Time-Traveling Love

When Miss returned home, she seemed unhappy. Could it be that there was something outside that was more captivating for her? Cuilian, being simple-minded, couldn’t understand why Miss would want to leave home, especially since General Liu was an exemplary husband. Why would she not like him? “General Liu? Who is General Liu?” Xu Caitong asked Cuilian in astonishment, recalling that Xu Puran had also mentioned him in the hall earlier; she thought he was just an important figure to the Xu family. “He is the young master.” “Young master? Whose young master?” Xu Caitong stood up dismissively, her gaze falling on an exquisite yarn doll on the dressing table, which she picked up to play with. “Miss, have you forgotten who you are? The young master is your husband.” “Snap.” The yarn doll fell from Xu Caitong’s hands, and she exclaimed in shock, “My husband? He married me?” “Oh heavens, why has Miss become like this? Forgetting your own husband? He hasn’t married you yet; you’re to consummate the marriage next spring.” Cuilian came over to feel Xu Caitong’s forehead, touching her chest as she spoke. “Next spring? What time is it now? What month? How many months until the wedding?” Xu Caitong asked in surprise. She wasn’t Rainbow; how could she marry that general? “Miss, today is the twenty-ninth of March; there are ten months and two days until the wedding day.” Cuilian counted on her fingers. “No, no. I’m not your Miss, I’m not.” Xu Caitong shouted in panic. “Miss, what’s wrong with you? You, you, you are clearly our Miss, how can you say you’re not? Miss must have suffered greatly outside, so much that she can’t even recognize herself anymore.” “No, listen to me, I’m not Xu Rainbow, I’m really not.” Xu Caitong grabbed Cuilian by the shoulders, speaking earnestly, “I really am not; I also don’t know how I ended up here.” “Wah.” Cuilian suddenly burst into tears, “You clearly are Miss, you are!” “Cuilian.” Cuilian forcefully broke free from Xu Caitong’s grip, retreating with a look of panic while watching her. “Madam, Master, Miss has been possessed…” she called out while running out of the room. “What’s the panic about?” Just as Cuilian ran out into the back garden, Madam and Xu Zhizhou were approaching. Madam, heartbroken over her daughter, wanted to check on her. Xu Zhizhou, who adored his sister, had been distraught over her disappearance for months, sending people everywhere to look for her but to no avail. Now that his sister was back, beaten by their father, Xu Zhizhou was worried about her injuries and came with their mother to see her. Before even entering the garden, they heard Cuilian’s cries. Xu Zhizhou stopped Cuilian, who then recounted everything about Xu Caitong not admitting she was Miss Rainbow. Upon hearing this, Madam was heartbroken to tears, thinking her daughter had suffered so much outside that she forgot who she was. Xu Zhizhou and their mother rushed to the garden, only to see Rainbow swinging leisurely on a swing. Xu Caitong, seeing Madam and Xu Zhizhou, got off the swing. “Rainbow,” Madam asked with a trembling voice, “What did you encounter outside? Why have you forgotten who you are?” With a mother’s heart, how could Xu Caitong bear to go against her? She sighed inwardly; at this moment, not acknowledging her family would be impossible. That damn Rainbow, making everyone worry about her, she was too blessed for her own good. “Rainbow has made Mother and Brother worry, I deserve to die. Living in the wilderness, how could it compare to the warmth of home and the love of parents? Rainbow has been shameless and committed such an outrage, I hope Mother and Brother can forgive me.” Xu Caitong said with lowered brows, making Madam’s tears flow like a spring. “Did you have enough to eat and wear outside?” Madam asked with concern. “I… daughter… oh, I deserve death, please punish your daughter.” Caitong immediately knelt on the ground. Xu Caitong wished she could slap herself; she knew she was spouting nonsense, making Madam’s heart ache. Alas, the heart of a parent, losing a daughter and now finding solace in believing she was their daughter. This seemed to have no loss for Xu Caitong, so why not go along with it? Caitong was willing to play the part. “My dear, get up quickly. What hardship have you endured? Tell your mother. Why did you leave home? How could I punish you? As long as you’re safe, as long as you’re happy.” Madam pulled Caitong up, wiping away her tears. Madam held Caitong’s hand, looking her over as if trying to discern what she had suffered outside. Xu Caitong hung her head, pondering how to answer Madam’s questions. Cuilian bowed to Madam and, upon receiving instructions, left the garden. Xu Caitong thought to herself, this Xu Caitong was too ungrateful, why leave such a good home? But then, why did Xu Caitong disappear? Was she running away from an arranged marriage? “Mother, I have a request, I wonder if you could agree?” Xu Caitong asked. “Just say it, my daughter.” “Mother, Rainbow doesn’t want to get married; I only wish to stay by your side for life.” “Child, marriage is a part of life. With your filial piety, it’s enough. How can you not marry? Xu family girls are not unwanted. You are already engaged to General Liu, talking about breaking off the engagement is out of the question; it would be a disgrace to the Xu family. What kind of person is General Liu? Your match is perfect; what more could you want?” “Mother, I do not wish to marry.” Xu Caitong thought, as long as she doesn’t have to marry that General Liu, why not be Xu Rainbow? Returning to the 21st century seemed like a dream, but if she had to marry, no, she couldn’t. “Sister, this is absolutely unacceptable. Father has already worried himself sick over your disappearance. This match is one in a million; don’t you understand? Breaking off the engagement is not something to be mentioned.” Xu Zhizhou was shocked to hear his sister wanted to break off the engagement. Such a good match, why wouldn’t she want it? “Sister, why do you want to break off the engagement? Is there someone else you love?” Xu Zhizhou’s words made Madam’s eyes widen; she never thought her daughter, confined to the inner quarters, would refuse marriage because of a lover. “My dear, do you want to drive your parents to their graves?” Madam exclaimed in frustration. “Mother, don’t listen to his nonsense, Rainbow has no lover.” Xu Caitong glared at Xu Zhizhou, thinking, if you’re not going to help me, why make things worse? I’m not really your sister, can’t you see I’m not her? “Is it true?” Madam pressed. “It’s true.” Xu Caitong bowed her head in response, her heart filled with regret. Was she really supposed to marry him? A man she had never met. It was terrifying to think she knew nothing about him and was expected to marry him. How could this be? The thought sent a shiver down her spine. The lady of the house sighed in relief, “Ah,” she exhaled, seeing Caitong’s pale face and trembling body. She became worried again. “Is there something wrong with your health, daughter?” She reached out to touch Caitong’s forehead and embraced her. “No, I’m not unwell,” Xu Caitong replied dully, her heart still heavy with regret. Why did she have to end up on the moon and then travel back to this era of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms? It seemed like she was not in control, as if some mysterious force had brought her to this unbelievable time. What should she do now? “Are you unhappy, daughter?” the lady asked again. “I just don’t want to marry,” Xu Caitong said. “Ah,” the lady sighed again, “Daughter, a woman’s duty is to marry and raise children. You’ve always been smart and clever, why don’t you understand this?” “To marry a man I’ve never even seen? That shouldn’t be the way. Women have their own rights and reasons for living. How many women’s happiness has been ruined by arranged marriages? Do you understand free love? Free love is when a man and a woman meet, develop feelings, admire each other, fall in love, and are willing to do anything for each other before they marry and have children. Do you understand?” Xu Caitong said passionately. The lady and Xu Zhizhou stared at Xu Caitong, dumbfounded. Free love? What was free love? A man and a woman falling in love and then marrying? Such unorthodox talk from a young lady of a noble family? She must be possessed. After her outburst, Xu Caitong saw the stunned expressions of the lady and Xu Zhizhou and realized she had spoken out of turn. How could she expect them to understand her words? Their era, their education, was steeped in the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues; how could they grasp the concept of free love? “Damn it,” Xu Caitong felt like slapping herself. She covered her mouth, staring at the lady and Xu Zhizhou. For a moment, no one spoke, their eyes locked in mutual astonishment. “Mother,” Xu Caitong said with resolve, “I’m not talking nonsense. During the time I was away, I went to the 21st century. There, people practice free love, without arranged marriages.” After hearing this, the lady and Xu Zhizhou’s eyes widened even more. “Sister, what is the 21st century? Where is it? Are the people there really so happy? I want to see it for myself,” Xu Zhizhou exclaimed after a moment of silence. “The 21st century isn’t a place,” Xu Caitong was now the one staring in disbelief, “It’s a time, the future, a world a thousand years from now.” “What are you talking about? Do you know what you’re saying?” Xu Zhizhou’s face turned grim; he couldn’t believe her words. A thousand years from now? Was she dreaming? “Sister, are you playing a trick on your brother? We’ve always been close; why do this?” Xu Caitong was at a loss for words. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. “I was just joking, Mother, Brother, I fooled you both.” Xu Caitong lied, not wanting to complicate matters further. If they couldn’t believe her, so be it; she didn’t want to give them more reasons to talk about her. “What do you mean by that? Humph,” Xu Zhizhou rose, feigning anger, “You even try to trick your brother, have you had enough fun?” “I’m fine, really. Brother, aren’t you being too petty for a grown man?” Xu Zhizhou, standing under a cherry tree, turned to glare at Xu Caitong. After that incident, Xu Caitong never mentioned being from the 21st century again; she knew no explanation would suffice for them to believe she was lost in the time tunnel, ending up in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms over a thousand years ago. Xu Caitong lived a simple, affluent life in Xu Family Village, a prominent household near the Moon River, known for purchasing silkworm cocoons to weave silk exclusively for the imperial palace. Xu Caitong had never visited the weaving workshop, and despite her pestering, Xu Zhizhou refused to take her there. “Women cannot step into the weaving workshop; it would bring bad luck,” he said. “You’re lying, I don’t believe it.” “Believe it or not, it’s the rule set by our ancestors, and no one can break it,” Xu Zhizhou proudly declared. “Humph,” Xu Caitong glared at him, nearly starting an argument. The Xu family estate was vast, with over a hundred servants, and its gardens, artificial mountains, lakes, pavilions, and towers were as picturesque as paintings. Accompanied by Cui Lian, it took Xu Caitong several days to explore the entire estate. In the secluded back garden, Xu Caitong would sit on a swing every night when the moonlight was at its brightest, staring at the cold moon, feeling like a bird in a cage. Now, she truly understood the lack of freedom and happiness for women in ancient times. “Miss,” Cui Lian called out, waking Xu Caitong from her moon-gazing. Whenever Xu Caitong looked at the moon, Cui Lian would bring out sweets to the garden. She didn’t understand why the miss always loved looking at the moon, though its beauty was undeniable. However, the miss’s expression was not one of admiration but of deep concern. “Hmm?” Xu Caitong turned her gaze from the moon to Cui Lian, looking at her with questioning eyes. “Why has the miss been so fond of moon-gazing since returning home? Before, you loved it, but not like this, every night. Cui Lian is dumb, so she asks.” “Ah,” Xu Caitong sighed deeply, “Because the miss once went to the moon.” “Miss, you’re talking nonsense again,” Cui Lian said, alarmed. “Why would you think I’m talking nonsense?” Xu Caitong frowned. “Cui Lian, how old are you, and how long have you been serving at the Xu residence?” “Cui Lian is thirteen this year, miss. Have you forgotten? I started serving you when I was ten. Why are you different since you came back?” “You still don’t believe me, do you? I really did run to the moon, from the moon to the edge of the Moon River, and then you all thought I was Miss Rainbow.” “We didn’t just think, you are indeed the young miss of our household.” Cuilian said, not quite understanding Xu Caitong’s words. “If I told you I’m really not your young miss, if I said I came from the moon to this era, would you really not believe it at all? Can’t you accept my words?” Xu Caitong approached Cuilian, staring into her face as she asked. “Cuilian is dim-witted, not understanding what the young miss is talking about.” Cuilian shook her head. “Can’t you just believe what I say for once? Do you think I’m not in my right mind? Do I look like I’m not in my right mind?” Xu Caitong became anxious, shaking Cuilian’s arm. “Oh, Cuilian, I really haven’t deceived you, why does no one believe me? But I guess it’s understandable, you can’t even imagine such things, so you wouldn’t believe them.” “Yes, young miss.” “You should believe me, I really went to the moon, otherwise why would I always stare at the moon, acting crazy? Even if the moon is beautiful, there’s no need to admire it every day, right?” “Yes, young miss.” “You still don’t believe me?” “No, no, no… young miss, Cuilian believes you.” “Alright, I guess it’s hard for you to understand this all at once. Let me tell you slowly.” Cuilian was a loyal and kind-hearted maid; in her heart, there was only the duty of serving the young miss well. Xu Caitong didn’t dare to force her belief further. After all, how could this young girl accept such things? Xu Caitong slowly befriended her, talking about the 21st century, explaining how people could travel in spaceships through the stars, exploring the mysterious universe… That night, with both mistress and maid having nothing to do, the boredom almost drove Xu Caitong insane. She didn’t want to look at the moon anymore; there was nothing interesting left to see, but they had to find something to pass the time. “Miss, why don’t we play a guessing game?” Cuilian suggested. “What kind of guessing game? What’s there to guess?” Xu Caitong asked impatiently. “Well, let’s guess…” “So boring, so utterly boring-” Xu Caitong buried her face in the pillow, shouting. “Miss, miss, what’s wrong with you? What’s wrong? Please don’t scare Cuilian.” Cuilian, not yet having thought of what to guess, thought the miss was ill, her face turning pale with fright. “Silly girl.” Xu Caitong scolded, then couldn’t help but laugh at Cuilian’s expression. “Cuilian is foolish.” Seeing that the miss was fine, Cuilian sighed in relief, standing pitifully by the bed with a pouted lip. “Ah, I can’t take this anymore.” “Miss, don’t be like this.” “Sigh, ancient women are truly pitiful.” “Miss…” “Sigh, truly pitiful; sigh, truly tragic; sigh, truly desolate. Sigh-sigh-sigh- she sighed in sorrow, spoke of tragedy, sighed dozens of times, until Cuilian had to cover her ears. “Miss, please stop sighing.” “Sigh, what else is there to do?” Xu Caitong sighed again, “Cuilian, let’s play hide and seek.” Ancient books say that young misses in large mansions often played hide and seek for fun, so she thought to give it a try. “No, no, miss, let’s not play hide and seek. The last time we played, you vanished. I won’t play this time; I’m afraid you’ll disappear again. The master and madam would sell Cuilian.” At the mention of hide and seek, Cuilian waved her hands and shook her head in panic. “You can disappear by playing hide and seek?” Xu Caitong asked, her beautiful eyes wide open. “Yes, don’t you remember, miss? Over there by the well, you ran there and vanished.” Is it that magical? Can such magical things happen? Xu Caitong jumped out of bed, dragging Cuilian to the garden. “Where’s the well? Where’s the well?” Xu Caitong looked around but saw no well. Behind the eastern flowers and bushes, there was only a wall with a locked door. “There’s no well in the garden?” “The master thought you fell into the well, sent people to check the dry well, but found nothing. He had the well sealed off and a wall built, forbidding us from going there anymore. Miss, were you kidnapped?” Xu Caitong shook her head. “Have you forgotten, miss? It’s fine, as long as we don’t play hide and seek, you won’t get lost. If you get lost again, the master and madam will sell Cuilian. Cuilian doesn’t want to leave you.” “Silly girl, don’t talk so much. Where is the key to this locked door?” “Miss, what are you planning to do? You’re not thinking of going there again, are you? The key is with the master!” Xu Caitong hadn’t expected the key to be with her father, meaning getting it wouldn’t be easy. She wanted to check if there was some kind of time-space connection at that place, which might explain why Xu Caihong had disappeared. Xu Caitong stood in front of the door, her brows tightly furrowed. How could she unlock this door? “Miss, let’s go back to the room; it’s getting late, and the night air is cold.” Cuilian tugged at Xu Caitong’s sleeve. “Cuilian, can you get me a piece of wire?” “Wire? Now? What do you need wire for?” “Cuilian, do you like butterflies? I can make you one with the wire.” “Really?” Excited at the thought of Xu Caitong making a butterfly with wire, Cuilian ran out to find some. The moonlight was enchanting, and as the night deepened, the moon grew colder. Xu Caitong, unable to sleep, got up, draped a coat over herself, and quietly opened the door, not wanting to wake Cuilian sleeping next to her. She walked into the garden, where the moonlight was bright. Approaching the wall, she took out the wire Cuilian had found, inserted it into the lock, and with a few gentle turns, the lock clicked open. “Squeak,” she pushed the door open. Under the moonlight, Xu Caitong saw a raised well platform not far away. She walked to the edge of where Xu Caihong had supposedly disappeared. The well had been filled in, wild grass grew everywhere, making this corner of the back garden look desolate. “So desolate, just a wall away, yet so different.” Standing by the well, Xu Caitong found nothing suspicious. Xu Caihong disappeared here, but there was nothing unusual about this place. A person could vanish without a trace either by being killed or through some underground passage. However, there was no sign of the secret passage Xu Caitong expected, not even a loose clod of earth. She carefully examined the ground, stepping and pressing, but found no issues. “Is Cuilian lying? Did she murder her own mistress? Or did she collude with outsiders to kidnap the miss?” Xu Caitong looked at the high wall surrounding the place, which was about a zhang tall. It seemed not easy to abduct someone over such a wall. “But if she was the one who abducted and kidnapped, there would be no reason not to blackmail the master.” Xu Caitong circled the well platform, feeling tired, she sat down on it to rest for a moment. Suddenly, a beam of moonlight poured down around the well, casting silver chains all over the ground. The intense light made Xu Caitong unable to open her eyes. “Is the space-time continuum twisting again?” Xu Caitong jumped up in excitement, thinking she could return to the 21st century. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she slowly opened them to see a staircase bathed in moonlight, leading to a small building. She hadn’t noticed this building before, perhaps because the night was too dark. Xu Caitong stood up abruptly, intending to explore the small building. Under the moonlight, the building seemed to glisten with a golden light, radiating from all directions. Xu Caitong climbed the stairs and entered the building, where she saw a semicircular arched doorway with the words “Mirror Flower Garden” inscribed above it. Mirror Flower Garden? Xu Caitong thought, the name sounded like something from an ancient novel. What was this Mirror Flower Garden? She walked in to find a garden inside. The garden was full of blooming flowers, their fragrance filling the air. Xu Caitong, thrilled, ran into the flower bed. “Wow, this isn’t a place that could exist in the human world, it’s a fairyland, a place for gods.” “You’re here?” A woman of majestic beauty walked slowly through the flowers. “Who are you? The Moon Fairy?” Xu Caitong asked in surprise amidst the flowers. “I am the Flower Fairy, an attendant to Lady Nüwa,” the woman smiled. “Flower Fairy? An immortal who specializes in managing flowers and plants, is that really true?” Xu Caitong asked in astonishment. “You can choose not to believe, but you cannot deny it, like yourself…” “Me? You know who I am?” Xu Caitong laughed, thinking, could you know I’ve come from a future world a millennium away? “You are Xu Caihong,” the woman said. “No, you’re wrong,” Xu Caitong immediately denied. “You are Xu Caihong, and you are also Xu Caitong. You are Xu Caihong from another space-time a millennium later, and you are also Xu Caihong from a thousand years ago. Xu Caihong is you.” “What? How could I be her, and she be me?” Xu Caitong felt like she had been struck by lightning, puzzled. “People are ignorant, thinking they understand everything in the universe. It’s human ignorance that leads them to believe the universe has only one dimension. In reality, the universe is infinitely large with more than one dimension. Your arrival here through a twisted space-time is the best proof; everything is fate.” “No, that’s impossible, how can it be?” Xu Caitong struggled to say. “Come, look at this,” the woman waved her long sleeves, pointing with her hand, and a mirror-like object appeared before them, where figures moved in a trance. A baby was born, grew up, married, had children, grew old, and died. Her soul entered another space, stayed briefly, and was reborn. Reincarnation? It seemed plausible. Her ability to enter another time-space and return to the past a thousand years ago was also a fact she couldn’t deny. Xu Caitong felt a mix of anxiety and suppression of panic. She was unwilling to admit it was true; she couldn’t accept it. “It’s fake, you’re deceiving me. If I am Xu Caihong, why did she go missing in the present world, and why did I come here from a thousand years later?” “In the world a millennium later, you’ve been listed as missing. There is only one Xu Caihong; you are her reincarnation in this world, thus, there’s only one Xu Caihong. Even with the memories from a thousand years later, you are still her, and she is still you. And in ancient times, when Pangu first split the heavens, you were Mo Xie’s woman, Purple Moon.” “Mo Xie? Who is Mo Xie?” Xu Caitong found the woman increasingly bizarre and asked with furrowed brows. “Your man, a man who loved you deeply.” “My man?” Xu Caitong thought this woman might be a bit mentally unstable and decided not to ask further, slowly backing away. Suddenly, a fragrant breeze blew over, carrying an intoxicating scent. The woman, along with the breeze, floated away from the flowers, her body shimmering with golden flakes, slowly disappearing into the wind. Xu Caitong, stunned, reached out to grab the woman, but she vanished completely. Xu Caitong opened her palm in disbelief, then stepped forward, only to step into nothingness. “Help!” Xu Caitong screamed as she fell to the ground with a “thud.” She got up to find she had fallen beside the well platform. Dusting herself off, she checked her limbs, relieved she wasn’t injured. “Miss, where have you been?” Cuilian, wiping tears from her eyes, approached from the door, having woken up from a dream to find the room empty. After searching the garden without finding her mistress, she had burst into tears in panic. “Miss, please go back to your room; I couldn’t bear losing you again.” Xu Caitong looked at the frightened Cuilian and then at the dark, seemingly empty spot where the pavilion had appeared, which now looked dark and eerie. “Cuilian, did you see it? The Mirror Flower Garden here?” “No, Miss, there’s no Mirror Flower Garden here. Please return to your room.” “None? How could that be? I was just there, talking to a beautiful woman.” Had she hallucinated or was she dreaming? Or was it a mirage? No, it couldn’t be a mirage. Xu Caitong quickly dismissed the thought. Mirages usually appeared in deserts or over the sea, or were caused by fatigue-induced hallucinations. “Where is it? Miss, please don’t scare me anymore, I can’t take it.” Cuilian wiped her tears. “None? How can that be?” The moon hid behind clouds, deepening the night, making the abandoned garden even more ominous. Xu Caitong felt a chill as she watched the wind-blown grass and trees. “Miss, it’s cold out here, let’s go back to rest,” Cuilian urged, seeing Xu Caitong shiver. Xu Caitong nodded, following Cuilian out of the abandoned garden, watching her lock the gate. For a moment, Xu Caitong’s mind was blank, thinking of nothing. Back in her room, served by Cuilian, Xu Caitong lay in bed, staring at the hazy ceiling. The woman’s words kept replaying in her mind: Xu Caihong, Xu Caitong, Purple Moon, they were all the same person. Title: Mo Xie’s Woman – Zi Yue, a Beautiful Name