Luzhou Moon - Chapter 39
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Pity Your Long Journey Home
Yue Ruzheng silently wiped away the tears in her eyes and walked heavily toward the gate. Under the winding corridor, Qian'er and several maids were taking shelter from the rain and whispering among themselves. When they saw her coming, they quickly fell silent and stood aside.
"Qian'er," Yue Ruzheng called listlessly, "come here."
Qian'er quickly stepped forward and whispered, "Miss, why did you argue with Senior Brother just now?"
Yue Ruzheng shook her head weakly, only saying, "Did you already let him go?"
"Him?" Qian'er paused, then suddenly realized, "Didn't Miss not want to receive guests? I already went out and told him you weren't home."
Yue Ruzheng felt a mixture of pain and relief. Just as she was about to turn back, she heard Qian'er hesitate and say, "But, Miss, the person who came looking for you doesn't seem to have left yet."
Yue Ruzheng gasped for breath, abruptly stopping in her tracks, standing frozen in the courtyard.
"Do you want to see him?" Qian'er pointed to the maids behind her and said hesitantly, "He hasn't left. Xiao Dai and the others are very curious; they even went to the door to look at him just now."
Xiao Dai and the others looked at Qian'er with embarrassed expressions. Only then did Qian'er realize that she had spoken out of turn, and she lowered her head and stepped aside.
Yue Ruzheng glanced at them and silently walked towards the door. As soon as she reached the door, she saw two young guards standing behind it, peering through the crack. Hearing footsteps, they turned and called out, "Miss Yue."
The rain continued, though not heavy, it was fine and dense, wetting Yue Ruzheng's long hair. She took a deep breath, calmed herself, and asked the guard to open the gate.
The gate slowly opened, and Yue Ruzheng stood inside. She immediately saw that familiar figure in the drizzle below the stone steps.
Tang Yanchu, who always wore only short brown straw sandals, was now dressed in a plain satin robe, with a blue cloth slung across his shoulder, a lotus-colored silk belt around his waist, and black boots on his feet. From behind, if one did not notice his bare sleeves, he would be described as having a refined and extraordinary figure.
Yue Ruzheng felt a bitter taste in her mouth, but he had already heard the door open. He slowly turned around and looked up. Having grown accustomed to his previous impoverished attire, he now looked like a completely different person. She was so taken aback that she froze in place.
Through the misty drizzle, Tang Yanchu gazed at her from afar, and a slight smile appeared on her already tired face.
She snapped out of her daze, feigning surprise, and quickly ran down the steps to him, saying, "Little Tang, what brings you here?"
Tang Yanchu's smile was a little awkward. She lowered her eyes and said, "You've been gone for a long time. I was wondering if it was because your master's condition was serious, so you couldn't leave... Anyway, I had nothing to do in Yandang, so I came to Luzhou..."
She stared at him, stunned. Although he was dressed much more formally than usual, making him appear more dignified and elegant, he couldn't hide the weariness he had endured after many days of travel. She didn't want to imagine how he had returned to living alone these past few days, nor did she want to imagine how he, who had never traveled far before, had managed to find Luzhou and Yinxi Xiaozhu. She wondered how he had endured wind and rain, sleeping in the open, while also facing all sorts of prying eyes and gossip behind his back.
"I... I didn't expect you to come." She was already preoccupied with something, and now she was even more at a loss, unable to form coherent sentences.
"It's nothing, it was just a sudden thought..." Tang Yanchu looked at her slightly flushed face and suddenly asked, "How is your master?"
"Master?" Yue Ruzheng was taken aback for a moment, then quickly said, "She's alright."
"That's good." He responded, then glanced at the gate behind Yue Ruzheng and said, "They told me you weren't here."
"I just went out." Through the rain, Yue Ruzheng looked at him, her eyes slightly unfocused, and forced a smile. "You knew I wasn't here, so why didn't you find somewhere to take shelter from the rain?"
Tang Yanchu said, "I wanted to stand here so I could see you when you came back." He paused, then turned his head to look at the rain, and whispered, "I was afraid I'd miss you."
Hearing this, Yue Ruzheng felt a tremor in her heart, but she was unable to respond to Tang Yanchu at this moment. She could only hide her guilty conscience and say, "I came back from the side gate, so you didn't see me..."
Tang Yanchu raised her eyes and looked at her calmly, but there was a subtle change in her gaze.
The rain was now falling more heavily, bringing a slight chill. The door creaked open again, and Qian'er, holding an umbrella in her left hand and two paper umbrellas in her right, came running up, saying, "Miss, Senior Yu wants you to invite Young Master Tang in."
Yue Ruzheng's face paled, and she hurriedly said, "No need, you should go back first."
Qian'er hesitated for a moment, then handed the two paper umbrellas to Ruzheng and ran back to report.
Yue Ruzheng looked at the two umbrellas in her hands, silently opened one of them, and held it up for Tang Yanchu, saying, "Little Tang, there's a pavilion up ahead, let's go sit there for a while."
Tang Yanchu lowered her gaze, pursed her lips, and said nothing, following her towards the ancient pavilion. The path wasn't far, but both walked slowly, reaching the pavilion in silence.
Yue Ruzheng closed her umbrella and looked at Tang Yanchu. He had been quite a distance from her, half of his clothes were wet, and his face was streaked with rain. She raised her sleeve, intending to wipe his tears, but he stepped aside and avoided her. She stood there awkwardly for a moment before finally saying, "Sit down."
Tang Yanchu sat on the outermost side, opposite him. Raindrops pattered on the leaves of the trees beside the pavilion, only serving to accentuate the surrounding silence and the awkwardness between the two.
"How have you been since I left?" Yue Ruzheng asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence with a question.
Tang Yanchu quickly replied, "The same as before." He looked up at the dripping green leaves beside him and said, "I'm already used to being alone."
"Little Tang..." Yue Ruzheng said with some concern, "You've never traveled far before. How did you get here?"
Tang Yanchu's face remained expressionless as she said indifferently, "I mostly travel on foot, and I've taken a boat twice. Actually, riding a horse would be faster, but I can't. So I travel slower than you."
Looking at his haggard appearance, Yue Ruzheng felt even more guilty, but she couldn't show him any more concern. She had never imagined that he would actually find Yinxi Xiaozhu, yet he was right in front of her. She didn't know how to face him, or how to sever all ties with the past.
Lost in a jumble of thoughts, she remained silent. After a moment, Tang Yanchu stood up and whispered, "Ruzheng, I'm leaving."
"Leave?" She was startled, stood up, and repeated, her voice panicked, "Where are you going?"
He turned his head to look at the mountain road outside and said, "I'm going back to Yandang."
"You're going back already? It's still raining now... How about I find you a place to stay for the night..." She said this in a very soft voice, with a deep sense of guilt.
He shook his head and said, "No need, I can handle this light rain." With that, he turned and walked out of the pavilion, disappearing into the rain.
Yue Ruzheng watched his lonely figure gradually disappear into the distance, then suddenly grabbed her paper umbrella and ran after him, shouting, "Little Tang!"
Tang Yanchu paused, then slowly turned around. She held the umbrella over his head.
Raindrops slid incessantly off the umbrella, hitting the bluestone mountain path and splashing up countless jade-like fragments.
He gave a desolate smile, a hint of disappointment in his eyes, and said, "I'm sorry, Ruzheng, I shouldn't have taken it upon myself to come looking for you. I didn't even know if you were willing, yet I suddenly appeared in front of Yinxi Xiaozhu. I'm truly sorry that my appearance has embarrassed you. I won't come again."
Yue Ruzheng's vision blurred, and she choked out, "Don't say that... I'm sorry, Xiao Tang, I'm so sorry..."
Tang Yanchu looked down at herself, then suddenly seemed to remember something. She stepped forward and said, "I said I didn't need any keepsakes, but you left that sachet by your pillow when you left. I brought it for you; it's in my arms. Take it yourself."