Jiang Li walked out of the alley, head down, feeling puzzled. Why didn't Huo Jue look the least bit pleased when he learned how many people wanted him as a “child husband”? Could it be he still couldn't let go of Su Yao?
But Su Yao didn't want him anymore! Remembering Huo Jue's cold expression as he'd thrown her out just moments ago, Jiang Li silently grumbled: Huo Jue is so unromantic...
Lost in thought, she didn't notice the shadow trailing behind her.
“Jiang Li!”
Startled by the voice, Jiang Li's shoulders tensed. She turned to find her younger brother, Jiang Ling, and frowned. “You're so disrespectful! I'm your sister—how can you just call me by my name? Be careful, or the teacher will make you copy books at the academy!”
Jiang Ling pouted. “You're only a quarter of an hour older than me. Who's going to believe you're my 'older sister'?”
Jiang Ling and Jiang Li were twins, born just minutes apart.
“A quarter of an hour still makes me the elder sister,” Jiang Li huffed, puffing her cheeks. “Call me by my name again, and see if I respond to you.”
“Fine, fine, *sister*,” Jiang Ling muttered, rolling his eyes. He glanced at the alley she'd just exited, squinting at her suspiciously. “Where did you just come from? Brother Huo Jue didn't come to the academy today. Did you sneak off to see him?”
Jiang Li's face flushed. “No... No, I was just delivering yam cakes to Father Su.”
Jiang Ling, who had been with his sister since the womb, knew her better than anyone. Seeing her flustered face, he knew he'd guessed correctly.
“Sister, you know that Brother Huo Jue will be taking the provincial exam this autumn. Our teacher says he has the talent to be the top scholar, and he'll almost certainly head to the capital for the imperial exams next spring. Once he goes to Shengjing, he might never come back. You shouldn't get your hopes up.”
Jiang Li fell silent, momentarily stunned.
She knew Huo Jue was destined for greater things, knew he would eventually leave Tong'an City. But if she didn't at least try, she might regret it forever.
She had liked him for six years. How many times in life could someone like another person so simply, so persistently?
After all, there was only one Huo Jue in the world.
Jiang Li stayed quiet for the rest of the walk, and seeing this, Jiang Ling decided not to say anything more.
That night, lying in bed, Jiang Li thought over her brother's words.
If Huo Jue was going to the capital next year, he'd need travel expenses. Father Su had spent a great deal on medical treatments since his injury last year, and the household finances were strained. Huo Jue was already managing the pharmacy, studying for the provincial exam, and caring for an ailing Father Su—all of it an enormous burden.
Thinking of this, Jiang Li quickly got out of bed and pulled a small, square box from beneath it. Inside was the dowry she'd been quietly saving over the past two years. She gathered all the small coins, placing them in a purse.
Clutching the purse, she thought to herself, *I hope Huo Jue won't throw me out again tomorrow… it'd be too embarrassing.*
---
The next morning, Jiang Li hurried out after breakfast. When she arrived at the medicine shop, she found that Huo Jue had gone to the academy for the day.
With no choice but to turn back, Jiang Li made her way to the tavern. Just as she reached the door, a voice called out, “A Li!”
Jiang Li looked in the direction of the voice and saw two girls standing under a blossoming apricot tree, smiling at her. The girl in the green pleated skirt was Liu Yan, the eldest daughter of Dongyang Bookstore, who had called her. Beside her stood Zhang Yingying, the second daughter of the hairdressing shop, dressed in a lilac skirt.
“How did you two end up here?” Jiang Li asked. The bookstore and the hairdressing shop were at the other end of the street, several miles away.
Zhang Yingying glanced around before leaning closer to whisper, “We're here to deliver something to Huo Jue.”
Only then did Jiang Li notice they were each carrying something. Zhang Yingying held an elegant purse with a translucent white jade pendant inside, while Liu Yan carried a small box of agarwood, containing an ink stick with a subtle, woody fragrance resting on soft indigo velvet.
Jiang Li, clutching her own bag of silver coins, felt a bit self-conscious—her offering suddenly seemed so plain.
Noticing the gifts still in their hands, she asked, “Did Huo Jue refuse to take them?”
“Yes, he said he wouldn't accept gifts without reason. Yan'er and I both got turned down!” Zhang Yingying pouted, her lips forming a little cherry shape. “If you ask me, Huo Jue is too pedantic.”
“That's not pedantic,” Liu Yan corrected gently. “It's simply propriety. Huo Jue was being courteous—this is how a gentleman behaves.”
“Oh, why be so proper?” Zhang Yingying huffed. “It's not like our gifts are shameful. He's just being unromantic!”
The people of the Great Zhou Dynasty were open-minded, and it was normal for women to give gifts to men they liked. Huo Jue was poor and refused the fine jade pendants and ink sticks. Couldn't he at least appreciate the gesture?
Liu Yan just smiled, not bothering to argue with Zhang Yingying.
As the daughter of the richest merchant on Zhufu Street, Zhang Yingying had always been pampered. Hitting a "soft wall" with Huo Jue today had clearly upset her.
Liu Yan looked at Jiang Li, who'd been silent, and asked with a smile, “A Li, were you on your way to see Master Huo too?”
“Yes, but he'd already left when I got there.”
“No wonder,” Zhang Yingying teased, reaching out to playfully pinch Jiang Li's waist. “You got up too late! So, what are you bringing him?”
Jiang Li hesitated but pulled out her purse from her waistband.
Zhang Yingying took one look and laughed, “A Li, giving money as a gift? That's so plain! Huo Jue is a scholar—he'd never take your purse. It's a good thing you didn't bump into him, or you would've been mortified.”
Footnotes:
· "Purse with a jade pendant" : Jade has long been valued in Chinese culture, symbolizing purity, beauty, and moral integrity. Presenting jade as a gift to someone admired, particularly by women, conveys a wish for the recipient to appreciate these values, indicating the giver's deep respect and affection.
· "Ink stick in agarwood box" : The ink stick, one of the "Four Treasures of the Study" (along with the brush, paper, and ink stone), holds special significance in Chinese culture, representing scholarly aspirations and refinement. The agarwood box would add an aromatic, elegant touch, reflecting Liu Yan's thoughtfulness in selecting a gift meaningful to a scholar like Huo Jue.
· "Pedantic" : Zhang Yingying's use of "pedantic" here conveys her frustration with Huo Jue's strict adherence to propriety, which she interprets as a lack of warmth or romantic interest. Her view reflects the openness of certain social circles, where expressing romantic interest through gifts was more accepted.
· "Money as a gift" : Jiang Li's gift of silver coins, compared to the jade and ink stick, appears modest and practical. In traditional Chinese society, giving money was often seen as useful but lacking the refined sentiment associated with symbolic or handcrafted gifts, like jade or ink. Zhang Yingying's reaction underscores the social pressure to convey affection through culturally valued tokens rather than mere financial aid.
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