After the two men sat down, the driver threw his arms around and trotted away, his leggings drawing neat arcs in the morning light.
When passing by Quancheng Road, the driver turned around and said with a smile: "Madam, your dress really matches the scenery. You look like a fairy from a painting. You are so lucky. Sitting here makes even the pomegranate flowers on the roadside bloom more beautifully."
Upon hearing this, Xie Yun just smiled gently and scratched Zheng Wanqing's palm with his fingertips, causing her ears to feel hot.
The driver continued to talk: "In the early years, the German Governor and his wife often rode in my car, but compared to your seat, it is always a little less interesting..."
Arriving at the entrance of Baotu Spring, Xie Yun took out his wallet from his inner pocket and took out two brand new silver dollars with his fingertips: "Thank you for your hard work, Master." The silver dollars shone coldly in the morning light, and the serrations on the edges were clearly visible.
The driver took the silver dollar and threw it into the air skillfully. Listening to the crisp metallic trembling sound, he grinned and said, "First of all, this Beiyang-made dragon dollar is of high quality!" He suddenly lowered his voice and said, "From your accent, are you from Tianjin? I also pulled a few Changlu salt merchants last year..."
When Zheng Wanqing heard this, the corners of her lips slightly raised behind the silk fan.
Xie Yun nodded calmly: "Master, you have a good hearing." After that, he naturally took his wife in his arms and walked into the garden.
In the morning mist, three springs were bubbling out. Xie Yun leaned close to his wife's ear and whispered, "It seems that I am quite qualified in my role as a businessman, right?"
"If Mr. Xie changes his job to singing opera, he will probably steal other people's jobs." Zheng Wanqing chuckled, her fingertips brushing across the dewdrops condensed on the bluestone railings.
Xie Yun laughed out loud when he heard that, took her hand and walked to the small pavilion with overhanging eaves beside the pond: "The water of Shuyuquan is the clearest. When Emperor Qianlong was on his southern tour..." His voice suddenly paused, and a plaintive sound of erhu floated from behind the rockery.
Looking in the direction of the sound, someone saw an old man with white hair and a youthful face brewing tea in front of a stone table. The copper kettle on the red clay stove was emitting wisps of smoke.
"The old man sang the song "Rain on Banana Leaves" with his left hand, and the power of rubbing was wonderful." Xie Yun suddenly blurted out the Jinan dialect with a clear and melodious voice.
Seeing his wife's surprised look, he explained in a low voice: "When I was ten years old, I lived in Quancheng with my father for half a year."
The old man's cloudy eyes suddenly became clear, and he poured two cups of tea and pushed them over: "It's rare to meet a kindred spirit. Let's try the Mingqian Longjing tea brewed by my old man with Hupao water."
Zheng Wanqing picked up the Yue Kiln celadon cup and saw that the tea soup was as clear as spring water, fresh and mellow at the entrance. The fragrance of tea instantly spread in her mouth, as if her whole body and mind were soaked in this fragrance, making her feel relaxed and happy.
Xie Yun's eyes fell on the newspaper next to Lao Yu, on which was clearly visible the news of yesterday's seminar, and Ms. Qingwu's profile photo.
After sitting for a while, Xie Yun put down the teacup and left a few silver coins on the stone table. He took Zheng Wanqing's hand and said softly, "Let's go."
After turning around the rockery, Zheng Wanqing was about to ask where to go when Xie Yun suddenly pulled her into a corner shaded by vines. The corner was filled with a faint scent of flowers, and the sunlight shone through the gaps in the vines, casting mottled light and shadows.
His warm palm gently stroked her cheek, his eyes full of love and doting: "Madam is now famous in Jinan." Suddenly his eyes flashed, as if he thought of something interesting: "Take you to a better place."
He led Zheng Wanqing through the side door and along the alley. The walls on both sides of the alley were covered with moss, as if the traces of time had settled here. Finally, they stopped in front of a small blue brick courtyard. The three characters "Qushui Pavilion" on the lintel were mottled and faded, but they revealed a sense of ancient and thick history. Pushing the door open, I saw that the crabapple on the old tree in the front yard was still in full bloom.
"This is..." Zheng Wanqing asked in confusion.
"The old house in Jinan." Xie Yun plucked a half-bloomed crabapple and gently pinned it to her temple. The crabapple and her face complemented each other, making her look even more beautiful.
"That winter I was standing in front of this window, watching the snow cover the springs one by one. I still remember that scene." The sunlight passed through the branches, casting dancing spots of light on his shoulders, as if time had become gentle at this moment.
In a trance, Zheng Wanqing seemed to see the young him, standing quietly in front of the window, staring at the snow scene outside the window, with curiosity and longing for the world of 㰱 in his eyes.
In the afternoon, they arrived at Daming Lake. The lake was sparkling like a huge mirror, reflecting the blue sky, clouds, and the surrounding lakes and mountains. They rented a small and exquisite sailboat, which swayed on the lake.
The boat girl was a cheerful woman wearing a blue headscarf. Seeing that Xie Yun insisted on rowing by himself, she smiled and handed over a bag of lotus leaf rice: "Take your time first, ma'am. I'm going to take a nap at the stern of the boat. You guys can swim slowly by yourselves. The beauty of Daming Lake needs to be savored slowly."
When the boat reached the center of the lake, it was quiet and silent except for the sound of the water gently lapping against the side of the boat. Xie Yun let the boat drift with the waves, enjoying this rare tranquility. Zheng Wanqing leaned on his shoulder, and the two of them quietly enjoyed the beauty of the moment. It was not until dusk, when the sky was dyed with gorgeous sunset, that they slowly set out on the way back.
When the night watch drum struck three times, Zheng Wanqing leaned on the window of the guest room and watched the moonlight shattered into silver scales in the moat.
Xie Yun hugged her from behind, his embrace was warm and firm.
"I'm really happy today. After listening to Ji Chen's description of the scenery of Jinan, I finally realized it today." Zheng Wanqing said in a low voice, her voice like a dream, with a hint of satisfaction and intoxication.
When Xie Yun heard her mention Ji Chen, his face darkened and jealousy surged in his heart again: "Why don't you let him take you out to play?"
Zheng Wanqing turned around and gently bit his Adam's apple, with a hint of playfulness and intimacy in her action: "How come Young Marshal Xie gets so angry at once? I know that what you showed me was not the scenery, but your age and the precious memories of your life."
She felt his body suddenly tense up and chuckled, "Stop being jealous."
Xie Yun picked her up and carried her to the bedside. He said in a hoarse voice, "That's all because of you."
The church bells rang in the distance, and the melodious sound echoed in the night sky. Xie Yun loosened Zheng Wanqing's collar, but his action was gentle, not like a rough soldier. When the moonlight passed over the mandarin duck pillow, the city of Jinan swayed gently outside the window, like a night ship full of secrets, slowly sailing into the distance.
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