Ten days later, the two arrived at Guangyang Central City and Taipa.
The temperature in Taipa City is far from as mild as Qingfeng, it can be described as bitingly cold. After getting off the carriage, the two of them found a small stall and ordered two bowls of noodle soup. Qiong also blew on the hot soup. The hot air suddenly dispersed, and her face was immersed in the warm white air. She took the She picked up the noodles with chopsticks and started eating. Sheng Xuanyuan first held the bowl to warm his hands, and then moved his chopsticks.
"I haven't been back for a long time." Qiong Yi exhaled with a warm breath, and with a smile, she called the stall owner, "Madam boss, pay the bill, two bowls of noodles." Seeing Qiong Yi pay his noodles, Sheng Xuanyuan hurriedly stopped, I just heard her say seriously: "You are here as a guest today, so of course I want to treat you."
"Where does that come from..." Sheng Xuanyuan said as he stirred the noodle soup.
After breakfast, the two went to the market. Sheng Xuanyuan wanted to send her back to the Lu family's house, but when she heard that she was not in a hurry to go back, he wandered around the city with her. The market in Taiyang City is not as flat and regular as the one in Yichuan, with streets after streets and roads after roads, extending in all directions and distributed vertically and horizontally; nor is it like the markets in Luoyao that Sheng Xuanyuan has been accustomed to since childhood, with tight locations and straight roads. They gathered and dispersed, sometimes forming a group, and sometimes dispersed again. There was a flat road ahead, but as we walked further forward, it turned into a snake-like path. Sometimes there were stone steps going up, and then there were stone steps going up. As the stone steps go down, there are few cars, horses and sedans, but mostly pedestrians.
Following Qiong Yi down the stone steps, someone from the second floor on the street waved to her, "Xiao Wu Niang is back!" The woman spoke with a strong Guangyang accent, which made people feel warm and friendly.
Qiong Yi waved and responded with a smile: "Yes!"
"Is the boy next to me a beloved?" The young woman wearing a bright flower hat smiled and covered her mouth: "How handsome, my little fifth lady is so lucky!"
Qiong Yi's face was red with embarrassment, and she stuttered for a moment, "Now, now, now is not..."
"Well, why are you so embarrassed!" The young woman's cheeks turned red from the cold, and even the tip of her nose was red. "Why don't you come and sit in my building? You've been in Yichuan for so long, and we miss you too." !”
Qiong Yi hurriedly took Sheng Xuanyuan's hand and said to the young woman, "No, no! I'll come see you with A Luo in a few days, but not today." After saying that, she pulled him forward quickly.
"I understand, I understand! Grandma Jiang has a newly made headband, please take her husband to have a look." As she laughed, Qiong also ran away quickly.
Sheng Xuanyuan didn't understand the teasing meaning of the young woman's last sentence, but Qiong Yi blushed. Seeing her shy look, Sheng Xuanyuan said, "Not now?"
Qiong Yi was like a frightened rabbit, "Hey! I..."
You can also say yes! Really! She threw away Sheng Xuanyuan's hand and snorted. Sheng Xuanyuan found her hand again and held it.
Above the narrow path, there is a narrow sky. The sky is grey-white, which contrasts with the gray tiles of the wooden buildings, making it appear somewhat peaceful and peaceful. Some wooden buildings were hung with dead vines, and some were hung with various long bead curtains. Sheng Xuanyuan thought that this place would be beautiful when spring came.
"I don't know where to take you for a walk." Qiong Yi stared at the gravel road under her feet, "I feel...it's easy to be questioned by neighbors."
How Qiong also teased him on weekdays, Sheng Xuanyuan wanted to tease him all this time.
"Anywhere," he replied.
Qiong also thought of a place, but it was not suitable to go now. "We'll reach the outskirts of the city after a short walk. Let's go there. We'll stop by to see Mrs. Jiang later."
"where?"
"A place I used to go to when I was little." She replied with a smile.
The walk from Taipa City to the suburbs only takes half a stick of incense. It was only in the suburbs that I saw the Baishi Mountain, which was blocked by wooden buildings. The mountain was very high, but not particularly high. It was far away, but it had a human atmosphere. It is a mountain mainly made of stone. You can still vaguely see the house buildings on the mountain and the plank roads built on the mountain wall. Although it is a stone mountain, there are still many trees growing in the cracks of the overhanging rocks, which is not desolate.
Qiong Yi pointed at the misty Baishi Mountain and said: "Sheng Jing, look, that's Baishiya. We locals call it different names. Some call it Baishi Mountain, and some call it Baiya Mountain. Don't see that." The mountains are like rocks, but there are still many trees growing in them. When spring comes, they will become green and green, which is very pleasant."
She continued: "At the bottom of the mountain is the Lu family's mansion, and after going up the lower mountain is Yinyi Garden. The most famous thing about Yinyi Garden is the ginkgo trees all over the mountain. It turns golden in autumn and is especially beautiful."
After viewing the distant mountains, she beckoned him to come under a big elm tree. Not far in front of the tree was a lake with crystal clear water. "This lake is called Moon Lake. The master said that when Yujian is seen from the sky, its shape is as curved as The new moon becomes a full moon when the water rises. I loved coming here to play when I was a child. I still remember that there is a big stone in the middle of the lake, which will appear when the water dries up. A Luo and I will Let’s catch fish here, and then Uncle Chen will take it back to make soup for us to drink.”
She clasped her hands behind her back, "I really miss you."
"I was just talking to myself. I don't know why, but I want to tell you these things." Qiong Yi looked at Sheng Xuanyuan and said.
"I'm very happy to hear you say this."
"real?"
"real."
Qiong Yi chuckled and said: "You see, this lake is not big, but some people say that it is connected to the mountain stream behind the Lu family. I don't really believe it. The water surface is so far apart, is it possible that it is still connected underwater? ?”
"Maybe." Sheng Xuanyuan thought as he recalled the Chronicles of Earth and Water he had read in the past.
The two walked around the lake, chatting, and the gray sky became brighter as the sun rose. After passing the lake, they reached the southern suburbs of the city. The two found a tea stall to have tea and rest.
"This morning, Madam Zhao said that Granny Jiang had a new headband, so she sent me to see her recent workmanship." After listening to Qiong Yi's words about Sheng Xuanyuan, I realized that Madam Zhao who was on the second floor of the attic this morning was... The rope weaving craftsmen seem to be able to weave all kinds of head flowers and baubles.
"A Luo learned a little bit from her, but I'm clumsy and can't learn well." Qiong Yi sighed as he sipped his tea.
Sheng Xuanyuan thought about the faded headband she was wearing, and said, "Then go buy a pair."
But she was startled, "Okay, okay."
Jiang Po's shop was in a narrow facade in a long alley, and it seemed that she could only accommodate her alone. When she heard Qiong Yi greeting her, Jiang Po squinted her eyes to see who was coming, and the folds on her face were full of smiles: " Oops! Isn’t this the little fifth lady? Is she coming back from that far away place? Look at it, grandma! She’s grown taller and more beautiful, she’s a big girl!”
"Grandma Jiang, you are talking as if we haven't seen her for several years." Qiong Yi curled her lips with a smile on her face.
"You don't just come here to buy knotted ropes when you become a big girl!" Jiang Po looked at Sheng Xuanyuan and lowered her voice, "I think this young man is a hit! He is very handsome and has a strong body."
Sheng Xuanyuan heard it clearly.
"Come on, boy, let's choose one." Jiang Po pointed at the various colorfully patterned headbands in front of her and said to him.
Qiong Yi thought for a while: "Sheng Kyung, I'm going to buy some other things and I'll come find you later."
"good."
Jiang Po looked at Sheng Xuanyuan with a kind face. After looking at the hairbands of different colors, he asked: "Jiang Po, do you know what color Qiong Yi likes?"
"This little girl." Jiang Po said with a smile, "She wears plain clothes on weekdays. Others think she likes cyan and plain colors. In fact, she prefers bright colors privately. I think, if She will like whatever you give her, otherwise why would she bring you to my old lady's place? Haha." After saying that, she chuckled.
Recalling Qiong Yi's previous reaction, Sheng Xuanyuan was suddenly startled and asked, "Does this knot have some meaning in Guangyang?"
"Yes, the 'heart-knot' knot is a tradition here to express the love between men and women." Jiang Po replied with a smile.
Sheng Xuanyuan's heart trembled when he heard this, and his ears were mostly red, "Well, Ma, please wrap this knot well." Sheng Xuanyuan was about to take out his wallet, but Jiang Po waved her hands repeatedly, "This little money is still worth it. Here, I watched the little five girls grow up, so I’m giving it to you, so I won’t take it!” Seeing her like this, Sheng Xuanyuan nodded in thanks.
Not long after, Qiong Yi also came back. After a few more words, the two left Jiang Po's shop.
In the afternoon, there were fewer and fewer pedestrians in the city. The two walked through several paths and entered a long and narrow alley. The sides of the alley were gray and black tiles, and the walls were covered with vines. The intersection after exiting the alley seemed like a deep valley. When you come out, it's bright and clear.
"Sheng Kyung." Qiong Yi clasped his hands and saw that he was silent in the alley and asked, "Do you have something to say to me?"
Sheng Xuanyuan frowned slightly, took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and then slightly raised the corners of his lips: "Yes."
He clenched the knot in his hand, and his heartbeat couldn't help but speed up. The birds flying in the sky, the withered leaves and vines on the ground, and her eyes looking at him were all extremely clear at this moment.
He turned to face her, paused for a moment and said, "Qiong Yi, I love you."
There was no trace of surprise in Qiong Yi's eyes. Sheng Xuanyuan looked at her with burning eyes. He saw her go from puckering her lips to grinning uncontrollably, and the answer she had long known in her heart was revealed.
She said: "Why don't you ask me how happy I am with you?"
Don't ask if you like it, but how much you like it.
Sheng Xuanyuan also smiled: "How much do you like me?"
Qiong Yi opened her arms widely and threw herself into his arms, "How do you like it?"
Sheng Xuanyuan smiled and hugged her, "Yeah!"
"Wow... you really told me." Qiong Yi buried her head in his chest, feeling as if she was in a dream, "Do you know how long I have been waiting for this sentence?"
What he wanted to say at the lantern night party, but unfortunately after a little incident, he blushed and couldn't say it out. What happened next came one after another, leaving him no chance to tell her.
Qiong Yi raised his head from Sheng Xuanyuan's arms and heard him smile, "Someone tried every trick to make me say it."
She stuck out her tongue, only smiled and didn't respond.
Sheng Xuanyuan handed the red knot half wrapped in her hand to Qiong Yi. Seeing this, she untied the two long braids behind her and straightened her fluffy curly hair. The hair lay softly behind her like curls. clouds.
"Wait a minute." She stroked her hair and ran towards the end of the path. Sheng Xuanyuan looked for her figure. The chestnut-brown hair was flying in the air, rolling up and down like waves. When she looked back, her long hair spread out around her body, with a charming smile, "Sheng Kyung, come here quickly!"
Sheng Xuanyuan followed in steps. At the end of the path, there was a tall ginkgo tree leaning against the wall. Under the tree, there was a stone railing made of granite. The height was just right for pedestrians to sit and rest. She sat down on the stone railing and handed him a comb.
Holding the horn comb in her hand, Sheng Xuanyuan realized what she had bought after going so long, and couldn't help but said: "Qiong Yi, you are really well prepared." When speaking, he deliberately imitated the local Guangyang people. accent.
