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墨書 Inktalez
The wind gently blew the veil onto his hand, and Hehe was looking up at him with its big head. Seeing such a funny animal made him smile.
As the sun set in the west, this moment seemed too beautiful, and the sunlight was reluctant to leave.
With night approaching, Hehe rubbed its head against Fengyin, trying to wake her up. Hibiscus felt a bit regretful; should he have called out to her to ask where she lived, how old she was, and whether she was already promised to someone? Or would that be too forward? Hibiscus smiled at himself for his impulsiveness, placing his scarf beside her as he prepared to leave. Yet he worried about the desolate surroundings; would a girl and a harmless animal be in danger?
Seeing that it was getting dark, he softly called out, "Miss, wake up."
Hehe glanced at Hibiscus. No wonder it couldn't wake her; it hadn't roared at her. Indeed, everything from Miao Miao Peak seemed to produce lazy creatures. Hehe immediately barked at Fengyin, startling her awake as she opened her dazed eyes. She met a pair of smiling eyes that bore a familiar face.
"Ah." Fengyin saw Hibiscus squatting in front of her trying to wake her up, while beneath her feet was a small mound of earth. With a startled cry, she instinctively pushed Hibiscus away. Since he was already squatting, his balance faltered and he fell onto the grass. In an instinctive reaction, he grabbed something, which ended up pulling Fengyin down with him. They ended up in a heap on the ground, with her delicate form resting against his chest.
"I'm sorry." Fengyin quickly got up, kneeling on the ground and bowing towards Mute Mother's grave. "Mother, he didn't mean it; please don't be angry."
Fengyin bowed three times before turning red-faced towards Hibiscus. "I apologize for the disturbance."
Hibiscus wasn't actually angry with her; seeing how much she valued this piece of land made him furrow his brows in curiosity. He truly couldn't see what was special about this small mound.
Logically speaking, they had already engaged in an exchange; he should take responsibility. However, seeing her flustered and helpless earlier choked him up. He wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. After a long pause, he finally murmured, "Miss, I will take responsibility."
Fengyin's face had turned as red as an apple. She didn't understand matters between men and women; both her master and grandfather were elderly men who never spoke to her about such things. She didn't know what it meant to take responsibility; she only felt that his gaze made her blush and her heart race uncomfortably. Wanting to find a place to hide, she instinctively lowered her head, leaving only her flushed ears facing Hibiscus. Although the Heavenly Xuan Empire still held traditional views on gender roles, the culture was more open-minded; there were many who pursued their partners like Lingxiang Princess did. While she had often seen girls hesitating to speak or shyly holding back their words since childhood, this timidness was something Hibiscus had never encountered before, making him chuckle.
Fengyin picked up the scarf from the ground and put it over her face. When she raised her head again, her timid eyes revealed that she was genuinely afraid.
Hibiscus softly said, "It's getting dark, miss. Please follow me through this desolate area."
Fengyin lowered her head in silence, reluctantly gazing at her mother's grave. She knelt down again to bow her head before finally standing up. A gentle breeze blew by, faintly resembling her mother's face. Hibiscus felt unsettled, like a river of spring water disturbed, ripples spreading outwards. He collected his thoughts and signaled for Fengyin to follow him.
From her demeanor earlier, it was clear that she was performing a ritual to honor her ancestors. If this small mound were indeed a grave, it would be ominous. However, he vaguely remembered a historical account mentioning that stones were placed before graves, and the stone's shape represented the Celestial Tomb.
Hibiscus couldn't help but take another look at the seemingly spiritual giant stone. The more he looked, the more extraordinary it seemed, lifting his spirits and alleviating the gloom he had felt in recent days.
Fengyin noticed him observing the stone and couldn't help but look at it a few more times. The stone's appearance was strikingly similar to that of her Mute Mother.
"Mom." After seven years of not seeing her mother, Fengyin touched the stone and cried uncontrollably.
Hibiscus watched as tears streamed down Fengyin's face and instinctively took out his handkerchief.
"Mom." Her sorrow was heart-wrenching, and even the stone seemed to shed tears; its compassionate eyes appeared to glisten with moisture.
"Mom, mom." Witnessing this scene brought back memories of all the moments spent with her mother—her warmth, her silly smile, how she would place Fengyin's little hands on her chest and tie her long hair with twine. Although her mother wasn't very nimble and her unruly hair often fell out in clumps, causing pain, Fengyin still felt immense happiness. She missed her mother and longed for the smell of leftover food that was uniquely hers.
"Mom." Fengyin raised her hand to wipe away the tears on the giant stone as the sunset stretched their shadows long and thin.
It truly was a Celestial Tomb. Sensing her sadness, Hibiscus quietly stood beside her, even though they had never met before.
The sky was nearly dark now, and Hehe began barking again, urging them onward.
"Mom, Yin Yin is leaving." Fengyin looked back three times, while Hehe kept tugging at her skirt.
Back in the city, Fengyin was still in a daze, forgetting that her handkerchief had slipped down when she cried; it was now held in Hibiscus's hand.
"Miss, we have entered the city. If you are from a family here, I can take you there," said Hibiscus.
"Thank you," Fengyin smiled. She could feel her mother looking at her with gentle eyes. She remembered the man across from her who had accompanied her all the way. He was truly a good person, Fengyin thought to herself.
"I have something stored at Yue Lai Inn. I will go get it and then head home."
"That sounds great. I am also staying at Yue Lai Inn. I can instruct my servant and then escort you back."
The Landlady was urging Little Tiger to eat when she heard footsteps and realized guests had arrived. Looking up, she saw two figures approaching: the woman was graceful and stunning; her demeanor ethereal, like a fairy from the Nine Heavens, pure and untainted; even the legendary Luo Shen would pale in comparison to such a person. The man was equally striking, like a jade tree standing tall, exuding an otherworldly charm. This pair truly exemplified beauty and talent. Sensing the admiration from the crowd, Fengyin lowered her head and approached the Landlady. "Lin Jie, I’ve retrieved my things and will be heading back," she said as Hehe rushed in from the door, drooling over the glutinous rice dumpling in Little Tiger's hand.
"Hehe must be hungry; I need to hurry back." Seeing Hehe snatch the dumpling from Little Tiger, who cried inconsolably, Fengyin smiled awkwardly. "He’s usually not like this; he’s spoiled by my grandfather."
Who would spoil a bear? Let’s just call this breed a bear, even if it lacks any real danger. Hibiscus couldn't help but chuckle.
"Young master, why did you return at this hour? I was worried," said Lin Ke, walking in from outside. "I was just looking for you."
"Yes, take a break for now."
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