Qinglian’S Heart Is Covered, Fate Meets Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Beijing Charm, Lotus Dwelling, Immortal Couple Enjoys Mortal Joy

Leaving Shanghai, Qinglian looked at the scenery rushing past the car window and suddenly murmured, “I want to find a place with ancient charm to settle down.” Hearing this, Gu Baifei immediately transported them both to Beijing. The ancient capital’s red walls, dark tiles, and winding hutongs instantly piqued Qinglian’s interest, while Gu Baifei was already planning another surprise for her.

He first took Qinglian to explore the ancient streets and old alleys of the capital, from the creative shops in Nanluoguxiang to the weeping willows by Shichahai Lake. Seeing her eyes light up with joy at the sight of the flying eaves and upturned corners of the courtyard houses, he quietly leveraged some mortal connections and found a quiet courtyard house nestled within the Second Ring Road, away from the hustle and bustle. This courtyard was a typical Beijing-style ancient building, featuring a vermilion lacquer gate with copper rings, a covered walkway, and a decorative screen gate inside. He even specifically ensured there was an open-air courtyard, where Gu Baifei had a lotus pond built and transplanted several pots of purple lotus. He also hung wind chimes under the corridor, which jingled softly with the breeze, subtly echoing the charm of the Heavenly Lotus Palace.

When Gu Baifei led Qinglian through the main gate of the courtyard house, Qinglian instantly froze. Looking at the elegant purple lotuses in the courtyard, the carved beams and painted rafters of the corridors, and the antique rosewood furniture inside the rooms, her eyes sparkled brightly. Turning to look at Gu Baifei, a smile spread across her face: “This courtyard… is for me?” Gu Baifei wrapped his arm around her waist and lowered his head to press a kiss on her forehead: “If you like it, it is all yours.”

From then on, the two settled into this Beijing-flavored courtyard house, fully embracing a life of carefree spending. Gu Baifei first took Qinglian to Liulichang, buying every ancient jade hairpin and purple inkstone she admired. Passing by Panjiayuan, he sourced many old embroidered pieces featuring lotus patterns for her, so she could do some needlework in her leisure time. When they visited the old silk shop in Wangfujing, he directly bought several bolts of the finest cloud brocade, simply because Qinglian said, “This color is exactly like the sunset in the heavens.”

Qinglian also gradually let loose. She would drag Gu Baifei to the old shops on Qianmen Street, specifically choosing Beijing snacks like Lvdagun (rolling donkey), pea flour cake, and aiwo wo (mugwort nests) to sample everything to her liking. She even bought sets of exquisite tableware to take home. Seeing the beautiful palace lanterns sold on the street, she ordered over a dozen at once, hanging them all along the courtyard’s eaves. She even went to the antique market and selected a simple, ancient guzheng. In her free time, she would sit by the lotus pond and play. The scent of lotus mixed with the sound of the zither, causing even passing old neighbors to stop and praise, “That girl’s zither skills are truly exceptional.”

Every morning, the couple would go to the breakfast stall at the hutong entrance for a bowl of sweet soy milk and freshly fried dough sticks, avoiding foods like fermented soybean milk that didn’t suit their taste. Then they would begin their day of “shopping and spending.” In the evening, they would sit in the courtyard, watching the sunset paint the eaves red, sharing a freshly bought pea flour cake in the evening breeze. Gu Baifei watched Qinglian, her eyes curved in a smile as she held a newly acquired ancient lotus-patterned jade pendant, and suddenly felt that compared to millennia of solitary cultivation in the heavens, this mortal life of spending money amidst the mundane world was far more flavorful and enjoyable.

Sometimes, when they were tired from walking, the two would relax in the rocking chairs in the courtyard. Qinglian would lean against Gu Baifei’s shoulder, counting the treasures they had bought over the past few days. Gu Baifei would smile and agree, even teasing her, “If we run out of money, you can pawn me to get more, so I can keep buying things for you.” Hearing this, Qinglian gently patted him, but her fingers unconsciously tightened their grip on his sleeve, her eyes filled with an unmelting tenderness—never mind heavenly duties or the troubles of the Three Realms. At this moment, in this charming Beijing courtyard, being a couple who only cared about spending money and enjoying life was the rarest form of fulfillment.