Chapter 610 - 495: A Mountain Full of Peach Blossoms

"Just a stroke of luck," Tushan Jing Ci replied softly, a gentle smile on her face.

Although Tushan Jing Ci appeared gentle and graceful, in truth, she didn’t spare these men a single glance.

"Hmph. It’s good that you all know how formidable our Jing Ci is."

Feng Shan said with a hint of pride, linking her arm with Tushan Jing Ci’s.

"Let’s go, Jing Ci. Let’s go sit in the pavilion. Everyone here today is one of us; we’ve all been classmates since we first entered Cold Mountain Academy. It’s rare for us to get together, so there’s no need to be so formal."

"I know everyone, so how could I be formal? And it’s true, it has been a long time since we’ve all gathered."

Tushan Jing Ci smiled and followed Feng Shan into the pavilion.

In truth, Tushan Jing Ci was rather displeased by the appearance of Chen Jue and the other men.

She had been expecting a spring outing just for the women, so having these men present made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

However, she didn’t let her feelings show, maintaining a polite and courteous facade.

’These gatherings don’t happen every day, anyway. I’ll just stay for a little while and then leave.’

Before long, pots of fine wine were placed on the stone table.

Yuan Xing and the others chatted about amusing things that had happened at Cold Mountain Academy recently and started playing a game of "pass the flower." For a time, the pavilion was filled with endless laughter, creating a lively atmosphere.

And during this gathering, many of the young women would, from time to time, steal glances at one of the men, their gazes hiding the secret feelings of a young girl’s heart.

The men’s gazes, however, were mostly fixed on Tushan Jing Ci.

They tried their best to show off in front of her, whether by discussing poetry and philosophy, displaying their talents, or feigning an air of nonchalant elegance. Each one of them hoped to win her favor.

But Tushan Jing Ci, for the most part, would only offer a faint smile and a polite word or two in response, paying them little mind.

Her gaze would occasionally drift past the crowd toward the world outside the pavilion, toward the distant bamboo forest.

’It’s lively here, but... he isn’t part of this liveliness.’

"Since this is a rare gathering for us, how can it be complete without some poetry?"

Gu Huien smiled, looked around at the crowd, and said in a clear voice.

"How about this? Each of us will compose a poem today, and afterward, we can compile them into an anthology. Years from now, we can look back on it and reminisce. It would surely be an elegant and wonderful affair. What does everyone think?"

"An excellent suggestion, Brother Gu!"

"I agree with Brother Gu’s idea as well!"

"Then let’s do as Brother Gu suggests."

"I’ve never seen Jing Ci compose a poem before. Today, I’ll finally get to witness her literary talent."

Once Gu Huien made his suggestion, everyone voiced their agreement, and the atmosphere in the pavilion grew even more enthusiastic.

"What do you think, Jing Ci?"

Feng Shan turned her head, looking at Tushan Jing Ci with eyes full of expectation.

’Of course I’m in favor of this idea,’ she thought, ’but I should ask what Jing Ci thinks first.’

"That’s fine." Tushan Jing Ci smiled faintly. Her tone was gentle; everyone’s spirits were high, and she didn’t want to be a wet blanket.

"Alright, then I’ll start us off to get the ball rolling."

A man named Yu Qiushui stood up. With one hand behind his back, he paced slowly in the pavilion, pondered for a moment, and then recited in a clear voice:

"The pavilion hides in the verdant spring mountains,Clouds float by a warm jade cup.The poem is complete, but who will echo it?The forest birds debate it among themselves."

The moment Yu Qiushui’s voice faded, the crowd was momentarily stunned, as if captivated by the poem’s imagery. Then, they quickly came to their senses and chimed in, "A fine poem!"

"A truly fine poem indeed!"

"Yu Qiushui’s poem really is quite good—what do you think, Jing Ci?"

Feng Shan asked, turning to Tushan Jing Ci.

But Tushan Jing Ci just smiled faintly and replied politely, "It is indeed quite good."

"Hahaha, I was just getting the ball rolling. A humble attempt, a humble attempt."

Having received praise from the crowd, and especially from Tushan Jing Ci, Yu Qiushui smiled and bowed, looking extremely pleased.

"Brother Yu, your literary talent is astonishing. I feel like an amateur trying to show off before a master."

After Yu Qiushui sat down, Chen Jue stood up, took a few paces, and slowly recited:

"A winding path of fragrant dust leads to the mountain pavilion,As a light mist, like gauze, veils the forest in spring.I wish to pick a wildflower, but my hand feels too heavy,Fearing I’ll startle the shy birds, who so often flee me.The wind carries the brook’s tune; I mistake it for speech,The clouds on the peak’s waist seem to mimic a frown.At dusk, I write a poem on the moss-covered stone,Its shades of ink, light and dark, like the scars my heart has known."

When Chen Jue finished reciting his poem, the faces of everyone present flickered with surprise.

Who among them didn’t know that Chen Jue was pursuing Tushan Jing Ci?

The poem he had just composed, while ostensibly about the scenery, was in fact filled with hidden affection between the lines—merely a roundabout way of expressing his admiration for Tushan Jing Ci.

Everyone’s gazes simultaneously turned to Tushan Jing Ci, wanting to see her reaction.

Yet Tushan Jing Ci’s expression remained calm, her features placid, as if she hadn’t understood a thing. Not a single ripple of emotion could be seen.

"A fine poem! Worthy of Brother Chen, who became a Virtuous Person! After a poem like that from Brother Chen, the rest of us won’t know what to write."

"Indeed, Brother Chen! With talent like yours, who among us would dare write a poem next and embarrass themselves?"

The others also chimed in with praise, all of them lauding Chen Jue’s exceptional literary skill.

But as for the hidden layer of affection within the poem, they all tactfully avoided mentioning it.

"Thank you all for your praise. Your own verses are sure to be much better than mine."

Chen Jue replied politely, but his gaze couldn’t help but drift toward Tushan Jing Ci.

Tushan Jing Ci simply lifted her teacup and took a gentle sip. A faint, almost imperceptible sorrow lingered in her beautiful eyes, her thoughts a mystery.

After Chen Jue had subtly expressed his admiration for Tushan Jing Ci through his poem, the other men present were naturally not to be outdone.

They too composed poems, revealing their feelings for Tushan Jing Ci either overtly or covertly.

But without exception, Tushan Jing Ci showed no particular reaction to any of their poems. At most, she would offer a polite compliment or two, and nothing more.

That faint sense of distance was like a thin veil of gauze, keeping everyone outside of her world.

"Jing Ci, it’s your turn, it’s your turn!"

When it was Tushan Jing Ci’s turn, a young woman named Wang Yan looked at her with eyes full of expectation. Her voice was tinged with excitement, clearly eager to see what kind of poem the newly-ranked Female Virtuous Person would compose.

Unable to refuse, Tushan Jing Ci picked up a brush and dipped it in ink.

She tilted her head slightly, her gaze traveling past the eaves of the pavilion to the distant mountain peaks, to the peach trees that still had yet to blossom.

In her beautiful, fox-like eyes, an indescribable sense of loss and melancholy quietly surfaced.

She thought of the person who was still in seclusion.

She remembered the words he once said.

She remembered their promise—a promise of spring, of mountainsides covered in peach blossoms.

A moment later, Tushan Jing Ci drew back her gaze and began to slowly set her ink-laden brush to paper.

But just as Tushan Jing Ci put down her brush, and as everyone was about to crowd around to see what she had written—

A warm spring breeze gently drifted through the pavilion.

The branches and leaves of the peach trees by the pavilion rustled as the spring breeze swept over them, as if whispering soft secrets.

"Jing Ci, everyone, look! The peach trees!"

Shi Yang cried out in surprise, pointing at the peach trees beside the pavilion.

Everyone followed her gaze.

They saw that on the back of Shallow Study Peak, the peach grove—which had not bloomed a single flower in three years—was now, after that gust of spring wind, suddenly covered in tender flower buds. Densely packed and poised to open, they made the entire mountainside look as if it had donned a pale pink skirt, elegant and beautiful.

「At the same time.」

Outside the bamboo courtyard at the foot of Shallow Study Peak.

Xian Xichun, who was sitting outside the courtyard reading a book, looked up as if he had sensed something and gazed into the bamboo courtyard.

"Hm?"

He set down the scroll in his hand, a flicker of surprise crossing his features, which was then slowly replaced by a smile spreading across his lips.

"Not a day more, not a day less. Exactly three years..."