From the Qin Dynasty onwards, he eked out a living among the heavens.

Chapter Twenty: Bitterness

As dawn broke, Xu Huang finally opened his eyes. The old locust tree outside the window swayed gently in the morning breeze, and dappled sunlight filtering through its branches had moved from the edge of the bed to the bedding, casting a golden glow over half of the bed. He could faintly hear Han Fei's voice and the soft clinking of teaware coming from downstairs; someone was already in the main hall.

Nongyu was still asleep in his arms, her face buried in the crook of his neck, her breathing light and even. Her long hair was spread out on his arm, glowing with a warm, wine-red hue in the morning light. He looked down at her; even in her sleep, the corners of her lips were still curved, a very slight and faint smile that hadn't faded since last night.

After a moment, Nongyu's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes. Upon seeing him, she didn't speak, but instead buried her face deeper into the crook of his neck, her fingertips unconsciously drawing a circle on his chest. "Good morning," she said, her voice still hoarse with sleepiness.

"morning?"

"What time is it?"

"There are already people downstairs."

Nongyu closed her eyes for a moment, then, as if remembering something, opened them, slightly raised her head to look at him, and her ears slowly flushed a very faint red. "So, will you go back tonight?"

Do you want me to go back?

Nongyu turned his hand over, palm up, and drew a circle on the callus with her fingertips. "From now on, you'll be by my side every day. That's what you said last night."

"I said it."

"Then there's no need to ask." She smiled, pressed his hand against her cheek, closed her eyes, and rubbed it against him. Then she sat up, gathered her loose hair to one side, and began to slowly comb it. After combing, she neatly tied her hair into a bun, secured it with a silver hairpin, and then glanced back at him. "I'll go make tea. Sister Zi Nu should already be in the main hall. Do you want to come?"

"go."

"Then you can go out first. I need to change my clothes."

Xu Huang got up and walked to the door, glancing back at her. She was taking a light blue dress from the wardrobe. When their eyes met, she smiled, lowered her head, and her ears turned red again. He pushed the door open and gently closed it behind him. The tea stove under the eaves was bubbling away, steaming. Nongyu hadn't had time to brew tea this morning, and he wondered who had filled the pot with water. He went back to his room to change into clean clothes, and when he came out, Nongyu was already standing under the eaves, holding two cups of freshly brewed tea.

Xu Huang took the teacup, took a small sip, and found the strength to be just right.

The two walked down the stairs side by side. The lights in the main hall were already on. Han Fei sat at a desk, flipping through a scroll of bamboo slips, a map of Xinzheng's market town spread out before him. Zi Nu stood by the window, holding a cup of tea, her back to the stairwell. Hearing footsteps, she turned around.

She saw Nongyu first. Nongyu's long hair was neatly tied up, and her clothes were well-fitting, just like usual, but there was a layer of soft light in her eyes that she had never seen before. That light was very light, like the thin halo of morning light shining through the window paper, not dazzling, but making people unable to look away.

That wasn't the elegant and composed smile of Qin Ji and Nong Yu in front of guests; it was the peace that welled up from the deepest part of a woman's heart after she had been properly settled. Zi Nu had known her for so many years, and she had never seen her with such an expression.

Then she saw Xu Huang half a step behind Nongyu. He walked to Nongyu's right rear, maintaining this distance had become a habit. Zi Nu placed the teacup on the table, and the morning light filtered in from the window behind her, making the very faint blue ring under her eyes stand out. It was a mark that only someone who hadn't slept all night would have.

"Good morning." Xu Huang sat down at the desk.

Zi Nu did not respond to him. She picked up her teacup and took another sip, her gaze lingering on Nong Yu's face for a moment before shifting away.

Nongyu walked to the zither table and sat down, then looked up and smiled at Zinu. "Good morning, Sister Zinu."

"Hmm," Zi Nu responded, her tone a little indifferent than usual. She placed the teacup on the table, the bottom of the cup making a soft clinking sound, then picked up a roll of silk and began to examine it, not glancing at Xu Huang once more.

Han Fei raised his head from the bamboo slip, his gaze sweeping over the three of them. He looked at Zi Nu's expressionless face, then at Xu Huang's completely calm face, then at Nong Yu's still-flushed ears, and then at the faint blue circles under Zi Nu's eyes. A meaningful smile slowly appeared on his lips.

"Brother Xu," he put down the bamboo scroll and lowered his voice, "did you... last night?"

Xu Huang picked up his teacup but did not reply.

Han Fei glanced at Zi Nu again. Zi Nu was looking down at the silk scrolls, her movements calm and efficient, but turning the pages at least twice as fast as usual. She turned one page, then another, and then spoke without looking up.

"Nongyu".

Nongyu looked up. "Yes."

"The tea stove under the eaves burned dry twice last night."

Nongyu's ears turned bright red at a visible speed. She lowered her head, her fingertips lightly plucking a string, producing a very soft open note. "I forgot."

"Remember to add water next time," Zi Nu said calmly, turning the silk scroll to the next page. "No matter what you're doing."

Han Fei held his teacup, hiding his face behind the rim, his shoulders trembling slightly. Xu Huang glanced at him, and he immediately cleared his throat, forcibly suppressing his laughter.

Zi Nu put down the silk piece, stood up, and paused for a moment as she passed Xu Huang. "The partition walls of Zi Lan Xuan are made of wood."

After saying that, she walked towards the side hall without looking back. When she reached the door of the side hall, she suddenly stopped.

"Sister Zi Nu." Nong Yu stood up from the zither table, her voice soft yet remarkably steady, "What happened last night was my own choice. Please don't blame him."

Zi Nu remained silent for a long while. Then she turned around and looked at Nong Yu. Nong Yu stood before the zither, her hands clasped in front of her, her ears still red, but her gaze did not waver. The morning light fell on her face, and in her bright, clear eyes, there was no fear, only openness.

Zi Nu stared at her for a long time. Then she sighed softly, walked to Nong Yu, and reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her fingertips lingered for a moment near Nong Yu's ear.

"If he dared to bully you, I wouldn't have waited until today to settle the score with him."

Nongyu's eyes reddened slightly, then she smiled. "He wouldn't."

Zi Nu glanced at her, then turned to look at Xu Huang. That glance wasn't friendly, but it was no longer the coldness of before. "Don't let the water in the tea stove boil dry again tonight."

"Um."

Zi Nu turned and walked into the side hall. The door to the side hall closed softly behind her, and she stood alone behind the door for a moment. She suddenly remembered that when Nong Yu walked past her just now, there was still a very faint lingering fragrance on her sleeve—the scent of tea from Xu Huanghewan's mansion. She recognized that kind of tea. The last time he went to collect the leftover ore, she had casually packed a packet for him, saying that the mansion was too quiet, and drinking tea alone would be too bitter. Now, Nong Yu had taken that tea to brew tea for him, while in her teacup was still the same stale water that had been boiled dry twice last night.

She picked up the teapot and poured herself a fresh cup of tea. The morning light was just right outside the window, and those very soft notes of the zither rang out again in the main hall. She listened for a while; Nongyu's zither music was still as clear as before, but today, that clear tone had an added layer of gentle, resolute brightness. That brightness was the light shining from the deepest part of her heart after it had been properly placed by someone.

The little girl she had raised for so many years was now being cherished by someone else. She knew that person was serious and genuinely devoted to protecting Nongyu. That's why she hadn't knocked on that door last night. And that's why, when she heard that intermittent melody, she didn't get up as usual to ask Nongyu if something was on her mind. She simply lay back down in bed and listened with her eyes open all night.

Zi Nu picked up the teacup, lowered her head and took a sip. The tea was really bitter, as if the indescribable feeling in her heart had been dissolved into this cup of tea.