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墨書 Inktalez
"Steward Liu, here is your medicine." The voice said heavily in the darkness. Steward Liu nodded, tucked the package into his coat, and walked out without saying a word. The sign above read "Changguang Pharmacy" in large characters, supposedly written by the famous calligrapher Mr. Chen himself, but at that moment, he had no mood to appreciate it as he anxiously made his way to the Cheng Residence.
Perhaps due to it being winter, the entire Concession Area appeared unusually desolate; several restaurants he often visited had already closed their doors. He wiped his sweat and realized it wasn't the winter that caused the desolation, but rather that it was already three in the morning. In the dead silence, Steward Liu wandered through the deserted streets, his unease growing as he took several winding paths back to the Cheng Residence.
At this time, aside from the guards at the Cheng Residence, everyone else should be resting. Steward Liu sneaked into the kitchen, mixed the package of white powder into a bowl of clear water, and caught a stray cat to test it. The cat indeed collapsed on the ground, unable to move. "Father, how potent is this medicine?" A sudden voice from behind startled him; it was his son.
"What are you doing here?" Steward Liu scolded, quickly glancing toward Shaoyi's quarters. Fortunately, Shaoyi was already asleep at this hour.
"Father, why are you sneaking around? Are we afraid of Shaoyi?" Liu Wentang complained.
"Shut up! It's because I've crossed him twice that we've ended up like this!" Steward Liu said angrily. "You should avoid provoking him in the future. When he's in the residence, you shouldn't come around to avoid raising his suspicions, understand?"
Liu Wentang pouted reluctantly and replied, "Got it, Father."
Steward Liu handed him the bowl with some leftover sleeping powder. "Take this bowl out of the Cheng Residence and dispose of it. I'll head back to my room so that some people don't see me; it's better for us to be cautious."
Liu Wentang absentmindedly took the bowl and simply said, "Understood." After watching Steward Liu walk away, his expression changed. Since his good buddy was on night watch at Cheng Residence today, he could come in freely. Since he was already inside, he might as well take a stroll before leaving; otherwise, it would be a wasted trip. He swaggered around Cheng Residence and unknowingly wandered into the backyard.
When did they start keeping horses in this backyard? Just as he was about to step forward to investigate, he heard a series of footsteps—someone must be getting up at night. However, he couldn't let anyone see him. Thinking this way, Liu Wentang quickly slipped away and casually tossed out the bowl of leftover sleeping powder.
What he didn't know was that the sleeping powder landed precisely in the horse trough.
When the first ray of sunlight broke into Cheng Mo Su's room, she sat up suddenly; it was her first time waking up this early in her life. Last night she had been tossing and turning in bed, feeling a small fluttering in her heart swell into an expanding bubble that slowly fermented and filled her chest with an indescribable joy that kept her from sleeping soundly.
She tugged at the bell beside her. Fengyin rubbed her blurry eyes; if she heard correctly, it was the young lady ringing for her. But it was just dawn; what could be wrong? Without having time to think further, she hurriedly ran to Cheng Mo Su's room and displayed a standard smile. "Miss, did you call for me?"
"Today I want to go horseback riding with Shaoyi; please help me get ready." She remained as gentle as ever, but there was an indescribable glow in her clear eyes that captivated those who looked at her. Today, Miss seemed particularly beautiful... Fengyin thought to herself.
Serving Cheng Mo Su, Feng Yin helped her put on the riding outfit, and the sky had already brightened. Feng Yin yawned, wondering where the young lady had gotten such a troublesome riding outfit. She glanced at Cheng Mo Su and noticed that the sparkle in her eyes was even brighter. Although her smile remained as elegant as usual, it now carried an added touch of shyness and charm.
Cheng Mo Su twirled around and asked with a smile, "Feng Yin, do you think I look pretty?" Feng Yin finished braiding the last section of Cheng Mo Su's hair and looked at her reflection in the mirror, noticing the faint blush on her cheeks. "You have always been beautiful, but today you seem even more so. I’m sure you will attract the person you want to attract."
Cheng Mo Su shot her a playful glare. "You’ve learned to speak in riddles." She stood up, her face full of smiles. "Forget it, I won’t talk to you anymore. I'm going." She almost ran to the door, where a young man stood with his back to her, dressed in a sharp riding outfit, gazing toward the north. His pitch-black pupils held a resolute and cold light.
A warm stream surged within Cheng Mo Su as she smiled at him gently. "Shaoyi."
Shaoyi turned to look at her. She was smiling at him, becoming a warm light in the cold winter day. The anticipation in her eyes made them shine even brighter. Cheng Mo Su twirled in front of him and asked cheerfully, "Do I look good?" Shaoyi paused slightly; this dazzling glow seemed foreign to him. He glanced away without answering, opened the carriage door, and gestured for her to enter.
However, after that day, Cheng Mo Su seemed to have become quite persistent, determined to get an answer from him. "You have to say if I look good."
It seemed that not answering was no longer an option. Shaoyi looked at her helplessly; Cheng Mo Su's cheeks were flushed, and her bright eyes sparkled with expectation as she looked at him. Shaoyi stared at her intently and said casually, "With a charming smile and beautiful eyes." Cheng Mo Su was momentarily taken aback, her face turning even redder. She had wanted to hear Shaoyi praise her, but his sudden compliment made her feel shy instead. She quickly lowered her eyes but couldn't hide the faint smile on her lips. "Let’s get in the carriage."
Suddenly, Shaoyi found her amusing; he had been uncomfortable just moments ago, but now it was she who felt awkward.
Beside him, Cheng Mo Su still kept her eyes downcast, seemingly regretting how she had acted earlier. She worried that her behavior might make Shaoyi think she was trying too hard. She stole a glance at him only to find that Shaoyi’s gaze had also turned toward her. Their eyes met briefly before they both quickly looked away; however, hers turned redder while his eyes sparkled with amusement.
That day, Huang Wei intentionally created an opportunity for them by not coming to ride horses, leaving only Shaoyi and Cheng Mo Su at the entire riding ground. With Shaoyi, an expert equestrian guiding her, Cheng Mo Su learned quickly due to her natural intelligence.
"How am I doing? Am I learning well?" Cheng Mo Su asked with a slight lift of her rose-colored lips.
"Very well."
"Is it because a talented teacher produces excellent students?" Cheng Mo Su smiled at him, and Shaoyi returned her smile. Her heart sank slightly; it seemed that at this moment, Shaoyi was finally allowing her to get closer to him. However, she still felt anxious about whether he would revert to his previous cold demeanor. Biting her lip, she spoke softly like jade—seemingly casual yet intentional—"Shaoyi, when did you first learn to ride?"
Shaoyi narrowed his eyes and glanced at Cheng Mosu. He originally did not want to talk too much about himself, but facing such a clear and gentle gaze, he felt the solid wall in his heart shake slightly. "Is it my first time riding a horse?" He smiled, seemingly lost in a beautiful memory. "I was too young to remember; I might have been on horseback since I was born."
Cheng Mosu chuckled at his words. "Who is born on horseback? It's the Republic Era now."
"The Republic Era still has wars. Although most weapons used are guns, knowing how to ride is still essential." He said solemnly, with an expression in his eyes that Cheng Mosu did not understand, making her reluctant to ask further. Shaoyi looked up at the sunset on the horizon; time had passed so quickly. He stood up straight and confidently. "It's getting dark; let's go." Cheng Mosu hurried to keep up with him, and they did not say another word.
The afterglow of the sunset shone on the transparent car windows, not too glaring, while the scenery outside rushed by. Shaoyi drove much faster than Liu Butler, yet it was exceptionally smooth. She watched his clear profile; the sunlight and his Handsome Face overlapped, making him look particularly heroic.
The Ford Car pulled into the Cheng Residence, and both got out of the car.
"Um... last time you said you would help me buy a few good horses; how is that going?"
"I've already bought them; they're in the backyard. Once they're tamed, you can ride them." Seeing Cheng Mosu's bright and expectant gaze, he couldn't help but smile. "Do you want to go see them together?"
Cheng Mosu nodded, her red lips slightly curling up with a hint of youthful innocence, her cheeks flushed like a delicate rose, which made her fair skin appear even more flawless. Shaoyi led her to the backyard; rather than just looking at the horses, she wanted to spend more time with Shaoyi, so her gaze remained fixed on him, not noticing the horse lying in the stable like a lifeless corpse.
Suddenly, Shaoyi stopped in his tracks. She turned her attention back to see the horses, but Shaoyi suddenly covered her eyes and whispered in her ear, "That horse has fainted." A warm current flowed through her heart; he must be worried she would be scared, but she wasn't that fragile.
Her delicate hand brushed against his palm as she smiled gently. "It's okay; as long as you're next to me, I'm not afraid." Shaoyi paused slightly and released his hand according to her meaning. Their gazes focused together on the unconscious horse.
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