The scorching summer sun hung directly overhead. The air shimmered with heat waves, causing the lake and mountain scenery to ripple subtly, as if shrouded in a hazy illusion.

After greeting her brother, Pei Xueqing excused herself, saying she didn’t want to disturb him and his friends. She left the water pavilion with her maid, standing at the tree-shaded shore to gaze at the lake. When Shen Yuance didn’t surface for a long time, she paced anxiously back and forth. After a while, she couldn’t help but crouch down to peer into the lake’s depths.

Just then, with a splashing sound, a wet head broke the water’s surface. Shen Yuance raised his face, dripping with water.

Pei Xueqing’s suspended heart finally settled: “You scared me to death!”

Under the blazing sun, Shen Yuance’s eyebrows were jet black, his lips as red as if painted with vermilion. He smiled, revealing white teeth: “What are you afraid of? I’m a good swimmer. I even took the time to pick a lotus flower.”

As he spoke, he climbed ashore, and like a magician, produced a lotus flower that he presented to her. The stem was emerald green, the petals white with a hint of pink, adorned with fresh, clear droplets of water.

Pei Xueqing blinked softly: “…It was growing perfectly fine in the lake. Why did you pick it?”

“It’s for you. Isn’t there a poem that goes, ‘Pluck the flower when it blooms, don’t wait until there are no flowers left to pluck’?” Shen Yuance gazed at her unblinkingly.

Pei Xueqing met his gaze and saw his momentary daze reflected in his eyes.

After a brief trance, she hurriedly took out a handkerchief and raised her hand to wipe his face: “…You still have the leisure to pick flowers in such a state. Let me dry you off a bit. You should hurry home and change your clothes.”

“Alright, I’ll listen to Miss Pei.” Shen Yuance smiled and handed the lotus flower to Zhuyue as he allowed her to attend to his face.

After drying his face, Pei Xueqing bade him farewell by the lake. Though she boarded the carriage to return home, her ears still rang with Shen Yuance’s recitation of that poem.

If she couldn’t understand the meaning behind his words today, she would have wasted all her years of education.

Even Zhuyue had caught on and asked: “Miss, is Young Master Shen interested in you? Is he testing to see if you feel the same way?”

“What do you think?” she asked Zhuyue.

“This servant thinks it must be so. Young Master Shen is worried that you don’t feel the same, and if a marriage proposal fails, you wouldn’t even be able to meet as friends anymore. So he’s testing your feelings first. But with Young Master Shen’s current reputation, it would be difficult to get approval from the Prime Minister and your mother. What’s the use of testing your feelings?”

Pei Xueqing lowered her eyes.

If she could, she truly wanted to tell everyone what kind of person Shen Yuance was.

Without that despised mask, he was someone who would chase after thieves in the street, help elderly people who had difficulty moving, and bend down to speak to mischievous children.

He would study diligently at the academy, train hard in martial arts with his father, accompany his mother to the market, make dumplings, massage his mother’s back, and if there were younger siblings in the family, he would protect and care for them well.

There was no need for a matchmaker’s exaggerated praise—he might already be the dream husband of countless young ladies.

After a long silence, Pei Xueqing voiced her concern: “My father and mother’s opinions are for later. Today he tested me several times, but I avoided responding. Would he misunderstand that I look down on him?”

“This servant can see clearly. It’s not that you look down on Young Master Shen—you’re simply too shy to face him. Whether Young Master Shen has noticed this or not, I don’t know…”

After returning home, Pei Xueqing placed the lotus flower in a porcelain vase. For days, she gazed at it, pondering the matter, somewhat regretting that she had nervously changed the subject at that moment.

One day, opening her medicine box, she found Shen Yuance’s belt and jade pendant that she had forgotten to return to him. She held them like hot potatoes, as the thoughts in her heart grew increasingly restless.

“Pluck the flower when it blooms, don’t wait until there are no flowers left to pluck.” Regardless of how others viewed Shen Yuance, at least she should tell him that she did not look down on him.

After thinking for several days, Pei Xueqing couldn’t wait until their next meeting. She decided to use returning his belt as an excuse to meet earlier. Just as she was considering how to send him a message, she received word from Shen Yuance, inviting her to the water pavilion the next day.

Unlike so many previous meetings, that night, Pei Xueqing tossed and turned for most of the night, anxious and worried. She had expected to be yawning continuously the next day, but was surprised to wake up energetic early in the morning. From dressing to leaving the house, she didn’t feel sleepy at all.

Shen Yuance was waiting at the water pavilion even earlier than her. Today, however, he hadn’t brought any military books. As soon as he saw her arrive, he rose from the beauty chair and glanced at Zhuyue beside her.

Zhuyue understood and withdrew.

In the water pavilion, she nervously looked at the person before her: “You suddenly asked to see me. Is there something urgent?”

“Urgent, very urgent,” Shen Yuance nodded.

Pei Xueqing was so nervous that even her hair seemed to cling tightly to her scalp, but then she suddenly heard him say: “Did my belt and jade pendant end up with you?”

She choked, as the emotion that had risen to her throat suddenly receded. She opened her medicine box: “…Yes, I brought them for you.”

“Why do you look disappointed?” Shen Yuance smiled, observing her expression.

“I’m not…” Pei Xueqing cleared her throat, changing the subject. “I heard you haven’t been to the gambling house these past few days. Did you catch a cold from falling into the water last time?”

“I haven’t been to the gambling house because I’ve been thinking at home—” Shen Yuance pondered for a moment before continuing, “After returning home that day, I thought carefully. There’s still a long road ahead, and I’ll have opportunities to achieve merit and change others’ opinions of me. But some words, if not spoken early, might miss their moment. I invited you here today to say these words.”

Pei Xueqing’s heart, which had just settled, lifted again. She held her breath, looking at him: “What words?”

Shen Yuance’s smile faded as his expression turned solemn: “Pei Xueqing, I admire you. If one day I, Shen Yuance, can marry and start a family, I very much hope that person would be you.”

Pei Xueqing stared intently into his eyes, her heart beating so fast that her breath trembled and her lips quivered.

Shen Yuance also seemed very nervous. His chest rose and fell gently as he took a quiet breath and continued: “But right now, with my terrible reputation and the Emperor’s wariness of civil and military alliances, it might take me a long time to change this situation. I fear that making a public proposal now would only cause the Prime Minister to avoid me like a snake or scorpion and arrange another match for you early. So I’m telling you first. If you find me acceptable, and in the future when others come to propose, compare me with them. If you think I’m better than them, then wait for me. If I’m not as good as them, then—”

“No need to compare,” Pei Xueqing interrupted him.

Shen Yuance scratched the back of his ear: “Surely I deserve at least a chance to be compared?”

“That’s not what I meant…” Pei Xueqing hurriedly shook her head. “I mean, no need to wait for the future. I already know you’re better than them.”

Shen Yuance paused and pressed his lips together, as if trying to smile but holding back: “Aren’t you being a bit hasty? You don’t even know who might propose to you in the future.”

“But I know that no one in Chang’an can compare to you.”

Shen Yuance stared at her for a moment, then suddenly turned his back.

Pei Xueqing peered around in confusion, seeing him covering his mouth with his fist, his smile nearly reaching his ears.

“What are you laughing at?” After asking, Pei Xueqing couldn’t help but smile.

Shen Yuance turned back to look at her: “What are you laughing at?”

The two looked at each other and burst into laughter.

After a while, Shen Yuance coughed and returned to the main topic: “With your words, I will certainly strive hard.”

Pei Xueqing confirmed: “So, what we have now, does this count as—a private engagement?”

“If you say it counts, then it counts.”

“We’re missing one thing. A private engagement requires exchanging tokens.”

Pei Xueqing smiled at him and took out a jade pendant.

With snow-blue tassels as decoration, a “Pei” character was carved on the lustrous white jade.

“This jade pendant bears my family name, and the tassel color represents my given name. I give it to you as a token.” She handed the jade pendant to him.

Shen Yuance seemed somewhat surprised and didn’t immediately reach out to accept it: “I haven’t even formally proposed yet. How can I accept such an important token from you?”

“It’s important, which is why it will remind you of your promise today.”

Under her insistence, Shen Yuance accepted the jade pendant and examined it carefully: “Can this jade pendant be split into two halves?”

Pei Xueqing nodded: “Snow-blue is the color of moonlight on snow. This jade pendant has a clever design—the half with the ‘clothing’ radical is shaped like a crescent moon, incorporating this meaning.”

Shen Yuance seemed to consider for a moment: “Then give me just this half. When I can publicly propose to you, you can give me the other half.”

He turned a mechanism, splitting the jade pendant in two, and returned the half with the “non” radical to her.

Pei Xueqing smiled and took it back: “Good. Now, what is your token for me?”

“I only came today to speak with you. Who knew you would agree so readily? I didn’t prepare everything…” Shen Yuance felt around his belt and only produced a dagger.

Pei Xueqing’s eyes lit up: “Is this the dagger you used to kill that wolf when we first met?”

Shen Yuance nodded: “If you like it, it’s yours.”

“I like it, of course I like it. I want this as my token.”

“Now the ceremony is complete. Neither of us can back out.” Shen Yuance smiled as he handed the dagger to her.

“A promise worth a thousand gold pieces—I will never back out.”

The black and gold scabbard gleamed in the sunlight, reflecting a dazzling golden light. As Pei Xueqing accepted the dagger, the light momentarily blinded her, causing her to close her eyes tightly.

In the darkness, the afterimage of the blade’s glint distorted, still flashing painfully in her pupils. It took a long while before she could slowly open her eyes again.

The cicada’s song suddenly disappeared, and she found herself looking at a medical book with black characters on white paper. Pei Xueqing, who had been leaning on the table, slowly straightened up and looked around in confusion.

Shen Yuance was no longer in the water pavilion; only Zhuyue was accompanying her.

Outside, it wasn’t summer with a lake full of lotus flowers, but a beautiful spring day.

“Miss, you’re awake.” Zhuyue hurriedly came forward to pour tea.

Pei Xueqing stared at Zhuyue in a daze: “Did I fall asleep just now?”

“Yes, miss. You fell asleep while reading your medical book.”

Pei Xueqing looked at the medical book on the table with a bewildered expression. After staring at it for a while, she finally came to her senses—

It was not the summer of the eighth year of Xingwu, but the third day of the second month in the first year of Yongning, five years later.

She had been dreaming again, dreaming of events from years ago…

Pei Xueqing closed her eyes and gently covered her face with her hands.

Ever since learning a year ago that he was no longer there, every time she entered this water pavilion, she would dream of him whenever she fell asleep.

After the first time she woke from such a dream here, she was so heartbroken that she wept bitterly and dared not return to this place for a long time.

Until one day, she happened to read the story of Zhuangzi’s butterfly dream—Zhuangzi dreamed he was a butterfly, unable to distinguish whether it was Zhuangzi who dreamed he became a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming it had become Zhuangzi.

She suddenly wondered if she could recreate the most beautiful period of her life here, why should she draw such a clear line between dream and reality?

After using the dagger he had given her as a token to slay Fan Denian, she would come to sit in this pavilion whenever she had free time after returning to Chang’an.

After waking, she would think, perhaps it wasn’t the Pei Xueqing of the first year of Yongning dreaming of the Pei Xueqing of the eighth year of Xingwu, but rather the Pei Xueqing of the eighth year of Xingwu dreaming of the Pei Xueqing of the first year of Yongning.

If the Pei Xueqing of those years had dreamed of the Pei Xueqing of today and learned of future events, perhaps the Xuance Army could have avoided that devastating defeat in the eleventh year of Xingwu.

After achieving victory, she would let Shen Yuance stay in Hexi, and she would go to Hexi to find him. She would let Yuance return to the capital to do those things only he could accomplish, and still meet Zhiyi.

Perhaps in the end, they wouldn’t have had to take the step of assassinating the Emperor as they had now. The two brothers, along with her and Zhiyi, could have joined hands, their strength cutting through metal.

Pei Xueqing no longer cried as she had after the first dream. She covered her face and composed herself, drank the tea Zhuyue offered, and said calmly: “Zhuyue, that’s enough for today. Let’s return to the city.”

Zhuyue was startled: “Miss, aren’t you going to wait anymore?”

“Wait for what?”

“For Young Master Shen. Didn’t you send a note to the gambling house, inviting him to meet you here?”

Pei Xueqing was taken aback: “Who did you say?”

“This servant said, Young Master Shen. Didn’t you have someone deliver a note to the gambling house, asking to meet him here?”

Pei Xueqing blinked very lightly and slowly: “Did you also fall asleep and get confused? What nonsense are you talking about… Quickly pack up and follow me back to the medical shop.”

“Medical shop? What medical shop? Aren’t we returning home?”

The medical shop is opening in a few days. I need to check if there’s anything I’ve overlooked.”

Zhuyue looked as if she had seen a ghost, quite frightened: “Miss, what are you saying? This servant doesn’t understand…”

Pei Xueqing stared blankly at Zhuyue, sensing something was wrong.

Why was Zhuyue still wearing her hair in double buns as in the dream? Zhuyue had grown older over the years and had long since changed to a single bun.

Looking down at herself, she wondered why she was wearing old clothes she hadn’t seen in many years.

And the medical book on the table was one she had completed studying many years ago.

…Was she still in the dream?

Pei Xueqing blinked hard and looked again at Zhuyue, the medical book on the table, and her clothes. She then looked out the window in confusion, discovering that the weather was not the overcast day it had been when she arrived, but a clear, cloudless day.

“What day is today?” Pei Xueqing asked dazedly.

“The third day of the second month.”

“The third day of the second month of which year?”

“Miss, please don’t frighten this servant. It’s the eighth year of Xingwu.”

Like a thunderbolt striking her head, Pei Xueqing was stunned for a long while. With trembling lips, she asked: “You’re saying today is the third day of the second month in the eighth year of Xingwu? The day I am to thank Young Master Shen for saving my life and examine his wound?”

“You finally remember.” Zhuyue seemed relieved, then turned her head as she saw someone approaching. “Miss, Young Master Shen is here!”

Still in shock, Pei Xueqing suddenly looked up.

In the dazzling spring light, the elegantly dressed young man sauntered across the wooden bridge, walking step by step toward the water pavilion.

Pei Xueqing’s heart pounded loudly. She hesitantly stood up and, with unsteady steps, slowly walked forward. Narrowing her eyes, she stared at the increasingly familiar young face, her eyes instantly welling with tears.

The young man stopped in front of her, looking at her tear-filled eyes with surprise. Seeing that she remained silent, he made a stopping gesture: “No need to be moved. That day, Miss Pei was simply lucky, encountering my once-in-a-thousand-years blind cat catching a dead rat shot. Didn’t you say you would return my dagger? Where is my dagger?”

Shen Yuance held out his hand to her.

In that moment, tears flowed freely from Pei Xueqing’s eyes as she stepped forward and embraced him tightly.

【—The End of Pei and Shen’s Story—】