That's right, these days, men wear makeup too.
This was something Zheng Quchi only learned at this time. Whenever nobles attended banquets or outings, some of the more refined boys would spend a lot of time on their grooming, applying makeup, incense, and ornaments, making themselves as lavish as possible.
Then, she craned her neck and looked at herself in the gleaming bronze mirror.
It's unclear what her skin color is, but after makeup, the sharpness of her eyebrows and the aloofness of her scars were softened, giving her a somewhat boyish charm. Especially her almond-shaped eyes, which blink innocently, reveal a kind of naivety.
...No, it should be described as unguarded naiveté.
"Young Master Zheng, please come with us."
Two men, whose demeanor was quite different from the people around them, had been waiting by the door for a long time.
Zheng Quchi glanced at them a couple more times.
This must be the person Gongshu Jiruo arranged for her, but why does she look... not quite like an "ordinary person"?
She had also met many people like this, the so-called "ordinary people" who, regardless of their temperament or behavior, did not have the kind of bloody smell she could sense from them, like the smell of blood left on a knife.
These two men didn't seem like guards; rather, they were like those who didn't see the light of day, lurking in the darkness, like night owls keeping a close watch on those who lurked during the day.
Zheng Quchi had met one of Yuwen Sheng's bodyguards once, and they shared a similar temperament and aura with that bodyguard.
Why did Gongshu Jiruo arrange for these two people to come and pick her up?
Zheng Quchi felt a strange, inexplicable feeling.
She suddenly spoke up: "I want to see my people first."
"Young Master Zheng, the Lord says that the lantern-lighting ceremony is about to begin, and he hopes you can arrive as soon as possible."
Their expressions were unusual; although they spoke politely, their eyes were like deep pools, unblinking, indicating that there was no room for negotiation.
Zheng Quchi immediately felt uncomfortable: "Are you planning to restrict my movements? I don't want to participate in the lantern-lighting ceremony right now, I want to go back."
At this moment, another person saw that she was so determined and remembered the master's instructions, so he softened his tone and said, "Everyone is probably at the lantern-lighting ceremony venue right now. If Young Master Zheng wants to find someone, he might as well go to the lantern-lighting ceremony first, and then he can meet up with them smoothly afterwards."
After hearing his reasonable explanation, Zheng Quchi's expression softened slightly.
Indeed, they should all be attending such a grand event as the lantern-lighting ceremony after receiving the notification. If she went to find them now, she might miss it...
"If that's the case, then let's go."
She walked past the two men and went ahead, while the two behind her exchanged a glance before following her.
——
If she had taken the usual main road to the stargazing platform, the crowds and vehicles would have caused congestion. So the two guides led her along a less-traveled path.
She arrived at the steps again. In fact, Wujue Temple is surrounded by mountains, and there are quite a few stone steps carved out to climb. Yuwen Sheng accompanied her up the previous three hundred steps leading to the hall, but now she would walk these few dozen steps by herself.
To be honest, in this pitch black, climbing to the top alone was a little nerve-wracking.
Although she was accompanied by two people, each carrying a lamp, these two were still people she needed to be wary of, so she felt no sense of security whatsoever.
She had only taken a few steps when she was surprised to see Gongshu Jiruo above her.
He also carried a palace lantern in his hand and had changed into a classical and solemn blue robe with snow-white trim embroidered with elegant floral patterns. Dressed in blue, with light pink lips, he exuded an air of elegance and grace. His robes fluttered in the mountain breeze, and his dignified demeanor had an indescribable air of grace and elegance.
But his outfit looked strangely familiar to her... She looked down at her own clothes.
Are they in the same color family?
She was also wearing blue, but it was mostly light blue with dark blue accents. However, the fabric and style of the clothes were surprisingly similar, perhaps these were originally his clothes...
That doesn't make sense either. There's a huge difference in height and frame between her and him. If it were his clothes, she wouldn't be able to wear them at all.
She was definitely overthinking it.
Perhaps the clothing store he bought his clothes from specializes in making these kinds of fancy clothes, so it's normal for him to wear the same style or color as someone else.
To stop himself from overthinking, Zheng Quchi took each step forward, bringing the distance between them closer. Gongshu Jiruo patiently waited there, neither urging him nor moving.
He stood there motionless, his face as beautiful as a painting, his eyes warmed by the flickering light of the palace lanterns, revealing a touch of tenderness, as if he had been waiting for her to approach him.
Zheng Quchi felt somewhat uncomfortable with the quiet yet ambiguous atmosphere, but in order to see Yuwen Sheng and the others smoothly... she had no choice but to do as he wished and take the initiative to approach him.
The people who came to pick them up followed far behind, while Zheng Quchi and Gongshu Ji walked silently side by side.
He led her to an arched passageway built from the entanglement of century-old vines. With a creak, she slipped and swayed, bracing herself against the vines. There she saw countless hidden fireflies startled and flying out.
Like a galaxy, they shimmered with dappled light, weaving and swirling through the night, swirling around them, adding a touch of tranquility and beauty to the previously dark and eerie vine-covered passageway.
Is it pretty?
Seeing her momentarily stunned, and then looking with delight at the fireflies fluttering around her, Gongshu Jiruo asked softly, "Do you like them?"
The long silence between the two was broken at this moment.
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