Seeing an Old Love Again

Meng Zhixian grumbled twice and reluctantly let her go.

Su Yuhe smiled and gave him a nudge. He slowly rose from the chair, the blue-green padded robe draped over his shoulders slipping most of the way off, and raised a hand to catch it before it fell.

His face was expressionless as he tilted his head and pulled up the padded robe. Candlelight flickered across his face, now bright, now dim. The flames could not melt the frost on his face, but instead lent him a few more shades of allure.

He was more enticing like this than when he had been openly seducing her.

Su Yuhe silently recited "form is emptiness, emptiness is form" three times before finally suppressing the restlessness in her heart.

Zhuxin stepped into the courtyard carrying a black wooden box and immediately spotted a youth in green bent over, a broom in hand, sweeping dirt in the courtyard.

He was diligently sweeping up the loose dirt dampened by the night dew. Passing him, Zhuxin smiled faintly. "It's rare to see you up early. Why so diligent today?"

"The master is back."

Zhuxin's smile stiffened, though he kept it on his face. His previously light steps grew heavy at the news.

He glanced up. It was his master, looking at him without expression. His heart raced, and he immediately withdrew his gaze. Head lowered, he watched his toes as he slowly entered the little building.

Zhuxin pushed open the door, carefully set the wooden box on the table, and called softly, "Young master."

"Mm."

He had been at his master's side since he was five and knew his temper better than anyone. The more expressionless he was, the angrier he was.

A shaft of sunlight fell beside his feet. It could not have been quieter. He plucked up the courage to break the silence.

"When did you return, young master? Have you eaten?"

"Mm."

Zhuxin's palms were slick with sweat. He had known about that matter. Though he had not participated, knowing and failing to report it made him little different from Lanxin, who had actually carried it out.

Another long silence followed.

Zhuxin kept his head lowered, watching that shaft of sunlight slowly spread until it covered the carpet before the window. His master basked in the morning sunlight, the subtle patterns on his clothes shimmering like light on water.

Suddenly, inspiration struck. Suppressing his nervous unease, he retreated two steps, turned to the writing desk nearby, and brought over four books, placing them beside his master's hand.

Xubai tilted his head to glance at them, then looked up at Zhuxin.

"These are what the lady copied this month. Four books in all. They were collected yesterday at noon."

Yesterday at noon?

Yesterday morning, he had seen her strolling through the streets and eating snacks with that lowly government slave.

Xubai opened one of the books. The handwriting on the paper was utterly familiar to him.

So she had been going to the bookshop yesterday.

Four books copied in a little over twenty days, more than twenty thousand characters every five days. With that to do day after day, how could she possibly have any entanglements with those people?

At that thought, his lips curved into a smile, sweeping away his earlier gloom. He tipped his chin at Zhuxin. "Go invite her over."

Zhuxin lowered his eyes and assented, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief as he slowly withdrew from the room.

Just as he reached the door, a voice stopped him. His entire body tensed, and he halted.

"Have the kitchen stew a chicken and make some good dishes."

"Yes."

He quickened his steps toward the exit, only to hear another "Wait" behind him.

"Bring those three wretched slaves back."

Xubai sat down at the dressing table. He had suffered nightmares every night these past few days and seemed a little haggard.

He leaned close to the bronze mirror and examined himself again and again, then took out the face powder from the bottom compartment and deftly patted it onto his face. Only when his face was so white that not a single blemish showed did he stop.

For his clothes, he chose a bright red outfit. At their first meeting, he had to outshine those three slaves.

Two knocks sounded at the door. Xubai paused what he was doing. Zhuxin's silhouette was slightly bowed. "Young master, Lady Su is downstairs."

"Let her wait."

She came so quickly. She must already have thought up an explanation. I'll certainly have to hear it.

Su Yuhe waited downstairs for a long time. She had drunk three cups of tea, yet he still had not come down.

With three cups of fine tea in her stomach, she gradually settled down from her initial agitation and unease.

Zhuxin came downstairs and respectfully directed her up. "This way, my lady."

She went upstairs apprehensively. Ever since Zhuxin had appeared and told her that Xubai wanted to see her and asked her to come over, she had been wondering how to begin.

They had already been apart for a month. His sudden appearance had shattered the peace of her present life.

There had been faint traces of him recently, but only when he truly appeared did she abruptly realize that, once beyond her control, the lover she had once thought easy to handle would loom before her like a great mountain. The mountain's shadow alone was enough to chill her heart.

She had once known how to soothe him, how to smooth his ruffled fur, but now she no longer had the standing to do so.

Zhuxin escorted her to the door and then went downstairs, leaving at a hurried pace. She hesitated outside the door for a long time.

Little did she know that the person inside was watching the dark silhouette on the door, his initially irrepressible excitement cooling little by little.

Xubai was so angry that his chest heaved violently, and he tossed the gold hairpin he had prepared onto the table.

Su Yuhe spent a long time bracing herself. Just as she was about to knock, a sharp sound came from inside.

The door flew open with a bang, and a red-sleeved arm yanked her inside. Xubai's vicious voice came from above her head. "Why aren't you coming in? What are you standing out there for? Are you trying to scare me to death? Things really are different now that you have a new love."