Chapter 96: The Faint Light Rising from the Heart Will Shine Where It Is Needed
There was a tight feeling in her chest, as if a ball of cotton was stuck there. It didn’t hurt, but it made her breathing feel heavy for no clear reason.
Like a fire in winter melting away the cold in her body, Peiya lifted her head and saw the old woman gently taking care of the flowers.
The seeds in her pocket made a soft rustling sound. Peiya came back to her senses, but by then, the old woman had already walked away.
But there was still something she wanted to ask.
For example, how to grow the flowers. Her instincts as a scholar told her that Xiangfran might not be grown the same way as ordinary flowers.
Luckily, the old woman had only gone inside to get a watering can.
When she came back out, Peiya quickly stepped in front of her.
“Grandma, are there any special tips for growing this flower?”
“Tips? You mean how to grow it?” The old woman’s cheeks moved slightly as she smiled. Her fingers gently brushed the petals, and the sunlight stretched her shadow, as if time itself was sinking into the soil with the seeds.
“Xiangfran is not a difficult flower to grow. Maybe when you forget that the flower is even there… it will already have grown.”
Peiya paused, then quickly understood what she meant.
It probably meant that sometimes, you shouldn’t care too much. When you stop worrying about all the small rules, the flower will naturally bloom.
Peiya thought about her words. It felt like the old woman liked to compare people to flowers. Maybe it was because of her life experience. Older people had seen more than the young.
When they saw younger people make mistakes, they would naturally want to guide them.
As for why they felt that way, Peiya didn’t know. Maybe she was still too young. Some things just couldn’t be understood no matter how much you thought about them.
Everyone has their own area of expertise. For matters of the heart, President Maya probably understood better.
Thinking of that, Peiya remembered the strange hand gesture Maya made earlier, saying it could help her get closer to Elise.
But the problem was… she still didn’t understand what it meant.
So how could she get closer like that…?
Biting her lip, Peiya stopped thinking about it. After thanking the old woman, she headed toward the shopping street.
She stopped at a small dessert shop, searched her memory, and ordered a few snacks that Elise liked the most last time.
Going empty-handed didn’t feel polite. Even if their relationship improved in the future, small gifts were still important.
“Customer, here are your items.”
“Alright, thank you.”
Peiya took the package and specifically asked for a colorful paper bag. Plain wrapping paper looked too simple. Colorful paper felt more thoughtful.
After preparing the gift, Peiya stopped a carriage by the roadside. After telling the driver where she wanted to go, she lifted the curtain and got in.
Before sitting down, she placed a tissue on the seat.
Only after sitting down did she suddenly realize, wasn’t this something young girls usually did?
A strange feeling rose in her heart. She suddenly realized something.
Had she already accepted being a girl… even wanting to be one?
She looked down at the way her skirt moved gently in the wind. Suddenly, this body felt perfectly natural to her, as if it had always been this way.
This realization made her heart tremble slightly, like opening a new window, letting sunlight and a soft breeze into her heart.
Part of it might be because of her past experiences, but more of it was because she truly liked it.
Being a girl… wasn’t bad at all.
She looked at her delicate fingertips, soft and pink, like a piece of art.
Maybe… she was actually quite pretty?
Peiya suddenly thought about this. It wasn’t that she hadn’t noticed before, on the day she became a witch, she already realized she looked good.
But her feelings back then were completely different from now. At that time, she was too busy surviving to think about her appearance.
Now that her life had changed so much, it was impossible to ignore her body anymore.
With a mix of nervousness and anticipation, Peiya rode in the carriage.
Clop, clop…
The sound of horse hooves echoed in a steady rhythm, and the wooden floor beneath her feet shook slightly.
This simple carriage was nothing compared to the one at Elise’s home, in both stability and comfort. Even the horses there were specially raised, eating and drinking much better than these travel horses.
Peiya lifted the carriage curtain.
Along the roadside, she could sometimes see small grass sheds. Those were places where traveling merchants marked out a bit of land to let coachmen rest and feed their horses.
Seeing one or two of these sheds appear from time to time, Peiya thought this business must make good money. Otherwise, no one would bother doing it.
Then she thought of another possibility, maybe inns used these feed spots as a way to promote themselves. While feeding the horses, coachmen might remember a certain inn.
In the end, buyers are rarely smarter than sellers.
After thinking this through, she realized she was almost at her destination.
Peiya paid the fare and got off the carriage. After just a few steps, she saw a maid from Elise’s house. Her name seemed to be Yuni.
“Yuni, are you out buying things?”
Yuni turned around, carrying some items. Her light blue eyes noticed Peiya walking across the street. She waved politely.
“Good morning, Miss Peiya. Are you here to see the second young lady?”
Second young lady?
Peiya frowned slightly. Did that mean there was also an older sister?
“I’m here to see Elise. Is she home today?”
“Yes, she is. I just went to pick up a package for her. Perfect timing, let’s walk together.”
Yuni moved to Peiya’s right side, which was closer to the edge of the road.
“Walk a bit more inside. I saw many officers rushing around today. It’s not safe for you to walk too close to the road.”
Yuni shook her head. “It’s alright. Protecting the young lady’s guest is my duty. You are just as important as the young lady. This is what I should do. Please don’t make things difficult for me.”
Peiya felt a bit awkward. There was nothing she could say in response.
Still, she moved slightly inward so Yuni wouldn’t have to walk too close to the road.
“We’re here, Miss Peiya. There are steps ahead, please be careful.”
“Alright.”
Peiya glanced ahead, stepped over the stairs, and noticed the second floor of the manor in the distance. Elise was standing by the white railing.
Because of the distance, Peiya couldn’t see her clearly. But that small figure seemed to turn slightly, as if looking toward her.
Peiya stiffly turned her head away, instinctively avoiding that gaze.
But soon, a feeling rose in her heart, and she turned her head back.
Don’t lower your head.
Lift it.
Her heartbeat quickened with each step. In the shifting light and shadow of the manor, her gaze crossed the courtyard and met Elise’s.
The wind brushed past her hair, but it could not dim the bright light in her eyes.
Under that gaze, Peiya straightened her posture again and slowly walked into the manor with Yuni.
The two of them walked in silence, as if they had agreed not to speak. Peiya didn’t try to chat like she usually did to ease the atmosphere.
That gaze had already fallen on her. Elise must have been watching her all along.
If she started laughing and chatting with someone else now, it would feel strange. Before, Elise didn’t like her getting too close to President Maya.
If she chatted happily with Yuni now, it felt like Yuni might have a hard time later…
Peiya didn’t know why she thought like this.
Maybe it was because she remembered how much Elise had done for her, and she wanted to protect that smile.
But honestly, this tight feeling between them was uncomfortable. Their relationship shouldn’t make people feel uneasy.
A slight bitterness rose in her heart, like biting into an unripe fruit. Hoping for sweetness, but afraid of the sourness hurting both of them.
Maybe one day, she would have the courage to understand what Elise was truly thinking.
Just like the old woman said, if you care too much about how a flower grows, it might drown under too much attention.
So…
She looked forward to the day the flower would bloom. But for now, that day felt far away.
Before that day came, all she could do was be herself.
And slowly walk toward her, without asking about the result or the future.
Maybe from some moment on, her eyes could only see her.
Peiya smiled softly, stepped up the stairs, and finally saw Elise again after several days apart.
Only then did she realize…
From the moment she entered, their eyes had been fixed on each other, never once looking away.