Luzhou Moon - Chapter 29
Yue Ruzheng breathed a sigh of relief, but then he smiled and said, "But it will be soon."
Yue Ruzheng was about to lift the pot lid in frustration when Tang Yanchu nudged her with her shoulder and said, "Don't touch it, I've already added water."
"Did I really fall asleep just now?" Yue Ruzheng sat down a little embarrassed, propping her chin up and looking at his profile.
"If you're sleepy, go back to your room and rest," he said, turning his head. "That's about enough, or we'll run out of water again."
Yue Ruzheng lifted the pot lid, ladled out the porridge, and, since it was still piping hot, placed it on the stove to cool. Seeing Tang Yanchu standing to one side, she turned and pressed him down into a chair, saying, "Didn't I tell you not to get up?"
"If I don't get up, you'll burn the whole yard down," he said calmly.
Yue Ruzheng patted his shoulder and leaned back in her chair, asking, "Little Tang, are you going into the mountains again today?"
"No, I need to go to town to sell the herbs."
"Let me go sell the herbs for you, okay? You stay here and watch the house."
"Why?"
"For no reason, there aren't that many reasons."
"You'll get lost..."
"How is that possible?!"
...
The two sat side-by-side, one leaning on his shoulder, chatting away, enjoying this rare moment. For a moment, Yue Ruzheng felt as if this could last forever, peaceful and undisturbed. She loved talking to him, even if he didn't respond, only glancing at her quietly before looking down again; Yue Ruzheng could feel that serene and tranquil gaze. She was now leaning behind him, yet for some reason he didn't turn around. Even so, Yue Ruzheng longed to look closely into his deep, clear eyes. But she also warned herself not to make any rash moves, lest she disturb this enigmatic young man. Torn between these conflicting thoughts, Yue Ruzheng finally abandoned her bold idea and stood up dejectedly.
Tang Yanchu turned to look at her, somewhat puzzled, and said, "I feel like you've become a bit strange since you came back this time; you're always fluctuating between sadness and joy."
"No, not at all," she said guiltily, then placed the warm porridge in front of him and said, "Eat."
Tang Yanchu glanced at her, then put her foot on the edge of the stove, picked up a spoon, and bent down to eat the breakfast she had made, her expression showing a hint of suppressed emotion.
The porridge did indeed have a slightly burnt taste because the water had boiled away earlier. Yue Ruzheng hurriedly finished eating before he could, and then left the courtyard with her bamboo basket on her back.
The mountain path was rugged and long, and with a basket full of herbs on her back, Yue Ruzheng felt her shoulders ache from the ropes binding them halfway through. She realized then that what Xiao Tang did, seemingly ordinary, was actually fraught with hardship. Compared to his life, her own life at Yinxi Cottage seemed leisurely, except for practicing martial arts. Her master's ancestors had been military generals in the court, but they had retired due to political disagreements with their colleagues. Therefore, although Yinxi Cottage was in a secluded place, it was not lacking in resources. While Yue Ruzheng wasn't exactly a spendthrift, she had never worried about money, and she certainly wouldn't walk such a long mountain path for a mere few dozen coins.
When she arrived in town, it was nearly noon. Her shoulder ached as if it were about to break. After wandering around for a while, she finally found the herb shop Tang Yanchu had mentioned. As soon as she entered, the owner and his assistant looked at her with surprise, as if wondering why a complete stranger had come. Yue Ruzheng awkwardly put down her bamboo basket and told the owner she was there on behalf of someone else. The owner nodded and had the assistant weigh the herbs. At that moment, the owner casually asked Yue Ruzheng who she was representing. She answered with Tang Yanchu's name, but the owner paused, as if he didn't recognize her. The assistant, while looking at the scales, said, "Is it that Tang who has no hands?"
Yue Ruzheng felt a lump in her throat and said unhappily, "Can't you just call him Little Tang? Why do you have to say those extra words?"
The young waiter didn't immediately understand Yue Ruzheng's meaning, but the boss said casually, "Oh, who do we have here! That's what we all call him. Otherwise, how would we remember his name?"
"Is his name strange?! Is there something you can't remember?" Yue Ruzheng couldn't control her emotions, and her voice rose, startling the boss and the staff.
"Who are you to him? Go ask other people if they call him that too. He's used to it, what does it have to do with you?!" The young waiter angrily put down the scale, put his hands on his hips, and yelled at Yue Ruzheng.
Yue Ruzheng pursed her lips, rushed over, grabbed the bamboo basket, and angrily said, "I'm not selling it anymore!" After saying that, she ignored the shopkeeper's loud shouts behind her and ran out of the shop without looking back.
She trudged back, carrying her bamboo basket, only realizing halfway up the mountain that she hadn't eaten anything, feeling exhausted, hungry, and angry. Yue Ruzheng sat down sullenly on a rock by the mountain path to rest. Looking at the basket of herbs, she suddenly realized that if she carried it back like this, Tang Yanchu would definitely ask why, but she absolutely refused to tell him about their argument. Regardless of whether he truly didn't care what others said about him, Yue Ruzheng wouldn't allow it; she couldn't swallow her anger. But she also knew that if Tang Yanchu found out, he would definitely tell her he didn't care and would even blame her for being impulsive and meddling. But what he truly thought deep down, perhaps only he himself knew, and he would never tell anyone else. After much deliberation, Yue Ruzheng secretly poured the herbs into the woods, then carried the empty basket back the way she came.
Back in the courtyard, Yue Ruzheng tried her best to appear cheerful, took out the copper coins she had prepared beforehand and showed them to Tang Yanchu, saying, "I'll put them in your room for you!"
Tang Yanchu frowned and asked, "You lost the money?"
Yue Ruzheng asked blankly, "What do you mean?"
"It shouldn't be this," he said, glancing at the money in her hand. "That's why I asked if you lost it on the way."
Yue Ruzheng's face flushed, but she forced herself to say, "Didn't you mention the price before?"
"That's what you said last time you were here. Now that times have changed, the price you're charging is naturally different too," Tang Yanchu said calmly.
Yue Ruzheng lowered her head, took out some more money from her pocket, put it together, and said, "Is this enough?"
Tang Yanchu was taken aback and said, "I'm not blaming you. It's gone, it's gone. Why did you do this?"
Yue Ruzheng didn't want to explain further. Clutching the money, she went into his room, placed it on the table, and turned to leave. Tang Yanchu blocked her way at the doorway, his face grim. "Yue Ruzheng, what are you doing? Take the money back."
Yue Ruzheng reached out to push him, but he wouldn't budge. They stood silently for a while, then Yue Ruzheng couldn't hold on any longer and tried to force her way out, but Tang Yanchu nudged her with his shoulder and said, "What's wrong with you now?"
"I'm hungry, can't I go eat?" she said irritably.
He was taken aback and said, "You haven't eaten? Didn't I tell you to go to town to eat before coming back?"
Realizing she had spoken out of turn, Yue Ruzheng felt guilty and annoyed, so she kept quiet and just wanted to leave. Tang Yanchu asked with some concern, "What's wrong with you? Did something unpleasant happen on the way?"
"I don't want to talk about it." She leaned against the door dejectedly, looking lost.
He stared at her intently for a moment, then said, "You mustn't go down the mountain for me anymore."
"You shouldn't go to that shop to sell herbs anymore!" Yue Ruzheng couldn't help but say.
Tang Yanchu paused for a moment, looked her over, and said, "You've caused trouble again, just as I suspected."
"What do you mean I've caused trouble again?" she said, feeling wronged. "It's like everything is my fault. You didn't even ask me anything, and you just assume I've done something stupid again?"
Before Tang Yanchu could answer, she pushed him away forcefully, walked into the yard, picked up the bamboo basket, and went out.
"Ruzheng!" Tang Yanchu called out to her from behind. She paused for a moment, then whispered, "I'll go get the herbs," and walked away without looking back.
Tang Yanchu didn't understand what had happened to her when she came down the mountain, but he didn't want to anger her at this time. He stood at the courtyard gate for a moment, but in the end, he couldn't rest easy, so he left the courtyard and headed towards the peach grove.
The forest was silent, and Yue Ruzheng was nowhere to be seen. He walked quickly, still wondering why Yue Ruzheng was angry, when suddenly a soft laugh came from behind him. The laugh was pleasant to hear, yet it contained a hidden chill.
Tang Yanchu stopped and slowly turned around. A few pale pink petals drifted in the wind, fluttering and dancing, brushing against his sleeves and blowing into the distance. The light in the woods was somewhat dim, and from behind the peach tree, a young woman slowly emerged. She wore a long, light emerald-green silk dress, her black hair was styled in a high bun, her features were exquisite, and especially her bright, sparkling eyes were lively and captivating.