I Am This Type of Woman

63

Spring has arrived and everything came back alive, the weather had gradually warming up after the spring rain. The Capital residents replaced their thick winter clothing with the more stylish spring attires. Ban Hua and Rong Xia walked down the streets together with a half step distance kept between them. Watching people around them coming and going, Ban Hua started to feel revived along with them.

"Silk flowers for sale, the most trendy silk flowers in the Capital this year, five wen a piece. Would you like one, young lady?"

Ban Hua paused to look at the old woman at the corner of the street. Her grizzled white hair was wrapped with a piece of old and worn blue cloth. The basket in her hand was blackened of long use, it was half filled with roughly made silk flowers. There was obviously nothing trendy about the flowers, even rough-jobs maids in the Ducal house wouldn't wear this.

At first the old woman wanted to persuade Ban Hua to buy a piece of flower, but then she saw that even though Ban Hua only wore a silver hairpin and a plain cotton dress but her whole person exudes nobility, and the man next to her was clad in a set of distinguished attire. The old woman knew her flowers wouldn't enter her eyes.

But the lively miss came near herself, and only then the old woman's muddy eyes saw that the silver hairpin on the young lady's hair was exquisitely crafted, it was not some ordinary item.

Ban Hua saw the silk flowers in the basket were of bright colours so she couldn't wear it. She bought two pieces and turned to Rong Xia, "Come, lower your head."

Rong Xia knew what she intended to do, he turned around and tried to run, but Ban Hua grabbed his sleeve. Under the violent oppression, two large-sized and fiercely-red flowers perched on the two sides of his hair crown, one on the left and one on the right.

The attendants from both the Count and the Ducal residences could barely hold their laughters.

The old woman smiled widely to see Ban Hua and Rong Xia that way, she said amiably, "Gongzi and esteemed Furen are so affectionate." Only after spoken that she noticed Ban Hua's hair was still styled as as unmarried lady, she hurriedly apologised, "My old eyes aren't clear, I have spoken wrongly, hope Gongzi and Miss don't mind."

"Not a problem." Rong Xia smiled at Ban Hua, the red flowers on his head swayed, "She is my future wife."

The old woman smiled to hear it, "Wish you two a hundred years in harmony, and children to come soon."

"Thank you." Rong Xia took out a piece of broken silver and put it in the old woman's hand, "Can I buy all of these flowers?"

"This is too much..... can't, I can't accept it." The old woman waved her hands, "This basket of mine is not worth much."

"It is fine." Rong Xia gestured to a guard to take the basket in the old woman's hand, "Farewell."

"Many thanks, many thanks." The old woman thanked Rong Xia repeatedly. She was still wishing them well even after they had gone far.

"Hey." Ban Hua was smiling as she pointed at the top of Rong Xia's head, "Are you really going to wear this to eat noodles?"

"If Hua Hua likes, I can wear it." Rong Xia stopped walking and turned to face Ban Hua, his eyes were full of indulgence.

Ban Hua could hardly resist such looks, and on top of it, the other person was looking at her with such tender expression. She coughed drily, "Better take them off."

Rong Xia lowered his head in front of her, "Then I have to trouble Hua Hua."

Ban Hua picked out the flowers and put them into the basket in the hand of the guard, she slyly laughed, "Rong-gongzi, xiao nǚzi is of similar age with you. For what reason that Rong-gongzi bows to me?"