Untouchable Lovers

Chapter 245: Chapter 223: Home is Where the Heart is Comfortable Chapter 245: Chapter 223: Home is Where the Heart is Comfortable Luoyang was a city brimming with history and cultural ambiance, having once flourished as the capital of the Han, Wei, and Western Jin Dynasties. It was once the gathering place for scholars from all over the world and had been the largest ancient capital in the world.

Chu Yu could be considered half a history novice; her understanding of Luoyang was mostly limited to its famous peonies, beyond which she had little recollection.

Choosing to settle here was Huan Yuan’s idea, as he harbored a nearly reverential attitude towards this city.

Arranged neatly were dozens of steles, each taller than a man. From afar, they assembled into a small forest of stone. Drawing closer, one could see the mottled traces on the steles.

These steles were carved with characters that had long since aged and suffered damage. Some inscriptions were blurred beyond clarity, and some steles still bore the scars of fire and stains of ink.

However, what Chu Yu felt was not decay but antiquity.

These steles, known as the Xiping Stone Classics, were erected during the Han Dynasty and boasted a history of two to three hundred years. It took seven years to carve the seven classics including “Zhou Yi,” “Chief of Staff,” “Lu Poetry,” “Ritual,” “Spring and Autumn Annals,” “Gongyang Chuan,” and “Analects of Confucius” in elegant official script onto forty-six stone slabs.

Having withstood wars and the relentless flow of time, as dynasties rose and fell, the great Han Dynasty had long been relegated to the dusty pages of history, yet these steles still stood firm in their place.

Facing these steles was a building named “Imperial College,” a higher education institution established during the Han Dynasty, equivalent to a university or graduate school. At its peak, the Imperial College housed over ten thousand students, who gathered from all across the country, and even people from the Western Regions came here to study.

Dressed in a white silk robe, adorned with floral cloud patterns on its wide sleeves and hem fluttering in the gentle spring breeze, the strikingly handsome young man resembled a graceful tree amid the ancient inscriptions, further enhancing his gentle, distinguished demeanor.

Chu Yu still remembered the first time she came to see these steles, accompanying Huan Yuan.

It was a snowy winter day back then. They had just settled in Luoyang, and soon after, Huan Yuan took her here. At that time, his gaze upon these steles was engrossed and passionate, as if he were looking at the most beautiful woman in the world.

However, this passion was perhaps a bit too prolonged. From last winter to this spring, Huan Yuan frequently rushed here, undeterred by the cold weather, often spending the whole day immersed, akin to a besotted youth guarding the woman he adored. Once, he even caught a cold from standing too long in the snow, ending up confined to bed for over ten days.

Chu Yu shrugged her shoulders and walked over to wake Huan Yuan. Though it was early spring, the chill was still biting, making it easy to fall ill during this time of fluctuating temperatures.

As frustrating as it was, she could understand Huan Yuan’s mindset; for scholars everywhere, Luoyang’s Imperial College was considered a sacred site. His desire to pay homage was only natural, much like her childhood dream of living next to Beijing University and Qinghua University.

But this time, before Chu Yu could call out to him, Huan Yuan heard her footsteps and came to his senses on his own. He turned his head towards her, his eyes warm and his lips curled into a smile, “Chu Yu, you’re here.” After these days, calling her by her name no longer felt awkward.

Chu Yu teased with a giggly smile, “It’s rare indeed, you decided to wake up?”

Huan Yuan’s face flushed slightly, and he cast his eyes down, speaking after a moment, “I was too wrapped up in it these past days; the thought of it fills me with remorse now.” Since his cold incident, he hadn’t been as fervent, but it wasn’t his own illness that truly cooled his ardor. It was when Chu Yu, who had come out to find him, caught a chill herself. Though it wasn’t as severe as his, it snapped him out of his near irrational fervor instantly.

There were other people by his side.

These stone tablets were just remnants of the past. Although they had once shone brilliantly, the past, after all, was the past and could only be sought in memories and reverence.

He was looking at these stone tablets now, and although his emotions still surged, he had already added a bit more reason and restraint compared to that day.

Huan Yuan gave a slight smile, reached out and touched the centuries-old stone tablet, and murmured softly, “I won’t come here anymore, rest assured.”

“Why?” This time, it was Chu Yu’s turn to be surprised. Seeing his fervent demeanor, it didn’t seem like he could let go so quickly. Moreover, besides eating and nourishing they had no serious business at present; strolling here daily seemed like a way to entertain themselves.

Huan Yuan smiled faintly, but his eyes were somewhat melancholic, “Because being here only adds to the sorrow.” The Imperial College of bygone years had scattered like clouds, and now one could only gaze at the stone tablets to reminisce about the faded glory, the spectacle of ten thousand students gathering, which could no longer be seen today. Then what was the purpose of his being here?

Seeing Huan Yuan’s expression, Chu Yu understood a bit. However, her interest in civilization and culture was really limited, and she didn’t know what to say at that moment. Without a word, she stepped forward, patted Huan Yuan’s shoulder, and smiled, “Alright, stop thinking about it, it’s useless to dwell on these things, which are beyond our ability to influence… Let’s go home.”

Huan Yuan’s eyes warmed slightly, “Alright, let’s go home.”

Although they had drifted from the Southern Dynasty to the Northern Dynasty, from one city to another, having people who care, a place where one can sleep peacefully, was indeed a home where they could settle down.

Walking side by side with Huan Yuan on the street, the spring breeze caressed their faces, so serene and gentle.

Everything in the Southern Dynasty, though only months past, seemed like a dream of a previous life. If she had known it would be so stable and comfortable, she would have left Jiankang earlier. Crossing the national boundaries from south to north, it felt as if she had traversed a lifetime, entering another world.

To be able to sleep soundly every day, without worrying about when one might be beheaded, and not having to think about the complex relationships between people, these lazy days were incomparably comfortable and leisurely.

Though sometimes Chu Yu would seriously reflect on whether it was right to keep living off dwindling resources, she quickly gave up thinking, wondering if life really needed to be meaningful. Anyway, for now, she should enjoy the rare peace.

When they returned to Chu Garden in the afternoon, they had only just stepped into the courtyard when they heard Liu Sang’s shouts, Chu Yu laughed, “Yesterday, Liu Sang and Amman said they were going to Baima Temple for fun, and I thought they wouldn’t return until the evening. I’m surprised they remembered to come home.”

Baima Temple was not close to where they lived, and even though they rode in a carriage, the round trip took quite some time. She hadn’t expected Liu Sang to come back so early considering the time, they must have only played for a while.

Passing through a gate, Chu Yu looked up in search, only to unexpectedly see someone who shouldn’t be here, and theoretically should have already been dead.

“Amitabha,” a clear Buddhist chant resounded.

Jiran, in simple monk’s robes with a spot of Zhu Sha vivid on his forehead, hands clasped and smiling serenely, said, “I hope the benefactor has been well.”