Hair tying
"This is a letter from my husband, Chengzhi..."
Liu Xu sat by the river, watching the willow branches in front of the stone pier turn green again in autumn. A lonely old paper kite hung on a branch, giving a sense of the desolation of autumn.
He stroked the letter in his hand, his smile as gentle as peach blossoms reflected in spring water, "Thinking of you, longing for you... I yearn for you forever..."
As she read, Xie Lingxi's face, as beautiful as snow against flowers, appeared in her mind. At this moment, she was leaning against the table with deep affection, gently stroking her black hair and whispering countless words of love.
Her face changed in countless ways, transforming in an instant into a sorrowful woman with downcast eyes, sadly writing down her longing.
Like a mirage, it cannot be grasped or sought after.
Liu Xu shook his head helplessly, his fingers tracing the few lines of bold, vigorous calligraphy on the paper. Suddenly, someone patted his left shoulder, and Tang Zexue approached from behind, examining the letter in his hand with a curious look.
"What? A letter from your wife?"
Liu Xu quickly covered the letter, "Brother Ling Shuang, what brings you here?"
"Is everything taken care of?"
"Not yet," Tang Zexue said, sitting down next to Liu Xu and wiping the moss off the broken bridge with her sleeve. "However, things have all come to an end. Apart from some follow-up matters, we should be able to return to Chang'an soon."
Looking at Liu Xu's obviously absent-minded appearance, he said quietly, "Chengzhi doesn't think so?"
"What did Madam Xie say that captivated you?"
——
Early in the morning, Liu Xu retrieved the letter from the post station teahouse, then immediately abandoned their discussion of the robbery, left the inn, grabbed a food box, and vanished without a trace, his clothes billowing in the breeze.
Poor thing, he ran from one alley to another, with people chattering and pulling him along, each offering a request and a thank you, making him dizzy and disoriented.
Liu Xu took the letter and looked at him intently: "Ling Shuang, you should find a companion."
Before Tang Zexue could recover from her wide-eyed, gaping expression, Liu Xu simply showed him all the items in his hands, “The leaves, windmills, osmanthus flowers, and letters from Sui County… they were all sent to me by my wife.”
What do you think?
Tang Zexue was speechless: "Good, very good."
“So,” Liu Xu said, leaning on the weeds beside him to stand up, standing by the river with an air of frost and snow, “I’m going to find my wife.”
...
The matter in Jing is over; all that remains of yesterday is Tan Shijun, pierced by a thousand arrows, and the Langtao Terrace, now vanished.
Later, Xie Lingxi returned to that eerie and bloody door, only to find yellow dust flying everywhere, and the square tortoise shell pattern on the vermilion door seemingly coldly observing the twists and turns of human nature.
Now the dust has settled and light shines forth, illuminating countless green mountains.
"Tell me, what did he mean by those words back then?"
“How are you feeling? Are you doing well? Are you hurt?” Xie Lingxi spoke slowly, word by word, as the autumn frost fell through the window.
Liu Xu pinched Bai Yulianxin's hair and combed it away from her wet hair that clung to her back, giving a half-answered question: "A few days ago, I visited Lord Tan's widow and abandoned son."
As dusk settled and the sky glowed with the light of sunset, the bride, still timidly clutching her clothes in the desolate courtyard, stood beside her young child, dressed in a short jacket, both eyes brimming with tears, longing for her husband's return.
The news of Tan Shijun's death was like a thunderbolt, leaving the two of them completely disoriented. He Guchun immediately burst into tears, moving everyone present. Her young son, however, remained stunned, staring helplessly at his mother with his mouth agape.
“Indeed,” He Guchun took the handkerchief Tang Zexue handed him and wiped away his tears, barely managing to regain his composure, “Youzhuo and I actually don’t have much affection for each other.”
Xie Lingxi: "No feelings?"
"right."
Liu Xu sighed, "It was arranged by parents and matchmakers."
Perhaps they had never met before, two complete strangers bound together by a marriage certificate, yet how many couples in the world are like this, sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams?
But Xie Lingxi might not think so.
Some secret thoughts arose in her heart. She recalled Tan Shijun's inexplicable guidance in the secret passage that day. Suddenly, it seemed as if colorful butterflies were fluttering and scattering from the decay and desolation around her, finally landing on the shoulder of the tearful woman.
Too many tender words were hidden beneath a cold and hard face.
But she is gone, and the love buried deep in my heart has all flowed away, leaving me with no one to tell my story.
Xie Lingxi stepped forward and closed the wooden window. The overlapping flower shadows climbed onto her clothes, creating a scene where "the moonlight was clear and cold, and the fragrance of osmanthus fell on her clothes."
She gazed quietly at Liu Xu, noticing that the young man had grown thinner, resembling a slender bamboo shoot and willow branch. Slightly moved, she pondered for a moment before uttering those words: "Ah Xu, how have you been lately?"
not good.
Liu Xu lowered his eyes, answering in his heart.
Because he was separated from his wife, he worried day and night, fearing that Xie Lingxi might have stumbled into some dangerous place and left him on the verge of death. His love for her was so intense that it made him even more heartbroken.
It's frightening.
Thinking it over, he grabbed Xie Lingxi's pale wrist that was hanging to the side and wrapped his whole hand in his warm palm with thin calluses.
Their fingers were intertwined, as if their hearts were connected; there could be no closer distance between them.
Although it was an early autumn night, a thin layer of sweat still seeped from their hands as they rubbed together. The woman's face was flushed, and her breath carried the subtle fragrance of flowers.
"The moonlight is so beautiful tonight."
Liu Xu lowered his head and kissed Xie Lingxi's lips. After a passionate kiss, he gently removed the thin, transparent outer garment from his wife's shoulders, revealing her smooth, slightly rosy, rounded shoulders.
"Eh—!"
Xie Lingxi tried to cover half of her exposed body, but in the next instant, she was pressed down on the desk and her manuscript, half of which was yet to be continued, was opened. Beside the pen was a landscape pot, inside which was an upside-down double lotus, past its prime, its petals peeling away the autumn frost.
My love's kiss was gentle and intoxicating, just like his character, like a fairy in the water, a jade spirit, expanding his territory with the grace of a true gentleman.
And there is no room for compromise.
The room was filled with a misty atmosphere, and the moonlight shone through the window into the tent, yet it was not as bright as a person's skin.
The lotus flower, forced to reveal only a small part of its heart, is tinged with crimson from the inside out. The water in the landscape basin is so deep it could capsize a boat, and countless petals have fallen, leaving behind a scene of beauty.
"you……!"
Xie Lingxi was covered in sweat, her hand holding the pen trembled, and she could no longer write any more lines of poetry about traveling a thousand miles to the flowing clouds. Startled by the cry of a bird on her desk, she grabbed Liu Xu's shoulder and inadvertently drew a few red marks on his fair skin.
Her black hair hung loosely, her left hand was held by the young man beside her, and she played with the shadows among the flowers.
"What about me?"
"You...you...shameless—"
The landscape pot was suddenly lifted up, as it was in the way. Only a few broken lotus petals remained, the flowing water reflecting the moonlight and casting a clear, graceful shadow, as if tenderly holding the flowers in its hands.
Liu Xu lowered his head and kissed her, gathering the fragrance of the entire courtyard.
He gently but firmly pulled back Xie Lingxi's hand that was hanging outside the tent, and, smelling the moonlight, coaxed her gently: "Lingxi, what should you call me?"
"Husband, my husband."
I had a good night's sleep.
...
The next day.
It was broad daylight.
Xie Lingxi leaned casually against the couch, her clothes half-closed, revealing half of the lotus flower embroidery on her chest. She watched as Liu Xu pulled the dressing table half a meter away from her and picked up the round mirror.
The young man, holding a comb in one hand and a hairpin in the other, sat down with his arms around her.
"Will you comb my hair?"
"Um."
Liu Xu stared intently at her head, as if studying some profound knowledge, as if he were trying to learn a great subject. He raised his hand three times, but couldn't find a way to start.
Xie Lingxi looked at him suspiciously: "Why don't I do it myself?"
At this rate, how long will it take to comb my hair? I doubt I'll be able to leave the house today.
As he spoke, he reached out to snatch the crescent comb from Liu Xu's hand.
Liu Xu immediately raised his hand. Because of his height and long arms, Xie Lingxi couldn't reach it, so he half-straightened up, supported himself against his chest, and thrust his waist forward.
The balance that had been almost maintained was broken by one of them, and immediately, the two of them fell to their sides in a chaotic mess.
Clothes are tangled together, lotus flowers and green bamboo intertwine.
In the struggle, Xie Lingxi grabbed something at random and pulled it off, causing Liu Xu's belt to loosen and fall off, revealing the delicate white skin on his chest.
"ah."
Xie Lingxi was dazzled by the white expanse before her eyes and was momentarily stunned.
"how?"
Liu Xu didn't notice this. Taking advantage of his strength and size, he pressed Xie Lingxi down, his long hair hanging loosely over Xie Lingxi's face, making her feel itchy.
To be honest, Liu Xu was truly a handsome young man with an elegant appearance and a temperament as graceful as a willow in spring. He was as beautiful as a jade pendant and had long hair that reached his waist. The word "handsome" alone was not enough to describe him.
Now, the black hair clung to the lean waist muscles, showing both strength and softness, extending to the two deep dimples below.
Xie Lingxi simply admired the "beauty painting," her phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, her smile charming and graceful.
She lay back on the pearwood couch, pressing down on the quilt, loosening the sash in her hand, her arms hanging casually at her sides, looking completely at her mercy. She raised an eyebrow and said, "No, Ah Xu."
no?
Liu Xu pressed down on her fair wrist, leaned closer, and his eyes darkened: "What did you say?"
No one can accept such a provocation.
After all, he is a man of steel. When the young master gets serious, he is quite intimidating. Xie Lingxi witnessed this last night, but he was not afraid. In fact, he even enjoyed it.
"I told you you don't know how to comb your hair, and also—"
Seeing Liu Xu lean down to listen, Xie Lingxi suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, gently lifted his clothes, and kissed him on the cheek.
The kiss landed on my cheek, instantly filling me with the fragrance of lotus blossoms.
Xie Lingxi smiled, like a startled swallow in the rain, "My husband's skills are still a bit rusty."
...
The two lingered in bed for a long time, until sunlight streamed into the tent and smoke curled from the distant chimneys.
The sounds of children laughing and playing outside drifted over, and the bamboo grove rustled nearby as everyone began their breakfast.
The host was very kind and left the food on the stove without disturbing us.
The earlier commotion had caused everything on the dressing table to fall to the floor. Xie Lingxi gave Liu Xu a reproachful look, while the latter dutifully picked up the things.
Then, she sat back down at her dressing table and applied the magnolia flower ornament to her forehead in front of the bronze mirror.
On the table, a bunch of orchids covered with glistening dewdrops had appeared out of nowhere.
Liu Xu gently stroked Xie Lingxi's beautiful hair from behind, making it so smooth and shiny that it could be mistaken for fine silk.
He then pulled out a strand of hair from his sideburns and swiftly cut it off with scissors.
Under Xie Lingxi's suspicious gaze, she also cut off a lock of her hair, tied the two strands tightly with a red string, and made a love knot.
"I gather grass to pledge our hearts, and leave it to my kindred spirit."
Liu Xu carefully placed this strand of hair into a sachet he always carried with him. On the sachet was a willow leaf embroidered by Xie Lingxi when she had nothing to do at night.
"Lingxi, let us be bound together from this day forward, as enduring as the flowers and the moon, our hearts as one."
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