Early summer, idyllically beautiful.
The air was permeated with the faint scent of flowers, as if one could reach out and still grasp the retreating spring.
The curtains of the floor-to-ceiling windows fluttered in the wind, scattering dappled golden rays that slipped into the dark room and only added to the emptiness and chill instead of warming it.
From the floor, a painful murmur resonated, less saccharine than a delicate woman's whisper.
"Mother, be careful…."
On the large bed covered in black sheets and a brocade quilt, traces of the woman's restless tossing wrinkled the once smooth sheets. In her dream, her forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, and her long, white hand tightly clung to the quilt.
"Don't go...Mother…."
"Don't leave me…"
After an unknowable amount of time, the dream ended. The woman woke up, her ten fingers whitening from gripping the bed sheet, slowly opening her tightly shut eyes.
What kind of eyes are these, almost indescribable by words or brush strokes. Eyes containing countless stars, shimmering like the smooth surface of a lake, carrying confusion and an underlying, lingering sadness and melancholy, as if bearing witness to bone-chilling despair and the ravages of time.
The diffused light filtering through the curtains indicated to Jian Qing that it was already dawn. Her disheveled hair, damp with sweat, stuck to her glowing skin, framing her face with an air of decadent beauty.
Her right hand slowly lifted, covering her forehead. Through the gaps between her fingers, her eyes gazed hollowly at the ceiling, giving no hint of her thoughts.
A good while later, she sluggishly sat up, leaning against the bed, her gaze drifting to the floor-to-ceiling window across from her. Unconsciously, a gloss coated her eyes as a complex mix of emotions tossed incessantly within her chest.
Well, it was the same dream again!
This damned nightmare was as vivid as always...
Removing the quilt, Jian Qing climbed out of the bed, selected a casual outfit from the wardrobe, and with slow steps headed towards the bathroom.
In the misty bathroom mirror, the woman was slim and elegant. The skin as delicate as mutton-fat jade appeared extremely fragile under the bathroom's light. But what was more breathtaking was her extraordinary face. Under her flawless, radiant forehead, her brows needed no trimming, naturally and beautifully arched. Her long, mesmerizing eyes were half-closed, with perfectly curved and full eyelashes amplifying their allure. Her sable pupils were unfathomably deep, with a beauty mark below her right eye enhancing her mysterious charm.
To not mince words, her beauty was indeed a favor of God, intoxicating and inviting one to contemplate how radiant her smile must be.
Jian Qing looked at herself in the mirror, closed her eyes swiftly, then reopened them after a few seconds. The hurt and emptiness in her eyes were swept away; her eyes relaxed, and a subtle smile graced her rosy lips.
Indifferent, aloof, as if a mask was put on!
Quickly freshening up and changing into a black casual outfit, with damp, waist-length hair casually trailing down her back, Jian Qing leisurely walked out.
Halting in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, Jian Qing reached out for the curtain. The sound of the curtain being drawn was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.
As daylight flooded in, a torrent of soft golden rays instantly swept across the room, bringing with it light and warmth.
Jian Qing released the curtain, stepping out onto the balcony. Overlooking the numerous rosebushes filling her vision, the lingering scent of roses seemed to soothe her restless heart.
A vast sky overhead, hanging with clouds that never seemed to dissipate below it stretched out the massive Rose Manor. Countless rose bushes unfurled in a kaleidoscope of colors, their intoxicating fragrance enveloping the Manor, perhaps even wrapping up an unshakeable dream...
Well, the roses are blooming again, huh!
Mummy, you find them beautiful too, right?
A gentle breeze tousled her hair, her thoughts began to drift. The piercing collision noises, the eye-ravaging redness, the brittle voice of a dying woman, they all seemed to replay right before her eyes, as clear as day, as heartrendingly painful.
The faint sound of footsteps echoed from behind. Submerged in her thoughts, Jian Qing's eyes flickered, a gentle curve tugged at the corner of her lips. However, this smile carried a warmth that was not present earlier, with no trace of falsity.
An unexpected darkness before her eyes, she felt a warm hand. Without needing to guess, Jian Qing knew exactly who it was. A light laugh escaped her lips.
"Luoluo, why didn't you notify me earlier about your arrival?"