Lin Hong spread his sleeves and embraced Zhenzhen, a gesture too swift to resist, yet the subsequent hold was exceptionally gentle. His wide sleeves overlapped, covering her as if to warm her, his chin lightly resting against her hairline, allowing her to lean against his chest.
Zhenzhen heard his heartbeat, a sound that seemed distant and lofty at such close proximity, gradually intensifying over time, as if someone within his heart were stepping along a wooden corridor, drawing nearer to her.
His clothes were, as always, spotlessly clean. In the glow of the stove’s fire, he appeared pure and warm. Burying her face in his chest, she could smell not only the fragrance of sandalwood from his robes but also the scent of sunlight.
Her surprise and daze were quietly melted away by this sudden tenderness. Awakening from her trance, flowers gradually bloomed in her heart, yet she felt a pang of sorrow, her eyes inexplicably growing warm.
She closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around his waist, and hid herself in his embrace, avoiding his gaze. After a moment, she whispered, “Tell me, am I dreaming? Will I wake up and find myself still lying in the cave?”
Perhaps due to great worry and lack of confidence, her voice was faint and delicate, stirring his pity. He wanted to answer but could not find the right words, falling silent instead. Unable to wait for his response, she withdrew her left hand, placed it on his chest, and, like a kitten, crumpled the fabric of his robe. She lifted her head slightly, her eyes glistening with tears, and searched his expression as if to confirm his presence.
His heart felt as if brushed by a feather, and he trembled slightly. His right arm tightened around her, while his left hand traced the nape of her neck and slipped into her loosened, nearly undone hair. He bent down and pressed a sigh-laden kiss to her brow.
Outside the window, a figure flickered and quickly retreated. It was A Che, who had come looking for the young master. Seeing the study still lit but the master absent, he had sought him out to ask if he needed to return to the study.
The scene inside the room startled A Che, causing him to step back repeatedly until the back of his head bumped against a pillar behind him. Fortunately, the sound was soft and did not disturb Lin Hong or Zhenzhen. A Che immediately lowered his head, lightened his steps, and hurried back to his own bedroom.
Just as he reached the door, he ran into Xin Sanniang, who was heading toward the kitchen. Sanniang glanced at the candlelight from the kitchen and asked A Che, “It’s so late. Is the young master still in the kitchen?”
A Che stopped her, waving his hands repeatedly to prevent her from going further.
Xin Sanniang halted, looking suspicious. “What’s wrong? What is the young master doing?”
A Che flushed red, hesitated for a while, and finally replied, “He’s… connecting with the earthly energy.”
Xin Sanniang’s eyes shifted, and she understood. She pushed A Che into his room and closed the door from the outside. “Go to sleep. Don’t meddle.” Then she turned and returned to her own room, no longer intending to investigate.
Lin Hong’s lips lightly brushed Zhenzhen’s brow, lingering and tracing as if inscribing a long-lasting mark upon her. This embrace differed from the earlier one, carrying a gradually rising warmth, much like his kiss. Zhenzhen felt both flustered and shy, attempting to break free, but he did not release her. For a moment, she did not know what to do. Her limbs grew soft, as if intoxicated, and she ceased struggling.When his kisses began to trail downward, a sudden breeze rustled through the sparse bamboo, stirring the shattered jade pieces hanging among the slender stalks outside the study. The jade fragments collided, chiming like jade pendants.
Lin Hong had hung these shattered jade pieces in the bamboo grove, calling them "shattered jade chimes," using them as wind chimes. Zhenzhen once asked why he used these. He said that the wind stirring the jade created pleasant sounds for the ears and eyes, calming the mind and nurturing one's nature.
As the evening wind grew fierce, the sound of the shattered jade chimes pattered like rain, growing increasingly urgent. The crisp, musical notes gradually intensified until, abruptly, a sharp metallic clang rang out—as if a jade piece had fallen, shattering upon the bluestone bricks below.
Lin Hong jolted in alarm, releasing Zhenzhen and rising to look out the window. The fire in his eyes gradually dimmed. Suddenly, he turned and strode out, crossing the corridor and passing through the plum trees and bamboo grove, heading toward the pond.
A fierce wind howled, rushing against his face. He spread his sleeves wide, letting the wind snatch away the cloak draped over his shoulders. The cloak fluttered and fell to the ground, but he did not look back. He walked straight to the shimmering edge of the pond before stopping, his distant gaze fixed on the moonless, cloud-shrouded night sky. Amid the roaring wind, he struggled to steady his breathing.
He stood silently for a long time until the wind subsided and the moonlight reappeared. The moonlight, like a spirit unfurling icy silk wings, embraced his thinly clad body. The feverish heat within him receded, and he finally regained the familiar, safe coolness he was accustomed to.
He returned to the study, pushed open the door, and walked slowly to the portrait of Luo Shen. His gaze gradually settled upon her, and he whispered three words: "I'm sorry."
Luo Shen's brows were slightly furrowed, yet the corners of her lips held a faint smile. Her exquisite eyes, gentle as water, seemed to gaze softly at him.
Outside the door behind Lin Hong, Zhenzhen arrived quietly, holding his cloak.
When he ended his long silence, turned, and walked out the door, she was already gone. The cloak had been neatly placed on the ground. He bent down to pick it up and noticed two damp, circular spots on it.
He looked up and scanned the garden. The night was serene, with no trace of rain.
The next morning, Zhenzhen packed her belongings and went to the main hall, waiting to bid farewell to the people in the garden. But Lin Hong had already gone out early to play the qin, seemingly with no intention of seeing her again.
Xin Sanniang, smiling, came from the backyard to the main hall, prepared with a mix of teasing and congratulatory words for Lin Hong and Zhenzhen. To her surprise, one was nowhere to be seen, while the other sat alone, shrouded in gloom, with no hint of joy on her face.
Noticing Zhenzhen's luggage, Xin Sanniang asked in astonishment about her intentions. Zhenzhen briefly explained her plan to return to Pujiang to be considered for entry into the Bureau of Palace Provisions. Xin Sanniang was instantly filled with inexplicable anger and snapped, "You want to enter the palace too?"
Zhenzhen didn't understand why she reacted this way, guessing that Xin Sanniang likely thought she was overestimating herself. She explained, "Although my culinary skills are not refined, this is my only chance to enter the palace and search for my mother. I cannot give up and must do my best."
"If you want to enter the palace, go ahead and do it yourself. Why did you come here to trouble the young master?" Xin Sanniang scolded angrily, refusing to listen to any further explanations, and stormed off with a flick of her sleeve.
In contrast, A Che comforted her kindly and took out a wooden box for her: "The young master asked me to give this to you."
Zhenzhen opened it and found a generous sum of silver inside, along with a bound notebook.
"This is the travel expenses the young master prepared for you. As for that..." A Che pointed to the notebook. "That's a collection of recipes the young master recorded in his daily life. He asked you to take it, saying it might be useful to you in the future."Zhenzhen took out the notebook and opened it, seeing that it was indeed a recipe book written in small regular script, recording seasonal delicacies throughout the year—likely the result of Lin Hong’s many years of effort. The handwriting was elegant and graceful, and between the pages wafted a faint, lingering fragrance of plum blossoms.
A Che escorted Zhenzhen down the mountain, helped her retrieve the horse she had left with a farming family, and assisted her onto the saddle. After bidding her farewell, he added, "There’s a blessing I know I shouldn’t say, but I really can’t hold it back."
Zhenzhen urged him to speak, and he smiled, saying, "I wish you a failed selection and a safe return."
Zhenzhen wanted to smile politely but couldn’t quite manage a proper one. A Che urged her to set off, and she rode a few steps before suddenly turning back, asking softly, "A Che, does Luo Shen not eat pork?"
A Che was momentarily confused, unsure of what she meant, and remained silent. Zhenzhen gave a sorrowful smile and, without waiting for an answer, turned her horse around and began her new journey.
The sunlight was warm that day, the weather mild and clear. As she traveled through lush, verdant forests, flowers bloomed along the path, and the spring scenery was so beautiful it seemed as though it would never fade. On horseback, Zhenzhen closed her eyes amidst the cheerful chirping of birds in the trees, letting her carefree youth of early spring vanish into the dust with two clear trails of tears.
(To be continued)
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