Chapter 103 Companions: "Only those who can't afford to give are afraid of what you want."...
A small window, a long lamp shadow.
Shi Wan sat under the lamp, looking out the window. Willow catkins fluttered in the night, and she suddenly felt the weight of spring.
Zhang Yiwen's appearance undoubtedly disrupted some of her original plans. Even though he claimed to have mistaken her for someone else when they met a few days ago, both of them knew the truth.
That's not the case.
When she went to those two streets and alleys to investigate and stroll around again, she always felt a vague sense of unease, or even... just like in the past, an unease of being watched all around her.
After a bumpy journey back, it was already mid-March. When we arrived at our destination, as expected, we saw the people Jiang Xu had sent stationed around the small courtyard.
Nearly a month later, the two met again, and everything felt both strange and familiar.
Although Shi Wan hesitated, she deliberately came back at this time.
The Spring Ploughing Ceremony and the Qingming Ancestor Worship Ceremony both required the emperor's personal presence to preside over. Jiang Xu, however, always prioritized national affairs over personal feelings, a fact she was well aware of. Yet... upon returning to the courtyard and seeing the completely transformed surroundings, she couldn't help but be taken aback.
Could it be... that Jiang Xu has left?
"Wan'er." Almost the instant she thought this, Jiang Xu suddenly appeared.
As dawn broke, the man's tall figure was stretched into a slender line by the halo of light, making him appear even more solitary and elegant. As if surrendering, he sighed and said softly, "I'm leaving."
Her voice was slightly hoarse, a few degrees deeper than usual, and she seemed to have become more gentle. For Yu Shiwan, this was a good thing; she could get rid of him and part ways amicably.
Having known each other for so long, no matter how awkward things were in the past, she doesn't want things to get to the worst point now.
Shi Wan nodded quietly without saying anything more. An invisible wall stood between the two of them, and the hysteria of the past eventually turned into silence.
Upon seeing this, Jiang Xu's jaw involuntarily tightened, and he clenched his hand hidden under his sleeve. The sharp edge of the iron hairpin pressed against his palm, causing a dull pain.
His breathing gradually calmed, and he somewhat clumsily took out the hairpin.
"I was inspecting the prefecture and passed through your hometown." His tone seemed quite casual, but his gaze quietly slid from the empty space beside her hair bun to her face, stating something trivial that didn't concern him: "I saw that it was a popular piece of jewelry in Huzhou, so I bought one too."
"for you."
Upon hearing this, Shi Wan's gaze fell upon the hairpin.
Her hometown, Huzhou, is hundreds of miles away from this small southern city.
On the way?
Moreover... the hairpin is neither jade nor gold, but rather a jet-black, dark iron with a unique and elegant design, which is indeed a popular style in Huzhou.
Could it be that he really went to Huzhou?
But in the next instant, Shi Wan quickly denied this guess.
Unaware of the turmoil in her mind, Jiang Xu noticed that Shi Wan remained silent. He then added somewhat hastily, "Consider it a farewell gift." After a moment, his tone revealed a hint of almost embarrassed concession that he himself was unaware of, "If you don't like it, you can smash it."
Shi Wan snapped out of her reverie and asked calmly, "Why are you giving this to me?"
Jiang Xu looked at her and said, "It's just a hairpin."
Shi Wan knew he was pretending to be confused, so she simply brought it up, "You were blocking the way in the courtyard, but everything in the courtyard and the rooms has been updated. Could these also be... hairpins?"
"I always wanted to make amends for the injustices you suffered in the past." As soon as he said this, Jiang Xu pursed his lips in annoyance. These words didn't sound like a farewell; rather, they sounded like he was talking to himself.
Shi Wan remained silent, but when she glanced at Jiang Xu's blue and white clothes, she felt that they looked familiar. It took her some effort to remember that it seemed that Zhang Yiwen had also worn clothes of the same color that day.
Her tone deepened, "Aren't you afraid I'll ask for something else?"
"Only those who can't afford to give are afraid of you asking for it."
"I'm afraid too," Jiang Xu said frankly, "but I'm only afraid of not delivering the right thing to the right person."
"Wan'er." Before he could finish speaking, he called her softly again, his voice so faint it was almost carried away by the wind, "I'm leaving."
After speaking, he turned to leave, his back view showing a hint of panic.
Shi Wan stared at it for a couple of seconds, then suddenly looked at the iron hairpin in her hand. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that it had irregular, subtle patterns characteristic of hand-forged iron, so fine that they were almost imperceptible.
A multitude of thoughts converge, and the invisible answer is about to emerge.
“Jiang Xu,” she suddenly said.
Jiang Xu stopped almost immediately, but did not turn around. He simply turned his head slightly and listened silently. Shi Wan's voice was somewhat complicated, carrying a meaning that he himself found difficult to explain.
"I didn't mean to come along?"
Jiang Xu turned around abruptly, his expression still somewhat stiff, but his body had already taken a step closer, instantly closing the distance between the two. The familiar woody scent mingled with the woman's faint fragrance, gathering together in a subtle way.
Shi Wan did not dodge; her expression remained extremely calm. She merely tightened her grip on the iron hairpin slightly.
Jiang Xu's methods weren't particularly sophisticated; he must have been to Cangyan County, including with this hairpin...
Shi Wan glanced at the red marks on his wrist. "Where's the key? Take it."
Jiang Xu understood the implied meaning and was eager to ask more, but a hint of hesitation crept in as he spoke, so he tentatively asked, "Did you take it?"
"Your martial arts skills are superb. Even without the key, these chains shouldn't be able to restrain you, right?"
Their hearts pounded, their eyes met, and before they knew it, they were much closer than before. To an outsider, they would probably be mistaken for a couple in love.
Shi Wan's inner unease and turmoil all transformed into a kind of secret flutter as the man approached, yet her face remained calm and complex.
Once the chains were removed, Jiang Xu asked gently, "On this trip to Luoyang, I will definitely..."
Before he could finish speaking, Shi Wan interrupted, "When are you leaving?"
Jiang Xu's breath hitched. "...Today?" She could tell that Shi Wan was a little impatient, but she didn't know why. However, she was happy to see it happen, afraid that she would change her mind. Before long, she packed her bags and set off on her journey.
*
The wheels rolled on, heading south, and the scattered greenery along the official road was gradually replaced by more lush scenery. After switching to waterways, one could see the surging river as soon as one boarded the boat.
The journey is more relaxed, but the space is also smaller and unavoidable.
Whether intentionally or not, the surroundings of the cabin are elegant and comfortable, just like they were back then.
Shi Wan was mostly silent, and Jiang Xu also seemed to be busy. The backlog of official duties greatly reduced the time the two spent together. At first, Shi Wan felt some regret and nervousness for being infatuated, but after a few days, she gradually let go of those complicated feelings and acted calmly, treating it as just an ordinary outing.
As dusk fell that day, Jiang Xu rushed over and saw her having a meal. He naturally picked up the bowl and chopsticks handed to him by a maid, calmly picked up some food, and seamlessly blended into the meal in just a few moments.
For a moment, only the sound of the two chewing intermittently remained in the room. After a while, he casually asked, "The layout of Luoyang is not much different from before I ascended the throne. I wonder if you have seen it before?"
Shi Wan quietly picked up a piece of steamed pork with scallion oil with her chopsticks and decisively said, "Never."
Seeing her respond, Jiang Xu felt a little relieved. Just like when he explained the local seasons before, he began to speak to himself, deliberately making his voice a little hoarse, "Compared to the Jiangnan region, the city is more prosperous, especially the West Market. In the past year or so, many merchants have come here to do business, and there are also exchanges with neighboring small countries. If you are interested and want to take a look, I can..."
Jiang Xu paused, glanced at Shi Wan's expression, then suppressed his thoughts and changed his words, saying, "You can have someone guide you."
Shi Wan shifted her gaze from the dishes on the table, briefly landing on Jiang Xu's face, and said in a calm tone, "I've heard that the Luoyang Poetry Society is famous throughout the world. The autumn examination is just a few months away, and it must be extremely lively. I should definitely experience it."
"As for those shops, I also find them quite interesting."
Her answer was appropriate, but Jiang Xu felt even more uncomfortable listening to it.
Want to experience it?
Such words make it seem like they belong to someone who is just passing through.
Thinking of this, he suddenly put down his chopsticks, picked up the teacup beside him, took a couple of sips, and his knuckles turned white from the exertion. After a few breaths, he replied, "That's fine. There are a few decent inns in Luoyang that are elegant and suitable for resting."
Shi Wan lowered her eyelashes and stopped looking at him. "No need for you to trouble yourself."
"I have my own plans."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xu felt even more uneasy. It was clear that Shi Wan had no intention of staying for long. If that was the case, then... was her agreement to accompany him merely to see the prosperity of Luoyang and put an end to her worries, as she had said?
Then......
Then.
A huge panic spread, and Jiang Xu wanted to ask, but at the moment, he couldn't bring himself to speak.
He cannot.
He... dared not.
Even the emperor's authority was of no use at this time.
Forcing someone to stay will not work; in fact, it will only push them further away.
The man's Adam's apple moved very slowly, all the churning emotions he suppressed were finally whispered in Shi Wan's ear.
"......good."
Inside the cabin, all was quiet. Outside the window, the green mountains on both banks receded into the distance, and a few wisps of spring breeze drifted in.
The journey home, a hundred miles long, was filled with breathtaking scenery.
Under the bright sunshine, the river meanders.
The sound of rushing water carries with it a hint of melancholy.
One person's mind is in turmoil, another...
Feeling uneasy.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
