Old items are photographed in vain.
The academy was exceptionally quiet in the afternoon, with only the rustling of sycamore leaves outside the window. Mo Xiaoyu was tidying up the bookshelves, and as her fingertips ran over the yellowed pages, she suddenly touched a familiar pattern—it was the sandalwood box she had found yesterday.
Her fingers lingered on the box lid, a strange, indescribable flutter rising in her heart. Just as she hesitated whether to open it again, laughter and chatter drifted from outside the courtyard gate.
Is Brother Xie there?
Looking through the window, she saw three or five scholars enter the courtyard, the one in the lead being Li Xiuyuan, the son of the county magistrate. Xie Yunzhi came out of his study to greet them, his blue robe fluttering gently in the breeze. In that instant, Mo Xiaoyu seemed to see again the white-robed deity standing by the Jade Pool.
"Brother Li, what brings you here today?"
"I came specifically to invite Brother Xie to tomorrow's poetry gathering," Li Xiuyuan said with a smile, patting him on the shoulder. "You can't refuse this time. I heard Miss Lin will also be there; she specifically asked about you."
Mo Xiaoyu paused slightly as she wiped the bookshelf. The name "Miss Lin" felt like a fine needle, gently pricking her heart. She had heard this name more than once these past few days. Lin Wan'er, the daughter of the town's governor, was beautiful and talented, the object of admiration for countless scholars in Qingshui Town.
"Brother Li is too kind," Xie Yunzhi said in a flat tone, revealing no emotion.
"How can this be a joke?" Li Xiuyuan lowered his voice, just enough for everyone in the courtyard to hear, "Lord Lin greatly admires you. If this marriage could be arranged..."
At this moment, Li Xiuyuan's gaze fell on Mo Xiaoyu: "Who is this young lady?"
"This is Miss Mo, temporarily residing in my humble abode." Xie Yunzhi stepped aside. "Miss Mo, this is Young Master Li."
Mo Xiaoyu curtsied, but Li Xiuyuan looked her over thoughtfully. "So this is the girl everyone's been talking about in town lately." His gaze swept over her, filled with obvious curiosity and scrutiny. "Indeed, she has an extraordinary air about her."
These words carried a deeper meaning. The scholars exchanged glances, and one coughed softly. Mo Xiaoyu lowered her head, feeling her cheeks burning. She had heard the rumors circulating these past few days—that Xie Yunzhi had taken in a woman of unknown origin, and some even speculated about their relationship.
"If Brother Li has nothing else to say, why don't we go to the study to talk?" Xie Yunzhi interrupted at the right moment, his tone still calm, but Mo Xiaoyu noticed that his fingertips were slightly clenched—a small gesture Yunxi made when he was controlling his emotions.
"Wait a moment." Li Xiuyuan suddenly took out a jade pendant from his sleeve. "Brother Xie, please take a look. This is a new piece of Hetian jade I acquired."
The jade pendant was entirely emerald green, carved with exquisite coiled dragon patterns. The moment Mo Xiaoyu's gaze fell upon the jade pendant, the genuine jade pendant in her arms suddenly became hot, and a familiar tremor spread throughout her body. This feeling was even stronger than yesterday, as if some sealed memory was awakening.
"Indeed, it is of superior quality." Xie Yunzhi commented calmly, his gaze lingering on the jade pendant for a moment.
"How does it compare to the one passed down in Brother Xie's family?" Li Xiuyuan asked deliberately, a hint of provocation in his eyes. "I've heard that the Xie family's jade pendant was a gift from the previous dynasty, priceless indeed."
Mo Xiaoyu's heart skipped a beat. She saw Xie Yunzhi's fingers tighten again, that familiar little gesture reminding her of a thousand years ago—whenever she did something wrong, Yunxi would always calmly restrain his emotions and gently teach her.
"My family heirloom is nothing compared to Brother Li's new jade." Xie Yunzhi smiled slightly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Brother Xie, there's no need for such modesty." Li Xiuyuan toyed with the jade pendant in his hand, deliberately raising his voice, "Who doesn't know that the Xie family produced a Hanlin scholar in their ancestry? That jade pendant was a gift from the Emperor. Speaking of which, why have I never seen Brother Xie wear it? Could it be... that you can't bear to part with it?"
At this moment, a scholar interjected, "I've heard that Brother Xie intends to leave that jade pendant to his future wife." As he spoke, he gave Mo Xiaoyu a meaningful look.
The crowd burst into laughter, and someone joked, "So, Brother Xie is waiting for his destined one? I wonder if this destined one is a lady from a prominent family like Miss Lin, or..." His gaze seemed to drift towards Mo Xiaoyu.
Mo Xiaoyu lowered her head, her fingertips unconsciously twisting the sash of her clothes. She remembered that a thousand years ago, Yun Xi always wore that jade pendant close to his body. Once, she was curious and wanted to touch it, but he gently pushed her away, his fingertips lingering on the back of her hand for a moment: "This thing is connected to my soul, it cannot be touched lightly." At that time, his eyes were gentle and complicated, as if they contained unspeakable thoughts.
Now, the replica of this jade pendant is kept on a high shelf, becoming a "family heirloom" that can be discussed at will, and even a topic of conversation for others to tease him about.
"You're all joking," Xie Yunzhi said calmly, but Mo Xiaoyu noticed his brow furrow almost imperceptibly. "It's just an ordinary old thing, nothing worth mentioning."
Li Xiuyuan, however, refused to give up: "Since Brother Xie doesn't value it, why not transfer it to me? My father is a great collector of antique jade, he'll surely be able to offer a good price." He stepped forward, lowering his voice, "If Brother Xie is willing, I can put in a good word for you with Lord Lin..."
Mo Xiaoyu's heart clenched. She saw Xie Yunzhi's fingers tighten into a fist, a restrained gesture that almost made her blurt out—No, that's Yunxi's most important thing! It's the keepsake she's seen him wear close to his body for the past thousand years!
Just then, the jade pendant in his arms suddenly became intensely hot, and a clear memory flooded his mind—
Yunxi stood alone by the Jade Pool, the moonlight casting a silvery glow upon him. He clutched the jade pendant in his hand, his fingertips gently tracing its patterns, his eyes filled with a sorrow she had never seen before. "If only I could do it all over again..." he whispered, his voice breaking in the wind, "I would never let you suffer the slightest injustice..."
In the scene, Yunxi slowly raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through a thousand years, looking straight into her heart. At that moment, Mo Xiaoyu clearly saw the tears glistening in the corners of his eyes.
"I'm sorry, it's a family heirloom, so it's not convenient to transfer it." Xie Yunzhi's voice pulled her back to reality.
This answer made Li Xiuyuan's face darken. He twirled the jade pendant in his hand and suddenly looked at Mo Xiaoyu: "Miss Mo, what do you think of this jade?"
She hadn't expected the topic to suddenly shift to her, and paused for a moment before saying, "This servant doesn't understand jade."
"No need for modesty." Li Xiuyuan pressed on, "I see that Miss Mo has an extraordinary temperament and must have seen the world. Why don't you tell me, is my jade better, or the one that Brother Xie inherited?" His gaze was sharp, as if he wanted to see through her heart.
All eyes were on her. Mo Xiaoyu felt a wave of suffocation; the jade pendant in her arms grew hotter and hotter, as if it were burning her heart. How should she answer? Should she say that the most beautiful jade in the world was the one that remained forever warm and smooth on the chest of that white-robed deity? Should she say that the jade pendant had witnessed their thousand-year companionship and carried his final smile?
"Brother Li, why make things difficult for a young lady?" Xie Yunzhi spoke up at the opportune moment, but this time, his voice carried a clear displeasure. "Miss Mo, go and make some tea."
She felt as if she had been granted a pardon and hurriedly withdrew. While preparing tea and snacks in the kitchen, she could still hear laughter and conversation coming from the courtyard.
"Brother Xie is truly chivalrous..."
"But this girl is indeed beautiful; no wonder Brother Xie..."
"I've heard she has no relatives or friends. Brother Xie, it wouldn't be unreasonable to take her as a concubine..."
As she returned to the courtyard with the tea tray, she overheard Li Xiuyuan saying, "...Brother Xie, you should make plans for Lord Lin as soon as possible. If you can satisfy Miss Lin, my father might be able to put in a good word for me with the Provincial Education Commissioner next year."
Xie Yunzhi took the teacup she offered, their fingertips brushing against each other unintentionally. This time, his fingers were cooler than usual, but the instant they touched, the jade pendant in his pocket suddenly ignited with intense heat, and another memory flooded back—
Yunxi knelt before the Heavenly Emperor, holding the jade pendant in both hands: "I wish to use this jade as a pledge, in exchange for her lifelong peace." His forehead pressed against the cold ground, his voice choked with emotion, "Even if she never knows... I will have no regrets."
"The imperial examinations still depend on genuine talent and learning," Xie Yunzhi said calmly, seemingly oblivious to the strangeness that had just occurred. But Mo Xiaoyu noticed that his fingertips were trembling slightly.
"Brother Xie, that's too old-fashioned," Li Xiuyuan shook his head. "There's a world of difference between having someone to mentor you and studying hard on your own. Besides, Miss Lin is both beautiful and talented; countless people would kill for her."
Another scholar chuckled, "I think Miss Mo is quite nice too, gentle and virtuous, a good match for Brother Xie. If Brother Xie is interested, taking her as a concubine wouldn't be out of the question..."
The courtyard fell silent immediately upon hearing this. All eyes darted back and forth between Xie Yunzhi and Mo Xiaoyu.
Mo Xiaoyu lowered her head, feeling her cheeks burning. She could feel Xie Yunzhi's gaze linger on her for a moment, a complex and unreadable look, before she heard his calm yet firm voice:
"Miss Mo is a guest; please do not speak carelessly and tarnish her reputation."
His protectiveness warmed her heart, but the word "guest" made her heart sink again. It turned out that in his eyes, she was always just a temporary guest, no different from other travelers who came to ask for lodging.
After seeing the guests off, the courtyard suddenly fell silent. The setting sun cast long shadows of the two people.
Xie Yunzhi stood beneath the sycamore tree in the courtyard, gazing absently at the sunset. Mo Xiaoyu silently tidied the tea set; the jade pendant in her bosom still radiated warmth, a warmth that reminded her of the fragments of memories that had just surfaced—Yunxi's tears, his vows, his unwavering devotion…
"Miss Mo," he suddenly spoke, his voice tinged with weariness, "I'm going to a poetry gathering tomorrow, so there's no need to clean the study."
She nodded gently: "Yes."
A gentle breeze rustled the sycamore leaves. He turned to look at her, his gaze deep. "You don't need to take Mr. Li's words to heart." He paused, then added, "And those rumors about Miss Lin too."
She didn't know how to respond, and could only nod again. At that moment, she clearly felt the distance between them. Those suddenly emerging fragments of memory, the throbbing of the jade pendant that only she could feel, and the discussions about the marriage all became invisible barriers standing between them.
As night deepened, she returned to her room and took out the replica jade pendant. The icy touch contrasted sharply with the warmth of the genuine piece in her arms, much like their current relationship—one filled with burning memories, the other with only cold oblivion.
She gently stroked the patterns on the jade pendant and suddenly understood something: some distances cannot be bridged by persistence alone. Just like this jade pendant, no matter how similar it looks, it is ultimately not the original. And tomorrow's poetry gathering, with the talented and beautiful Miss Lin, will make this distance even clearer, even more despairing.
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