Chapter 2

Chapter 2

On the very night I moved in, I discovered that the Yan Residence was not just crowded-it was packed to the rafters.

Three courtyards front to back, nine concubines filling every available space. Wherever I went, I was told there was no room. The only person to extend an olive branch was Yan Luoxi, who occupied the main courtyard all by himself.

When he saw me lingering in the snow with my bedding in my arms, he smiled faintly and parted his lips. “If you don’t mind, Sister…”

“I mind.”

“All right.”

Fortunately, he still had a shred of humanity left. He led me through the enormous Yan Residence to look for an empty room.

Soon, we arrived at the first one.

It sat in the northwest corner of the Yan Residence, facing a dry well. The air around it was cold and gloomy, and the filthy blue bricks were plastered so densely with yellow talismans that their original color was almost impossible to make out.

Yan Luoxi explained in an unhurried tone, “When I rented this place, one of the former owner’s concubines had thrown herself into the well. That was why he let me rent it at a low price.”

Then he smiled at me. “Would you like to stay here, Sister?”

I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead.

“Ahem. Let’s look around a little more.”

Next, we came to the second room.

At first glance, it seemed decent enough. But when we circled around to the back, we found a wasteland of broken tiles, spiderwebs covering the walls, and more than half the building sunk into wild grass. When the door was opened, the dust on the floor was a finger thick.

I was still hesitating when Yan Luoxi suddenly pointed downward. “Hm? What’s slithering by your foot?”

Before I could lower my head, I already felt that cold, winding sensation against my skin. My head tilted to the side on the spot.

After that, Yan Luoxi supported half my body over his shoulder and carried me out of the courtyard. The cold wind blew over me, and I slowly came to. In an instant, tears streamed down my face.

“Brother-in-law, could you show me a house from the land of the living?”

Thankfully, there was still a third room.

There was running water before the courtyard, carp in the water, wide open windows, and elegant stands of bamboo. Inside, mats, bed, table, chairs, wardrobe, vanity box, and screen were all present and accounted for. In the center stood a bright golden brazier burning silver-thread charcoal, warming my frozen heart back to life in an instant.

Compared with the first two, this was truly the difference between heaven and earth.

When I looked up at the windowsill, I saw an exquisite plaque hanging above it, four vigorous characters practically leaping out at me.

“One Foot Galaxy.”

I was conquered on the spot.

Seeing me make my decision then and there, Yan Luoxi gracefully ordered the servants to make the bed, fold the quilts, sweep the room, and burn incense. In terms of sincerity, he had certainly given his full measure.

I looked around. Everything was perfect.

Only, something seemed to be missing.

Seeing me fall silent in thought, he turned his head and softly instructed a young servant, “Go to my room and bring some brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.”

At that, I cast him an approving look.

In the blink of an eye, night deepened.

I sat at the desk until I had used up an entire inkstick before finally setting down my brush. Then I stretched my arms, bent at the waist, and loosened my stiff limbs.

Twelve years ago, my parents died on the road to exile. I relied on my skill at copying books to barely support my two young sisters. It was also through writing day after day without pause that I managed to save up both their dowries. By now, it had long since become second nature.

At this hour, the night was quiet, the snow whispering softly. When I looked up again at that plaque, a feeling of lonely serenity rose within me.

After the heavy snow, wind and mist had cleared, and heaven and mountain seemed to share one color.

I pushed open the window, expecting to see a ground blanketed in snow. Unexpectedly, beyond it lay a clear pool.

At this moment, the vast night sky was reflected within that small square of the world, transparent and rippling, as if one could scoop up a handful of the sea of stars at any time and cradle it against the chest.

“One Foot Galaxy.” So that was what it meant.

Without realizing it, I had been gazing down for a long while. Then I saw the window of the room across the pool being propped open. Beneath it, someone sat in the starlight, also looking down at the water. His ink-black hair, smooth as satin, fell over both shoulders like the shimmering ripples on the surface of the pool. The cinnabar moles beneath his eyelids were symmetrically placed, so vivid they were like drops of heart’s blood, enough to make one’s soul tremble.

Drifting snow tapped lightly against the water. Across the three-foot pool, he had already glanced over at me, his red lips parting slightly.

“Sister, what a coincidence.”