Tang Wan had originally intended to follow Jiang Jinsang out, but downstairs, she was stopped by the grandmother.
"Xiaowu, you two have been so inseparable these past few days, can you not let Wanwan keep me company today?" The old lady’s tone even seemed a bit aggrieved.
She had no granddaughters and her grandsons were not attentive. It wasn’t easy to have a girl at home for so many days, and they hadn’t had a decent conversation.
"No," Jiang Jinsang refused directly.
That actually amused the old lady, "Can’t be apart even for a moment, huh!"
Instead, Tang Wan was so embarrassed, she could hardly show her face, "Grandma, I’ll keep you company today."
Jiang Jinsang wanted to say something else, but Tang Wan nudged him with her elbow, signaling him to shut up, so he remained silent.
Seeing this, the old lady felt differently. Jiang Xiaowu had grown up under her watch, and the saying "illness leads to petulance" wasn’t without reason. He really was rebellious, wouldn’t listen to persuasion, let alone obey.
Naturally, the old lady was happy to find someone who could manage him.
"I’ll take you to Peach Garden later to watch an opera, and we’ll eat out at noon," the old lady said with a smile to Tang Wan.
"Mhm, your arrangement is fine."
Mr. Tang’s health indeed wasn’t great; during the time before his surgery, although he wasn’t hospitalized, he still needed to rest. Fan Mingyu stayed home to take care of him, and Tang Yunxian had no interest in Beijing Opera, so naturally, he didn’t join them.
The old lady obviously wanted to be alone with Tang Wan, so there was no need for Jiang Jinsang to follow along. He stayed home to enjoy the sunshine with Lord Wansui.
Tang Wan had made headdresses for some Beijing Opera performers and understood the trade well enough to enjoy the performance without finding it boring.
This was not the largest Peach Garden in Beijing, but it was certainly the most high-end and elegant. Just entering and seeing the décor and layout was enough to know the difference in class.
All the way there, Tang Wan worried that the old lady would ask about what happened last night, feeling anxious. However, the old lady instead talked about other things, such as Tang Wan’s schooling and her life situation.
The old lady wasn’t foolish; she could tell from their reactions and small gestures that something unspeakable had probably occurred the night before and guessed there had been some progress.
As long as the two of them were getting along well, she was curious but didn’t necessarily need to know the details.
As an elder, maintaining proper distance in interactions with the younger generation is important. It’s enough to know they are doing well; the details are not something to worry about.
Today in the garden, they were performing "The Drunken Concubine." The actors on stage, dressed in cyan with flowing sleeves, sang with a cadence that rose and fell. The old lady gently tapped her knees to the rhythm, engrossed in the performance. Tang Wan didn’t understand it too well but found herself fascinated by the Cyan Feather headdresses of some actresses.
At this point, the manager brought over some tea and pastries.
"We didn’t order these," the old lady said with a smile.
"The lady is not here today, so this is our Lord treating you. Please continue to enjoy the opera, and if there is anything you dislike, don’t hesitate to give us feedback. I won’t disturb you any further," said the manager with a smile as he left.
At that time, the volume on stage was so loud that Tang Wan didn’t catch what the two had said.
It was only after the performance ended, during the more than ten minutes intermission, that the old lady saw Tang Wan taking a pen and notepad from the table, using it as a backing to draw a few patterns and then tilting her head to assess them, "Interested in their headdresses?"
"Mhm, there’s a lot of storytelling in Pingjiang, almost no places garden. Their headdresses are also quite exquisite, with many styles I’ve never seen before."
"Then I’ll speak to them later and let you take a look backstage."
"I’m afraid that might not be appropriate."
"No worries, I’m well acquainted with them. This isn’t any sort of secret, so taking a look should be no problem. I still have that much influence."
Just as the old lady was about to call someone over, a few people walked towards them. Their area was considered a box, but not in the traditional sense.
From Tang Wan’s angle, she was directly facing this group of people.
The most striking amongst them was the one walking in front.
A young woman in her early twenties, with jet-black hair, fair skin, and harmonious features that were neither too bold nor too diminutive, exuding a gentle and harmless air.
When Tang Wan caught sight of her, the most striking thing was the way she draped her coat over one arm, wearing a plain cheongsam tailored just right, accentuating her slender waist. As she walked, her fair, slender legs peeked out from the slits with a hint of allure; yet given her young age, she couldn’t quite carry the full charm.
Beijing had heating everywhere, so it wasn’t cold.
"Grandma, you’re here too." She approached with a smile, her voice tender and smooth, carrying herself with the grace of a young lady from a distinguished family.