Chapter 35 Reluctant to Part (Three-in-One Update)
"This braised rabbit is alright. You can have a few bites, but don't overdo it."
"You should eat more of the steamed river fish and seasonal vegetables."
When the kitchen brought the dishes over, Ji Yucheng frowned, but since Zhu Xuanning was really hungry, he didn't want her to wait for the medicinal food to be ready on an empty stomach, so he could only reluctantly agree.
But Ji Yucheng still controlled the amount of food she ate. Even when Zhu Xuanning showed an unhappy expression, Ji Yucheng did not back down when she saw that she was greedy.
After finishing her meal, Ji Yucheng didn't let the servants clean up; instead, she did it herself.
Zhu Xuanning sat on the bed watching his practiced movements and asked, "Does Your Excellency also want to clean this yourself?"
Such skill doesn't seem like someone who's just started cleaning a desk.
“I’ve been used to military life since I was a child. Even if I return to the temple, my master won’t spoil me,” Ji Yucheng replied earnestly.
Zhu Xuanning's question seemed to open up his floodgates. He told Zhu Xuanning about the first time he went to the fields with his father to weed, he mistakenly pulled up a small patch of wheat seedlings thinking they were weeds, and his father chased him all over the yard and beat him.
When Ji Yucheng spoke these words, her eyes were bright, her eyebrows and eyes were filled with the warmth of human life, and her jade face, which was as cold as frost, appeared gentle due to subtle changes in her expression.
The word "father" is something he misses dearly.
Zhu Xuanning touched her sleeve and asked softly, "What about your mother? Didn't she try to stop your father?"
Ji Yucheng laughed upon hearing this, and shook his head: "No, my father beat me up, but my mother wouldn't punish me, otherwise I would have suffered even more."
Oh, I see.
As Zhu Xuanning listened to Ji Yucheng's description, her thoughts drifted away. When she realized what she was thinking, she suddenly snapped back to reality, pinched herself hard with the hand hidden in her sleeve, and the pain quickly brought tears to the girl's eyes.
When Ji Yucheng saw tears welling up in her eyes, and thought of how she had lost her mother at a young age, a wave of heartache washed over her.
He wiped his hands clean, moved to Zhu Xuanning's side, and carefully reached out his hand. Only when he did not feel Zhu Xuanning's rejection did he dare to put his arm around her shoulder and hug her.
"Don't cry." Ji Yucheng clumsily wiped away her tears and softened his cold voice to coax her: "The Ji clan has won merit in the war, and now only I am left. Fortunately, the emperor has taken pity on me, and all the glory of the clan has been bestowed upon me. As long as it is not a matter of rebellion, you can do whatever you want."
Ji Yucheng laid out her advantages clearly in front of Zhu Xuanning, her movements as she wiped away her tears trembling slightly.
He was nervous, but also expectant.
But Zhu Xuanning is destined not to give him an answer now.
Zhu Xuanning understood very well that this tempting advantage was also a huge disadvantage; otherwise, why would she have used Ji Yucheng as a fallback and turned to Yu Xuan instead?
"I want to rest." Zhu Xuanning pushed him away.
Ji Yucheng's sense of anticipation vanished. He released his grip, gave a faint reply, and then picked up the bowl and plates and left.
After putting her things back, Ji Yucheng looked at the small hut where the male guest was staying.
He approached Yu Xuan, and without any pleasantries, coldly uttered: "Don't take it upon yourself to cook for her. She wants medicinal cuisine, not what you make."
Ji Yucheng was wary of all the hidden dangers pointed to by the divination. Song Zhaohan was not a threat, but Yu Xuan was the one most worthy of our attention.
Yu Xuan looked at Ji Yucheng and suddenly wanted to laugh, and he did indeed laugh.
The feeling of being blocked at the door and warned was terrible, but when it turned out that the person blocking him was Ji Yucheng, the chief disciple of Taiqing Temple, Yu Xuan felt his previous gloom vanish.
"Okay." Having received the result of the test, Yu Xuan readily agreed.
He knew that Ji Yucheng wouldn't let Zhu Xuanning eat too much of that braised rabbit.
Ji Yucheng frowned, but since the goal of the trip had been achieved, he didn't say anything more.
Just as he was about to leave, Yu Xuan called him back.
“Jingzhi, instead of staring at me, you should look at Yanwu. I’ve already taken a step back because of you,” Yu Xuan reminded him.
“You don’t need to shift the blame.” Ji Yucheng said coldly, but only received a very soft laugh from Yu Xuan.
"Whether it's a deliberate attempt to shift blame or not, you'll see for yourself." Yu Xuan's attitude was indifferent. He knew that even if it was an open scheme, Ji Yucheng would still fall for it.
A person who has never been enlightened and is detached from worldly desires will become extremely suspicious of everything because of this obsession.
As for Yan Hengdan's true feelings for Aheng, and how their relationship will develop, Yu Xuan didn't care. Some things are destined from the moment their friends both fall for the same person.
It was only a matter of time before they turned against each other; it all depended on who Aheng ultimately chose.
Although Ji Yucheng verbally refuted Yu Xuan, she still took his words to heart.
Ji Yucheng cast a divination once again, and the result made his eyes turn cold.
He divined about events within the year, and the divination did indeed show Yan Hengdan's transformation. Fortunately, it was still possible to change things, as long as Yan Wu remained unaware of his own emotional changes.
As the sun set behind the western mountains, the young noblemen and ladies who had gone out for a stroll gradually returned.
Zhu Xiyue came back wanting to visit Zhu Xuanning, but she found no one there.
Unfortunately, Zhu Xuanning went on a trip at that time.
This time it wasn't a sprain, so Ji Yucheng rubbed medicated oil on her, applied medicine, and gave her acupuncture. After that, Zhu Xuanning couldn't stay still and went fishing by the stream.
Splashing Ink thoughtfully brought some charcoal from the kitchen and put it in a small copper basin.
Before leaving, Po Mo deliberately circled around, pretending to be accidentally seen by Shu Qing.
"Is Fifth Miss going to brew tea?" Shuqing asked, seeing the small copper basin that Pomo was holding.
"No, Miss can't sit still and wants to go fishing by the stream. I'm planning to bring some charcoal so I can grill the fish for her." Po Mo smiled sheepishly, hesitated for a moment, and then tentatively asked, "Brother Shu Qing, could you please ask Young Master Yu for some spices?" Po Mo was a little embarrassed when he said this. Seeing this, Shu Qing didn't ask for permission but agreed immediately.
When she came out, Shuqing was carrying a small box.
"Let's go," Shu Qing said, raising her head.
"Huh?" Po Mo asked, puzzled.
Shuqing asked her to lead the way, then said, "My young master said that stream fish have a fishy smell. If you're grilling them, it's best to grind spices like pepper and cloves into powder and apply it. Fifth Miss is a girl, and so are you, so it's not really appropriate to leave the task of grinding spices to you. I'll take a mortar and pestle and grind them for you. Then my young master will come and mix them. Also, the fish that Fifth Miss caught need to be gutted. My young master and I both know how to gut fish."
"If Miss Five finds this inappropriate, then I will kill the fish, grind the spices, and take them back for Young Master to prepare. Then you can come back and take them to Miss Five to grill."
Shuqing's words left room for maneuver, which was exactly what she wanted to do, but she still hesitated on the surface, and finally said in a low voice, "I have to ask Miss for permission."
Po Mo led Shu Qing to the stream, asked Shu Qing to wait there for a moment, and then relayed what Shu Qing had said to Zhu Xuanning.
Zhu Xuanning responded to everything.
So, Shuqing put down the small wooden box and ran to inform Yu Xuan.
"Where is the young marquis?" Yu Xuan asked Shu Qing.
"Young Master, please rest assured. When Master Wei was protecting Miss Zhu after listening to your advice, he deliberately fell. Miss Zhu was frightened and cried, begging the Marquis for help. The rest of the people have gone to visit Master Wei, including Young Master Yan," Shu Qing replied to Yu Xuan.
After listening, Yu Xuan nodded: "Let's go."
They took a detour, and with Wei Xiuqi's help, they quickly reached the stream.
Yu Xuan came from the path by the stream, his gaze unconsciously falling on the silhouettes by the stream.
The setting sun, sinking towards the western mountains, dyed the babbling brook into a flowing, warm ribbon of water. And the young girl sat quietly amidst this flowing, warm gold and lush greenery.
A slender bamboo fishing rod extended diagonally from her side, hovering steadily above the shimmering waves. The fishing line disappeared into the shimmering water, creating only a few almost invisible ripples on the surface.
Zhu Xuanning wore a light pink dress bathed in the glow of the setting sun, her back view slender and graceful. She lowered her head slightly, the afterglow reflecting on her long, drooping eyelashes. The young woman, like a solitary orchid reflected in the water, gazed intently at the shimmering, golden surface of the water before her.
A gentle evening breeze stirred, ruffling her loosely tied hair. A few stray strands of dark hair, like the finest black jade, swayed softly against her fair neck and shoulders.
Yu Xuan's steps unconsciously slowed and softened until he came to a stop. His gentle eyes were filled with the picture composed of the sunset glow, flowing water, green grass, and that simple, unassuming figure. Yu Xuan gazed intently, standing quietly, not daring to move, afraid of disturbing her.
"Miss, Young Master Yu has arrived." The untimely voice broke the tranquility, waking Zhu Xuanning from her dream of shimmering water and clouds. Her long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, and then she slowly turned her face to the side.
The rosy clouds seemed to find their home in that instant, pouring down on her face without reservation. The girl's eyes, which had been lowered, lifted, her clear, stream-like pupils reflecting the fiery sky and the boy's bewildered figure.
She tilted her head back, her cheeks slightly flushed, her delicate beauty, like a pear blossom reflected in water, transformed into a breathtakingly vibrant color by the glow of the sunset.
"Second Brother Yu".
The originally static scene came to life with the girl's smile.
"Fifth Miss." Yu Xuan unconsciously loosened his grip on the small purse he had been holding. He composed himself and bowed to Zhu Xuanning.
He almost lost his composure and blurted out the name "Aheng," but thankfully he did.
Yu Xuan restrained his fluctuating emotions and sat fishing with Zhu Xuanning.
However, there was little to be gained.
Several times the fish took the bait, but when Zhu Xuanning tried to pull them up, she was splashed with water all over her face.
She went from being indifferent at first to puffing up her cheeks in anger later.
Yu Xuan was usually very calm, but looking at the lively and cheerful Zhu Xuanning, he couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.
Hearing this laughter, Zhu Xuanning, who was already feeling down, immediately glared at Yu Xuan.
Yu Xuan coughed lightly, said sorry, and then turned his face away, not daring to look again, afraid that he would still be unable to help but laugh.
Zhu Xuanning shook the fishing rod, her eyes lit up, and then she exclaimed with delight, "Fish! Fish!"
Yu Xuan then turned around. He felt that Zhu Xuanning hadn't been able to pull up the fish several times because the fish were too heavy and she wasn't strong enough, so Yu Xuan decided to help her.
Yu Xuan said "I'm sorry for the offense," and then put his arm around Zhu Xuanning's arm, intending to use force.
Unexpectedly, Zhu Xuanning pulled suddenly, and Yu Xuan also exerted force at the same time. Neither of them could maintain their balance, and instead of catching a fish, they both fell to the ground.
"Miss!" Po Mo cried out in fright and was about to rush over.
Shuqing, being very perceptive, tugged at the sleeve of the ink-splashing girl: "My young master is currently acting as a human cushion for the Fifth Miss, so don't worry, the Fifth Miss won't bump into him."
The expected pain did not come. Zhu Xuanning was held tightly in Yu Xuan's arms, and her entire weight pressed down on Yu Xuan. Yu Xuan slammed his back against the ground with a muffled thud.
His face paled slightly.
Zhu Xuanning was stunned for a moment, then struggled frantically.
Are you alright?
Did you fall?
The two spoke in unison.
Zhu Xuanning's gaze met Yu Xuan's as he slowly sat up. For some reason, Yu Xuan, who had been enduring the pain, burst out laughing.
I've never seen anyone fall down and then laugh out loud despite the pain.
Upon hearing this, Yu Xuan was not angry at all; instead, he laughed even harder.
He reached out his hand to Zhu Xuanning.
Zhu Xuanning hesitated for a moment, but thinking of Yu Xuan's life-saving grace just now, she decided to pull on his sleeve.
Upon seeing this, Yu Xuan said something unusual: "I'm not that light. If you pull on my sleeve, you'll only tear my clothes and then fall on your backside."
"So, hold my hand, okay?" Yu Xuan tilted his head back, his neck arching, and the boy's Adam's apple trembled slightly with his low voice.
Yu Xuan tentatively touched Zhu Xuanning's finger with his fingertip. Zhu Xuanning did not refuse and helplessly said "okay." Then, Yu Xuan took her hand.
He didn't dare to clasp her fingers, but gently held the girl's palm and slowly sat up following her strength.
Zhu Xuanning discarded the bamboo fishing rod aside. After pulling Yu Xuan up, she went around behind him, took out a handkerchief, and used it to wipe the things off his back.
Yu Xuan lowered his head, rested his elbows on his legs, propped his chin up, and happily squinted his eyes.
If he had known that a fall would result in such treatment, he should have used the self-inflicted injury ruse first.
Yu Xuan's gaze shifted to the bamboo fishing rod that still hadn't caught any fish. His eyelashes fluttered slightly, and he seemed lost in thought.
Finally, after a moment of hesitation and a slight struggle, he leaned forward and managed to grab the bamboo fishing rod.
Zhu Xuanning saw it and was wondering why Yu Xuan was staring blankly at the bamboo fishing rod, whether the bamboo fishing rod had a special meaning to him, when Yu Xuan moved.
"Fifth Sister, please hold the fishing rod." The boy's clear voice rang out.
Zhu Xuanning didn't understand, but she did as she was told, holding the bamboo fishing rod with one hand.
Then, Zhu Xuanning's eyes widened.
Yu Xuan carefully held the baited hook in his hand, gently tugged the fishing line, and then looked up at her.
The warm glow of the sunset fell on his gentle, jade-like face, outlining the clear jawline of the young man. His gaze met hers with a calm and focused intensity, as gentle as water, filled with pure tenderness.
"Fifth Miss, if I'm fishing for Yu, I can be a fish too." Yu Xuan's voice was deep and gentle, with a hint of indulgent pampering that was barely perceptible.
Zhu Xuanning unconsciously tightened her grip on the fishing rod, her fingertips turning slightly white. She felt as if the sound of the babbling water and the gentle breeze around her had frozen in that instant.
But Yu Xuan did not stop because of her distraction.
He gazed intently into the girl's slightly bewildered eyes, his gentle voice almost seductive in the moment of ambiguity: "I've taken the bait."
"Therefore, Fifth Sister did not return empty-handed today."
They practically fled in panic.
Shuqing was shocked. He didn't know what the young master, who was always restrained in his emotions, had said that would provoke the Fifth Miss to run away.
He sighed with some worry, but he wasn't worried that Miss Zhu would be in danger, as Master Wei and the people they had secretly arranged were all around her.
Shuqing jogged over, and Yu Xuan asked him, "Bring all the fish that you ordered the servants to catch here."
The scholar should be.
As he returned with the fish and rolled up his sleeves to help the young master process them, Po Mo and Zhu Xuanning returned.
Yu Xuan simply smiled and nodded at Zhu Xuanning, but Zhu Xuanning ignored him and turned her head away.
But Yu Xuan noticed the blush on her fair earlobes, so he lowered his head, suppressed the emotions that were breaking free of their cocoons, and softly hummed a tuneless song.
The boy's gentle and clear voice, like a flute playing a tune of summer lotus and evening breeze, soothed Zhu Xuanning's fluctuating emotions.
She rolled up her sleeves, sat down on a cushion to the side, and watched the master and servant kill the fish while resting her chin on her hand.
The technique is extremely skillful; it feels like you couldn't do it without spending several years cleaning fish in the fish market.
Zhu Xuanning thought about this matter and naturally asked the question.
Shuqing was the first to react. Looking at Miss Zhu Wu, whom he didn't recognize, he really wanted to tell her the truth, but he only dared to think about it.
“I often cook for myself, and the braised rabbit you ate today was also made by me.” Yu Xuan did not answer directly, but instead changed the subject.
Zhu Xuanning felt that the underlying cause of this matter was very important, but she could tell that Yu Xuan did not want to talk about it, so even though she was somewhat unwilling, she could only suppress the issue for the time being.
Seeing this, Yu Xuan simply ordered her to pick some taro leaves to distract her.
A bonfire was lit by the stream, and soon the four of them ate fish wrapped in taro leaves and covered in mud.
Zhu Xuanning got to eat grilled fish. Although she didn't catch it herself, she participated in the work and therefore felt...
This grilled fish was delicious.
She thanked Yu Xuan, as if she had forgotten her previous disheveled escape.
Yu Xuan tacitly avoided mentioning the previous incident and instead asked her, "Give me your hand."
Zhu Xuanning exclaimed "Ah!" and seeing Yu Xuan's very serious expression, she didn't ask why, but obediently did as she was told.
Yu Xuan softened her brows and eyes, took out something wrapped in two layers of handkerchiefs, and then slowly unwrapped the handkerchiefs, carefully placing them in Zhu Xuanning's upward-facing palm.
Zhu Xuanning curiously lifted the handkerchief that had been untied but was still covered, and saw two kinds of sweet bubbles that were different in color and size, lying quietly inside the handkerchief.
Zhu Xuanning stared blankly for a long while, then raised her head and looked blankly at Yu Xuan, who was looking down at her. Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes.
Yu Xuan paused for a moment, then took out a handkerchief and stuffed it into her other hand.
"Wipe it," he said softly.
Zhu Xuanning hastily wiped the tears from her eyes, sniffed, and asked, "Why are you giving me these?"
“Other noble young men are given oranges or lychees; how come you are given such cheap, readily available wild fruits to appease me?”
"Would you like to eat tangerines and lychees? If you want those, my mansion has them all, even the imperial tribute tangerines. Just eat whatever you want," Yu Xuan replied gently.
Zhu Xuanning nodded, and Yu Xuan smiled and said, "Then after we get back to the manor, I'll have Shuqing bring it over for you."
Zhu Xuanning shook her head again: "You've changed the subject again. You still haven't explained why you're giving me these sweet bubbles now."
Yu Xuan remained silent for a moment, then stepped forward. This time, Zhu Xuanning endured his attempt to break through the distance he had been maintaining, and did not show any signs of wanting to flee.
Yu Xuan smiled, pinched the calyx of the sweet bubble with her fingers, and brought it to Zhu Xuanning's lips.
Zhu Xuanning took a bite of a sweet puff pastry, and Yu Xuan then picked up another one and put it in his own mouth.
"Is it sweet?" Yu Xuan asked gently.
Zhu Xuanning nodded, her eyes brimming with tears that threatened to spill over again at his gentle questioning.
“I’m not trying to fob you off. You recognized the embroidery on my handkerchief, and I thought you, like me, loved eating these wild fruits from the mountains, so I specially ordered some to be picked. These are the first fruits of April, and they’re not easy to find. My men searched for a long time and only managed to pick this handful that was edible.”
Zhu Xuanning listened to Yu Xuan's explanation and silently ate a few more fruits.
"Thank you, Second Brother." Zhu Xuanning responded vaguely. She noticed the wavering in her heart, as if a tightly guarded city wall had cracked open, allowing other emotions to flood in.
He's so gentle, he must treat other girls the same way.
Zhu Xuanning thought about it, and then slowly and diligently repaired the crack.
She hid herself inside this turtle shell, trying to prevent herself from being controlled by those emotions.
Zhu Xuanning took a step back to create distance between herself and Yu Xuan, then sat down cross-legged and ate the sweet puffs one by one.
Yu Xuan noticed that pink juice had stained the girl's delicate lips, so he handed her a handkerchief and gently told her to wipe it off.
Zhu Xuanning's eyes were no longer wet with tears. She blushed as she accepted the gift. Yu Xuan watched her carefully crafted act of shyness and bashfulness and sighed inwardly.
"Second Brother Yu, it's time to go back." After washing her hands, Zhu Xuanning said to Yu Xuan.
"Let's wait a little longer," Yu Xuan said, glancing at the sky.
Zhu Xuanning thought about it for a moment, but still hesitated. They had been out for quite a while, and Zhu Xuanning was afraid that others would become suspicious.
"Don't worry, it won't happen." Yu Xuan seemed to have seen through Zhu Xuanning's worries and reassured her.
He knew his casual reassurances weren't convincing, so he explained what had happened before he came out.
"It will be ready in a little while, it won't take long. Consider it my treat to fish, your way of repaying me." Since Yu Xuan had already said so much, Zhu Xuanning couldn't refuse anymore, especially since she had come for Yu Xuan's sake.
Zhu Xuanning remembered the letter Yu Xuan had written four days ago, but she hadn't asked about it because of other topics. The two of them were silent, staring at the flickering firelight. Zhu Xuanning felt that now was the right time, so she asked, "Second Brother Yu said he had something to give me. What is it?"
"Could it be the sweet foam from earlier?" Zhu Xuanning's gaze shifted from the firelight to Yu Xuan's profile, her eyes revealing a timely hint of girlish curiosity that softened anyone's heart.
“No,” Yu Xuan replied, then stirred the firewood to make the campfire burn brighter.
It was still a bit chilly at the foot of the mountain at night.
Yu Xuan noticed Zhu Xuanning's subtle movements out of the corner of his eye and was relieved to find that she didn't feel cold.
"I asked you to wait a little longer because I wanted to give you this gift." Yu Xuan's words made Zhu Xuanning, who had only been pretending to be curious, truly curious.
She couldn't think of any gift that had to wait until it got darker to be given.
Zhu Xuanning blinked, feeling that her time to shine had come.
She grabbed Yu Xuan's arm, a gesture so intimate that it made Yu Xuan stiffen.
Yu Xuan knew what she was going to do next.
Sure enough, just like when she was a child, Ah Heng hugged his arm, gently swayed it, and said in a soft voice, "Second Brother Yu, tell me."
Little brother, please, don't tell my mother.
Yu Xuan was momentarily dazed, then pressed down on her fingers that were reaching up to him, and whispered, "No."
no.
Zhu Xuanning snorted, let go of his hand, sat down far away from him, propped her arms up, rested her chin on her hand, and went off to sulk.
Yu Xuan looked at her from afar, his gentle gaze veiled by a thin mist, but Zhu Xuanning was so engrossed in her own pretense that she didn't notice Yu Xuan's expression at all.
Zhu Xuanning waited patiently for a long time, and the color of the world finally began to darken.
"It's already dark, and it's still not ready?" Zhu Xuanning couldn't help but strike up a conversation with Yu Xuan.
"Alright," Yu Xuan replied softly.
He noticed that Zhu Xuanning's eyes lit up, and she looked around like a curious little animal.
"Where?" Zhu Xuanning asked, puzzled.
How come she didn't see anything?
Yu Xuan didn't answer, but instead took down the small flute hanging from his waist and started playing it casually.
It's a very casual melody, yet it's melodious and pleasant to listen to.
Zhu Xuanning listened quietly, but felt somewhat disappointed.
Just as she was feeling disappointed, fireflies began to twinkle in the deepening twilight.
At first, only a few faint lights floated timidly in the depths of the outer grass, as weak as embers about to be extinguished by a slight breeze.
But gradually, those tiny specks of light silently gathered toward the stream where they were, as if drawn by invisible threads, weaving a flowing net of light under the dark sky.
Zhu Xuanning looked up, staring blankly, and unconsciously reached out her hand, but dared not touch the pulsating fluorescent light.
She snapped out of her daze, her gaze involuntarily falling on the boy who had brought the sky full of fireflies.
Yu Xuan had put down the flute from his lips. He stood there quietly with a smile, gazing at her as he walked through the flickering fireflies.
The faint glow illuminated the boy's trembling eyelashes. He took a step forward, his voice soft and gentle, but he suppressed the words he had been wanting to say: "Fifth Miss."
Zhu Xuanning's eyes flickered as she quietly watched him.
His gaze was fixed on her, and a slow smile appeared on his lips: "Happy birthday."
Yu Xuan spoke softly, his tone carrying an unprecedented gentleness.
Zhu Xuanning noticed that her eyes welled up with tears several times today while she was with Yu Xuan.
She opened her mouth, then choked out, "I only mentioned it casually in the letter, and you took it to heart?"
Zhu Xuanning felt that this test made her certain that she believed what Po Mo had said before, that Yu Xuan was indeed interested in her.
Actually, no. Yu Xuan knew that today was not her birthday. He remembered her birthday during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but she didn't like celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival or her own birthday, so she took her mother's birthday as her own.
Yu Xuan didn't answer yes or no, but instead lowered his head and untied the small purse that he always wore around his waist.
As the fragrant breeze stirred, Yu Xuan approached Zhu Xuanning and then reached out his hand.
Zhu Xuanning obediently stretched out her hand, and then Yu Xuan, holding the thin tassel of the small purse, placed it in Zhu Xuanning's hand.
Yu Xuan, as if coaxing a child to be happy, lowered his eyelashes and said, "Gift, open it and see."
Zhu Xuanning thought the fireflies in the sky were the gift, so she didn't realize what was happening. She paused for a moment before untying the purse.
Inside the purse was a small, black wooden box. Zhu Xuanning could tell that it was made of the same material as the wooden box that Yu Xuan had given her to store ambergris last time.
Zhu Xuanning pulled open the lid of the small wooden box with a "click," and then saw a soft, lustrous white light quietly flowing out from the dark wooden box.
A small, exquisite jade cicada rests quietly on the velvet.
Its texture is top-grade mutton fat jade, without a single impurity, presenting a warm, restrained, and creamy luster.
The cicada's form was meticulously sculpted by its creator, making it appear lifelike. It slightly raises its little head, its two thin, almost transparent jade wings trembling, perfectly natural as a real cicada.
Zhu Xuanning's fingertips hovered above the box, and she hesitated to touch it for a moment.
"Do you think it's cute?" Yu Xuan asked her softly, becoming a little nervous.
He cared about Zhu Xuanning's opinion. If she found it unlovable or disliked it, he planned to throw away the jade cicada and make a new one.
“Not cute,” Zhu Xuanning replied.
Yu Xuan paused for a moment, then reached out to take the jade cicada back.
"What are you doing?" Zhu Xuanning grabbed Yu Xuan's outstretched hand and asked.
"Bring the jade cicada back," Yu Xuan answered Zhu Xuanning truthfully.
"Why are you taking it back? You already gave it to me, are you going to go back on your word?" Zhu Xuanning deliberately pressed.
"No." Yu Xuan's gentle eyes revealed a hint of embarrassment as she lowered her voice, "I thought you didn't like it, so I wanted to take it back and give you a new one."
Zhu Xuanning was both amused and exasperated upon hearing this, and said reproachfully, "How can you take back a gift after giving it? Even if I don't like it, once you gave it to me, it's mine, and I have the right to dispose of it. I won't give it to you."
Yu Xuan was delighted to hear this, and then carefully asked her, "Even if you don't like this jade cicada, will you still put it away properly?"
"Yes." Zhu Xuanning nodded, her gaze falling on the jade cicada that looked somewhat silly. The more she looked at it, the more pleasing it seemed to her. "I just didn't find it cute at first glance. How do you know I won't grow to like it after looking at it for a while?"
Yu Xuan raised his other hand, covered his chest, lowered his head, and smiled.
He knew that Aheng was referring to the jade cicada he had given her, so did that mean that Aheng was open to feelings developing over time?
As Yu Xuan pondered this matter, his thoughts drifted away.
Yu Xuan only came to his senses when he felt his wrist, which was being held by Zhu Xuanning, being gently tugged.
"What's wrong with your hands?" Zhu Xuanning noticed that Yu Xuan's hands were rougher than usual. She pulled Yu Xuan's hands closer to her eyes and took a closer look before realizing the abnormality.
On the inner sides of the base of his index and middle fingers, there were several small, deep red dots, like marks left by an accidental puncture from a very fine needle or a sharp carving knife. Some of them seemed to have just healed, leaving light brown marks.
These hands don't resemble those of a penman or a flute player at all; they look more like those of a seasoned craftsman.
The moment Yu Xuan's gaze fell upon the wound, he tried to pull his hand back.
He subconsciously curled his fingers, trying to hide the painful marks, a rare look of embarrassment and awkwardness flashing across his face.
"It's nothing...just a minor injury." His voice was a little strained as he tried to downplay it.
He did all this not to make her feel sorry for him; he just wanted to personally craft a beautiful gift for her and make her happy.
But Zhu Xuanning was unwilling to let go. Not only did she not release her grip, she also put down the small wooden box containing the jade cicada and covered it with her other hand.
She finally had a legitimate opportunity to be in contact with Yu Xuan. Zhu Xuanning's two hands tightly wrapped around Yu Xuan's wrists and palms, which were trying to back away. The force was so great that it carried an irresistible stubbornness and a hint of annoyance that even Zhu Xuanning herself did not realize.
The girl's fingertips could clearly feel the rough scars and unhealed wounds on his fingertips, and the slightly cool touch made Yu Xuan's body stiffen slightly.
"Don't move!" she snapped, unusually angry.
Then, without saying a word, he pulled Yu Xuan quickly to a relatively flat large rock by the stream and forcefully pressed him down to sit on the rock.
Yu Xuan was still a little confused. He didn't know how he had been so obediently led to this place.
"Fortunately, I boiled water before eating the fish."
By the time Yu Xuan realized what was happening, he heard Zhu Xuanning say those words, and then Po Mo brought over some lukewarm water that had cooled down.
Zhu Xuanning untied the sachet she always carried, took out a clean little cloth and another purse containing a small bottle, and then squatted down.
Yu Xuan looked at the girl who was squatting in front of him, almost touching his knees.
He pursed his lips, and seeing Zhu Xuanning's nervous expression, the awkwardness in his heart was washed away by an indescribable bittersweet warmth. He stopped struggling, and simply lowered his eyes, quietly looking at the top of her dark hair.
Zhu Xuanning washed his hands with warm water, dried them, and then uncorked the medicine bottle.
She carefully poured some pale yellow powder onto her fingertips, then gently dipped the powder in and applied it little by little to Yu's hands, which were covered with tiny scars.
Her movements were very gentle, as if she were afraid of hurting him.
Yu Xuan didn't feel any pain; instead, each touch from the girl brought him a subtle itch. She lowered her head, her long eyelashes drooping, concealing the turbulent emotions in her eyes, only her tightly pursed lips betraying her focus.
Yu Xuan let her do as she pleased, his gaze fixed on her lowered eyes.
The stream flowed gently behind them, and fireflies still danced silently around them in the twilight, like countless tiny, gentle stars.
Yu Xuan smelled the scents in the air: the bitterness of herbs, the moisture of the stream, the fragrance of plants, and a faint, sweet fragrance from her hair.
The girl was carefully and attentively bandaging the wound on his hand.
Ah Heng.
Yu Xuan silently murmured the name in his heart, his eyes welling up with tears again.
Even if you approached me with a specific purpose, you were still so gentle. How could I bear to let you go?
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