A Wuxia Tale: Twins of Trouble

Estates

(QING)

I had a serious talk with Hua and Dao the next day.

"Your Father is upset. I am upset. What is happening to the two of you? Is what we want for the both of you really hard and burdersome? We just want you both to study and be safe."

Hua and Dao stood in front of me, quietly listening to my lectures.

"Dao, start taking your lessons at the Lecture Halls seriously. I am aware that you know most of the lessons but maybe you can learn more. Son, not all learnings and lessons are found in books and scrolls. Some lessons are learned while dealing with people. Have some friends. Aside from Hua. She is your sister and friend, I know that, but you can have other friends. As Hua can have other friends aside from you too..."

"When?" Hua asked. "When can I have friends of my own?"

I was taken aback. Hua has always been the more quiet one of the twins. She is obedient and diligent in her studies. I don't know where my daughter is getting this new feistiness she is showcasing but I am not pleased.

"When you mastered controlling your strength. We don't want any accident, Wang Hua. So far, you are showing great progress in keeping your strength contained but still not enough. But don't worry, I know now that you want friends. I will start talking to other families with daughters..."

"What I want is to get out of the estate by myself, Baba..."

"Wang Hua!" I cannot help raising my tone. Hua look down but the fight is not out of her body. I sighed, "Daughter..."

"You don't trust me," she said in a small voice. "Not like how you trust Dao,"

"Because you are a girl..."

"Oh boy..." Dao shook his head on me. Hua's shoulders stiffened more and I think I just made a huge mistake. "Hua," I reach for my daughter and she dutifully came to my arms. "It's just we are afraid something might happen to you. It will kill your father if you got hurt. I am not kidding..."

Hua sniffed, "But I am strong. I can take care of myself..."

"I know, daughter. Soon. Soon you can do what you want. Walk alone in the market. Walk to Uncle Jiang's place by yourself. Soon, but not yet. Not when Father and I are still afraid that something might happen..."

"You don't think I am weak, right Baba?" Hua asked me with fear in her eyes.

"No," I hugged her. "Father and I know how strong you are. We know. We are aware. It's just you are too precious to us. Let's humor Father some more, will that be fine? Follow him for now. And then maybe, we can convince him to try and let you by yourself little by little. Father is upset. You don't want him to cry now..."

"Father doesn't cry. Except when he missed Grandpa Shu. That's what Grandpa Feng told us." Dao interjected quietly.

The former governor of SiChuan, Grandpa Feng. The old man will never like me and Jiang for Dayu and Mei. But Grandpa Feng is very fond of our children. His current favorite is Jiang's infant son. Grandpa Feng tells the kids stories about Dayu and Mei's Uncle Shu. He is keeping Dayu's Uncle alive for the kids and for that Jiang and I are grateful even if Governor Feng will always give snide comments about how his nephews could do better than me and Jiang.

I tolerate him.

"Yes," I nodded to my kids. "Father hardly cry. But if the two of you will continue giving us grief then Father might cry for real. Let's not do that to your Father. Let's obey his wishes okay?" I look at Hua in particular.

Dayu is right. Hua is our stubborn child, not Dao.

"Yes, Baba..." the twins nodded and agreed. I hugged my daughter and ruffled my son's hair. They are good kids. Dayu is raising them right. But I think they are both growing up too fast and having ideas of their own. Nothing new to that. We have gone through the same when we were growing up.