Chapter 77. Stay away from trouble and live peacefully. ...
As for Ji Yun and Meng Yutong, they eventually bought the three "Ingenious Rings," and after Ji Ming's persistent pleading, each of them wore one.
From afar, the sight of the group walking side by side, with a lively child in between, truly resembled the heartwarming scene of an ordinary family. The group then strolled around the stalls selling exquisite lanterns, watched a shadow puppet show for a while, and then slowly moved forward with the flow of people.
Upon reaching the west of the city, they saw an open space completely surrounded by a crowd; it turned out to be the blind storyteller's stall. Today was Qixi Festival, and he was still telling the popular story "The Broken Mirror's Mistake," which was currently on its final chapter.
Although the blind man could not see, he seemed to be witnessing the scenes in the play. When he got excited, his eyebrows danced, and he opened and closed his folding fan, tapping it with rhythmic cadence, vividly portraying the joys and sorrows of the characters in the book.
This story tells of a couple destined to be together who, by a twist of fate, get married, but are separated due to a series of misunderstandings and incompatibility.
After parting ways, by chance, through repeated encounters and working together, we were able to glimpse each other's true selves, which subtly changed our initial impressions.
This final episode is the crucial moment when the male protagonist humbles himself, reveals his true feelings, and attempts to mend the broken relationship.
Previously, when Ji Yun heard "The Broken Mirror's Mistake," he thought it was just an ordinary story and felt no emotion.
But times have changed. Having experienced various changes in my own state of mind, when I hear this song again, I feel that every word and phrase is striking my heart, subtly evoking a resonance.
If his speculations about his "past life" are true, then wouldn't he and Meng Yutong be just like the male and female protagonists in this play?
He couldn't help but turn his head and quietly gaze at Meng Yutong's profile.
She stood quietly among the crowd, her gaze lingering on the storyteller's platform. Her expression remained as serene and peaceful as ever, like a solitary orchid under the moon, unmoved by the poignant plot.
Ji Yun couldn't help but feel a little uneasy and curious. What was she really thinking?
On stage, Blind Zhang was recounting how the man earnestly pleaded his case, how he frankly admitted his past mistakes, and how his words were sincere in his attempt to win her back. The audience below held their breath, eager to know the woman's final decision.
At this crucial moment, Zhang the Blind Man suddenly unfolded his folding fan, slowly picked up a teacup, gulped down most of it, and then straightened his already neat robes, but refused to say anything more.
This immediately whetted the appetite of the audience to a fever pitch. All eyes were fixed on the storyteller, eagerly awaiting the revelation of the ending.
However, Ji Yun's gaze remained fixed on Meng Yutong.
He asked softly, "Yutong, if you were that woman, what would you choose?"
Meng Yutong turned her head at the sound of his voice, her clear eyes looking at him: "I haven't heard the backstory. But Yunzhou mentioned it briefly last time, saying that the male and female protagonists in this story were separated due to misunderstandings and their personalities. Since that's the case,"
Her tone was calm, yet carried a sense of indifference and composure: "I wonder if that misunderstanding has been cleared up now? I wonder if the two of them have changed their personalities?"
"If this isn't clarified, no matter how earnest and moving the man's words are, it's nothing but a castle in the air, a tree without roots. A repeat of the past is likely the inevitable outcome. If it were me..."
She paused slightly, her voice soft yet exceptionally clear, "I will choose to stay away from trouble and let each other be well."
May everyone be well.
Because of her words, a strange darkness suddenly surged in Ji Yun's eyes. His hand, hanging at his side, slowly tightened. The jade stone embedded in the ingenious bracelet on his wrist was icy cold and landed on his palm, bringing a clear, cold touch.
In an instant, the faint joy he had felt from tonight's outing vanished completely.
What followed was a feeling of lingering fear.
Ji Yun suddenly realized that Meng Yutong, though seemingly gentle and easy-going, was actually incredibly resilient and had a strong sense of self.
Her heart cannot be easily opened with a few words of confession or a bit of attentiveness. She must not easily utter her own feelings, which she is not yet clear about and has no certainty about.
Ji Ming keenly sensed that the atmosphere between his elder brother and Sister Meng seemed to have become somewhat stagnant. Although he didn't understand why, he instinctively felt uneasy.
He could only gently shake their hands, one on each side, and mutter softly, "Brother, Sister Meng, I'm tired. Shall we go back?"
Thus, they never heard the final ending of "The Broken Mirror's Mistake," and as the crowd gradually dispersed, they turned and embarked on their journey back to Peach Blossom Street.
It was nearly midnight, and the hustle and bustle of the streets gradually subsided. Many vendors began to pack up their tools and prepare to go home. One by one, the lights went out, leaving only a crescent moon in the sky, casting a faint silver glow and enveloping the journey home in tranquility.
Ji Yun escorted Meng Yutong to the entrance of Zhaoyutang on Peach Blossom Street.
As soon as the group stopped at the entrance of the clinic, they saw a familiar figure waiting outside. The person was carrying a large bamboo basket and looking up at the copper lock that had been lowered on the door, with a look of disappointment on their face.
When he turned around and saw Meng Yutong and her group, his face immediately brightened, a smile bloomed on his face, and he quickly walked over to greet them.
"Sister Yutong!" He Haochuan, carrying the heavy basket, strode forward and stopped in front of Meng Yutong, his eyes filled with undisguised joy. "I saw that the lights in the hall were off, and I thought you had gone back to your residence to rest today."
Meng Yutong nodded slightly, her voice gentle: "I just took a casual stroll in the street. Did you come here specifically for something?"
He Haochuan handed the bamboo basket in his arms forward, his tone natural and warm: "It's been hot lately, and I've noticed that you've had a smaller appetite than usual. These are fresh fruits and melons that I just picked from the garden outside the city today. They're all plump and juicy, and I specially selected some of the best ones to bring to you."
It was the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, just after the Lesser Heat solar term, and the summer heat had not yet subsided.
The basket was piled high with fresh seasonal fruit, just picked from an orchard outside the city. At a glance, one could see plump, juicy, purplish-red grapes still covered in a white bloom, crisp pears with a green and yellow hue exuding a sweet fragrance, a few tender lotus pods, bright red pomegranates, and a large watermelon. These were the perfect items for the Qixi Festival, a day for praying for skill in needlework and wishing for many children and blessings.
Ji Ming, who was standing to the side, saw the bright and juicy fruits in the basket and his eyes immediately lit up. He stared at them longingly, almost unable to look away.
Seeing his greedy look, Meng Yutong couldn't help but laugh. She thanked He Haochuan gently and was about to take out the key from her sleeve to open the door when she saw Wang Yong, the owner of Wang's Drink Shop across the street, see them from afar and greet them enthusiastically.
Business was booming today; he had sold out of drinks and was preparing to pack up and go home.
He deftly picked up a long-handled wooden ladle, scooped out the last bit of perfectly concentrated tangerine peel soup from the bottom of the bucket, and poured it steadily into several earthenware bowls. Then, he carried four bowls of soup across the street on a tray and said with a hearty laugh, "Dr. Meng, there's just some tangerine peel soup left that you always like to drink. If you don't mind, please each have a bowl and help this old man finish this soup, so it won't go to waste!"
Meng Yutong smiled and thanked them. The group then carried the slightly cool drinks and entered Zhaoyu Hall together.
As soon as they entered, He Haochuan skillfully helped them lock the door and light the lamps, picked up a few chairs and moved them to the backyard for them to sit down, and then carried the basket of fruit to the backyard.
He deftly retrieved several clean bamboo trays from the corner of the wall, sorted out the grapes, crisp pears, and other fruits, and placed them on a stone table to the side. Then, he deftly drew a bucket of cool well water and carefully immersed the enormous watermelon in it.
While he was busy, he turned to Meng Yutong and said, "Sister Yutong, soak this watermelon in well water overnight, then cut it open and eat it tomorrow afternoon. It will be the most refreshing and cooling!"
At this moment, Meng Yutong and Ji Ming had already sat down. The two slowly sipped the tangerine peel soup in their hands. Ji Ming would take a sip and let out a long, pleasant sigh, which made Meng Yutong smile.
Ji Yun sat beside Meng Yutong, watching He Haochuan bustling about in the courtyard with the familiar air of a master, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
His gaze swept over the watermelon submerged in the well, his tone indifferent, yet a hint of displeasure could be detected in his voice, “Young Master He is truly a thoughtful man, not forgetting to think of us on the Qixi Festival. I’m sure the neighbors have all enjoyed this seasonal delicacy.”
He Haochuan, who was bending over and arranging the fruit, paused slightly upon hearing this, his ears turning slightly red. He replied somewhat awkwardly in a low voice, "I... I didn't specifically send any to anyone else... I just thought that Sister Yutong works so hard every day, she deserves some good food..."
Meng Yutong had been walking outside for a long time and was indeed a little tired. She didn't notice the subtle tension between the two people. She was only focused on sipping her cool, sweet and sour drink, feeling the coolness penetrate her heart and dispelling much of the summer night's heat.
She paused for a moment, then remembered something and asked casually, "Xiao Chuan, I heard a while ago that Brother Liu and his group seemed to be interested in buying a batch of Lin'an tea to transport back to Qinzhou. He tasted your Fuliang Xuehao tea last time and praised it highly. Has he mentioned this to you?"
Since she treated He Haochuan's father last time, He Haochuan had often come to the clinic to help out, bringing food and supplies, and he was very attentive. She appreciated his kindness and knew that the He family's tea business was not easy to run. If she could take this opportunity to promote their tea, it would certainly be a good thing for them.
He Haochuan straightened up, wiped his hands, and replied, "Brother Liu did come to ask about it a few days ago. However... the fine teas from my family's tea garden, such as 'Fuliang Xuehao,' have the most delicate and lasting aroma when they are freshly roasted."
"If it is left for too long, it will become stale tea, and its unique aroma will be greatly diminished, losing its original flavor. If they want to sell it to Qinzhou, the journey is long and it will take a long time, so they can only use stale tea that can be stored for a long time. My father and Brother Liu discussed it several times, but they could not come up with a suitable way to preserve the flavor of the new tea, so this matter... has been put aside for the time being."
Meng Yutong lowered her head and sipped the soup in her hand. The sweet, sour, and refreshing taste slid down her throat, dispelling the slight stickiness of the summer night. The porcelain bowl was soon emptied.
This drink is made by simmering dried tangerine peel, dried plum, and licorice root. When it's done, a handful of finely chopped hawthorn preserves are sprinkled on top. It has a sweet and sour taste that is refreshing and thirst-quenching, and she usually loves it.
However, people have different tastes and preferences.
For example, at this moment, the bowl of drink in Ji Yun's hand remained untouched.
Seeing that Meng Yutong's bowl was empty, he naturally took the empty bowl from her hand and then placed his own untouched bowl steadily into her palm.
Meng Yutong looked up at him in surprise as she saw the drink in her hand being refilled.
Ji Yun remained calm and said in a low voice, "As you know, I don't like sweet and sour flavors, and I especially don't eat hawthorn. Don't let Manager Wang's good intentions go to waste."
"Oh, right!" Meng Yutong suddenly realized. Ji Yun had never liked these sweet and sour flavors, and he certainly couldn't use hawthorn.
His favorite tea was a cup of Fuliang Xuehao tea at Qingfeng Tea House. The tea soup was clear and slightly bitter at first, but after tasting it carefully, it had a sweet aftertaste and carried the coolness of a mountain spring and the fragrance of orchids.
This was all described by He Haochuan; she couldn't really appreciate the flavor and thought it was just average.
However… a thought suddenly flashed through her mind like lightning.
She always felt that the flavor of Fuliang Xuehao tea was too deep and rigid, like an old scholar lecturing, lacking a bit of liveliness and interest; while Ji Yun perhaps also felt that these fruity drinks were too lively and unrestrained, lacking composure. So, could the two complement each other and harmonize their strengths?
For example, you can add a little fruity juice to clear tea to make a unique fruit tea; or you can add a few mild and nourishing herbs, such as mint and chrysanthemum, to make a mint and chrysanthemum tea that can relieve summer heat and quench thirst; or you can add goji berries and red dates to make a goji berry and red date warm tea that can warm and nourish blood.
In this way, the types of beverages can be innovated and the audience can be broadened. Moreover, if used for this purpose, the requirements for the flavor of the tea itself do not need to be so strict. Although the flavor of aged tea is slightly inferior, its tea nature is more mild and stable, which is more suitable for blending with other flavors and will not overpower them.
"What are you thinking about?" Ji Yun saw her holding the bowl, lost in thought, and assumed that she was unwilling to accept the drink he was offering.
Meng Yutong raised her eyes, a bright light shining in them, and her voice carried a hint of lighthearted excitement: "I was thinking, since new tea is rare and aged tea also has its uses, why not explore a different approach? For example, using aged tea as a base, and adding seasonal fruits or medicinal herbs with suitable properties, we could create various fruit teas and medicinal teas that combine flavor and health benefits. In this way, not only would tea consumption increase, but the variety of teas could also be refreshed, perhaps opening up a new chapter."
Upon hearing this, a hint of appreciation flashed across Ji Yun's eyes, and a subtle ripple spread across his usually aloof brows.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
