Deep in the clouds, the phoenix sings, and we share this life

Our married life was like a clear mountain spring, simple yet sweet. We built a bamboo hut in the secluded valley behind Zixu Temple and named it "Luanmingju," where we have lived ever since.

Every morning, Yiqing would rise a little earlier than me. When I woke, there was always a warm cup of dew next to my pillow, and a vase of freshly picked wildflowers in the window. Sometimes it was a dewy camellia, sometimes a delicate orchid, but more often, a variety of unknown wildflowers, carefully arranged by him to create a unique and rustic charm.

When I woke up that day, I found him sitting by the window, reading. Morning light filtered through the bamboo curtains, casting dappled shadows on his profile. Perhaps sensing my gaze, he looked up, a gentle curve forming at the corner of his lips.

"Awake?" He put down his book, walked over to the couch and sat down, his fingertips gently stroking my sleepy, slightly red cheek. "Today's dew has been infused with freshly picked osmanthus flowers. Try it and see if you like it."

I took the jade cup he offered me. The dew in my mouth was sweet, with a faint aroma of osmanthus. Looking into his focused gaze, my heart filled with a sweetness like honey. In these days of marriage, he has become increasingly considerate to me, his subtle care always touching my heart.

"What do you want to do today?" He took the empty cup and asked softly.

I looked out the window at the piano table and said, "I want to play the piano for you."

A smile flashed across his eyes: "Just in time, I've just found a new flavor of tea."

In the bamboo pavilion, I play the zither while he brews tea. The melody lingers, the aroma of tea wafts through the air, and a smile exchanged occasionally speaks volumes. Mornings like these have become the most ordinary, yet precious, moments in our lives.

In the afternoon, he taught me how to identify medicinal herbs. The herb garden behind the bamboo hut was filled with a variety of herbs, some of which he had transplanted from the mountains, others specially sent from Jiangnan by Lu Renjia. He was always extremely patient as he explained the medicinal properties, holding my hand and teaching me how to distinguish the real thing from the fake.

"This seven-petal lotus is the rarest of all." He pointed to a rose-shaped herb. "It only grows on cliffs. I searched for three years before I found this one."

I carefully noted down the properties of the medicine, and when I looked up, I was met with his gentle gaze. After we got married, the coldness in his eyes gradually gave way to warmth, and whenever he looked at me, the deep affection he held in his eyes always made my heart flutter.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked softly, brushing the grass from my hair with his fingertips.

"I'm thinking..." I looked at his face so close to me, "It's so nice to be with you."

His eyes flickered slightly, and he leaned over and placed a soft kiss on my lips: "Silly Luanyin, I should be the one saying this."

As the sun sets, we often stroll hand in hand through the mountains. He knows every trail and every view. Sometimes he takes me to see waterfalls and springs, sometimes he leads me to explore the unique flowers in the valley. My favorite is the maple forest in the back mountain, where the leaves turn a fiery red in autumn, a breathtaking sight.

When we arrived at the maple forest that day, the sun was setting. The crimson leaves scattered across the sky, illuminating it like a blazing flame. He suddenly stopped and pulled a jade flute from his bosom.

"I composed a new song for you." He looked at me with a smile. "Do you think it sounds good?"

The clear sound of the flute echoed through the maple forest. The melody was lingering and gentle, as if expressing endless love. I listened quietly, completely mesmerized. Only when the song ended did I realize that my eyes were filled with tears.

"Why are you crying?" He put away the jade flute and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes.

"This song... is so beautiful." I leaned into his arms. "It's so beautiful that it makes me want to cry."

He chuckled and hugged me tighter: "Silly girl, I will play it for you every day from now on."

As dusk deepened, we sat side by side under the maple tree, watching the sunset. His hand was always holding mine, our fingers intertwined, a perfect intimacy.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" he suddenly asked.

"Of course I remember." I chuckled. "On the corner of Yuncheng Street, I was playing 'Ten Sides of Ambush,' and you were standing under the willow tree..."

"Even then, I felt you were different." He turned to look at me, his eyes gentle. "The melody carries an edge that doesn't belong to this era, yet it also hides a sense of unease and hesitation."

I was slightly stunned. I didn't expect that he could see so clearly at that time.

"And now..." He gently held my hand, "the hesitation in your eyes has long gone, leaving only peace and happiness."

"It's because of you." I looked at him and said sincerely, "Meeting you has helped me find my home in this strange world."

Maple leaves rustled down, creating a red carpet around us. Amidst the crimson leaves, he kissed me on the lips. The kiss was gentle and lingering, carrying the fragrance of maple leaves and the soothing scent of him.

Late at night, returning to the bamboo hut, he lit calming incense in the four corners of his bedroom, as usual. Since we got married, he'd always worried about my restless sleep, personally checking on me every night. I sat at my dressing table, combing my hair, watching him busy himself in the mirror, my heart warmed.

"Okay." He walked up behind me, took the comb, and gently combed my long hair. "You've walked a lot today. Are you tired?"

I shook my head and looked up at him: "With you around, I never feel tired."

He put down the comb, leaned over and picked me up sideways: "Then go to bed early."

The candle flickered, the curtains draped. He kissed my eyes, delicately and gently. These days of intimacy had made us understand each other intimately, and I knew when he was moved.

When his kiss landed on my neck, I couldn't help but moan softly.

"Yiqing..." I whispered his name, my fingertips tangled in his scattered long hair.

He placed a kiss on my lips.

The nightgown slowly slipped off, revealing a radiant shoulder. The red candle cast our shadows on the wall, intertwined and entwined, indistinguishable from each other.

I couldn't help but tremble. He kissed my eyebrows and eyes carefully, and asked in a low voice: "Does it hurt?"

I shook my head and took the initiative to put my arms around his neck. These days of intimacy had made me gradually accustomed to his touch, and I even began to look forward to the warmth of this kind of skin-to-skin contact.

He was calling my name in my ear, and the emotion in his voice made my heart palpitate.

When our love reached its peak, I melted into spring water in his arms. I seemed to see a spiritual light flowing through us—it was the flow of our spiritual power, a union deeper than our physical bodies.

After the rain and the lovemaking, he still held me, his delicate kisses falling on my sweaty forehead. I leaned in his arms, listening to his gradually calming heartbeat, and felt incredibly relieved.

"Go to sleep." He stroked my back gently, his voice filled with a contented laziness.

I found a comfortable position in his arms and closed my eyes. Nights like this have become the sweetest normal in our lives.

Time flows quietly like water. It's already deep winter, and Erxian Mountain has been hit by a heavy snowfall. Looking out the window early in the morning, I see the mountains and plains blanketed in a blanket of silver, a breathtaking sight.

Yiqing was worried I'd catch a cold, so he had the bamboo hut renovated long before winter set in and installed a stove in my bedroom. When I woke up that day, he was sitting by the window, watching the snow fall, a scroll of Taoist scriptures in his hands.

"Awake?" He put down his book, walked over to the bed and put my coat on. "It's snowing heavily today, so why don't you stay indoors?"

I leaned in his arms, looking at the snowflakes flying outside the window: "I want to build a snowman."

He laughed and tapped my nose with his fingertips: "You're so old, but you still like to play."

Despite this, he and I built a snowman in the yard. I rolled the snowballs while he used pine needles to decorate the snowman's eyes and eyebrows. Soon, a adorable snowman stood in the yard.

"Like you." He looked at the snowman and said suddenly.

I gave him a reproachful look, rolled up a snowball and threw it at him. He dodged it with a smile, but he slipped and dragged me down with him into the snow.

Snow fluttered down, covering us with a blanket of white. I lay on his chest, looking at his rare and embarrassed appearance, and couldn't help laughing out loud.

"Still smiling." He pinched my cheek helplessly, but his eyes were full of doting.

We embraced each other in the snow, letting the snowflakes fall all over our clothes. This kind of time, simple but happy, is exactly the life I dream of.

At the beginning of spring, Lu Renjia came to visit. Seeing our secluded bamboo hut, he praised us profusely, saying, "Brother and sister, you really know how to choose a place. This is truly a paradise."

Yiqing personally cooked a few side dishes. During the meal, Lu Renjia talked about the recent situation in Jiangnan: Li Jun had established himself overseas, Ruan Xiaoqi had opened a tavern by Taihu Lake, and Yan Qing had taken Li Shishi on a tour.

"Everyone is doing well." Lu Renjia raised his glass. "This is for you two. May you always be as loving as ever."

After seeing Lu Renjia off, Yiqing took me for a walk in the mountains. Erxian Mountain in spring is full of life, with birds singing and flowers blooming everywhere.

"Would you like to go out for a walk?" he suddenly asked. "How about I take you on a tour?"

I shook my head and leaned on his shoulder: "Where you are is where I want to be most."

He chuckled and held me in his arms: "Then we will stay here forever."

On summer nights, we often sat in the courtyard to cool off. He fanned me while I played the piano for him. Sometimes, we could while away the entire night doing nothing but gazing at the stars side by side.

That night, as a shooting star streaked across the sky, I quickly clasped my hands together and made a wish. He looked at me with a smile and asked, "What did you wish for?"

"I can't tell you." I smiled slyly. "If I tell you, it won't work."

In fact, my wish is very simple - I hope that my life can always be like this, and I can stay with him until we grow old.

One autumn day, I suddenly had the urge to learn how to make wine. Without hesitation, he took me to pick wild grapes and personally taught me the winemaking process. When the wine was ready, we sat in the maple forest and drank it. The homemade wine was sweet and sour, with a refreshing aroma of the wild countryside.

"Is it delicious?" I looked at him expectantly.

He savored it carefully, a smile in his eyes: "Not as sweet as you."

I glared at him in reproach, but I felt sweet inside.

Time flies, and three years have passed in the blink of an eye. One morning, I woke up feeling unwell. Yiqing hurried to check my pulse, and after a moment, a look of disbelief and surprise crossed his face.

"Luanyin..." His voice trembled slightly, "You...are pregnant."

I was stunned, my hand unconsciously touching my belly. There, our flesh and blood was being nurtured, a brand new life.

He held my hand tightly, tears in his eyes: "We are going to have a baby."

From that day on, he treated me with even greater care. His herb garden was filled with herbs for pregnancy support, and he devised new methods of conditioning me daily. Sometimes, when I craved something sour in the middle of the night, he would rush to the kitchen without a word.

In late autumn, our child was born. It was a boy, with a resounding cry and eyes that looked very much like Yiqing.

"Let's give him a name." I leaned on the couch and looked at the sleeping baby in my arms.

Yiqing gently stroked the child's cheek, his eyes gentle. "Let's call him Yunshen. Gongsun Yunshen."

Yunshen. This name reminds me of the clouds and fog when I first came to Erxian Mountain, and all the moments I've shared with him over the years.

Little Yunshen's arrival has brought new joy to our lives. Yiqing has become a loving father, holding his son tightly every day. Sometimes, when I play the piano, he will hold Yunshen and listen beside me. The scene is so warm and intoxicating.

That day, we took Yunshen to the back hills to see the maple leaves. The child, already able to walk, staggered along, chasing butterflies. Yiqing carefully guarded him, fearing he might fall.

I sat under the maple tree, watching the playful figures of father and son, and my heart was filled with unspeakable happiness. After traveling through thousands of years in this life, I was able to meet him, know him, stay with him, depend on him, and have the fruit of our love. This life is truly worthwhile.

As the sun sets, Yiqing returns to me, carrying Yunshen, who is tired from playing. The child is sleeping soundly in his arms, with a sweet smile on his face.

"Go home." He extended his hand to me with a gentle look.

I held his hand and walked side by side with him on the way home. The setting sun stretched our shadows out, overlapping each other, as if we would never separate.

Back at the bamboo hut, I laid the soundly sleeping Yunshen on the small bed. Yiqing hugged me from behind, his chin resting lightly on my hair.

"Luanyin." He called me softly, "In this life, being able to accompany you is my greatest fortune."

I turned and threw myself into his arms, listening to his steady heartbeat: "Me too."

Outside the window, the moon is just right. Bamboo shadows sway, and a gentle breeze blows. From now on, I will have the phoenix by my side in the deep clouds, and the years will be peaceful. I will grow old with you.

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