The Sorrowmender

Chapter 20 – All women in the world are beautiful

The women of the world are all beautiful.

Her elegant and noble face showed no excess emotion, her slender fingers playing with the cup, a coldness emanating from her eyes, as if her lashes were frosted.

"Pour again!"

She uttered the words coolly, the cup met her red lips, the fragrance entered her lungs, and the woman added another sentence.

"This time, you go personally."

"Yes, ma'am!"

The man received the order, stood up, bowed, retreated six or seven steps, then turned and strode out.

"You, come with me."

"Understood!"

A group of thirteen riders left the official post, galloping along the main road towards Frostsky City.

The woman stood up and said, "I'm tired, put it away."

Without turning back, she entered the post station, red carpet underfoot, attendants following cautiously, such grandeur was rare in Frostsky.

——————

South of Frostsky City, by the Luo River, atop the high walls, the wind blew gently, overlooking the vast plains stretching far and wide.

The grass bent under the wind, the flowers lost their fragrance to it, blowing from outside the city to within.

And on this high wall stood two people, a man and a woman.

The man had his hair tied high, dressed in white like a painting, a fan fluttering, his face handsome, his smile like a spring breeze, making one blush.

The woman wore red, her black hair cascading like a waterfall, carrying a long sword, stunningly beautiful, her eyes quietly filled with sorrow.

At first glance, they seemed a perfect match.

But upon closer look, it was an illusion, making one sigh and lament, what a pity.

"Miss Lin, we've come this far, shouldn't you say something?" Xu Qingzhou broke the silence first.

They had walked in silence, from empty alleys to long streets, and now atop the city wall, Lin Shuang'er hadn't spoken a word, leaving him puzzled.

He thought to himself, am I just following you for nothing?

"Mister, how long have you been in Frostsky?" Lin Shuang'er asked, answering a question with a question.

Xu Qingzhou raised his eyebrows, pointing to a locust tree outside the city.

"Miss Lin, do you see that locust tree?"

"Yes—"

"When I arrived, I picked the last locust leaf."

Lin Shuang'er thought for a moment, "You came in late autumn, and now it's deep spring. Though you've only been here half a year, you've witnessed three seasons of Frostsky's scenery."

"Indeed," Xu Qingzhou raised an eyebrow, not disputing.

"So, Mister, do you find Frostsky City's scenery beautiful?"

"Autumn is too cool, winter too cold, spring too short, it's average, I suppose summer will be the same, but—"

He paused slightly, then smiled knowingly and continued, "The young ladies of Frostsky are much more beautiful than those from where I came, I quite like it."

Hearing this, Lin Shuang'er's melancholy eyes brightened slightly, with a faint smile.

"Mister, you really are—"

"What?"

"Truly unconventional, unique," she seemed unsure how to describe or praise him, so she casually picked a couple of words to respond.

"Hahaha," Xu Qingzhou laughed heartily, "Living should be about following one's heart, liking what you like, enjoying what you enjoy. I just like looking at beautiful young ladies, just looking, nothing to hide or be ashamed of."

"A beauty that makes me forget to eat."

Lin Shuang'er was momentarily stunned, yes, one should follow their heart, why be bound by worldly rules?

Do what you like, avoid what you don't.

Say what you want, remain silent if you don't.

Just like Mister Forgetting Worries before her, he liked looking at beautiful young ladies, so he relieved their worries, at least that's what she thought at the moment.

She smiled lightly, looking at Xu Qingzhou, and impulsively asked, "Then, Mister, who do you think is the most beautiful young lady in Frostsky City?"

Xu Qingzhou thought for a moment, furrowing his brows, "Every young lady in the world has her own beauty, her own charm, incomparable, not to be compared."

"Some beauties are visible."

"Like Miss Lin, upon closer look, everyone praises your willow-like waist."

Being praised is always a delightful thing, especially for a young lady being called beautiful, more so when the one praising is a charming young man, and even more so when the words of praise are so elegant.

Even though Lin Shuang'er was different from ordinary young ladies, she couldn't help but laugh lightly, her eyes like the moon.

"Mister says I'm beautiful, I say Mister—flattering."

Then she asked, "And the other kind?"

"The other kind is invisible, perhaps a kind heart, its demeanor gentle, heart like a knot."

"Or skillful hands, delicate and nimble, weaving colorful threads."

"But these two require careful observation and appreciation, the mundane world doesn't understand, doesn't notice, doesn't appreciate, it's dull."

Xu Qingzhou's words touched Lin Shuang'er, her eyes flickering, and after a long while, she said:

"Does Mister truly think so?"

"Naturally," Xu Qingzhou replied without hesitation.

"So, Mister finds all the young ladies of the world beautiful, and likes them all?"

Xu Qingzhou replied firmly, "As long as they are not greatly evil or treacherous, I like them all."

Lin Shuang'er fell silent, her long lashes brushing over her dark eyes.

"Mister is truly a unique person, to like so many people, but isn't one supposed to be devoted to one person in life? Can Mister truly be happy this way?"

She didn't understand, nor could she fathom, Xu Qingzhou before her was becoming more mysterious, elusive.

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Xu Qingzhou naturally understood what Lin Shuang'er was getting at, and immediately replied:

"Miss Lin, perhaps you misunderstood my words?"

"Oh—how so?"

"I only said I like the young ladies of the world, but I didn't say I would love them all."

Lin Shuang'er shook her head in confusion, "Is there a difference between liking and loving? I don't understand."

Xu Qingzhou suddenly became serious and said:

"Of course there's a difference, a vast one, like night and day. Liking is just a feeling, like you might like flowers, grass, or the sycamore tree."

"You might like the wind, the moon, or the stars."

"That's liking, one can like many things, naturally, one can like many people too."

"For instance, I like Miss Wang, she cooks well, I like Wuyou, she's obedient, and I like Miss Lin, because you're beautiful, pleasing to the eye—"

"But love is different, love is an emotion, it can sway your moods, make you hurt, make you laugh, make you cry, make you worry, like the weather, the seasons, the phases of the moon, love has its joys and sorrows, yet even so, one willingly embraces it, that's love—indescribable, inexplicable, entangled and messy..."

Lin Shuang'er's world seemed to open a window, she understood Xu Qingzhou's meaning at that moment.

"It seems I was shallow, misunderstood Mister."

Xu Qingzhou waved his hand, "No worries, no worries, let's not talk about this. Miss Lin, what did you want to say to me? If not, I'll be leaving, though Miss Lin is a feast for the eyes, she can't fill the stomach."