Kam Ha kee

7.Talk about the old days

The lunch was rich and exquisite, all of my and Cheng Bi's favorite dishes made by Aunt Ju and Aunt Wei. We sat around the table, drinking wine. Talk about the happiness of the past, talk about the fun of the present. Francois, dressed in a neat uniform and white gloves, stood by, carefully serving us food and soup.

I restrained myself from dwelling too much on Yun-deep, but it was hard. She is too much like the shadow of her youth.

Her skin was as fine as alabaster, with a faint pink glow rarely seen in Asia, like translucent peach blossoms in the bright spring light. Her lines were beautiful to the point of incredible melon face, and her large brown eyes were as clear and agile as an elf, slightly sunken in two rows of Europa's characteristic long curly thick eyelids, but the tail of her eyes was slightly turned up like a Chinese lady in a meticulous painting. Her nose was straight and delicate, and her small pink lips had a beaded shine. One part of her looks like blue, but five parts like thin shadow. In particular, she looked at people's eyes, bright and clear, and thin shadow in general no two.

I don't want to miss her every glance, every turn of her head, every nod. But I can't. I can not let Wei aunt worry, also can not let into Bi suspect.

I looked back at Wei Auntie. She was looking at me with a faint unease and anxiety in her eyes. I understand her heart worries, is afraid of the emergence of deep clouds, and led me to think of thousands of thin shadow. I gave her a calm smile to reassure her.

Cloud deep can not use chopsticks, then changed the knife and fork to eat. She cuts her food with grace and lightness, and the knife and fork hit the China plate without making a sound. She puts only a tiny amount of food into her mouth at a time, so she opens her lips just enough without rubbing the food against the skin of her lips. When she chewed, her small, tightly closed lips and delicate lower jaw moved only gently, and her long eyelids moved in a coquettish pout.

I was amazed that a child could have such perfect dining manners that even her mother could not. I don't know how much of her childhood playtime was spent in the royal palace in Brussels to receive these training. What kind of life does she live that is so different from other children her age?

Cheng Bi sat beside cloud deep, for her cloth, patiently tell her the raw materials and origin of each dish. She listened carefully and said politely to Aunt Wei, "Thank you for taking so much time to cook. I like it very much."

Wei Aunt heard, happy even said: "Then eat more!"

I noticed that Yun Shen cut the crab minced Xiaolongbao in half, removed the meat filling and put it on the side of the plate, then sliced the skin and ate it, so I asked her with a smile: "Why does Yun Shen like to eat the skin and filling separately?"

She shook her head, swallowed her food and replied, "I don't eat meat."

Wei and I were taken aback. Wei Aunt hurriedly worried to ask her: "Such a small grade does not eat meat, the body can bear?"

Cheng Bi said helplessly, "Yunshen's grandmother is a vegetarian. Yunshen lived with her all the year round, and did not eat meat. Her father made her throw up once. We didn't force her any more."

After dinner, Wei aunt take cloud deep to wash, nap. Cheng Bi and I sat in the study, each holding a cup of tea and chatting.

Cheng Bi's slender fingers twisted the lid of the blue and white porcelain cup, looked around and said with emotion: "That year you and Shuying found the photo of me and Philippe, they secretly took it, hid it in the Chu Ci on the shelf, and then blackmailed me that the photo was found by my parents and asked me to confess to you." It scared me."

Looking at the warm shisha emanating from the teacup, I slowly said, "It has been many years."

"Philippe and I have been travelling all over the world and haven't been back here since we died. It's been six years. Not much has changed around here. Do you have any news?"

"Zhuo Dashao abandoned literature to pursue business and now lives in Hong Kong with a successful career and a happy marriage."

Cheng Bi sighed: "When thin ying died, Zhuo Zheng was so sad, like to go with her." But now, he is also another choice of green trees, full of flowers. It can be seen that there are not many people in this world who really have long feelings."

I laughed at her: "Are you going to let Zhuo Zheng erect a chastity arch?" If he doesn't get married, his parents will knock his head off."

Into a blue white I look: "Say others. What about yourself? How come I've never heard of your gorgeous wife? You have a lot of money, a prominent family, and a beautiful tree, so many beautiful women after you, even I live in Europe heard. I can't believe you haven't made a peep in years. It is said that most men who are too perfect are gay. Are you... Huh?" And he winked at me.

I smiled wryly: "I'm not gay. Just a little more selective. And my parents don't knock me on the head anymore."

She stared at me for a while and said earnestly, "So many years alone, aren't you lonely, Jingping?"

I paused, looked her straight in the eye, and said, "Used to it." Besides, I'm too busy to feel lonely." Then I changed the subject: "You didn't tell me that the cloud is as deep as a thin shadow."

"I mentioned it. When she was born, when you held her, didn't I say she was like a little ghost? But now it's getting more and more alike. I only hope she is happier than Shuying."

"Don't worry, she will. But the deep clouds seem too quiet."

She smiled ruefully: "This is the one thing that worries me most." I wanted her to grow up as free and lively as a normal child, rather than being taught to be an elegant marionette at court. But where Philippe and I work, most of them are in the wild mountains, and the children can't stay. And we travel all over the world, and we barely see her more than a few times a year. She had to be at the palace with her grandparents. They love her very much, and Yun Shen is a very good child. But her grandmother had a problem with me, thinking that I had robbed her of her best son, the most beloved prince in Belgium. Yun Shen has been with her grandmother for a long time, and we are a little distant."

"I see that." I nodded: "But the child is still small after all, and you are connected by blood, as long as you spend more time with her, she and you will be close after all."

She sighed: "I also tried to improve, but work is too busy, often can only spend a few days with Yunshen, and have to rush to the next project base."

I was silent for a moment and calmly said to her, "Work is important, but I missed a project, and there is another opportunity next time." But you and Philippe are only one cloud deep."

I know how much Cheng Bi and Philippe love what they do. This is not only a job for them, but also a dream and freedom, which they have endured unimaginable pressure and paid a heavy price for. I respect their dedication to their careers, but their parental neglect of cloud depth still strikes me as inappropriate.

Cheng Bi looked up at me, tears in her eyes already dancing, and her lips shook for a long time before she could open her mouth and say, "Jing Ping, tell you the truth." The real reason was that when Philippe and I got married, the royal family made an offer - Philippe's parents would have custody of our child and raise her according to traditional royal parenting. In other words, whether we give up our careers or not, we have lost custody of our daughters forever. I did not like the false and rigid palace, but I tried to live there, just to be close to my daughter. But Queen Ann-Sophie was worried that my mother, a commoner, would get along too much with Yunshen and turn her granddaughter into a wild girl who lacked education and manners. Therefore, whenever I was in the same room with Yunshen, there were several female officials around to prevent me from saying inappropriate words to her and teaching her inappropriate manners. When I talk to my daughter, I have to think before I speak, how is this going to make her close to me? I wasn't a good mother. I didn't give her enough care and love. Not a day goes by that I don't blame myself, but I can't think about it." At the end of the speech, tears were already flowing.

With a sigh in my heart, I patted her shoulder and comforted her: "Don't say that about yourself." There is no mother who doesn't love her children. Have you forgotten how hard my mother used to be on me? So much so that when I was a child, I went to Wei Aunt to ask if she was my mother's biological. But as she grew older, she realized that what she did was out of a mother's deepest love for her child. I'm sure when the clouds get deeper, you'll understand what you have to do."

She did not speak, and took the paper towel I passed to wipe her tears, and her head shook slightly with the sobs, as if nodding and shaking her head.

"By the way, how could you bring Yunshen out of the palace this time without any attendants or guards following him?" I didn't want to upset her too much, so I changed the subject.

"Philippe and I have worked very hard to get this. We wanted a family of three to spend a holiday together, but Yundeep's grandmother said no, and a group of female officials and bodyguards must follow. Philippe had a big quarrel with his mother, and finally the queen gave in, but demanded that Yunshen must be sent back after two weeks."

"Two weeks is better than none. This is a good time to get close to the clouds." I said with a smile.

"I think so too, but the ice has frozen three feet, how much can I melt it in two weeks?" Now, even when no one else is around, the boy is still very tight in my presence. Oh, I don't know what to do."

"Take your time, don't rush. Yun Shen seems to be a sweet and obedient child. Talk to her. It'll be fine." There was nothing I could do but feel relieved.