Chapter 8 Simplicity and Purity

Jiu Jiu watched Yue Zi An’s retreating figure, then looked up at Su Qing with a troubled expression. “Aunt Su Qing, are we going back to the Candle Chamber now?”

“Hmm,” Su Qing replied indifferently.

Since their task was complete, it was only natural to return.

“Oh,” Jiu Jiu responded absentmindedly, clutching something in her hand with visible disappointment.

Mu Qing Shi had noticed earlier that Jiu Jiu had been quietly working on something, and now it was clear she had made a gift—undoubtedly for Little Oriole.

He smiled, gently patting her head. “Go say goodbye to Little Oriole.”

Jiu Jiu’s eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly before dashing downstairs.

“You always understand her better than I do,” Su Qing remarked, watching Jiu Jiu exchange Tokens of Love with Little Oriole below, suddenly realizing the girl’s intentions.

Mu Qing Shi chuckled, leaning against the railing as he gazed at Su Qing. “You know her thoughts too—you’re just worried she’ll miss her friend later.”

Su Qing fell silent for a moment, watching Jiu Jiu before declaring, “I’ve changed my mind. We’ll stay a few more days.”

Mu Qing Shi smiled. “You understand her even better than I do.”

Su Qing didn’t respond, turning instead toward her room.

“There’s a fireworks festival tonight. Would you like to go?” Mu Qing Shi’s voice carried a hint of hopefulness.

Su Qing paused, her tone cool. “Just a frivolous pastime for the wealthy. Do you really want to partake, Master Qing Shi?”

Mu Qing Shi fell silent, then laughed self-deprecatingly. “In your heart, Miss Su Qing, you despise me, don’t you?”

Su Qing stiffened, glancing back at him—and froze.

For as long as she’d known him, he had always carried himself with quiet pride. But now, bathed in the glow of the crimson window papers, his green robes seemed unbearably lonely.

His eyes held a wintry desolation—sunlight still shone within them, yet the fragile branches of his spirit had snapped at her refusal. His gaze was hollow, like a landscape ravaged by wind and snow.

A sharp pang twisted in her chest. She didn’t understand the feeling, only that in that moment, she wanted to offer him comfort—even if insincere.

“I… I’ll go,” Su Qing blurted before fleeing.

Mu Qing Shi smiled bitterly, his eyes filled with sorrow and regret—mostly at himself.

Like Xie Lang, he had once lost something precious. Now, he was despised for it. To reclaim it, he would have to pay a price.

When Jiu Jiu heard they could stay longer, she immediately rushed to retrieve the Token of Love from Little Oriole. Amused, Mu Qing Shi asked, “Why are you taking it back?”

Munching on pastries he had made, Jiu Jiu adopted a serious tone. “Good things should be saved for important moments. Since we’re not parting yet, I should keep it. What if Little Oriole likes it too much and asks for another?”

Wiping crumbs from her mouth, Mu Qing Shi chuckled. “If she asks, couldn’t you just make her another one?”

Jiu Jiu glanced around to make sure Su Qing wouldn’t suddenly barge into her room before whispering cleverly, “I can’t! Because I put the gold button Auntie Su Qing gave me into this one! What if Little Oriole notices the new one I made doesn’t have a gold button and refuses to be friends with me anymore?”

Mu Qing Shi paused upon hearing this and suddenly couldn’t suppress his laughter: “Jiu Jiu! That is indeed serious!”

Jiu Jiu cautiously leaned closer to Mu Qing Shi, her big eyes wide as she whispered, “Right? Brother Qing Shi, you think so too!”

Mu Qing Shi reached out and gently patted the little face that was now extremely close to his, speaking somewhat helplessly, “Actually, this matter isn’t that serious!”

Jiu Jiu looked at him with disbelief, “Why not?”

Mu Qing Shi smiled and handed her a piece of pastry, saying, “First of all, are you and Little Oriole good friends?”

Jiu Jiu took the pastry and nodded quickly, “Of course!”

“Secondly, is this gold button the most valuable thing you own?”

“Mhm!” Jiu Jiu mumbled through a bite of pastry.

“In that case, you’ve given your most valuable possession to your good friend. If she truly enjoys your company, she won’t care whether the woven oriole you gave her has a gold button. Instead, she’ll care about how many cuts you got from the grass while making it!”

As he spoke, Mu Qing Shi pointed to the tiny scars on Jiu Jiu’s fingertips.

After thinking it over, Jiu Jiu felt her brother Qing Shi made a good point. While the gold button was valuable, her friendship with Little Oriole couldn’t be measured by it. What mattered most was the effort she put into making the gift herself.

“Then I’ll make another one and give both to her—one representing me and one representing her!” Jiu Jiu said, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Mu Qing Shi thought Jiu Jiu was quite a good child, willing to share her best things with friends. But after all, she was still just a child.

“You can make another, but don’t give the one with the gold button to Little Oriole. She probably noticed it and that’s why she agreed to let you take it back.”

Jiu Jiu looked puzzled, “Then why didn’t she tell me?”

Mu Qing Shi chuckled, “If she had told you and returned it, wouldn’t that have hurt your pride?”

Jiu Jiu suddenly understood—so that was why.

“Okay, I’ll listen to Brother Qing Shi!”

According to the Tang dynasty’s curfew system, nighttime activities were prohibited. Except for the three nights around the Lantern Festival when fireworks were allowed, other times were basically impossible.

But what was impossible for humans wasn’t necessarily so for the Demon Market. The existence of the Demon Market was to turn human impossibilities into possibilities. Besides, they appeared human during the day, only revealing their true forms at night.

As for why Xie Lang could host banquets in numerous restaurants and teahouses across the East Market, the reason lay in the saying, “Swallows that once nested before the halls of Wang and Xie now fly into the homes of common folk.”

The Xie Family had been prominent since the Eastern Jin dynasty, especially since Xie An once served as prime minister. It was said that one branch of Xie Lang’s ancestors descended from this noble lineage, which was why the emperor granted him special favor.

As for tonight’s wedding night, who knew what Xie Lang was thinking? But Yue Zi An had already forgotten all about him, completely and utterly.