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“Thank you, Madam.”
Upon hearing Su Zhi’s response, the gentleman’s face lit up with a smile, adding even more charm to his already handsome appearance.
As Su Zhi observed his smile, she couldn’t help but imagine herself as a young maiden in a vibrant setting, encountering such a charming gentleman. It felt like a scene straight out of the time-traveling novels she had read. Smiling to herself at these whimsical thoughts, she decided to recite the verse to him as a gesture of gratitude for returning her lantern.
Su Zhi softly recited the verse and then looked towards the gentleman, awaiting his response.
“It truly is a remarkable verse! I never expected to encounter such a grand and magnificent piece of poetry. With this verse, the Lantern Festival will never see a better couplet,” the gentleman praised enthusiastically, clearly appreciating the verse and giving it high praise.
Su Zhi thought to herself that the gentleman had a discerning eye. Indeed, in her original world, this verse had already achieved timeless fame. Bringing this verse to this world felt like a gift to the people here, and she was pleased that it was being so well-received.
“Madam, I wonder, could you kindly provide me with the name and whereabouts of the author of this verse? Such a talented individual deserves my admiration, and I wish to pay my respects. Please, if you may share this information with me,” the gentleman inquired, bowing respectfully towards Su Zhi.
However, Su Zhi gently explained, “Sir, as I mentioned before, I merely overheard someone reciting this verse by chance. I do not know the author’s name or residence. I simply remembered the words.”
“Ah, I see,” the gentleman responded, showing a hint of disappointment.
Su Zhi observed the disappointment on the gentleman’s face and couldn’t help but smile inwardly, knowing that simply hearing the verse was already a stroke of luck. The idea of meeting the author in person was simply impossible, considering Su Zhi herself hadn’t even met them.
“Wife, I finally found you!”
An anxious voice cut through the air, and Su Zhi turned in delight to see Shen Zi’an striding towards her. Rushing to meet him, she was enveloped in his tight embrace, finding solace in his familiar scent and the sound of his heartbeat. The loneliness in her heart dissipated, realizing that being by his side was where she truly belonged. She knew she couldn’t be without him.
“I’m fine. I knew you’d find me,” Su Zhi whispered softly in Shen Zi’an’s arms, feeling his relief wash over her, amplifying her smile. They both then realized they were in the midst of a busy street with onlookers, prompting Su Zhi to feel a bit bashful as she straightened up in his embrace.
Shen Zi’an held onto Su Zhi’s hand, giving her a once-over. Finding her unharmed, he let out a sigh of relief. Earlier, he had been arguing with some troublemakers when the commotion about the fire erupted, causing the crowd to scatter. By the time he went to find Su Zhi, she was nowhere to be seen. Throughout the ordeal, he had been frantically searching for her, fearing the worst. Thankfully, she was safe and sound, relieving him of his anxious worry.
“It’s a relief that you’re safe. From now on, I’ll make sure you’re always by my side,” Shen Zi’an vowed, still feeling a sense of dread from the events that had unfolded. Along the way, he had witnessed a few people getting knocked down and trampled in the chaos, heightening his fear that the same could have happened to Su Zhi. Thankfully, she stood before him unscathed.
Su Zhi smiled, holding Shen Zi’an’s hand, and then noticed that his hands were empty. She inquired, “Did you lose your lantern? Someone found mine and returned it to me, the gentleman standing beside me.”
Shen Zi’an had briefly noticed the well-dressed gentleman standing next to his wife earlier, but his attention had been solely on Su Zhi. He had glanced at the man, ensuring he wasn’t a threat, before focusing back on Su Zhi. Now, upon hearing her mention the gentleman, he turned to acknowledge him.
“Thank you to this gentleman for retrieving my wife’s lantern,” Shen Zi’an expressed his gratitude with a courteous nod towards the gentleman, his expression returning to its usual calm demeanor.
The gentleman returned Shen Zi’an’s gesture with a nod, his eyes fixed on Shen Zi’an with a calm yet scrutinizing gaze. Sensing the depth of the man’s gaze, Shen Zi’an’s own demeanor grew more intense. His usual hunting instincts kicked in, alerting him to the subtle tension in the air.
Observing the way the gentleman looked at Su Zhi, Shen Zi’an felt a sense of unease. The intensity of the man’s gaze towards Su Zhi seemed far from the usual casual glance one would give upon a first encounter. It felt more like a gaze filled with familiarity and nostalgia, leaving Shen Zi’an wary of the man’s intentions.
Perceiving the potential danger the gentleman posed, especially given his unusual focus on Su Zhi, Shen Zi’an decided to act swiftly. Without waiting for any further interaction, he turned, took Su Zhi’s hand, and stated, “Wife, let’s go fetch my lantern, I left in a stall. If there’s nothing else, we should bid farewell.”
In matters concerning his wife’s safety and well-being, Shen Zi’an saw no reason to linger in the presence of someone who raised his suspicions.
Su Zhi nodded in agreement, not wanting to linger any longer with the gentleman. Despite his elegant appearance and seemingly benign demeanor, she couldn’t shake off the oddity she felt in his gaze. Therefore, she was content to distance herself from him. When Shen Zi’an suggested leaving, she readily agreed, nodding politely towards the gentleman before walking away hand in hand with Shen Zi’an.
“Gentleman, we shall take our leave,” Su Zhi addressed him before departing.
As the gentleman’s young attendant observed his master watching the farmer couple walk away, he couldn’t help but feel puzzled. Reflecting on the seemingly amicable conversation between his master and the peasant woman, he wondered what they could possibly have had to discuss. However, he found the verse the woman recited quite enchanting. Moreover, recalling their earlier encounter when they arrived with a group of people driving a cart, he speculated whether his master had noticed them back then.
The young attendant’s thoughts spiraled as he pondered his master’s actions, from picking up the lantern to returning it to the farmer woman. He couldn’t fathom why his master would be interested in returning a lantern dropped by someone else unless it was specifically for the farmer woman. The young attendant found himself perplexed by these thoughts, finding it hard to believe that his master could have any affection towards a farmer woman, albeit a pretty one.
“Let’s go.”
The gentleman watched as Su Zhi’s figure disappeared, feeling a sense of melancholy. Recalling the verse she had recited earlier, especially the last line that read, “Suddenly looking back, the man is nowhere to be found amidst the dimly lit lanterns.”
Regrettably, no matter how many times he turned back, he knew he would never see her again.
Meanwhile, Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi walked for a while and arrived at a stall where Shen Zi’an had left his lantern. Upon reaching the stall, they spotted a woman holding the lantern. Upon closer inspection, they recognized her as the woman who had previously referred Shen Zi’an as her benefactor.
Su Zhi couldn’t help but think that the town was incredibly small to encounter this woman once again so quickly.
The woman, upon seeing Shen Zi’an, handed over the lantern, saying, “I heard someone left this lantern here, and I was wondering if it might be yours. Turns out it is. I heard there was a false alarm that caused many to panic and run. Did you and your wife get separated because of that? Are you both alright?”
Su Zhi accepted the lantern and responded, “Thank you for your concern, Miss. We are both fine.”
Seeing that Shen Zi’an seemed reserved, the woman turned to Su Zhi and introduced herself, “I am Liang Fu from the capital city, visiting relatives here with my mother and currently residing at the Qian residence to the east of town. May I inquire about your esteemed names, sir and madam?”
Although the woman had openly shared her name, surname, and address, Su Zhi hesitated to reciprocate. Despite the polite conversation, she noticed the way the woman looked at her husband and decided it might be best to maintain some distance. Even if the woman claimed to be related to a wealthy family like the Qian’s, Su Zhi preferred not to attract unnecessary attention. Thus, she kept her guard up.
“Miss Liang, you are too kind. My husband merely helped out; there is no need for such formality. My maiden name is Zhao, and my married name is Shen. We are just humble villagers, not accustomed to titles and formalities,” Su Zhi replied cautiously.
“Brother Shen, Sister Zhao,” Liang Fu responded warmly.
Liang Fu smiled and continued, “May I inquire where Brother Shen and Sister Zhao reside? My mother has always been grateful to you and expresses a desire to thank you in person. It seems fated that we have crossed paths twice now. Please do not let my mother carry this regret in her heart.”
While Liang Fu addressed Shen Zi’an as “Brother Shen” and Su Zhi as “Sister Zhao,” Su Zhi couldn’t shake off a sense of unease, finding the familiarity unsettling.
Considering how to politely distance herself from Liang Fu, Su Zhi was wary of getting entangled with her further. She didn’t want any complications that might lead to Shen Zi’an being lured away. Despite Liang Fu appearing refined and well-spoken, Su Zhi was cautious, having encountered enough drama in plays where young ladies often stirred up trouble. Given Shen Zi’an’s debt of gratitude towards Liang Fu, Su Zhi feared that Liang Fu might have ulterior motives, possibly even offering herself in return.
As Su Zhi contemplated how to extricate herself from the situation, she heard Shen Zhu calling for Shen Zi’an, causing her heart to sink. She couldn’t help but wonder if Shen Zhu, with her desires for a luxurious life, might be trying to wheedle her way into their lives. Su Zhi feared that Shen Zhu might have some ulterior motives, especially considering Liang Fu’s indebtedness to Shen Zi’an’s. Su Zhi couldn’t help but worry about potential complications arising from this situation.