Luzhou Moon - Chapter 54
Yue Ruzheng grabbed Tang Yanchu's waist again, helping him to his feet. The two stumbled and ran until they reached a place where the waves couldn't reach them, before collapsing to the ground. Her palms were raw from the sand, and the seawater stung them painfully. But she paid no heed to these things, only holding Tang Yanchu with trembling hands, seemingly still reeling from what had just happened.
Tang Yanchu leaned on her shoulder and said, "It's my fault for not telling you not to come to the beach alone. When the tide comes in, you could easily be swept away."
Yue Ruzheng gasped for breath in the damp sea air, her face covered in sand and her body soaked. Tang Yanchu straightened up with a forceful movement and sat up, saying, "Ruzheng, why don't you go back to rest? Was my tone bad just now, and did I upset you?"
Yue Ruzheng regained some consciousness and said, "I originally wanted to look for you, but since you weren't here, I thought I'd come here to check. I just picked up a seashell and was spacing out..." As she spoke, she looked around, but the seashell was nowhere to be seen.
"You're such a silly girl," he said, looking down at her. "If you want seashells, I can go find you lots tomorrow."
Yue Ruzheng lay dejectedly on her side beside him and said, "No, when I saw the conch shell, it reminded me of my childhood." She suddenly turned over and sat down next to Tang Yanchu, gazing at the surging sea, and said, "Do you remember when I mentioned that my aunt had a box filled with seashells and conches? Did she used to live by the sea? Why didn't I know anything about it?"
Tang Yanchu frowned, looking at her dazed expression, and said, "Ruzheng, why have you forgotten so many things from your childhood?"
"I don't know either..." Yue Ruzheng lowered her head in disappointment, then looked at him cautiously again, "Xiao Tang...you're not blaming me anymore?"
Tang Yanchu paused, looked intently into her eyes, and said, "No, I just hope you won't say yes and then secretly go back on your word."
Yue Ruzheng thought of Lian Junqiu's chilling words, and then of Tang Yanchu's pale face and sorrowful eyes as he stood in the cemetery... She suddenly threw herself at Tang Yanchu, tightly embracing him with her slightly cold hands, her body trembling uncontrollably.
The sound of the waves is like the eternal morning and evening bells, ethereal and distant.
Tang Yanchu looked at Yue Ruzheng, whose figure appeared exceptionally small at that moment. Her wet clothes clung to her body, and her long hair was draped over her shoulders. He lowered his head, leaning close to Yue Ruzheng's shoulder, but then took a deep breath and pulled back slightly, leaving her embrace.
Yue Ruzheng looked at him, and asked dejectedly, "What's wrong?"
Tang Yanchu paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, "It's nothing." He suddenly added, "Ruzheng, your clothes are all wet. Go back to your room and change quickly."
Yue Ruzheng looked at herself, then at him, and said, "Aren't you going back to change your clothes?"
Tang Yanchu said in a low voice, "You go back first, I'll leave shortly."
Yue Ruzheng didn't know why he had suddenly become so downcast. After thinking for a moment, she stood up and said softly, "I'll go back with you. I'm worried about you staying here alone."
Tang Yanchu, however, kept her eyes fixed ahead and stubbornly said, "No need, I'll just sit for a while and then go back right away."
Seeing his stubbornness returning, Yue Ruzheng knew she couldn't change his mind now, so she could only say, "You're not allowed to lie to me."
Tang Yanchu smiled faintly, looked up at her, and said, "I won't lie to you, Ruzheng."
Yue Ruzheng was shocked again, and left alone with her head down.
As Tang Yanchu heard her footsteps fading into the distance, she took a deep breath, bent her knees, and buried her face in them.
His clothes, soaked through, felt cold and uncomfortable in the sea breeze. But his heart was filled with even more sorrow. As he listened to her recount her childhood, a childhood she could never remember and remained forever lost in, and watched her shivering in the sea breeze, for a fleeting moment, he felt as if he could stretch out his arms and hold her tightly in his embrace.
But that was ultimately just an illusion.
He sat alone on the beach for a long time before slowly standing up. The waves came and went in silence. He walked along the coastline for a short while before he saw the small figure hiding under the rocks not far away.
Tang Yanchu paused for a moment, then quickly ran forward to her, saying anxiously, "Why haven't you gone back yet? It's so windy, aren't you afraid of catching a cold?"
"I'm still worried about you." Yue Ruzheng trembled slightly, but looked up at him.
His heart ached, and he said, "If I'd known, I wouldn't have sat there until now."
"Xiao Tang, you lied to me. You said you'd be back soon." She seemed to smile, but Tang Yanchu sensed a bitterness in her voice.
He gave a silent, bitter smile.
"What are you thinking about while you're all alone there?" she asked earnestly.
He stared at her blankly, without saying a word. Just when Yue Ruzheng thought he was going to remain silent forever, he suddenly spoke up: "I was thinking, why can't I hug you and comfort you?"
After he finished speaking, he walked slowly down the gravel path.
Yue Ruzheng paused for a moment, then suddenly ran up behind him, her feet sinking into the heavy, wet sand, and called out, "Little Tang!"
Tang Yanchu stopped walking, but did not turn around.
Yue Ruzheng walked up to him, stretched out her arms, hugged his waist, turned to the sea, and whispered, "Sit down."
He hesitated, but finally sat down with her on the beach. She parted his knees, faced him, knelt before him, gently wrapped her arms around his waist, rested her face on his shoulder, and said, "Little Tang, you can hug me now."
Tang Yanchu's body trembled slightly, then he raised his legs and slowly wrapped them around her waist, pulling her closer to him. His legs trembled slightly, and his movements were somewhat stiff, but his eyes were clear and his attitude was devout.
Yue Ruzheng pressed herself tightly against his heart, his legs embracing her petite body like a hug. Yue Ruzheng closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the waves, as if she had returned to her childhood, to the moment when her aunt held her in her arms and played a conch shell for her.
"This is the sound of the sea," she whispered, a smile curving her lips as she listened to his heartbeat.
"Mmm. The sound of the sea..." Tang Yanchu turned her face to the side, bringing her lips close, gazing at the deep blue in the distance.
"Little Tang..." Yue Ruzheng opened her eyes, tilted her head slightly, and looked at his perfect profile, saying, "I want to be with you every day from now on."
Author's Note: Leave a comment if you've read it!!! If you haven't already, please add it to your favorites!!! [No other requests... School starts soon, so anxious]
Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Bell Tolls Fade Away, the Pavilions Vanish
It was already past midnight when Tang Yanchu returned to the courtyard. She watched Yue Ruzheng go inside before turning back. Upon entering the courtyard, she saw a person sitting on a stone chair in the dark courtyard.
"Big sister?" Tang Yanchu was quite surprised and walked up to Lian Junqiu.
Lian Junqiu looked up at him and smiled slightly: "Junchu, it's already past midnight, why are you only just getting back?"
Tang Yanchu hesitated for a moment before saying, "I couldn't sleep, so I went to sit by the sea for a while."
Lian Junqiu reached out and touched his sleeve, frowning as she said, "Your clothes are all wet. Come inside, I'll help you change."
"No need." He stepped back slightly, turning to the side, and said, "I can change myself. Sister, it's late, you should go back and rest."