Chapter 9 A guilty conscience; I don't know whose hairpin fell into my possession...
"Young lady, please try this fragrant drink; it's all homemade," a gentle woman with a headscarf called out from the roadside.
Sang Wan and Zhui Ming strolled around for most of the day, and it was already quite late. There were very few people left at the lantern festival.
The woman looked tired, and although she was not very old, she already had a few strands of gray hair. Her clothes were stained with a slightly bitter medicinal scent, but her eyes were gentle and bright, making it hard to refuse her.
Sang Wan took the bamboo cup from her hand. The woman's voice was a little hoarse from years of hawking her wares. "Try it and see if you like it."
The cup holds a pink drink, clear and dreamy. Taking a sip, I found it sweet and sour, with a hint of leafy fragrance. The bamboo cup is decorated with simple leaf drawings, making it both elegant and delicious.
Seeing her curious expression, Aunt Yang smiled and explained, "This is perilla drink. Here we also have snow-soaked bean water, ginger and honey drink, and Wuling powder..."
Following her voice, Sang Wan scanned the beautiful simple drawings one by one until she saw the delicate clusters of flowers. Her slender, pale fingers picked up the bamboo cup. "This is osmanthus!"
"This is osmanthus and pear drink, made with homemade osmanthus honey."
Seeing how much she liked it, Zhuiming smiled and nodded to the woman, "I'll take this." Then, he casually picked up a few more bamboo tubes, along with the perilla water that Sang Wan had already tasted.
Apart from the osmanthus and pear drink in Sang Wan's hand and the bamboo tube drink in Zhui Ming's hand, the rest of the drinks were tied together by Aunt Yang with hemp rope.
Zhuiming lifted the rope by the end, and a string of bamboo tubes made a crisp clanging sound. With his other hand, he took out the money bag, which had become even emptier since meeting Sangwan.
Sang Wan, holding a cup of sweet osmanthus drink, backed away from Zhui Ming and said, "Shall we go for a walk by the river before going home?"
"How dare I say it's bad?" His tone carried a hint of nonchalance, yet also a touch of doting affection that he himself didn't realize.
Two people who seem mismatched to the world have an atmosphere between them that no one can interfere with.
Aunt Yang watched their backs for a long time. She had also come from this time. She shook her head with a smile, thinking how wonderful it would be if her son could get better soon and find such a beautiful daughter-in-law.
She bent down to feel for the copper coin at the other end, but instead of finding the familiar shape, she found several taels of silver.
She stared at the few taels of silver for a long time, then tried to chase after them, but the two had already disappeared.
Zhuiming and Sangwan walked along the river, drinking beverages and admiring the scenery. Lotus lanterns floated on the river, their twinkling lights illuminating the dark river.
The surrounding area was deserted, and the lively lantern festival had given way to a quiet night.
Sang Wan's osmanthus and pear drink became a bit too sweet after drinking too much, so she started eyeing the cup in Zhui Ming's hand.
"Cui Lüshang, please hold this for me."
Zhui Ming was confused, but he still subconsciously took the bamboo cup.
He held a cup in each hand, looking like a waiter in a tavern.
Before he could think it through, Sang Wan took his bamboo cup in both hands. Because Zhui Ming was holding it, Sang Wan's delicate and smooth hands also enveloped Zhui Ming's fingers.
His hand was burning hot. Normally, a martial artist's hand should be very steady, let alone someone like Zhui Ming. But when Sang Wan grasped it, his hand trembled slightly for a moment.
Because of that momentary lapse in concentration, Sang Wan's lips were already very close to the bamboo cup.
not good!
Zhuiming realized what was happening and quickly broke free, raising his hand.
But it was too late. As soon as you got close, the aroma of wine, which carried the scent of plum blossoms, hit you.
"Cui! Lü! Shang!"
He secretly drank plum wine right in front of me! How utterly despicable!
Zhui Ming, looking up at the sky and down at the ground, said, "Well, there's really nothing I can do about it."
The scene instantly descended into chaos.
Seeing Sang Wan's sullen face, Zhui Ming quickly comforted her, "Don't be angry. Didn't you buy a blessing ribbon? It's so late, go and hang it up."
As she spoke, she tugged at the red silk ribbon tied around her wrist.
"A blessing ribbon?" Sang Wan looked at Zhui Ming with suspicion.
This red ribbon was originally for praying for blessings. She thought of the prayer sutra that Zhui Ming recited when he was seriously injured, and her eyes hardened. "I need to pray for blessings!"
Zhuiming finally let out a breath.
At the end of the river stands a century-old tree, its trunk and branches densely bound with red ribbons, some of which are cracked and faded, while others are brand new and fluttering in the wind.
This is a tree that has stood for thousands of years, witnessing the changes of generation after generation, and carrying the wishes of countless people in their youth.
Because of these hopes and beliefs, this tree has even accumulated some spiritual energy, foreshadowing that it will accompany many more people through the long years to come.
Sang Wan stood beneath the tree, red ribbons fluttering in the breeze. She casually grasped a few; the writing on them was slightly faded, reading, 'May all your heart's desires be fulfilled.'
'May my parents be safe and healthy.'
"I wish to grow old with my beloved and never be parted."
On this tree, one can almost see a miniature version of all aspects of life.
Under the tree was a small wooden table with peeling paint, and a small stone was placed under the table legs. On top of the table was a new inkstone.
“Let’s write two lines and hang them up!” Sang Wan excitedly picked up a slightly forked brush, but when she reached the end, she didn’t know what to write.
"Cui Lueshang, why don't you write first?" Sang Wan handed the brush to Zhui Ming with both hands, looking ingratiating, wanting to see what he would write.
Zhui Ming gladly accepted it, and with a wave of his hand, four bold characters appeared on the ribbon.
May the country be prosperous and the people at peace.
Sang Wan guessed that Zhui Ming would probably write a vision with lofty ideals, because that's Zhui Ming, that's the real Zhui Ming.
But seeing that he had only written this much still made me feel a little upset. I got up and left, walking under the tree to look through other people's prayers.
After thoroughly examining all the prayer ribbons he could find below, he took the ribbon and brush and, as if guarding against a vengeful spirit, stood far away from him, leaning against the rough tree trunk, and wrote: "May Cui Lueshang live a long and healthy life."
There was nothing she could do; in this world, she only knew one person, Cui Lüshang.
Sang Wan thought angrily, and even used her spiritual energy to tie the ribbon to the top of the tree.
Cui Lueshang doesn't want to see this!
Zhui Ming watched her whining as she wrote a prayer ribbon; anyone who didn't know better would think she was writing a grudge ribbon.
He casually tied his prayer ribbon at a hole before walking over to Sang Wan.
Such things as blessing ribbons are generally only believed in by young boys and girls. Zhui Ming is already over thirty years old, and in the past, he wouldn't even glance at such things, let alone write them down or hang them up himself.
If he wanted peace and prosperity for the country, he would serve the court and speak up for the people himself, instead of placing his hopes on vague prayer ribbons.
However, because the people around him are different, Zhuiming, who never goes to lantern festivals and only drinks heavily, will accompany people to see lanterns and eat snacks together. He can be described as childish as competing with others in pitch-pot, guessing riddles, and hanging blessing ribbons.
I just hope that the cheerful little girl can be happy.
This carefree person, who often seems to enjoy life to the fullest, always finds it hard to extricate himself from matters of the heart.
A gust of wind blew by, and the ribbon with the hastily written words "Peace and Prosperity for the Nation" swirled in the air, the line of small characters on the back disappearing in an instant.
We await the next person destined to open this corner of the prayer ribbon.
Seeing the way she was walking with effort, Zhuiming knew that she was upset again.
I pondered for a moment what I might have done to upset my little darling, but to no avail.
He could only sigh and take out a carved wooden box from his pocket. "Here, I don't know whose hairpin it is, but it's been left here."
His tone carried a hint of sarcasm and teasing, as he casually flipped the small, carved wooden box in his hands, like bait.
"Hmph." Sang Wan snorted lightly, but her face was easily appeased, and she smiled, her eyes shining as she reached out to take it.
Zhuiming hesitated for a moment between teasing her and handing it to her. Seeing her expectant look, he froze in place.
The carved wooden box is decorated with patterns all over its body, has a smooth texture, and is inlaid with translucent white jade below the lock.
Gently unlock the door, and the faint, spicy fragrance of rosewood wafts out, revealing the cloisonné hairpin inlaid with red jewels and twin lotus blossoms.
Sang Wan examined it carefully for a while, turning it over and over, and liked it very much. "Cui Lüshang, can you put it on for me?"
Her joy was almost overflowing.
Zhuiming froze on the spot, his heart pounding violently after a brief pause.
Hairpins inherently symbolize tying up one's hair, so it's easy to imagine the meaning behind having a man put a hairpin on you.
Moreover, this is a hairpin adorned with twin lotus blossoms.
His lips trembled, but his throat was so dry he couldn't utter a word. His mind was in turmoil, filled with bizarre and fantastical images. Yet, looking into her eyes, brimming with expectation and pure joy, he found himself inexplicably raising his hand...
Zhuiming couldn't explain what he was thinking at that moment. It was as if he was bewitched by something so close at hand, making him unable to resist moving closer to a beautiful and fragile dream.
The moment of recklessness was both fleeting and long. When he withdrew his hand, the twin lotus hairpin was already firmly tied in Sang Wan's hair.
The first time I saw her wearing such a brightly colored hairpin, it was as if a delicate flower was blooming in her silky black hair. The ruby on the hairpin complemented the cinnabar dot between her eyebrows, and the innocent naivety in her eyes faded instantly, making her beauty even more stunning.
It's so beautiful that you can't take your eyes off it.
If Zhui Ming weren't feeling guilty, he would have already praised her with a hearty laugh.
But at this moment, he remained silent, and slowly lowered his hand, looking somewhat lost and dejected.
Sang Wan's eyes were completely fixed on the beautiful hairpin. She had received all sorts of precious magical artifacts, talismans, and rare materials, but no one had ever given her such an exquisite hairpin.
So it turns out she likes it that much too.
Otherwise, how could I feel like there are ten thousand butterflies fluttering their wings in my heart?
The usually lively and somewhat boisterous little girl strangely failed to notice Zhui Ming's unusual behavior, her trembling eyelashes drooping downwards.
The wooden box lay alone in her palm, its bare bottom facing the pitch-black night, with a line of poetry engraved on it.
“Flowers are endless, the moon is boundless. Our hearts are one.”[1] Her murmured voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.
But as soon as she finished speaking, both of them seemed to sense something and looked up at each other in a daze.
It's as if the world has become just about each other.
Her whispered words, barely audible, were like a thunderclap, like a dragonfly suddenly swooping down, or like a spring rain arriving abruptly.
Sang Wan sensed that instant, a blush rising to her cheeks, the melting spring water flowing through her heart, her watery eyes burning with desire, her eyelashes trembling in panic, yet she still managed to suppress the momentary chaos as she looked at him.
Zhuiming dared not stare at her directly anymore. He almost wanted to run away, but his legs felt like they were filled with lead, forcing him to stand still and meet her bright, watery eyes.
His chest heaved violently.
His hands were clenched tightly, and despite the turmoil in his heart and the chaos of his thoughts, he still feigned composure and forced a smile, avoiding her gaze. "It's so dark now, let's go back, it's already very late."
His smile wasn't carefree; instead, it carried a sense of vicissitude, revealing a life of disappointment and dejection.
A note from the author:
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[1] From Zhang Xian's "Su Zhong Qing: A Brief Encounter Under the Flowers and Moon" (Song Dynasty)
I feel that this segment is perfect for a background music I'll never change!
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