Ningshuang...
He had made a point of remembering the register of the names of the officials’ family members in Shengjing, which is why he quickly recalled the name Ningshuang Su.
The father of Ningshuang Su was a Left Censorate Doctor in the current Court, overseeing all matters of reporting and inspection throughout Shengjing, known for his integrity and lack of adaptability.
He vaguely remembered his colleagues mentioning that Father Su loved his daughter as his own life and doted on her extremely.
It seemed to be exactly the case right now.
The maids and guards of Ningshuang Su were all outside the Tea Pavilion. A lady of noble birth was actually allowed to bring a box of books and painting supplies to the mountains to paint and she conversed and spent time with a stranger without any inhibition. From the looks of her guard and maids, it was clearly a common practice.
In an ordinary household, this would not be anything unusual, but among the daughters of high society, it was truly exceptional.
Yan Xu had no wish to become overly entangled with this person. As a member of the Privy Council, getting too close to the families of other Court officials was not a good thing. After finishing his tea, he ignored the lady’s questions and left directly.
The office was always busy, the more esteemed his position, the heavier the burden.
When he was tired, he just wanted to sit alone in the mountains.
When he went to Danfeng Pavilion once more, he remembered the pot of bitter and fragrant tea in the Tea Pavilion and decided to visit again. As soon as he entered, he saw a familiar figure.
The lady was sitting in front of the window, splashing ink and wielding her brush on the table. Hearing the noise, she looked up, and her eyes lit up upon seeing him enter, "Yan Xu!"
He stopped, "How do you know my name?"
"Your sword is a standard-issue from the Imperial City. After I went home, I asked my father, and once I mentioned you had a long scar near your eye, he knew who you were," she said with laughter in her voice, "So you work for the Privy Council."
She said it openly, not afraid that he would become angry because of this.
"Come, sit!" She patted the table, offering him a piece of crab roe, "Try some?"
Yan Xu coldly declined.
Ningshuang was an odd person.
Unlike her name, which was as cold as frost, Ningshuang was lively and approachable, familiarizing herself with him without regard to his ferocious and intimidating exterior and engaging in conversation.
The maple leaves at Danfeng Pavilion would turn red for two to three months, and although he had no other hobbies, he especially enjoyed seeking tranquility here. Yet, he would always encounter her whenever he came.
"We’ve known each other for so long now, surely we can be considered friends by this point?" she said.
"I have no friends."
"How can a person not have friends?" Ningshuang replied with a smile, "It’s such an uninteresting affair to have no one to share your happiness and sorrow with. I can be your friend and share the evening glow of Danfeng Pavilion with you."
Yan Xu turned and left.
He did not need friends.
Yet this noble lady had evidently come to truly consider herself his friend.
She loved to paint, and every time she came, she would bring paper and brushes in her box. Yan Xu did not understand art, but what she painted was indeed delicate and majestic.
"If I were not born into a noble and wealthy family, I would definitely become a painter in this life, traveling through all the mountains and rivers of the world, capturing all the beautiful scenes," she said.
Yan Xu snorted at her statement.
Only such an ignorant miss, unaware of the world’s suffering, could harbor such naive and absurd fantasies.
"Connoisseurs of painting say that painting people is the most difficult, followed by landscapes, then horses and dogs, and lastly buildings and objects, which are mostly about precision and easier to master," Ningshuang said with a laugh, "Unfortunately, my skills are only mediocre now. Once I have practiced enough, I’ll paint a portrait for you."
He interrupted, "Why are you always thinking of painting me?"
Yan Xu didn’t understand why he, a man of no particular distinction, was such a fixation for her.
After thinking for a moment, Ningshuang replied, "The first time I saw you, you were sitting among the trees, looking up at the sunset."
"Your silhouette was very solitary, and a painting doesn’t lie; it can see into your heart," she sighed.
"Actually, I’m quite lonely too. I like painting, and those ladies of Shengjing can’t relate to me, but you are a remarkable scenery, and it would be a pity not to capture such a view. You’re lonely, I’m lonely, we’re both ’kindred spirits’ of solitude, which naturally makes us friends."
She looked up, her clear eyes reflecting the red maples scattered across the hills, and while she was obviously laughing, her tone was very sparse.
For the first time, Yan Xu did not mock her.
Later on, he would often come to Danfeng Pavilion, becoming well-acquainted with the owner of the Tea Pavilion, and even when the maple leaves were gone and snow began to fall in Shengjing, he would always come here whenever he felt lonely and desolate.
Out of ten times, he would meet Ningshuang three to five times.
She was still carefree as ever, lugging her box of art supplies around the mountain, always ordering crab roe at the Tea Pavilion, and always failing to convince him to try it.
She also kept trying to paint him in secret, always discovered by him, leading to her frustrated departure.
Time passed in such an unhurried way, the maple leaves of Danfeng Pavilion went from red to green and from green back to red.
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