Nan Yu was curious and couldn't help getting a bit closer.
There was still a piece of rubbing paper on the table with the imprint of a seal on it. The imprint was blurred, and the characters on it were even harder to make out.
Nan Yu asked, "What's this?"
"It's a rubbing of that seal," Tan Linyuan explained to her. "It's only half of it. We're currently analyzing the original content."
"Which two characters are these?" Nan Yu pointed to the paper and asked.
Tan Linyuan explained character by character, "This is ancient seal script, the most commonly used font for stone-carved seals."
"No wonder I don't recognize it."
"The first character is 'zhen' (true), and we're not sure if the second one is 'mu' (wood) or 'shui' (water). The original seal is too badly damaged."
This was the current difficulty.
Whether it was "zhen mu" or "zhen shui" affected the speculation about the other two characters on the other half.
Only by determining the existing two characters could they infer the content of the other half through word combinations.
"Zhen shui... Zhen mu..." Nan Yu murmured to herself, gradually recalling something. Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
She looked up at Tan Linyuan, who was looking at her, with a determined look in her eyes. "It's 'zhen shui'."
"How are you so sure?"
"Because of the phrase 'zhen shui wu xiang' (pure water has no scent)," Nan Yu said confidently. "It can only be combined like this."
Tan Linyuan said, "Although it's reasonable, Chinese characters have a profound culture, and there are not only these four characters that can be combined."
There was a look of inquisition in his eyes. "How can you be sure it must be these four characters?"
"I have an impression," Nan Yu explained anxiously when she saw that he didn't believe her. "I just remembered that there used to be a calligraphy hanging in my father's study with the words 'zhen shui wu xiang' on it."
Now, when putting these two things together, it was obvious that the original characters on the seal must be "zhen shui wu xiang".
Tan Linyuan frowned, as if deep in thought.
A few seconds later, his brow relaxed, and his tone was calm. "Okay, I see."
Seeing this, Nan Yu noticed something.
"Tan Linyuan, did you come to this conclusion before?"
"Yes, but I wasn't sure," he looked into Nan Yu's eyes and said gently. "However, with your clue, I can probably confirm it now."
"You knew it too?" Nan Yu was incredulous.
That meant that before she said it, Tan Linyuan had already guessed that the characters on it might be "zhen shui wu xiang".
Her words were just a confirmation of his idea.
"Zhen shui wu xiang is a Buddhist term originating from Sanskrit in India, meaning to concentrate the chaotic mind in one place," Tan Linyuan explained to her. "It's very common in Buddhist culture, so it's not strange that I thought of it first."
So that was it.
"Similarly, 'zhen shui wu xiang' also represents a supreme state," Tan Linyuan glanced at her. "I think Mr. Nan might prefer this explanation, which is why he hung these four characters in his study."
"What kind of state is it?" Nan Yu was very eager to learn. Her big eyes were wide open as she stared at Tan Linyuan.
Tan Linyuan felt like he was preaching and answering questions for pilgrims in a temple.
He couldn't help but smile, but he still answered patiently. "The purest water has no definition. It won't change because of color, smell, or taste. Only by experiencing and feeling it with your heart can you understand it."
After hearing this, Nan Yu seemed to understand but also not quite.
She thought for a while and tried to understand it in her own way. "The real thing can't be seen with the eyes. You have to feel it with your heart, right?"
"You have a very good understanding ability," Tan Linyuan laughed and reached out to touch her head. "Maybe this is also what Mr. Nan wanted to tell you."
The real thing can't be seen with the eyes.
You have to observe and experience it with your heart to understand the truth.
Nan Yu felt a bit emotional. "My father was very honest all his life, and he and my mother loved each other deeply. They could have had a good life."
Tan Linyuan didn't say a word but just hugged her.
There were many regrets in this world.
And often, the more this was the case, the more one should cherish everything one had at the moment and not let regrets happen again.
Leaning in Tan Linyuan's arms, Nan Yu looked up at him and whispered, "I always feel like I'm following in my parents' footsteps."
"Why do you say that?" Tan Linyuan looked down at her.
"Many people stopped my mother from marrying my father back then; now it's the same situation."
Tan Linyuan rubbed his chin against her forehead. "So, are you going to make the same decision as your mother?"
Nan Yu said with a smile, "Haven't I already made it?"
She had made the decision to be with him a long time ago.
Even if it was like a moth flying into a fire, she was willing.
Nan Yu wrapped her arms around his waist and asked him, "Do you have an idea about restoring the seal now?"
"Thanks to our Yu Yu. Leave the rest to me."
Nan Yu wasn't satisfied. "Aren't you going to say thank you?"
"Thank you, my good Yu Yu."
Nan Yu felt her cheeks heat up. She almost got distracted by him. She couldn't help but cough twice and said seriously, "That's it after just saying thank you?"
It was obvious that she wanted something more substantial.
"Well..." Tan Linyuan pretended to think. "So what does Yu Yu want me to do to thank you? Since words won't do, do you want me to use my hands?"
Nan Yu was so angry that she reached out to hit him.
For the whole afternoon, Nan Yu accompanied Tan Linyuan to speed up the progress. She watched him engrave on the stone intently with his head down for a long time.
A man like him was never boring to look at.
It definitely couldn't be restored in one day. The ancient seal script was complex, and with the size and complexity of the original seal's pattern, he would need to keep trying and making mistakes.
It would be a long process, but both of them were very patient and waited.
When they came out of the restoration room, it was already dark.
There was a thin layer of moisture on the road. It seemed that it had just rained a light shower.
The street lights were on, and the pale yellow light shone down, making everything extremely quiet and peaceful.
There was still a distance to the parking lot.
Tan Linyuan held her hand, and his palm was getting hot.
When they reached the car, the car window was covered with a layer of water droplets, looking solemn under the light.
Nan Yu raised her hand to open the car door. Before her fingers touched the handle, Tan Linyuan grabbed her hand first.
"Yu Yu, wait."
Nan Yu paused and turned to look at him.
He was standing behind her against the light. His eyes looked even colder in the night after the rain.
She couldn't help but slow her heartbeat.
She had a feeling that Tan Linyuan had something to say to her.
Tan Linyuan looked at her, and his heart tightened as well. It was as if he was about to face a huge test.
He held her hand, and his fingertips gently rubbed between her fingers. It took him a long time to ask, "...Don't you think your hand looks bare?"
Nan Yu froze.