cold clothes

Memories are like dandelions; as soon as the wind of thought blows, they scatter out strand by strand.

Qingchun and Nuandong grew up together since childhood, as they were both daughters of courtesans and were taught by the same matrons. Their relationship was the closest, not because they were the two most beautiful among the youngest daughters, but because their mothers died on the same day.

This is a coincidence even more profound than the fact that they were born on the same day.

Only those who have experienced the same pain can truly understand and cherish each other.

When Qingchun and Nuandong were ten years old, they were selected to enter the Jade Carving Pavilion, along with Liuxia and Yunqiu. The four of them lived together for five years, and each looked down on the others in an attempt to outdo the other. Qingchun remembered one time when she and Yunqiu argued about the sheet music. In the end, Yunqiu smashed Qingchun's zither in a fit of anger, and Qingchun, not to be outdone, overturned Yunqiu's zither as well. That night, the two were dragged to the dungeon for punishment. At first, neither of them would submit to the other, but in the cold and damp dungeon in the middle of the night, they hugged each other and cried softly.

Simply because their feelings are connected, they are like twin lotus flowers bent by the rain in a pond, twins in spirit.

Yunqiu would never harm me! Qingchun was certain, her steps became lighter, and as soon as she arrived at Yujiexuan, she jokingly told her everything Nuandong had said, and then sighed.

“Warm Winter said you did all of this, making you sound like a cunning old fox, haha.”

Yun Qiu listened quietly, then smiled faintly, her thick, dark eyelashes curving upwards. "I did it."

"Ok?"

Yunqiu continued to smile quietly.

"I didn't lie to you about the warm winter; it was me who made it."

Yunqiu repeated it again, and as she spoke, her breath suddenly turned cold, like ice shards hitting Qingchun's heart.

“Yunqiu, you…” Qingchun looked at Yunqiu’s cold and calm face, the pain in her eyes still seemed to have not disappeared. The crying and cuddling in the dungeon flashed through her mind, and she could not believe what she was seeing.

What is this? What is this?

Qingchun stepped forward, grabbed Yunqiu's shoulders, and demanded, "Why did you do this?! Tell me!"

Qingchun's nails, painted with henna, dug deep into Yunqiu's flesh, causing Yunqiu to hiss in pain. Qingchun softened and released her grip, still clinging to a sliver of hope, saying, "You were just joking, right? I really can't think of any reason why you would want to hurt me. We've been sisters for five years!"

"Of course there are reasons."

"Then tell me!"

"The reason is... you're blocking my path to revenge."

Yunqiu's confident expression only deepened Qingchun's suspicions, and anger surged within her. "What have I done to get in your way? If you want revenge, then go ahead and take your revenge! Tell me, Yunqiu, tell me who you want to take revenge on, and how you want to take revenge... I will definitely support you! You're just like Liuxia, you don't tell me anything... Don't you two believe I'm your sister?"

Qingchun grew increasingly agitated, wanting only to vent the resentment that had been building up inside her. Yes, after five years of living together, she still didn't know who Yunqiu and Liuxia's enemy was. For five years, Hu Mama had talked to them about revenge almost every day. Revenge, revenge, revenge. Their eyes practically burned with fire, but Qingchun only felt fear and confusion. Hu Mama wanted revenge, Yunqiu wanted revenge, Liuxia wanted revenge, and should I also seek revenge? Whom should I take revenge on? Before, her mother had only told her that she would become the most beautiful courtesan, making every man fall for her, but after Hu Mama came, her mother died, and her beautiful dream was shattered, plunging her into an abyss of hatred and torment.

The concept of revenge has been instilled in Haruharu's mind like a demonic chant since she was ten years old, but she doesn't understand it at all... How can someone who knows nothing understand what their revenge is... So, tell her!

"tell me!"

Qingchun shouted loudly, her bright eyes fixed on Yunqiu, stirring Yunqiu's heartstrings. Yunqiu's expression softened, and she lowered her eyes, saying, "Since we've come this far, telling you won't hurt. My enemy is the Duke's Mansion. The story of the feud between the Duke's Mansion and my family is a long one. In short, to get revenge, I need to infiltrate the Duke's Mansion, and the person most likely to get me in is Wang Yiqing. I must get close to him, but he happens to be your guest, and you seem to have genuine feelings for him..." Yunqiu looked up and faced Qingchun directly, and as expected, saw Qingchun's astonished expression. She said in a deep voice, "I didn't trust you enough. I didn't dare gamble on the importance of Wang Yiqing and me in your heart, so I devised a plan to disfigure you so you couldn't meet Wang Yiqing, and then seduce him during this time, making him fall for me. But so far, the plan has been very successful. In less than a month, Wang Yiqing has fallen for me and abandoned you."

As Yunqiu spoke, she paid close attention to Qingchun's expression, capturing the transformation from shock to disbelief. Her emotions sank deeper and deeper until her tone became defiant. She wanted to tell Qingchun that her man had been stolen away easily, so give up her foolish idea. If she could change her mind now, they could still be sisters.

She remembered the memories that Qingchun remembered.

"You mean, you mean... Erlang is your enemy?" Qingchun asked, her lips trembling.

“The entire Duke’s mansion is my enemy.” Yun Qiu frowned and became displeased as soon as she heard the name Erlang.

"What grudge do you have against the Duke's mansion?" Qingchun asked, her face ashen. "Even if you do have a grudge, Erlang has never done anything to harm you. He doesn't know anything at all. Right, he's just a son of a concubine. How could he possibly have a deep-seated hatred for you? So, Yunqiu, maybe we wouldn't have stopped your plans in the first place."

"Qingchun, is this really the first thing you thought of? You're hopeless." Yunqiu gritted her teeth, grabbed Qingchun's collar, and said in a stern voice, "Didn't you hear what I just said? I successfully seduced Wang Yiqing. Now he comes to my room every night, biting me with his stinky mouth like a dog, nuzzling against my chest like a pig. He's so skilled at sweet talk, did you teach him? He practices it on you, and then turns around and applies it to other women with such elegance. Haven't you realized that yet? Wake up!"

After saying that, Yunqiu suddenly pushed Qingchun to the ground, clenched her fists and looked down at her, as if she would punch Qingchun in the face at any moment. Her whole body was radiant with beauty, but her heroic posture was that of a female general.

"No, no! Erlang said he fell in love with me at first sight. That night, during the lantern parade, he could only see me! He also said he wanted to take me into his household, to have me all to himself. He won't change his mind!" Qingchun screamed in despair. Her mind was a complete mess. Revenge, sisters, love... none of these were what she wanted. All she could think of was—escape, escape from here!

"It's a mild winter, I want to escape from here."