Chapter 36. Flute and childhood memories

Chapter 36: 36. Flute and childhood memories

AT THE SAME TIME

XAVIER

Nobody moved. The copper box sat open in front of me, the red wedding cloth folded neatly inside. I slowly reached beneath it and my fingers touched something cold and smooth.

"What is that?" Mei Lin whispered.

"I have no idea."I said.

I carefully pulled it out. A small flute emerged from beneath the cloth. It was made from dark polished wood, with tiny silver markings running along its length. A red thread was tied around one end, decorated with a tiny moon shaped charm.

"Why is there a flute in here?"I stared at it.

Huan immediately looked nervous again.

"Huan."I noticed.

"I didn’t put it there." Huan said.

"I didn’t even accuse you."I said.

"You were thinking it."Huan said.

"I absolutely was." I said.

"Master Wei, do you know what it is?"Ana leaned closer.

"Apparently." Huan said.

I turned the flute over in my hands. Something strange happened. My fingers automatically shifted into position. I froze.

"Wait." I looked down at my hands, and I hadn’t consciously moved them.

"Ding."The system flickered. "Familiar instrument detected. Musical proficiency recognized."

"Musical proficiency?"I stared at the notification.

"Ding. Host possesses memories of playing this instrument."A system said.

"I can play this?"My eyes widened.

"Maybe?"Nobody answered as I raised the flute.

"You don’t remember?"Lang Li immediately looked at me.

"No." I said.

I brought it closer, then, without thinking, I placed it against my lips. My fingers moved naturally, one note escaped. Soft, clear and beautiful. The entire garden went silent.

"Did I just do that?"I blinked.

"You did."Huan stared at me.

I looked at the flute again. Another memory flickered. A small courtyard, a much younger Wei sitting beneath a tree. Small hands holding the same flute, someone laughing softly nearby. Then the memory vanished.

"I remember..."I lowered the instrument.

"What?"Lin Rui immediately stepped closer.

"Not who taught me."I swallowed.

"But?"She asked.

"I know how to play it."I said.

"The moonflower pattern."Zhao Rui stared at the flute.

"That charm was used by our imperial musicians."Lin Rui’s eyes filled with emotion.

"So this was also connected to your family?"I looked at her.

"Perhaps."She nodded slowly.

"Maybe we should stop finding royal objects inside Chef Wei’s birthday gifts."Huan suddenly cleared his throat.

"That would be great."I looked at him.

Mei Lin giggled, Ana covered her mouth, even Shen looked amused. Then Lang Li quietly held out his hand.

"What?"I stared at it.

"Give me the flute."He said.

"Why?"I asked.

"I want to see it." He said.

I handed it over. Lang Li examined the markings for several seconds. His expression became thoughtful.

"My father used to keep an instrument with similar markings."He said. "A previous emperor.

Everyone froze again.

"You have got to be kidding me."I slowly looked at him.

"Ding. Multiple royal connections detected." A system said.

"Stop making my birthday worse."I pointed at the system.

"Birthday celebration remains active."The system responded immediately.

"Of course it does."I sighed.

Then the little moon charm on the flute suddenly began glowing.

"Memory fragment unlocked."The system flickered violently.

My smile disappeared. A child’s voice echoed faintly inside my head.

"Don’t forget this song." It said.

I sighed and smiled. It seems the memory of my childhood has something to do with this flute.

My stomach twisted. No, absolutely not. I had enough mysterious royal objects for one lifetime. First the copper box, then the wedding cloth, then the necklace. Now a magical flute connected to my childhood? I slowly looked around the garden. Everyone was staring at me.

Zhao Rui looked emotional, Lin Rui looked like she was about to cry, Lang Li looked intensely curious, Huan looked terrified, and Ana and Hin looked confused. Mei Lin looked worried and Shen looked like he was already preparing for another palace crisis.

"I think I need to go."I took one step backward.

"Wei..."Lin Rui immediately reached toward me.

"I will be fine." I said.

"You don’t look fine." Lang Li said.

"I’m extremely fine." I said. My voice cracked and nobody believed me.

"Ding. Host emotional state: Panic." A system said.

"I know!" I suddenly grabbed the flute from Lang Li.

"Wei?"He blinked.

"I need this."I said.

"Why?"He asked.

"Because."I looked at the flute. "Because I don’t want anyone else touching it."

"That sounded suspicious."Huan raised an eyebrow.

"Everything about this situation is suspicious!" I turned around, and then I ran.

"Wei!" I heard Lang Li call after me.

I ran faster, I passed three servants. Nearly collided with a guard and apologized while still running. Then sprinted straight toward the chef wing.

"Ding. Recommendation: walk calmly."A system said.

"NO."I argued.

"Ding. Running may increase heart rate." A system said.

"THAT IS THE POINT!"I argued.

I finally reached my room and slammed the door behind me. I locked it, then locked it again, then pushed a chair underneath the handle.

"Okay."I stood there breathing heavily. I looked at the flute. "Nobody is touching you."

"That is unlikely."The system appeared.

"Why?"I asked.

"Multiple parties have expressed interest in the artifact." A system said.

"Of course they have."I groaned.

I walked to my wardrobe and opened the bottom drawer. I moved aside some clothes, then stopped.

"No."I sighed.

Too obvious, I closed it and looked under the bed.

"No."I said.

Too easy. I looked at the kitchen cabinet.

"Absolutely not. Someone will find it while looking for flour."I sighed.

I paced around the room. Finally, I found an old wooden storage chest. I opened it. Inside were spare cooking cloths, old utensils and several recipe notes. Perfect. I wrapped the flute in a clean cloth and placed it underneath the recipe books, then I added a frying pan on top, then another, then a very heavy pot.

"Perfect."I stepped back.

"Artifact hiding strategy: questionable."The system appeared.

"Shut up." I sat on the edge of my bed.

For several seconds, everything was quiet, then another memory surfaced. A tiny courtyard, a child’s hands, the same flute. Someone sitting nearby, a warm voice humming the melody, and then a red flower.

"What was that?"I suddenly opened my eyes.

"Ding. Memory fragment incomplete."A system said.

"Can you show me more?"I asked.

"Insufficient information."A system said.

"This world is determined to give me headaches."I fell backward onto the bed.

A knock suddenly came from the door I froze.

"Wei?" Lang Li asked.

My eyes widened. I looked at the chest, then at the door.

"One moment!" I quickly checked that the chest was closed.

Another knock.

"Wei."I heard Lang Li voice.

"I am busy!"I said.

"Doing what?"He asked.

I stared at the hidden flute.

"Cooking." I said.

"You are in your bedroom." He said.

"I am thinking about cooking."I said.

Silence. Then Lang Li sighed from outside.

"You are terrible at lying."He said.

"I know."I covered my face.

"Chef Wei?"Another voice suddenly appeared behind him.

Huan.

"Why are both of you here?"I groaned.

"Because you ran away with a royal artifact."Huan answered nervously.

"It’s my birthday."I said.

"That does not explain anything." Huan said.

I remained silent.

"Wei, dear?"Then Lin Rui’s voice joined them.

"There’s more of you?"I stared at the ceiling.

"We only want to talk."Zhao Rui answered from behind her.

"No."I slowly pulled my blanket over my head.

"Ding. Current situation: Host hiding in bedroom while three royal families wait outside."The system appeared one final time.

"Best birthday ever."I closed my eyes.

Then, from inside the locked chest, the flute gave a faint musical note. Everyone outside went silent, Lang Li’s voice immediately became serious.

"Wei."He said.

"Yes?"I slowly sat up.

"Open the door." I sighed.

I stared at the chest. Because apparently hiding the flute had not been enough. It had just announced itself to the entire corridor. The flute gave another faint note from inside the chest. Everyone outside went silent, then Huan suddenly spoke.

"That shouldn’t happen unless the silver ring is aligned with the third finger hole."Huan said.

"What?"I slowly turned toward the door.

Huan didn’t answer. I opened the door just enough to look outside. Huan stood there, Lang Li was beside him. Lin Rui and Zhao Rui were behind them. Everyone was staring at Huan, and I knew he knew more than he showed everyone else.

"You know something."I stared at Huan.

"I can explain-"Huan opened his mouth.

"Wait..."My vision suddenly blurred. I grabbed the doorframe.

"Wei?"Lang Li immediately stepped forward.

"I’m fine."I groaned.

I wasn’t. The corridor tilted beneath my feet. The flute inside the chest suddenly gave another soft note, and a strange pressure filled my head.

"Ding. Memory synchronization unstable." A system said.

"What does that mean?"I asked before my knees suddenly gave out.

"Wei!" Lang Li caught me before I hit the floor.

Everything became muffled. I could hear Lin Rui calling for a healer. Zhao Rui was shouting for someone to clear the corridor. Huan repeatedly said my name. Then darkness swallowed everything.

"Memory fragment forcibly suppressed." The last thing I heard was the system.

Then silence.