561 The Inconspicuous Yet Colorful Leaf (2/2)
”I understand what you mean, but I really wanted to be truly beautiful. So when we reached Chang'an, I began to shop at Chenjinji Cosmetics Store for cosmetics even though we were earning very little.”
Sangsang smiled out of embarrassement and turned to look out of the window.
At that point in time, Mountain Wa was painted with multiple colors. Due to the humidity of the wind at the bottom of the mountain, the trees were still covered with fresh green leaves although it was already autumn. With the higher altitude and lower temperature, the color of the leaves changed. The trees were covered in mild yellow leaves that were similar to fresh chrysanthemum. Like rouge, there were layers upon layers, giving beauty to the mountain.
”When I was young and staying at Min Mountain, I loved seeing the autumn trees, just like the ones outside the window now. I find them very pretty, but Ning Que dislikes them. He always said that when the leaves turn yellow, it means autumn is coming. The wild beasts in the mountain are either hibernating or dead, so hunting will become tougher. He also said that no matter how pretty these yellow and red leaves are, their beauty lasts only for a fleeting moment. Then they will fall off from the trees and become as useless as the mud.”
Finishing the sentence, Sangsang looked at the scenery outside the window and was quiet for a long time. It was only when the mountain breeze started to cause a prickling pain in her face that she slightly narrowed her brows and sat up. She said with determination, ”You like the young master, don't you?”
She was addressing him as ”Ning Que” all these while, yet she had switched to addressing him as ”young master” now.
”Eh?”
Mo Shanshan was certain that she did not mishear the words. She startled and looked at her. She did not know what to say.
She knew that Ning Que and Sangsang were engaged. Yet suddenly hearing the question Sangsang asked, she could not help but panic. She subconsciously lowered her head and stared at white cotton skirt and the tip of her shoe that was not covered.
Alas, the shoe was just a normal shoe. No matter how long she stared at it, it would not change.
Her hair gently shivered in front of her eyes. Her eyes seemed unengaged. Her thin and red lips seemed to tighten further. She felt unreasonably anxious, then again, she was a cultured, quiet and honest Calligraphy Addict. She did not want to hide anything, especially from Sangsang. She figured that it would be useless for her to hide it anyway, so she replied with a soft ”yes”.
Sangsang heard the reply coming from behind her.
Yet she did not turn her head. Instead, she merely smiled at the mountain, once again revealing her two dazzling white front teeth.
For the past few years, Sangsang always believed herself to be ugly. Though she had a straight set of teeth, her front teeth were unusually conspicuous. Thus, she was unwilling to smile casually like the other girls in Tang.
Even if she wanted to smile, she would normally lower her head and smile shyly, or smile secretly when she cheated Chen Pipi out of his bank notes, or even smile that silly smile of hers when her feet were warmed by Ning Que. However recently, though she does not know why, she began to extend her smile to reveal her two dazzling white front teeth like a cute little rabbit.
She gazed at the trees by the side of the road. They were covered in red leaves and looked like trees burning in flames. She then said, ”But now you can't.”
Mo Shanshan quietly looked at her skinny and frail outline. After a few moments, she smiled and said, ”Yeah.”
The carriage continued driving along the path on Mountain Wa. A red leaf fell from a branch onto the roof, which then rolled onto the grass patch along the path. Even though it was not crushed into the ground now, it would eventually decompose into the mud.
The autumn breeze caressed Sangsang's face as the smile on her face gradually faded.
Thinking of that red leaf, she said sternly, ”Wait till I am dead then.”
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