When Qianye first entered Blissful Retreat, the sight of pear blossoms overwhelmed her, like an eternal snowfa…
When Qianye first entered Blissful Retreat, the sight of pear blossoms overwhelmed her, like an eternal snowfall that refused to melt.
Beautiful. Yet she hated pear blossoms the most.
She'd heard the Heaven's Pier owner planted them all.
This woman called it the Blissful Retreat for all these pear blossoms in Heaven's Pier.
What a ridiculous wish. What arrogance.
Amusing enough... to make her want to burn every last white petal along with that naive woman.
Yet when she finally faced Han Xiangxun, Qianye froze.
That face? Had she seen it before? Or was it simply familiar?
This woman just flicked a pebble at a young man's forehead from behind Qianye's back.
Without her noticing.
Against a swordsman this skilled and concealed, such hesitation could be fatal.
Qianye knew this for she'd clawed her way from piles of corpses.
Yet before this woman... she'd faltered like a novice.
The woman poured her wine, carrying a whisper of pear blossom scent."
They say this place is called 'Blissful Retreat', like the poem about mandarin ducks preferring love over immortality?"
"No," came the reply. "It's about mortal reunions making immortality worthless."
One played the fragile lone drinker, the other an unremarkable innkeeper, their exchange a dance of concealed truths.
Qianye suddenly realized: this woman was just like her.
Both hiding their pasts and their secrets, pretending to be someone else entirely.
Han Xiangxun's disguise might fool others, but Qianye saw through it instantly.
No reason. Just like an invisible thread pulling them together, they were destined to meet, to understand, to entangle.
Qianye looked down at the wine Han Xiangxun poured.
A strand of Han Xiangxun's hair had fallen between the cup and her hand, black, delicate, ready to vanish with a breath.
She studied it, then drank deeply.
She'd known many beautiful women, but this intoxication was new. Must be strong liquor.
What was this? Kindred spirits at first sight? Or something more?
It didn't matter. When she liked something... she destroyed it.
"Sister, won't you sit and drink with me?"
Qianye hated pear blossoms, hated this idyllic, worthless inn. Yet she'd stay awhile at Blissful Retreat.
After all... such wine wouldn't exist next year. Neither would this woman. What a shame.