Anyone could tell that wasn’t the real reason. She just wanted a little trip.
Luo Ren had casually offered: “Want me to drive you there?”
“No, no. That’s too much trouble. I’ll just get a ticket.”
How was that trouble? It almost felt like she was avoiding him on purpose.
Luo Ren pressed: “It’s not trouble—I’ll just fill up the tank.”
Mu Dai still refused. “Don’t you have important things to do? You’re a man—you should focus on real matters, not waste time on little things.”
The way she said it, it sounded like he was slacking off, while she was doing something noble and important for the country.
Luo Ren finally asked directly, “You just don’t want to go with me, huh?”
Mu Dai fell silent. After a while, she mumbled, “Dating doesn’t mean you have to be together all the time. Everyone needs space…”
Space?
Luo Ren gritted his teeth. When were we ever together all the time? We’ve got so much space, we could race horses in it. And she wants more!
Fine. If that’s how it is, go and enjoy your “space.”
At that very moment, Mu Dai was training with Yan Hongsand.
This house had the perfect location—quiet amid the bustle. The morning breeze was cool but refreshing.
Mu Dai looked down into the well. Yan Hongsand was hanging a meter or so below, clinging to the rope, not climbing or descending—just swinging lazily. When she noticed Mu Dai looking, she stuck her tongue out and lolled her head to the side like a hanging ghost.
Mu Dai rolled her eyes, grabbed the nearby well cover, and pretended to slam it shut.
“Wait! No, Mu Dai!” Yan Hongsand scrambled to stabilize herself, wrapping her legs around the rope for better balance. “Having multiple personalities is cool! I think it’s badass.”
“You wouldn’t understand,” Mu Dai said quietly.
Yan replied, “It’s all about perspective. Pessimists think it’s a disease. But optimists…”
“What about them?”
“They think it’s like being Superman! Most of the time, you’re just you, but in a crisis, this stronger version of yourself shows up to protect you!”
Mu Dai gave her a side-eye and pushed the rope, sending Yan swaying like a plumb bob.
“I’m serious!” Yan insisted. “She didn’t do anything bad, didn’t hurt anyone. It’s only happened once in all these years. What are you so worried about?”
Mu Dai asked, maybe to her, maybe to herself: “What if I told Luo Ren?”
“He’d be thrilled,” Yan said, still swinging. “It’s like getting two girlfriends in one—any guy would be over the moon.”
Mu Dai sighed. “Your brain is full of rocks you pulled out of that well.”
Yan grinned smugly. “Then my brain is priceless—those rocks are gems. Hey, Mu Dai…”
She looked up at her. “My grandpa told me his eyesight is failing, so he wants to do one last big score while he still can. You in?”
But Mu Dai wasn’t listening.
The scent of breakfast wafted in from the front yard—sweet and salty, wrapped in the breeze. It made her feel a little melancholic.
If I told Luo Ren… what would happen?
As night fell and the streetlights came on, Luo Ren strolled along the canal. Many bars had already opened their evening sets. Singers with guitars sat on the outdoor steps, strumming and sending notes into the night.
They sang sad songs, love songs, nostalgic songs, wild songs—these always had an audience.
Uncle Zheng had sent him the address of a shop he liked, asking Luo Ren to check it out.
Fine—might as well treat it like a walk.
The location wasn’t far from the bar or his place, yet he’d never been here before. It showed how fleeting his life in this ancient town had been.
The place was easy to spot. Among all the brightly lit storefronts, only one stood dark.
It was an abandoned shop. Most of the furniture had been removed, but through the glass window, Luo Ren could tell it used to be a dessert shop—peach-heart stickers still clung densely to the walls.
He pulled out his phone to shine a light, spotting one sticker near the edge with handwriting on it:
“XX, you scumbag. You ignore me now, but one day, I’ll be out of your league!”
He could almost picture the girl scribbling it down in a fit of rage.
Luo Ren smiled. Most people, aside from a rare few, go through life tangled in love and hate. As long as they don’t lose their dignity, it’s all right.
He turned and looked at the nearby shops.
There was a bit of everything—grilled snacks, silver jewelry, ethnic clothing, fake antiques, Dongba wind chimes, postcards…
He paused in front of one shop.
Its name was “Lianyan.”
Some shops have an unmistakable aura. From ten meters away, you can feel that icy exclusivity, like a VIP club that silently says: “Even if you have money, that might not be enough—you need taste.”
“Lianyan” was like that.
While all the surrounding shops glowed with white lights, it was bathed in soft shadows—so dim it made you instinctively lower your voice. Inside the glass window, the first thing he saw was incense: a delicate bronze crane stood tall in a dish, a faint wisp of smoke rising from its beak.
As expected, the moment he pushed open the door, a soft scent of sandalwood greeted him.
In the corner sat a young woman with long hair, dressed in loose cotton and linen. Head down, she was stringing beads—smaller than half a grain of rice, some red like coral, others deep blue like lapis.
She glanced up at him when she heard the door, her eyes calm as still water.
She was as beautiful as a painting.
Luo Ren’s gaze drifted to a treasure-shelf display on the side wall.
The shelves were antiques themselves. In the past, such shelves held books in wealthy homes. Here, each cubby was lined with black velvet, showcasing a single item.
No two were alike. Each was unique.
The price tags were written in calligraphy on small pieces of scented stationery. The item Luo Ren was looking at seemed to be just a swatch of bright silk—price: 2800.
A slender hand reached over from behind him. Two bracelets—one gold, one jade—clinked on her wrist, producing the pure sound of true gold and jade.
She unfolded the swatch and said, “It’s a dudou.”
“In Han times, it was called baofu or xinyi. In the Yuan dynasty, hehuan jin. It’s made of silk, meant to be worn close to the body, so it must be soft. The straps go around the neck and tie at the back. The embroidered figures on the front—a man and a woman—symbolize love and harmony.”
The embroidery did indeed depict a couple, surrounded by ornate floral patterns, both intricate and charming.
Luo Ren asked, “Why are their faces blank?”
She smiled faintly, as if expecting the question.
“Because this was made by an unmarried girl. Once she found the right man and got married, she would complete the embroidery by adding their features—symbolizing her wish fulfilled.”
She held the dudou toward him. The crimson silk shimmered under the light, making her skin look even paler.
“You could give it to the girl you love and have her finish the embroidery. Of course…”
Her fingers gently pinched the fabric and started drawing it back, causing elegant ripples to form in the silk.
“If you don’t have someone yet, then… never mind.”
Meow meow On TPH Chapter 26.1