Maxim reached out his right hand and carefully accepted the delicate little wooden box, then gently opened it. Inside the box lay a flawless, pure white piece of mutton-fat jade. The jade pendant was perfectly round, like a masterpiece shaped by nature itself.
He slowly picked up the jade and brought it close to study it. On the front side of the pendant, a pair of symmetrical auspicious cloud patterns were finely carved. The lines of the clouds were smooth and natural, simple in design yet giving off a dignified and grand feeling.
Every cloud seemed lifelike, as if it could float away at any moment, making him marvel in silence. Looking at the texture of the jade, it was warm and smooth, like solidified cream, and it felt warm to the touch with no trace of chill. This unique feeling told Maxim that it might be a rare piece of warm jade.
Warm jade was believed to hold special energy and spirit, bringing luck and blessings to its wearer. Maxim gazed at the pendant in his hand, feeling a sudden joy in his heart. He knew this was not just a precious piece of jewelry but a symbol of deep affection.
It carried Yaelle's wishes and care for him, filling him with warmth. "Yaelle, thank you, I really like this gift." He gently hugged Yaelle and placed a sincere kiss on her forehead.
Neither of them spoke at that moment, but they could feel their hearts drawing closer. The atmosphere was warm and peaceful. Leaning into Maxim's arms, Yaelle felt relaxed.
Ever since she came to this world, she had been surrounded by kindness. Her brother doted on her, the attendants were thoughtful, and even walking on the street she was treated with extra care. Her fiancé was sincere and took good care of her.
From many small details, she could clearly feel that his feelings for her were pure and genuine. Maybe spending a lifetime with this person would be a happy path. They stayed in the small room for a long time, chatting about interesting things nearby and some trivial daily matters.
But joyful times always pass quickly. Before they realized it, it was already three in the afternoon, and the road ahead still took another hour. They had to leave, or it would be too dark to see the road clearly, which wouldn't be safe.
They took a boat back, then switched to a carriage, hurrying toward the Xia residence. As they neared the house, both of them started to feel a little down. Maxim said, "Yaelle, I might get busy soon.
I have to prepare for next year's exams and also attend a lot of poetry gatherings. Will you be upset?" "Why would I be upset? That's important.
I'm not someone who doesn't understand." "Yaelle, you're really good to me. I wish I could keep you by my side all the time." Maxim couldn't help but hug her again and kissed her lips.
This time, it wasn't as eager as the first time. It was a gentle and affectionate kiss. He quickly held himself back and pulled away, resting his head against her neck and breathing in her scent like he was trying to memorize it.
Yaelle was somewhat satisfied with how reserved people in ancient times were. In the modern world, some would sleep together just days after meeting, and one-night stands were common. Though she wasn't extremely conservative, she didn't like being that casual, feeling it showed a lack of respect for relationships.
But now, even as a proper engaged couple, they were still this reserved. She felt respected. Time was almost up.
Yaelle gently pushed Maxim away and told him, "Brother Maxim, it's about time. I need to go now. My brother will probably come to my place for dinner.
I don't want him to worry if I'm late. Oh, and you haven't seen him for a while either. Do you want to go visit?" "No, not today.
Everything's too rushed, and I didn't prepare anything. It wouldn't be polite to visit like this. Maybe another day."
"Alright, but you and Michael have known each other since you were young. You know, Michael is not involved in these matters," Yaelle said.
"Not involved doesn't mean it's unnecessary. It's a matter of etiquette," Maxim stressed. Although Michael and Yaelle's brother have known each other since childhood, now Michael is his future brother-in-law. It's not proper to visit without a gift.
'He seems quite particular. He must have good manners,' Yaelle thought.
"Alright then, I'll go in first. You should head back early," Yaelle said and got ready to get off the carriage. Maxim quickly stopped her, saying, "Be careful. What if you fall? I'll help you." Then he jumped down first and carefully helped Yaelle out.
Maxim watched Yaelle go inside and close the door before looking away. He told Attendant Sean to drive back to the house. Sitting alone in the empty carriage, his heart felt empty too.
The scent she left in the air lingered, making him restless. What should he do? He was already starting to miss her.
As for Yaelle, once she got to her room, Attendant Sean told her that Young Master Xavier had been here and asked her to notify him when she returned. She sent Attendant Sean to Michael's place, and soon the two of them arrived together.
"Yaelle, how was your outing yesterday?" Michael asked.
"It was okay. Maxim took good care of me."
"We'll be out of the mourning period by September. Do you have any plans?" Michael asked. (It was April by the solar calendar but only early March by the lunar calendar here. They don't use the solar calendar, so September was still half a year away.)
"I want to pick a good day at the end of the year to hold the wedding. I've delayed it long enough. Michael, please help me arrange it," Yaelle said.
"Alright, before you seemed indifferent about it. Now that you're willing, it's even better. Having someone to care for you will ease my mind."
They chatted casually before going upstairs after dinner. They ate quietly, but Yaelle didn't have much appetite. She was used to strong flavors, but the food here was too bland.
There were no chili peppers in this world yet, only cornelian cherries, which didn't satisfy her taste. She hoped her chili peppers would be useful later.
After dinner, Michael said a few words and hurried off. He was still busy and had many matters to handle. (Their rules were that the father's private property and dowry went to the sons, with some support for daughters. The mother's property was mostly left to daughters. So the taverns, grain shops, and farms belonged to Michael, making him busier. The houses and jewelry shops belonged to Yaelle. After marriage, Michael would move out to live with his wife.)
That night Yaelle went to bed early. With nothing to do, she couldn't bring herself to play cards or mahjong. Maybe later she would try them.
Her phone and computer were not very useful. She checked on the first day. There was power, but no internet for unknown reasons. She could only listen to a few downloaded songs. There were only two downloaded videos. She could play cards and minesweeper. The phone had a single-player card game, but it got boring after a while.