Chapter 241 - Peach Blossom Forest
Chu Linyuan's ears instantly turned red, his eyes darkened, and his arms tightened, holding the person tightly in his arms, his voice low and hoarse: "...Behave yourself."
Xie Zhao was hugged by him, feeling his suddenly accelerated heartbeat and the changes in his body, and smiled triumphantly, like a little fox that had successfully stolen some meat, but he stopped moving around and nestled in his arms peacefully, listening to his strong heartbeat and watching the scenery passing by outside the window.
As the carriage traveled eastward, it would occasionally encounter fellow caravans or dusty travelers.
Anyone who saw this obviously expensive carriage and the two people and one bear with extraordinary temperament faintly visible in the carriage would cast curious or envious glances.
Even the enthusiastic team leader greeted through the car window and invited them to join him, but was silently rejected by Chu Linyuan with a cold look.
There were also minor incidents along the way. One time, the carriage wheel got stuck in a mud pit. The driver was anxious, but Chu Linyuan simply raised his hand and flicked a barely perceptible sword energy, and the wheel easily freed itself, leaving the driver stunned.
Another time, he encountered a few ignorant thieves blocking the road. Before Xie Zhao could take out the talisman, the thieves were frightened by the cold murderous intent emanating from Chu Linyuan, which was as tangible as a substance, and they ran away in a hurry.
Most of the time, the journey was peaceful and warm. Xie Zhao would brew the spiritual tea he brought with him, drink it with Chu Linyuan, and chat about endless topics.
GunGun lay on the cushion, holding his bamboo shoot toy and enjoying himself.
The further east we went, the stronger the fragrance of flowers in the air became. One day, the carriage entered a hilly area and passed a mountain pass. The scenery before us suddenly opened up!
In the valley ahead, peach blossoms were in full bloom all over the mountains, alternating between pink and white, layer upon layer, like a huge pink brocade covering the sky and the earth.
The breeze blew, and the petals fell like a drizzle, creating a dreamlike beauty. The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of peach blossoms, refreshing the heart.
"We're here! Yunxia Peach Forest!" Xie Zhao shouted excitedly, jumped off the carriage holding Gungun in his arms, and rushed towards the sea of flowers impatiently.
Chu Linyuan followed behind him, watching his joyful figure in the peach blossom rain. The flying petals fell on his dark robe and silver hair. The cold lake in his heart seemed to be dyed by this gentle pink, rippling out circles.
The branches of the peach trees were vigorous, and the blossoms were so dense that they almost obscured the sky, letting in only tiny specks of golden light. Underfoot was the soft earth, covered with a thick layer of fallen petals, making no sound when stepped on.
"Wow!" Xie Zhao raised his head and spun around, letting the petals fall on his hair and shoulders. His cheeks flushed with excitement, even more gorgeous than peach blossoms. "So beautiful! Brother! Look!"
Chu Linyuan followed him slowly. His black clothes stood out in the pink and white rain of flowers, yet he also blended strangely into this quiet and gentle atmosphere.
He watched Xie Zhao wandering through the woods like a child, sometimes standing on tiptoe to smell the flowers on the high branches, and sometimes shaking the tree trunks with evil intentions, causing a denser rain of petals to cover him and the baby in his arms.
Gungun was incredibly curious when he arrived in his new environment. He struggled out of Xie Zhao's arms and, with his short legs turned inward, ran happily across the carpet of fallen flowers, sniffing the fragrance with his black nose. Occasionally, he would try to bite a falling petal, but always miss and fall flat on his back. Then, he would get up in a daze, shake his head, and continue chasing. His naive appearance made several little girls playing nearby laugh.
"Brother, come quickly! The view here is the best!" Xie Zhao ran to a place with slightly higher terrain and a wide view, and waved excitedly to Chu Linyuan.
Chu Linyuan walked over and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. From this point, the peach forest was like a sea, layer upon layer, extending to the foot of the distant mountains. Where the wind blew, the waves of flowers surged, a spectacular sight.
Xie Zhao leaned against Chu Linyuan's side and pointed at the pavilions and towers that were faintly visible in the distance. "There seems to be another sea of flowers over there. Shall we go take a look later?"
"Yeah." Chu Linyuan responded, but his eyes fell on the tip of Xie Zhao's nose, which was stained with pollen and slightly red. He reached out and gently brushed it away for him.
At this moment, an old man sitting on a small stool with an easel in front of him attracted their attention.
The old man, with white hair and beard, and an elegant demeanor, was painting on rice paper. The focal point of his painting was Chu Linyuan and Xie Zhao standing beneath the peach tree, and Gungun, who was trying to hug a giant peach petal at their feet!
In the picture, a stern man in black clothes stood tall and straight, his silver hair like frost, and his eyes, though not drawn, seemed to contain eternal ice and snow;
Xie Zhao, who was standing beside him, happened to be wearing a scarlet casual suit today. The lively young man had a beautiful smile and his peach blossom eyes curved into crescents. He was looking at the man sideways, his eyes filled with unreserved dependence and joy.
A black and white cub of the iron-eating beast lies adorably among the fallen flowers, adding infinite vitality and interest to the picture.
The peach petals flying all over the sky are depicted vividly, as if you can smell the rich fragrance.
"What a great painting!" Xie Zhao couldn't help but exclaim in surprise and pulled Chu Linyuan over.
The old man looked up at the sound and saw the real person in the painting. A trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. He stroked his beard and smiled, "You two young masters are both extremely graceful. This spirit beast is also rare. I am delighted to see it and can't help but feel itchy. I hope you will forgive me for any abruptness."
"The old man's painting skills are extraordinary. He made us look better than real people!" Xie Zhao said with a smile, moving closer to admire it carefully. "Especially this rolling ball. It's so lifelike!"
Chu Linyuan also nodded slightly as a gesture of acknowledgment. Although he disliked being portrayed, this painting certainly captured Xie Zhao's spirit, especially his lively and agile demeanor.
Seeing that they liked it, the old man was even happier: "If you two don't mind, this painting will be given to you, and it will complete our fate today."
Xie Zhao was overjoyed and thanked him quickly. He carefully took the painting with the ink still wet, and decided to frame it well and hang it in the main hall after returning.
After bidding farewell to the old painter, the two of them, along with Gungun, continued to go deeper into the peach forest. As Xie Zhao had said, the edge of the peach forest connected to a vaster sea of flowers.
Flowers of all colors compete with each other in beauty, the dreamy purple of lavender, the rich and gorgeous tulips, the star-like romance of daisies...interwoven into a gorgeous ocean of colors.
In the center of the sea of flowers, a crystal clear pond is like a sapphire inlaid in it. A small and exquisite white jade arch bridge spans it. The bridge is crowded with tourists and the noise of laughter.
They stepped onto the small bridge and leaned over the railing to gaze into the distance. Koi fish frolicked in the pond, occasionally leaping out of the water and stirring up ripples.
On the other side of the bridge, children were chasing butterflies, their silver bell-like laughter filling the flowers.
There was a young couple cuddling on a bench, whispering sweet nothings;
There were also several students in Confucian robes, drinking and writing poetry in the pavilion, looking very elegant.
[Something big happened at home recently, so I can't stop updating. I'm really sorry! I hope everyone cherishes the people around them!]
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