After finding Taohua Village, Lin Zikui stood outside the low wall and saw a person squatting on the ground holding something, doing something. He couldn't see clearly and thought she was playing with a puppy. He moved closer and opened his eyes wide, and discovered that it was a woman helping her child to pee.
The woman and the child looked up at him at the same time.
The woman shouted: "What are you doing?"
Lin Zikui: "Auntie, I want to buy peach blossom wine. Do you sell peach blossom wine?"
"You want to buy some wine? What kind of wine?"
Lin Zikui: "Peach blossom wine."
The woman stood up, holding the child's hand. Lin Zikui caught a glimpse of a rolled-up cloth falling down.
The woman said, "We in Taohua Village only have peach blossom wine, which comes in Green Peach and White Peach, Peach Wind and Apricot Rain, Peach Blossom Fairy, and One Peach Letter. Which one would you like, young master?"
Lin Zikui was stunned: "...There are so many, and the names are so elegant, so, what's the difference?"
The woman saw that he didn't understand at all and thought he was a casual customer, so she said, "My family brews privately and sells it to restaurants in Beijing. We give it these fancy names. The literati and dignitaries in Beijing all love to drink it. The taste and strength of these wines are all different."
Lin Zikui: "I bought it for... a girl who loves to drink."
"Is it for the girl you like?"
Lin Zikui nodded shyly and whispered, "Yes... the wife who got married."
The woman smiled when she heard this and said, "Since you are a girl, you must like light food. The literati said that after eating Peach Wind and Apricot Rain, you can hear the sound of spring rain and feel like you are floating in the air... Young master, come in and try it and you will know."
The woman turned to scoop up the wine. Lin Zikui picked up the piece of cloth that had fallen on the ground and put it on the child's head. He said kindly, "Child, your hat fell off."
The child was stunned for a moment, and then burst into tears.
"Mother! Mother!"
“Why is your child crying?” The woman ran out holding a jar of wine. Seeing Lin Zikui’s helpless face, she waved her hands: “Don’t cry, don’t cry… Don’t cry, don’t cry…”
The woman laughed angrily: "Sir, why did you put the diaper on my child's head?"
Lin Zikui: “…Ah?” He suddenly realized and said ashamedly, “I thought it was a child’s hat. I’m sorry, Auntie. I have an eye disease and I was wrong.”
"Forget it," the woman took off the diaper, "Stop crying, sir, please sit down first. Here is the wine."
Lin Zikui sat down and began to taste the wine, also taking only a small sip. This wine was much lighter than the plum wine. He used the tip of his tongue to taste it carefully. Some were sweeter, with a warm taste like wind and snow in the mouth, while others were spicier, burning the heart, with a pure flavor.
If he was asked to taste the wine, he would not be able to understand the taste, but he thought that the second young lady was a girl after all, so he listened to the woman and chose Peach Wind and Apricot Rain.
But this pot of wine costs ten taels of silver.
The woman said, "This Peach Wind and Apricot Rain is sold for twenty taels per pot in the Beijing restaurant. Only a few dozen kilograms are brewed every year, and next year's quantity has already been booked out! If you hadn't said you wanted to give it to the girl you like, I would have only had these two kilograms left for my own drinking, and I wouldn't have been willing to sell it!"
At this moment, Lin Zikui was already a little dizzy from drinking several kinds of wine together. A floating warmth surged through his limbs. Because he had never been drunk, he had no idea that he was actually drunk.
The woman said, "If you want more, I'll give you half a spoonful more."
Lin Zikui was not in his right mind at the moment, but he was persuaded and took out all the silver he had, but it was only enough to buy one or two taels.
He came out carrying the wine, his steps a little unsteady. Not long after he walked, his hair felt wet. He raised his head and felt the drizzle brushing his face. It was actually raining.
Following the marks down the mountain, with Xiao Fu and Yuan Wu's stamina, it only took Xiao Fu an incense stick of time to find the peach forest. In the early winter, the peach forest was sparsely covered with fallen leaves.
The wind rustled and rustled, and Yuan Wu felt a chill on his face. He raised his head and said, "My Lord, it's raining."
Lord Xiao raised his hand and waved twice: "Yuanwu, don't follow me."
"Huh?" Yuan Wu felt strange, but when he looked further, he saw Lin Zikui's figure. It was even stranger. It was raining, why was he standing there? Feeling poetic?
The rain soon turned into mist. Lin Zikui was moved and was about to compose a poem, but a maroon figure appeared in his blurry vision.
The man was wearing a red fox fur cloak, with his hands tucked into his sleeves. Lin Zikui couldn't see his face clearly, but he still blurted out, "Second Miss?"
Xiao Fu strode towards him: "Why are you standing here in a daze?"
"I... feel a little dizzy," Lin Zikui held Tao Feng Xing Yu in one hand and wiped his face with the other, "Second Miss, why are you here?"
Xiao Fu stood in front of him, shielding him from the rain with one hand, and found that his face was abnormally red, obviously he had been drinking.
Xiao Fu said, "I went to Xixin Hall and saw your servant fell asleep. Then I saw the letter you left. I was worried that you couldn't find the way back to the temple, so I came. If I hadn't come, wouldn't you have been caught in the rain?"
"Rain..." Lin Zikui reacted, quickly took off his cloak, and stood on tiptoe to cover his head: "Second Miss, it's raining."
After all, it was early winter. As soon as the cloak was taken off and the cold wind blew, Lin Zikui sneezed loudly: "Second Miss, don't get wet in the rain. You will catch a cold."
After all, he was not as tall as Xiao Fu, so he raised his hand to cover himself with the cloak, which just happened to touch the top of Xiao Fu's head.
Xiao Fu lowered his eyes and looked at him, his eyes were somewhat deep: "I am in good health, Lin Lang is weak, why did you give me the clothes?"
"I'm not that weak..." Lin Zikui explained stubbornly in a low voice, and then let him take it: "I'll go to the village to borrow an umbrella. The rain is lighter under this tree. Second Miss, wait for me here!"
After saying that, Lin Zikui loosened his hand, and the bamboo green cloak with a gray rabbit fur collar was draped over Xiao Fu's head like a veil. He held the cloak in both hands, staring motionlessly at Lin Zikui, who was using his sleeves to hold back the rain and running towards Taohua Village.
The rain was getting heavier, and a ditch formed along the downslope of the terrain. Lin Zikui ran back quickly and borrowed an umbrella from the woman who had just sold wine, promising to return it after he went down the mountain in two days.
The woman said, "It's just a tattered old umbrella. Sir, next time you come to buy wine, just take care of my business."
Lin Zikui thanked him and ran out holding an umbrella. Under the peach tree, Xiao Fu was still standing there, having obeyed his instructions and not moved.
Lin Zikui strode over, his shoes and robes were dirty, and he was still panting, trying to hold the umbrella over Xiao Fu's head: "Second Miss, you are not wet, are you?"
"No." Xiao Fu untied the cloak that was covered with rain, and put it on his shoulders together with his own coat. His coat was a bit heavy, and the two pieces together pressed on his shoulders. Lin Zikui held the umbrella with one hand, feeling a little helpless: "Second Miss, I can do it myself..."
"Don't move." Xiao Fu lowered his head and interrupted, "Just hold the umbrella."
He lowered his eyes, his eyelashes covering his pupils, and his expression became focused. He carefully tied the ribbon of the collar of his cloak into a knot, and his fingers touched his chin from time to time.
Lin Zikui looked up at him. It seemed that the effect of the peach breeze and apricot rain began to spread in his body. He could actually smell the fragrance of peaches and hear the hazy sound of apricot rain falling on the umbrella.
Xiao Fu raised his eyes and met his gaze.
Lin Zikui's expression was still dull, his cheeks were rosy, his eyes were misty, and there was a layer of water vapor in the rain.
Xiao Fu opened his mouth: "Lin Lang, have you drunk any wine?"
"Did you smell it?"
"Yeah, I see."
"Lin Zikui held the umbrella high and tilted it towards him. He glanced over and asked, "Second Miss, where is your guard?"
"They're not here."
Lin Zikui looked at him: "You... came down the mountain to find me by yourself?"
"Yes," Xiao Fu stretched out his hand, "You hold the umbrella, and give me this pot of wine. I'll carry it."
"I'll do it." Lin Zikui refused to let him get the things, and tried really hard to raise his arm to hold the umbrella. The two of them returned along the same route. Xiao Fu saw that he was walking unsteadily, so he stretched out his long arm and embraced him.
Lin Zikui suddenly felt uncomfortable, but she felt dizzy and could not resist, so she called him again: "Second Miss..."
"Don't look at me, look at the road."
"...Okay." Lin Zikui stopped struggling, and a sudden warmth came over his heart. He just glanced at the hand on his shoulder from time to time, wondering if there was something wrong with the way he and the other person were getting along.
Shouldn't I hold him in my arms?
He was a little unsteady on his feet, but Xiao Fu's arms were still steady as he held him.
How come the second girl is stronger than the cow at the entrance of the village?
This is not right.
Lin Zikui just thought so but didn't dare to say it. After all, the pleasant fragrance of the cloak was already making him dizzy.
He silently changed his hand to hold the umbrella, and raised the hand holding the wine behind him, as if to embrace him, but when he raised it halfway, he let it down timidly.
Xiao Fu noticed it, but said nothing.
In the sound of rain, Xiao Fu saw that he didn't dare to say anything, so he asked him casually: "Lin Lang, where are your parents?"
Lin Zikui said honestly, "My mother passed away early, and my father also passed away last year. Now I only have a book boy by my side. He has been with me since he was a child. Three years ago, I came to the capital to take the exam. At that time, Mo Liu was by my side... By the way, Second Miss," Lin Zikui seemed to suddenly think of something and asked, "Didn't Second Miss come to Xingzhi Temple with Madam Xiao? Why...are you alone?"
Xiao Fu remained calm and said, "The old lady has gone home. I wanted to kneel for a few more days, but then you, Lin Lang, came and I didn't want to leave anymore."
Lin Zikui blushed and said, "I came here to review my lessons..."
As a result, I went down the mountain to buy wine for Xiao Fu.
That day, an old lady said that there was a fox spirit in Xingzhi Temple. Now I feel that it is true. I seem to have been bewildered by the "fox spirit". I think about it when I sleep and during the day, and even lose the desire to read.
Xiao Fu asked him again, "Why doesn't Lin Lang wear the fur coat I gave him?"
"It's too valuable. I'm afraid it will get dirty when I go down the mountain to buy some wine. Otherwise... Second Miss should take it back."
"What did I say yesterday? Did you forget, Lin Lang?"
"I haven't forgotten." Lin Zikui stole a glance at his profile. Xiao Fu had a beautiful face, but also looked ruthless.
"I'll wear it when I get back," he said.
Lin Zikui couldn't free his hands, as he was thinking about the peace locket in his arms.
I don't know if she would like this worthless little item?
When they arrived at Xingzhi Temple, the rain had almost stopped. Half of Lin Zikui's clothes were soaked, but Xiao Fu was not even covered in water.
Xiao Fu naturally noticed that the young scholar was particularly careful when holding the umbrella to prevent himself from getting wet. The umbrella was torn and all the water dripped onto him.
Perhaps because his hands were sore, he folded the umbrella and pinched his arm imperceptibly.
Xiao Fu took the umbrella and said, "Lin Lang, can you take me back to the East Guest Hall?"
"good."
When they arrived at the East Guest Hall, Xiao Fu invited him in again: "Lin Lang, your shoulders are wet, come in and warm yourself by the fire."
Lin Zikui hesitated for a moment, and he was grabbed by the hand. Xiao Fu's palm was big and his skin was warm. The feeling of being wrapped in his palm made him lose all reaction and he was pulled in.
"Second Miss, that's your boudoir...I can't go in." He wanted to stick his feet to the ground, but Xiao Fu was too strong.
Lin Zikui thought, these are two cows at the entrance of the village! Just like that, I was dragged into the door.
Xiao Fu tilted his head and said, "This is just the guest hall of the Taoist temple. What's wrong with entering? You are a man, why are you more shy than me?"
When Lin Zikui heard this, he felt too embarrassed to resist and said shamefully, "But my boots are dirty."
"No problem, mine is dirty too."
Until he sat in front of the charcoal basin, Xiao Fu reached out to help him untie the belt of his cloak, but he had tied a knot just now and couldn't untie it after a long time. Lin Zikui whispered: "I, I'll do it myself."
"Don't move." Xiao Fu asked Yuan Qing to make tea and continued to untie his belt. However, he ran out of patience and broke it. Lin Zikui coughed a few times. Xiao Fu pinched the belt and looked at him: "It's broken."
Lin Zikui just laughed drunkenly: "It's okay, I'll sew it up again."
"This dress is so old and has holes in it, why are you still wearing it?"
"Clothes." He was very nostalgic and had always been frugal in food and clothing. A little worried that she wouldn't like this, Lin Zikui explained softly: "This dress is old because I washed it often and it got torn, so I sewed it up myself. In fact, I've only worn it for three years..."
Xiao Fu: "Your eyesight is not good, how do you sew it?"
Lin Zikui: "I sew by hand."
After he said this, he realized something was wrong and became even more restless.
Xiao Fu just laughed, but he was not joking. He wondered how this scholar could have so many advantages.
He stretched his hands above the red-hot charcoal basin, and seeing that Lin Zikui's finger skin was burnt red and curled up uncomfortably, he wanted to touch it.
Xiao Fu had touched it once or twice. After all, the hands of a scholar were different from those of a martial artist like himself. Lin Zikui's fingers were beautiful, with long knuckles and round, pink fingertips. The finger that held the pen had a protruding callus, and on the back of his hand, one could see very thin blue meridians.
Xiao Fu stared intently.
Lin Zikui held a cup of hot tea, didn't look at the surrounding furnishings, buried his head and said: "Second Miss, I have to go back to read..."
Xiao Fu tilted his head to look at him: "Bookworm, am I not good-looking? What are you reading?"
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