Seizing the Golden Bough - Chapter 3
Chapter 3
The Liu household’s birthday banquet passed smoothly.
But the mood in our household remained heavy.
Master still had not sent away the woman at the other residence. He came home later and later.
Madam’s temper grew increasingly changeable.
One moment she wept at the window; the next, she crushed a newly delivered pot of narcissus flowers.
That evening, rain began to fall unexpectedly.
Master returned from outside with mud spattered over his clothes. His face was dark, and he went straight to the study.
In the main room, Madam faced a tableful of untouched dishes, her eyes reddening again.
She waved her hand, ordering everything taken away.
“I have no appetite. Take it all away.”
I directed the little maids as they cleared the bowls and dishes, then stayed to replace her tea with a hot cup.
Rain murmured outside the window. Suddenly, Madam caught my wrist.
“Lianyun, tell me. Has he come to despise me completely?”
I answered gently, “You worry too much, Madam. Master is merely busy with his affairs outside.”
She released me and gave a derisive laugh filled with bleakness.
“What affairs could keep him so busy he cannot spare a moment to come and see me? He simply does not want to.”
“It is all that bitch’s fault that my husband and I have grown apart.”
I had heard these words countless times.
I stood in silence, waiting for this bout of emotion to pass.
The rain grew heavier. Hurried footsteps sounded outside.
It was Fu’an, the servant who usually accompanied Master.
“What is it?” Nanny went out to ask.
Fu’an kept his voice low, but the rain was so loud that I still caught a few words.
“Master… burned… medicine.”
Nanny’s expression changed. She hurried inside to report.
Madam sprang up from her couch. “Burned? How did he get burned? Is it serious?”
“They say someone at the government office was careless. When lighting a lamp, he spilled wax over the back of Master’s hand.”
Madam was so flustered she started down from the couch. “Quick! Get the best ointment! I will go and see him!”
Nanny Wang hastily stopped her. “Madam! It is pouring outside, and you have only just recovered a little. Take care not to catch a chill again! Let Lianyun take the medicine over.”
Madam’s gaze abruptly swept over me, her brow furrowing.
“No! Master is hurt. How can I stay away?”
“Nanny, fetch my cloak! Lianyun, prepare the medicine at once!”
Our little party hurried through the rain.
Madam was wrapped in a heavy cloak, but driving rain still soaked much of her body.
She paid no attention, only kept urging us on.
The glass lantern swayed in the wind and rain, illuminating her face, bright with excitement.
Outside the study, Madam pushed straight through the door.
Master sat behind his desk. Several blisters had already risen on the back of his left hand.
At the sight, Madam’s eyes instantly reddened again. She rushed up to him. “Master!”
“How could you be so careless! Does it hurt? Quick, let me look!”
When the wound was touched, Master’s brow drew tighter. Seeing her concern, he nonetheless endured it.
“Enough. It is only a small injury.”
“You call this small? It has blistered!”
Madam snatched the medicine box from my hand, scooped out a fingertip of ointment, and applied it with somewhat disorderly movements.
“Honestly, you have no one sensible looking after you. What use are these clumsy servants?”
Master let her do it. He said nothing, his lips pressed into a tight line.
After applying the medicine, Madam would not release his hand. Her voice grew more plaintive.
“You are hurt, and who but I was beside herself with worry and came here instantly?”
“Does she have such good wound medicine over there? I suppose she only knows how to pester you for one thing after another.”
The jealousy and provocation in those words were far too plain.
Master had merely been enduring it. Now his face darkened completely, and he impatiently withdrew his hand.
“Enough!”
“I am not dead yet. There is no need to mourn over me here! Still less to compare who is good and who is bad!”
Madam’s face went white. Tears poured out at once, faster than the rain beyond the window.
She stood trembling as she looked at him, unable to speak for a long while.
At last, she stamped her foot and rushed out into the rain, forgetting even her cloak.
Nanny Wang cried out and hurried after her.
Only Master and I remained in the room.
Master looked at the ointment smeared messily over his hand and closed his eyes in irritation.
I stepped forward and took a clean cotton handkerchief from my sleeve.
I wetted it in warm water and wrung it out.
The cloth settled gently against the uninjured side of his wrist.
His eyelids stirred. He opened them a slit, glanced at me, and said nothing. His hand did not move either.
That was permission.
With my head lowered, I gently wiped away the excess ointment.
My movements were light, for fear of hurting him—and still more of bursting the blisters.
Once it was clean, the blisters beneath were exposed.
I took fresh ointment, spread it with the pad of my finger, then slowly applied it.
Because I was bending forward, my collar opened a little.
Half the purple lotus at the side of my neck was exposed in the candlelight.
The shadows of its petals swayed gently with my movements.
Once the ointment was evenly applied, I wrapped the hand loosely in fine cotton and tied a knot.
I put away the cloth and medicine box, stepped back, and curtsied.
From beginning to end, I had not said a word.
I opened the door. Damp, cold air rushed in from outside.
The gaze at my back followed me until the door closed behind me.
