Xianglan packed two or three sets of clothes and bundled her daily toiletries into a cloth wrapper. After giving Yuexi a few instructions, she slung the bundle over her arm and walked out. Song Ke stood by the door, watching through the carved floral lattice as Xianglan moved away in her lilac gauze gown, the swaying skirt and her jet-black chignon with the enamel hairpin from which dangling pearls swung rhythmically.
She passed through the moon gate and disappeared behind a lush bamboo grove.
Song Ke clenched his fists, feeling as if a piece of his heart had crumbled away.
Meanwhile, Xianglan returned home feeling weary. Though she didn’t regret baring her heart to Song Ke earlier, anxiety weighed on her chest like a massive rock. Her mother, Xue Shi, was perfectly healthy—Xianglan had invented the excuse to avoid an awkward confrontation with Song Ke.
Lifting her skirt, Xianglan went upstairs to her usual room. It had been completely refreshed: a new dressing table stood in the corner, the windows were covered with colorful gauze, and a small desk held a complete set of painting supplies. The bed was spread with brand-new brocade quilts, soft and inviting to sit on.
Xue Shi came up with a pot of tea, smiling. "Do you like the new additions? Your father had them made by a carpenter from the neighboring village. I was hesitant about the cost, but your father said we can afford it now and shouldn’t let you go without. We’ve also found a courtyard house in the south of the city—not too expensive, with a main room and two side chambers, neither too big nor too small, and fairly new. The owner is moving to Shanxi and is selling it cheap, but we’re still hesitating. Though it’s not overly priced, it’s still 120 taels of silver. Buying it would use up all our savings."
Xianglan forced herself to sound cheerful. "I’ll paint two more pieces tomorrow."
Xue Shi replied, "Your father says your landscapes don’t sell as quickly as your flower-and-bird paintings. Smaller pieces are cheaper and sell faster. There’s a large one priced at fifty taels in the shop that hasn’t found a buyer yet. He says selling such works is like 'not opening for business for three years, but feasting for three years once it sells.' It’ll find a buyer eventually. If that one sells, we’ll have extra funds. Then we wouldn’t worry about buying the house and could even afford furniture and repairs."
Xianglan thought for a moment. "If the price is good, we should buy it now. We could always rent it out rather than miss the opportunity."
Xue Shi agreed repeatedly and chattered about neighborhood gossip, but Xianglan’s mind had already wandered. She thought, "If Song Ke agrees, staying together would be my good fortune. If he doesn’t..." She turned the possibility over in her mind until her head throbbed. Finally, she gritted her teeth. "If he refuses, it’s only natural. I’ll buy my freedom myself. Better a quick, sharp pain than a long, drawn-out agony. Being apart is better than being bound together yet suffering daily." Though she thought this, tears welled up uncontrollably, and she hurriedly turned away to wipe them.
Xue Shi noticed nothing. Hearing a knock at the door downstairs, she hurried off. Xianglan sat on the bed in a daze until sudden commotion drew her attention. Going downstairs, she saw Chen Wanquan, dead drunk, being supported into the inner room by Young Master Xia, with Xue Shi following behind carrying a spittoon in case he vomited again.Xianglan hurried to fetch water from the basin. Hearing the commotion, Xia Yun turned around and saw Xianglan standing behind him, dressed in an elegant gown with a sprig of peach blossoms embroidered on the collar, like morning dew. He was instantly captivated, rooted to the spot until Xue Shi urged him, snapping him out of his daze as he helped carry the man inside.
Chen Wanquan reeked of alcohol, stumbling drunkenly before collapsing onto the bed. Xianglan wrung out a warm towel to wipe her father’s face, removed his boots, and pulled the quilt over him. Xue Shi asked from the side, "Why has he gotten drunk again for no reason?"
Xia Yun replied, "Today, the head shopkeeper’s grandson was celebrating his full-month banquet. Uncle Chen had a few extra cups and ended up collapsing on the street. I happened to see him and helped him back."
Xue Shi murmured a prayer of gratitude. The Chen Family had been enjoying a streak of good fortune lately. The couple had been freed from their servitude, and Chen Wanquan was now independently selling Xianglan’s paintings, earning a considerable amount of silver. As a result, many people had begun to flatter and curry favor with them—today someone invited him for a drink, tomorrow another for tea, accompanied by endless praise. Chen Wanquan, who was already prone to vanity, became even more inflated, especially after he acquired a few antiques and sold them at high prices, making more money. This only fueled his arrogance, and he began drinking without restraint.
Xianglan brought a bowl of hot tea and helped her father drink it. Chen Wanquan turned over and began snoring thunderously. Xianglan closed the door and stepped out. Outside, Xue Shi was profusely thanking Xia Yun and insisted on giving him some cured meat to take home.
Xia Yun declined, saying, "We’re neighbors, and Uncle Chen has helped me a lot. It’s nothing to just help him back." As he spoke, his eyes glanced toward Xianglan.
Xue Shi smiled and said, "You’ve been coming and going these days, helping with so much. We must thank you properly." She firmly pressed the cured meat into Xia Yun’s hands and turned to Xianglan. "These past few days, your father bought furniture, and Young Master Xia came to help move and arrange everything. Why don’t you thank him?"
Xianglan stepped forward to express her gratitude. Xia Yun hastily declined, saying, "Last time it rained, you lent me an umbrella. Helping with such small matters is nothing." In truth, Xia Yun had been using these opportunities to catch a glimpse of Xianglan, but he had never managed to meet her until today. Though disappointed each time, now that he finally saw her, he found himself at a loss for words. Unable to linger, he had to take his leave.
Xianglan personally saw him to the door. As the door opened and Xia Yun stepped out, he paused and said, "I’ve passed the county-level examination and am now a xiucai. In a couple of days, I’ll be taking the provincial examination."
Xianglan, preoccupied with her own thoughts, was taken aback by this sudden news and replied, "Congratulations, Young Master Xia. I wish you success in the examinations."
Xia Yun smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words. If I pass, I’ll invite your whole family to celebrate." He then turned and gazed intently at Xianglan.
Xianglan understood his implication and felt slightly embarrassed, murmuring vaguely, "Then take care on your way, Young Master Xia."
Seeing the faint blush rise on Xianglan’s cheeks, Xia Yun interpreted it as shyness, and a sweet feeling stirred in his heart. He cupped his hands in farewell and left. At the end of the alley, he encountered a beggar and dropped a few coins into the broken bowl. Noticing the beggar had a ragged child with him, he gave a few more coins.Xianglan watched silently and nodded to herself, thinking, "Although this young Master Xia is a somewhat pedantic scholar, he is truly a kind-hearted person. Despite his humble circumstances and needing to copy books to support his family, he still gives alms—that is truly remarkable." She closed the door and heard Xue Shi behind her say, "Young Master Xia is a good man. When your father and I have tasks we can't manage, he comes to lend a hand. Don't be fooled by his scholarly appearance—he's quite strong..."
Recalling Xia Yun's gaze, Xianglan felt somewhat uneasy and said to Xue Shi, "Let's not have him come again in the future. If any unfavorable rumors spread, wouldn't that be unfair to him? Besides, I'm not yet married, and if he keeps visiting, it could harm my reputation as well."
Xue Shi was taken aback, assuming Xianglan was concerned about Song Ke and worried he might be displeased if he found out, so she quickly replied, "You're right, we'll keep our distance from now on."
Xianglan nodded, then turned and lifted her skirt to go upstairs, finding herself with nothing to do for the moment.
Two days passed, and there was still no movement from Song Ke—neither sending for Xianglan to return nor any word at all. Xianglan went from anxious and gloomy to restless and uneasy, until finally, after reciting scriptures and writing two calligraphy pieces, she calmed down. She had come to terms with it: in this life, she was merely a maid with some beauty and talent, her fate as transient as duckweed on a river. Being able to leave the Lin family and have her parents freed from servitude was already a tremendous blessing; it was improper to hope for more. If Song Ke sought to marry a noble lady, it was only natural. After all, she was no longer the high-born daughter who could command the wind and rain—how could she be worthy of Song Ke, who came from an official family?
With this realization, her heart settled, and she spent her days painting in her room.
Meanwhile, Song Ke seemed to have lost his spirit over those two days, staring blankly at the little insect Xianglan had painted before her departure. He heard Yuexi knock and say, "Eldest Master, the horse is ready. Will you be going to the academy today?"
Summoning his energy, Song Ke responded and got up to fetch the Four Treasures of the Study. When he saw the stationery set, he paused again. The set had been made for him by Xianglan, meticulously embroidered with the Four Gentlemen—plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum—symbolizing the elegance of a scholar.
When Xianglan had finished the set, she had just recovered from her illness and presented it as if afraid of being scorned, saying, "I rushed to make this these past few days, so the needlework is a bit rough. Please don't disdain it, Eldest Master—use it as you will."
Song Ke looked at Xianglan's somewhat ingratiating smile, her thin cheeks, and frail shoulders. His intention had been for her to rest a few more days, but she had been so anxious, eagerly bringing him her needlework. He knew that since entering the Lin family, Xianglan had been cautious in every way, enduring humiliation. Seeing her like this pained him deeply. He took the stationery set and examined it—it was exquisitely crafted, clearly requiring great effort. He couldn't put it down but couldn't help scolding her, "Your health isn't fully recovered, and you're already doing needlework? What if it worsens?" Seeing Xianglan lower her head, he coughed and said, "Well, the flowers embroidered on it are quite delicate."
Glancing outside, he saw Xianglan still hanging her head, not speaking, her small hands clutching the hem of her clothes, looking anxious and uneasy. Song Ke thought to himself, "She's new to this household and must be cautious in everything, afraid of displeasing her master. She went to the trouble of making this needlework for me—I should have praised her more."She raised her voice slightly, speaking cheerfully, "You're so thoughtful. This stationery set fits perfectly, and the embroidered plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum motifs carry such lovely meanings. The design is something I've never seen before."
Glancing over, she noticed Xianglan still kept her head lowered without a word. So she raised her voice again and rambled on, "And this butterfly embroidered here is exquisite—it lands just on the orchid. Li Shangyin wrote in his poem, 'Zhuangzi dreamed of butterflies at dawn, lost in wonder; Emperor Wang's spring heart entrusted to the cuckoo.Your embroidery even alludes to that allusion! Everyone says Jiangnan's 'Hui Embroidery' is unparalleled, but I think yours surpasses even that!"
She saw Xianglan's shoulders trembling slightly, then suddenly Xianglan lifted her head, her face flushed red as she stifled a laugh, saying, "If I keep my head down, will Eldest Master keep praising this needlework as if it were a rare treasure?" Yet her heart softened. In this second life, Song Ke's nature hadn't changed—Xiao Hang was always like this, never willing to speak harshly to anyone. In her previous life, when she first made a hat for Xiao Hang and it turned out too small, he had similarly coaxed her with gentle words, praising it as if it were heaven-sent and earth-shaking, making her giggle uncontrollably. They both joked that they would save the hat for their future child...
Song Ke was taken aback, shaking his head helplessly, though a joyful smile still played on his lips. Lifting his gaze, he caught sight of Xianglan's lively smile and the tender affection in her eyes, and his heart melted. Silently, he grasped her hand; Xianglan struggled slightly but didn't pull away. He wanted to kiss her porcelain-like cheek, yet feared being too forward...
While Song Ke remained lost in memories, Yuexi's voice called from outside the door, snapping him back to reality. He responded, thinking to leave immediately, but after a glance at the stationery set, he gritted his teeth, snatched it up, and strode out.
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