Perfect Match – CH 046

Chapter 46

Teng Yue suggested that Bai Chunfu leave Cixin Hall.

Deng Ruyun did not want him to still be thinking about this matter, but considering the money her small pharmacy could earn, a physician like Physician Bai, who came from the capital and was trained by the Imperial Medical Bureau, possessed superb medical skills. It was indeed a waste of his talent to practice in her small pharmacy, and she could not afford to pay such a physician’s fees.

The following day, after visiting her maternal grandmother in the east of the city, Deng Ruyun went to Cixin Hall.

Inspector Sun said he did not own many shops and could let her use Shopkeeper Qin for as long as she wanted. Deng Ruyun did not have time to find someone else, so she would pay Shopkeeper Qin and the others their wages. Apart from changing hands, Cixin Hall remained the same.

She arrived, and Shopkeeper Qin came to greet her from afar. Xiuniang muttered to herself, “The first time I came to sell medicine, Shopkeeper Qin looked down on me. Now that you are his boss, things have really changed.”

Deng Ruyun chuckled, glancing at Xiuniang. “I finally understand where Linglang learned to hold grudges. Xiuniang, you’ve said that more than once.”

Xiuniang stamped her foot. “I was just standing up for you, Miss, and for your pride! And you are criticizing me!”

She wanted to argue with Deng Ruyun, but Deng Ruyun pulled her hand. “I know. Today, my pride will be shared with you, Xiuniang.”

As they spoke, Shopkeeper Qin approached.

“Why has Madam come at this hour? It’s gloomy and cold today. Please come inside.”

Hearing this, Deng Ruyun nodded to him and said, “It is indeed a bit cold. Shopkeeper Qin, please brew us two cups of good tea to warm and refresh us.”

Shopkeeper Qin quickly agreed and personally went to brew the tea, soon bringing the teacups over.

“Madam, please. And Miss Xiu, please as well.”

Shopkeeper Qin was extremely polite and attentive, and Deng Ruyun, befitting her status as the shop owner, handled the situation with perfect composure. Miss Xiu straightened her posture, gracefully picking up the teacup Shopkeeper Qin offered and lifting the lid as she spoke.

“This tea is truly fragrant and sweet.”

Deng Ruyun almost burst out laughing.

Someone had just seen off a patient who had come to see him and had the clerk prepare the medicine. He wiped his hands and walked to the small table where the two of them sat, looking down at Deng Ruyun, the beauty mark under his long eyebrows drooping slightly.

“It’s been quite a while since you’ve come.”

Bai Chunfu’s words sounded ordinary, but Deng Ruyun sensed a hint of resentment.

She had borrowed money from him, and he had tried his best to help her. But then someone caused a scene, and not only did the favor fall through, but that person also revealed his identity.

After leaving with that person that day, she had been closely watched, and with the Zheng family’s celebratory banquet and Old Madam Lin’s return home, she had not come for quite some time.

After borrowing the money, she had not said a word to this Sixth Young Master Bai.

Hearing his words, Deng Ruyun felt a little guilty, and even more guilty because she probably could not keep him…

Deng Ruyun glanced at him, then gave Xiuniang a look. Xiuniang immediately brought tea and left.

Now, only Deng Ruyun and Bai Chunfu remained at the table. Seeing that she had sent Xiuniang away, the latter asked her a question.

“Is there something you want to tell me?”

Deng Ruyun felt awkward and did not dare look at him. She first invited him to sit: “Please sit down.”

But her hesitation in looking at him made Bai Chunfu understand what was going on.

He suddenly said, “I will not sit. If you are kicking me out now, what’s the point of my sitting down? I can only pack my bags and leave.”

The man’s words revealed everything Deng Ruyun was thinking.

She widened her eyes and looked up at him.

“You…you guessed it?”

But before she could finish her question, the man turned around abruptly. “Alright, I will go pack my bags.”

He actually started to leave. Deng Ruyun was startled and quickly got up to stop him. But just as she stood up to chase after him, he suddenly turned around.

Deng Ruyun almost bumped into his chest, and then he looked down at her.

“Did he tell you to kick me out? You just listen to him like that?”

She remembered this incident; it was indeed because Teng Yue had mentioned it, but that was not the only reason.

She wanted to reply, but before she could speak, he asked another question.

“Did you not say you had nothing to do with him?”

This abrupt question startled Deng Ruyun. She blurted out, “Yes, it’s nothing, but…”

The words left her mouth, and she realized she could not say what was on her mind.

She could only change the subject.

“I just feel that with my small pharmacy, how could I afford a physician like you? In other words, my meager income probably cannot cover your consultation fee.”

The reason she gave after that was not so important. What was important was that, in her haste, she repeated that she and Teng Yue had nothing to do with each other.

Bai Chunfu just stared at her.

A couple with no relationship? So, they were not really a couple? But General Teng clearly did not think that way.

Bai Chunfu silently observed her for a while, noticing her slightly furrowed willow-leaf eyebrows and parted lips beneath her delicate nose as she continued to explain.

“I do not mean to send you away; it’s just that in Xi’an Prefecture, any large pharmacy you go to can charge you a much higher consultation fee than Cixin Hall can currently offer.”

Deng Ruyun did not want to take advantage of him. She thought that even if Bai Chunfu did not reveal his true identity, his abilities alone would earn him a good reputation at a large pharmacy like Yanchun Hall.

But after she said this, he looked down at her and asked, “Do you think I am practicing at Cixin Hall to make money?”

His question truly addressed Deng Ruyun’s doubts.

He was the eldest son of the Grand Princess, the sixth master of the Bai family of Fengxiang. How could he lack financial security?

“Then you…” Deng Ruyun asked, “You cannot be hiding here on purpose, trying to avoid being discovered, can you?”

But was he not an imperial envoy?

“Could it be that the Imperial Medical Bureau is secretly investigating all of us small pharmacies?”

Deng Ruyun looked at him and whispered another reason.

“Or perhaps, you are hiding from the people sent by the Grand Princess to find you?”

She guessed all of these correctly. Bai Chunfu thought to himself that her little brain was quite sharp, but could not help saying something.

“Since you’ve already guessed it, why are you still telling me to leave? Do you dislike me that much? Then I might as well really leave.”

Bai Chunfu said, immediately turning around and leaving.

Seeing that he was about to leave again and had already taken large strides, Deng Ruyun hurriedly grabbed his sleeve.

“No, no, I did not mean that!”

Her hand gripped his sleeve, and for a fleeting moment, Bai Chunfu wanted to take her hand in return.

But the thought vanished quickly, and he stopped himself.

He suddenly remembered that day outside Inspector Sun’s small house, when she hurriedly tugged at Teng Yue’s sleeve. That man held a certain unspoken advantage, and she felt much closer to him. But today, she had also tugged at his sleeve…

Bai Chunfu’s heart softened slightly. He glanced again at the hand clinging to his sleeve and said, “If you really do not like me, that’s fine. At worst, let them kidnap me.”

His use of the word “kidnap me” gave Deng Ruyun a strange feeling that he was some virtuous woman who had escaped from a bandit’s den, and the bandits were searching everywhere for him, ready to capture him and torture him.

Deng Ruyun: “… “

Since he’d already put it that way, she could not very well let him leave.

“Then…then do not go. I will give you a raise.”

Bai Chunfu refused and then begged her to sit down at the table again.

“Just give me the same amount Shopkeeper Qin gave me before.”

Bai Chunfu did not want to put her in a difficult position. He genuinely wanted to raise his wages but said, “Let’s wait until the shop makes money. If it does, I certainly will not refuse.”

Deng Ruyun thought this was a good idea. She’d carefully reviewed the accounts; Cixin Hall’s profits had skyrocketed in recent months, not only because the medicines she supplied were high-quality and inexpensive, but also because the surrounding people trusted Bai Chunfu, and word of mouth led them to seek him out.

She had already decided to give this Sixth Young Master Bai a large sum of money once they made a profit, but she could not help but think about how he was hiding from people.

The Grand Princess was his mother. She sent people to find him, but he avoided them, disguising himself and hiding in a small alley.

He could not possibly have run away from an arranged marriage, could he?

If the Grand Princess’s people found him, would they not immediately kidnap him and bring him back to the capital for the wedding?

Deng Ruyun secretly glanced at Bai Chunfu a few times. Another patient had come to see him, and he told her to sit and have some tea, and he would come back later.

But seeing that he did not want to talk much about his family affairs, Deng Ruyun did not ask any further.

Just as she herself had many secrets she could not tell others…

She made her way around Cixin Hall, giving instructions on the shop’s medicine business, hoping to make a good profit before and after the New Year.

She also finalized an auspicious day with Shopkeeper Qin to replace the old Cixin Hall signboard with the brand-new Yuyun Hall, a name she had long ago chosen for her pharmacy.

After finishing these matters, she returned to the Teng Mansion. Teng Yue was still at his post. Deng Ruyun sat at her desk, looking at the account books, when a worrying thought suddenly occurred to her.

Teng Yue wanted Bai Chunfu to leave, but after she went to the shop, she allowed Bai Chunfu to stay.

How could she explain this?

That afternoon, when Teng Yue returned home, Deng Ruyun offered to help him change his clothes.

Seeing his wife’s initiative, the man’s eyes lit up with joy. He was about to ask her something when he suddenly remembered something.

“Yunniang would not…have not been able to bring herself to send Sixth Young Master Bai away, would she?”

Deng Ruyun: “…”

She gave a dry laugh, and Teng Yue’s face instantly turned pale.

… …

Not only did she not let Bai Chunfu leave, but Bai Chunfu also asked her to pass on a message regarding his identity: “Please, General Teng, keep this a secret for a while.”

Teng Yue was already being lenient by not exposing him to the whole city; keeping it a secret?

But this man was cunning; he did not tell him directly, but instead had his wife deliver the message. If he broke his promise, would Yunniang not look down on him?

Teng Yue had not chased him away; instead, he’d been outmaneuvered, and now his wife was even speaking well of the man.

“…I think Master Bai has his reasons, so let him stay for a while.”

Reasons?!

Teng Yue was in a dilemma. If he revealed Bai Chunfu’s hidden intentions, he would inevitably have to warn Yunniang on Bai Chunfu’s behalf; if he did not reveal them and just kept pressing the issue, it would make him, as the legitimate husband, seem intolerant.

Teng Yue simply stopped talking, his lips pressed together in silence. But once inside the bed curtains that night, he adopted the airs of a proper husband.

Seeing his unwavering determination, Deng Ruyun could not refuse, but he possessed astonishing strength. She felt as if she’d been thrown into a mortar and pestle, ground back and forth eight hundred times. When he finally finished and rested, Deng Ruyun felt as if her bones had shattered.

Fortunately, he did not do it again that night. Deng Ruyun washed and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

However, at dawn, as she was drifting off to sleep, his burning fingers pulled down her undergarment. When his hot palms gripped her shoulders, Deng Ruyun was instantly awakened by the heat.

He had already slid the thin garment down her shoulders, revealing her undulating breasts, and his calloused fingertips slid over them, rubbing against her waistline.

Deng Ruyun was startled, her half-hoarse voice failing her.

“It’s almost dawn; stop making a scene.”

But the man’s sullen face had not softened overnight. Hearing her speak like that, he mumbled in a low voice, “Do you not know, Yunniang? I have my reasons.”

Deng Ruyun: ?

… …

After this commotion, it was almost dawn. Deng Ruyun had barely slept a few hours all night, her eyelids drooping with exhaustion. Unfortunately, there were many things to do before the New Year. She had so much to finish that she could only force herself to keep going.

Deng Ruyun was so angry that she had not spoken a complete sentence to this man for two days.

But since he was such a difficult person, she simply stayed home and did not go to the shop.

Teng Yue took a few days off before the New Year. He still wanted to take Deng Ruyun out of town, but Deng Ruyun did not want to go. Instead, Teng Xiao wanted to go out of town for fun. The brother and sister, along with Kong Hui, took a stroll around the estate outside the city where Shen Yanxing was staying. Unexpectedly, Shen Yanxing was not home around the New Year, saying he had gone out on business and only left a message telling them not to worry.

Since he was not there, Teng Yue and the others made a round trip that same day.

Teng Xiao was very happy, bringing back two books from the Shen family, given to her by Shen Yanxing’s aunt, Shen Run.

The Shen family were all skilled craftsmen who made ingenious weapons and armor. Shen Yanxing’s aunt had been frail since childhood and never married, devoting herself to the study of mechanisms. Even when Old Master Shen was alive, he said that he was far inferior to his sister in the art of mechanisms and hidden weapons.

Teng Xiao’s initial enlightenment in making mechanisms and hidden weapons came from living with Shen Run for a period of time. After seeing these ingenious designs at Shen Run’s place, she became completely captivated and even wanted to become Shen Run’s apprentice.

However, Shen Run knew that Old Madam Lin hoped her daughter would follow a proper path as a noblewoman and not just focus on studying such intricate skills, so she refused to let Teng Xiao become her apprentice.

Teng Xiao argued with Old Madam Lin many times about becoming her apprentice, but Shen Run said that her health was failing and she probably would not live for many more years, so even if Teng Xiao became her apprentice, she would not be able to teach her anything.

She genuinely admired Teng Xiao’s talent, occasionally gifting her books on mechanical arts for her “entertainment.”

Although Teng Yue and Kong Hui did not see Shen Yanxing this time, Teng Xiao did see Shen Run, and she was overjoyed throughout the New Year.

Old Madam Lin watched this unfold, sighing inwardly, but unwilling to spoil her daughter’s mood.

The New Year passed relatively peacefully. On New Year’s Eve, Deng Ruyun was supposed to stay up with Teng Yue, but halfway through, she found herself unconsciously asleep in his arms.

He pulled her into his embrace with the blanket, sitting on the small couch, holding her while leaning against the window, looking at a map.

Seeing Deng Ruyun open her eyes, he lowered his head and gently pecked her hair.

“Sleep a little longer; it’s still early before dawn.”

How could Deng Ruyun just sleep in his arms like that? She shifted. “I am awake now. Why not go sit at the table for a while?”

But Teng Yue wrapped his arm around her, not letting her go.

“Go sit at the table? Are you going to bang your head on the table again? Yunniang does not mind the pain, but I am afraid you will hurt your little head.”

Deng Ruyun was surprised. Had she really been so sleepy that she banged her head on the table?

Teng Yue found her stunned expression amusing, reached out and touched her face, letting her lean against his chest.

“You can sleep here with me.”

He suddenly said, “Tonight I will keep you company through another peaceful night, this year, next year, and year after year, until we grow old together.”

On New Year’s Eve in Xi’an, someone set off two firecrackers, the sound carrying far away and exploding right next to Deng Ruyun’s ears. He lowered his head and kissed her cheek.

*

Teng Yue had been resting at home for several days, intending to stay a few more days until Deng Ruyun’s Yuyun Hall reopened with a new signboard and enjoyed the bustling atmosphere. He planned to go with her to see it.

However, before the New Year was even over, before the festive atmosphere had subsided, three groups of Tartars launched a surprise attack from the north.

Xi’an Prefecture was some distance from the northern border, but Teng Yue was a newly arrived officer from the front lines. The Shaanxi Military Command had no choice but to assign him there to fight alongside the three forces against the Tartar army. For a time, even Deng Ruyun could not find him.

He was busy, and Deng Ruyun was no exception.

Yuyun Hall officially replaced Cixin Hall and became entirely Deng Ruyun’s pharmacy.

As soon as the name Yuyun Hall was established, many neighbors came to patronize it. Deng Ruyun immediately had Shopkeeper Qin promote all the new medicines and discount several previously popular common medicines. She barely made any money, but Yuyun Hall’s reputation quickly spread throughout the surrounding area.

On the Lantern Festival, the fighting at the border did not affect the dazzling lantern displays in Xi’an. Two days in advance, many people came to the city. Deng Ruyun’s small pharmacy, already famous among the locals, even attracted some visitors from other places.

Deng Ruyun had Shopkeeper Qin distribute a lot of medicine to prevent motion sickness, and Yuyun Hall’s reputation spread further with these pills.

Before the first month of the lunar calendar was over, her business was much better than when the pharmacy was under Inspector Sun’s management.

Shopkeeper Qin said he’d never seen so many people before, but he also truthfully told Deng Ruyun, “Although we’ve sold quite a bit of medicine, we’ve been practically giving it away this month, so we have not made much money.”

Deng Ruyun smiled and said that as long as she did not lose money, that was fine. “At least we’ve built up some reputation; we will naturally make money in the future.”

Selling medicine was a business of conscience. First, build good relationships with the neighbors. As long as the herbs were not of poor quality, things would naturally improve. If you also had a limited selection of ready-made medicines on the market to support the business, it would eventually take off.

That was how her father had moved the pharmacy from the small town to Jinzhou City.

She opened around the Spring Festival, and business was indeed booming for a while. But just after the first month, Shopkeeper Qin told her, “Someone came and asked if our Yuyun Hall pharmacy is for sale? They can offer much higher prices than the market price.”

Deng Ruyun’s business had only just begun. Even if she made more money, doing business in an unfamiliar place would not be so easy.

She said she was not selling but asked Shopkeeper Qin, “Who came to inquire?”

Could it be Yanchun Hall again? Did Yanchun Hall really want this shop that badly?

However, Shopkeeper Qin said no, “It’s an old, well-established pharmacy in the north of the city, called Old Wanhe.”

Deng Ruyun had heard of Old Wanhe Hall; it was considered one of the top pharmacies in the north of the city. However, Yuyun Hall was located in the southeastern part of the city, while Old Wanhe’s territory was in the north. The two were quite far apart, so Old Wanhe seemed interested in her small pharmacy.

Deng Ruyun asked about the price again, and it was said that Old Wanhe was willing to add four hundred taels to the market price to acquire Yuyun Hall.

Four hundred taels was not a small amount, but Deng Ruyun still was not planning to profit from the difference. She wanted to secure her current profits first.

She did not agree, but two days later, when she went to Yuyun Hall again, Shopkeeper Qin returned with a somewhat strange expression.

Just then, Bai Chunfu was standing nearby. Shopkeeper Qin smiled wryly.

“Sixth Young Master Bai, listen to this. What kind of talk is this? That Shopkeeper Wan heard we were not going to sell, not even for more money, and he bluntly told me to my face that we were ungrateful.”

He mimicked Shopkeeper Wan’s tone.

“We are adding four hundred taels to the market price. If you are so ungrateful, even if you come back to me later and I lower the price by four hundred taels, I might not be willing to accept it. I advise you to think it over carefully. Come back to me in the next few days, and I am still willing to give you more money, but starting today, one hundred taels will be deducted for each day you are late. If you’ve made up your mind, come back as soon as possible.”

Upon hearing this, Deng Ruyun was extremely surprised, and Bai Chunfu was also taken aback, then chuckled. “Hey, Old Wan’s got some nerve. Is he trying to force a sale?”

He asked Deng Ruyun, “We are not selling; what do you say?”

Deng Ruyun was also taken aback by Old Wan’s tone. She sensed a hidden meaning in his words, a warning nonetheless.

But she was still intrigued.

She nodded. “Alright, then we will not sell. Let’s see what they want.”

As she spoke, her delicate eyebrows arched. Bai Chunfu, watching from the side, glanced at her several times with a slight smile.

*

At the Teng Mansion.

If the mountain would not come to me, I would go to the mountain.

Madam Yang had originally planned to visit her cousin, Old Madam Lin, before the New Year, but her mother-in-law, Old Madam Yang, was unwell, and the eldest son’s family was diligently caring for her at her bedside. As the second daughter-in-law, she dared not venture far.

The eldest son’s elder brother held a higher official rank than her husband, and his wife came from a better family. Even the eldest son, Yang Ji, was more successful than her own son; though not as accomplished as Teng Yue, he was still quite well-known in the army.

She, the second daughter-in-law, was at a disadvantage in every way. If she did not serve her mother-in-law well, after her mother-in-law passed away, the many properties under her name would be left to the second daughter-in-law.

Not wanting to lose sight of the bigger picture, Second Madam Yang, with her spirits up, served the old lady alongside the eldest son for over half a month, finally finding some peace and quiet.

These days, the fighting at the border against the Tartars intensified, reaching a critical juncture. Teng Yue had not returned home for five days straight, so Second Madam Yang went directly to the Teng family’s door.

Since she had come all this way, Old Madam Lin could not very well send her away.

Just then, Teng Xiao was pestering Deng Ruyun to accompany her to the streets, and since only Old Madam Lin was home, she invited her cousin to the Canglang Pavilion.

She asked Qingxuan to serve tea, but as soon as Qingxuan brought it up, Second Madam Yang waved her away hastily.

Suddenly, only the two cousins ​​remained in the room.

Old Madam Lin did not even pick up her teacup, only looking at her cousin.

“What are you trying to say?”

Second Madam Yang said bluntly, “You have not noticed yet, have you? Teng Yue has already gotten together with that little vixen, Madam Deng. If you do not get rid of her, do you still want to marry our Yang family’s niece from the Marquis’s Mansion? I will be the first to object!”

She spoke hastily, and Old Madam Lin raised an eyebrow.