Chapter 005: Flying Paper Kites on a Sunny Day

One day, after finishing her chores, Zhao Ruyi saw Niu sitting alone on the doorstep of the small kitchen, playing with a broken kite.

As soon as Niu saw Zhao Ruyi approaching, she jumped up and ran to her, holding up the broken kite and said, "Sister Ruyi, let's fly the kite!"

"Where did you get the kite, Niu? It's broken, I'm afraid it won't fly," Zhao Ruyi took the kite from Niu's hand and examined it.

Niu's hopeful eyes turned disappointed.

In the kitchen, Zhou Ruijia, who was kneading dough, poked her head out and said, "Where could she have gotten a kite? She probably picked it up from the sky and has been trying to fix it herself for a while."

Seeing Niu's disappointed look, Zhao Ruyi had an idea and said to Niu, "Go ask Tiaofu for some thin paper, maybe we can patch up the kite and make it fly again."

Niu's spirits lifted again and she happily went to the study to find Tiaofu.

Song Wuji, who was often ill and couldn't go anywhere, spent most of his time in the study, which was his most cherished place.

His study was off-limits to ordinary people.

When Tiaofu learned that Niu had come to ask for paper to fix the kite, he quickly grabbed a few sheets of his calligraphy practice paper and sent Niu away, fearing the prince's reprimand.

This action caught the attention of Song Wuji, who was reading in the inner room.

After learning the situation, Song Wuji jokingly scolded Tiaofu, "She asked for paper to fix a kite, and you gave her thick, rough-edged paper. Can the kite still fly?"

He then took out some high-quality paper from his desk and said, "Hurry and give this to her!"

Tiaofu hesitated for a moment. Could he really use this expensive paper to fix a kite?

But seeing the bright spring sunshine outside, Song Wuji changed his mind. Despite his frailty, he could still walk in the courtyard, as advised by the imperial physician. So, he left the study and headed towards the small kitchen.

A gentleman should keep his distance from the kitchen.

Normally, Song Wuji would never approach the kitchen, but today, he wanted to see how the kite was being fixed.

As he approached the kitchen, he heard laughter and joy coming from inside.

Song Wuji hesitated.

It seemed like it had been a long time since he had heard such laughter.

When was the last time they laughed so freely?

When his mother was still alive? Or before he fell ill?

Song Wuji furrowed his brow, trying to remember.

It seemed that since he fell ill, the people around him had become quieter. The maids who used to be lively and playful had been driven out of the courtyard for various reasons, leaving only a few who were more cautious.

Gradually, the entire courtyard became dull and lifeless.

Since they were in such high spirits today, why should he spoil it?

He decided to leave the high-quality paper with Tiaofu and returned to the study with a sense of desolation.

Tiaofu, holding the high-quality paper, looked puzzled as he glanced in the direction of the kitchen and then at the departing figure of the prince, feeling like he couldn't make sense of it.

Just a moment ago, the prince seemed to be in good spirits, but suddenly his mood turned gloomy. Why?

But he dared not delay the task given to him by the prince and quickly delivered the high-quality paper to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Zhao Ruyi was considering whether to patch up the broken part of the kite or replace all the paper on the kite. Niu, squatting beside her, looked at her with anticipation, adding to Zhao Ruyi's pressure.

"Why not try using this paper?" Tiaofu handed over the high-quality paper, and Zhao Ruyi's eyes lit up.

In the study, Song Wuji picked up the book he had been reading, but he couldn't focus on it. His gaze kept drifting to the window, hoping to see the kite with the high-quality paper fly. He became anxious and eager.

Fortunately, the wait wasn't too long. He finally saw the kite with the high-quality paper fly crookedly over the eaves to the south, but soon it crashed down, causing a commotion in the kitchen.

Song Wuji remembered when his mother used to sit and watch him fly kites with a smile on her face, occasionally reminding him not to fall.

The wind was always gentle, the sunlight warm, and life was so peaceful...

Watching the kite, which had struggled to fly into the sky, Song Wuzhi, full of sorrow, managed to crack a smile.

As the kite soared higher and higher, Niu'er became increasingly happy, singing and dancing, occasionally letting out the excited screams typical of children.

The commotion naturally disturbed Baoqin, who was resting.

It had been many years since anyone had dared to make such a loud noise in the Xizhao Hall!

Baoqin, feeling displeased, followed the sound to investigate.

"Don't you know that it's not allowed to make noise in the Xizhao Hall?" Baoqin scolded Zhao Ruyi and Niu'er, who were playing together, with great anger.

Startled, Zhao Ruyi loosened her grip on the kite string, causing the kite, which had just been swaying in the air, to float down and land right at Baoqin's feet.

Baoqin first glanced at it casually, but then stared in disbelief at the kite.

She had been worried about not being able to catch Zhao Ruyi's little trick, but they had just handed it to her on a silver platter!

So she exaggeratedly exclaimed, "How dare you? This is handmade paper, and you've used it to make a kite? Tell me, where did you get this handmade paper? How dare you enter the young master's study and steal things?"

Baoqin's intimidating demeanor instantly made Niu'er burst into tears.

"No, no, it was given to me by Tianfu gege!" Niu'er defended herself while wiping away her tears.

"Is Tianfu involved in this too?" Baoqin relentlessly dragged Ruyi and Niu'er along, saying, "Come with me to see the young master!"