V6C2

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002

On the night of the Dragon Boat festival, there were many people, and on the Flower Boat whose attendance was long already chosen, sat a variety of people. The number of girls were on the higher side. Jiang Zi Yu heard that every year, the Flower Boat would tacitly acknowledge there to be more girls, with very few men on the boat. Those supposed young lords all liked to sit by themselves in a small boat, and recite poems in opposition.

As to who was reciting poems against whom, no one knew.

There were certainly more girls on the boat. Of the remaining men, other than the theatre troupe, were some servants, so Jiang Zi Yu, on this front, was a bit out of place. The girls were all inside the boat, and when he sent his older sister inside, he stopped outside, and pulled aside a person to ask where that owner and hua dan of the Pear Garden Troup was.

That person’s face did not have any make up on it yet- it was a face that could not be said to be very handsome, and only delicate. But under the glows of the lanterns, that pair of eyes seemed to have been dyed in a flame, marking an impression on his heart. Jiang Zi Yu also did not know why a feeling of this kind would hover over his heart, but when he saw this person, he felt filled with happiness.

His hands disorderly covered the wound on his mouth, and Jiang Zi Yu idiotically asked, “I still don’t know your name, can you give it to me?”

Last time after he went back when he stole the fan out, without having even been able to put it back yet, he had been discovered. At that time, he was beaten by his furious father. Although his mother later also helped to coax him, the injury on the corner of his mouth up until now had still not recovered fully.

Seeing that person open his mouth as though about to reject him, Jiang Zi Yu was a bit flustered, and immediately rushed to speak, “I am different from those people. I truly, sincerely, wanted to be friends with you.”

Perhaps it was due to this idiot look of his, the other person suddenly burst into laughter. The eyes turned into a curve, unable to see the flame, and also unable to see his expression clearly, “Why must Young Master be in such a hot pursuit of this small citizen? I have only met with Young Master once, and after which, there was not much interaction.”

“I don’t know. Only that, once I had seen you, I could not look at any other person, and would always feel you are very familiar.” Afraid that the person in front did not believe himself, the young man extended his finger and put up a look of taking an oath, “A-all that I said is the truth. I can swear upon the namesake of the Crown Prince. I really just want to be close to you, and think that you are extremely good-looking. There is no one else in this world that is better looking than you.”

“Young Master had praised wrong. I am very aware of how my appearance is- if one were to take it up to discussion, Young Master’s appearance would the victorious one.”

“But you are different, you really are different!” Jiang Zi Yu panicked, and almost, but did not grab the other person’s hand, “I only feel that you are good-looking. All the beautiful scenery within the human realm would not compare.”

“After seeing you that time, I always thought about you, and could even see your figure on the stage in my dreams. Although it was a rushed meeting, even so, I could still remember it to this day. My intentions today originally were to be able to see you, that I would then get on this Flower Boat.”

The other person moved in close. In his eyes, it was as though only he alone remained. The lanterns all around shined on him to a bright fire red, making Jiang Zi Yu faintly think he himself was the other person’s light in his eyes. He could only hear the other person lightly laugh, “Does the Young Master say these kinds of things to those girls normally? If Young Master says it that way, this small citizen would misunderstand.”

“Mu Ying Sheng[1].”

“Ah?”

“This is my name.”

While Jiang Zi Yu had still not yet reacted, the other person turned and left, leaving him alone stuck in a stupefied manner. After coming to, he laughed so foolishly that he inadvertently saw through the side of his eyes, a small boat on the river- over there, that person stood, watched him, and happened to meet eyes with Jiang Zi Yu when he looked to the side.

That person looked to have a demeanour of a sage-like, celestial being, with a slight implication of fair winds soon to return to become immortal.

It was a very young, handsome, man. But within Jiang Zi Yu’s impressions, he had never seen such a man, and did not recognize him either. He only felt it to be a bit strange, but did not pay heed to it too much, and tossed the thought to the back of his head in the blink of a moment.

After this, every day, Jiang Zi Yu would go to Pear Garden Troupe to listen to opera. When a long time had passed, everyone knew the Young Master of the Jiang family had taken fancy to a hua dan of the Pear Garden Troupe, and would go over there every day to guard the person. There was also some person from somewhere, that had a personal room of their own, whose face had never been seen by others.

Jiang Zi Yu did not care much, thought it might be some prince, just that it was not convenient to say out loud was all.

In the beginning, Mu Ying Sheng would not pay much attention to Jiang Zi Yu. Only slowly, Jiang Zi Yu would always pass through the halls and enter the chamber[2], sit on the side with his hand holding up his face and watch him get ready. Once time had turned long, Mu Ying Sheng would occasionally reply with one or two lines.

Every time the other person replied, Jiang Zi Yu would foolishly giggle by himself, with the appearance of a Young Master completely gone.

If it was one or two times, it would still be okay. But after the days dragged on, the rumours had spread even to inside of the Jiang residence. The old man Jiang that heard of such rumours was extremely angered, and had the person locked at home. He did not permit Jiang Zi Yu to go out, and especially enter the Pear Garden Troupe again.

How could Jiang Zi Yu do as such- in the span of time that he did not see the other person, he would always be in yearning, worried whether the other person was doing well, and whether they would also be like him, and worry about himself. He also felt it was like he was possessed, but he could not help but think of Mu Ying Sheng.

How to say it- that kind of feeling was just like having someone that he had yearned for in his last lifetime, and finally meeting them with much difficulty in this lifetime.

He used a rope to go up the house beams, and uncovered a loose tile with familiarity, moved out a small opening in which he could go out, and then stealthily went out of the Jiang home. He did not know why he was doing this, it was just that he suddenly wanted to go see Mu Ying Sheng, and tell him…… Tell him…… Jiang Zi Yu himself did not know what he wanted to say to the other person.

When he stood in front of Mu Ying Sheng short of breath, Jiang Zi Yu saw the other person’s astonishment within their eyes, but did not see any happiness after seeing him. His heart had suddenly dropped, and did not know what to say, “It’s been a long time since I saw you, and since I just happened to walk by, I wanted to see how well you were doing.”

At this time, the sky had already turned dark. The person in front only had undergarments left, with an appearance that looked to be ready to go to sleep. In comparison, he was extremely discomposed- On his face was some pitch-black smear from somewhere, with some fine sweat on his forehead.

“If Young Master has no other matter, then you should go back soon.”

Seeing that the person in front was to close the door, Jiang Zi Yu used his hand to block the other person from closing the door. He looked at the person in front, not knowing if it was unwillingness or some other feeling- on impulse, he had said his heart’s uncertainty and secret feelings out loud, “Mu Ying Sheng, I like you.”

“Originally, I did not know what it was that caused me to change like this, but now that I’ve seen you, I’ve finally understood. I truly, sincerely, like you.”

“How about you? Do you like me?”

Waiting for the other person’s response with agitation, he saw the other person’s features that were normally gentle turn cold. In his eyes, was a icy coldness that could not thaw out and mockery. Jiang Zi Yu saw Mu Ying Sheng send a cold smile towards himself, and the alienation in his tone pierced his heart, “Is Young Master treating this small citizen as some toy to play with?”

“How much money, is your like worth?”

[1] 木应生- to mean, comply with (应), or cope with, life/living (生). Or perhaps, with force, if one is to interpret 生 as such.

[2] 登堂入室- an expression meaning to become proficient in one’s profession, or enter heaven, if one were to interpret the 堂 as 天堂 (heaven). But in this context, is taken more literally.

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