No Repeats

Grandma Shu

After dinner, Shu Mei followed her grandma into her room and dismissed all the maids after asking for hot water to be prepared. This is a precious time for her to show her filial piety to the most treasured person in her life, making her disregard the discomfort and anxiety that Yu Li is having in her absence.

The two women, one old and the other young entered the tastefully decorated bedroom and instantly felt the room's warmth from the underground heated floor and the comforting incense fragrance used to help the elderly sleep better. Shu Mei nodded her head in satisfaction as she looked around the neat room and its considerate layout that seems to cater to the needs of an elderly and blind person, it is proof that Uncle Feng has been very attentive to grandma's needs and had employed very highly trained maids.

Shu Mei started to undress her grandma down to her undergarments and wiped her body from the face downwards, rinsing the washcloth every few wipes. The washcloth is incredibly soft and high quality and very different to the type of material they used in the mountains. Shu Mei noticed that her grandma had become plumper, her skin seems more nourished and smoother, making Shu Mei feel more cheerful in her heart. This is another evidence of the generosity and care that the Feng family had for her grandma.

"Nai Nai, I am now a small official in the General's regiment. That means that I will need to follow the General on the current mission. This time we're based in Hangzhou, so I can visit you every day, but I have to return to his base so that I am on hand to support him," said Shu Mei gently as she rinsed the washcloth she has been using to wipe down grandma Shu.

Grandma Shu frowned at those words and became quiet as if deep in thought. Acting oblivious to Grandma Shu's state, Shu Mei passed her grandma a smaller cloth that had been soaked in a medicinal paste and a small bowl of water. The grandma rubbed the cloth and paste into her mouth and teeth before rinsing it with the water.

Shu Mei smiled as she continued her actions. She hung the washcloth to dry and started to massage her grandma's skin with the pot of cream on the table. The lovely smell of the cream and its mousse like texture as it glides on grandma's skin, which, when combined with Shu Mei's expert hands was so nice and calming made grandma yawn loudly despite trying to keep awake.

"My dear, I don't understand. Why does the great General need someone like you, a little mountain girl who didn't even know how to read or write?" asked grandma sleepily.

Shu Mei smiled and thought to herself, she too does not understand, but Yu Li is not a normal person, so how can she hope to understand him? She stayed silent as she took the night gown that the maids had prepared earlier and dressed grandma before laying her down on the bed, making sure that the pillow is properly aligned to her neck.

"I'm not sure Nai Nai, I can't question it. They say that even the emperor fears the general, so who are we to question the powerful people's motives. But all I really want is for you to have a nice long life and I can see you regularly. That is enough for me, Nai Nai...please don't feel sad. I am fine, really, the training has been very good and allowed me to pick up many skills," said Shu Mei.

Grandma Shu grabbed her hand and pulled her down onto the bed, Shu Mei obediently complied and placed her hands on her cheek with a contented smile on her face.

"My dear, even if I have to lose my life fighting him tooth to nail, I will gratefully do so. Don't stay because of me, I will not be a burden to you," said Grandma Shu patting Shu Mei's hands as she desperately fights her sleepiness.

Shu Mei laughed and admired the cute woman whose life could only be described in one word, difficult. Grandma Shu up in the poor village, uneducated and an unloved middle child. Even though she was filial and dedicated to her parents, all the family resources went to the elder brother to study. He moved to the city and never returned to help the family, leaving the young girl to work the fields, and feed the family. Her parents who were biased towards boys only loved the youngest brother, neglecting but expecting much from their only daughter.