Chapter 3

A flicker of disappointment crossed my sister’s eyes.

She released my sleeve and muttered,

“Stingy.”

Then she sat down at my dressing table with her white deer mask, picked up my rouge, and painted a few strokes around its eyes.

Deciding that wasn’t enough color, she smeared more across its forehead.

The pristine white mask soon sported two bright patches.

That was what Mother saw when she came in.

Her brow furrowed. She strode over and snatched away the rouge.

“Shen Mingyi, what nonsense are you up to now? This was bestowed by the palace! How dare you tamper with it?”

My sister held the mask beside her face, entirely unabashed.

“It’s so white it looks ready for a funeral. I was only making it prettier. How is that improper?”

“And now you talk back!”

Mother raised her hand to strike her.

My sister laughed, dodged, then caught my wrist and pulled me toward the door.

“Don’t be angry, Mother. We’re off to the hunting grounds!”

She tugged me along so fast I stumbled. Looking back, I saw Mother bracing herself against the table, too furious to speak.

Wind met us in the corridor, and my sister’s laughter followed us all the way.

Watching her hair ribbons sway, I suddenly felt dazed.

My sister and I had always been close.

I was quiet by nature and disliked quarrels.

Whenever someone wronged me as a child, she often demanded justice for me before I could even speak.

Even if Mother punished her for it, she would only wink at me when no one was looking and tell me not to worry.

In my previous life, she had joyfully sent me off to marry, never imagining that Xiao Chengxiao had mistaken me for someone else.

After she learned the truth, that vivid, fearless girl shaved her head and became a nun, spending the rest of her life before a Buddha with only a dim oil lamp for company.

We never saw each other again before death.

Now the red fox mask was still on my face.

Would our ending be different this time?

The spring hunt was held at an imperial retreat.

As in my previous life, I didn’t follow the others into the woods. I stayed beside Mother and listened to several noblewomen talk.

They discussed which family’s son was old enough to seek a wife and which young lady excelled at music or board games.

I sat properly and offered an occasional reply.

My sister had already chosen a chestnut horse and rushed into the woods with her bow.

Within an hour, she returned and set a gray rabbit at my feet.

Its hind leg was injured, and it was still struggling in the grass.

My sister swung down and tossed the reins to an attendant.

“For you. Take it and play.”

I crouched and gathered the rabbit into my arms.

It trembled all over, so I wrapped its wound with my handkerchief.

Mother saw the sheen of sweat on my sister’s forehead and couldn’t help scolding her again.

“You’re a girl, yet you ride faster than the men. What sort of behavior is that? Stay nearby. Don’t go deep into the woods again. What will you do if something happens?”

My sister didn’t even wait for her to finish.

She stepped into the stirrup and raised her whip.

“Don’t worry, Mother. I’m very fond of being alive.”

Her horse cleared the fence and soon vanished among the trees.

Mother pressed her fingers to her temple in exasperation, then turned to me.

“When will she ever learn to be sensible?”

I held the rabbit closer and didn’t answer.

Toward noon, the sky darkened, just as I remembered.

Before long, rain battered the tent roof in a steady, muffled roar.

The hunters returned one after another. Only my sister was missing.

Mother could neither sit nor stand still. She kept sending people to the entrance for news.

“That child never listens. The paths will be slippery. What if her horse bolts?”

I refilled her cup with hot tea.

“She’s clever and resourceful. She’ll be all right. Perhaps she’s found somewhere to shelter and will come back when the rain stops.”

Mother reluctantly sat down, but never took her eyes off the tent entrance.

Four hours later, the rain eased.

Hoofbeats sounded in the distance.

My sister walked in front, leading her chestnut horse. Her clothes were soaked, and the ends of her hair clung to her cheeks.

Xiao Chengxiao followed her, mud on his shoulder and an equally unpleasant expression on his face.

Before they reached us, their argument had carried across the camp.

“I saw that rock first. What gave you the right to sit on it?”

My sister didn’t turn around.

“Seeing it first makes it yours? You saw the woods first too. Why don’t you carry those home to Prince Su’s residence as well?”

“Can’t you be reasonable, for a young lady?”

“A grown man fighting a girl for somewhere to sit, and you have the nerve to call me unreasonable?”

Xiao Chengxiao laughed in exasperation.

“Well, this has been an education. What family raised a girl with a temper like yours?”

My sister stopped and turned to glare at him.

He wiped rain from his chin.

“You needn’t tell me. I’ll find out. When I look for a wife, I’ll make a point of avoiding your family.”

My sister gave a cold laugh, raised her foot, and stamped on his boot.

Xiao Chengxiao doubled over in pain.

She was already leading her horse away, leaving him with one last remark.

“I wouldn’t want a man like you if you paid me!”