For the next several days, Daizi left early and returned late, clearly dedicated to the opening of the cosmetics shop. His daily routine included working closely with Zhang Yao, and the neighbors couldn't help but notice how well they seemed to get along. They were often seen together, and the villagers began to think they made a good pair.
Indeed, though Daizi's appearance was initially startling, people gradually grew accustomed to it. After all, one's appearance was just a shell; what mattered was the person inside. Daizi, despite his quiet demeanor and speech impediment, was a kind-hearted and helpful young man who often assisted his neighbors. Over time, they all came to appreciate his good nature.
Seeing how well Daizi was integrating into the community, Yaoxi couldn't help but wonder if it was finally time for her to leave. But before she could go, there was one matter she needed to address. Holding the peachwood hairpin in her hand, Yaoxi felt a weight in her heart. How was she supposed to explain to Daizi that the masked woman he gave the hairpin to was actually her?
"Sigh," Yaoxi let out a long breath. If only she hadn't meddled on that day, things wouldn't be so complicated now.
Putting aside her worries for the moment, Yaoxi decided to visit the cosmetics shop. It was the grand opening today, and she wanted to join in the celebration. She even made a pot of chicken soup to treat Daizi as a reward for his hard work.
However, on her way there, an inexplicable sense of unease began to creep over her. Her eyelids twitched uncontrollably, filling her with a sudden dread. With time to spare, she stopped by a tavern and had a few drinks, hoping to calm her nerves. After an hour, she finally made her way to the shop.
The place was bustling with activity, with many young women inside, eagerly browsing the products. Zhang Yao was busy serving the customers, seemingly overwhelmed by the crowd. Yaoxi frowned, noticing that Daizi was nowhere to be seen.
Approaching Zhang Yao, she asked, "Where's Daizi?"
Zhang Yao looked up at her in surprise. "Sister Yaoxi, what are you doing here?"
"Why, is there a problem?" Yaoxi replied, confused.
"Sister Yaoxi, someone came by earlier to say your house was on fire. Daizi rushed back immediately," Zhang Yao explained, looking puzzled. "You didn't know?"
"On fire?" Yaoxi's eyes widened in shock. She suddenly remembered that she had left the chicken soup simmering on the stove before she left. "Oh no!" she exclaimed, realizing she had left the fire burning. But what concerned her even more was that she had left the peachwood hairpin in the house. The house could burn down—she could always buy another one—but that hairpin was irreplaceable and had to be returned to Daizi.
Leaving the pot of soup with Zhang Yao, Yaoxi hurried back to the house. When she arrived, her worst fears were confirmed—the house was engulfed in flames.
Yaoxi sighed, resigning herself to the loss of the peachwood hairpin. The fire was too intense to retrieve it. The neighbors were already working together to put out the fire, passing buckets of water back and forth. When they saw Yaoxi arrive, Aunt Zhang looked at her in disbelief.
"Yaoxi, weren't you inside?" Aunt Zhang asked, her voice filled with concern.
"Why would I be inside?" Yaoxi replied, finding the question almost amusing. "Where's Daizi? I don't see him anywhere."
Aunt Zhang's expression turned to one of panic. "Oh no! He thought you were inside, so he ran in to save you!"
"What?" Yaoxi's heart skipped a beat. Without a second thought, she dashed into the burning house.
Aunt Zhang tried to stop her, but it was too late. All she could do was watch helplessly, her hands wringing in despair.
Inside the inferno, Yaoxi searched frantically, coughing through the smoke and heat. Finally, she found Daizi in her room. Without hesitation, she lifted him and carried him out.
Once they were in a safe, open area, Yaoxi noticed something that stopped her in her tracks—Daizi was clutching the peachwood hairpin tightly in his hand.
A wave of mixed emotions washed over her as she realized what this meant. Her secret was out—Daizi knew.
As Daizi slowly regained consciousness, the first thing he heard was Yaoxi's scolding voice.
"You really are a fool! Haven't you been with me long enough to know what kind of person I am? Did you really think a little fire could kill me?" Yaoxi was truly angry, her voice trembling with frustration.
Despite her harsh words, Daizi managed a weak smile. "I'm… just a… fool… I didn't… think… just wanted… you safe…"
Seeing the relieved smile on his face, Yaoxi's emotions became even more tangled. She felt an unfamiliar ache in her heart, something that was hard to define.
"You really are a fool," she muttered, unable to express her true feelings.
Then, without a word, Daizi extended the peachwood hairpin toward her.
"Uh…" Yaoxi hesitated, her expression freezing.
"Listen, let me explain. Actually, that day, I…" Yaoxi began, but Daizi shook his head, cutting her off. His eyes were filled with determination as he said, "This… is for you."
"For me?" Yaoxi was taken aback. She understood the meaning behind Daizi's gaze.
"You know the person at the Peach Blossom Festival was me?" she asked, incredulous.
Daizi nodded silently.
"You know what it means to give someone a peachwood hairpin during the festival?" Yaoxi's tone grew serious. Since Daizi had made his intentions clear, she couldn't pretend to be unaware anymore.
In that moment, Yaoxi finally realized the truth—Daizi had feelings for her. Reflecting on everything, it all started to make sense. The person he had been talking about, the one he liked, was her all along.
For a while, Yaoxi didn't know what to say. But one thing was certain—now that she knew his feelings, she couldn't accept the hairpin under false pretenses.
With a heavy heart, Yaoxi sighed and said, "Daizi, I'm sorry, but I can't accept this."
Daizi had already braced himself for this response. Clenching his jaw, he gripped the hairpin tightly in his hand. But after a moment, he exhaled softly, as if all the fight had drained out of him. "Okay."
With that, a heavy silence fell between them, neither knowing what to say next. They stood there in awkward quiet until the firefighters arrived and began working on the blaze.
Soon after, Zhang Yao returned, having heard what had happened. She immediately rushed over to support Daizi, helping him stand while speaking to Yaoxi with genuine concern.
"Sister Yaoxi, you've done enough. Let me take care of Brother Daizi now. You should come rest at our place."
Without waiting for a reply, Zhang Yao led Daizi away, her arm around him protectively.
"Wait…" Yaoxi reached out, her hand suspended in the air as she watched them walk away. The sight of Daizi's despondent figure left her feeling unsettled, a strange heaviness pressing on her chest.
Finally, she pressed her hand to her heart, trying to calm the inexplicable tightness that had taken hold of her.
To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8