Chapter 241
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
Chapter 241: Bridal Attire
“How many four years can one have in their life?” Chao Lu sighed.
“It’s not quite appropriate for a monster like you to say that.”
“That’s true. Bai Ze can live for at least three hundred years.” Chao Lu rested her cheek on her hand. “Come to think of it, maybe I can even wait for my lover to be reincarnated.”
“…” The old woman took a sip of water.
“Just kidding.” Chao Lu waved her hand. “I don’t have a lover yet, but what has happened in these four years?”
“You might as well see for yourself.” The old woman said.
“You’re not going to make me jump into a pond, are you?” Chao Lu looked at herself. “My clothes just dried.”
“You just need to go through the gate.” The old woman pointed to the other side.
“What am I bringing back this time?”
“A wedding dress.”
Chao Lu followed suit and pushed open the door; the town awaited behind it.
Unlike before, the town had become bustling now, even one could say it had become prosperous.
In the past, this little town could only be described as peaceful and quiet, but now the streets were widened, every household had built brick houses, and there was a noticeable increase in the flow of people. The central market was filled with shouting and haggling.
Chao Lu made her way through the crowd and could still catch a glimpse of the town as it once was, but now it was like a grown-up girl, becoming more enchanting, more glamorous, and broader.
Although many places had changed, Chao Lu could still recognize that willow tree at first glance and find the Liu family.
The houses had been rebuilt, from a one-story flat to a two-story house. Liu Xiaowan was sitting in the study, grading papers.
She was approaching twenty years old, still unmarried. In ancient times, she would be considered an old maid, but in Chao Lu’s eyes, she had already become an adult.
“Xiaowan.” Chao Lu greeted as she approached.
“It’s you, older sister.” Liu Er glanced at Chao Lu and then smiled, setting down her pen.
“Long time no see, how are you?”
“It’s alright, I’m healthy and well-fed, just a bit overwhelmed with work.” Liu Xiaowan smiled in response. Compared to before, she had gained self-esteem and composure, and lost some of her teenage innocence. Although her words were gentler, Chao Lu always felt a bit of distance.
“The town has developed quite well.”
“Yes, with the influx of merchants and the flow of capital, it naturally attracts outsiders to settle here.”
“The original residents are also living well.”
“At the beginning, many of the people who stayed were orphans or widows with little ability. They made a living by renting out shops and saving up enough capital to start small businesses.” Liu Xiaowan spoke confidently about business matters.
“It must be hard.” Chao Lu asked again.
“I’ve gotten used to it.” She just shook her head, showing no signs of fear.
Liu Xiaowan looks even more beautiful than before from her appearance. She has an extraordinary temperament, not only with the air of a scholarly family, but also a strong presence like a powerful woman.
Chao Lu observed as she received several guests, half of them were businessmen, the other half were town residents, and there were also some undercover agents she had sent out.
No matter what it was, she handled everything with great organization, and even had some plans added.
Surprisingly, three matchmakers came in the morning, saying they wanted to propose to her.
Liu Xiaowan rejected all of them. It was rare for someone to continuously receive marriage proposals at the age of twenty, but she was very annoyed by it. She bluntly told the gatekeeper not to let matchmakers in anymore. One of the matchmakers shouted “what general,” but was also driven away by the gatekeeper.
“You must find it amusing.”
“This proves that you have amazing charm, after all, it’s a good thing.”
“It’s more of a trouble, I don’t want to get married.”
“Do you not want to get married, or do you not want to marry someone else?”
“… I can’t hide it from you, sister.” Liu Xiaowan smiled lightly.
“Have you let it go?” Chao Lu asked nervously. She knew that the people here wouldn’t lie to her, and what they said was their true thoughts.
“It’s been so long, I’ve never hated him. I was just at a loss at the time, not knowing what to do.”
She rested her cheek on the back of her hand, holding a brush in the other hand, and soon sketched out a silhouette on the white paper.
Under the tree, a young man in armor held a knife, with a determined expression and handsome features.
Chao Lu asked, “Has he come back a few times?”
“He only comes back once a year, on that day.”
“Have you talked to him about it?”
“No, this matter, I’ve always felt uncomfortable to bring up. But it’s been four years, and he still hasn’t made any moves. After all, he’s a block of wood.”
“Bringing up old matters may also be difficult for him, after all, what happened back then…”
“Yes, that’s why I have to be the one to bring it up.” Liu Xiaowan put down the brush, her tone flat as she spoke, “Although we didn’t talk about marriage at first, I already considered myself as his unofficial wife. This thought has never changed throughout these years of separation. I found that I still think about him, miss him, the more I think, the more reluctant I am to let go, so…”
“You love him.” Chao Lu stated.
“Yes, I love him. I’ve loved him for ten years.”
It turns out that words said in such a plain manner could carry so much weight. Chao Lu felt that now she was the younger sister, and Liu Xiaowan was more mature than her.
“What do you plan to do?”
“I’ve already prepared the wedding dress.” Liu Er smiled, “Do you want to take a look, sister?”
“Alright.”
Chao Lu followed her into a room. Phoenix coronet, cloud shoulders, wedding dress was hanging on a rack, delicate stitches that could feel the years of hard work just by touching it.
“Did you make it yourself?”
“It took me three years.”
“You realized it three years ago?” Chao Lu was surprised. “You didn’t mention this for three years?”
“When I decided to make my wedding dress three years ago, I thought that when the time comes that I no longer dream of him and stop thinking about him, I will stop making the dress and convince myself not to marry him.”
“And then?”
“I accidentally finished making it, and three years passed in the blink of an eye. Time flies.” Liu Er blinked her eyes.
She said with frustration, “I’m surprised myself. I never thought that I could easily fall into such a deep trap for a man who only comes back once a year and hardly speaks a few words. Is it worth it?”
Only now did Chao Lu find a glimpse of cuteness in Liu Er ‘s expression.
“When will he come back?”
“He always comes back on time. It should be this afternoon.”
At this moment, Liu Er heard the sound of hooves and immediately walked out of the room, running down the stairs, forgetting her usual grace as the mistress of the house.
Not far away, her husband has returned.
…
“I’ve brought back the wedding dress.” Chao Lu put down the dress and anxiously asked, “What happens next in the story?”
The old woman replied, “Why are you in such a hurry? You already guessed it.”
Chao Lu said, “I just want to hear the rest. I don’t want to speculate.”
The old woman said, “You have lost some of your calmness. This is Liu Xiaowan ‘s story, not yours.”
Chao Lu asked in return, “But I like her, she’s a good girl. She shouldn’t be let down, right?”
The old woman remained noncommittal, “What you see may not be true, may not be false.”
Chao Lu said, “But the feelings are real.”
The old woman said, “Indeed, feelings cannot be faked.”
Chao Lu pursued, “What happens next?”
The old woman then narrated slowly, “This is what happens next.”
…
On the road, a young man walked his horse through the bustling market, the scenery in front of his eyes was both familiar and unfamiliar.
He didn’t dislike the lively market, but he couldn’t be considered accustomed to it either.
Intentionally slowing his pace, he walked through the crowd, passing by strangers. Occasionally, he recognized a few familiar faces, and some people noticed him, but no one approached to greet him. Every time he came back, he didn’t make a big noise, but quietly arrived and quietly left, like a gentle breeze passing through, leaving no trace. The traces he left disappeared in the wind and water, and when night fell, he would also leave town like a passerby.
Returning to the old White family mansion, which was unoccupied all year round, he had long wanted to sell it, but the house had been repaired and occasionally someone came to clean. There were hardly any fallen leaves in the courtyard. He sent the horse to the stable, and then he heard footsteps. Just turning his head, he saw the woman standing at the door of the neighboring house.
She stopped in her tracks, standing at the doorway, her breath slightly hurried. Her eyebrows and eyes were completely open and her smiles were enchanting.
The two stared at each other from a distance of less than five meters, not having seen each other for a year. It seemed like both of them had changed, yet at the same time, everything remained unchanged.
Liu Xiaowan bit her lip, the long-lasting yearning that had accumulated for a whole year overflowed in her heart. She wished she could go back to a long time ago, where they could hold hands, embrace each other, lean their heads together to watch the clouds and the sunset.
Even if she wanted to do so, she was no longer a child. She couldn’t recklessly rush up and shout, “Play with me!” and hug him.
It was only because the young man calmly bowed and saluted, clasping his fists, saying, “Miss Liu, hello.”
Her heart instantly shattered, a suffocating feeling making her feel like the world had turned black and white.
…Miss… Liu?
Translator: Volume 22 has been published on Amazon (https://amzn.to/4ch3mb3).
