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A month passed in the blink of an eye, and the Concession Area welcomed the Cold Winter. The bleak cold wind mixed with the dampness from the south brought a chilling sensation. Nevertheless, the streets were still bustling with pedestrians, each person moving more hurriedly than before. The streetlights remained bright, and the prosperity was as vibrant as ever. Huang Wei got out of the carriage and dismissed the driver, slowly walking towards the Cheng Residence bathed in moonlight.
Cheng Mo Su had been waiting in the hall for quite some time, holding a zitan incense burner in her hands. A newly installed fountain in the hall continuously poured warm water, adding a touch of mist to the room. She wore a pink petal Qipao and draped a snow-white jacket over her shoulders. Her delicate brows were slightly raised, and her petite face radiated warmth and beauty.
Upon seeing Huang Wei, she put away the book in her hands, straightened her languid posture in the winter chill, and teased, "Noble people tend to forget things easily. We agreed on nine o'clock yesterday; look at what time it is now."
Huang Wei took out a golden pocket watch from her hand, her bright eyes sparkling. "I'm only an hour late; don't be so stingy! Besides, something came up at home today."
"Oh?"
"It's my brother," Huang Wei frowned slightly. "The Ministry of Transportation suddenly called him for a meeting late at night, so he canceled his date with that Diana. Oh, do you know Diana? She's a recently popular dancer who caused quite a scene when she came over. I only managed to come after dealing with that."
Cheng Mo Su gently caressed the intricately carved teacup in front of her and casually replied, "But your brother is quite something; just a few days ago, he was fine with that Dan Actor, and now he's flirting with a dancer again?"
Huang Wei shrugged. "That's what I said too. Guess what my dad said." She paused, lowering her voice dramatically. "Hang Tai is considered decent among young masters; he's much better than those who gamble away their fortunes. Keeping a few women and actors is no big deal; it doesn't hurt anyone." She chuckled lightly. "What else can I say?"
Cheng Mo Su leaned back against the satin velvet pillow behind her and sighed softly. "It's precisely because they don't worry about making a living that they feel empty and seek out these amusements. Sometimes I feel life is too boring, but I can't quite pinpoint what's missing."
"I know! What you lack is an invitation!" Huang Wei winked and pulled out a bright red invitation card. "Look here, Miss Cheng! I specially brought you this invitation! Tomorrow is Christmas; Mrs. Zhang is hosting a Christmas ball to raise funds. You must come!"
Her delicate hand gently brushed over the smooth invitation card, her eyes like deep pools of blue water. Although they claimed it was for raising funds, it was merely an excuse to host a ball; she glanced elsewhere and said, "I don't want to go. Christmas balls are held every year—either this lady or that lady organizes them—there's nothing new about it; it's all rather dull."
"Who says so! This ball is special," Huang Wei tugged at her arm. "It's a masquerade ball!"
"Um?"
"It's the masquerade ball, right? Everyone will be wearing masks. Isn't it interesting?"
Cheng Mo nodded, "It is indeed."
"By the way, remember to bring a male partner. According to Mrs. Zhang's rules, all the young ladies and gentlemen must bring a partner of the opposite sex." Huang Wei's eyes sparkled like almonds, her cheeks flushed. "I invited Mr. Xu, and he said he would give me an answer tomorrow. What about you? Have you decided who to invite?"
Cheng Mo was slightly taken aback and recalled the incident on her birthday when she caught Xu and Madam Qin together. She wanted to tell Huang Wei about it but found herself unable to speak due to Huang Wei's obvious affection for Xu. She lowered her gaze, thought for a moment, and decided to share what she had seen. "Actually, Huang Wei, on my birthday, I saw Uncle Xu with your Auntie..."
"What are you talking about, Mo Su?" Huang Wei hurriedly interrupted her. "He and my Auntie are old acquaintances; their relationship has always been good." Although she said this, there was a hint of evasion in her eyes that made it hard to understand her true feelings. Cheng Mo looked at her steadily, making Huang Wei feel even more uncomfortable. "Oh dear, don't look at me like that." She quickly stood up. "I have to go now; see you tomorrow."
Perhaps Huang Wei already knew about this matter. Cheng Mo held the now-cold teacup, realizing that Huang Wei was just unwilling to accept it and was deceiving herself instead. Why do people have such keen insight into everything yet choose to cover things up so foolishly? She glanced up at the softly lit library and wondered if she was the same way...
She gently pushed open the door to the library. Shaoyi had only turned on a desk lamp; he was engrossed in a book in French and didn't notice her entering. As she approached him from behind, she saw that he was reading Rousseau.
Her voice was warm and gentle as she recited a passage in French from memory: "I never believe that a person's freedom lies in doing whatever they want. On the contrary, I believe that a person's freedom lies in being able to do what they do not want to do. The freedom I pursue and wish to protect is of the latter kind."
Shaoyi's hand paused mid-turn of the page as he turned to look at her. Her delicate hand rested casually on the back of the chair, her eyes radiating calm warmth. He felt a slight flutter in his heart and replied with a smile, "That's my favorite line too."
She smiled lightly, "Are you also pursuing this kind of freedom?"
The room was still enveloped in a slight chill; the scent of ink from the books on the rosewood shelves wafted through the air. The scattered art albums on the floor hinted at playful disarray, while layers of books formed a tight and impenetrable barrier around them. Cheng Mo gazed into Shaoyi's eyes and saw emotions she had never encountered before—helplessness, determination, fierceness—each one flowing into her heart with a subtle pang of sorrow that was hard to detect.
"Freedom... because it feels unattainable, that's why we desire it," his voice, though still cool, was steady and strong. "No matter what stage of life you're in or what class you belong to, you will always be bound."
Cheng Mosu's long eyelashes fluttered slightly, and after a moment of hesitation, she replied slowly, "Yes. Some people worry about being killed by gunfire, some worry about not having enough to eat, some worry about being unemployed and uncertain about their future, and some worry about losing power and their unstable status." Her tone fluctuated between fast and slow, the fragrance around her faint yet present, her eyes reflecting calm determination. "Shaoyi, what about you? What are you worried about? What binds you?"
Seemingly caught off guard by her question, Shaoyi paused for a while, falling silent as the atmosphere of silence lingered between them. After a long time, Cheng Mosu let out a slight sigh, as if resigned. "If you don't want to talk, I won't ask. If I happen to ask something inappropriate, please don't take it to heart."
It was the first time she had been so polite and distant with him. He pinched the bridge of his nose; perhaps this was for the best.
The soft footsteps gradually faded away. He turned his face slightly; Handsome Face was shrouded in a dim yellow light, emotions difficult to discern. But those footsteps returned and stopped in front of him. His peripheral vision caught sight of a bright red invitation on the desk.
"Tomorrow is Christmas; there's a Masquerade Ball. Would you like to go with me?" Cheng Mosu bit her red lip lightly, feeling a twinge of nervousness. Shaoyi looked at the invitation; silver moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating his brows. Just when Cheng Mosu was about to give up hope, she heard his cold yet powerful voice simply say, "Okay."
Cheng Mosu felt a small spark of happiness within her, like a child receiving candy. She reached out to open the door. "Then... I'll come to wake you up tomorrow."
"Not tomorrow," Shaoyi raised his gaze slightly with a hint of a smile. "It's already past midnight." He paused and looked directly into Cheng Mosu's watery eyes. "As."
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