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墨書 Inktalez
Xing Ruyi held an Oiled Paper Umbrella in her hand. Its ribs were red, while the canopy was white, adorned with ink lines that outlined a Shallow Ju Flower pattern.
"Still meddling in other people's business?" The fox glanced at the umbrella, a slight smile curling at the corners of its mouth, revealing a warm, gentle expression.
Xing Ruyi lightly hummed in response and tapped the blood-red ribs with her fingers. "Since we've met, I can't just ignore it, can I?"
This Oiled Paper Umbrella was purchased when she passed by a Paper Shop.
The Paper Shop was a small town where most people made their living through paper crafts, with the Oiled Paper Umbrella being the most common product. Northerners didn't like them, often considering these umbrellas to be too rustic, especially since they were painted on—a sheer waste for something meant to shield from wind and rain. However, Southerners appreciated them, particularly the ladies who found a unique charm in holding them.
Thus, the Oiled Paper Umbrellas from the Paper Shop were mostly sold to the South, while the merchants transporting them came from all over, regardless of region.
This particular paper umbrella was picked up by a Young Man along the way. He refused to disclose where he found it but noticed that Xing Ruyi liked it and since it was an old umbrella, he sold it to her at a low price.
Xing Ruyi decided to buy this umbrella because she saw the Red-Dressed Young Woman attached to it. At that moment, the woman was lying on the Young Man's back, looking at her with pitiful eyes as if pleading, "Please, buy me!"
Xing Ruyi had always been soft-hearted, so she purchased the umbrella.
After tapping seven times on the ribs of the umbrella, the woman attached to it stretched lazily and appeared.
"Are we there yet?"
The woman resembled a well-rested cat stretching and squinting her eyes in satisfaction as she asked herself a question of concern. Her expression seemed less about asking "Are we there yet?" and more about inquiring, "Where's the food?"
"Not yet!" Xing Ruyi replied as she lifted the curtain for the woman to see. "Now, can you finally tell me your name?"
"My name is Shallow, Su Qianqian, the youngest daughter of the Su Family. I have three older brothers: the eldest, Su Jingbo; the second, Su Jingliang; and the third, named Su Jingrui. I share the same mother with my eldest and second brothers, while the third was born to a concubine. However, we all have a great relationship, and my three brothers care for me very much."
"And you? Why are you residing on this umbrella bone?"
"I don't remember!" Su Qianqian propped her chin on her hand and shook her head. "I truly don't remember. I only recall that it seems like I slept for a very long time, and when I woke up, I had already become like this. I was in a Ruined Temple, where there was also a stone statue. The Ruined Temple had a courtyard surrounding it, but the walls had all collapsed. In the courtyard, there was an old pine tree, very ancient, covered with red cloth strips. However, those red strips were also very old and faded, looking particularly unattractive."
"That should be a wish tree. As for the Ruined Temple you mentioned, it sounds very much like an abandoned Matchmaker Temple!"
"Matchmaker Temple?" Su Qianqian furrowed her brows and thought for a moment. "What would I go to the Matchmaker Temple for?"
"Naturally to seek love at the Matchmaker Temple. However, judging by your description, that temple is so dilapidated that it probably isn't very effective anymore." Xing Ruyi glanced at her fingertips. Ever since she had refined her Ghost Technique, she could see more and more things, such as this red thread on her hand—long and thin—connected precisely to the fox.
Xing Ruyi had once asked the fox about the origin of this red thread, but the fox merely shrugged its shoulders in ignorance. Based on years of reading and writing intuition, Xing Ruyi believed this red thread represented the fated bond of marriage, and she was destined to be with the fox.
Su Qianqian also had a red thread at her fingertip, but strangely enough, it appeared to have been forcibly severed.
The Su Family Courtyard was not far from Paper Town; it was only half a day's journey at a fast pace. Xing Ruyi and her companions traveled slowly and arrived in the afternoon of the next day. After disembarking from the carriage and presenting their invitation, a Young Man quickly came out to greet them.
"May I ask who is Miss Xing?"
"I am!"
As Xing Ruyi stepped down from the carriage and took a glance around, she heard Su Qianqian's excited voice.
"This is my second brother, Su Jingliang. He is the best at entertaining guests and is very talkative, so whenever we have visitors at home, he is the one who comes out to greet them. By the way, most of the external affairs of the Su family are also handled by my second brother. He is quite skilled in business, unlike my eldest brother, who always prefers reading, writing, and painting—quite dull, really."
Xing Ruyi smiled lightly and performed a slight bow. "Looking at your appearance, you must be Qianqian's second brother, right? I often heard her mention you before, but today is the first time we meet."
"That's right, I am Su Jingliang. However, I have never heard my sister mention that she has such a close friend from Divine Capital."
"It’s normal that Qianqian hasn’t mentioned me. After all, we have only met a few times. I run a Ruyi Rouge shop in Divine Capital and often go out to buy supplies. That time I happened to meet Qianqian, and we hit it off quite well, so we exchanged contact information. Usually, we only correspond through letters; it's a little secret between us ladies. This time, I returned home with my husband and happened to pass by here, so I thought I would come and see Qianqian. I hope it’s convenient?"
Su Jingliang did not respond but stared blankly at Xing Ruyi and asked, "What kind of shop did you say you run in Divine Capital?"
"The Ruyi Rouge shop, which specializes in selling rouge and face powder. Naturally, it cannot compare to the Su family's business."
"Could it be that you are the Miss Xing that everyone in Divine Capital is talking about?" Su Jingliang's face showed a hint of joy.
"Miss Xing that everyone in Divine Capital is talking about? I'm sorry; I don’t quite understand what you mean, Second Brother Su!"
"Look at me! Everyone knows that Miss Xing from Ruyi Rouge has an exceptionally beautiful fiancé. Just now, this young man stood beside you for half a moment, and I completely overlooked him." After finishing his sentence, Su Jingliang smiled apologetically. "I apologize; seeing you has truly excited me. To be honest with you, my sister has been seriously ill and hasn’t gotten out of bed for many days. I once sent someone to Divine Capital to invite Doctor Liu from Jishengtang, but he refused to see anyone—no matter if it were royal relatives or nobles; he wouldn’t open the door.
In desperation, I had no choice but to inquire around in Divine Capital. After much searching, I finally found out about you here. In a hurry to visit, I was told by your family that you had returned home with your husband and wouldn’t be back for several months.
Originally, I had given up all hope; unexpectedly today you appeared at my Su family’s door and are even a friend of my sister Qianqian! It truly feels like after reaching a dead end in the mountains and rivers, there’s suddenly another village ahead. Please come in! Young man, please come in! And these friends as well!"
When Xing Ruyi saw the ghost of Su Qianqian, she initially thought she had already passed away. Now hearing Su Jingliang's words implied that Su Qianqian was still alive; she just seemed to have left her body temporarily.
She secretly flicked the umbrella rib, and Su Qianqian replied drowsily, "Ah! So I’m not dead yet!"
Xing Ruyi couldn't help but roll her eyes.
Su Jingliang heard the sound and turned around, glancing questioningly at Xing Ruyi. His gaze fell on the Red Bone Umbrella in her hand, and he paused slightly. "Miss, is this umbrella newly purchased?"
"Yes, it is new!" Xing Ruyi replied politely with a smile. "The other day, I passed by the Paper Shop and saw many beautiful Oiled Paper Umbrellas. This one especially caught my eye, so I bought it. What about you? Does Su Erge like this umbrella too?"
"Oh, no! It's Shallow; Shallow also has an Oiled Paper Umbrella that my Brother bought for her on her fourteenth birthday from the Paper Shop. That umbrella is quite similar to the one in your hand."
"No wonder I felt such a connection with Shallow; it turns out our tastes are so similar!" Xing Ruyi said as she twirled the umbrella in her hand. Then she looked at Su Jingliang and asked, "What about Shallow's umbrella? Is it still around? If it is, we could share it when it rains!"
"Whether it's here or not, we can only know when Shallow wakes up. I haven't seen that umbrella for quite some time," Su Jingliang said as he stopped at the door of a room. "This is Shallow's Bedroom. Since she fell ill, no one has left this place, and the room is often closed, so it might smell a bit unpleasant inside. Please don't mind that. I shouldn't have brought you all here; I should have taken you to the front hall or guest room and prepared some fine wine and dishes to welcome esteemed guests. But as her Brother, I am genuinely worried, so please forgive me!"
"The Fox Demon came today primarily to see Shallow; since she is ill, it is only right to visit her first. Su Erge need not feel embarrassed about this. As for the food, we have already eaten on the way here and do not need anything prepared."
"With what you just said, it makes Jingliang seem even more unaware of etiquette," Su Jingliang said with a troubled expression.
"The Fox Demon is a woman of the household who does not care about these so-called rules. Moreover, since I am friends with Shallow, I certainly won't fuss over these formalities. We did eat on the way here; if we hadn't eaten, then of course we would trouble Su Erge for that. Right now, the Fox Demon just wants to see how Shallow is doing and whether I can help treat her."
Xing Ruyi said as she gestured for Li Mao to open the door. Inside there was no unpleasant smell as Su Jingliang had mentioned; instead, there was a faint fragrance of Ju Flower. Xing Ruyi suddenly thought of the Red Bone Umbrella in her hand, which also had a light ink outline of Ju Flower on its surface. She then looked up and asked Su Jingliang, "Does Shallow particularly like Ju Flower?"
"Ju Flower?" Su Jingliang shook his head. "Girls tend to pay special attention to flowers and plants, but Shallow doesn’t seem to have a particular favorite among them. As for this flower, she doesn't particularly like it but doesn't dislike it either."
"I was just asking casually because when I opened the door earlier, I caught a faint scent of Ju Flower in this room."
"Ju Flower scent?" Su Jingliang sniffed carefully. "My nose isn't very sensitive, so I didn't smell anything. However, since you mentioned Ju Flower, it must be the fragrance from the Ju Flower pillow. Speaking of Ju Flower, it reminds me of my late sister-in-law. She loved Ju Flowers immensely and filled my brother's courtyard with all kinds of them. Even the patterns on her clothes were often embroidered with Ju Flower designs, especially the yellow Wild Jasmine.
When my sister-in-law was alive, Qianqian always loved to be close to her and brought back quite a few Ju Flowers from her garden. The Ju Flower sachets and pillows in her room were all gifts from my sister-in-law, and she still keeps them to this day."
"But—" Xing Ruyi turned around, scanning the courtyard. "I don't see any Ju Flowers in this yard!"
"Oh! That's because after my sister-in-law passed away, Qianqian was heartbroken for a while. She lost interest in taking care of those flowers and wouldn't let anyone else touch them, so they gradually died off." Su Jingliang pointed to a few empty flower pots in the corner, where he had sketched the shape of a Ju Flower with lines. "Although the Ju Flowers have died, Qianqian has kept these pots. My sister seems carefree, but she is actually very sentimental; she was as close to my late sister-in-law as if they were real sisters. Sometimes even my brother couldn't help but feel jealous."
"What about your sister-in-law? How did she pass away?"
"An accident! My sister-in-law had poor health since childhood and later developed an eye disease. Last autumn, when it rained, she hurried out to tend to the Ju Flowers left in the yard and accidentally fell, hitting her head on a flower pot. She passed away immediately. My brother was heartbroken and angry for a long time; he wanted to dig up all the Ju Flowers in the yard to bury them with my sister-in-law. It was Qianqian who stopped him. Those Ju Flowers were my sister-in-law's cherished possessions; if my brother destroyed them, my sister-in-law would be saddened even in death."
"It's just that seeing objects reminds one of people, especially when those objects caused the death of a loved one; your brother must be having a hard time too."
"Indeed! Although those Ju Flowers remain, my brother has never set foot in that courtyard again." Su Jingliang shook his head. "After my sister-in-law passed away, my brother moved to a temple outside the city; it's been almost a year now. A few days ago, he sent a letter back, and soon it will be Winter Solstice. I made sure to tell him to come back so that our parents won't worry."
Xing Ruyi softly acknowledged and stepped into Su Qianqian's bedroom.
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