Section 2

Without waiting for the clear farewell of the Qingming Festival, the swallow, as if pursued by a ghost, turned and ran into the twilight of the evening with her black dog

Bai Qingming chuckled lightly, "Only you are so honest, believing in such nonsense from him"

The artist noticed Bai Qingming gazing at the lantern tree with eyes full of wonder and smiled, saying: "When I first arrived in the town, I took a letter from Young Master Liu to the Liu family, and Miss Liu Si gave me this old residence. She said this house has an evil nature, but it is quite suitable for selling coffins"

Bai Qingming gracefully accepted it, holding the gifted oiled paper umbrella while walking down the road. She rubbed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache, and silently reminded herself that next time she went out, she must pay close attention to the almanac.

Bai Qingming looked him up and down, no longer as lifeless as before; he had become increasingly lively.

The umbrella seller raised the oiled paper umbrella with both hands and stepped aside to clear the way

The artist had previously seen Bai Qingming bullying others so often that it no longer felt fresh; he was only surprised by the sight of the bare-bottomed black cat, saying, "I used to think that monsters transformed while wearing clothes."

Young master, the heavens are about to rain, let us take an umbrella and go

As the umbrella seller approached, with skin as white as snow and eyes like dots of lacquer, every feature of his face was exquisitely carved. When he smiled, the dimples at the corners of his mouth seemed to conceal the beauty of pear blossom wine, making one feel intoxicated at first glance

The artist, aware of the connections among their fellow disciples, chose not to respond, merely smiling.

Two people and a cat arrived at the town, where lanterns had already been lit outside each house

The black cat, sleeping soundly in my arms, opened its mismatched eyes—one yellow and one green. It stretched lazily and, opening its mouth, let out a youthful and delicate voice, saying, "Fortunately, I didn't speak human words all the way here. Though I said I wasn't afraid, I ran so fast that my shoes nearly fell off."

The umbrella seller was taken aback, then raised his eyes to look at Bai Qingming seriously, and smiled layer upon layer, "It is my impudence; this umbrella is a gift for you, young master, as the rain is about to come."

The boss Dabai wrote to say that You Ge'er was mischievous and burned down his study. Our shop is built on the lake, so we are not afraid of fire; let him reflect on his actions.

The surprise came suddenly, and You'er could not bear the weight of the young man, being knocked down to the ground

As soon as the words fell, the sound of wooden clogs echoed in the corridor. A sulky red-haired boy, clutching a pile of books, mumbled as he walked over. Bai Yuanyang was squatting by the water, watching the fish. Upon turning her head and seeing the red-haired boy, her eyes lit up, and she ran a few steps before jumping into the boy's arms, revealing her true form as a young boy.

The white mandarin ducks adorably tapped the child's forehead, "That's not true, Master brought me out to play."

In the past, You'er would definitely have gone to confront him fiercely. The young master was a formidable figure at the Zui Meng Xuan, and now he had become a servant here at Bai Qingming's place. You'er recalled that now, living under someone else's roof, he had no one to support him, and in an instant, he felt both angry and wronged. He picked up the scroll from the ground and ran away in tears

Master, you have arrived

You Er Ge!

The artist affectionately pulled Bai Qingming into the shop. The reception area resembled the storefronts of Fenglin City, but it was only upon reaching the back hall that one could see the entire residence built upon the lake's surface, with corridors connecting the houses. In the center of the lake rose a small island, about the size of a flat-bottomed boat, home to a lantern tree approximately two hundred years old, adorned with lantern flowers that shimmered like silver, illuminating the courtyard as if it were bathed in moonlight. The koi in the lake swam leisurely, seemingly unaware of the sorrows of the human world.

"The mandarin ducks are still children; it is already quite difficult for them to transform skillfully." Bai Qingming asked, "How did the fox from my senior brother's house end up here?"

Early in the morning, the painter opened the shop door. The white mandarin duck had the nature of a child; upon first meeting You'er, it was only concerned with playing and clung to him, unwilling to part. Bai Qingming went out alone. The brocade coffin workshop was able to settle in Jiujiu Bridge Town, all thanks to the support of the Liu family. Since he had come to this place, he naturally had to pay a visit to express his gratitude.

The Liu family's residence is located in the bamboo forest on the western side of the town. Although the town is not large, it takes a good half an hour to walk there at Bai Qingming's pace. There was still a bit of sunlight when he set out, but after crossing a few bridges, a fine drizzle began to fall. In an instant, the silver waterfall cascading down the distant cliff merged with the misty mountain scenery, resembling a secret realm of celestial mountains

The Jin Guan Workshop in Jiujiu Bridge Town only engages in the business of ordinary coffins, working at sunrise and resting at sunset, adhering to a strict routine

Bai Qingming smiled faintly as he looked at the lantern tree, "The lantern tree cannot survive away from the Cloud Nation; it has indeed lived for two to three hundred years in the mountains between the Flowing Cang Nation and the Red Pine Nation, which is truly malevolent in nature"

Bai Qingming looked at his aggrieved expression and smiled gently, "Senior brother would never bear to part with you. If he truly did not want you, you could come back to Fengling City with me. We are in need of someone to help with the bathing duties for our couple."

At this moment, a delicately featured young man is walking along, holding a simple oiled paper umbrella and carrying a bamboo basket woven from sea grass on his back, with a copper bell hanging from the basket, jingling all the way—he appears to be a seller of umbrellas

The white mandarin duck obediently nodded, jumped down from the master's arms, and ran ahead to scout the way. Before leaving Fenglin City, Lu Yi tugged at his cat ears and reminded him that it was his first time going far with the young master, so he must be steady. Steady, steady, and again steady; naturally, one should eat a bit more like those officials, so along the way, the white mandarin duck made sure to eat well.

The Jin Guan Fang is not difficult to find. Following the winding stone path upwards, one arrives at an impressive residence situated on the slope of the hillside. A faint silver glow can be seen flowing above the courtyard, the nature of which is unknown. Two festive lanterns hang from the crimson gate, and the three characters "Jin Guan Fang" on the plaque are identical to those found in the shops of Fenglin City.

The cat from the Jin Guan Fang is certainly not an ordinary cat, but a cat demon named Bai Yuanyang

Previously, Bai Yuanyang had been advised by Lu Yi that the gentleman guarding the shop at Jiujiu Bridge was the painter of the establishment. He was handsome and gentle, a composed individual. Bai Yuanyang looked up at him, pondering, so thin that his bones were visible, how could he be considered composed?

The artist did not notice a black cat slipping through the crack of the door, as his mind was completely disrupted by the sudden visit of Bai Qingming. He felt both joy and confusion, holding onto his hand for a long time without letting go

Bai Qingming knocked on the door, and heard a simple and unadorned voice from inside, "You have arrived"

Only then did You Er see Bai Qingming, who was as beautiful and graceful as before, charming and amiable. Unconsciously, she felt a twinge of envy towards this cat, sighed, and patted the shiny bottom of Bai Yuanyang, lamenting, "You are indeed in a favorable position." She then got up from the ground, reluctantly bowed, and said, "Little Boss Bai, my master no longer wants me. If I am a nuisance to you, just drive me away."

Only those who can endure fear and concern themselves with trivial matters are truly virtuous

With the sound of "creak," the subtle fragrance of spring apricots, drenched by the rain, wafted in. The person opening the door was adorned with a veil of dark silk, their brows and eyes as tranquil as water. They gazed at the visitor for a moment, and a ripple of joy began to stir in their eyes.

Yanyan brought him to a wooden bridge deep in the town and refused to go any further

Bai Qingming apologized, saying: "I am sorry, I was in a hurry to leave and did not bring any money"

The artist echoed, "Though wicked in nature, they have never committed any monstrosity"

The white mandarin duck has a simple mind, unable to perceive that her brother You'er is being bullied by the master, and sits dazed in the corridor

"Your shop is just ahead, walk straight until the end," Yan Yan explained, "I am not afraid of your shop being unlucky; it is getting late, and my mother will be worried. We will meet again in the mountains and rivers, and if fate allows, we will gather again another day"

Then... thank you very much

"Mandarin ducks?" The child was exceptionally surprised, cupping his small face and rubbing it gently. "Did you also do something wrong, and were thrown to this remote place by your master?"

Bai Qingming smiled, stepped forward, took his hand, and softly called out, "Sir, I have arrived"