CHAPTER 1035: CHAPTER 1033: A HAIRPIN FOR YOU, FAREWELL

The sky was already lit as Ah Jiu and his group prepared to leave by carriage. Some had been waiting at various points to gather, otherwise it would be surprising if they all traveled with Ah Jiu without drawing attention.

Standing in front of the carriage, Ah Jiu looked toward the mansion’s gate. This place had already been transferred under Wufu’s name.

Unsurprisingly, he heard the sound of hurried footsteps rushing from inside, and a slight smile appeared on his face.

"Made it." Wufu came running out.

Ah Jiu frowned as he looked at her reddened eyes, "What, did you not sleep all night?"

Wufu dismissively waved her hand and stuffed a box into his hands.

Raising an eyebrow, Ah Jiu looked at the sandalwood box in his hand. Upon opening it, he found pure white snow brocade, with a Purple Jade Hairpin lying atop it, its hue exquisite.

"What’s this?" Ah Jiu picked up the hairpin, recognizing it as the one Wufu often held and carved.

She loved engraving and would often take jade pieces to work on, even when idle in the Cloud Realm. He had also seen her carve this particular Jade Hairpin.

The design of the Purple Jade Hairpin was quite unique; instead of the usual floral patterns, it was carved into pine and cypress, with its body like a sword and the top an ancient and noble pine.

"Aren’t you coming of age this year? I don’t quite understand the male coming-of-age rituals, other than the crowning of adulthood. I haven’t had the time to carve you a jade crown, so I made this hairpin instead. As sharp as a sword, I wish you to be as sharp as a sword; the pine-shaped top is my wish for you to stand firm and noble like the evergreen pine," Wufu said with a smile.

Ah Jiu’s heart stirred, and he carefully placed the hairpin back into the box, saying, "Thank you, I really like it."

Wufu smiled, happy that he liked it.

Ah Jiu then looked at the slightly crooked Peach Blossom Hairpin on her head, reached out to straighten it, and said, "Wufu, I’ll wait for you, and you wait for me, won’t you?"

"Of course, it’s a promise!" Wufu extended her pinky, "Pinky swear and seal it."

Ah Jiu, not understanding, still mimicked her by extending his pinky, which she hooked with hers, and then they pressed their thumbs together.

"A pinky swear, unbreakable for a hundred years."

Wufu shivered a bit at her own words, thinking how childish!

But Ah Jiu was full of amused smiles.

"Sir, it’s time to go," Yuan Ye stepped forward to remind.

Ah Jiu’s smile faded as he looked at her and said, "I have to go now."

"Safe travels," Wufu waved, "Write when you have the chance."

Seeing her show no reluctance at all, Ah Jiu’s mouth twitched a little. At least pretend a bit.

"Take care of yourself," Ah Jiu said, "If anything goes wrong, get out of there."

"Got it, now go."

Well, the feeling of being dismissed wasn’t great. Ah Jiu glared at her and climbed into the carriage.

"Let’s go."

The carriage started moving slowly, and Ah Jiu, sitting by the door, kept lifting the curtain to watch the woman standing in place, feeling a myriad of emotions.

Reluctance, nothing but reluctance.

It had clearly been less than a year since they met and knew each other, yet he just couldn’t bear to part from her, wishing she’d be by his side without separation.

It wasn’t until she was out of sight that Ah Jiu put down the curtain, leaning against the carriage wall and closing his eyes, trying to calm himself as his thoughts drifted back towards Beiyan. His Royal Mother’s illness, he hoped it was natural; if it were due to other reasons, then... hmph!

Watching the carriage disappear, Wufu yawned and said to Purple Jade, "Let’s go back. I’m going to take a nap first." She had stayed up all night to finish the Purple Jade Hairpin just in time to give it away before the person left.

Purple Jade chuckled, "Usually when one’s beloved leaves, isn’t it expected to cry incessantly? But this one? Where’s the promised reluctance!"