Falling Dreams Of Fang Hua

Chapter 49.2

Nightfall.

"Boooring." I held a book between my fingers, heaving a sigh as I leaned on my chin, spacing out. My eyes stared at the lamp light as one hand waved the flame back and forth. The window was shut tight, leaving only the sound of waving bamboo like the sea.

This uninhabited junk of a place had no place for strolls or anywhere to go. I could endure that, I could even deal with the lack of music, but there ought to be other diversions....curses, there was nothing on the bookshelves but medical texts, not even one of those popular pornography books.

The candle flame gave a sputter, sending the odor of hot wax into the air. I withdrew my hand from the heat, tossing aside the book in my hands as I swept the tabletop of peanut shells. My brows furrowed as I banged the table angrily and stood up.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh, I can't live like this anymore!"

A spark of something called 'discontentment' burned in my chest. Lofty and unyielding, I waved aside my sleeves and strode out the doors. By the time I reached the back corridors, half of my arrogant bluster vanished when I realized no one was in the courtyard. Besides the sound of wind through the bamboo, there was nothing else. Even the usually noisy parrot stared at me dispiritedly from a branch...his eyes gleaming. A thrill of horror ran through me as I backed up three steps.

The despicable bird was looking at me like I was a thief. A wild wind swept through the withered branches as girl and bird stared face-to-face in a silent battle.

"Hungry. Food, food," The parrot's claws stepped on the branches as it leapt a few times, retracting its gaze in a show of conciliation while it lowered its head to peck at its feathers, as if blinding searching for bugs to eat.

Ever since the day Fang Hua randomly took me in, he'd given me a giant pile of candles, each brand new and wrapped in white paper packaging. But he...rarely used them. Sometimes, he'd stand outside my room to take advantage of the light. After I'd shut him out, he'd use the moonlight as a guide to walk back, his retreating figure ever desolate and lonely...

I stamped my feet a few times until I warmed up, thinking hard. It'd be good to take the chance and convince him not to be so economical. When I returned to the palace, I'll get the emperor to give him some silver. With the nights so dark, how was a person to pass their days?

I earnestly nodded to myself before rushing back into the room, crunching my way past peanut shells. Squatting on my heels, I crawled under my bed until I found a candle and proudly patted it a few times. Then I walked to Fang Hua's door by moonlight and lightly knocked a few times.

"Are you asleep?"

There was the faint sound of a bed creaking, followed by the rustling noise of someone putting on their clothes.

"I'll open the door shortly."

"How about you keep lying down, I'll let myself in," I replied carelessly, taking a hairpin out of my hair to insert between a crack in the door. I jiggled it up and down a few times before pushing it open. The moment I raised my eyes, I saw a figure still in shock.

"That..." he seemed to be smiling, before leisurely adding, "So it's true that no manner of door can stop you, no matter how good the quality."

"Heh, heheheh," I smirked, laughing until I suddenly stopped. My expression shifted, and I stared astonished at my nimble hands. What had happened...when did I become a thief? The movements were so clean and easy, smooth and dextrous. How strange. A soft cough sounded from the darkness. I knitted my brows and groped forwards with my hands.

"Are you feeling unwell? There's nothing urgent about your health, right."

There was silence for quite a while.