Thirty-five

  They took a boat back to Jiangnan. On the boat, she asked him if he knew Su Shi's Yong Yu Le. He shook his head and said no. She then recited the poem for him: The bright moon is like frost, the gentle breeze is like water, the scenery is endless. Fish jump in the winding harbor, lotus flowers reveal their beauty, quietly, without anyone seeing. The sound of the third watch is loud and clear, a single leaf is dark and gloomy, dreams are broken, the night is vast and boundless, searching again but nowhere to be found, waking up in a small garden, walking around everywhere.

  The sky is exhausted, the guest returns to the mountain, and the road home is cut off. The heart's eyes are fixed on the old garden. The swallow's nest is empty, where is the beautiful woman? The lock is empty in the tower of swallows. Past and present are like a dream, what has ever been dreamed of but not awakened? Only old joys and new resentments remain. At this time, I sigh at the night scene of the Yellow Crane Tower.

  After finishing reading, she smiled and said: "There are names of both of us in this word." He also smiled and held her hand. He turned over the word but still said he didn't know because he wanted to hear her read it out loud.

  He bought tea eggs and they peeled them together. She picked one up and placed it at his mouth, pouting and saying: "Let me feed you once." He smiled and bit into it, saying: "You'll have plenty of chances later." Upon hearing this, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. He hastily apologized: "Ruxue, I've said the wrong thing again, I was too frivolous, don't be angry." She choked back a sob, saying: "No, I'm not angry, I just feel very happy. Every time I think about being able to stay with you forever, I feel very happy." He said: "We will, we'll always be together and have beautiful children." Her tears seemed to fall uncontrollably, and he panicked, asking what was wrong. She said: "Nothing, I'm fine, it's just that I thought of Liu Qing and Gao Tian."

  At night, they leaned against each other on the balcony to watch the moon. The wind blew with a hint of chilliness. He said: "Summer is passing by quickly, and the evening breeze already has a bit of coolness." She didn't make a sound, just nodded slightly. He went inside to grab a towel and wrapped it around both of them. She said: "Last time you were drunk, I used this very same towel to cushion your body."

  He smiled mischievously and whispered in her ear, "I had hoped that the one under me at that time was you." She laughed and stroked his face, saying softly to him, "Sing a song for me instead."

  He was delighted and wanted to make her happy, clearing his throat to say: "Wow, tonight, let the brightest superstar of this century, Ye Gongzi, present a special concert for Princess Moon!"

  Before he started singing, she suddenly said: "Ye Gongzi, I want you to agree to three conditions." He was taken aback: "The listener also wants to set conditions? The taste of today's audience is really unbearable." She had a serious face: "I'm being serious."

  He said: "Okay, I'll listen carefully to your teachings, wife."

  "Firstly, don't smoke; secondly, don't drink alcohol; thirdly, don't casually interact with girls."

  He nodded, gently tapping his chin on her head. She refused to give in: "You have to promise me you'll do it." He smiled: "Of course I can do it, with you by my side I can do anything." She still refused to give in: "What if I go home for a few days? What if I go on a business trip? What if I go traveling? Will you be unable to do it?" He stopped smiling and could only say: "Okay, okay, I'm scared of you. No matter what time it is, I'll guard my body like jade, just for you, is that alright?"

  She looked up at him for a long time and then said: "Okay, I want to hear you sing."

  He asked her in a low voice: "Have you seen the German movie 'Beautiful Boy'?" She nodded. He said: "I'll sing the song from it to you in German, okay?" She smiled and nodded.

  He sang "Kleine Kinder, kleine Sünden" in German for her, and then sang "The Last Rose of Summer" and "Dreamland". In the beautiful singing voice, she unknowingly fell asleep in his arms. He stared blankly at her face, which was bathed in moonlight, carried her into the room, gently placed her on the bed, lay down beside her, put his hand on her body, and quietly fell asleep.