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墨書 Inktalez
"Careful now, my antique..."
"Ha," Yun Ying couldn't help but smile widely. "Young Master, you don't need to be like that. I've prepared some Ice Red Bean Soup for you; drink a bit to quench your thirst, okay?"
After a long day, I took it without hesitation and drank it down with a "whoosh." The advantage of being a man is that I don't have to worry about being ladylike or the strange looks from others. The more natural and bold I am, the more I can charm women. I threw a flirtatious glance over, and those maidens in the shop all blushed and quickly averted their eyes.
Yun Ying silently covered her mouth, laughing. This girl was becoming increasingly disrespectful towards me, her master.
"Little Seven, come here," I called to Mai Qi, who was supervising not far away. The boy quickly ran up to me.
"Young Master," he panted, having spent over a year together; this kid was growing more and more in awe of me, practically treating me like a deity.
"Whatever you need, just say it."
I smiled lightly. "You can take care of everything here, Little Seven. It's getting late; I should head back. Oh, and remember to have the workers plant Purple Roses in the back garden and various kinds of lotus in the Lotus Pond. We'll discuss the house renovations once I've designed them. Remember, this will be our home from now on; we can't afford any carelessness. Understand?"
"Young Master, don't worry; Little Seven will do everything as you wish. Please take care."
"Hehe, you're really great, Little Seven." I walked over and casually ruffled his slightly disheveled hair from running around all morning.
Little Seven smiled shyly.
"This is what Little Seven should do. If it weren't for you, Young Master..."
"I’m leaving." I interrupted him just in time before he could unleash an endless stream of gratitude.
Returning from the back wall to the Curved Pavilion, I enjoyed a comfortable bath and changed into clothes befitting a young lady of high status. Today, Madam wanted me to meet her. Generally speaking, once I stepped out of this door, I couldn’t wear the designs I usually created but had to stick to the shabby clothes handed down by the steward to avoid raising suspicions.
As I passed by Maple Tail Pavilion, I inadvertently spotted Second Sister sitting alone at the railing, staring blankly at the lake with a piece of ancient-style rice paper in her hand. Her face was flushed, looking quite lovesick. Was she thinking about someone?
I made a "shh" gesture to Yun Ying and quietly approached her from behind, unexpectedly snatching the paper from her hands. Perhaps she was too engrossed, or maybe my ambush was too swift. In any case, I succeeded with ease.
Second Sister snapped back to reality with a gasp and rushed over to grab it from me. I laughed while dodging her attempts and recited the poem on the paper:
"Like a flower yet not like a flower... hmm, fallen petals seek the one who cherishes them..." I struggled to evade Second Sister's blockade while continuing, "Often seeing a solitary figure coming and going... drifting like a lonely swan's shadow..." Another difficult dodge, "Where is the person?" I took a deep breath and loudly declared the final line, "The osmanthus shadow is enchanting."
I stopped struggling, and as expected, Second Sister managed to snatch it away. "Oh no, I forgot to check the signature," I muttered to myself. I tried to grab it back, but Second Sister had already tucked it away protectively.
I grinned mischievously. "Second Sister, confess honestly—who has won your heart?"
Second Sister's face flushed bright red, reaching all the way to her ears, leaving her too shy to respond. Finally, she stomped her foot in a small, feminine manner and walked away with her face covered like a woman in an ancient drama.
Yun Ying and I exchanged glances and burst into laughter.
Over the years, aside from our initial meeting which was rather unpleasant, Second Sister and I had gotten along quite well. Deep down, she was just a traditional woman hoping to marry a good husband, have children, and be a virtuous wife.
During this time, I had heard some rumors around the estate regarding Second Sister and that country doctor’s love story... However, could that man named Chen Ningyuan really write such sentimental poetry?
To be honest, I had met Chen Ningyuan once. On my way to the shop one day, I saw him dressed simply with a bamboo basket on his back, treating beggars who were ill but couldn’t afford medical care in a dirty alley. In some ways, he left me with a good impression. If Second Sister were to be with him, it might not be such a bad thing. A man so kind-hearted would surely bring happiness to Second Sister.
Moreover, there was also that time he saved my life; I felt grateful towards him and naturally hoped that he and Second Sister could end up together.
However, Second Sister still held some value for me. I suspected that Head of the Family would absolutely not allow such a scandal to occur.
Shaking my head, I dismissed these irrelevant thoughts.
Taking a deep breath.
Then I went to Madam's Orchid Garden with Yun Ying. I wondered what this lady, the Head of the Family whom I had only met once, wanted with an insignificant person like me.
"Firefly sends her regards to you, Madam." I said, slightly bowing my head.
"You have arrived."
"Yes."
She finally set down the teacup she had been playing with between her hands and glanced at me with a faint look.
I lowered my head but stole a glance at her. At the family banquet, I had been too far away to observe her closely. Now that I was so close, it was evident that she possessed the grace of a matriarch, exuding elegance and luxury, adorned from head to toe in jewels, with a strong aura of nobility.
As I was lost in thought, she suddenly fixed her gaze on me as if she had spotted prey, her eyes sharp and piercing. She spoke...
Dazed, I returned to the Curved Pavilion and mindlessly climbed over the wall from the backyard. My mind was blank, still echoing with Madam's inexplicable words from earlier—
I sensed her complex gaze upon me, causing me to lower my head even further, my demeanor shifting to one of respect and humility.
In a tone that was both commanding and casual, she said to me, "You will be leaving soon."
What?! I looked up in surprise, locking eyes with her deep gaze. I couldn't help but feel a bit dazed. Leaving?! How strange! Where could I possibly go? Besides, I didn't even know I was leaving; how could she know in advance... In my confusion...
I heard her mumble softly, "What is meant to come will come; it's retribution..."
Seeing my puzzled expression, she snapped back to reality and beckoned to a nearby maid. She took a delicate Jade Hairpin from a tray and said earnestly, "This hairpin is your mother's keepsake; it is time for you to have it now. Take good care of it; I have fulfilled a wish of mine. Sigh..."
Her expression turned somewhat melancholic, forcing my questions back down. I had intended to ask why my mother's keepsake was in her possession and why she was giving it to me now. However, seeing her weary demeanor, I suppressed my curiosity and respectfully accepted the hairpin from her hand.
She rose with the help of her maid, waved at me, and then entered the inner room. I took the hint and politely took my leave.
As I stepped out of the house, a sigh came from behind me, "Fate is hard to bear..."
A chill ran down my spine, and I quickened my pace alongside Yun Ying. Yet, the coldness lingered. Was this the power of a resentful woman in a secluded chamber?
I shook my head vigorously, trying to forget what had happened not long ago at Orchid Garden. I hurried toward Spring Garden, where I had promised my brother and Sister Beauty that we would go for an outing at Jade Cold Temple today. Just thinking of them lightened my mood.
In the past two years, I had seen them almost every day—drinking and chatting in Sister Beauty's room, boating on the lake, enjoying outings, or dining at restaurants. Being with them brought me immense joy. This was the only solace in my otherwise tumultuous life.
I hadn’t brought Yun Ying today, which made that girl complain for quite a while. I felt inexplicably uneasy, always worrying that some lady might come looking for trouble again, so I had no choice but to leave Yun Ying behind as a cover.
That little girl was clearly unwilling; Cherry pouted her lips high.
So quickly, the owner of this body turned fifteen. Reflecting on it made me feel a bit melancholic, so I quickly tossed that thought aside.
Upon arriving at Spring Garden, I spotted Aunt waiting at the door. When she saw me, her plump face wrinkled into a smile like a blooming chrysanthemum.
"Ah?! An Young Master has arrived! My Dan Yi has been waiting for you for a while now; please come in, please come in—"
I elegantly imitated the graceful young gentlemen from television and dramatically opened my folding fan with a flourish. Smiling slightly, I pulled out a silver ingot from my pocket and playfully said, "Mother, it's been a few days since we last met; you've grown younger again—truly like a blossoming maiden."
She joyfully tucked the silver into her bosom, her face flushing with delight from my words.
Taking advantage of their moment of bliss, I swiftly crossed through the inner hall and calmly ascended to the third floor under the envious gazes of everyone.
"Sister Beauty! Little Jin has arrived! Have you missed me these past few days?" Even before seeing her, my voice reached her first.
After spending so much time together, the sisters in the Spring Garden had grown accustomed to my reckless demeanor. In their eyes, I was the charming Jin Shao. Moreover, my generous rewards for the servants were well-known; being wealthy was certainly one of my advantages in attracting these beauties. After all, why not spend money when I had it? I had a free money-making machine at home.
Before I could step inside, I bumped into Shen Qing coming out. I responded to his greeting with a casual nod and walked straight in, completely ignoring the bitter smile at the corner of his mouth. Over the years, he had come to visit us with my elder brother daily, so he naturally understood my importance to him and had become much more polite towards me than before. However, I had always been aloof; aside from the pretense of socializing, I wouldn’t expend any effort on someone who wasn’t particularly important to me.
Sister Beauty seemed to have just woken up; her face was slightly flushed, and her long hair cascaded down alluringly. Drip—! Drip—! What was that sound? Reflexively wiping my chin, I realized with embarrassment that I was drooling again. Blinking rapidly, I quickly shook myself awake and leaned over eagerly.
She seemed unfazed by my antics and smiled slightly, her voice as melodious as a nightingale: “Little Jin is here.”
“By the way,” she said as she turned around while combing her hair, “Brother Shen just came by to tell us that our elder brother won’t be able to come today. He said he would apologize next time.”
“Hmph,” I muttered, “It’s not the first time, Sister Beauty. How about we don’t go either and wait until our brother has time? Let’s go shopping instead.” Indeed, such was a woman’s nature!
“Sure,” Dan Yi replied, her gaze somewhat complicated and tinged with concern.
Dan Yi looked at the innocent smile of the boy in front of her and felt a bit dizzy. That bright smile made his extraordinary looks even more radiant, but behind that smile lay an unknown strength and fearlessness.
I still remembered a recent outing in the wilderness when my elder brother couldn’t join us due to other commitments. So Little Jin went with me instead.
It was a beautiful sunny day, and both Little Jin and I were having a great time. However, on our way back, an accident occurred.
A group of men in black appeared; from their aggressive moves aimed at vital points, it was clear they were there to assassinate me. Little Jin must have realized it too.
They were not ordinary assassins; my martial arts skills could barely handle them, let alone putting Little Jin in danger. Such opportunities were rare because my elder brother usually eliminated all threats beforehand; today’s assassination must have been premeditated for quite some time.
In a moment of carelessness, I received a cut on my arm.
Little Jin's worried gaze turned towards me, causing my heart to tremble as I steadied myself to respond. But ultimately, I felt powerless; stumbling back, I almost fell off the cliff when Little Jin caught me just in time. However, this gave the men in black an opening; one sword swung directly towards Little Jin's chest. In order to protect me, Little Jin tilted his body slightly and avoided the fatal blow but could not evade the subsequent strike.
Little Jin's face was pale, yet he did not cry out in pain as their frail bodies tumbled down the cliff. He lost consciousness.
He remembered being held tightly in a warm embrace by Dream. Then everything went dark.
When he woke up, he found himself lying on Little Jin's back. Looking at Little Jin's tattered clothes and the bloodstains, his nose tinged with sorrow, and tears rolled down his cheeks. Never before had someone treated him so kindly, nor had anyone cared for him like a delicate woman. Because of his identity, many things were beyond his control, but at that moment, he truly wished to grow old with Little Jin, to have him carry him away forever.
Little Jin seemed to sense something was wrong and hurriedly comforted him, "Sister Beauty, don't cry. Is it your wound that hurts? It's okay, just hold on a little longer; we'll be there soon."
He had misunderstood; it wasn't the wound that hurt him but the pain for Little Jin. While protecting him during their tumble down the slope, Little Jin had sustained numerous bruises and cuts all over his body. He must have been in excruciating pain, yet he pretended as if nothing was wrong and instead comforted him. What incredible endurance! Such strength at such a young age.
Choking back his emotions, he tried to convey his feelings to Little Jin. To his surprise, Little Jin smiled faintly and said calmly, "Sister is a beauty and shouldn't be hurt; it would make you sad if you looked bad. I'm different; I'm just a stinky man. It doesn't matter if I get hurt; you shouldn't be upset..." Little Jin, how could you not feel the same...
The journey was arduous for him, yet his steps remained steady. He still remembered panting and laughing as he said, "Sister Beauty, I know your and Big Brother's identities are not simple. I'm quite foolish and not interested in those extra details. To me, you are just you, and that will never change. We are lifelong good brothers and sisters..."
Though it sounded like a joke, it brought tears once again to the eyes of Dan Yi, who was usually indifferent to everyone.
At that moment, Little Jin's voice came again: "Sister, just hold on a little longer; we’ll be there soon..."
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