After leaving Song Yima's room, Guo Mama pulled Fang Si into their own quarters, shut the door, and whispered, "Don't bring up that matter about Xianglan again. Don't you know how it is? Taitai follows Master's every word—if Master says coal is white, Taitai would chime in, 'Yes, yes, it does look a bit white'... Ah, why must you throw yourself against the knife's edge?"
Fang Si twisted her handkerchief. "I just can't accept it."
Guo Mama sighed. "What can you do even if you don't accept it? I've long advised you to learn some letters. Master favors those with scholarly airs, but you wouldn't listen. Look at Hongxiu and Xianglan—both can read and write. Who can you blame now that you're out of favor?"
Fang Si grew even more agitated. She flung her hand dismissively and went to lie on the bed, pulling the quilt over her head. Guo Mama sat beside her, sighed again, and nudged Fang Si. "You've always been sensible since you were little. Don't lose your head and take the wrong path now. Master has that girl in his heart—don't go looking for trouble. Instead, try to get closer to her. I've noticed Master is quite kind and affectionate toward you too. There might still be hope. Let's wait another two years. But if nothing comes of it by then, you mustn't delay any longer—marry someone properly, understand?" She gave Fang Si another nudge.
Fang Si buried her face and wept. Hearing Guo Mama's words, she bit her lip and cried even harder.
Meanwhile, Xianglan had helped the maids set the meal. Song Ke emerged from his bath, dressed in dark green casual robes. Seeing Xianglan about to leave, he called out, "Xianglan, stay and eat with me."
Jun and Yueren exchanged glances at this, then left with suppressed smiles. Xianglan, however, felt awkward. She had been eating with the other maids these past days, and Song Ke's invitation unsettled her.
Song Ke acted as though nothing were amiss. He sat at the table, patted the stool beside him, and said with a smile, "Come here, why stand there foolishly?"
Xianglan hesitated but approached. Song Ke reached out, pulled her down to sit, and placed several morsels of food into the small dish before her. With a playful wink, he said in a light tone, "It's just the two of us—no need to be so reserved." He then ladled her a bowl of soup. "Try this—it's ham soup."
Xianglan stared motionlessly at the small, fragrant bowl before her.
Ham soup had also been Xiao Hang's favorite. After staying in the Song household these past days, observing Song Ke's temperament, preferences, and mannerisms, she had become certain that Song Ke was Xiao Hang. Yesterday, she had sneaked into the study and quietly retrieved the fan inscribed with the lines, "Hearing the night flute from the small tower, the silence has lasted till midnight." Seeing the familiar yet unfamiliar handwriting, she had silently shed tears.
Finding her husband from her past life, she couldn't tell whether she felt joy or sorrow. Joy, because across two lifetimes, fate had granted them this reunion; sorrow, because their statuses were as far apart as clouds and mud—Song Ke could never marry a mere maidservant like her!
Though the Song family was no longer as illustrious as before, "a starved camel is still bigger than a horse." They remained an established lineage with considerable landholdings and shops. If Song Ke passed the imperial examinations, he would restore the family's glory and marry a noblewoman to revive their fortunes. Even if he married a commoner's daughter, she would surely be the refined daughter of a prosperous local gentry family. By no measure would it ever be her—a lowly maid whose deed of servitude was firmly clutched in her master's hands.
Even if she and Song Ke recognized each other, what then?She dared not presume too much. In their previous life, she and Xiao Hang had been married for barely a year before being exiled, spending less than two years together. Moreover, their marriage had been her own wishful thinking from the start.
Now that they had met again in this lifetime, how much of Song Ke's affection for her truly remained?
If this life meant being reduced from wife to concubine, she would rather never see him again!
Seeing Song Ke's attentive care and solicitous concern, her heart felt as though blocked by a heavy stone. Though she warned herself not to fall too deeply, she shamefully harbored secret joy in her heart, along with a faint glimmer of hope.
The Buddha said unfulfilled desires bring the greatest suffering, and so she struggled daily between obsession and letting go.
Song Ke poured himself a cup of wine and picked up a small fried dough cake, about to eat it when he noticed Xianglan's expression and paused.
He couldn't understand why Xianglan kept showing such sorrowful expressions. These days he had tried every way to make her happy, yet whenever she smiled, such melancholy would appear in her eyes, as if she had endured countless hardships. In his previous life, he had died from illness, his spirit drifting aimlessly until one day he faintly heard someone calling. Following the sound, he found the two-year-old Song Ke on the verge of death, his family having summoned a Taoist to call back his soul. As the child had already stopped breathing, he entered the boy's body—and thus over a decade had passed. He had sent people to inquire before, only to learn Madam Shen had long died, while his former family members had either passed away or disappeared without a trace.
This girl before him now bore such striking resemblance to his previous wife Madam Shen that he sometimes wondered—could Xianglan be Madam Shen's soul like him? He had tested her several times, deliberately mentioning trivial matters only he and Madam Shen would know, yet Xianglan showed no reaction. So he thought perhaps he was mistaken—after all, over ten years had passed, making his past life seem almost like a dream.
Song Ke cleared his throat and casually took a frozen crystal banana leaf cup, filling it to the brim for Xianglan before placing it before her. "Is something troubling you?"
"What trouble?" Xianglan had already concealed her melancholy when she looked up, smiling faintly. "I only thought dining together like this might be improper."
Song Ke frowned deeply. "What nonsense about propriety—I detest such things. Aren't we supposed to enjoy ourselves at home? I want you to eat with me." He pushed the cup closer. "Have a few drinks with me tonight."
Xianglan smiled slightly. "Drinking so late—won't it affect your studies later? You might not even hold the brush steady."
Song Ke laughed. "Why mention such dreary matters? Let's toast first." He urged Xianglan to raise her cup, clinked his against hers, and downed it in one go.
Xianglan quickly advised, "At least have some food, or the alcohol will harm your organs." She placed a duck roll on Song Ke's plate.
Song Ke couldn't help smiling as he ate the duck roll in one bite, then began recounting amusing anecdotes—how mischievous students played pranks on the academy's great scholars; how Lin Jinting sneaked off to pleasure quarters and was caught by Old Lord Lin, who ordered Lin Changmin to discipline him with a whip, leaving Lin Jinting weeping to Song Ke about the injustice that his elder brother could visit such places while he couldn't; and how a shop assistant of his was swindled by a charlatan.Song Ke was witty and elegant, his clever remarks keeping Xianglan smiling throughout. Perhaps too engrossed in their joy, they only realized it was already Hai hour when Junxi came knocking at the door.
The maids cleared the remnants of the meal and brought fresh water. Song Ke, slightly intoxicated, insisted on stepping outside to admire the moonlit courtyard. Yuexi set up a small table while Junxi brewed a fresh pot of tea and arranged fruits and pastries. Song Ke dismissed them, saying, "You may retire for the night. Xianglan will attend to me here."
The two stood side by side in the quiet courtyard, surrounded only by the rustling of bamboo in the wind and the occasional chirp of insects, which only deepened the silence.
Xianglan tilted her head up, gazing at the half-moon hanging in the sky, its glow soft and silvery.
After standing for a while, Song Ke let out a long sigh and smiled. "Scenery is shaped by the heart. I remember another time I looked at the moon with a woman—it was a bright full moon over the river. But because my heart was heavy, even the most beautiful moonlight felt desolate and sorrowful. Tonight, though it’s only a half-moon, it feels serene and perfect, as if I’ve never seen such lovely moonlight in my life."
Xianglan, still looking at the moon, replied softly, "The moonlight tonight is indeed pure. Look, there isn’t a single cloud in the sky. The courtyard is adorned with flowers, and we have fine tea to savor—it’s truly a heavenly evening."
Song Ke murmured, almost inaudibly, "And with you beside me, even an ordinary scene becomes beautiful." His voice was so light it might as well have been a whisper, yet his cheeks flushed. He reached for Xianglan’s hand, his heart pounding, afraid she might think him frivolous. He cleared his throat, searching for words but finding none. Normally composed, he now fumbled awkwardly under the weight of his emotions.
Xianglan didn’t pull away. She stood quietly, her head slightly bowed, silently praying, "Heaven, grant me this moment of indulgence." Song Ke was the one she treasured in her heart. Watching him speak with such charm and vitality reminded her of happier days in her past life, making her long to be near him. Every moment with him allowed her to forget, if only briefly, her lowly status and uncertain fate.
Song Ke stole a glance at Xianglan’s delicate profile and slender shoulders. Holding her small hand, his heart softened, and a smile tugged at his lips. From the first time he saw her, she had stirred something in him. Beautiful yet resilient, she carried herself with dignity even when mistreated by Cao Lihuan, never losing her pride. He had watched her intently, unable to resist the urge to see her again.
Squeezing her hand gently, Song Ke led her to the table and sat down. "I used to play string and wind instruments for leisure," he said with a smile. "But my mother prefers quiet, and since my father passed, music has long been absent from our home. Otherwise, a tune now would be fitting."
Xianglan finally looked up at Song Ke’s refined features and replied softly, "The sounds of nature around us are far more beautiful than any instrument."Xianglan's smile was radiant, the moonlight casting a faint silvery glow on her jade-like face, as if she had stepped out of a painting. Song Ke stared in a daze, responding with a foolish "Hmm."
Seeing him like this, Xianglan felt like laughing, but a touch of melancholy soon crept over her. She stood up and said, "It's too late, Master. You should go rest. You need to rise early tomorrow to study—don't wear yourself out."
Song Ke was reluctant to leave, but fearing Xianglan might be tired, he had no choice but to agree.
Xianglan then attended to Song Ke, helping him wash up and prepare for bed. As he lifted the bed curtains, watching her carry the candle and close the door behind her, he longed to ask her to stay. Yet, he felt doing so would be too forward.
"After next year's Imperial Examination, then," Song Ke thought to himself as he drowsily closed his eyes.
Thanks to Yan Sansheng for the He's Jade Disc—whew, the debt keeps piling up. I'll try to make up for it with extra updates next week! Also, thanks to Huaxiyuexi for the sachet, and to Duoduo Yezi and Yu21yu21 for the Peace Talismans. Still seeking support—keep it coming, everyone! Thanks~ ^_^
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