The hardcover of the deluxe edition has worn edges, showing signs of age and fraying. Gently opening it, the dust of time is gently dispersed and disappears beneath its faded luster.
“Hall I compare the e to a summer’s day…” she began softly, her slightly awkward English breaking the silence.
Mu Xing, who was flipping through a book, looked up at Bai Yan in surprise.
Bai Yan was completely unaware, engrossed in the book as if her soul had been captivated by Shakespeare and was flowing in his brilliant poetry.
She still stood there, her eyes lowered, her fashionable curly hair and cheongsam still adorning her, making her radiant and beautiful, but Mu Xing felt for no reason that she had lost all her charm.
Like a faded paper flower, it would scatter in the wind.
She read softly: "...So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee."
As long as there are humans, or humans have eyes, this poem will endure and give you life.
Mu Xing stared blankly at Bai Yan, while Bai Yan looked at her book; neither of them spoke.
After a while, Bai Yan suddenly woke up, looked up at Mu Xing in a flustered manner, and then looked away.
Although it was only for a moment, Mu Xing still saw those bloodshot eyes, which felt like an invisible bullet hitting her heart, stirring up a wave of heartache.
She hesitated for a moment, considering how to start the conversation, but Bai Yan broke the silence first.
“I never expected to see this edition of the poetry collection here,” Bai Yan said with a smile. “It’s just a book from an unknown small publisher. I thought it was out of print.”
She smiled as usual, but Mu Xing couldn't help but frown.
Bai Yan continued, "I wonder if it's expensive..."
"Stop laughing." She spoke abruptly, interrupting Bai Yan.
Taking a step forward, Mu Xing raised her hand and stroked Bai Yan's hair. She softened her tone and said softly, "If you don't want to laugh, you don't have to force yourself."
Bai Yan froze, her hand holding the book turning white from the force.
"At least here, you can laugh when you want to laugh and cry when you want to cry. You don't need to please me or restrain yourself."
After saying that, Mu Xing let go of Bai Yan's hand, took a step back, and didn't look at Bai Yan again.
Bai Yan lowered her head, clutching the book tightly, biting her lip, but there was no tear in her eyes.
Having endured so much, she seemed to have forgotten how to shed tears for herself.
After a while, Mu Xing was looking at the book in his hand when he suddenly heard Bai Yan say, "It's been too long since I've spoken English. Please forgive me, Young Master Mu."
Stealing a glance at her, and seeing that Bai Yan had regained her composure, Mu Xing then spoke up: "I didn't expect Miss Bai to know English as well."
“I learned it when I was in middle school,” Bai Yan said calmly. “Later, when I came to Yuejiang, it was because I knew English that I gained Lord Andrew’s favor.”
Knowing that she was indirectly explaining her earlier lapse in composure, Mu Xing felt a surge of joy mixed with a touch of heartache.
The more I understand, the more I feel sorry for them.
Flipping through the book in her hand, Bai Yan continued, "This book was extracurricular reading when I was in middle school. Back then, to save money, the school searched all over Suzhou to find this cheapest version. I never imagined that it would only be available here now. But..."
I didn't expect it to be so expensive.
Looking at the price tag on the back of the book, Bai Yan sighed but didn't say the rest of her sentence aloud.
This time, however, she didn't want to ask anything of the man as she had done before.
“So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, so long lives this, and this gives life to thee. Is that right?” Mu Xing recited after a brief recollection.
Under Bai Yan's surprised gaze, Mu Xing smiled and said, "Speaking of which, apart from 'Romeo and Juliet,' I haven't read any other works by Shakespeare."
Reaching out to take the book from Bai Yan's hand, she said, "Let's take this opportunity to buy a copy and have a look."
With her hands empty, Bai Yan lowered her head.
She is no longer qualified to read such a good book, so it's a good thing that it has found a good home.
As closing time approached, the library gradually emptied out, and Mu Xing and Bai Yan headed towards the entrance.
After buying the book "Sonnets" for three yuan at the counter, the clerk handed it to Mu Xing and said with some emotion, "This is the last book published by this publishing house. It is a blessing for it to be handed to you young people."
“Yes,” Mu Xing replied, glancing at Bai Yan.
Is it not a blessing to have someone who can still remember it after so many years?
After leaving the library, Mu Xing handed the book to Bai Yan: "My skills are not very good, and I'm afraid I won't be able to understand this original English version. I'll have to ask Miss Bai to translate it for me."
Unexpectedly, Mu Xing said that, and Bai Yan was stunned for a moment. Her originally calm eyes suddenly became turbulent again.
Mu Xing then deliberately said, "This isn't for you; I want to see it too."
Taking a deep breath, Bai Yan reached out and took the book, smiling, "Okay."
Chapter Twenty-Four
As Bai Yan emerged from the library, the sky had turned a deep, inky blue; it was almost time for her to head back.
She hasn't yet become a full-fledged teacher, so her movements are subject to many restrictions. Today, she originally came out to find a job as a waitress, but unexpectedly, things have taken a turn for the worse, and she's been delayed until this hour. If she goes back without silver coins to report, her mother will probably be furious.
Stroking the book wrapped in yellow paper in her arms, Bai Yan bit her lip.
If she were to ask Young Master Mu for money at this moment, she simply wouldn't be able to bring herself to do it.
Asking for money at this moment would not only humiliate herself, but also humiliate Young Master Mu.
If it were merely a charade, a transaction, she could certainly ask for money without any qualms. But if even a trace of genuine feeling was involved, how could she possibly sell her emotions?
A cool breeze carrying the fragrance of flowers wafts by, and the crescent moon has already begun to peek out, hooking behind a corner of thin clouds, bestowing its moonlight upon the world.
Bai Yan turned her head slightly, only catching a glimpse of moonlight on the shoulder of the person beside her. For some reason, her uneasy heart calmed down, floating and drifting quietly with the summer fragrance of flowers.
The moonlight is already so beautiful, why disturb this rare tranquility with the noise of worldly affairs?
Walking side by side to the intersection, Mu Xing was about to wave for a rickshaw when he suddenly caught sight of something. He turned to Bai Yan, said "Please wait a moment," and then ran off.
Bai Yan stopped, puzzled, only to see Mu Xing run all the way to the alleyway across the street and squat down in front of an old woman. A moment later, she got up and ran back.
She was so fast that Bai Yan only had time to see a handful of white flowers flash before her eyes before her nose was filled with their fragrance.
Mu Xing smiled and said, "I smelled the fragrance of gardenias all the way here. I searched for it, but I didn't expect it to be hidden in the alley entrance instead of in the garden or by the roadside." Holding the flowers, she was surprisingly a little shy. "People say that beautiful flowers are good for beautiful women. I wonder if you like the lingering fragrance at the alley entrance."
Bai Yan reached out and took the flower, sniffing it lightly. She said softly, "Many people say that gardenias have a strong fragrance and are common, and therefore not very elegant. But I love its passion. If I like it, why should it be noble?"
“That’s exactly right.” Mu Xing agreed wholeheartedly. “People say so much, but we can’t expect everyone to follow the rules and please everyone. It’s better to be a little willful in this life.”
Just then, a rickshaw passed by on the side of the road. Mu Xing waved to stop it and said to Bai Yan, "It's getting late, so I can't personally take you home, Miss. Please be careful on the road."
Bai Yan nodded and exchanged a few polite words. She got into the car, Mu Xing paid the fare, and just as the driver was about to leave, Mu Xing suddenly called out to Bai Yan, "Miss Bai!"
Thinking that she was reluctant to part with her, Bai Yan quickly poked her head out and asked, "What?"
Mu Xing asked, "Do you know what the effects of vitamin injections are?"
Her words seemed to come out of nowhere, and even the coachman couldn't help but turn to look at the two of them. Bai Yan was also completely confused, and could only say, "I've heard that some can treat colds and replenish nutrients? There's also a kind of vitamin C that has a whitening effect."
This was originally a skin-whitening formula written in "Linglong" by "Xiao Heren," which Mu Xing had previously suspected. Mu Xing guessed that "Xiao Heren" was Bai Yan, but she didn't know how to probe. Just now, she suddenly remembered it and hurriedly asked, which she herself found ridiculous, but she didn't expect that Bai Yan actually knew it.
Ignoring the awkwardness, she asked again, "How did Miss Bai know about this method?"
Bai Yan truthfully replied, "I saw it in a book when I was at Lord Andrew's residence. The title of the book seems to be 'Basic Knowledge of Western Medicine'."
Mu Xing was overjoyed.
Xiao Heren also mentioned this book in his article!
Delighted, Mu Xing drew a conclusion to his own deduction and then said a few polite words to try and cover up his abruptness.
Bai Yan was bewildered by her inexplicable joy and didn't dare to ask. After exchanging a few casual words, the two went their separate ways.
The rickshaw swayed and bumped along. Bai Yan was still thinking about Mu Xing's strange question earlier, unconsciously stroking the book in her hand. Suddenly, her fingers touched several strange bumps, unlike the marks that would be found on a normal hardcover book.
Frowning, she put the bouquet aside, unwrapped the yellow paper covering the book, and before she could take the book out, the rickshaw bumped, and Bai Yan clearly heard a crisp clattering sound from inside the book wrapping.
Could it be...?
A sudden surge of indescribable emotion welled up within her, and she hesitantly reached her hand into the book wrapping paper.
One, two, three…
Five silver dollars lay quietly in her palm, exactly the price for one night's service. Young Master Mu must have put them in there when she was wrapping books in the library earlier.
Under the moonlight, the silver coins shone with a watery brilliance, dazzlingly bright. The fragrance of flowers wafted along the way, almost catching up with the departing figures.
Clutching the silver coin tightly in her hand, Bai Yan leaned against the rickshaw as if all her energy was gone, a slight smile playing on her lips.
What a strange young man.
Ordinary people come to Changsantangzi either to search or to reminisce. But Young Master Mu is neither.
She could sense his curiosity, but it wasn't sharp or off-putting. He was generous, but he had no intention of getting anything in return.
When faced with people like them, he was polite as if he were interacting with "normal people," yet he was also open and unreserved, showing no shame in seeking pleasure with women.
Not only her, but she dared to guarantee that none of the dozens of scholars at Yuhua Academy had ever encountered such a guest.
But... she should be grateful for his frankness, so why does she feel resentful now?
She was unwilling to accept his lack of requests, unwilling to accept his politeness and courtesy, unwilling to accept... that he had clearly shown her affection, yet acted so "businesslike".
She let go of his hand, took out a handkerchief from her purse, neatly put the five silver dollars inside, and tucked it into her clothes.
Chapter Twenty-Five
When Mu Xing returned home, Madam Mu was playing mahjong with her aunt in the flower hall, so she went over to pay her respects.
Before she even entered the flower hall, her aunt had already seen her and said, "Ah Xuan is back? Did you have fun with Yining?"
Mu Xing replied with her usual smile, "I'm happy, tonight with Yi Ning..." She suddenly stopped.
Yi Ning, the ball!
Oh my god!
She actually left Li Yining halfway there and went on a date with Miss Bai!
Mu Xing's heart skipped a beat, and her lighthearted mood plummeted like a weight, her mind, which had been blown away by the breeze, returned to normal.