Spring Winds

"Ah!"

The tray of jeweled ornaments suddenly clattered to the ground, disturbing the peace of the quiet night. "I'm sorry, Sister Qu, let me clean this up!" Crouching down, A-Tong rushed to pick up the fallen jewelry. "I don't know what came over me! Please forgive this servant!

"No, no, it's okay." Calming down the young girl, Fei Fu Qu kneeled to help the young girl clean up the mess. "They're just jewelry; they can't feel pain."

"But-"

"It's fine," Fei Fu Qu reassured. "Haha, why did you even bring these out?

Is there something special today?"

"Em, not really. I just think that dressing up would make Sister Qu happy. You used to be so happy whenever you did."

"Ehm, well, those were different times."

Picking up each jewelry piece, they were all returned to their rightful place, except for one.

"Oh no… Sister Qu…"

"What's wrong, A-Tong?" Leaning over, Fei Fu Qu tried to see what the young girl was cradling in her hands.

A broken red hairpin laid in scattered pieces in A-Tong's hands. "I'm so sorry, Sister Qu! I should've been more careful; I knew how much this hairpin meant to you-"

"It's fine," Fei Fu Qu gathered the broken pieces into her hand. "I can fix this. We just need some gold to fix it back together, that's all."

"But-"

"It's fine," she bit out.

A-Tong froze at Fei Fu Qu's frigid tone. However, she didn't press further into the subject. "Yes, Sister Qu. This servant will get you the proper materials right away."

"Thank you, A-Tong."

After the young maidservant left, Fei Fu Qu was left alone with the broken red hairpin pieces. Of all of the hairpins in that tray, why did it have to be one that meant the most to her?

'It's alright; I can fix this…'

Six years ago…

"Ah, Second Young Miss Fei is quite the beauty."

"Ehmm, I'm sure that her future husband will be very pleased with her."

"Yes, yes, with a face like this, she will marry well."

Crowded around her, her mother and aunties fussed over her as they coiled and combed her hair from a young girl's style to that of a young woman's.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Feo Fu Qu kept a polite and calm smile on her face like she was taught. However, she could barely keep herself from laughing as she watched the top of a small head peek up and down her window sill.

Like a little chipmunk peeking out of its hole, Zhu Na Ran looked to be struggling to look through the window on her tippy toes.

"Rest for a bit, my dear. We'll come for you soon."

Biding her mother and aunties farewell, she waited for all of them to filter out. Once she could no longer hear their chatter, she called out for the little chipmunk.

"You can come out now, Xiao Ran." Fei Fu Qu called out as a small head popped out from the window behind her.

"How did you know that I was here, Second Sister?" Zhu Na Ran asked as she climbed through the window and ran over to her side. "I thought you couldn't see me from over there."

"Hah, silly girl." Patting the young girl's head, Fei Fu Qu smiled. "I could see you sneaking a peek here and there from the vanity mirror. You think that just because you're behind me, I can't see you?"

"Ehmm, I couldn't help it!

All of the mamas and the maidservants kept fusing over your birthday party…

They said that this day was very important for a young lady!"

"Eh," Fei Fu Qu nodded. "The hairpin ceremony.

Where a young girl becomes a young maiden."

"Ohh! Is that why Second Sister's hair is done so fancy?"

"Yes, it is," Fei Fu Qu nodded as she lightly pinched Zhu Na Ran's chubby cheek, to which Zhu Na Ran whined in protest.

'So cute.'

"So, why have you decided to sneak over here?" Based on Zhu Na Ran's half-dressed attire, it appears that Xiao Ran managed to run away from the careful eyes of her nannies. "And what did you do to get here, hmm?"

"Hehe, nothing big," Zhu Na Ran replied as she stuck out her tongue. "They won't notice my absence for some time."

"Xiao Ran. You can't keep acting like a child, you know." It's almost been two years since Fei Fu Qu brought Xiao Ran home. Since then, the scared child she met in the woods had somehow grown into a mischievous and energetic young girl. "You're only a couple of years from being a young lady too."

"Herm," Xiao Ran pouted as she leaned against her body. "But there's so many rules and classes to take. And what's the point of doing all of this stuff?

It's no fun at all."

"Sigh, sometimes we have to do things that we don't like, nor that we find fun.

It's a part of growing up."

"Erm, well, growing up sucks!

I haven't been able to see you at all because of 'growing up.'

I miss you, Second Sister."

Fei Fu Qu's heart felt as if a tiny cat paw had scratched it as she watched Zhu Na Ran cling to her. 'Ahh, Xiao Ran is too cute.

I can't say no to her.'

"Since when did you have such a honeyed tongue, hmm?" Fei Fu Qu asked with a tap to Xiao Ran's nose.

"I dunno," Zhu Na Ran shrugged with a smile. "Oh! I just remembered!

I came to bring you your birthday gift!"

"Eh? But why are you giving it to me now?

Why not at the party?"

"Ehmm, well," Zhu Na Ran drew circles on the ground with her foot. "I don't know if I'll be able to see Second Sister during the party."

"Silly, I'll always have time for you."

"Emm, well, since I'm already here, I'm just going to give it to you now."

"Alright, Xiao Ran." Fei Fu Qu was curious to see what her younger sister had brought her. Regardless of what it may be, it would still be a treasure in her eyes.

Fumbling through her clothes, Zhu Na Ran looked for the gift that she had brought. "Ah hah!

Here it is!"

Zhu Na Ran held an exquisite red hairpin carved in the shape of a lotus flower in her hands. "For you!"

Placing it in her hand, Zhu Na Ran awaited her reaction with an expectant look in her big eyes. "So, what do you think?"

"This is… This is beautiful." There weren't any other words that she could say other than it was a gorgeous hairpin. Carved from red jade, the attention to detail from the flower's large petals to the tiny veins on the leaves made it feel like this was a red flower frozen in time.

"Where did you even get the money to afford this?" The quality of the jade itself wasn't that good. However, the craftsmanship made it appear that it would cost a small fortune.

"Eh? I made it!"

"Y-you, you made this?" Since when did her Xiao Ran pick up such a skill?

"Hehe, do you like it?"

"Like it?

I love it!"

"Yay!" Zhu Na Ran cheered. It only then did Fei Fu Qu notice the small scars and cuts on the young girl's hands.

"Silly girl, show me your hands."

"Emm…" Reluctantly holding out her hands, Zhu Na Ran displayed her rough hands to her. "Please don't be mad…

I just wanted to make something nice…"

"I'm not mad," Fei Fu Qu reassured as she grabbed some peony palm. "But, a young lady like yourself must be wary of scars.

Especially on your hands, where they are visible, okay?"

"Em. Okay!"

After thoroughly rubbing Zhu Na Ran's hands with the peony palm, Fei Fu Qu admired her new gift a little longer.

"Second Sister."

"Em?"

"Can I put my hairpin in your hair? I wanna see how it looks on you!"

Raising a brow, she decided to humor the young girl. "Alright, go ahead."

Taking the lithe hairpin, Zhu Na Ran looked for a spot to place in the new piece. "Hold still, Second Sister."

"Emm, alright." Watching the young girl through the mirror, Fei Fu Qu tried not to laugh as she watched Zhu Na Ran work. "You're so good at this, Xiao Ran."

"Em! I've learned from watching your maids do your hair." Zhu Na Ran said as she spotted the perfect spot to slot in her hairpin. "Ta-da!"

"Wow! It looks perfect, Xiao Ran." Turning her head, she looked at the red hairpin from different angles.

"Hehe, it's nothing~."

"Since you're so good, will you do your Second Sister hair from now on?"

"Eh? For how long?"

"Hmm, how about for a lifetime?"

"Okay! It's a deal! However, don't be mad if it's just simple hairstyles."

"If it's from you, I won't complain."

---

After a few hours of work, the hairpin was restored to its former shape, however, it was now far more fragile than before.

"At least it is one piece," she mumbled. Eyes full of sleep, she looked out the window as the first rays of dawn cast their light in the small room.

Closing her eyes, she let the warm rays crease her face. She tried to imagine that it was her Xiao Ran coaxing her to sleep.

No matter what she did, her Xiao Ran always seemed to slip out of her fingers like the warm rays of light.

Every time she thought that she knew something about Xiao Ran, the young girl would grow up, and all knowledge before became useless.

'It's been so long since you've done my hair, Xiao Ran.

When will you come back and fulfill your promise?'