Chapter Twenty-Six: So Close Yet So Far
Autumn came exceptionally early in the twenty-sixth year of the Zhenguan era. Just after the beginning of autumn, most of the paulownia leaves had turned yellow. In the study in the backyard of Datong Pawnshop, the sound of abacuses rang out from dawn to dusk, almost without stopping.
That afternoon, when Cui Jiulang arrived, he saw Liu Bao'er bent over her desk checking the account books. The autumn sun shone through the window, dancing on the gold hairpin in her hair, making the contours of her profile exceptionally clear. When she was focused, she habitually frowned slightly, and her fingers flew across the abacus like butterflies, even more gracefully than the most skilled musician playing the zither.
He stood by the door for a moment before gently knocking.
"Ninth Brother, you've come at the right time." Liu Bao'er looked up, a hint of weariness in her eyes. "There's something strange about the accounts at the Yangzhou branch. Come and take a look."
Cui Jiulang sat down opposite her, and as he took the account book, his fingertips inadvertently brushed against the back of her hand. Both of them paused for a moment, and Liu Bao'er naturally withdrew her hand, instead picking up the teapot to pour him tea.
"Here," she pointed to a spot in the ledger, "for three consecutive months, there have been large sums of money laundering payments on the same day, and all at the same exchange point."
Cui Jiulang examined the area closely and indeed discovered the problem. Such details would be completely overlooked without extreme care. He looked up at her: "You're always so observant."
Liu Bao'er smiled faintly: "It's just a matter of learning from one's mistakes."
These words were spoken casually, but Cui Jiulang sensed their weight. Since the establishment of Datong Pawnshop, there had never been a break between open and covert attacks, and she had always shouldered them all alone.
"Actually..." he began cautiously, "some things don't have to be borne by oneself."
Liu Bao'er's hand holding the teapot paused slightly, causing tiny ripples to spread across the teacup. She set down the teapot, her tone calm and as usual: "I'm used to it."
Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the window; it was a neighbor celebrating a wedding. The loud, cheerful sound of the suona horn made the study seem even quieter.
"I heard it's the Li family of Yongning Ward getting married today," Cui Jiulang said casually. "Quite a spectacle."
Liu Bao'er hummed in agreement, her gaze still fixed on the account book: "The third son of the Li family married a concubine's daughter from the Zheng family."
She's always like that; she can get to the heart of the matter in just a few words. This marriage is a union of interests between two families, and has nothing to do with romance.
Cui Jiulang toyed with the jade thumb ring in his hand, and suddenly said, "If you were born into an ordinary family..."
He stopped halfway through his sentence.
Liu Bao'er finally raised her head, her eyes clear as autumn water: "If I were born into an ordinary family, I might be worrying about tomorrow's cooking smoke right now, how could I be here with Jiu Lang, sipping tea and discussing accounts?"
She always does this, using the most rational approach to gently thwart any inappropriate thoughts.
Cui Jiulang chuckled softly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes: "That's true."
At this moment, Hu Liu brought over a sample of the newly made seal. Liu Bao'er took it and examined it carefully, the gold hairpin in her hair swaying gently with her movements. Cui Jiulang noticed that the style of the gold hairpin was slightly different from the one she usually wore—the abacus beads were smaller and the carving was more delicate.
"Newly made?" he asked.
Liu Bao'er ran her fingertips over the hairpin, her tone flat: "The old one broke by accident the other day."
She spoke lightly, but Cui Jiulang knew the significance of that gold hairpin to her. It was crafted with her first pot of gold, and it had accompanied her through countless trials and tribulations. To replace it so easily now seemed like severing something.
"What a pity," he said.
"Out with the old, in with the new." She secured the new hairpin, rose, and walked to the window. "Just like this sycamore tree, its leaves turn yellow, but they will grow back next year."
The autumn wind blew, and yellow leaves fluttered down from the courtyard. Her figure, standing by the window, was slender yet upright, as if nothing could break her.
Cui Jiulang suddenly recalled the way she looked three years ago when she first sat in Zuixianlou negotiating with him. Back then, she was still quite naive, but her eyes were already as firm as they were today. Over the past three years, he had watched her grow step by step, watched her strategize, and watched her weather the storms alone.
Some feelings, without you even realizing when they started, have already seeped into your very bones.
"Ninth Brother," Liu Bao'er suddenly turned around, "If it's discovered that the Yangzhou branch is related to the Wang family, how do you think we should respond?"
She always does this, steering the conversation back to the main topic at the most delicate moment.
Cui Jiulang composed himself and said solemnly, "The Wang family is deeply entrenched and powerful; a direct confrontation is not advisable."
"That's what I thought too." She walked back to her desk, spread out a sheet of paper, "So I came up with a plan..."
She began to explain her plan, clearly and methodically. As Cui Jiulang listened, he suddenly felt that there was always something between them—not their status or position, but the distance she deliberately maintained. She allowed him to get close, but never allowed him to cross the line.
After finishing their business, it was already late. Liu Bao'er personally escorted him to the courtyard gate.
"Kuroro, walk slowly."
She stood on the stone steps, the twilight deepening behind her. The newly replaced gold hairpin gleamed coldly in the setting sun, making her features appear even more aloof.
Cui Jiulang walked a long way, then looked back and saw her still standing there, as if watching him go, or perhaps lost in thought. The autumn wind blew her clothes, and though her figure was clearly close at hand, it seemed as if she were a world away.
He knew that some things should never be said. Perhaps watching her climb higher and higher was the best ending.
Liu Bao'er only sighed softly after his figure disappeared around the street corner. She understood his feelings all too well, but the road ahead was long, and she couldn't afford to have any weaknesses.
As she turned to return to the hospital, her steps remained firm. Some connections are destined to remain only a short distance apart.
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