La lluvia primaveral es como el vino, los sauces son como el humo

Capítulo 87

He spoke in a way that was both true and false, half-joking, and Yichun laughed: "You stingy miser."

He stroked her cheek and whispered, "We'll never be apart."

Yi Chun felt a surge of emotion. It had been so long since she'd heard those words. She had wanted to say them, but hadn't, watching helplessly as the young man withered away before her eyes.

She and Shu Jun will live on, until they grow old, and they will encounter many pleasant and unpleasant things in their lives, which they will then share together.

But that boy remained forever frozen in that winter when he was fifteen. He was the one she had wanted to live with.

It's too late, everything is too late. It's all in the past, everything is in the past.

She nodded and said softly, "Okay, we'll never be apart."

The hand-typed portion of the published book begins:

Chapter Fourteen: Savage Fire

In September, Jiangcheng hosts a fragrance appreciation gathering. Whether truly refined individuals or mere novices feigning elegance, this event, a display of status and taste, always draws them in droves. Perfume shop owners eagerly anticipate the event, having heard that VIPs secretly attend, and that a large sum of money can be made if their creations are purchased by a wealthy patron. The owner of Xiangxiangzhai in Suzhou, for example, earned thousands of taels of silver in just a few months due to his exceptional fragrance-making skills, a feat that drew envy from many.

The host of the event specially chose a newly purchased villa, which faces the lake to the east. Several huge white stone platforms were built starting from the center of the lake, with painted boats connecting them.

The lake water was emerald green, and the stone platform was as white as jade. On it, a beautiful woman dressed in a thin veil danced gracefully. The sounds of the zither, harp, and pipa rippled gently across the water, making this slightly humid early autumn exceptionally enchanting.

After the beauties finished their dance, they gracefully approached, lining up like a flock of little doves, each holding a fragrance testing box, which they gently placed on the long table. Slips had already been written on the table, indicating which incense maker produced it, what the ingredients were, and its name; the guests simply needed to choose.

While the atmosphere at Baishitai was bustling with people selecting and appreciating incense, the host of the event leaned against the window of his villa, gazing into the distance.

Suddenly, someone pushed the door open from behind and whispered, "That person hasn't arrived yet."

The owner said calmly, "It's either today or tomorrow. He's always been very carefree. Why would he let go of an opportunity to enjoy himself? Just keep watch at the door."

After saying that, he turned to look at the shimmering lake. The weather was clear, and the lake surface was dazzlingly bright. He squinted slightly. There was something hard in his arms, pressed against his chest. He slowly took it out and rubbed it in his hand.

It was a letter, and perhaps inside was something heavy and hard. The sealing wax stamp was of a swallow with outstretched wings. Anyone with a little experience in the ways of the world could recognize what the stamp was at a glance, and most people would choose to remain silent and avoid it.

What will Sect Master Yan's letter say? He already knows Shu Jun's identity. Is this trip a blessing or a curse?

His fingertips rubbed the hard object back and forth, trying to decipher the secrets in the letter. He regretted agreeing to Yanmen's request and inviting Shu Jun to the Jiangcheng Fragrance Appreciation Conference, but since the deed was done, there was no going back.

He was once a chivalrous knight-errant, now he's a businessman, and no businessman doesn't love money. Of all things, money is the best.

He let out a long breath and instinctively tried to stand up, supporting himself on the chair. But as he moved slightly, he realized he no longer had legs. So many years had passed just like that.

The faint sound of a sanxian (a three-stringed plucked instrument) drifted from the river, unrestrained yet leisurely, typical of Shu Jun's style; he always loved to flaunt these vanities.

Many people on the white stone platform turned to look, and saw a small fishing boat swaying and rocking as it approached on the blue waves. Sitting at the bow was a thin person wearing a straw hat. Because the hat was pulled down low, it was impossible to tell whether the person was male or female. Only a few strands of long hair danced softly in the wind behind them.

After a while, the sound of the sanxian stopped, and then the curtain of the cabin was lifted, and Shu Jun emerged from inside. Today he was dressed in a crimson gauze dress, tall and elegant, standing at the bow of the boat, reflected in the river, like a beautiful immortal.

The people at the incense appreciation event were quite familiar with him, nodding and smiling, secretly wondering who the person wearing the bamboo hat was. Although Shu Jun had a little follower, he always went to the incense appreciation event alone without any servants. Seeing Shu Jun's intimate manner with that person, holding the other person's hand and whispering in their ear, this was a very rare sight.

As they got closer, the man suddenly took off his straw hat and used it as a fan. He turned around and said something to Shu Jun, but Shu Jun gave him a rather cheeky kiss on the cheek.

In front of everyone, this person was indeed arrogant.

What's even more audacious is that she showed neither shame nor anger. She smiled at him, revealing honey-colored skin, arched eyebrows, and a generally delicate appearance. She was a young woman, neither possessing a stunningly beautiful face nor looking like an extremely wealthy person; anyone you randomly picked up on the street would look like her. What was rare was her straightforward and decisive nature; every smile and gesture was pleasant and unpretentious. A sword hung at her waist, suggesting she was a wandering swordswoman. In this day and age, swordswomen with such bearing are rare indeed.

Seeing that many people at Baishitai Hill were not trying the incense but just staring at him with wide eyes, Yichun couldn't help but laugh and say, "They all know you, right? Everyone's looking at you as soon as you arrive."

Shu Jun didn't bother to look up, rested his head on her shoulder, and said softly, "Who cares what they're doing? Let's do our own thing. I'll pick out some incense for you later; it's really effective at refreshing your mind."

Yichun deliberately lowered her head and sniffed him, then chuckled and said, "It's so annoying for a man to smell so sweet."

“A woman who smells bad is scary.” He touched her face. “But you don’t smell bad, so I love your scent.”

She stroked his face with her fingers, reminding him to tone down his mushy behavior. Shu Jun reluctantly sat up straight, and seeing the white stone platform close at hand, he pulled her around the waist and jumped onto the platform.

Several people wanted to come over and say hello, but seeing Shu Jun with his arm around Yi Chun, completely oblivious to everyone else, and exuding an aura of "don't mess with me," they could only watch for a while before going to try the fragrances themselves.

"Nobody came to say hello. Your reputation is really bad." Yi Chun walked over with a smile, picked up a perfume sample box, sniffed it a couple of times, but then sneezed several times. "What a weird smell!" She quickly threw the box away.

Shu Jun picked up the box, gently shook it in front of his nose twice, closed his eyes, and listed the contents as if they were precious treasures, "Yongxiang, borneol... very invigorating, it's a good fragrance, but it's missing something..."

Just as he was about to change to another fragrance box, he suddenly heard the sound of string and bamboo instruments again. Beautiful women wrapped in light gauze danced gracefully. In the center was a beauty dressed in pure white, with long, flowing sleeves and a waist as supple as a snake. As she twirled, her skirt bloomed like plum blossoms, and a faint fragrance immediately filled everyone's nose.

Such a beautiful scene is rarely seen in Yichun. It is mesmerizing. I took several deep breaths and exclaimed, "It smells so good!"

The beautiful woman had long, bushy eyebrows and bright eyes that captivated countless men present. Yet, she only looked at Shu Jun, a charming and gentle smile playing on her lips.

Shu Jun leaned down and whispered in Yi Chun's ear, "Do you like the scent on her?"

Yi Chun nodded, then shook her head. "It smells wonderful, but only a beauty like her deserves it." Shu Jun snorted. "What kind of beauty is she..."

The beauty danced closer and closer, and a fragrance tester appeared in her hand without her noticing. She leaned forward slightly, like a crane that had just folded its wings, and presented the fragrance tester to Shu Jun. Then she smiled sweetly and said softly, "Shu Jun, how have you been?"

He picked up the fragrance box, didn't say anything, just held it to his nose and sniffed it slightly, saying, "This fragrance is nice. What book is it from? Who composed it?"

"Jadeite fragrance." The beauty chuckled. "I blended it myself, do you believe me?"

Shu Jun said calmly, "If you could really concoct this kind of fragrance, you wouldn't be dancing here. What do you have to say about the five hundred taels of silver you owed me two years ago?"

The beauty pouted, looking quite resentful, "Every time we meet, the first thing you say is about money. You have no sense of romance at all."

Shu Jun placed the fragrance tester in her hand and nodded, saying, "I understand. If I can't pay it back this year, the interest will compound, and I'll come to you next year."

He turned to leave with Yichun in his arms, but the beauty quickly chased after him, saying aggrievedly, "What a heartless man! Would it kill you to say a few more words to me? This incense wasn't made by me; it was a secret recipe created by the host of the event, the grand finale incense of the year. If you buy it, half of the money inside will be considered my debt... Don't frown, it was the host of the event who said it, it has nothing to do with me."