CH 87

Sunny and Jade, a match made in heaven (Chapter: Senior Sister’s Journey, concluded)

In the branch of the Shadow Guards of Jiangnan, Song Shu Qing stood on tiptoe, casually knocking melon seeds in the leader’s study.

“Senior Brother Jiang, these melon seeds of yours are really good.” She casually tossed the melon seed shells into a nearby jade plate, then picked up a plum from the wooden bowl and leisurely started nibbling on it.

“Junior Sister Song, it’s been a while since we last met. You don’t have to act like you’re only here to eat melon seeds with me,” sighed Jiang Yu, her former colleague, as he rested his forehead in his hand.

“Then what should I do? Should I hug you and tearfully say, 『Oh, how I’ve missed you after such a long time』?” Song Shu Qing put her feet down, shook her index finger in a rejecting gesture, and said, “I’m a married woman now, I can’t do things that give people the wrong impression.”

Jiang Yu sighed helplessly, feeling at a loss for words, so he changed the subject and asked, “Speaking of which, Junior Sister Song… Ah Yun lost his arm, Qin Qin went through a life and death situation. I understand that, but are you really not planning to return to the capital? Da Lin does need manpower in the capital.”

Jiang Yu and Lin Yan were the same age and acquainted with several other shadow guards.

Unfortunately, they were injured in a mission seven years ago, resulting in a significant loss of combat ability. As a result, they voluntarily accepted the assignment to gather intelligence in Jiangnan and, relying on their calm and meticulous nature, became the leader of the branch.

“No, I won’t do something that is so thankless and demanding,” Song Shu Qing lazily said, propping up her head and taking a bite of the plum in her hand. “The country is peaceful now, there’s not much going on. Da Lin can handle things on his own. Besides, I never had the aptitude to be a shadow guard…”

Jiang Yu frowned, not daring to agree with her.

In truth, in his eyes, Song Shu Qing was the most talented among them all.

Her sharpness in gathering intelligence was remarkable, able to extrapolate a wealth of information from just a whiff. She also had a keen eye for judging people accurately and didn’t hesitate to take action when necessary, always approaching tasks with caution and care.

But… she lacked seriousness.

She couldn’t muster up the energy, only engaging when absolutely necessary. Laziness permeated her entire being.

“Alright, alright, after all, you have someone you care about now,” Jiang Yu waved his hand, followed by a sigh. “To be honest, when I received that pigeon message from you a year and a half ago, I was genuinely taken aback.”

“Huh? Are you saying this because you’re unwilling?” the woman raised an eyebrow, discarding the fruit pit to the side.

“Impossible,” shaking his head, Jiang Yu also grabbed a handful of melon seeds. “It’s just… rare to see you willingly ask for help. It’s just a bit surprising.”

“Is it?” After a moment of silence, with only the sound of cracking melon seed shells echoing in the room, Song Shu Qing straightened her back, abandoning her slouching posture. She turned to face the man and spoke earnestly, “Senior Brother Jiang, regarding this matter, I truly appreciate your help from the bottom of my heart.”

Waving his hand dismissively, Jiang Yu replied nonchalantly, “Don’t be so polite with me. Besides, the camp already needed someone to cook, and the brothers really enjoy the culinary skills of the new kitchen lady.”

When he received the letter from his junior sister, she had asked him to discreetly take care of a particular household. He was curious and unsure about the extent of Song Shu Qing’s expectations.

Luckily, he heard that the widow in that household had excellent cooking skills, so he hired her with a generous salary.

“As for the academy, it was just a simple matter of informing them, and besides, you covered the expenses for books and stationery yourself. I didn’t do anything particularly special.”

“Even so, you’ve indeed done me a great favor,” Song Shu Qing clasped her hands together, unusually serious. “That household is very important to me, and I’ll trouble you to keep an eye on them when you’re there.”

Nodding, Jiang Yu replied, “I understand. It’s a small effort on my part.”

The Shadow Guards—having been through life and death together multiple times, their camaraderie was extraordinary.

Moreover, knowing that it was difficult for a shadow guard to find a suitable partner, it was only natural to show rare concern and care for their comrades.

Song Sh Qqing and Jiang Yu chatted in the study for a long time, discussing everything from trivial anecdotes to the state of affairs in the capital. They exchanged information with each other.

Both were intelligent individuals, adept at probing for knowledge and sharing insights. Their conversation flowed harmoniously, and they found great pleasure in their discussion.

As dusk approached, the woman finally closed the snow-white paper fan she had been flipping, bid her farewell with a wave of her hand, and swiftly rode off on her horse.

As she reined in her horse in front of the wooden cabin, the shadow guard had barely dismounted when Zi Yan opened the door and stepped out.

“You’re here,” Zi Yan looked up at the woman on horseback and spoke with an affectionate expression.

“Yes, I’m here,” Song Shu Qing responded softly, her voice gentle. She gazed down at her beloved, loosened the tightly held reins, and dismounted from the horse. “Sorry, did you wait long?”

“It’s alright,” Zi Yan paused, smoothing out the collar of the person’s clothes that had been tousled by the wind. She added, “I was talking to Sister Chao and not specifically waiting for you.”

“Is that so?” Song Shu Qing squinted, not exposing the woman’s clumsy attempt to conceal the truth. Nonchalantly, she explained, “I just met an old friend earlier, and we ended up chatting late because it’s been a while since we last saw each other. Are you ready?”

“Mmm, we can go now,” Zi Yan responded, and the two tightly held hands.

“Sister Yao, are you leaving?” Chaochao, accompanied by Xun’er, asked with a trembling voice as they stepped out of the house. She bit her lip and questioned, “Will you come back?”

Nodding, Zi Yan smiled and said, “I’ll come back in a few days.”

“Don’t worry,” Song Shu Qing spoke up, assuring the two in the distance, “We’ll be staying in Jiangnan for about half a month. Once your sister takes me around, we’ll come back.”

Embracing the woman’s waist, Song Shu Qing lifted Zi Yan onto the horse, then waved her hand towards the back. With a light kick to the horse’s belly, they slowly trotted away through the snowy path.

“Did you have a pleasant night last night?” The gentle breeze tousled the stray hairs on the shadow guard’s forehead as she tugged at her cloak, wrapping it around the person in her arms. She asked with concern.

“Mmm,” a muffled sound escaped her throat, and Zi Yan turned her head to gaze at the profile of the person behind her. “…I tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep for a long time.”

“Oh, why is that?” With her gaze fixed ahead, the setting sun cast its glow upon Song Shu Qing’s face, causing her to instinctively squint her eyes and playfully tease, “Could it be that you missed me so much that you couldn’t sleep?”

Without admitting or denying anything, Zi Yan simply stared at the woman’s face bathed in golden light and murmured to herself, “You’re so…”

“I didn’t.” With a smile in her eyes, Song Shu Qing redirected her gaze from the distance and locked eyes with the person in her arms. “Indeed, I had a sleepless night because I missed you too much. It’s truly unbearable to be alone in an empty room.”

“You’re lying…” Lowering her head to avoid eye contact, Zi Yan held onto the hand that was wrapped around her waist and softly repeated, “You’re lying.”

“I’m not.” The shadow guard with exceptional hearing raised an eyebrow and lightly brushed her lips against the woman’s forehead. “I’m the worst at lying, you can ask Qin Qin if you don’t believe me. I really can’t deceive or lie to people.”

Her tone was half serious, half playful, accompanied by a smile.

“But you always deceive me.” Zi Yan lifted her head, gazing directly into the eyes of her beloved.

Their lips were dangerously close, their breaths intermingling.

“You deceive me, deceive me by saying you don’t know the way while riding a horse, and that I should lead you. But clearly, even when I opened my eyes, you were just talking with me. Since I never guided you, how did you successfully bring me here?”

“You deceive me, deceive me by saying that my younger siblings can go to school, but knowing that it’s difficult to secure a spot in a public school. Never mind Xun’er, how did Chaochao, as a girl, manage to enroll without any other person’s recommendation?”

“You still deceive me, deceive me by saying that your friend likes the food my mother cooks and is willing to hire her as a cook. But as a shadow guard from the capital, who knows nothing about Jiangnan households, and with the sudden occurrence of the matter, how could she not owe you a favor for your request?”

“You’ve been deceiving me all along, deceiving me so many times.” The woman’s eyes seemed to gather moisture, not shrouded in rain but reflecting the golden light of the setting sun, shimmering brightly. “Whether it’s the debts Chunfeng Tower took for me or always pretending to forget and letting me pay the bill.”

“Big or small, you always deceive me…”

Her voice was gentle,

As if complaining,

As if being coquettish.

“Sigh… technically speaking, I don’t consider those as lies.”

Song Shu Qing leaned slightly, as if about to kiss her, “I prefer to call it 『beneficial diversion』.”

Releasing the reins, the shadow guard took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of the woman’s eyes.

“After all, my wife loves me so much and is easily moved. If she keeps crying because of something I did, it would truly break my heart,” Song Shu Qing said with a light smile, holding the person in her arms even tighter.

“Although that may be the case.” Taking a deep breath, the shadow guard licked her lips, rare seriousness in her expression. “But every word of affection and promise I’ve said to you is truer than true, more genuine than gold.”

“Even though I may be so unserious, lazy, and cunning, when it comes to loving you, I cannot deny it in any way, not even in the form of joking and teasing…”

Their faces were less than an inch apart, the skin beneath them touching, transmitting each other’s fiery body heat. Song Shu Qing couldn’t help but shyly avert her gaze, resting her head on the woman’s shoulder. “I suppose you’re my lucky charm.”

A slight warmth spread through their ears, and Zi Yan’s eyelashes trembled lightly. “You’re always like this…”

“Hmm?” Song Shu Qing lowered her head to kiss the side of the woman’s neck, emitting a puzzled hum.

Involuntarily shrinking, yet not avoiding it, Zi Yan’s voice turned bitter. “…Always so peculiar.”

The shadow guard couldn’t help but chuckle, her eyes filled with amusement. “Should I take that as a compliment or an insult?”

Song Shu Qing straightened up and gazed ahead at the vast fields. “However, since yesterday, there has been one thing on my mind.”

“What is it?” Leaning back against the warm embrace of the shadow guard, Zi Yan tilted her head slightly and asked.

“Ah.” Smiling silently with a smirk, Song Shu Qing tried to maintain a calm tone and pretended to be serious. “I’ve been thinking, should I also address you as ‘Sister Yao’?”

“You!”

Biting her lip, the woman’s cheeks flushed. If they weren’t still on horseback, she would probably be too embarrassed and would bury herself in the embrace of the person behind her. Her voice trembled as she spoke, “You… you mustn’t call me that.”

“Huh, can’t I?” Feigning disappointment, the shadow guard pretended to be aggrieved. “Could it be because I’m a few years older than you, and you don’t want me to call you Sister Yao because you think I’m old?”

“Not at all!”

The woman rarely retorted loudly and gently pinched the hand resting on her waist. “It’s just that, it makes me feel embarrassed.”

“And… I don’t like my name either…” Her tone became somewhat melancholic in the latter half.

Zi Yan was, of course, not her real name.

It was just a pseudonym she chose when she made up her mind to leave home and come to Shu.

“But she doesn’t dislike the name Zi Yan, in fact, she likes it several times more than her original name.

“Yao Jun.”

Barely audible, the woman gently parted her vermilion lips. “My father was once a merchant, and his greatest desire was for someone in the family to become a scholar, to bring honor to our ancestors.”

“But I happened to be a woman.” Zi Yan lowered her head, her expression calm as if she had long grown accustomed to it. “My father was greatly disappointed, so he wanted to name me Jun.”

“Because I am distant, a woman who cannot become a scholar.”

“Fortunately, at the last moment, he changed his mind and used the ‘Yao’ beside the character for jade.”

But even so, she still didn’t like it.

Call her willful or overly sensitive, but she simply didn’t like it.

“So my wife’s name is Yao Jun.” Looking straight ahead, there was a hidden sadness in Song Shu Qing’s eyes, yet she sighed and remarked, “If you hadn’t told me this story, I wouldn’t have known about it.”

“Because from the first moment I heard it, I felt that the 『Yao』 in the jade character truly suits you.”

“I don’t care about that poisonous theory of being a scholar-official. From my perspective, the character ‘Yao’ matches you perfectly.” Shrugging her shoulders, Song Shu Qing gently caressed Zi Yan’s cheek, guiding her to turn her head towards her.

“After all, 『Yao, the beauty of jade』.”

“In my eyes, you are indeed precious and beautiful like jade.”

She wanted to give a new definition to her life, she wanted to lift her head high and walk forward confidently.

“A sunny day and beautiful jade,” the shadow guard chuckled.

“It sounds so beautiful and perfect together, don’t you think?”

Her lips trembled slightly as Zi Yan looked up at the woman bathed in golden light under the setting sun. “…Yes.”

Her heart felt choked. “…A sunny day and beautiful jade, they are a perfect match.”

“See, I’m very clever, right?” Affectionately kissing the side of her face, Song Shu Qing once again entertained mischievous thoughts. “So, how should I address Zi Yan? Yao Yao? Ah Yao? Sister Yao?”

Secretly observing the face in front of her, which was turning red once again, she felt a sense of satisfaction in her heart.

“Don’t, don’t call me that.” Zi Yan’s face blushed as if it were about to bleed, radiating an unparalleled dignity.

Although she didn’t particularly like her own name, upon learning the definition bestowed by Song Shu Qing and hearing it whispered hoarsely in her ear, she couldn’t help but feel moved.

“Huh? Why can’t I call you by a nickname?” Pretending to be troubled, the shadow guard casually mentioned, “Every night, Zi Yan also calls me ‘Shu Qing’.”

“You’ve called me that several times, in a tender, surprised, and murmuring manner. If I didn’t respond, you would even shed tears.” Suppressing a smile, Song Shu Qing felt mischievous beyond measure. Just as she was about to stop teasing, she found her own lips preemptively sealed.

“Mmm…”

Zi Yan stepped on the footboard of the shadow guard’s stirrup, stood up, and turned around, leaning in to kiss the person behind her. The kiss was more intense than before, as if she wanted to convey her feelings to Song Shu Qing and swallow all those embarrassing words.

The last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the distant mountains, leaving only the intertwined figures of the two on the back of the horse, on the rural path.

The woman, struggling to lift herself up, couldn’t hold on for long. Her body trembled slightly, and soon she couldn’t support herself any longer and straightened her body, breathing gently. “Please, no more…”

“Shu Qing.”

Her voice was soft, as if pleading and coquettish at the same time.

Sighing, Song Shu Qing licked her lips and said, “Sigh, I really shouldn’t tease you anymore… How can I ever win like this?” She rubbed the woman’s hair affectionately, feeling helpless.

“It’s not that you can’t call me, it’s just…” Zi Yan whispered, one hand tightly holding onto the shadow guard’s protecting hand.

“We’ll endure for now.”

“…We’ll both endure, and we’ll talk about it when we get back to the inn.” Looking up, she gazed at her beloved with an irresistible longing in her eyes. Seductive words accompanied her feather-like breath as she pressed against the shadow guard’s neck. “The night is still young, isn’t it?”

In her arms, the person in front of her eyes shimmered with waves of emotion.

Song Shu Qing suppressed the countless wild thoughts that suddenly sprang to her mind and exhaled slowly. “Alright.”

“When we get back, we won’t hold back anymore.” Shaking her head to maintain clarity of mind, the shadow guard firmly grasped the reins. After a brief pause, in a husky voice, she asked, “Do you want to know how fast Taxue can run?”

Embracing the woman tightly, the shadow guard pressed her spurs against the horse’s sides. “Let’s give it a try.”

Under the moonlight, the black steed galloped, akin to a shooting star.

Throughout the journey, the two on horseback remained silent, not even the unskilled rider, Zi Yan, voiced any objection to the shadow guard’s urging of the horse.

They were both enduring.

Enduring the blazing fire within their chests, enduring the surging spring waters.

Their hearts yearned for home like an arrow.

In a guesthouse in Jiangnan, tonight was destined to be another sleepless night of revelry.

TL. I’m too lazy to explain it but basically, “Qing” in Song Shu Qing’s name means “Sunny”.