An Incomplete Truth

Thunder

‎Rain started falling.

‎“Mother, is it raining outside?”

‎“Well, it seems so, sweetheart.”

‎“But... How am I supposed to play now?”

‎“Don't you worry, my dear. It will pass soon. Even if it lasts longer, we can still play inside. There are plenty of things we can do here.”

‎“Ughh, I hate the rain.”

‎“Hmm? Really? I do not think rain is that bad. It gives us water to drink and grow the plants. Even the sound of it calms the mind.”

‎“Not if it comes with thunder later.”

‎“Come on, just try to listen. It will wash away your anger.”

‎“Okay, Mother. I will try it this time.”

‎As my mother suggested, we sat together, reclining on our cozy chairs. We listened to every drop of rain pouring that afternoon, our eyes gazing into the distance beyond the window. Sitting still, we breathed in a slow, melancholic rhythm. One breath after another, we relished the smell of the wet grass. And for a moment, our thoughts were occupied by nothing but peace.

I closed my eyes for a moment, immersing myself in the absence of disturbance. Getting more comfortable for every passing second, I mumbled, “Actually, it is indeed not that bad, Mother. I hope we can spend another day like this once in a while.”

“Me too, sweetie…” replied my mother.

"And we can also asked Father to join us when he's not busy."

"Of course, we can," My mother laughed softly.

Right when I thought it was getting enjoyable, a sudden knock on the door broke the silence. It was one of our maids.

Naturally, I was startled. A flicker of annoyance flared inside of me. Our mother-daughter bonding had been interrupted.

Trained for such situations, my mother calmed me down. She stroked my hair gently, “It’s okay, maybe they have something important to say. We can always continue later.” Her tender gaze made me gave in.

My mother granted permission for the maid to speak from the hall.

“Alright. State your purpose here.”

“Yes, Madam. Master requests your presence right this moment,” said the maid.

“I will be there shortly,” my mother responded.

She turned her head toward me, still sulking and pouting. Her sweet smile brightened my mood.

“I will be back in a moment, my dear. Stay put in your room. Please do not be mad, okay?”

“Yeah, as if Father will not try to keep you for himself as always.” I said, turning my face away.

My mother chuckled as she approached the door, “He won’t keep me for long, I promise.”

I watched her walk slowly until she disappeared from my sight. The door was shut, leaving me alone in this spacious room. With nothing to do, I looked around at the surroundings. At last, it was getting quiet again.

Once I looked closely, I started noticing the little details that I barely knew about. A big room filled with carefully decorated furniture. The door faced south, allowing the room to receive optimal sunlight. For additional lighting, two windows were placed at the front of the room, and another at the right side. In front of the right window sat three wooden chairs and one table in the middle. One chair faced the window, while the other two sat on either side. The one facing the window was where I was sitting at the moment.

I stood up from the chair, my eyes fixed on the scene outside the window. The rain still poured, creating ripples on the pond. Along with the ripples, lotuses swayed back and forth—dancing to the rain.

After a long stare, I turned around. I strode forward while continuing to observe. As I scanned the objects around, I shifted my attention toward the ground. There lay a large muted sage green carpet covering the floor, adorned with a beautiful lotus pattern. And once I reached the middle of it, I stopped and stood still.

At that moment, I was at the center of the room. On my right, three paintings were displayed on the wall. From left to right, they depicted the landscape of the raging sea, a majestic mountain, and a lush forest.

On the other side, right before my eyes, was the main part of my living quarters. My very own bed. It was designed with a whimsical style, decorated with a variety of soft-colored garlands and hanging fabrics. A shelf and a vanity with matching designs stood on either side.

After staring silently for a while, I continued across the room until I reached the other end. I climbed onto my bed and turned around, facing the path I had taken. Everything I had observed came back to me. The arrangement of this chamber was carefully planned out. The layout, furniture, and ornaments all matched my preferences.

Thinking back, all my needs had always been fulfilled. No hardship to endure. Most importantly, the unconditional affection of my parents. All that said, I always felt that I had it so easy growing up. I often wondered if my parents experienced the same kind of comfort I had.

Knock knock.

Again, someone was at the door. “Who is that?” I asked

“Young Miss, it’s me, Lin Mei. The Madam assigned me to accompany you. She was afraid you would wait alone for too long,” the maid called from outside.

Slightly disappointed at my mother, I murmured, “You said it would not take long. I guess that was a lie…”

“Come in” I called.

“Right away, Young Miss!” the maid exclaimed as she entered my room. She then proceeded to sit beside me.

“I'm sorry for coming a bit late. Are you getting bored waiting, Miss?” she asked.

“A little,” I replied. “When will Mother come back, Auntie Lin?”

“I’m afraid you have to wait longer, Young Miss.”

“Sigh. It has always been the case. Those two are so difficult to separate. Since when did they become inseparable?” I asked.

“Those two? It is hard to tell…”