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墨書 Inktalez
Cheng Mo's gaze drifted outside the window, where a newly built Western-style house stood not far away, unique and elegant. One could vaguely see the luxurious furnishings inside. Every night, the lights in that house would suddenly illuminate, rivaling the neon lights along the street.
Cheng Yi quietly approached her from behind and patted her shoulder, startling her. With a slight frown, Cheng Yi still wore a smile. "Are you looking at that house? I heard it was built by the Jiang family. Jiang Shaohao's daughter, Jiang Yating, often stays in Shanghai and specifically had this house built."
Since her return, the library had been renovated. This place had once been occupied by Shaoyi, and Cheng Yi was worried that his daughter might get sentimental upon seeing it, so he spent a considerable amount of money on the renovation for her sake.
The new library was not as luxurious as the original; instead, it had a more simple charm. Stripped of its extravagance, it surprisingly exuded an ancient flavor. The utensils on the table, the inkstone and paper, the nearby bookshelf and tea table—though not priceless treasures, they were exquisite in their own way.
Cheng Mo sat with her chin resting on her hand, her gaze fixed on the novel spread out on the desk. The light from outside was obscured by plain curtains, making the entire room appear somewhat dim. Only the delicate table lamp emitting soft light added subtle shadows to the room.
"Su'er, I've nearly completed the work here. If you want to go to America, we can leave at any time..."
Her delicate fingertips trembled slightly as hot tea splashed out of her cup. She furrowed her brows for a moment before softly saying, "Dad, I just got back. Please let me stay a little longer."
After resting for a few days upon her return, she visited Huang Wei. Huang Wei had changed significantly since their last meeting and resembled other ordinary ladies more and more. The lively and graceful figure from years ago was no longer present. They exchanged glances for quite some time without speaking a word. Finally enduring until dusk, she thought of a way to excuse herself.
Strolling along the riverbank, a gentle breeze brushed against her face.
Once they could talk about anything; now the wind carrying apricot blossom petals lightly brushed past her ears. Whether in winter or summer, she and Huang Wei would sit together softly discussing their secrets and sharing laughter that others could not reach. Then they took different paths and gradually drifted apart, with each replacing their companions only to lose half of them again.
She tilted her head slightly; above her were brilliant stars. For Shaoyi and Huang Wei, had she already become one of those who walked away?
On this comfortable June day, there were too many worries; everything seemed fine.
Beep beep! A car horn sounded behind her. She didn't turn around but merely stepped aside to let it pass. Yet the car seemed to deliberately circle behind her until she turned around curiously.
The car door opened gently, and a pair of beautiful black patent leather high heels stepped down.
"You must be Miss Cheng Cheng Mo," the woman said with a slight smile, her beautiful face framed by sparkling eyes fixed on her. Cheng Mo nodded; this woman looked very familiar. After thinking for a moment, she realized it was Jiang Yating, whom she had seen in the newspaper before. She smiled lightly without pondering why Jiang Yating suddenly appeared and simply nodded slightly. "Hello, Miss Jiang."
"You are a smart person; there's no need for me to introduce myself. Good! I only like to make friends with people like you." Jiang Yating extended a hand into the air; under the moonlight, her outline was clear and beautiful. Cheng Mo politely shook hands with her but did not wish to chat further and intended to leave when Jiang Yating added, "Miss Cheng, I came back to Shanghai specifically to see you; there are some matters we must discuss."
She was slightly taken aback, her eyes bright, "Miss Jiang and I are neither old acquaintances nor close friends, so there isn't much to discuss."
"Haha." Jiang Yating covered her face and chuckled lightly, "Shaoyi is right; you look delicate and weak, but deep down, you're quite stubborn."
Cheng Mo's forehead suddenly twitched, and she gently bit her rose-colored lips. Jiang Yating observed her reaction, her smile growing more pronounced, "We really don't have much to talk about; mainly, I want to discuss Shaoyi. How about it? Are you interested?"
Water Eyes stirred slightly, rippling with a hint of soft emotion, "Where shall we talk?"
Jiang Yating smiled faintly and casually pointed to a restaurant.
The silver candle burned silently as the waiter served several bowls of soup. Jiang Yating casually handed out some tips.
"Is this enough for dinner? If not, you can order more. I'm maintaining my figure and can't eat too much," Jiang Yating said with a cheerful smile, revealing teeth like polished shells.
"There's no need for that; Miss Jiang, please go ahead with what you have to say."
"It's simple." Jiang Yating's slender fingers twirled around her fine hair, "I want you to go to Feng Province and clarify some things with Shaoyi."
She was taken aback for a moment, suppressing the sudden pang in her heart. She dared not think about what kind of relationship Jiang Yating had with Shaoyi and replied calmly, "What matters?"
"Just tell him not to wait for you anymore." Jiang Yating's beautiful face showed a hint of anger, "I've noticed that you really love to keep him hanging. At first, when you didn't go back with him, he said that the position of Consort Shangguan would always be reserved for you. But now he doesn't think that way anymore. Unfortunately, he's a man of his word; if you don't give him an out, he won't be able to step down on his own. Since you don't plan on returning to his side, just go and clarify things with him!"
Water-colored Eyes rippled.
So he had already given up on her...
She lowered her gaze slightly and spoke softly, "If what you say is true, I will..."
"It is absolutely true; you're not air. Without you, he can still live well," Jiang Yating said bluntly. "Shaoyi has told me about the two of you. He thought he had given you enough time to think things through and eventually return to him. Who knew he would wait year after year without even seeing a shadow? He is naturally proud and wouldn't beg you to come back; moreover, he despises forcing others to stay by his side. He's truly fed up with this situation but has no choice but to keep his promise from back then. I'm tired for him already, so you'd better clarify things with him quickly!"
"I..." For a moment, she was at a loss for words. During this time, she had been focused on healing herself and hadn't considered whether Shaoyi was suffering too. Why hadn't she thought about whether Shaoyi would be happy? She suddenly felt that her love was too selfish and arbitrary.
After a long silence, she nodded. "If this is what Shaoyi hopes for, then I will do it. I will set off to meet him tomorrow."
"Very well, I will return tomorrow as well. It’s better for us to look out for each other," Jiang Yating said as she stood up without hesitation. "Miss Cheng, I will head back now. Enjoy your time."
Cheng Mosu remained silent for a long time, unwilling to get up. She realized that deep down, there was still a tiny hope that this return would lead to a sudden reunion with Shaoyi. However, she did not expect that time was continuously moving forward, that she was changing, and others were changing too—especially someone like Shaoyi, who lived amidst gunfire and chaos, would change rapidly and fiercely.
The promises made in childhood, the assurances made with a pat on the chest that they would never be forgotten—now those people seemed to have vanished. It felt regrettable at first, but upon reflection, it was merely the end of a performance; what was once thought to be unchanging had turned into empty words.
She did not believe Jiang Yating's words and decided to find out the truth for herself. If Shaoyi had truly forgotten her, she would not hinder him; she would immediately release the chains binding him.
But if Shaoyi still clung to his feelings from back then, what should she do…
Returning to his side, continuing to be entangled in so many schemes—would there be no peace in this world?
She forgot how she got home, only remembering that she changed into a moonlit nightgown. Before closing her eyes, she unintentionally glanced at the portrait painted for her by the French Female Painter on the wall. With every breath, the unique scent of sandalwood filled the room. She lay steadily on her pillow, her mind drifting between fantasy and dreams.
As she turned over, she bumped into the edge of the bed and winced in pain. Tears welled up in her eyes as she hurriedly searched for ointment. In the commotion, a ring fell to the ground with a crisp sound.
In the darkness, that ring shimmered with its own light, quietly blooming in the night—brilliant yet serene. Suddenly, she understood many things: fate could not be changed, circumstances could not be reversed, but choices were in her own hands. A faint smile appeared on her lips as her fingers slowly reached for the ring and slipped it back onto her ring finger. In that instant, it seemed as if she too had become radiant.
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