Небо над реками и озерами очень чистое - Глава 43
...Even though I am extremely unwilling...
"Why did you come back..."
A single tear fell, and the emotions she had been suppressing finally broke free of her lips and teeth.
"...Why at this time...Why did it have to happen?"
He seemed taken aback.
"If only he would never come back..." The eldest daughter of the Bai family wept uncontrollably, her gentle and self-controlled nature completely gone. "Never to see him again... I..."
Her voice choked and broke, unable to utter more. She staggered away, tears welling in her eyes. Only then did the maids and old women beside her realize what was happening. They hurriedly caught up with her, not forgetting to give her a few more sympathetic glances.
His older brother patted him on the shoulder silently.
The graceful young girl from several years ago was also one of the forces that helped him persevere.
When did that faint sweetness disappear without a trace, and even the face became so faint that it is no longer remembered?
The figure that lingers in my heart is already someone else.
Seeing her tears, I couldn't help but feel guilty.
Hearing that she had found a good husband and married according to custom, he thought that the matter was no longer relevant to him.
If it hadn't been for the sudden discovery, who would have known the deep resentment in her heart?
Sitting alone under the flowering tree, I tried to recall impressions from many years ago, but ultimately gave up.
The petite figure gradually approached, scrutinizing his expression.
"fine?"
"Um?"
"I heard it from those women." Such a heart-wrenching reunion was spread far and wide, and everyone in the Bai family knew about it, including her. "You don't seem too sad."
He chuckled for a moment, and his slight sadness vanished.
"You've come to comfort me?"
"I won't," she said bluntly, tossing a jar of wine at him. "If you're feeling down, drink more yourself."
It felt heavy in his hand. He glanced at it, broke the seal, and took a sip.
The aroma of wine filled the air, intoxicatingly sweet. She took a step back to avoid the overwhelming fragrance.
"The wine in Jiangnan is too soft, it's really different from that in the border regions."
“There are some really good ones, you haven’t tried them.” He put down the wine jar and corrected her comment. “Some are sweet and smooth on the palate, but have a strong aftertaste, and it’s easy to get drunk if you’re not careful. Especially the Daughter’s Red, which has been brewed for more than ten years and needs to be mixed with new wine before drinking. I’ll take you to try it next time.”
She paused for a moment, as if remembering something.
"I forgot you don't like drinking."
"No, it's not that..." She didn't finish her sentence, pushed aside the chessboard, sat down at the stone table, her slender feet swaying lightly, her expression somewhat wistful.
"Thank you for your kindness." He tapped the wine bowl, feeling pleased.
"You really don't care?" she asked, slightly curious. "She's the most beautiful woman in Jiangnan."
"I've only met her once." He showed no sign of sadness. "Why dwell on things that are destined to be unfulfilled?"
"You're quite open-minded."
"How so?"
"The third young master of the Xie family in Yangzhou was from an outstanding family, handsome and skilled in martial arts, and had a marriage that everyone envied. Unfortunately, misfortune struck and he missed seven years. Looking back, his beloved had already married, leaving him only with lingering regret and unrequited love..."
"Where did you hear that from?" he interrupted her teasingly.
She shrugged, a hint of schadenfreude in her voice. "All women say that, and quite a few have even shed tears for you, saying it's as good as a legendary tale."
"Stop listening to this nonsense." I really wanted to vent my anger on her.
“You brought me here,” she reminded the culprit.
"I thought you were going to comfort me."
Actually, I came here to laugh at you.
Suddenly realizing the absurdity of their playful bickering, the two burst into laughter.
“Gaye”.
"Um?"
“Sing a song.” His voice lowered, as gentle as a spring breeze. “I really want to hear that song you sang in Kucha.”
There was a long silence.
A clear, melodious voice rang out from under the tree.
It drifted through the dense foliage and blossoms, scattering under the clear blue sky.
The girl leaned back slightly on the stone table, gazing at the ever-changing clouds, and sang a mysterious and enigmatic song.
The singing seemed to have a gentle power, soothing and calming all sorrow, reaching straight to the heart.
Sunlight fell on Jia Ye's forehead, like a layer of golden light. A slight blush appeared on her delicate face, like a fresh and tempting spring peach, instantly arousing feelings of love and delight.
The singing slowly faded away, and as the last note disappeared, she looked down at him and smiled slightly.
He stared silently for a long time, then reached out and grabbed her slender wrist, pulling her down hard. Her small body fell into his chest, crashing heavily into his arms. The large tree behind them was shaken, and petals rained down from the sky.
The sudden change made her look up, somewhat annoyed.
"What are you doing?"
The falling petals covered her, fluttering down like fine snow. Forgetting her anger, she stared blankly upwards, her dark eyes reflecting the fallen petals on the ground and in the sky, as if they contained countless starlight.
"So beautiful."
A soft sigh sounded in my ear, and before I could respond, a warm kiss landed on my lips.
Buddhist chanting
The sweet aroma of the wine filled her mouth, and her consciousness became a little hazy. Unconsciously, she wrapped her arms around his neck.
His lips lingered forcefully, greedily demanding sweetness. His dark eyes seemed to hold fire, and the familiar scent brought a strange sense of peace, making her feel hot and increasingly dizzy.
The kiss deepened, becoming entangled and inseparable. Their breathing gradually became erratic. His hand on the back of her neck was burning hot, and his strong arms slowly tightened, pressing together as if suffocating. They forgot everything else in the world.
Until a scream shattered the silence.
Looking up, Bai Fengge stared in astonishment at the two people by the garden gate, her jade hand covering her lips.
"Is there something you need, Miss?" He released Jia Ye and asked politely, without the slightest embarrassment or awkwardness. In fact, the other party's panicked state seemed somewhat ridiculous.
“Third Young Master, Miss Ye…you…you…” Tears of disappointment welled up in her beautiful eyes, filled with confusion. The petite girl stood up, brushed the flowers off her dress, and looked directly at him with an air of composure and confidence.
"Miss Bai, what advice do you have for me?"
As a daughter of a prominent family, she quickly regained her composure after the initial shock. However, she couldn't hide her bitterness; her eyes reddened slightly, and it took her a long time to manage to speak.
"Many friends in the outer hall are discussing going to Lingyin Temple to offer incense and enjoy the spring scenery. I think Miss Ye, being new here, might want to go and take a look..."
"Thank you for your kindness, Miss." He looked at Jia Ye.
"I have no interest in worshipping Buddha and burning incense."
"The scenery there is quite nice; we can simply avoid going into the main hall," he advised. "Going out for a walk would be good too."
Jia Ye thought for a moment and nodded.
Ignoring the complex look in her eyes, he took her hand.
On the small building dozens of feet away, Xie Quheng and Song Yushang exchanged a glance, both looking shocked.
Surrounded by a group of noisy young men and women, the atmosphere was extremely strange.
The elder brother chatted idly with him, the topics general, never straying from his side. Bai Fengge was surrounded by a group of close female friends, occasionally glancing over, her melancholy barely concealed. Bai Kunyu sometimes focused on this, sometimes on Jia Ye, as if deep in thought. Song Yushang occasionally glanced at him, occasionally keeping an eye on the various beautiful women who came to offer incense.
Jia Ye had some free time and didn't mind being alone, enjoying the scenery to her heart's content.
She glanced around and, as expected, didn't enter the Buddhist hall. Instead, she went straight to the back mountain, leaving behind a group of lively and playful young men from aristocratic families to make their own wishes.
Compared to the bustling incense offerings at the front hall, the back mountain was indeed much quieter.
The mountains are beautiful and the forests are dense, with clear springs gurgling over the rocks. Scattered among the deep greenery are Buddhist statues and pagodas, exuding an ancient and solemn atmosphere. Occasionally, the sound of Buddhist drums and chanting can be heard, which has a profound effect on calming the mind. She deliberately chose places with few people and few visitors, and the further she walked, the more secluded it became. Birds chirped, as if echoing each other in the forest, their voices clear and melodious. The stone paths of the mountain trails were covered with green moss, and giant trees as thick as a person's embrace reached for the sky, their age unknown.
Occasionally, she would catch a glimpse of a dilapidated Buddha statue standing by the roadside. She would sneer, pretend not to see it, and stroll towards a more secluded place.
Before we had gone far, it started to drizzle.
The spring rain in Jiangnan was like mist, not very heavy, but it still soaked my clothes. After hesitating for a moment, I heard voices behind me. I turned around and saw that it was the person who had come with me.
Before long, the wide sleeves of the garment covered the top of her head, blocking out the continuous drizzle.
"I heard there's a chess pavilion not far ahead, let's go and avoid it for a while." His handsome eyes held a hint of a smile, and he ignored the stares of others as he escorted her along the road, leaving behind a multitude of conflicting thoughts.
Protected by her elder brother, Bai Fengge bit her lip and followed.
Xie Quheng frowned, but didn't say anything.
Song Yushang followed behind the two figures, utterly puzzled.
There is indeed a pavilion.
As you turn a corner of the mountain road, a corner of a flying eaves comes into view, perched atop a precipitous cliff.
There is a spring beside the pavilion.
Water cascades down the cliff, creating mist and making the waterfall look like smoke.
There are people under the pavilion.
An old monk and a young man are playing chess.
A young servant in blue stood at attention, occasionally refilling the cups of fragrant tea.
"I apologize for disturbing your enjoyment. A sudden downpour has left us with nowhere to shelter from the rain. We have no choice but to take shelter for now. Please forgive us."