Луна ярко светит над пустынными горами, а небо усеяно цветами

Глава 12

"What are they doing?" Huan'er couldn't understand for a moment.

Meanwhile, Wuhen and Wujie, those two lacking in class, kept laughing wildly.

"They're welcoming their master and waiting for the new Madam Shi to meet them," Shi Wuji whispered with a smile in her ear. No! He didn't mind her less-than-refined behavior at all! He adored her blushing, shy appearance. Sure enough, Huan'er immediately blushed crimson, wishing she could disappear into a hole. She had actually lost her composure in front of the servants, shouting and yelling. She nestled in his arms and whispered:

"Are they staring at me because of my rudeness just now?"

“No! They keep looking at you because they have never seen a girl as beautiful as a fairy standing alive before them.” This was the first time Shi Wuji had spoken of his appreciation for her appearance.

"Master." Steward Li Qingding came over, standing respectfully with his hands at his sides. A red carpet had already been laid out on the aisle.

Shi Wuji nodded, released Huan'er, and strode away first. The Shi brothers followed behind, while Wuxia and Huan'er walked side by side at the rear. Huan'er didn't understand why she couldn't walk beside Wuji, but she was certain she disliked this indifference. Shi Wuji was a remarkably self-controlled man; when calm and rationality prevailed, he became unapproachable, like a cold statue. How wonderful it would be if he could always be out of control! He would roar, he would laugh, and he would also—be tender and affectionate… She adored the feeling of him kissing her and holding her. Ah! She truly missed him on the day she was injured.

“Sister-in-law.” Wuxia took her hand and walked with her. “In public, my elder brother is the leader of a huge business empire, he is supreme, and no one can get close to him.”

"Afraid of damaging his dignified image? Is that what he's thinking? That's truly foolish... I'm not just criticizing your elder brother, but everyone who would have such thoughts. On the other hand, these people are also quite pitiful, bound tightly by the opinions of others and worldly etiquette, desperately trying to elevate themselves while abandoning some precious things. Since I am his wife, I should stand by his side. I'm letting him off this time, but he will never have a second chance to abandon me."

Wuxia exclaimed in surprise, "Sister-in-law, Brother can..."

"Hit me? Punish me? I don't care, Wuxia. Your elder brother is someone worth taking the risk for, and besides, I'm tied to him, destined to spend my whole life with him! I must make him accept me, not change me." Huan'er began to understand that Shi Wuji was not as fierce as he appeared; at least he never hit women.

Seeing Su Huan'er's resolute expression, Shi Wuxia couldn't help but feel envious. Why was there such a unique woman? Brave yet not reckless, knowing what she wanted and how to achieve it. In contrast, she herself, relying on her three brothers' impeccable protection, had nothing to worry about, yet knew nothing. She didn't understand what she could do, and even… dared not fight for what she wanted. But in this patriarchal society, who would demand anything of a woman outside the bedroom? Even independent thought was forbidden. Wuxia was lucky; she was always allowed to attend family meetings. If her parents were still alive, she would probably be confined to her room embroidering, waiting for her family to arrange her marriage, never able to travel with her brothers! She knew Su Huan'er was an undercover agent, but after half a month together, Wuxia couldn't bring herself to hate or reject her. This troubled her for a long time.

Upon entering the ranch's meeting hall, Huan'er immediately became curious about the gleaming floor beneath her feet; it was like a mirror, seemingly made of black marble. Did ancient times have such advanced polishing technology? Looking up at the surrounding furnishings, she couldn't help but gasp softly. The same black and red color scheme, with carved beams and painted rafters, exuded extraordinary grandeur and magnificence, yet it was far more understated than Su Guangping's arrogance. The enormous vases flanking the head seat were clearly expensive, and looking upwards from the seat, a huge couplet came into view. Judging from the current height of the ceiling, the ceiling was about six meters high, and the couplet extended from the top to the bottom of the chair.

Standing tall between the past and present, carrying on the legacy of the past.

Dragon Soars Through the Nine Heavens, Controlling Ten Thousand Miles

What magnificent and powerful characters! What a graceful and flowing calligraphy! My God! To write so large and with such momentum, how much skill must one possess, and how large a brush must one use? Her gaze shifted to the signature, her eyes widening in disbelief! It was Shi Wuji! Her husband!

"Huan'er," Shi Wuji called to her, gesturing for her to come over. Huan'er walked towards him absentmindedly, her gaze still drawn to the couplet. A slippery floor is usually fraught with danger. She slipped and fell forward, but Shi Wuji caught her in time. It was foreseeable that this kind of situation would happen frequently in the future; she was always so careless.

"Why did you make the floor so slippery? How can we walk on it?" she complained in a low voice. Shi Wuji helped her sit to the right of the head seat, and a maidservant hurriedly brought tea. The Shi brothers, on the other hand, began to focus on the account books that Li Qing had brought out, five large volumes in total, each ten centimeters thick.

Wuxia took out her personal silk embroidery.

At first, Su Huan'er managed to sit quietly and "composedly" to one side without saying a word, as she could slowly survey the luxurious room. However, half an hour, an hour... time became increasingly difficult to pass, and the account book verification seemed like it would take an eternity to finish. Outside the door, the lush green grass and the blue sky and white clouds were beckoning her, and her desire to go out kept rising... Finally, she quietly got up and moved towards the side door.

Target: A flock of sheep twenty meters away. Charge! She lifted her skirt and charged towards the sheep. The frightened sheep scattered in all directions. Huan'er laughed happily, and after repeating the same trick several times, she angered a few bad-tempered sheep, who chased after her. She ran, screaming and laughing, just as she was having fun, when two shepherds rode up quickly on horseback to stop the sheep from chasing her.

"I'm so sorry, madam, you've been frightened!" the two cried out in alarm, bowing their heads in fear.

“I wasn’t startled! I was just playing around. You don’t need to apologize, uh, I’ll play something else.” What a spoilsport! She jumped onto the fence and sat there, her dangling feet swinging back and forth. Seeing the two shepherds still standing in front of her, she frowned. “You can go about your business, I need some peace and quiet.”

After the two left, Huan'er looked up at the blue sky. The sun was already setting, and the earth was tinged with a dusky yellow, adding a touch of desolation to the boundless grassland. She was mesmerized, feeling sadness for the first time. Two lines of tears streamed down her face! The world was so vast, and sunrise and sunset were the same throughout history. Why did she, a lonely soul who had survived only by traversing time and space, exist? Was it worth it? She asked the sky, but the sky remained silent, with only the occasional cry of a wild goose flying across the horizon, ushering in nightfall.

A finger gently wiped away the tears on her face.