Threads 119-Wind Thief 1

It was nothing extravagant, this celebration. Biyu awoke to her nanny’s smile and the fond expressions of the household. For breakfast, the cook made jianbing, one of Biyu’s favorites, and they ate together as a family. The wheat flour crepes and their simple fillings were certainly not made of any special ingredients, but Ling Qi found herself enjoying the flavor more than she had far more extravagant foods.

After, they had gone out to the garden where Zhengui had been waiting, and there, they had played. Shaping tiny expressions of her Mist, Ling Qi gave her little sister phantom animals to chase and play with while sitting and chatting with her mother and Zhengui, who had shrunk down to the size of a small dog.

When Biyu had tired, Ling Qi and Ling Qingge had taken turns reading to her from a storybook until she fell asleep in Mother’s lap.

The day passed like that in quiet enjoyment of each other’s company, culminating in the evening when they sat together in the hearth room while Ling Qingge played a new composition.

Ling Qi sat at one one end of the long couch which filled the far side of the room, and at her feet on the carpeted floor, Zhengui and Biyu lounged. Part way through the day, her little sister had pleaded with him to let her ride on his shell, and Zhengui had eventually allowed it. Ling Qi had made sure it would be safe, and so throughout the day, the little girl would happily hop on and let Zhengui carry her through the halls.

Biyu was leaning against his shell now, blinking drowsily while their mother played.

Ling Qi couldn’t help but give a small smile as she leaned against the arm of the couch. Her mother really was good. Ling Qi had surpassed her through cultivation, but her mother was genuinely talented, and now, with the rust of disuse gone from her skill, that musical talent was showing again.

The gentle sound of her mother’s flute drifted through the warm room. It was a song of comfort and warm summer days and a faint hope that was growing, slowly but growing all the same.

When the song finished, Ling Qi offered polite applause. “That was lovely, Mother,” she said warmly.

“Happy songs are nice!” Biyu added her own exuberant praise, clapping her own hands.

Sixiang laughed silently. Ling Qi smiled wryly.

“It is nothing so worthy of praise,” Ling Qingge said. “But I am glad that my daughters found it enjoyable.”

“It was a nice song,” Gui said quietly. He had not been the most talkative today, but she thought that he had still enjoyed himself.

“See, even Zhengui agrees that it does deserve praise,” Ling Qi said.

“Precious is a good turtle,” Biyu agreed, patting his shell.

Zhen looked conflicted at the praise.

Ling Qingge smiled, and for once, there was no strain in it. She nodded her head in acknowledgement of Zhengui. Mother had grown comfortable around him, at least when he was in his smaller form.

Biyu yawned then, only to blink and hastily raise her hands to cover her mouth. “Not tired,” the little girl said reflexively.

“Of course not,” Ling Qingge said gently.

“But just in case you get sleepy later, would you like a present from your Big Sister now?” Ling Qi asked. She had been trying to find a good time for it all day, and it was now or never at this point.

Biyu’s expression brightened as she turned her head to look at Ling Qi. “Present?”

“That’s right,” Ling Qi said, earning a curious look from her mother. In her hands, a carved wooden box appeared. “The present has two parts, and this is the first one. Go ahead and open it,” she said, lowering the container.

Biyu turned herself around, looking curiously at the lacquered wooden box. She took the lid in both of her hands and lifted it up. Inside, padded by a soft cushion was a pair of pale blue silk shoes. They weren’t really proper talismans but Ling Qi had invested a little in them. They were stain resistant, durable, and just adjustable enough that they would last a couple years rather than a couple months on a growing girl.

“Pretty shoes?” Biyu asked curiously, picking one up and turning it over in her hands. She peered inside. She didn’t seem too excited yet, but that was fine.

“Like I said, the shoes are only the first part,” Ling Qi said lightly, leaning down to poke Biyu in the nose. The little girl snorted in laughter and swatted her hand away. “They’re dancing shoes. Do you want to be able to move like Big Sis?”

Now, Biyu’s eyes brightened. “Oh! Yes, I wanna be a pretty fairy!”

“Well, with these, we can get started.” Biyu was too young to learn anything complicated, but it would be good enough to just start working on a sense of rhythm and balance. “But you can’t use my lessons to get away from Mother or Nanny, alright?”

Her mother gave her an unimpressed look but smiled nonetheless, giving Biyu a nod of approval.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“I’ll be good,” Biyu chirped eagerly, setting the shoe back in the box.

“I am sure you will,” Ling Qingge said with a touch of doubt. “In any case, I believe dinner should be prepared. Let us go to the garden.”

Ling Qi smiled as she stood up, and scooped the box back up. She would put it in Biyu’s room later. She was looking forward to being able to teach her little sister too.

That would come later though. She had already had quite a full day after all.

And tonight, Ling Qi was going to begin learning to really move.

***