a big red ball on its head suddenly leap out of the water.
It truly leaped, twisting in the air before plummeting back down.
The resulting wave sent ripples across the pond, leaving a lasting impression of the fish's graceful and stunning leap.
Su Su, awe-struck by this sight, could hardly close her mouth in astonishment.
Overwhelmed with excitement, she eagerly tugged on Liu Hemeng's sleeve, struggling to express her thoughts.
Liu Hemeng was equally captivated by the spectacle, exclaiming in a loud voice, "Beautiful! So beautiful! Who would've thought that such chubby fish could jump so high? It's truly a magnificent sight! I wonder if they'll jump again?"
Feeling that her sitting position might be hindering her view of the fish, Liu Hemeng quickly shifted from sitting to lying down.
At that moment, the young girl forgot her surroundings and focused solely on observing the fish, hoping to witness another breathtaking scene.
Su Su, mimicking her sister, also lay down beside Liu Hemeng.
The two girls lay by the pond's edge, their eyes blinking at a slower pace as they took in the captivating sight before them.
Aunt Xiang had been considering calling out to the girls but was reluctant to interrupt their enjoyment.
She thought, 'Well, their clothes are already dirty from sitting on the ground, so a little while longer won't make much difference.'
More importantly, she knew that the children's happiness was paramount.
Aunt Xiang looked at Su Su with loving eyes, a gentle smile playing on her lips.
Suddenly, she sensed movement nearby and turned her head to look.
Upon seeing Ren Concubine approaching, Aunt Xiang paused, then took a step forward and softly called out to Su Su, "Big sister, it's time to get up. Concubine Ren is coming this way."
Concubine Ren?
Who was that?
Su Su, puzzled, tilted her head in confusion. Then, recognizing the beautiful aunt approaching, she tilted her head in a different direction, curious.
It wouldn't be polite to remain lying down with an adult approaching.
Regardless, it was important to greet elders.
With these thoughts in mind, Su Su quickly scrambled to her feet and dusted herself off.
Liu Hemeng also reacted swiftly and stood up.
As the two girls dusted themselves off, a cloud of dust rose around them, enveloping the area in a haze.
Originally, Ren Concubine had intended to pass by and greet them briefly. However, witnessing this scene, she froze in her tracks, unable to take a single step further.
Although it was common for children to play without regard for dirt and grime,
...but...
Ahhh! Her newly combed hair, freshly applied hair oil, and freshly donned attire—all now threatened by the cloud of dust!
She did not want to proceed!
Ren Concubine grappled with her inner conflict, feeling awkward about her standoffish behavior toward the two young girls but also reluctant to proceed and be enveloped by the dust.
However, it was indeed very dusty!
Ren Concubine felt that even before she drew closer, her mental world was already clouded by the dust.
"It's over," she thought. "I'm dirty now!"
Su Su dusted herself off and stood there politely, looking in Ren Concubine's direction.
Seeing the beautiful aunt standing still, Su Su tilted her head in confusion.
Ren Concubine: ?
She seemed rather cute.
Should I go over there?
Second Shift
(End of Chapter)
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