Chapter 1: The Glassy Marriage
The man stopped his actions
The exquisite glass is so captivating that one cannot bear to part with it. Yet, I wonder if in this lifetime, I will be able to find a partner as virtuous as Fan Li, just like Xi Shi did.
Liu Li leaned lightly against the intricately carved sandalwood chair, listening to a soft tune. In a state between dreams and wakefulness, her heart was pulled apart by the mournful lyrics, leaving her in a daze and a tangle of thoughts. In her dreams, there was always a figure in white drifting about, and no matter how hard she tried to open her eyes wide, she could never see clearly.
Hehe, you will know once you take it back
Your name is Liuli, isn't it
While she was lost in thought, a black cat suddenly jumped out from nowhere, its green eyes coldly staring at Liuli. Startled, Liuli shivered, her hand trembled violently, and her necklace unexpectedly fell into the swimming pool
Today I turn fifteen years old
I am someone who specializes in collecting scrap!
Of course it is useful; you can only find your destined partner by using it
rags
The man smiled at her in a strange manner
How is the night? Someone ascends the riverside tower alone to lie down... Do not sing sorrowfully: the old tunes of the Southern Dynasties, for Sima's tear stains are many
Liuli lazily woke him up, then looked around for herself, only to be surprised to find that the antique jade artifacts on the stall were quite old. She casually picked up a jade bracelet, which had excellent quality and texture; its clear and distant hue made her want to immerse herself in that emerald green.
At last, I can return home and sleep soundly without having to feed the mosquitoes
Liuli raised the necklace in her hand: "But what use do I have for it?"
Ah? Liuli was momentarily taken aback.
Do you believe that everyone in this world has their destined person? Yet, do you realize how vast the world is and how long the span of time is? To meet at this moment and in this place, and to know and love each other, is incredibly difficult. Perhaps you are at one end of the world while he is at the other, and you may never meet in your lifetime; or perhaps you do meet, but at the wrong time—just as you are born, he is about to die after waiting a lifetime; or it could be the right time and the right place, yet you are in the wrong bodies, both being male or female, or perhaps relatives, and can only suffer throughout your lives. You and your beloved have not only missed the right time but also the right space, and even if you search desperately in this world for a lifetime, you will surely not find him. You and your beloved have not only missed the right time but also the right space, and even if you search desperately in this world for a lifetime, you will surely not find him. This piece of glass can take you to the place where he is. However, whether you can love and stay together in this lifetime depends on your fate...
She strolled enthusiastically from stall to stall, occasionally greeting familiar vendors. She handled various antiques, unable to part with them. Usually, she was able to find many treasures here.
What? Suddenly, when Liuli touched the glass necklace that the man had shoved into her hand, she felt a jolt as if she had been electrocuted. She quickly stepped back a considerable distance.
My marital fate
The term "liuli" originated from ancient Indian language and was transmitted eastward with Buddhist culture. Its original representative color actually refers to blue. It is regarded as the foremost among China's five renowned artifacts (gold and silver, jade and emerald, liuli, ceramics, and bronze) and one of the seven treasures in Buddhism. Liuli is a traditional Chinese material, a highly valuable ornament with a history of over two thousand years, exclusively used by the royal family since ancient times, with extremely strict hierarchical requirements for its users, making it rarely seen among the common people. By the Ming Dynasty, its craft had largely been lost. However, even the incomplete craftsmanship of the Ming Dynasty was still protected by rank, and the liuli of that time was already quite opaque, hence referred to as "yaoyu" (medicinal jade). The "Ming System" records that the ornament bestowed by the emperor to the top scholar was indeed yaoyu, and only those of the fourth rank and above were entitled to it.
The lotus gatherers and the lotus gathering song, the orchid boat passes beyond the willows, regardless of whether the mandarin duck's dream is shattered
I have finally been waiting for you; I have been asleep for quite a long time
Liuli had been preoccupied with the matter of the Liuli necklace. Late at night, after He, Tu, and Shu had all gone to sleep, she sat alone by the swimming pool to cool off. While taking large bites of chilled watermelon, she carefully examined the necklace.
Suddenly, she noticed a small stall set up in the corner, with few goods on display, likely newly opened and sparsely populated. With her hands behind her back, she approached the stall with an air of expertise, but after looking around for a while, she finally spotted the owner sleeping behind the cart.
This is your glass. Please take good care of it
Liuli held the string of glass beads in her hand, feeling inexplicably puzzled
Every three miles, I gaze at the azure clouds, feeling a deep melancholy in the emptiness. The beauty smiles and says: "The lotus resembles us; love is fleeting, yet the lotus root's tendrils are long"
She patted the boss, wanting to chat with him casually and see if he had any good treasures. After a long while, he finally stirred from his slumber, lifting his head with a dazed expression, grinning foolishly at Liuli, as if he had mistaken her for someone else. Liuli took a surprised step back; she clearly saw that the person's irises were green, but upon closer inspection, it seemed otherwise. The person rubbed his eyes and stared intently at Liuli for a moment, then somewhat shyly turned his face away and yawned. Liuli took a surprised step back; she clearly saw that the person's irises were green, but upon closer inspection, it seemed otherwise. The person rubbed his eyes and stared intently at Liuli for a moment, then somewhat shyly turned his face away and yawned
She is always deliberately searching for something, yet her gaze can never find a place to land. She is far less lively and cheerful than her appearance suggests. Her smile is radiant, but her heart is always cold and indifferent. There is nothing she truly cares about; she knows that perhaps she does not belong to this world at all
There is a legend about the origin of glass that makes it feel very enchanting and aspirational, which is why it is cherished even more.
Ah? The Aladdin's lamp? The glassy eyes brightened, stirring with excitement
The sky of the old city is always so overcast that it makes her feel suffocated, even to the point of wanting to vomit. Liuli does not like heavy and oppressive things, which is why she always detests the sky here. She has always felt that her heart is incomplete, as if a part of it has long been lost with books in the river of time, and she can never retrieve it, only existing in this world in a crisscross manner, searching and hoping.
Liuli was discovered in 493 BC when Fan Li supervised the forging of the king's sword. Fan Li believed that this substance represented the ultimate achievement of the interplay between heaven and earth, yin and yang, and thus presented it along with the sword to King Yue. Grateful for the sword-making effort, King Yue returned the original item and named this miraculous substance "Li." Subsequently, Fan Li sought out skilled artisans to craft "Li" into a beautiful piece of jewelry, which he gifted to Xi Shi as a token of their love. It is said that this was the earliest form of Liuli in the world. That same year, war broke out, and Yue suffered a great defeat. Xi Shi was forced to marry into the Wu kingdom, and as she departed, she returned the "Li." According to legend, Xi Shi's tears fell upon this "Li," causing heaven and earth, sun and moon to be moved, and it is said that one can still see Xi Shi's tears flowing within it. Later generations referred to it as "Liuli," and today's "Liuli" evolved from this name.
Are you saying that this glass originally belongs to me
The requirements for the manufacturing process are extremely high, and the initial mold-making is very complex, with stringent demands on the molds: the expensive colored crystal is gradually cooled after being formed in the mold, requiring at least several days in the furnace. During this time, the flow of the molten colored crystal is difficult to control. However, it is precisely because of this that a variety of uniquely styled glass artworks emerge. Due to the characteristics of glass production, it is impossible for there to be two identical pieces of glass in the entire world. Therefore, each piece becomes even more precious and unique.
As he spoke, he began to pack up the stall
Liuli rubbed his hands together, his face full of excitement. "Uncle, who exactly are you? A deity?"
However, the true ancient method of making glazed pottery is now rarely seen. The artist has long sought a piece for collection, hoping to live up to the name of glazed pottery. Yet, more than half of the collection at home consists of water-glazed items, which are resin products made from transparent resin mixed with pigments, merely for decorative purposes. They lack the crystalline luster of lead crystal glass, are prone to aging, and are noticeably lighter than the pendant in hand. A few pieces of ancient glazed pottery that were hard to find also lack transparency. The piece in hand, with its wave-like drop, resembles a clear tear. It shimmers with colors, is clear and transparent, exuding elegance while revealing a gentle beauty, and carries a sense of gracefulness. The vibrant colors within the glazed pottery seem to flow and change unpredictably. Indeed, as Yuan Zhen described in "Ode to Glazed Pottery": "Colored like cold ice, with nothing to separate it from dust," it is breathtakingly beautiful.
Originally, there was a party at home, with a large number of people waiting to celebrate her fifteenth birthday, but she secretly slipped out. She did not like that kind of environment; it was nothing more than a bunch of boastful flattery and the hypocritical smiles she had long since grown to detest, along with the cold gazes watching her from the corners.
"How do you know, uncle?"
This is your destiny, not mine. Put it away; this is a good thing! It can make your dreams come true
Returning home very late, she inevitably received a scolding from her mother. However, that man always indulged her too much, gently wishing her a happy birthday and then gifting her a beautifully crafted white jade butterfly clasp. It must be quite precious! She lowered her head and reluctantly said thank you.
The man, pushing a small cart and humming a tune rich in Beijing flavor, slowly disappeared into the sunset. Liu Li stood by the moat, leaning against a willow tree, faintly feeling a sense of inexplicable joy despite the oddity of the moment. Hehe, it seems a bit clichéd, but typically, according to the plot of television dramas, something unexpected is bound to happen next
From a young age, she has had a deep affection and interest in these precious gems and glass. Regarding the glass that shares her name, she is even more familiar and knowledgeable about it
Looking forward to the picture book
Yes
"But this thing isn't mine; you can take it back!" Liuli said as she handed the necklace to him
"Sir, are you mistaken? I have not ordered any glass necklace from you."
It cannot be considered as mere junk, you know? There are many ownerless items in the world, which are actually because their owners have lost their memories. My job is to collect these items that are still very useful and valuable, and then return them one by one to their rightful owners
... ...
In front is the antique market, which Liuli loves the most. Ceramics, bronze vessels, jade, embroidery, and various handicrafts are displayed along the long street. Liuli has a fondness for antiques, enjoying the way each item allows her to connect with the ancient and forgotten times.
"Oh no, the necklace!" Liuli seemed to have lost her senses, disregarding everything, including the fact that she couldn't swim, and dove headfirst into the water. Fortunately, the water was not deep, and the bottom was clearly visible. The Liuli necklace slowly sank to the bottom of the pool, emitting a faint, colorful cold light. As Liuli reached out her hand, just as she was about to grasp the necklace, she suddenly realized that the bottom of the pool had transformed into a deep black hole. She opened her mouth in shock, but before she could scream, a rush of water swept her away. Fortunately, the water was not deep, and the bottom was clearly visible. The Liuli necklace slowly sank to the bottom of the pool, emitting a faint, colorful cold light. As Liuli reached out her hand, just as she was about to grasp the necklace, she suddenly realized that the bottom of the pool had transformed into a deep black hole. She opened her mouth in shock, but before she could scream, a rush of water swept her away.
The city is shrouded in mist under the moonlight, as a person leans on a blue boat singing, often recalling our meeting on the banks of the Ruoye River
In the old streets and alleys beneath the city walls, one can wander about, running into the old teahouse to listen to some tunes and doze off. Such tranquility and leisure must be the life she yearns for
Oh, so you know me, uncle?
After listening to the melodies in the tea house, she walked along the base of the city wall, her hand gently gliding over the wall. The slight friction made her feel warm. It seemed as if the heavy bricks were gradually absorbing her, and she felt her body becoming light, as if she were about to merge with the silent ancient city wall.
"I don't know him." The man shook his head and continued to load the goods onto the vehicle one by one