Chapter Seven, The Sparrow Rests on the Branch (Four)

At last, the little crucian carp no longer thrashed its tail or struggled; only its gills still opened and closed, breathing irregularly

... ... Hmm. Ye Qin picked up the fountain pen and coldly watched her take the book away

Su Qing said: "I want that one."

The yellow dog let out a whimper, lay down, and rested its head on its front paws

Su Qing once again examined the glowing ring in the dead of night, a faint blue light gliding over her fingertips, illuminating her forehead and hair.

He heard the sound of pages turning amidst the gaps of the waterfall's roar, and then he realized that his forehead was resting against Su Qing's neck, enveloped by her gentle and warm breath

She held the book in her hands resting on her lap, without turning the pages herself, as the wind turned the pages for her

This time, he had a new book resting on his knee, with a royal blue-cased fountain pen clipped to it, resembling some kind of luxurious trinket

In the dim and lifeless room of the Fifth Young Master, during the suffocating silence of the deep night, those two small sachets hung quietly, resembling the tiger-head shoes, jade Pixiu, and the longevity lock that he would never possess, all meant to ward off evil for a child

Su Qing imitated Sister Song's simple tone: "If you can't sleep, hang it by the head of the bed"

Su Qing wiped her eyes with her elbow, her voice trembling slightly: "Mom ... ... "

Su Qingfei quickly flipped to the last page, much like a child finishing the last sip of soup, unconsciously letting out a sigh

Su Qing's scalp immediately tightened. She had a natural fear of live fish, and as she rolled up her sleeves to scoop them up, the little crucian carp slipped through her fingers, sending a shiver down her spine

I have once again defied the will of the divine artifact

Many precious things, like lamp oil, are often thought to be abundant when in use, yet in reality, they have already been depleted to the very end

She flinched, and Ye Qin seized the opportunity to sit up straight quickly

That was on the escape route to the south after the calamity in Peking, where Mr. Su and Mrs. Su's carriage had to evade the gunfire of bandits. The bullets and dust fell like rain, and the explosive flashes of gunfire erupted one after another. The horses were galloping wildly, causing them to jolt up and down, while the axle creaked ominously, as if the carriage was about to fall apart.

Su Hong bent down to embrace Mrs. Su, as bullets whizzed past their backs, leaving a row of dense bullet holes on the opposite side

Ye Qin's gaze also fell upon her face, a quietness that harbored a certain power, steady and composed, unlike the more erratic glances of Jia San

Su Qingnian became so absorbed in her thoughts that she lost herself in them

Mrs. Su was not very satisfied with her silence and muttered, "You are so dull-witted; even if I told you, you wouldn't understand."

When Ye Qin was awake, he was still somewhat dazed; he had never known that he could sleep so soundly outside.

The woman hurried back to search and brought out two colorful sachets: "I will give you both of these. The red one contains angelica and lilac, while the yellow one contains fennel. Hang the one for sleeplessness by your bedside."

Su Qing also smiled

Ye Qin suddenly felt a bit of hatred towards her tranquility

What should I do? I really want to look back.

Uncertain of how much time had passed, she suddenly felt a touch on her shoulder. Startled, she looked down and discovered that the young man beside her was asleep with his eyes closed. The wind tousled the hair on his forehead, and his forehead gently rested against her shoulder

Su Qing spent the entire afternoon catching fish

Su Qing looked at her with a pair of bewildered black eyes

She takes out the ring every day to wipe it, and it has never changed since.

Su Qing asked: "Is the fish delicious?"

Ye Qin glanced at her twice, remained silent, and indifferent waved her hand to signal Jia San to keep his distance. The latter obediently ran upstream.

"You need to practice; it's not good to always be afraid of killing fish." Mrs. Su stood by with a frown, "If you can't even handle such a small task, what will you do when your mother is gone? A-Yu loves fish the most; in the future, you will have to live with A-Yu..."

He removed the pen cap with one hand, and Su Qing gazed intently at the fountain pen. Beneath the royal blue casing was a copper-colored metal nib. In terms of material, color, and construction, it resembled a sword, radiating a subtle yet luxurious sheen

Because Su Qing's face turned red, it was not the kind of blush that signifies shyness or timidity. She was both flustered and composed, forcing herself to look over, her pair of eyes warm and enchanting, yet unaware of their effect.

She fell from one end of the yard to the other, mud splattering all over her body, while the yellow dog raised its front paws, looking at her in astonishment like a human. Su Qing comfortingly pressed her lips together and said, "Don't be afraid"

In the evening, the fish remained untouched by Su Qing, while Mrs. Su affectionately served Su Yu some dishes, praising her for preparing the fish well, creating a very harmonious atmosphere

His pupils constricted

Su Qing knocked twice on the window, received a basin full of clothes handed over by the woman, placed the basin on the ground, wrapped the copper coins in paper, and handed them back.

The pen, saturated with ink, dances orderly on the rice paper. A small lamp in the study shines brightly into the deep night

In the bowl is a clear porridge made from wild vegetable roots. Mrs. Su complained, "The business of the tea shop is truly declining year by year; this year's earnings are not as much as last year's..."

Su Qingxiao smiled and walked into the yard to feed the dog, with the yellow dog running closely behind her heels

*

Su Qing stared at him, observing intently, when unexpectedly he turned around, and the two of them found themselves caught off guard, locking eyes.

Su Qing hurriedly asked, "Has anyone noticed?"

Su Qing's hand holding the knife trembled slightly, scales splattered against the pool wall with a crackling sound, and the smell of blood mixed with the unique fishy odor wafted out, causing her face to turn pale

She hesitated for a moment, then continued to turn the pages quietly, devouring the book with a speed of ten lines at a glance, as if she were starving for knowledge

In the cold blue light, amidst the chaotic thoughts, only the sensation of that slippery crucian carp remained in her mind. Her hand had brushed against its resilient scales, and then she had eviscerated it... Mrs. Su said: "You can't even handle such a trivial matter!"

Sister," after finishing dinner, Su Yu took the initiative to call out to her

In the stillness of the deep night, a faint snore could be heard coming from Mrs. Su's inner chamber

He closed his eyes, the cold sweat-drenched hair sticking to his forehead, imagining the presence of another girl in the room, as if it were still that day when he leaned on Su Qing's shoulder, watching her beautiful fingers carefully turn the pages of the book, inhaling the faint and delicate fragrance that lingered on her body

Sister Song, this time there is no charge, could you send me one of the remaining sachets from the Dragon Boat Festival?

Jia San stood on the stone, eagerly looking forward, and when he saw her arrive, the anxiety on his face transformed into an excited smile: "Miss Su has come?"

Su Yu did not return home for lunch, leaving only Su Qing and her adoptive mother to have a meal together. Mrs. Su lacked the enthusiasm to cook.

Su Hong said: "If there were kind-hearted people passing by, it would be great to bury us together; I cannot bear to leave you all"

There is a memory belonging to the original self that forever resides in her mind

Su Yu rarely showed a smile: "Delicious"

At the moment of extracting the swim bladder and entrails, congealed blood gushed out, and the dead fish fell with a "thud" to the bottom of the pool. She squatted down weakly, retching a few times, and then began to cough violently, sweat rolling down from her hair tips and splattering onto the ground, causing the dust to bloom like a flower

However, this excitement was soon diluted by another desire

Su Qing was standing by the table, grinding carefully. After a pause, she said vaguely, "There is still quite a bit missing"

Ye Qin was very quiet, like a vigilant cat, with only a faint breath.

At the end of the month, Su Qing's pouch was already full. She hid it under the bedding and sewed a new pouch overnight, hanging it on her waist

*

"Do you still need me to help you with your studies?" she asked, turning her head.

Suddenly, she raised her head mysteriously and said, "Do you think it could be that courier..." She made a gesture of rubbing her fingers together

After a moment of silence, Su Yu spoke, his gaze wandering: "By the way, how much more do we need for Mom's bracelet?"

"No!" Su Yu appeared very excited, "The third young lady even praised my calligraphy for its character."

What are you looking at? His gaze was unwavering and unflinching, fixed on her eyes, carrying a detached scrutiny, as if he were determined to see through her.

The sound by her ear rang out, causing her earlobes to tremble: "What is that scent on you?"

Shen Yi always enjoyed playing with swords, and Ye Qin also carried a cold metallic aura, a blend of cold iron and blood. When Su Qing saw him write with that beautiful fountain pen for the first time, the characters he wrote indeed resembled iron carvings and silver hooks. He lowered his eyes and, with an air of undeniable authority, inscribed "Su Qing".

She suddenly saw a black crucian carp swimming back and forth in the jar

In life, there are many choices; some choices are wise, while others are perplexing, yet each has its own rationale

She let out a sigh

Su Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief: "As long as we pass, that's good."

After spending a long time together, Jia San no longer feared her, and his manner of speaking resembled that of familiar friends

Su Qing tied the sachet around her waist and covered it with her clothing, and the two exchanged thanks with each other

Su Qing finally thought of something: "This is for you." She took off the two sachets from her waist and handed them to him

Sometimes she would waste a piece of Su Yu's paper, eagerly imitating Ye Qin's strokes to write her own name, and after filling it up, she would burn it.

Ye Qin glanced at her twice, snatched the book from her hand, and quickly flipped open the front page: "I do not take things for free; this book is a gift for you"

She spread out the paper at night, skillfully transcribing the text of Su Yu and his classmates, and then quietly read for a while the book that Ye Qin had given her. The name on the title page carried the essence of another person, and the sound of the broken pen was like the ringing of a shattered sword.

As the fish flicked its tail, it splashed water all over her face

Su Qing suddenly thought that even in her previous life, they had never been this close before

Su listened and, after drinking only a small bowl, set it down: "It shouldn't be the case."

But it lasted only for a moment, and a flicker of astonishment quickly passed through his eyes

Ye Qin twirled her finger around the tassel on the sachet, remaining silent for a while. The fragrance of herbs that had just enveloped her came from this.

Mrs. Su said, "If we die, our family of three will have died together."

She hesitated for a moment, cradled his face in her hand, and leaned it against her shoulder

The cap snapped shut with a crisp sound. He tilted his head and glanced at those two characters, his eyes seemingly carrying a casual hint of a mischievous smile.

*

Without needing a reminder, he skillfully took the basin from Su Qing, and upon seeing the pile of clothes stacked like a small mountain, he was surprised to pick out a child's small jacket from within: "... ... What a complete family indeed"

He has a very absurd illusion, as if it is only because he is looking at her

I will see if your complexion has improved a bit" Su Qing responded gently, as she had become very accustomed to his capricious moods

Mrs. Su happened to walk out: "Qing'er, prepare the fish; we will make fish soup for Ah Yu tonight"

He paused for a moment, pulled her sleeve, and led her all the way to the study: "Sister, your last copy of the classical text was truly impressive."

Mrs. Su's tears fell one by one on her face: "At that time, you won't have to run around anymore. Mom will make delicious food for you every day and pick the prettiest clothes for you"

Su Yu nodded, rummaged through his pocket for a moment, and then with a "clang," he slammed two stacks of coins onto the table

In her eyes, the brush is the Bagua and Taiji, while the fountain pen is a cold blade of weaponry

Su Qing lightly counted the coins in her pocket, and just as she finished, the light went out with a "pop," leaving her alone in the darkness

In the middle of the night, Ye Qin wakes up with a headache and sometimes sees two brightly colored sachets hanging from the bed canopy

Mrs. Su fell silent, her expression strange, seemingly a bit awkward, as if she were angry with him. She turned her head and went back into the house, saying, "I won't bother with you anymore; you can handle it yourself."

The blue part that had surged up during the rescue of Ye Qin has today receded to a small point, returning to its original state.

Impossible

A person like him is impossible

This time it is not a children's picture book, but a collection of essays by a certain university professor, which provides a straightforward introduction to the new trends in the country, and also mentions the astronomical, geographical, and mathematical systems discussed by Su Yu, with a humorous use of language

The car continued to race forward, and Mrs. Su casually brushed her hair, her small face pressed closely against the woman's soft and warm bosom. Mrs. Su had never given birth, but there was the scent of milk in her embrace

He wanted to withdraw immediately, but Su Qing was watching with delight, like a timid bird that had finally landed on a branch

Su Qing carefully rolled up his pant legs and sat down beside him: "I am just helping out."

At that time, Su Yu had not yet arrived. Mrs. Su held her tightly in her arms, bending down to protect her closely when the gunfire pierced through the carriage canopy

A few strands of her hair were constantly being blown onto his face by the wind

He jumped down from the rock, filled with concern: "Why do you wash so many clothes every day? Are you being mistreated at home?"

The woman appeared quite surprised: "That sachet was made by me; it is not worth much."

Well, sister, I promised to help Miss San by copying a copy as well