“Don’t worry,” I reassured her: “My husband has always been patient with beautiful women, let alone Su Hui, such an extraordinary beauty?”
The man and woman under the willow tree were close yet distant. The man lowered his eyes, gazing intently, his profile like a painting; the woman shyly held her sleeve, hesitating to speak – this scene struck my heart in an instant.
The remaining part was quickly completed as if divinely inspired. I raised the drawing board and compared it with the actual scene, feeling very satisfied.
“Que’er, should we call this ‘Appointment by the Willow’ or ‘Passion Uncontrollable’?” I turned my head, seeking her opinion.
Que’er pondered for a moment. “How about ‘Twilight of Two Beauties’?”
I found it brilliant. It both highlighted the artistic conception and invited imagination.
“If the master knew that you, madam, are the one who secretly paints his rendezvous with that Yuanxiao Thirteen something gentleman…” Que’er shook her head: “I can’t imagine how angry he’d be.”
“Yuanxiao Thirteenth Gentleman,” I completed her sentence. “If I hadn’t painted so wonderfully, how could he have become the most charming man in Yanfeng City?”
Que’er looked somewhat skeptical, leaning over to look at the portrait. “Madam, I remember the master didn’t have a mole on his forehead…”
“This is called creative imagination within reasonable limits,” I packed up the drawing board, brushes, and ink, stretched, and sneezed again. “Let’s go home.”
Que’er glanced at the willow tree, then looked at me hesitantly. I knew what she wanted to say, rubbed my still-itchy nose, and stuffed the drawing board tools into her hands. “Same as always, seven parts for me, three for you.”
Que’er immediately became happy, her previous doubts forgotten.
I chuckled, covered my nose with a handkerchief, and slowly walked towards the An residence along the street where willow flowers drifted.
The man on the willow bank was my husband An Jin, twenty-two years old, a promising official in the Ministry of Personnel. Rumors described him as handsome, gentle, elegant, romantic, deeply understanding women’s hearts – the most watched young gentleman in Yanfeng, and the ideal lover in the eyes of Qi Kingdom women.
My childhood sweetheart.
