Perfect Match – CH 067

Chapter 67

At the Teng Mansion.

Old Madam Lin saw Teng Yue off, her heart heavy with unease as she thought of her son’s expression before his departure and his incoherent words.

But then, she heard hurried footsteps approaching from behind.

Old Madam Lin’s heart skipped a beat. She heard a gatekeeper rushing over with a report.

“Old Madam, it’s terrible! Madam has been kidnapped!”

This news startled Old Madam Lin greatly. “Who kidnapped Madam? Where did they take her?”

“Quickly!” Her face paled. “Go find someone; go report to the authorities!”

But just as she uttered this order, another gatekeeper came running up.

This gatekeeper was more mature and less panicked than the first one. He spoke… “Old Madam, do not panic. Madam was not kidnapped by outsiders; it was…”

“Who was it?” Old Madam Lin hurriedly asked.

The gatekeeper, who arrived later, replied, “That was Second Master! I saw it clearly. Second Master pulled Madam onto his horse and took her to Ningxia!”

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Lin froze on the spot.

Teng Xiao, who had originally headed towards Chengfeng Garden, also rushed over upon hearing the news. When she heard the gatekeeper say that it was her brother who had turned back and taken her sister-in-law away, her eyes lit up.

“Are you sure it’s my brother?!”

The gatekeeper said he recognized Second Master. The gatekeeper who had arrived first carefully recalled the person who had flashed by, “It does seem to be Second Master.”

Upon hearing this, Teng Xiao cheered loudly.

“Great! Great!”

Ignoring her mother’s incredulous expression, she declared, “They should not be far. I want to go to Ningxia too!”

This finally brought Old Madam Lin back to her senses.

She forbade Teng Xiao from going, saying, “That’s a war zone! How dare you go there?!”

She would not let Teng Xiao chase after them. Teng Xiao’s wet nurse, fearing she would clash with Old Madam Lin again, could only advise her not to cause trouble for the Second Master and Madam.

Teng Xiao snorted but did not say anything more to her mother, turning back to Chengfeng Garden.

Old Madam Lin, however, seemed to have swallowed a bitter pill, looking towards the direction leading out of the city towards Ningxia, her words filled with unspoken sorrow.

She had thought Teng Yue had finally been persuaded by Yunniang, but after he left, he actually rode back and abducted Yunniang.

Did he really cherish Yunniang so much? Old Madam Lin was unsure of her own feelings. They clearly had not gone far, but she inexplicably felt that sending someone to chase after them and bring Yunniang back would be pointless.

She had mentally calculated the implications of the contractual marriage countless times, but she had never imagined such a perplexing situation.

However, if Teng Yue took Yunniang out of the city like this, people in the city would surely see it. What would she say when the news reached the Yang family and the fourth young lady of the Zhang family?

Old Madam Lin was at her wits’ end, utterly helpless.

*

Deng Ruyun was abducted. Without waiting for her reaction or a word, he held her tightly in front of him and spurred his horse, riding out of the city.

Deng Ruyun was held captive on horseback, repeatedly begging him to let her down, but he ignored her completely. This attracted the attention of passersby, and she dared not act rashly any further. However, once they were out of the city and on a deserted road, she called out to him repeatedly.

“General, please let me down! I do not want to go to Ningxia!”

Teng Yue still ignored her, only letting out a heavy snort and spurring his horse even faster.

Deng Ruyun never expected him to pull such a stunt. But seeing his horse galloping faster and faster, she grew anxious.

She slapped his arm.

“I do not want to go to Ningxia! Let me go back! I want to go back to Xi’an!”

But the man did not respond at all, and her slaps were like a kitten’s scratches to him, utterly ineffective.

Deng Ruyun, jolted dizzy by the galloping horse and her head spinning from the wind, saw that no matter how much she spoke or patted him, he did not react. She was furious at herself for running to the door to see him off, only to be caught red-handed by him turning back on his horse and being practically kidnapped!

Angry and helpless, she bit down on the man’s arm in a fit of rage.

“Teng Yue, let me go back!”

She bit down, and Teng Yue finally felt a pang of pain.

But her small teeth were not strong enough. Teng Yue, far from being angry, chuckled.

“Call me Teng Yue? Not General anymore? But calling me Teng Yue will not help. You have to come with me this time!”

He spurred his horse faster and faster as he spoke.

Deng Ruyun grew increasingly anxious as she watched the city of Xi’an disappear from sight. But remembering his words and recalling his tendency to respond better to gentle persuasion than force, she released him and turned to look at his face.

“…Please let me go back, Yu…Yu Chuan.”

The wind scattered her words, but Teng Yue heard them clearly.

The man could not help but look down at the woman in his arms. Her hair was disheveled, fluttering wildly in the wind, making her already pleading eyes appear even more pitiful.

But when she had stabbed him in the heart yesterday, knowing he cared for her, yet repeatedly saying she only loved another, did she not consider his pitiful state of mind?

Teng Yue’s heart had softened slightly at her pleading, but remembering this, his heart hardened again.

“Now you remember to call me Yu Chuan? Too late.”

He stared at her, then suddenly said, “Unless you change your address and from now on only call me ‘husband.'”

He said he would, but she slightly turned her head, avoiding his gaze. She pursed her lips, refusing to speak.

Seeing her like this, Teng Yue felt a tightness in his chest again.

So, she reserved that “husband” only for the person in her heart; in her eyes, he was just a temporary husband!

She remained silent, and Teng Yue did not want to hear her say anything more.

Since she could not escape anyway, he simply pulled her tightly into his arms, whipped his horse, and galloped straight towards Ningxia.

At midday, when they arrived at the post station where they were temporarily resting, Teng Yue’s personal guards were waiting for him.

The two of them, riding a single horse, were a step too late.

Deng Ruyun had no idea where she had been taken. This was the first time she’d ridden a horse for such a long time, and her head was filled with swirling sand.

She was dizzy from the jolting and shook her head several times before regaining her senses.

The man jumped down from behind her first. Deng Ruyun did not want to stay on the horse anymore, so she turned around, and he reached out his hand.

But Deng Ruyun pursed her lips. “I will get off myself.”

Teng Yue was even angrier at her refusal and glared at her.

“That person has not come back yet!”

With that, he stepped forward and lifted her directly from the horse.

The world spun around her. Deng Ruyun was already dizzy, and when she landed, she almost bumped into him.

Luckily, she steadied herself, only to find Tang Zuo standing before her with a look of surprise.

“Madam?!”

Tang Zuo had only heard the general tell them to go ahead, and he was going back, assuming there was something else to instruct them on. He had not expected the general to bring his wife along.

Clearly, the lady was not too happy about it, and upon seeing him, she said, “Guard Tang, could you find me a spare horse?”

“Madam wants to ride to Ningxia by herself?” He could find one.

But Deng Ruyun said, “I want to go back to Xi’an.”

Tang Zuo paused, then looked up at his general.

Teng Yue did not need to say anything; he simply snorted heavily.

Deng Ruyun saw the apologetic look in Tang Zuo’s eyes and knew that once they left Xi’an, only he had the final say. She instinctively chased after Teng Yue.

But as she followed, he suddenly stopped and turned around.

Caught off guard, Deng Ruyun bumped into him, falling into his arms.

Teng Yue pulled her close, looking down at her, his voice firm.

“Do not think about going back to Xi’an. Just eat, ride your horse, and sleep. We will be in Ningxia in a few days.”

Deng Ruyun: “…”

After saying that, the man ignored her and called for his personal guards, who were waiting for him.

“Go eat, everyone.”

He then looked at Deng Ruyun. “You go too.”

Deng Ruyun had practically become his soldier—no, she was not a soldier; she was a prisoner!

She could not reason with him, so she could only turn and leave.

Teng Yue asked Tang Zuo.

“Where’s Shen Xiu?”

“Reporting to the General, the Shen family has some business. Shen Xiu will be here tomorrow and should catch up with us in about two days.”

Teng Yue nodded, saying nothing.

Tang Zuo did not press further. Shen Xiu was a secret guard; the tasks he performed for the General were naturally different from theirs.

The food at the post station was simple, but since the General had brought his wife, Tang Zuo specially ordered two extra dishes to be prepared.

The guards and personal soldiers sat together, while Deng Ruyun sat alone with Teng Yue.

The food was decent, but she had no appetite.

He just kidnapped her like that. Would everything not fall into chaos?

Deng Ruyun could only try to discuss it with Teng Yue again, but before she could even open her mouth, he spoke first.

“What do you want to say? Tell me how much you like that person?”

Deng Ruyun paused, glancing at him.

Seeing the ambiguous anger and grievance in his expression, “You want to stab me in the heart again, do you not?”

As he spoke, he suddenly drew a dagger from his waist and placed it on the table, the tip pointing at himself.

“Why not just use this?”

Deng Ruyun panicked at the sight and quickly pushed the knife away from him.

“Do not be ridiculous.”

Teng Yue saw her initial panic, followed by her first reaction of pushing the knife away from him.

He could not help but think of how he reluctantly rode back, only to find her standing there before he even reached the gate, alone, looking in the direction he had left after the crowd had dispersed.

If he had not turned back, unwilling to give up, would he have missed that one glance from her?

And was she, as she claimed, not someone who gave her heart entirely to that other person, leaving none for him?

Teng Yue paused, then suddenly spoke.

“What’s his name?”

Deng Ruyun blinked, glanced at Teng Yue twice, then pursed her lips without answering.

The man asked again.

“Also from Jinzhou, right? Which battalion?”

The private room where Deng Ruyun and Teng Yue were eating was quiet, and the soldiers eating together outside also inexplicably fell silent at this moment.

Deng Ruyun did not answer either.

The man scoffed, “Jinzhou Garrison is not that big. Do you think I cannot find out?”

Upon hearing this, Deng Ruyun’s heart pounded.

But then she suddenly retorted.

“General, are you going to find that person as soon as possible for me?”

Deng Ruyun asked, only to see the man’s expression change.

Teng Yue’s brows furrowed, his handsome eyes flashing with a dark light as he stared at her, both angry and annoyed.

He wished she would never find that person!

Deng Ruyun understood his thoughts perfectly and remained silent.

After a long pause, she spoke softly.

“General… forcing it is pointless.”

The room was silent. Teng Yue did not respond immediately; he too remained silent for a moment, then spoke, his voice slightly hoarse.

“If he returns, he will wait just as foolishly as you. At that time, I naturally will not force you anymore.”

Deng Ruyun felt a mix of emotions welling up inside her. She glanced at the man, seeing his eyes lowered, silently picking up his chopsticks to continue eating. Even at this moment, he did not forget to put a piece of food on her plate.

Deng Ruyun was speechless, sitting blankly at the table.

But the man hummed again.

“Eat. No matter what happens later, you are still my wife, Teng Yue’s wife.”

He seemed to be speaking to her, or perhaps to himself.

Deng Ruyun looked up and saw him speak again.

“Even a bittersweet marriage is still fate. Since the red thread has been tied, how can we not force it?”

… …

After eating, they continued riding.

Deng Ruyun knew she could never return and could only sigh, gazing towards Xi’an.

After nightfall, Teng Yue did not let everyone ride horses at night. He pointed to a nearby post station and settled down early for the night.

Deng Ruyun knew he was considering her physical condition; she had almost vomited while riding the horse.

Now, dismounting, Deng Ruyun had no energy to continue the ordeal. Seeing her like this, Teng Yue simply picked her up, carried her horizontally in his arms, and took her back to her room at the post station.

Tang Zuo asked the post station staff for some pills. Deng Ruyun wanted to break them open, rub them, and smell them, but Teng Yue put them directly into her mouth, feeding her the pills and giving her some water.

“Just sit quietly for a while, and you will feel better.”

Deng Ruyun could not speak, listlessly leaning against the headboard.

The man took off his clothes and went behind the partition to wash himself.

When the sun was blazing at midday, he sweated quite a bit, and the sweat mixed with the dust and sand in the wind, making him feel sticky all over. But after wiping himself with water, he felt refreshed.

They had eaten lunch and were not hungry; they just wanted to sleep clean and refreshed.

Teng Yue, having washed, emerged from behind the partition wearing only a pair of trousers.

He saw Yunniang still sitting by the bed, lost in thought.

He did not want her to dwell on things she should not be thinking about, so he called to her, “Would you like to wash up too? It will be nice and comfortable to rest afterward.”

Deng Ruyun wanted to wash as well, but she said…

“What’s the use of washing a prisoner without any clothes?”

Her resentment seeped from her sharp tongue.

Teng Yue thought to himself that she was still resentful and angry; who could he, her temporary husband, complain to?

But her sharp retort was still more palatable than any of her hurtful words.

Teng Yue glanced at her but did not argue and took out his clean clothes.

“Wear mine for now. We will have someone make you new ones when we get to Ningxia in a few days.”

Deng Ruyun, feeling uncomfortable covered in sand and dust, did not say anything more after hearing his words. She secretly glanced at him when he was not looking, then took his clothes inside to wash.

However, Teng Yue’s build was vastly different from hers. Deng Ruyun washed for quite a while, and only after Teng Yue asked three times, “Are you done yet?” did she slowly emerge.

The man sat at the table, drinking cold tea. He noticed that his top looked loose and baggy on her, like a theatrical robe, and his trousers, despite being rolled up and down, still dragged on the floor, almost tripping her.

The man’s pent-up frustration from the whole day somehow dissipated in that instant.

He could not help but smile slightly.

Meanwhile, Deng Ruyun was struggling with his overcoat.

She tried to roll up her sleeves and pull up her trouser legs, her hands flailing about in a jumbled mess, water droplets dripping from her half-wet hair.

In the chaos, she managed to pull nothing up, and the belt she’d just tied around her waist suddenly came undone. Her trousers, which she had not yet straightened, fell to the floor with a clatter. She frantically tried to pull them up, but the collar slipped down her shoulders.

The cool night air brushed past her exposed legs and shoulders.

She stood before him, wearing his oversized shirt, which hung loosely beneath her smooth shoulders, her pale legs exposed.

She looked like a small bird caught on a large leaf, her petite frame accentuated by the leaf’s largeness.

The man’s gaze lingered for a moment.

Deng Ruyun’s heart pounded with embarrassment. He suddenly stood up and walked over. Before she could ask, he bent down and scooped her up, carrying her towards the bed.

Deng Ruyun’s mind went blank for a moment.

She quickly struggled to get off him, kicking her legs, but he would not let go.

Deng Ruyun’s heart pounded even harder. Just as she suspected, he was going to push her onto the bed, he placed her on the table by the small, open window beside the bed.

He opened the window wide, and the night breeze billowed in.

He took a towel and dried her hair.

The breeze was not cold; it was just enough to dry her half-wet hair.

So he did not mean anything by it; he just carried her to the table by the window to dry her hair.

Deng Ruyun glanced at the man discreetly. He stood by the window, his eyes lowered as he dried her hair. The night breeze blowing in from outside ruffled his slightly damp temples, and he remained silent.

A few insects chirped intermittently, the only sound in the room being the sound of him drying her wet hair.

His touch was gentle, not disturbing a single strand of her hair. Deng Ruyun recalled the time at the Teng family home; she had just washed her hair when he appeared behind her, wrapping her long hair in a large towel.

Back then, he noticed she was deliberately avoiding him and angrily questioned her. Unable to answer, she could only make up stories about being afraid of him, which made him somewhat believe her. He dared not force her anymore and silently tried to dry her freshly washed hair, but she refused to let him touch it.

He was at a loss and could only pick up Linglang; at least Linglang could ease the awkwardness between them…

Today, there was no Linglang, no other people or events in Xi’an Prefecture, only her and him, under the window of the guest room at this roadside inn, in the quiet night breeze.

Her hair was not completely wet; it dried after a while.

He still said nothing but picked her up from the table and placed her under the thin blanket on the bed.

He turned around, closed the window, and downed the last half-cup of cold tea on the table in one gulp.

He blew out the candle and went to bed.

His bare chest was burning hot, making Deng Ruyun’s back tense.

But when he spoke, he only uttered a word.

“Sleep.”

The man curled her up in the blankets, holding her in his arms, his soft breathing swirling in her ears.

The man composed himself, then sighed, holding her tighter.

Even a bitter marriage was fate.

At least until that person returned.

But for some reason, that person never intended to marry her, instead letting her search for him for so long, and he could not bear to treat her like this.

That person might never return, and perhaps, through his daily, persistent efforts, he could earn a place for himself in her eyes.

Even just this one spot would be enough…

*

After two more days of riding, Deng Ruyun adapted to the rhythm of the horseback riding. She no longer felt dizzy or nauseated; in fact, the further north they went, the cooler it became. Although the wind carried sand and dust, it blew fiercely against her body, refreshing and invigorating.

It seemed, just as someone had said before, the wind here was direct.

They galloped through the mountains, with black eagles frequently swooping down from the vast sky.

Deng Ruyun asked Teng Yue’s personal guards, “What are those black eagles doing following us? Are they trying to swoop down and peck at our horses?”

The guards laughed, and Tang Zuo explained to her with a smile.

“Madam, that hawk is one we bred ourselves. If it dares to peck at our horses, we will stew it tomorrow.”

Deng Ruyun looked at the hawk again and felt a sense of closeness.

“So it’s one of us.”

She saw the hawk circling as it flew towards where the group had stopped to rest and drink, and it called out politely.

“Would you like some water too?”

She asked, but the black hawk ignored her; only the guards laughed heartily.

But then, a loud whistle suddenly sounded behind her.

She saw the hawk swoop down, its speed incredibly fast, creating a gust of wind. Deng Ruyun was so startled that she immediately covered her head, but the hawk slowed down as it approached the group, finally circling and landing on the arm of the man who had blown the whistle.

It was Teng Yue.

The man wore a dark brown robe, and the black hawk perched on his arm. Man and hawk stood on the high hillside.

The mountain wind howled behind him.

Deng Ruyun looked over and met the man’s gaze directly.

For some reason, she could not look away for a moment, only hearing her heart pound three times.

Fortunately, someone rode up from the road they had come from; unfortunately, it was Shen Xiu, who had been chasing after them.

Shen Xiu was not too surprised to see Deng Ruyun, clearly already knowing. He stepped forward, bowed, and greeted her, to which Deng Ruyun awkwardly nodded in return.

Teng Yue then called Shen Xiu directly over.

“You do not need to come with me to Ningxia. Go and do me a favor.”

Shen Xiu quickly straightened up. “What is it, General?”

Teng Yue glanced into the distance, then looked back, his gaze lingering slightly on Deng Ruyun.

“Go to Henan and find Nanny Wei, who went there for Sister Xia’s treatment. Try to subtly get some information from her.”

“What does the General want to know?”

Teng Yue paused slightly, then spoke softly.

“Ask Nanny Wei how Madam came to marry into the Teng family. When the Old Madam found Madam, did she discuss any special matters with her?”

Shen Xiu blinked and agreed.

“Understood.”

Teng Yue nodded and added, “Inquire discreetly; do not make a fuss.”

After giving his instructions and asking a few more questions about the Shen family, Shen Xiu prepared to leave.

Deng Ruyun was surprised and walked to Shen Xiu’s horse. “Why are you leaving so soon?”

Shen Xiu replied that the general had given him instructions. “I will return to Ningxia after I finish my business.”

Deng Ruyun could not help but think of Teng Yue’s earlier inquiry about “that person’s” identity. She could not help but ask Shen Xiu, “He would not be asking you to go to Jinzhou, would he?”

As soon as she asked this, she saw the man standing not far away glance over.

Deng Ruyun pursed her lips, but Shen Xiu said no.

“I am not going to Jinzhou. If Madam has any requests, I can go to Jinzhou myself.”

Deng Ruyun did not want him to go back to Jinzhou and shook her head repeatedly.

She wanted to ask something more, but the man spoke to Shen Xiu.

“Go quickly.”

As soon as he spoke, Shen Xiu immediately mounted his horse. Deng Ruyun could not ask any more questions. She watched him bid farewell to the others and ride off in the direction he had come from.

Deng Ruyun did not know what Teng Yue had instructed Shen Xiu to do, but since it was not to Jinzhou, she felt somewhat relieved.

The man had become increasingly quiet these past two days, but her thoughts, along with the days of riding, had inexplicably soared.

Two days later, amidst the swirling sandstorms, she saw the majestic border town of Ningxia appear before her.