Perfect Match – CH 088

Chapter 88

In the narrow room on a rainy night.

The moment their eyes met, Deng Ruyun paused only briefly before looking away. She rummaged through the trunks that had just been moved in, finding an oil-paper umbrella, which she handed to him.

The umbrella was a bit old, with some cracks in the fabric.

“Take this for now. Use it when the rain gets a little lighter.”

She handed it to him, but as she raised her hand to offer it, he refused to take it.

Deng Ruyun turned to look at him, but he stepped forward. He did not grasp the umbrella but instead took her hand. His fingertips still felt damp from the rain. Standing in the cramped room, he completely filled Deng Ruyun’s field of vision, his scent, along with the rain from outside, enveloping her.

Deng Ruyun tried to pull her hand away, but he would not let her. She looked up at him and saw his deep, unfathomable eyes reflecting hers, his gaze locking onto her. Deng Ruyun’s heart pounded. She felt that her kindness in letting him in to take shelter from the rain was like inviting a wolf into the house.

She tucked the umbrella into his arms. “Go back now.”

This time, he took the umbrella but placed it directly on the stack of trunks. He just stared at her, about to take another step forward.

Next step, he was almost touching her toes.

“Stop! Do not move!” she quickly said.

First, she made him leave with the umbrella, then she made him stand still, not allowing him to come any closer. Teng Yue lowered his head, the light in his eyes dimming.

“I do not want to leave. I want to keep watch for you tonight.”

But Deng Ruyun was not some sheltered young lady; why would she need someone to keep watch for her?

“I do not need it.”

But he looked intently at her and said, “But I do need it.”

This startled Deng Ruyun, and she blinked.

This was her room, yet he wanted someone to keep watch. Did he expect her to sleep on the floor while she kept watch for him?

Deng Ruyun pursed her lips, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed his gaze growing increasingly somber. Though he stood under the bright lamp, a strange, dim light seemed to shroud him, as if the pattering mountain rain outside the window was falling upon him.

His voice was as cold as the night rain.

“Yunniang, I really cannot leave, because I will be afraid.”

He was a man who had fought alongside the army since childhood, a man whose name would strike fear into the hearts of the Tartars beyond the Great Wall, a man who could quell a rebellion and seize a city in a single day. What could he possibly be afraid of?

But he said he was afraid. Deng Ruyun could not help but glance at him out of the corner of her eye, seeing a slight tremor in his eyes on his desolate face.

His voice was so low it mingled with the night rain outside the window, yet every word reached Deng Ruyun’s ears clearly.

“After discovering you were gone, both Kong Hui and Shen Yanxing immediately sent messengers to search for you. But so many people searched the entire city of Xi’an, and they could not find a trace of you. At first, unable to return from the capital, I only regretted not being able to fly back to Xi’an overnight. I even dreamed of riding back, but every time I woke up, I was still greeted by the unfamiliar night sky of the capital.”

He said that for those few days, he could not sleep at all.

“However, when I returned on horseback, I had searched every county and town near Xi’an twice, but there was still no trace of you. You vanished like morning dew, evaporated into thin air. I panicked immediately.”

He truly panicked; this was a feeling he had never experienced, even while fighting on the front lines. It was only when his deputy, Tong, reminded him to search in Tongguan County, the northernmost part of Xi’an, that he realized the wisdom in his words. How could he have forgotten? He immediately led his men straight to Tongguan County.

“But when I found Tongguan County and located the house where you had stayed, I rushed there only to find a man cleaning the house. He said you had already left, left three days before.”

When Deng Ruyun heard him say this, his voice became heavy with emotion. He looked at her, and the trembling in his eyes resonated with her heart, causing it to tremble as well.

“Yunniang, do you know what I was thinking back then?”

He spoke in a hoarse voice, “I wondered, would I always, always be one step behind you?”

His pursuit always lagged behind her departing steps.

He would never see her again…

His words fell into the patter of the night rain, a bitter taste spreading through his nose.

She could imagine how many places he had searched. Shopkeeper Qin had secretly sent her a message saying that almost the entire city of Xi’an knew that General Teng, who had performed a great service, had lost his wife and was searching frantically every day, practically turning Xi’an upside down with his search… How could he be so… so determined?

Deng Ruyun pressed her lips tightly together, wiping away a single tear that had silently fallen from the corner of her eye.

She looked at him and saw that he had lowered his head, but his eyelids were raised, his gaze flickering as he looked at her.

“Yunniang, please do not send me away again? I just want to stay by your side.”

He did not want to open his eyes again to find his dream shattered, leaving only the unfamiliar capital city. He did not want to turn around and have her disappear from his sight again.

He looked at her like a wounded mountain eagle or like Dafu, who could not find his home. His lips were slightly pursed, like Little Linglang with tears welling up in her eyes. But he was neither of them; he was Teng Yue, Teng Yu Chuan.

Before Deng Ruyun could think of what to say, her head nodded for her.

Before she could react, he grabbed her hand.

“Thank you, Yunniang. I will go and move Grandma’s bamboo bed over. I can sleep on it tonight!”

As if afraid she would change her mind, he immediately went to the window, ignoring the torrential rain in the mountains outside. In a few quick movements, he brought Grandma’s bamboo bed over.

Deng Ruyun: “…”

He was too quick! She had softened her heart just now, but now she felt like she had let a wolf into her house.

But there was still a stack of medical records on the desk that she had not finished reading. Deng Ruyun turned away, no longer wanting to deal with him, and sat back down at the desk.

She turned on the lamp on the desk to look at the medical records.

Seeing that she was silent, Teng Yue did not disturb her. He first tidied up his bamboo bed, not daring to place it too close to her bed, but placing it where she could be seen at a glance.

Just as he placed it there, a stream of water gurgled down from the ceiling, landing directly on Deng Ruyun’s desk.

Deng Ruyun’s desk was full of papers and books, and the rain immediately threw it into chaos.

The man, quick-witted and agile, immediately grabbed a teapot and placed it over the leak. He then said, “I will go cover the roof with tiles; it will not leak in a bit.”

Outside, the rain was pouring down. Deng Ruyun considered saying forget it, but he had already stepped outside into the rain. He quickly covered the leak with tiles; the houses in the village were not tall, and he did so in no time. He then went to check on Aunt Juan’s room, which was also leaking, and fixed that as well.

When he returned, he was soaked to the bone.

He did not seem to care. He wiped the rain from his face, took off his soaked robe, and hung it aside. His tall figure, clad only in a plain undergarment, stood in the center of the room. His undergarment inside was also quite wet, but he did not seem to mind at all, instead asking Deng Ruyun if she was cold.

“Would you like some hot tea? I will make some for you.”

Deng Ruyun declined, saying she was not cold. She was about to ask him to find a towel to dry himself when she saw him down the entire cup of cold tea in one gulp, seemingly still wanting more.

Seeing this, Deng Ruyun could not help but speak up.

“It’s autumn, and you’ve been caught in the rain and drunk cold tea; you are bound to catch the plague.”

But he completely ignored her warning, only blinking at her, “Are you worried about me, Yunniang?”

As he spoke, a smile spread across his face. “What’s the big deal? I am fine!”

Whether to show he was truly alright or not, he first noticed the ink on her inkstone was low, so he added water and ground the ink for her. Seeing her busy and not yet ready to sleep, he then draped a robe over her shoulders.

Deng Ruyun, seeing him so tirelessly attending to her needs, could not help but say, “You do not need to do these things.”

But he replied, “Yunniang, I am more than happy to.”

Before, she had always secretly followed him, keeping him company through countless days and nights when he felt lonely and alone. Now it was his turn to be by her side. If she wished, he would use all his power to help her soar to great heights!

… …

When the night deepened and the entire mountain village fell silent, the light in Deng Ruyun’s room was finally extinguished.

The room was pitch black, and nothing could be seen, but inexplicably, Deng Ruyun felt that the person on the bamboo bed seemed unwilling to sleep, constantly looking towards her bed curtains.

His gaze seemed to linger around her canopy bed, unwilling to leave, until she grew drowsy and sank into darkness, the feeling of his gaze still lingering…

The next day, the rain had not stopped, but the leaves on the mountain trees seemed to have turned autumnal yellow overnight, fluttering and falling to the ground.

Deng Ruyun could not see him off, so she could only let him pick out an umbrella for her and went to check on the patients who had taken the trial pills. She then went to the makeshift pharmacy to carefully examine the prepared medicines.

The pills had only just been made; it would probably take some days before they showed any effect. Nevertheless, Deng Ruyun was quite busy, shuttling between the pharmacy, the medicine storeroom, and the patients.

Teng Yue stayed by her side the whole time but dared not disturb her. However, as night approached, he faintly heard movement on the road at the town entrance, and soldiers came to report from time to time.

“General, the old lady and the young lady have arrived.”

Mother and Ah Xiao.

Seeing Deng Ruyun taking inventory of the medicinal herbs in the storeroom, Teng Yue did not disturb her and went to the village entrance first.

*

At the Village Entrance.

Old Madam Lin had come from Xi’an City, but she had not expected this place to be so remote. It had rained the night before, and the carriage had taken a long, winding mountain road to reach the village.

She had just gotten off the carriage when Teng Yue approached.

Before she could speak, her daughter, who had not said a word to her the whole way, anxiously asked.

“Brother, where’s Sister-in-law?”

Teng Yue said that Ruyun was busy, gave his sister a few words, and then looked at his mother.

“Mother’s here?”

Old Madam Lin nodded quickly, then lowered her voice to ask Teng Yue.

“Ruyun…she will not go home with you?”

Teng Yue did not answer his mother’s question and only sighed silently.

Teng Xiao then remarked, “I wonder if my sister-in-law will be even less willing to go home after seeing Mother?”

After she finished speaking, Old Madam Lin silently looked at her son, then at her daughter.

Regardless, she needed to clarify things with Yunniang first. Avoiding or refusing to see Yunniang would only sever the thin thread of fate that had bound Teng Yue and Yunniang together.

Once everything was over, she should, like her cousin, move to the temple on the mountain so as not to hinder her children’s futures.

But Deng Ruyun was busy at the moment, and Old Madam Lin did not want to disturb her. She had some things moved in. “Let’s go pay our respects to Yunniang’s maternal grandmother and aunt first.”

Old Madam Lin was always very polite.

However, previously, she had hardly ever seen Deng Ruyun’s maternal grandmother and Aunt Juan, believing that their contractual relationship did not require much contact.

But now, everything was different.

After a long and arduous journey, Old Madam Lin changed her clothes and, taking advantage of a slight easing of the rain, personally went to pay her respects with gifts.

Aunt Juan had just brewed medicine for Deng Ruyun’s maternal grandmother, which she was drinking. Hearing the knocking, she assumed it was someone from the village and only sent Linglang and Dafu to check.

However, Linglang quickly returned, her face tense. Before she could speak, Aunt Juan hurriedly opened the window and saw Old Madam Lin standing in front of the courtyard gate.

Aunt Juan did not refuse them entry, but first tidied up her grandmother’s medicine bowl before leaving.

Seeing Aunt Juan approach, Old Madam Lin dared not delay any longer and quickly stepped forward, saying, “Ruyun’s aunt, my dear in-law.”

Aunt Juan replied, “You flatter me, Madam. What brings you here…?”

At this point, Old Madam Lin was direct.

Aunt Juan led her into the room. The old matriarch sat at the head of the table, quietly waiting for Old Madam Lin to speak, though she did not recognize the people below.

Old Madam Lin offered no further explanation.

“…I was foolish about that contract before, causing Yunniang so much suffering. I deeply regret it.”

Aunt Juan looked at her and saw genuine remorse in her eyes. This woman of such high birth, so dignified and elegant, whom she had never even had the chance to see before, was now bowing her head and sighing, a hint of age appearing at her temples.

She listened as she said, “I only wanted to arrange a noble marriage for Teng Yue, never considering Yunniang a suitable match for him. But after going through all this trouble, I’ve realized that so-called noble ladies do not necessarily have much sincerity, while a pearl hidden in withered grass, even if temporarily covered in dust, is still worth a fortune.”

She said, “Yunniang is that priceless jewel.”

Her words came from deep regret, and the room fell silent after she spoke.

Outside the room, Teng Yue and his sister Teng Xiao stood at the door, one sniffling slightly, the other letting out a long sigh.

Inside the room, Aunt Juan had harbored some resentment towards Old Madam Lin, who had a contract that had helped the Deng family out of their predicament. However, Yunniang’s initial days in the Teng family had not been easy. That year, they had seized the opportunity to open their own pharmacy in Xi’an Prefecture, but money could not compensate for the unspeakable grievances and hardships she had endured.

Perhaps Yunniang did not feel wronged. Ever since her parents, brother, and sister-in-law passed away, she had placed everything concerning herself in the lowest possible position.

Her family members came before her, her livelihood came before her, and the contract she had signed with Old Madam Lin was something Yunniang had never arbitrarily torn up or overstepped based on her own feelings.

She had humbled herself too much, to the point that her own appearance was unimportant, her thoughts were unimportant, and even the feelings she had for that young general when she was just a girl were unimportant.

But this aunt, even the one who was acting as her “mother,” cared.

She saw Old Madam Lin stand up, wanting to beg for their forgiveness, wanting them to give Teng Yue another chance.

But Aunt Juan did not agree immediately.

“Madam, we only consider Yunniang’s opinion. If she thinks it’s good, we think it’s good too. But if she does not want to, we will not say anything more.”

She would not easily give in, not even revealing the slightest hint.

Old Madam Lin did not dare say anything more. She nodded and said, “Ruyun’s auntie is right. Whether she’s still willing to accept Teng Yue depends on Yunniang’s opinion.”

Aunt Juan stopped speaking. Old Madam Lin picked up her teacup and took a sip. She thought that since that was the case, she would not disturb her for now and would talk to Yunniang after she finished her work. Her gaze swept over Aunt Juan and then settled on Deng Ruyun’s maternal grandmother.

The old woman sat at the head of the table, silent, watching their conversation with a kind and gentle expression.

At that moment, Old Madam Lin looked over, and the old woman smiled and nodded gently at her. Her soft, relaxed features beneath her long, white hair captivated Old Madam Lin.

Just then, the rain started falling again outside. The eaves offered little shelter, so Aunt Juan invited Teng Yue and Teng Xiao in.

However, Teng Yue said he needed to see Yunniang and went outside, leaving only Teng Xiao inside.

The rain continued, making the room increasingly dark. Old Madam Lin had intended to leave, but in the heavy rain, she did not know where to go. The sky darkened, and only a small lamp illuminated the room.

Aunt Juan was about to order two more lamps, but Old Madam Lin’s gaze swept over Teng Xiao, and when she saw Deng Ruyun’s maternal grandmother sitting quietly at the head of the table again, a strange sense of familiarity washed over her.

She looked at Teng Xiao, then at Ruyun’s maternal grandmother. The old woman’s gentle and relaxed expression had not changed, but the way she sat under the small lamp suddenly reminded Old Madam Lin of that rainy night ten years ago. At that time, she had been carrying her daughter, who could not yet speak, rushing to the farm to sell her dowry properties to buy medicine for her husband’s soldiers.

That was also a rainy night. Teng Xiao had developed a high fever while traveling with her, and she was frantic, trapped in the inn, not knowing what to do.

The innkeeper told her she could not find a physician, but a guest who had just bought medicine and was passing through was staying on the first floor and might know something about medicine.

She knocked on the door and woke the person from their sleep.

That night, that person stayed with her all night. She helped care for her child, who had taken medicine. They ordered wine from the innkeeper, and in that long, rainy night, the person drank with her, cursing Shi Zeyou, that despicable man, and all the bullies in this chaotic world!

She helped treat her child, warned her about the potential plague that year, and gave her a sum of money—not much, but enough to get by.

She had not seen such a generous and open-minded person in a long time.

She despised despicable people like Shi Zeyou. At that moment, she wanted to become sworn sisters with such a person, to support each other in the future—the epitome of loyalty and friendship.

She even asked her then, “After drinking with you all night, I still do not know your name?”

She was drunk too, but still answered her.

“Ye Qiu…”

Ye Qiu—she remembered the name, intending to formally befriend her at dawn. However, just as day broke, devastating news arrived from her family.

Her eldest son had fallen from his horse in the mountains. She rushed back with Teng Xiao, never to see the woman she had just met again.

She did not seem to be from Jinzhou, yet she had a slight Jinzhou accent. Later, she inquired everywhere in Jinzhou but could not find her anywhere.

Ye Qiu, Ye Qiu—whose daughter, whose mother?

Old Madam Lin thought that even if the woman did not want to become sworn sisters, the help she received that night was worth repaying tenfold, a hundredfold. And if she and her child were in trouble, she would definitely lend a hand without hesitation!

But after searching everywhere for this female physician surnamed Ye for years without any news, she had given up the search in recent years.

Yet at this very moment, in the rainy night of the epidemic, she had traveled here with Teng Xiao. Looking at the old woman sitting quietly, she saw in her gentle expression, her gaze, like a gentle rain, a hidden yearning for kindness and compassion in the world.

In that instant, her features seemed to overlap with someone she had met by chance deep in Old Madam Lin’s memory.

She jumped up in a panic.

She suddenly rushed to the old woman’s side, knelt down, and tightly grasped her hand, urgently asking, “Your daughter, Yunniang’s mother, is her surname not Meng? And her husband’s surname is Deng, is it not? Does she have another surname?”

Old Madam Lin asked. She had specifically inquired beforehand; Yunniang’s mother’s surname was not Ye but Meng, taken from her maternal grandfather. And there was no one in their family with the surname Ye.

But at this moment, Old Madam Lin, holding her grandmother’s hand and standing close to her, looked at the old woman and suddenly remembered something, asking again.

“Your daughter, do you remember? What was her name?”

At this question, a look of confusion gradually appeared in the old woman’s eyes.

Old Madam Lin then remembered that her grandmother had long since lost her memory, her mind confused for many years.

She was about to turn around to ask Aunt Juan, Yunniang’s maid, for clarification. But her grandmother began to murmur.

Old Madam Lin looked at her and saw that beneath her white hair, her eyes were brimming with shimmering tears.

Her gaze seemed to be fixed on something unseen, as if searching for someone she had not seen for a very long time.

And she softly opened her mouth, as if calling out.

“My child, Ye Qiu…”

The words floated lightly, like a leaf swirling in the wind, lingering for a long time.

Old Madam Lin stumbled and nearly fell.

Ye Qiu, Ye Qiu, Lady Meng Ye Qiu…

Just then, footsteps sounded in the courtyard. Old Madam Lin turned to look and saw Teng Yue carrying an umbrella, having just returned from the rain.

The rain obscured the person’s features, but as she walked quickly towards him, it was as if the figure of someone almost gone from her memory had completely merged with her own.

Old Madam Lin stared blankly at the approaching person, her heart pounding with fear.

Suddenly, she ran out of the room, straight into the torrential rain.

She waded through the puddles in the garden, heading straight for Deng Ruyun.

Her face was streaked with rain and tears, trembling as she did not know how to touch Yunniang. She reached out but only dared to tightly grasp her sleeve.

“Yunniang! Yunniang!”

So this was Ye Qiu’s child, the child she had been searching for so desperately! But she signed that distorted contract with her, then repeatedly drove her away until she ran to this remote mountain!

“I am sorry, I am sorry, Yunniang, I am so sorry…”

T/N: Onion cutting ninjas!!!