That year, Pei Xiuwen was seventeen, while she had just turned sixteen…
This wedding was held in the small courtyard of the Pei family. On the day of the marriage, many neighbors from the surroundings came. Firecrackers sounded, gongs were blown, and drums were beaten—it was immensely lively.
The bridal sedan carrying the bride made a full loop around White Cloud Village before finally turning into the thatched house of the Pei family. Supported by the wedding matron, Shen Mingyu stepped out of the carriage and saw Pei Xiuwen waiting for her in the setting sun, dressed in a red robe.
The brilliant sunset shone obliquely on the courtyard gate, making the carved letters on the wooden plaque glow radiantly. A light like pearls and jade fell upon the youth’s shoulders, and when a gentle breeze suddenly rose, his robes fluttered grandly.
That year, Pei Xiuwen was seventeen, while she had just turned sixteen.
“Pei Lang!”
When Shen Mingyu saw him, she revealed sweet dimples in her smile.
To her surprise, she noticed that Pei Xiuwen, who usually didn’t pay much attention to her, actually had red earlobes, and bulging veins like red snakes climbed up his neck.
Pei Xiuwen hurriedly turned his eyes away, not looking at her directly, but merely stepped forward to take that soft hand.
The Pei family’s house was not large, consisting of three rooms in total—the walls were rammed earth mixed with stones. Most families in the village were poor, and the Pei family was no exception; to make them smoother, they could only plaster the walls with straw.
The main room facing north was used for entertaining guests; using paste made from rice starch, a large double-happiness character was posted, along with piles of peanuts and dates as high as small hills.
The room on the left was the bedroom, which was the bridal chamber, furnished with a bright red quilt and hung with joyous silk streamers. The room on the right was a thatched hut for storing odds and ends, and a stove was set up beside it for cooking.
The wedding feast was set up right in the small courtyard.
As the moon rose above the treetops, the warm, dry air was filled with the fragrance of wine, and the guests were loud and joyous. Successive sounds of laughter and congratulations rode the evening breeze, sweeping through the lightly closed door of the bridal chamber.
After the hour of Xu (9:00 PM), as the night grew deeper, the guests dispersed, and this modest courtyard returned to tranquility amid the rustling of the wind.
At this moment inside the bridal chamber, Shen Mingyu was dressed in a red bride’s garment embroidered with lotuses, sitting quietly and obediently on the bed within the curtains.
Beside the table stood a pair of tall joined candles.
Her bright dark eyes observed the pair of candles, which were finely carved with the patterns of phoenixes spreading their wings to soar. Unlike ordinary candles, these were bought by Pei Xiuwen specifically for the wedding.
“Are you hungry?”
Pei Xiuwen’s voice suddenly sounded.
Shen Mingyu had been so lost in thought that she hadn’t even noticed when he had walked in.
Pei Xiuwen smoothed his robe and sat down, removing his long-winged hat decorated with flowers. Exchanging a glance with her, his face flushed red, and his gaze shifted away unsteadily.
He suddenly stood up, and when he returned, he was carrying a steaming bowl of noodles in his hands.
It was fresh longevity noodles stewed in rich chicken broth with mushrooms, sprinkled with a few bits of chopped green onion.
“Eat first to fill your stomach.”
Pei Xiuwen took her hand and led her to sit down at a small wooden table.
Indeed, she hadn’t eaten anything for two hours. Though embarrassed, Shen Mingyu couldn’t endure the hunger, so she smiled shyly at him and picked up the bowl and chopsticks.
These were noodles Pei Xiuwen had cooked himself, with a sweet, delicious broth and chicken stewed until tender. With one bite down her stomach, she felt warm all over.
She hadn’t eaten meat in a long time, so Shen Mingyu was pleasantly surprised and buried her head in slurping the noodles.
From time to time, a gaze drifted down from above, watching her with a burning intensity that Shen Mingyu could not ignore. Yet whenever she raised her eyes, that gaze would casually shift away, leaving behind his slightly reddened side profile.
Shen Mingyu quietly bit her lip, and when she finished eating, she set down the chopsticks with bright eyes: “I’m full, Pei Lang!”
Every time she filled her stomach, she was this happy.
Pei Xiuwen lifted his eyes lightly and quickly carried away the bowl and chopsticks. When he returned, she was swinging her embroidered shoes, sitting at the edge of the bed waiting for him, clutching a coarse cloth bag in her arms.
“Pei Lang.”
Shen Mingyu carefully opened the bundle, and when she looked at him again, two small dimples appeared in her smile: “These are new clothes I made, but I haven’t had the chance to give them to you yet.”
“You are accustomed to being thrifty, unwilling to replace your clothes even when they are covered in patches. But after getting married, we are husband and wife, so from now on, I will make Pei Lang’s clothes.”
Under the red candle shadows, her sincere face was quietly reflected.
Inside the bundle was an outfit made of grayish-blue cloth, with large bamboo leaves embroidered across the cross-collar and cuffs with extremely delicate stitches. Shen Mingyu’s needlework had always been exquisite; even the plainest colored clothes could be embroidered with flowers under her needle and thread.
What’s more, this was a fine piece of fabric.
Good fabric was more expensive than rice, grain, wine, or meat; Shen Mingyu usually took on needlework for other families, scrimping and saving for a long time to save up this money.
As she carefully handed the bundle to Pei Xiuwen, his gaze rested on the clothes for a long time.
His fingers curled up, and he did not take them right away.
However, he eventually took them.
Pei Xiuwen suddenly spoke: “Mingyu, my family wealth is sparse, and I don’t even have an mu of farmland. Even this house was leased from another family when my aunt was still around. If you regret…”
“I don’t regret it.”
“Being able to marry Pei Lang makes me very content. I believe that as long as we keep our feet on the ground, our days will get better, and we will save up more and more money.”
Pei Xiuwen raised his eyes upon hearing this.
She wore a bright red wedding dress, and the cinnabar mark between her eyebrows was a fiery, passionate red, bright and radiant just like her entire being.
Pei Xiuwen’s eyes seemed to be scalded, quickly lowering, leaving only his fingertips curling slightly beside his sleeves.
He offered a succinct “Mm.”
No one spoke at this moment, but Shen Mingyu was pondering, her dark eyes rolling back and forth. She seemed to have thought of something, and suddenly stood up holding her wedding dress.
She walked up to Pei Xiuwen, lightly stood on tiptoe, and gracefully wrapped her arms around his neck.
The other party uncomfortably turned his eyes away, gazing aimlessly, but his face grew even hotter.
Shen Mingyu blinked her eyes.
Without realizing it, her gaze fell upon Pei Xiuwen’s thin, slightly pink lips.
Then, puffing out her small face, she leaned forward.
Pei Xiuwen’s eyes widened abruptly.
As the soft lips pressed against his, the blood throughout his entire body surged violently. He tried his best to restrain himself, but with trembling eyelashes, he closed his eyes, and those slender-jointed hands finally couldn’t help slowly moving up to rest on her waist.
His kiss was clumsy and green, not knowing how to open or close. Only from that lingering fragrant aftertaste and the heart-pounding heat did he part a narrow gap, waiting for her soft tongue to brush past.
At last, Shen Mingyu let go with a warm face and pushed away his embrace that held her waist so tightly.
Her face was very red, and her earlobes were flushed.
At this moment, both of them felt a bit awkward.
This was her first time kissing someone; she had learned just as the wedding matron taught her. She didn’t know if she had done well, but she knew it must be very embarrassing.
Shen Mingyu didn’t dare look at him anymore, resting her head gently against his chest.
Pei Xiuwen, however, suddenly drew her close, holding her very, very tightly.
She could even feel his chest burning hot, his heart pounding rapidly.
A moment of silence, blood surging like a torrent. Shen Mingyu tentatively raised her eyes again, looking at him with clear, watery eyes.
She saw his gaze hanging down, with only his neck covered in red veins revealing his current feelings, his voice gentle and quiet: “Mingyu, from now on, we are husband and wife.”
Shen Mingyu nodded obediently.
Pei Xiuwen blushed, suddenly leaned down to kiss her cheek, and swiftly carried her horizontally in his arms, walking toward the bed.
Pei Xiuwen pressed her beneath him.
He kissed her cheeks first, then held her jaw, softly and tenderly kissing her lips. His fingers clumsily unfastened the buttons, stumbling along the way. Finally, he parted from her fragrant lips slightly breathless, his flushed face thoroughly flustered, staring into her eyes as if trying to negotiate: “Mingyu, will you call my name in a moment?”
Shen Mingyu was overcome with shyness, hurriedly covering her eyes with all ten fingers. After a while, she uncovers them and wrapped her arms around his neck: “Pei Lang!”
Pei Xiuwen smiled, burying his head in her soft, fragrant neck.
“Mm, I’m here.”
After they got married, the gossip in the village vanished overnight.
The voices that used to linger around her ears—saying she was immodest or that Pei Xiuwen didn’t like her—Shen Mingyu never heard again. Even when Aunt Zhao ran into her, she would often ask, “Mingyu, how is your husband doing?”
The young wife was sweet, kind, and forgiving. In the past, two or three gossipy people had mocked her to her face, but she held no grudges, even nodding and greeting them when they met.
The villagers liked someone like her very much.
After marriage, Shen Mingyu quickly became acquainted with the neighbors of the Pei family.
Pei Xiuwen’s home was situated in White Cloud Village near the back of the mountainside. A family lived in the house in front—the husband and wife were both tenant farmers in the village, making a living while taking care of an elderly mother.
The wife of that family was named He, He Qiuxiang, who was also from outside the village and was only five years older than her.
Because they were close in age, the two had much to talk about.
Shen Mingyu was a warm-hearted person; every time she made pastries, she would share some with He Qiuxiang.
On a bright spring day in late March,
Shen Mingyu was washing vegetables in the yard when He Qiuxiang arrived at her door with her son: “Mingyu, why did you send sugar cakes over again yesterday, and two baskets at that?”
“Our Hui-ge’er loves to eat them, so those are for the child,” Shen Mingyu smiled.
Ever since Shen Mingyu married here half a month ago, whenever she made pastries, she would send a portion to the neighbor.
He Qiuxiang sighed: “You are just too good-natured, sharing whatever you have, without keeping much for yourself.”
Having said that, she set her son down to play in the mud and squatted down to help Shen Mingyu pick vegetables.
The sunlight shone warmly as the two worked together by the well.
Shen Mingyu really enjoyed such quiet mornings, filled with talk and laughter.
In the past, Shen Mingyu’s family sold tofu, and her mother, Madam Qin, was a tofu beauty famous far and wide.
However, Madam Qin treated her poorly. From the time Shen Mingyu could remember, as soon as she learned to walk steadily, her mother brought out a whip to order her around. Whenever she slacked off, felt wronged, or couldn’t help crying from exhaustion, Madam Qin’s whip would fall severely on her body.
Her arms were covered with countless old scars of various sizes.
Madam Qin would scold her, asking if the family was raising her for free and saying she hadn’t seen her own fate clearly—she wasn’t a delicate lady from a wealthy family, so if she didn’t work, who would? Since she gave birth to her, she was her great benefactor, and Shen Mingyu had to work like an ox or horse for a lifetime to pay her back!
Over the years, the heaviest and most tiring work in the family was done by her.
Before dawn, she had to get up to grind beans, pushing the mill for two hours. Later, the calluses on her palms were even thicker than those of farm women.
Only after coming out did Shen Mingyu realize that life outside was so bright. Although she was still very poor and completely empty-handed, she lived much more easily.
Right now, Shen Mingyu cherished every inch of this hard-won time immensely.
She always believed that as long as one maintained high aspirations despite poverty, life would keep getting better.
Sunlight filtered through mottled leaves, falling into the girl’s smile, soft and beautiful.
Unknowingly, He Qiuxiang was also infected by this happiness, though she didn’t know what Shen Mingyu was thinking about to smile so joyfully.
At noon today, He Qiuxiang stayed to help Shen Mingyu cook.
“Hey Mingyu, where is your husband? He doesn’t come back at noon?”
“Mm, he found a job in Pingyang County. He goes out every day and isn’t home often.”
Pei Xiuwen was smart and understood worldly affairs well; while everyone in the village grew up working the land, he was the only one who had read some books and knew a fair amount of words. Whenever villagers brought letters asking him to read them or draft contracts, Pei Xiuwen would always do so conscientiously, then wave his hand and refuse payment. The young gentleman had a good character, and everyone liked him very much, occasionally recommending jobs to him. To support the family, Pei Xiuwen held down several jobs at once.
However, he was not satisfied with just this and wanted to learn more skills—so these days, he wandered around every corner of the county town, eventually finding the largest general store in Pingyang County.
Yet as a youth just entering society, he lacked experience compared to others. Even though he had read books, the shopkeeper didn’t want to hire him at first.
But with his eloquent silver tongue, he actually managed to move the shopkeeper. After long deliberation, the shopkeeper decided to keep him, but only as an unpaid apprentice.
Even so, Pei Xiuwen accepted gladly.
Everyone thought he was odd for taking on a thankless task, but he felt that in this largest general store, recognizing various goods and learning how to read people brought real benefits.
Following behind the shopkeeper, his two dark eyes darting around, he kept an eye out and learned bookkeeping and accounting by observing.
Those hard days of the past were gone.
White Cloud Village had a good location, close to Pingyang County—only a two-hour walk, or even faster by mule cart. These days, Pei Xiuwen had to wake up very early every day to catch a bullock cart into the county, and Shen Mingyu would send him out before dawn, carefully tucking dry rations into his bundle.
He Qiuxiang sighed: “How come he’s nowhere to be seen right after getting married? Years ago, Tiesheng was also running errands in the county. Just because I had newly married into White Cloud Village and was unfamiliar with the place and people, he quit his job with the store and came back to accompany me. For a newly married young couple, your husband really doesn’t know how to be considerate.”
Sunlight warmed the blue cloth wrapping the girl’s head; she pursed her lips into a smile but did not say another word.
Shen Mingyu efficiently washed the cutting board, put away the dishes, and retrieved two large, sweet peaches from under the wooden cabinet for Hui-ge’er.
He Qiuxiang hurriedly pushed them back: “Oh my, this won’t do! I saw these peaches at the market yesterday, they’re very expensive!”
“It’s fine, it’s for the child. Sister Qiuxiang, you’ve helped me all noon without even setting foot in your own home. If you refuse again, I’ll be angry.”
He Qiuxiang had no choice but to let her son accept the peaches, saying gratefully: “Mingyu, you’re so good.”
“Don’t say that, we’re neighbors after all.”
After seeing off He Qiuxiang, Shen Mingyu returned to the room and saw a stack of paper left by Pei Xiuwen on the table.
Late last night, Pei Xiuwen had lit a candle lamp beside the narrow wooden table, copying with lowered brow.
Shen Mingyu couldn’t read, so Pei Xiuwen told her these were letters copied for the Zhou family. Later, Shen Mingyu couldn’t stay awake and fell asleep, not knowing how late Pei Xiuwen wrote, but even so, he still left before dawn.
This stack of paper was packed in an envelope by Pei Xiuwen, meant to be handed over to the Zhou family today. But because he left too early, he didn’t have time to deliver it, so he could only ask Shen Mingyu to do it on his behalf.
After lunch, Shen Mingyu tucked the packet of paper into her clothing and knocked on the Zhou family’s door.
The Zhou family was the wealthiest household in the whole village, owning shops in the county town.
Most people in White Cloud Village lived in thatched cottages, while only wealthy families lived in blue-tiled houses with repaired high walls.
It was said that twenty percent of the farmland in the village belonged to the Zhou family. Even He Qiuxiang’s family was a tenant farmer for them.
Regarding the Zhou family, Shen Mingyu’s only impression was Aunt Zhao’s frequent lamentations about how the master of this house was the personal cousin of the county magistrate’s assistant, bringing honor to the entire village, and how good the daughter of this family was, with so many families wanting to propose marriage.
Arriving at the Zhou family’s entrance, a tall, thin man came to open the door. Hearing that she was delivering something on behalf of Pei Xiuwen, he hastily led her inside.
Inside the main hall, several young ladies were talking.
They looked fifteen or sixteen years old, similar in age to Shen Mingyu.
These women were dressed with great care, face painted with makeup, hair adorned with jade pins, and even the fabric of their clothing was soft and dense. In comparison, standing among them wrapped in her blue cloth headwear, she appeared entirely out of place.
When she first entered, they were talking animatedly, and no one paid attention to Shen Mingyu.
However, entering such a high-gated household for the first time, seeing people in colorful clothing sitting on lacquered chairs talking and laughing, with old servant women serving tea and pastries, Shen Mingyu felt slightly nervous and shy, merely standing aside silently without disturbing them.
“The Bixi stone plinth at my grand-uncle’s house is carved from white marble.”
“White marble? That’s worth a fortune, I’ve never even seen it before. As expected of the county assistant’s residence, truly grand,” a woman nearby marveled.
In the room, sitting at the very front was the Zhou family’s daughter, while those talking beside her included relatives of the family as well as daughters of landlords from neighboring villages.
They didn’t seem to see her, continuing their conversation while picking up snacks from the plate.
Zhou Guan smoothed her eyebrows and smiled: “Isn’t it? When I went over as a guest in my childhood, I often sat on that Bixi with my elder male cousin to play.”
“Hey, Guan’er, is your elder male cousin the one who passed the provincial examination?”
“That’s him, exactly him. This cousin of mine has been disciplined by grand-uncle since childhood, working exceptionally hard at his studies. In early spring next year, he will go to the capital for the imperial examination. Grand-uncle’s family and my parents are very nervous right now, placing all their hopes on this attempt.”
“Guan’er, your cousin works so hard, he will definitely pass the metropolitan examination next year.”
A woman suddenly covered her sleeve in surprise, “If he passes the metropolitan examination, won’t he become an official in the capital later! That’s the capital, right under the feet of the Emperor! Your family is truly going to soar!”
Shen Mingyu remained silent, but her dark eyes moved quietly.
These people were all daughters of landlords, having seen and known much, yet to her, hearing this for the first time, it felt extremely distant.
Pingyang County was already very large and far away. Shen Mingyu had never even walked out of the county town, let alone all of Jinling or the capital… As they talked grandly, she didn’t even dare to listen.
However, both of her ears were still perked up high.
“Speaking of the capital, my grand-uncle county assistant’s wife’s brother married the daughter of an official in the capital.”
As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately drew exclamations of wonder from the group of sisters.
Zhou Guan smiled triumphantly: “Their in-law works right under the Marquis! The most prominent and illustrious Wu’an Marquis Household in the capital, do you know of it?”
…
Shen Mingyu lowered her eyes, looking at her own coarse cloth sleeves, listening to them talk at length about fresh news from the capital.
All of this was far out of her reach.
After half an incense stick of time, Zhou Guan glanced over and finally noticed the girl in the corner.
“When did Lady Shen arrive? Oh, I really kept you waiting.”
Shen Mingyu merely smiled and shook her head, stated her purpose, and presented the sealed paper.
Zhou Guan received the envelope without opening it, her eyes glancing over Shen Mingyu’s body, seeing her slender, bare wrists under the coarse cloth without a single ornament.
She could tell Shen Mingyu loved beauty, as a small yellow flower picked from some field was pinned to the edge of the blue cloth wrapping her head.
With just this look, Zhou Guan felt contempt in her heart—dressed so plainly, just an ordinary peasant girl who couldn’t read a word; how had that scholar of the Pei family taken a fancy to her?
Zhou Guan had been sent to school by her mother since childhood; not only could she read and write, but she could also compose poetry well, earning praise from the teacher, with her writings even copied and circulated in the market.
Zhou Guan was proud of her reputation as a talented woman. Forget the village—even in the whole Pingyang County, very few women had attended school. So when she reached the age for marriage, matchmakers coming to propose were too numerous to count, including many wealthy families.
But she looked down on illiterate, profligate sons who only indulged in idling around; those with money and knowledge certainly existed, but their looks weren’t handsome enough, which she disliked; those with money, talent, and handsome looks were extremely hard to find, and even if found, they possessed an arrogant air.
Looking left and right, Zhou Guan was most satisfied with Pei Xiuwen—
In truth, at the very beginning, she looked down on Pei Xiuwen because his family was too poor. No one knew where he had fled from as a refugee, and even his farmland was leased. His family’s wealth could be counted on one hand.
However, thinking about it later, although Pei Xiuwen was destitute, he was the best-looking young man she had ever seen. Furthermore, he was smart and ambitious; if assisted by a noble person, he would surely achieve great things in the future.
As for her family, her father had connections in the county magistrate’s office. If Pei Xiuwen wanted a position in the office, her family could help him, making them his destined benefactors, right?
Zhou Guan never expected that right after she took a fancy to Pei Xiuwen, Shen Mingyu would suddenly appear out of nowhere.
Watching her lost marriage opportunity with her own eyes, Zhou Guan often secretly regretted not telling Aunt Zhao to matchmake sooner.
After checking the copied text, as payment, Zhou Guan slowly fished out a piece of broken silver from her sleeve and gave it to Shen Mingyu.
Solid silver, held in her palm, weighed half a tael.
Shen Mingyu’s eyes lit up, but at first she didn’t accept it, merely declining politely out of courtesy. Zhou Guan directly stuffed it into her hand: “Take it, your family isn’t wealthy to begin with. A-Min is a good person and doesn’t take money from neighbors—I know all about it, but the Zhou family doesn’t lack this bit. To tell you the truth, my mother sought out A-Min specifically to look after his business.”
“My family was in a hurry, so it tired him for a long time. My mother isn’t here, so I will thank A-Min on her behalf, and trouble Lady Shen to tell him for me when you return.”
The young girl curved her eyes, noddded, and was about to take her leave.
Suddenly, Zhou Guan turned her arm, her sleeve sliding down to reveal a snow-white wrist and a translucent jade bracelet glowing with emerald light.
“Oh right, Lady Shen, can you write? He’s so busy, if he’s not free in the future, you can come help write too, just to earn extra money to supplement household expenses.”
Shen Mingyu couldn’t even read, let alone write.
Zhou Guan saying this was meant to make her uncomfortable.
She thought that if this peasant girl had clever ears, she would understand the implied meaning, lose her smile, and leave in anger; if she didn’t get it, she was just a fool, honestly admitting she was a coarse rustic woman.
Unexpectedly, Shen Mingyu remained completely unruffled: “Lady Zhou, my handwriting is poor, so I won’t embarrass myself. If there is work in the future, just look for my husband.”
Saying so, Shen Mingyu wore a smiling expression: “Mingyu knows the Zhou family has a big business with broad connections in Pingyang County, even knowing the county assistant master. For such a high official, who in our village doesn’t envy him! That Pei Lang could gain the favor of the Zhou family is truly a great blessing. When I go back, Mingyu will definitely praise to everyone how kind-hearted your family is in recommending Pei Lang.”
These words praised the Zhou family highly, pleasing to hear and greatly satisfying Zhou Guan’s vanity, yet making it difficult for her to step down.
The sisters beside her were all watching.
Accidentally falling into a trap, Zhou Guan could only secretly call her cunning, then smiled and accepted the favor stiffly: “Oh, why be so polite? Master Pei is educated and from our own village. Given the opportunity, even without anyone mentioning it, my father would ask for a job for him from grand-uncle.”
Shen Mingyu immediately put on a sincere smile.
Zhou Guan’s temperament was so similar to her gambler father’s, allowing her to grasp it perfectly.
Once praised, this group of landlords’ daughters truly couldn’t stop. Without knowing who started it, they began talking about the fine items they were wearing…
Finally, Zhou Guan’s smiling eyes suddenly darted over.
Shen Mingyu felt somewhat uncomfortable.
The other party’s gaze carried scrutiny, seeming straight as if to see through the cloth wrapped around her head: “Lady Shen, your outfit is too plain. After all, you’ve just gotten married, so you should dress up nicely, shouldn’t you? Look, I have so many bracelets and pendants I can’t even wear them all and give them to servants. If you like, I can gift you a couple of pieces.”
…
When that jewelry box was opened, filled with silver hairpins and jewels, it was as if sunlight shattered within it, sparkling brightly, causing Shen Mingyu’s eyes to light up as she watched.
Zhou Guan looked at her disdainfully, but in the end, Shen Mingyu did not take anything.
However, walking on the way back, that box full of hairpins, clasps, and bracelets—green, red, blue—floated across her eyes from time to time… Every single one was something she had never seen before, flowing with light under the sun.
She clenched her fist.
Shen Mingyu, if only you were a spineless person!
The girl quietly let out a sigh.
Late at night, Pei Xiuwen finally arrived home.
After finishing his meal, he fetched a basin of water. His slender fingers dipped into the water, picking up a towel to wring it dry and wipe himself.
“Pei Lang.”
Shen Mingyu handed him the broken silver she had earned.
Pei Xiuwen didn’t move.
He gazed at her.
When she got up in the morning, a picked yellow flower was still pinned at her temple, her face blushing as she asked him if it looked good.
Usually she was like this; having no other jewelry, she would pin a flower all day, removing it before sleep to carefully scoop a handful of soil to bury it. Yet right now, the flower at her temple was gone.
Pei Xiuwen stared at her face and asked softly, “What is it, Yu-niang? You seem to have something on your mind?”