Chapter 7

Where do you see that I am a peddler

This scheme of substituting the beams and columns was proposed by Cheng Shaoling, who had inquired in advance whether Su Youqing would be riding a horse or taking a sedan chair. At dawn, Nuan Ge rented a similar sedan chair and went to the Peach Blossom Courtyard to bring out her sister, Shi Xiaorou. They then waited at this section of the gravel slope, anticipating Ji Moran's descent from the slope, ready to proceed according to plan.

Since I have no ability to return to the city, I might as well make the best of the situation and enjoy my time here. At worst, I can play here all day, and my sister will definitely come back in the evening

When Cheng Shaoling found Yu Nuange, she was catching fish by the creek. Her mother, Lei Xiaojun, had once taught her that in this world, when faced with setbacks, some people bury themselves in hard work, some struggle desperately, some plead for the people's cause, and some sacrifice themselves for the law. As for her, the young daughter of Ha Fei Business School, she must be different from the rest

Afterwards, with nothing else to do, she wandered deeper into the peach grove. To her surprise, there was a hidden paradise within, where a clear stream meandered through. This delighted Nuan Ge, confirming that she had indeed come to the right place. Playing by the stream was not enough for her, so she simply jumped in to catch fish. The water was shallow, and small fish swam among the stones. Nuan Ge did not expect to catch a larger one to roast and eat; she was merely seeking some fun to pass the time.

After passing by the pancake stall the day before, Shaoling bought two pancakes and wrapped them up. Then, upon passing a candied hawthorn stall, he suddenly remembered that girl had once said that candied hawthorns are the favorite of time travelers, and that almost everyone would have a skewer while shopping. When he asked her what a time traveler was, her answer was: a matchmaker who threads the needle and overcomes numerous obstacles to unite lovers.

He also knows that there is only one vivid reason: warm songs

"Is it not you, then who else!" The chubby woman's impatient expression, "How much is that rattle you have?"

Shaoling dismounted and observed her for quite some time, only to find that she had not noticed the presence of another person by the stream at all, and it seemed that she would not care whether anyone came to pick her up.

Upon reaching a high slope, the horseback rider Ji Moryan was unperturbed, but the four bearers carrying Su Youqing's sedan chair were suffering greatly. This stretch of road was not only steep, but for some reason, it was also particularly strewn with loose stones, as if a quarry truck had overturned. The bearers gradually slowed their pace, watching as Ji Moryan's horse disappeared down the slope ahead. However, it was of no concern, as they only needed to follow the general direction. The bearers resolutely continued, panting as they walked, and sure enough, after turning a corner, they found Ji Moryan waiting ahead. Without turning back, he simply waved his hand, signaling them to follow.

Indeed, the one riding the horse is Ji Moran, while the one in the sedan chair is Su Youqing

Until the appearance of Cheng Shaoling

The person sitting in the sedan chair kept smiling contentedly, holding a bronze mirror and glancing around. Occasionally, they would adjust their hairpin or straighten their skirt, waiting to arrive at their destination before elegantly disembarking from the chair, infuriating that Shi Xiaorou

She first wandered around the peach blossom grove for a while, pretentiously admiring the peach blossoms, only to realize that no one could see whether her fingers, as they twirled the flowers, were elegant or whether her expression while smelling the flowers was serene

Why are you carrying so much cargo if you are not a peddler

Suddenly, he murmured to himself, "Where is the horse? Cheng Shaoling has ridden away. Where is the sedan chair? My sister has left in it. What about me? How am I supposed to return to the city?"

Shaoling, riding on horseback, looked around in confusion, glancing left and right, horizontally and vertically, yet could not discern any signs of a peddler within a radius of one mile.

Breathing in the incredibly fresh air, listening to the birds singing in the forest, Warm Song smiles as she closes her eyes, then opens them again, closes them once more, opens her eyes again, takes a few steps to the left, then a few steps to the right, walks a few steps forward, and then a few steps backward

Shaoling rode his horse around the peach grove and effortlessly followed the footprints left by Nuange to the streamside. The neat appearance of Nuange in the morning had completely vanished; her carefully styled hair was likely tousled by the peach branches, now scattered in disarray. The originally snow-white short cloak was no longer distinguishable from front to back, resembling more of a pouch, which she was carefully scooping forward with one hand. Her face was flushed, and her expression was tense, as she bent over, fixated on the bottom of the water, as if a luminous pearl were hidden within. From time to time, one hand would suddenly reach in, only to come out empty, accompanied by her chaotic exclamations of "ya ya."

Look, in the warm spring month of March, the peach blossoms bloom one after another on the hillside. The gentle breeze blows in waves, enchanting and intoxicating, with a fragrance that nearly overpowers the ink pendant hanging from my neck. As I lift my gaze to the bright sun, it beams down cheerfully, illuminating the earth, the fields, and the rivers.

A clear day, a sudden thunderbolt, Shaoling is filled with grief and rage to the point of despair

Therefore, she chose: Do what needs to be done, just do it. Want to do what you want, just do it

On the morning of the second day, on the official road outside the city of Shanhai County, a horse and a sedan chair were moving at a leisurely pace, one in front and the other behind

San Tiao Su Youqing occupied two, so she was certainly pleased

Sister, may you find happiness... Warm songs echo in my heart as I watch Xiao Rou's sedan chair gradually recede, following Ji Mo Ran's horse. A piece of guzheng music often played by our mother in her lifetime resonates in my mind, something about the Ladder to Heaven or was it? Sigh, in any case, it is very beautiful yet melancholic, and listening to it makes one unconsciously speak a beat slower.

Generally, the things that can make a woman eagerly engaged early in the morning are, first, meeting her lover; second, undermining her rival; and third, counting money

There is no need to say more, Ji Moran is a fake, and it is Cheng Shaoling in disguise

The shop on the left sells cantaloupes. Eating candy will make you thirsty, right? Well, let's buy a few cantaloupes to quench our thirst

The small pouch can hold her coins for books, small threads for her embroidery, sunflower seeds for her to snack on, and knots for her to keep accounts...

Suddenly feeling that his kind gesture was somewhat superfluous, Shaoling felt a twinge of reluctance. He picked up a stone from the ground and threw it, causing a small splash on the water surface beside Nuange. This interrupted Nuange's intense focus on her fishing plan, startling her, and she instinctively turned her head to look in Shaoling's direction

"Peddler, peddler, come here..." To the right front, a plump woman was waving in the direction of Shaoling, "How much do you sell your goods for?"

In fact, Shaoling's idea is quite simple; inviting Ji Moran to the Peach Blossom Courtyard with a warm song is certainly insufficient. One must take the opposite approach.

In another direction, the person in the sedan chair following Ji Moran was naturally not Su Youqing, but the exuberantly happy Shi Xiaorou

Oh, so the time traveler is the Ice Man, the legendary matchmaker. That girl loves to help her sister make connections, so let's buy her a string of candied hawthorns! Uh, since she eats so much, let's get her five strings

Cheng Shaoling, you are such a sun!

I trembled my fingers, pointing to my own nose.

It has only been two days since we last met, but Nuan Ge looks at her sister and feels as if she has lost a lot of weight. The pain of longing truly harms people. Nuan Ge secretly resolves that there is nothing that cannot be obtained, but one must not suffer from the illness of longing, and there is nothing that cannot be lost, including the Tianqi silver.

Then just follow along... However, unexpectedly, this irreversible mark of memory has led them onto another path back to the city... along with * illustrations * and * books *

Places that are several times more beautiful than this peach orchard, Shaoling has visited. He has also swum in water sources clearer than this small stream. ... Yet, places more vibrant than this ... . ... He does not know if there will ever be such places again

In the afternoon, Nuan Ge deliberately spoke in a sorrowful tone to the forty-eight and seventy-three old ladies about how desolate her sister Xiao Rou was in the other courtyard. The forty-eight and seventy-three old ladies naturally passed this on to Su Youqing, who was indeed overjoyed. With her rival in love in a predicament, it would be a disservice to herself not to throw stones at her. Thus, she decided to hone her skills, insisting that her cousin Ji Moran accompany her to enjoy the peach blossoms. The best place to appreciate the peach blossoms was undoubtedly the mountain where Nuan Ge's family courtyard was located.

In fact, Cheng Shaoling had not forgotten her. According to the plan, after he led Su Youqing's sedan through a series of twists and turns back into the city, he found an opportunity to ride away on horseback.

He truly does not understand why he has the interest and leisure to engage in such activities. He anticipated that Nuan Ge would be frustrated for not being able to return, yet he still strolled leisurely from place to place. That little girl, it would be more entertaining to give her a taste of hardship.

The horse is a fine specimen, entirely black without a single stray hair, its four hooves treading upon the snow. The person atop the horse can be described as a graceful young gentleman, akin to a jade tree swaying in the wind, yet his expression is somewhat inscrutable, occasionally glancing back at the embroidered canopy sedan chair following behind, seemingly lost in thought

What is there to appreciate? Simply climb up a slightly shorter peach tree, gather a handful of petals, wrap them in a handkerchief, and take them back to soak in a bath.

Hey? The kaleidoscope is nice, I will buy it for her to play with on the way back to the city