The third day since Xiao Mo left Stone Bridge Village.
The residence of the magistrate of Qingshan County.
Sun Siyuan, magistrate of Qingshan County, strode briskly toward the side courtyard where Xiao Mo was staying.
"Xiao Mo." Sun Siyuan came into the yard, his face shining with good news.
"Magistrate Sun." Xiao Mo set down his book and rose to bow to him with cupped hands.
"Blacksmith Lei's apprentice came by earlier. He says the thing you wanted is finished—will you go and fetch it now?" Sun Siyuan asked.
"Naturally." A gleam of eagerness flashed in Xiao Mo's eyes as well. "I've put you to no end of trouble these two days, Magistrate Sun. The gold you lent this student, this student will most certainly repay."
"Hahaha, no hurry, no hurry. It's only a bit of gold," Magistrate Sun said with a laugh.
Two days ago, after arriving in Qingshan City, Xiao Mo had sought out Magistrate Sun and said he wished to borrow a little gold to have something made.
Sun Siyuan had been worrying himself sick over what to give Xiao Mo—something that would not seem vulgar, yet would deepen the bond between them.
After all, once Xiao Mo entered court as an official, the two of them would have few chances to meet.
But since passing the examination, Xiao Mo was hardly short of money, and he seemed a man with no wants at all.
Many a wealthy landowner had sent him gifts, and he had accepted none of them.
So Magistrate Sun truly had no idea where to begin.
Which was why, when Xiao Mo came to him with a favor of his own to ask, Magistrate Sun nearly laughed out loud.
Magistrate Sun generously produced a gold ingot and recommended the finest blacksmith in Qingshan County.
Xiao Mo handed the blacksmith his drawings.
It was a small piece, with nothing to be inlaid—only a little engraved ornament needed—so two days were enough to finish it.
Which was why Xiao Mo meant to stay in Qingshan County.
But how could Magistrate Sun let Xiao Mo stay at an inn?
He had hauled Xiao Mo into his own residence to stay, and there he had been ever since.
In truth, Magistrate Sun rather wished Xiao Mo would never repay that bit of gold.
That way, Xiao Mo would owe him a favor.
Sometimes, when both parties are willing to leave a debt standing between them, the friendship only grows deeper.
Only two things made Magistrate Sun feel any regret.
First, the thing Xiao Mo wanted made was a small piece that required little gold, so the favor could not be made any bigger.
Magistrate Sun had wanted to give Xiao Mo the leftover gold, but Xiao Mo politely declined and would not accept it no matter what.
The second was that Xiao Mo still had no interest whatsoever in his daughter.
Magistrate Sun had talked and talked to get Xiao Mo to stay in his residence—not only to deepen their friendship, but to let his daughter walk about in front of Xiao Mo as much as possible.
Magistrate Sun was quite confident in his daughter's looks.
Xiao Mo had politely refused him last time, but this time the two young people could spend some time together.
What if Xiao Mo decided this girl wasn't bad at all, and changed his mind?
At meals, Xiao Mo and Miss Sun had met several times.
While Xiao Mo was reading, Magistrate Sun deliberately sent his daughter to bring him tea.
After two days of contact, the result was that Miss Sun really had developed a liking for Xiao Mo.
But Xiao Mo never once gave Miss Sun a second glance...
Miss Sun had even begged her father to think of something; she wanted to marry Xiao Mo.
But what could Magistrate Sun possibly think of?
It wasn't as though Magistrate Sun hadn't looked into it.
Xiao Mo's sweetheart was surely that Miss Bai from Stone Bridge Village—never mind her looks.
That Miss Bai had looked after Xiao Mo all along, weaving cloth and gathering herbs to trade for silver so he could study.
If he really resorted to some scheme, leaving aside that Xiao Mo would hold a grudge against him, if word ever got out his own reputation would be ruined at a stroke.
One could only say that Xiao Mo and his daughter simply had no destiny together.
One stick of incense later, Xiao Mo and Magistrate Sun arrived at the door of Blacksmith Lei's shop.
"Magistrate. Master Xiao." The thick-browed, big-eyed Blacksmith Sun, bare-chested, hurried out and, imitating a scholar, bowed to them.
"Blacksmith Lei, is what Master Xiao asked for ready?" Magistrate Sun asked.
"Ready, ready. Please wait a moment, gentlemen."
Blacksmith Lei washed his hands in a bucket of water, dried them on a clean towel, and only then took a brocade box out of the cabinet. "Please have a look, gentlemen."
"Thank you for your trouble, Blacksmith Lei." Xiao Mo took the box with both hands and opened it.
A golden, gleaming object came into view before Xiao Mo and Magistrate Sun.
Magistrate Sun leaned in for a look and could not help nodding; Blacksmith Lei's craftsmanship really was excellent.
Of course, it also helped that Xiao Mo's design was so handsome.
Looking at this xieyuan, this future high official, Blacksmith Lei said nervously, "Is Master Xiao satisfied?"
Xiao Mo nodded. "Satisfied."
Blacksmith Lei let out a breath. "As long as you're satisfied, Master Xiao."
Seeing Xiao Mo pleased, Magistrate Sun tossed Blacksmith Lei a small piece of silver. "Blacksmith Lei, keep the change."
Xiao Mo could afford the fee, but it was precisely because he could afford it that Magistrate Sun's hand moved so fast—afraid Xiao Mo would pay first.
"Thank you, Magistrate! Thank you, Master Xiao!" Blacksmith Lei hurriedly said his thanks; this was nearly four times his fee.
"Xiao Mo, the business is done—shall we go have a drink?" Magistrate Sun invited.
Xiao Mo at once bowed with cupped hands, his tone apologetic. "I'm grateful for your kindness, Magistrate Sun, but I'm afraid this student must head back first."
"In such a hurry?" Magistrate Sun said, surprised.
"There is someone who has been waiting for this student a long while." Xiao Mo looked at the brocade box. "I don't want to make her wait any longer."
"Sister, eat something..."
"Your sister isn't hungry."
"But Sister, you haven't eaten anything for two or three days..."
"It's all right. I can absorb the spiritual power of heaven and earth anyway, so I don't need to eat."
"Sister..." Xiaoqing sighed.
Ever since Brother Xiao left, her sister had been like a body with no soul in it, sitting in the courtyard every day waiting for him to come back.
Last night Sister had heard some noise and run out joyfully, thinking Brother Xiao had returned—only to find a weasel trying to steal the chickens from the yard.
In her fury, she flung the weasel into the river.
"Xiaoqing, do you think Xiao Mo has come to hate me?" Bai Ruxue asked, clutching her little sister's hand, wound tight with worry.
"Sister... does Brother Xiao look like he hates you in any way at all?" Xiaoqing said helplessly.
"Then why hasn't Xiao Mo come back? Could he have gone off with another woman?"
"Sister, oh, Sister..." Xiaoqing was getting worn out. "Brother Xiao said he was going to have something made and would be back in a couple of days. He ought to be back today."
"Oh-woo..."
Bai Ruxue nodded and kept staring at the little path beyond the courtyard.
Even with Xiaoqing saying so, deep in Bai Ruxue's heart she was still terribly uneasy.
Could it be that what I said that night scared Xiao Mo off?
Could it be that Xiao Mo doesn't want to keep his promise anymore?
Or has Xiao Mo decided Magistrate Sun's daughter really is nicer, and gone off to Qingshan County to marry her?
One guess after another kept forcing its way up in Bai Ruxue's mind.
The more she thought, the more worried she grew, and a thin film of mist gradually veiled those lovely peach-blossom eyes.
"Eh? Sister, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Xiaoqing was startled half to death.
"Sister, don't cry..." Xiaoqing, at a loss, had no idea how to comfort her.
Just as Xiaoqing was flustering about, she saw a figure appear not far down the path, walking step by step toward the courtyard.
When she made out the man's shape and features, Xiaoqing's eyes lit up at once. "Sister! Brother Xiao is back!"
"Eh?"
Bai Ruxue's head snapped up, and she looked out past the courtyard.
When Xiao Mo saw Bai Ruxue gazing at him through brimming tears, he thought something must have happened, and quickly hurried his steps.
"What's wrong? Did anything happen while I was gone?" Xiao Mo asked the two sisters.
"Brother Xiao, nothing happened. I told Sister you'd be back in a couple of days, but Sister..."
Halfway through, Xiaoqing felt her sister tug at her wrist and had to swallow the rest of the sentence.
Xiao Mo's eyes went to Bai Ruxue.
The girl had her head lowered, cheeks red, eyes wet, and tears still clinging to her curved, upturned lashes.
Xiao Mo had a fair guess what this was about.
The little thing must have thought he had abandoned her and run off.
Or else she suspected he had gone to Qingshan County to marry Magistrate Sun's daughter.
"Xiaoqing, take this jug of wine to the village chief—it's a gift from Magistrate Sun." Xiao Mo handed a small jar to Xiaoqing.
"Yes, Brother Xiao."
Xiaoqing took the wine, glanced at Brother Xiao and her sister, and then hurried outside.
She knew Brother Xiao wanted to be alone with her sister and wanted her out of the way for a while.
Xiaoqing had no objection to that.
With her sister in this state, only Brother Xiao could soothe her.
In the courtyard, only Xiao Mo and Bai Ruxue were left.
Bai Ruxue's little head was lowered, her small hands clutching the hem of her dress, her little red nose sniffling; the sight was so pitiful it made one's heart ache—and somehow made one think her a little cute, too.
Xiao Mo smiled and reached out to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Stop crying. Aren't I back now?"
Bai Ruxue kept her little head down and said nothing.
"I brought two sticks of tanghulu back. They're in my bundle—do you want some?"
Bai Ruxue still did not answer, only biting softly at her lip.
"Then how about osmanthus cakes? Fang's osmanthus cakes are quite good—I brought some of those too."
Bai Ruxue still did not respond.
Xiao Mo felt rather at a loss.
And truly—the girl had said a thing like that to him only two days ago, and he had given her no reaction at all, then gone off for two or three days without coming home. That really was rather awful of him...
And just as Xiao Mo was wondering how to coax her around—
Bai Ruxue reached out a delicate little hand, her slender jade fingers lightly catching the edge of Xiao Mo's robe.
A summer breeze drifted past, gently tugging at the girl's skirt; the once-loose dress pressed against her body, tracing out her soft, winding curves.
A few strands of her hair floated lightly.
The wind carried the smell of grass and earth from the woods, and the girl's own faint, clean fragrance.
"Xiao Mo... I was wrong..."
The girl's voice was very soft, like a butterfly settling lightly on a petal.
"What did you do wrong?" Xiao Mo could not tell why she was apologizing.
"I... I shouldn't have been angry at you in my heart..."
Her voice carried a faint catch of tears.
"I shouldn't have kept wanting an answer from you."
"And I really shouldn't have secretly cursed you behind your back as a big stink-egg, and said what you promised before doesn't count..."
"Xiao Mo..."
Bai Ruxue lifted her head, and her lovely peach-blossom eyes swam with glistening tears, like peach blossoms of colored glaze soaked in clear spring water.
"I'll be very obedient from now on..."
"I won't throw little tantrums anymore..."
"I can just like you secretly, inside my heart..."
"I can pretend I never heard what you said before."
"And I won't ask you to marry me anymore."
"But Xiao Mo, don't leave me behind again. Please..."
As her words fell, a crystal tear slid slowly down her white, tender cheek and dropped unhindered to the ground; the shattered droplets gleamed with the light of late summer, then fell to the soil and slowly seeped in.
Xiao Mo reached out and gently stroked her cheek, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes:
"Silly girl, you did nothing wrong, and I won't leave you behind. You're already obedient enough as it is. And besides..."
Xiao Mo smiled. "Who said what I promised before doesn't count?"
"Eh?" Bai Ruxue stared blankly, struck dumb.
"This time I went to Qingshan Town to make something for you. It takes two or three days to finish, and the trip to Qingshan Town takes a long while, so I simply waited there. The moment it was done, I hurried straight back to give it to you."
Xiao Mo took the brocade box from his chest, then took Bai Ruxue's little hand, opened her palm, and set the box in it. "Open it and look."
Bai Ruxue looked at the brocade box in her palm and opened it, bemused.
A golden ring came into the girl's sight.
Fine patterns were engraved on the ring.
Looking closely, they somewhat resembled Ziyang Grass and Qinglong Flower.
"This ring..." Bai Ruxue stared blankly at Xiao Mo.
"In my hometown there is a custom. If a man and a woman feel something for each other, the man gives the woman a ring to ask for her hand. If she agrees, he puts it on the ring finger of her right hand. There's a saying: 'The nameless finger—because her heart already belongs to someone.'
This trip of mine to Qingshan Town was all for the sake of making this one ring.
So...
Ruxue, are you willing to wear this ring, and willing to marry me?"
"I..."
Bai Ruxue looked at the ring, and tears slid from the corners of her eyes once more.
"I'm not willing..."
The girl lifted her head and said.
"Hm?"
"I'm not willing right now..."
Bai Ruxue gazed at the man before her, lost in him.
"Aunt Chen said getting married is terribly troublesome—you have to hold banquets and invite guests, there are all sorts of steps.
But it's already late summer, and next March you have to go to the capital for the metropolitan examination.
When you were little, you said you wanted to be an official.
This is the crucial time for your studying—how could I let you be distracted?"
"Next year..."
Bai Ruxue hugged the ring tightly to her chest.
"Next spring, when you come back from the metropolitan examination.
You come marry me.
And I'll marry you."