The cries of hawkers on both sides of the canal gradually faded away. Su Jinli leaned against the mast, her eyes following Jiang Yan's figure until he gradually shrank into a tiny dot and disappeared from her sight. She couldn't help but think of this moment in her previous life, when she was ruthlessly imprisoned in the backyard of the prime minister's mansion, secretly crying over the poisonous medicine sent by her stepmother, her heart filled with despair and helplessness. But now, by her side, there was a princess clamoring for painting, an elder sister carefully mixing rouge, and a fool on the other side of the river who was even pretending to be sick just to be with her. Such a huge change in fate made her feel a lot of emotions.
"What are you thinking about?" Su Qingyao gently gathered her shawl that was blown by the wind and asked with concern.
Su Jinli raised her head slightly, a happy smile blooming on her face. Her fingertips gently stroked the fox's tail on the letter, as if caressing Jiang Yan's heart. "I was wondering, how can the honey in this life be so sweet?" She said slowly, her eyes sparkling with a glittering light, which was a glimmer of tears of happiness and emotion. She remembered the silly way Jiang Yan pretended to be sick and secretly put on rouge. That funny look made people laugh, but it was also full of love; she remembered Princess Shou'an's persistence in staying in the bookstore and refusing to leave. That innocent persistence made people feel her desire for warmth and companionship; she remembered the silver notes secretly slipped in by her father. That heavy fatherly love was like a solid backing, giving her endless support; and her elder sister, although she said she disliked it, she prepared rouge for her overnight. That delicate care was like a spring breeze, gently blowing through her heart.
The boat slowly sailed to the Jiangnan region, where the banks were already a scene of apricot blossoms and a light rain. The misty apricot blossoms swayed gracefully in the drizzle, like an elegant ink painting. Su Jinli stood quietly on the second floor of the newly opened bookstore. A gentle breeze blew, and Jiang Yan's letter landed on the account book. The fox, clutching a copper coin, happened to land right on the red seal that read "Profit of 10,000 taels," as if it were a beautiful omen. She gazed at the scene silently, and a sudden enlightenment dawned on her. She suddenly understood that the best days were never about possessing mountains of gold and silver, or piling up wealth, but about having someone willing to set aside all reserve and pretense, feigning illness just to be by your side; having a family willing to accompany you, to play around, to laugh, and to face every detail of life together; being able to transform all the grievances and hardships of past lives into this sweet honey at hand, sweet enough to overflow the world and warm a lifetime.
The shouts of a sugar painting master came from afar. The familiar voice seemed to have a magical power that pulled her thoughts back to reality. Su Jinli gently picked up the wolf-hair brush and carefully added a phoenix chasing a fox on the back of the letter. The apricot blossoms outside the window fluttered down like snowflakes, and one of them happened to fall into the inkstone. The pink petals looked very much like the fine lines at the corners of Jiang Yan's eyes when he smiled, full of warmth and love. This time, she finally understood deeply that the so-called best taste in the world is nothing more than loving and being loved. It is to turn all the bitterness into sweetness in ordinary life. When you look up, you can see that the person who smiled like a fool for you is waving the sugar cake in his sleeve pocket to you with joy across thousands of miles. And that sugar cake is not just food, but also full of love and care. It is the most precious gift that life has given her.
Time passed slowly, and Su Jinli began a new life in a Jiangnan bookstore. She immersed herself in books and writing every day, turning her inner stories into words and sharing them with the literati and scholars she met. The bookstore was bustling with people, filled with a rich cultural atmosphere.
Princess Shou'an would often send letters, sharing interesting stories from her time at the palace and urging Su Jinli to send her fox paintings. She was so enamored with Su Jinli's paintings that she often displayed them to the public at the palace, sparking a passion among many princesses and concubines for Jinyun Bookstore's works. Su Jinli would meticulously create paintings embodying Jiangnan aesthetics, such as a fox amidst apricot blossoms and rain, or a fox clutching a willow branch by the West Lake, and send them to Princess Shou'an. These paintings not only delighted Princess Shou'an but also sparked a "fox painting craze" within the palace.
Su Qingyao continued to hone her rouge skills in Jiangnan. Inspired by Jiangnan's local flowers, she created a series of unique rouge shades, such as "Jiangnan Spring," "Apricot Blossom Rain," and "Willow Smoke Green." These rouges were immediately sought after by Jiangnan women, becoming a fashion icon. Her rouge shop, in tandem with Jinyun Bookstore, became a vibrant part of Jiangnan's bustling cityscape.
Although Jiang Yan remained in the capital, his correspondence with Su Jinli never ceased. In his letters, he not only shared his daily life in the capital but also offered inspiration and suggestions for Su Jinli's writing. He also remained concerned about the affairs of the bookstore, often mentioning his plans for its future development in his letters. Su Jinli would read Jiang Yan's letters over and over again, as if through those words, she could glimpse into Jiang Yan's life in the capital.
Over time, Jinyun Bookstore's reputation in Jiangnan grew, attracting numerous scholars and tourists. Su Jinli hosted various cultural events at the bookstore, such as poetry conferences and calligraphy and painting exhibitions, further promoting the exchange and development of Jiangnan culture. Through these activities, Su Jinli met many like-minded friends, sharing their cultural and life experiences, and experiencing the profoundness of Jiangnan culture.
On a quiet evening, Su Jinli sat by the window of a bookstore, moonlight streaming down her desk. She unfolded Jiang Yan's letter again, and seeing the familiar handwriting and the adorable fox, a warm feeling welled up in her heart. She picked up her pen and wrote on the letter: "The apricot blossoms in Jiangnan are beautiful, but not as beautiful as the smile in your eyes. Everything here is great, but I still miss the capital, the days with you." After finishing, she carefully folded the letter, as if folding a heart full of longing.
The days slipped by quietly, amidst busyness and happiness. Su Jinli knew all she had was a gift from fate. She would cherish the present happiness and, together with her family, continue writing their beautiful story in this world filled with love and warmth. The fox leaping across the letter, and the phoenix chasing it, would become unique symbols of their love and life, accompanying them through every stage of life and witnessing their happiness and growth. In this complex world, they used love and perseverance to interpret the true meaning of life, transforming every moment of their lives into a sweet poem.
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