Extra 1 - Memories
The candle had long since burned out, and faint moonlight filtered into the quiet room. The tears clinging to those delicate lashes sparkled like crystals, as if they might fall with the slightest tremble.
Qin Yuxuan leaned in with a smile, his tongue gently gliding over the lashes, carefully licking them dry. The person in his arms stirred slightly, eyelids fluttering lazily but staying closed.
Out of tenderness, he stopped touching, not wanting to disturb the young man’s peaceful dreams.
The flowering season had not yet arrived, and the timing was all wrong. Yet, such a tender plant had somehow blossomed overnight—it must have taken a great deal of effort from this child.
He smiled faintly.
This little dummy had been so careful to hide his identity, not realizing that he had already been found out long ago.
⋅ ˚ ₊ ‧ ‧ ₊ ˚ ⋅
He had first noticed the frail, spindly plant shortly after arriving at the academy.
Despite its wispy appearance, it clung stubbornly to life. Maybe it only grew a few centimeters taller or sprouted a few more leaves over the months, but little by little, it began to resemble a peony.
Unknowingly, his gaze began to linger on it.
It wasn’t that he had a particular fondness for flowers—if that were the case, he would have already admired all the vibrant blooms in the city gardens.
But looking at this plant, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of attachment.
It reminded him of his younger self—stripped of his family’s protection yet persevering with unwavering resolve.
And so, without realizing it, he grew accustomed to tending to and chatting with it casually.
Thoughts and feelings he'd never revealed to others poured forth effortlessly before this plant, as natural as breathing.
Over time, he noticed with surprise that the peony began to change.
When he spoke to it, its leaves would sway gently; when he touched it, it would tremble faintly. It was very much like a shy, naive child.
Amused, he began to play along, treating it with even more care. Whenever others teased him about it and he would defend it, the little plant's delicate stem seemed to straighten a little with pride, filling him with tenderness.
When the storm hit, he saw the wind batter the small plant, snapping off its newly grown branches. His heart clenched, and without a word, he rushed home to fetch an umbrella, shielding the trembling plant from most of the rain.
"I’ve treated you well, haven’t I?"
He teased it with words often heard in bustling streets, only to see the little peony sway its branches as if it understood.
Could it really have gained sentience and become a spirit?
He laughed at his own whimsical imagination, but deep down, he couldn’t help but wonder.
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Flowers bloomed and withered; the moon waxed and waned.
For years, he had silently endured hardships, all for the sake of the fall examination. If he succeeded, he wouldn’t return.
This place wasn’t his hometown, and the only thing he would miss was his little peony.
At some point, the house had become much cleaner, though he hadn't paid much attention to it.
He tried to brew his family’s signature Drunken Spring Breeze wine, but while its appearance was perfect, it lacked the essence of the original. Disappointed, he let the plant taste a few drops, and its tender leaves seemed to blush.
That night felt especially serene.
A small figure in green robes kept his gaze fixed on the floor, not daring to look up. His clumsy lies were so transparent that even a storyteller would scoff, but Qin Yuxuan smiled and reached out, taking the trembling hand.
It wasn’t for the ethereal beauty of the young man, but for the subtle, lingering fragrance that seemed to emanate from his slender body.
Drunken Spring Breeze, intoxicating as the spring wind.
It was his family’s secret brew, and he had only ever shared it with one person.
⋅ ˚ ₊ ‧ ‧ ₊ ˚ ⋅
The young man in his arms suddenly snuggled closer, fingers curling around his sleeve, grasping it tightly before slipping back into a deep slumber.
He smiled, gently caressing the jade-like face, his gaze as tender and doting as ever.
He had once told him, "This is my peony." He had once told him, "You are my Xiao Ye."
In this world, what else or who else had ever been attached to his name?
The only one was this little fool, who remained oblivious.
Should he tell this silly little thing that he had seen through him from the very beginning?
The handsome man let out a soft laugh.
Forget it. He would wait until the day the little dummy was ready to tell him himself.
And on that day, he would make sure to properly punish him.
A breeze stirred the curtains, making them rustle softly. The sound was like the lingering notes of a stringed instrument, tugging at one's heartstrings.
Author's notes:
The answer... had actually been revealed in the final line of the last chapter~ ^^
Some readers had been worried that the ml didn’t appreciate mc enough, but in fact, it was actually the opposite. The little flower spirit had been cherished from the very beginning—he just didn’t know it, and neither did the readers. *smirks*
And so, Qin Yuxuan’s extra chapter comes to an end~