The moonlight was faint.
But the lights inside Jishi Hall were on.
In the past, when An Jing returned from his evening house calls, the lights here were always out, but now things were different.
An Jing changed his clothes, holding the sugar-coated haws he had just bought, and stepped inside.
At that moment, a fluffy black ball rolled to his feet.
"Where did this come from?"
Looking at the little dog at his feet, An Jing couldn't help but ask.
"Master, you're back from your house call."
Tan Yun came over, holding a pestle, and excitedly said, "Miss and I found it on our way back. I felt sorry for it, so I brought it home."
An Jing nodded, gently stroked the little dog's fur, and smiled, "Keeping a dog is good—it can guard the house."
"By the way, does it have a name yet?"
The black puppy licked An Jing's fingers and rolled on the ground incessantly.
"Let me think."
Tan Yun waved the pestle and said, "Let's call it Xiao Hei. Simple and straightforward, and it suits him."
"No, that's not elegant enough." An Jing shook his head.
Every dog now is called Xiao Hei or Xiao Bai; can't we pick something different?
Tan Yun pouted and said, "Then how about Hei Zai? Isn't that more elegant?"
Isn't that more elegant?
An Jing was stunned for a moment, "It's elegant enough, but I think it's not striking."
"Master, you're really picky!"
Tan Yun's eyes suddenly lit up, and she said, "Then, how about calling it Xiao Hei Zai? Both elegant and striking."
An Jing: "....."
In the end, the name Xiao Hei Zai was settled. An Jing looked at Xiao Hei Zai being 'toyed with' by Tan Yun and quietly walked toward the inner hall.
Inside the hall, the lights flickered.
The room was meticulously cleaned and organized, and there were two chrysanthemums placed on the desk.
The so-called chrysanthemums were actually sunflowers; it was the sunflower season, and Zhao Qingmei was particularly fond of them, so she placed two in the room.
At this moment, Zhao Qingmei was sitting by the desk, with a book in front of her.
"Husband, you're back."
Hearing the door open, Zhao Qingmei came to her senses and smiled, "Did you eat dinner? I can make you some noodles."
"No need, I ate on my way back."
An Jing chuckled and brought out the sugar-coated haws from behind his back, "Look what I brought."
Zhao Qingmei seemed especially fond of sugar-coated haws, enjoying their sweet and sour taste.
"Husband, you're so good."
Zhao Qingmei happily took the sugar-coated haws.
"Wife, are you learning new tricks?"
An Jing walked over to the desk, picked up the book, and his heart skipped a beat.
Ever since Zhao Qingmei had performed magic tricks for him, he had fallen in love with them.
"You naughty!"
Zhao Qingmei's eyes twinkled, her cheeks flushed, "This is 'Youyang Zazu,' which records various strange tales. I've been enjoying it lately, especially the one about a unique bird."
"What bird?"
"A footless bird."
"A footless bird?"
"Yes, a bird without feet, only wings, that flies all its life and lands only once—when it dies. I think it went nowhere; it was dead from the start."
Zhao Qingmei's fingers rested on the book cover, a gentle smile on her lips.
It lands only once in its lifetime, when it dies....
Looking at the somewhat melancholic and gentle woman before him, An Jing's heart rippled with emotion.
At this moment, Zhao Qingmei walked to the window and gently propped it open, letting the moonlight pour in like water.
Seeing the full moon hanging high in the sky, with countless stars scattered across the sky, An Jing couldn't help but say, "Qingmei, shall we enjoy the moon together?"
"Sure."
In Jiangnan Dao, due to the humid climate, it often rained, so houses had protruding, steep eaves.
An Jing fetched a ladder from the yard.
"I'll hold it; you climb up first."
Zhao Qingmei carefully climbed the ladder and onto the roof, followed by An Jing.
A crescent moon hung in the ink-blue sky, casting a clear light on the earth.
The evening breeze was gentle, carrying a touch of warmth.
Under the moonlight, Tan Yun also sat on the steps, constantly stroking the little black puppy.
The little black puppy lay on the ground, seemingly resigned to its fate, allowing Tan Yun to tease it.
"Xiao Hei Zai, shall we enjoy the moon too?" Tan Yun said sourly, then looked up at the full moon in the sky.
"Woof woof!"
Hearing this, Xiao Hei Zai protested with two barks.
"In about five or six months, it will be winter, and you'll be grown up. Miss said she's going to make something nourishing for Master."
Tan Yun placed Xiao Hei Zai on her lap and chuckled, "You're so cute now. You'll be delicious then."
"Woof woof! Woof woof!"
Hearing this, Xiao Hei Zai's fur stood on end, nervously jumping up and barking at Tan Yun, looking adorably fierce.
......
"Tonight's moon is so beautiful," Zhao Qingmei said, sitting on the roof, letting the cool breeze brush her delicate face, her soft hair fluttering in the wind.
"Yes, and the breeze is gentle too." An Jing chuckled and stretched lazily.
The moonlight was beautiful, and the breeze was gentle.
Some people seem to fit together naturally. You say the moon is beautiful, and they will reply that the breeze is gentle.
With the vast Star River subtly adorning the twilight, the evening's deep hues encapsulated the crescent moon of midsummer.
Indeed, it was beautiful and gentle.
"Be careful."
Looking at An Jing, Zhao Qingmei couldn't help but think internally: He is just an ordinary doctor, not strong enough to fight the dangers of the Jianghu. No matter how perilous the future, I must protect him.
"Don't worry. With my skills, I can walk on rooftops as easily as on the city walls," An Jing said with a laugh.
"Nonsense! If you fall from the city wall, you'll be a mess. Who do you think you are?"
Zhao Qingmei gently pinched An Jing's arm and then instinctively sighed, "It's been years since we last enjoyed the moon like this."
"What?"
An Jing was puzzled.
Had they ever enjoyed the moon like this before?
"I mean, I've wanted to enjoy the moon with you like this for a long time," Zhao Qingmei blushed and took out the sugar-coated haws, "If we don't eat these now, the sugar coating will melt."
As she spoke, Zhao Qingmei stuck out her pink tongue and licked the sugar coating on the haws.
Almost let it slip... Zhao Qingmei's face turned a bit red, and her heartbeat quickened.
Looking at her delicate and shy face, An Jing couldn't help but gently pinch Zhao Qingmei's soft hand, silently vowing to protect his wife and keep her away from the Jianghu's disputes.
"Qingmei."
"What?"
"I want to eat the sugar-coated haws too."
"Then I'll feed you."
"How will you feed me? Uh... It's so sour; you ate all the sugar coating."
"Hehe."
....
Under the moonlight, a series of giggles echoed.