Jin Yi Ji

Her feet are almost better than the Asami I always bring with me. She works diligently without complaining. She is really a rare helper. Only in the store, she can't say a word. When she sees the customers coming in, she is speechless. It seems that the future It is hopeless to count on her to look at the shop.However, this child is sincere and careful. Although she is too honest, it is also her strength, more reliable and capable than many girls.Thinking of this, Mei Cai taught Yukiko and Asami together, and asked them to help take care of the storefront and do some embroidery.At first it was a half-width belt, and later it was made into a belt. A gorgeous belt used by geisha needs to be embroidered with half a moon, which is really exquisite.Then there are all kinds of kimonos, all kinds of colors are matched with different colors, and the patterns of dark patterns should complement the clothing. . .

I was so happy then.Yukiko thought, smiling and crying.It never occurred to me that I could make something so beautiful, I was just such a humble young girl.But the master treated me so well, taught me her most cherished embroidery technique, and treated me like her own child.She looked at me and said to Chaomei, you are my pair of daughters, if he can live to this day, he will be proud of you.Yukiko watched her shed tears, but did not dare to look at Asami's face next to her.

But Asami doesn't think so.She would never think so.Yukiko couldn't help thinking that she didn't want me to be recognized and praised by the master.She wanted me to be blamed and belittled forever.But she was right.Yukiko remembered that when she called her "Asami", she would be stared at, so she could only call her "Senior".When the goods she picked up were returned for the first time, Chaomei trembled and said nothing, suddenly picked up a pair of scissors, and without hesitation cut herself and her belt that she had worked so hard for a whole month into pieces, and sent it to her like a torrential rain Throwing it on the ground, while cursing: "You clumsy fool! You embarrass me! What should I do! What will the master say! It's all you! It's all you! It's all you!!" At that time Yukiko thought She would hit herself, but she didn't, Yukiko hoped she could do it, but she didn't after all.So she could only keep saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, senior. I'm sorry."

But that's okay too.Yukiko thought of it.She can do anything to me if she wants.She just laughs when she wants to, and scolds when she wants to. As long as she and I watch the shop for the master, that's enough.

But there is not a day when I want to stop all this.I will never betray her.I belong to her.But why she didn't understand.

"It's great, they are all this old." Mei Cai looked back at the store, and said to her old friend Yoshino with relief.Yoshino is an artist living in the suburbs, and has been providing her with various patterns of belts through old friends.

"Indeed. You are old too." Yoshino laughed a few times dryly and took a puff of his cigarette.

"But they are still very young. As long as we have them, the store will be able to continue. We can only rely on them," Mei Cai said.She looked at the hurried figure of Asami shuttling between the hangers, and she introduced the crisp and sweet voices to the guests around her.In the workshop on the other side, the sound of the wheels of the spinning wheel kept coming.

"But they won't stay in the store forever, right?" Yoshino looked at Asami's bright smiling face and young and attractive figure, and laughed, "I'm sure I can't stay with that little proprietress. That's a relative Is it the third daughter of the Ze family?"

"Yeah. My niece." Mei Cai said, looking at the crowd around her.She is a natural boss. "Indeed. It was a natural thing. I didn't want to hold her by force, but she won't go."

"Why?" Yoshino felt a little amused.

"That child wants to stay in my shop. She really loves this business, I can see it. I am going to do the same and let her inherit my shop." A reassuring smile appeared on Mei Cai's face . "That kid too. Yukiko that kid. She has to stay in the store to survive. She loves everything here."

"So what are you going to do? If you really go back to Qingjin, there must be an arrangement here." Yoshino said.

"Of course it has to be like this. The two of them will definitely be together." Meicai laughed, "I have planned this for a long time."

If so, the master gave Chaomei all the contracts and keys of the shop before leaving.All that was left to her was the needlework in that studio.However, Xizi could see that Asami was very confused. She asked again and again, hesitating to speak, "Master, are you leaving now?" hands.Those were delicate hands, at least in Yukiko's eyes.And her hands are like the master's.They are the hands that work for this shop, and they will be the same in the future.

Finally one day, Asami found what she wanted.Or discovering something she'll never have.

One day, she looked at Yukiko with cold hatred in her eyes, and she never looked into her eyes when she spoke, she sarcastically sarcastically.Yukiko was really confused, and Asami made her feel overwhelmed with pain, until one day, she found that Asami had cut two sections of the wide belt she was embroidering.Yukiko was too shocked to speak, not understanding why she was like this. "senior..."

She turned around, still holding the scissors in her hand, and looked at Yukiko with cold eyes like blades, nailing her to the door like this.She walked slowly towards Yukiko, the scissors in her hand gleamed coldly.She looked straight into her eyes and said word by word: "Listen well, you are not allowed to go, you stay here and do it until you die."

Yukiko suddenly understood everything.She looked at the various threads left for her by the master on the table, and tears welled up, blurring her vision.I suddenly understood my fate.We are meant to be together.But why don't you understand?

"You are not allowed to go anywhere. Do not leave me." The scissors were pressed against Yukiko's chest.

But you don't understand.

"Yes, senior." That's the only thing I'll ever say to you.

From then on, Yukiko devoted herself to working hard in the workshop, listening to the creaking of the spinning wheel all day long, her crisp laughter outside the door, and the noisy voices of the guests.I knew she had nothing to say to me.Yet I know she is pleased with me, and therefore I am.

I thought this was my fate.However, life is beyond my control.

Novella

Dreary summer night.Under the swaying candlelight, Yukiko manipulated the spinning wheel skillfully.There's still about a third, and a quarter is coming soon.Sweat on her forehead stuck her hair to her face, but she didn't have time to care.The creaking of the spinning wheel is drowsy.It might be raining soon.Yuxi thought drowsily that her arms had become sore.But why hasn't Chaomei come back?

. . .She is very busy recently.Yukiko's hand still didn't stop.The creaking sound is endless.

Haven't spoken to her for a long time either, and I haven't even seen her that much, lately.

Thinking of this, his hand suddenly slowed down.Silence descended on the room, only the sound of cicadas on the distant embankment came from outside the window.

Asami.Asami.Close your eyes, Yukiko thought in her sleepy mind.

After the door was pushed open, there was the sound of clogs.Yukiko raised her head suddenly, and saw Asami was holding on to the door to change her shoes, holding a wet umbrella in her hand. "You are back, senior."

Chaomei didn't answer, she put up an umbrella and walked into the store, put down the bundle in her hands, and stretched out her hands to straighten her hair.She put on makeup and learned a new bun.Yukiko couldn't help noticing.Since when did she stop putting her hair up high?The drooping bun that leans to one side makes her more feminine. She always dresses so neatly and charmingly, as if to reflect her identity as the proprietress of Shitachi House. "To be honest, I don't agree with those women's taste." Asami always said that.She is very confident, Yukiko thought, unlike me.The wet hair hangs loosely on both sides of the cheeks. Yukiko, who has been working in the house for a long time, looks pale, so fragile and sick, almost the same as a child's figure. If someone looks at her, she will definitely not be able to see that she is like Asami age.Only those hands are old.

Noticing Yukiko's eyes, Asami looked back at Yukiko who was standing there with her hands tied, then looked at the workshop, and asked, "Have you finished everything for today?"

"No, no." Yukiko became more nervous under Asami's gaze. "I'm sorry. I'll get on with it. I won't take a break."

"That's good." Chaomei didn't look at her, went straight into her bedroom, and suddenly added when she closed the door, "Don't be lazy."

"Yes, senior."

Good night.Yukiko looked at the back of Asami who disappeared behind the door and thought silently in her heart.

Early the next morning, I saw Chaomei dressed up and planning to go out.After seeing Yukiko come out, Asami called her over, and said while checking her skirt for the last time: "I'm going out to deliver goods to customers' homes these days, so I can't stay in the store in the morning. You come out to look at the store for me. Let’s put things away first, and we’ll talk about it at night.”

"But..." Yukiko suddenly became embarrassed, "I can't..."

"Nothing is impossible, there are only two of us in the store, are you going to ask me to split it in half?" Chaomei said impatiently, and carefully combed her hair with her hands, "I have to leave now, you go to the counter Just watch and don't do anything else, you can't do it either. Just write down what the guests want to order first, and say that the proprietress won't do it for now.