Su Xiaoqi, following the voice in her heart, nestled into Yu Shi's embrace, playfully cooing.
Du Yiyi watched from the side, happy for both of them.
She knew her aunt well; she had two sons and had always longed for a daughter. However, her body had been injured during the birth of her second cousin, and her uncle, doting on her, had forbidden her from having more children. Thus, not having a beloved little "cotton quilt" had become a persistent worry for her aunt. Now, Xiaoqi's arrival had truly fulfilled her aunt's wish.
The entire afternoon, Su Xiaoqi stayed at the Gu family's residence. She and Du Yiyi accompanied Yu Shi, chatting and conversing. Occasionally, they strolled through the garden, listening to Yu Shi recount old stories of the Duke of Yu's estate. She also spoke of her three sisters.
"I am the eldest sister, Yiyi's mother is second, and we have a younger sister who was quite unruly," Yu Shi said, her expression filled with nostalgia as she recalled the past. Though she called her younger sister unruly, most of her conversation revolved around her. She described her as the most unrestrained of the three sisters, spirited and righteous.
As she listened, Su Xiaoqi's heart inexplicably skipped a beat. It was a strange, uncontrollable feeling. She had never heard of or seen the third daughter of the Duke of Yu's estate, yet for some reason, she felt a profound connection to her, as if it were imprinted in her bones, a connection tied to her very blood. Su Xiaoqi's heart tightened; she frowned and gently tried to sort through her thoughts, taking a long, deep breath before she could somewhat regain her composure. She continued to listen quietly as Yu Shi recounted her stories.
Yu Shi didn't dwell much on how glorious the Duke of Yu's estate had been in the capital in the past. But from the tales of the three sisters' youthful escapades in the capital, one could sense their remarkable freedom and charisma. Su Xiaoqi couldn't help but feel a sense of yearning. Seeing her interest, Yu Shi became even more delighted, holding her hand and talking for a good part of the afternoon.
It wasn't until a servant announced that Shen Xieyuan had arrived that she stopped. She looked up at the sky, realizing with a start that it was already the hour of Shen.
"Oh my, time flies so fast," Du Yiyi exclaimed, having been thoroughly engrossed. She deeply admired the lives her mother and aunt had led in the capital during their youth, but her own mother was not one to talk about such things, so she had never had the chance to hear them. She listened intently this time. Yu Shi paused, but Du Yiyi was still eager for more.
As they spoke, Shen Yun entered. He was wearing the brocade robe with emerald bamboo that Yu Shi had gifted him earlier. The fabric was exquisite, and Shen Yun himself possessed a fine physique, which made him appear even more distinguished in the robe. His features were handsome, and he stood tall and straight like a pine or cypress. He walked towards Su Xiaoqi in the autumn sunset, shafts of sunlight filtering through the falling leaves of the ginkgo trees, dappling him. He approached against the light, his entire face illuminated as if he were a Buddha in a Great Buddha Temple, shining with golden light. Su Xiaoqi couldn't help but smile. Undeniably, Shen Yun's appearance was remarkably pleasing to the eye. She recalled that in the novel, he was originally ranked first in scholarly talent and was destined to become the Zhuangyuan (top scholar). However, his exceptional appearance led the Emperor to appoint him as the Tanjialang (third-place scholar).
As Su Xiaoqi's thoughts drifted, Shen Yun had already arrived before them. He greeted them respectfully and informed Yu Shi that he had come to escort Xiaoqi home.
"It's getting late, you should be heading home," Yu Shi said, though her face showed great reluctance. She held Su Xiaoqi's hand tightly, refusing to let go. She repeatedly urged Su Xiaoqi to visit her again in a few days for a chat. Seeing her like this, Su Xiaoqi's heart filled with warmth. She held Yu Shi's hand back, gently reassuring her that she was currently experimenting with growing the Wuding Zhi mushrooms and would bring them to her to taste once they were ready. Yu Shi was naturally delighted.
After several glances from Shen Yun, she reluctantly released Su Xiaoqi's hand. Shen Yun, seizing the opportunity, reached out and took Su Xiaoqi's hand, replacing Yu Shi's. Just as he was about to bid farewell, Yu Shi flipped her palm, producing an object and handing it to Su Xiaoqi.
"Here, this is a jade token from the Yu family that I've prepared for you. With this, all of the Yu family's hidden outposts and open establishments will recognize you. If you have any needs, you can command them to handle it; it's quite reliable."
Su Xiaoqi lowered her head to examine the token in Yu Shi's hand. It was entirely black. It seemed neither like iron nor wood, neither bronze nor silver; its material was unknown. However, it felt extremely cold to the touch and had a considerable weight.
Just as she was looking at it in confusion, Shen Yun spoke, "Is this made from fragments of a star that fell from the heavens?"
Yu Shi nodded, commending his discernment. "Years ago, a star fell in the Northern Frontier, and my father, along with my brother, went to search for it, obtaining a large piece. We brought it back and studied it for a long time, but couldn't figure out what it was. Thinking it had no practical use, I ordered some of these tokens to be made. I thought its unique material would be impossible for others to imitate, making it exceptional."
Su Xiaoqi carefully examined the token, made from what was described as "a star that fell from the heavens." She mused that this "star from the heavens" was simply a meteorite. If that were the case, this item was truly precious, as such things were quite rare even in modern times. Some people polished them into various divine beast shapes for warding off evil spirits and protecting the home, while others even fashioned them into jewelry for adornment. Due to their specific magnetic properties, they did indeed have certain benefits for the human body. In short, it was a valuable item.
Su Xiaoqi initially wanted to decline, but remembering Yu Shi's personality, she immediately kept her silence. She wasn't one to be overly coy; once she had made up her mind, she accepted it promptly and decisively. She thought to herself that in the future, whenever she obtained something good, she would definitely prioritize offering it to Yu Shi. Perhaps Yu Shi was her destined encounter in this era.
"Sister Xiaoqi, when I go out this time, I'll be staying in Mianzhou City for some time. You must come to find me and play when you have time," Du Yiyi said as she escorted Su Xiaoqi to the entrance. While Shen Yun stepped forward to lift the curtain, she quickly pulled Su Xiaoqi's hand and whispered her request.
Su Xiaoqi smiled, "Don't worry. If it's convenient for you, you can come to my estate to play. I'm doing some interesting things recently, which you might find intriguing."
"That would be wonderful! I'll go, I'll go," Du Yiyi readily agreed. She had gone to great lengths to get out this time. If she returned too soon, her parents would surely not allow her to go out again until the New Year. So, this time, she was determined to play to her heart's content.
Shen Yun waited for a while by the mule cart. Seeing that Su Xiaoqi was still talking to Du Yiyi, he felt a touch of melancholy. However, he was a very patient person and rarely showed his emotions. He called out "Xiaoqi" and waited quietly.
"Oh, right, did you keep the Swift Wind I gave you at the prefectural city?" Du Yiyi asked, as if suddenly remembering something. Su Xiaoqi couldn't ride a horse, so even though Swift Wind was excellent, she couldn't control it. She nodded and pointed to her mule cart, saying, "The horsewhip, I've kept the horsewhip."
Du Yiyi looked around, then suddenly raised her voice, "Well, you have a powerful backer now. If anyone dares to bully you again, just whip them with that horsewhip."
Su Xiaoqi felt something was off with Du Yiyi's words. Although it was in line with Du Yiyi's usual behavior, it was a bit too defiant. She sensed something and followed Du Yiyi's gaze. She didn't see anyone, but she did spot a familiar carriage.