Yunyi couldn’t guess his identity, so she carefully replied, “They’re just trivial matters. I can handle them.”
“That’s good.” He breathed a sigh of relief, then said in a low voice, “I’ve been worried about you ever since you entered the residence over a month ago. Fortunately, you came back today, otherwise I don’t know when we would have been able to meet.”
Yunyi didn’t know how to respond, so she could only smile as a reply. After a moment of silence, the man suddenly took out a pure silver butterfly clasp hairpin from his sleeve, his face slightly flushed as he said, “I fell in love with this at first sight at the market last time. I thought you would definitely like it, so now… I’m giving it to you.”
For an ordinary family, such a pure silver hairpin was already quite expensive. Yunyi declined, “Such a precious thing—I can’t accept it. You should take it back.”
Upon hearing this, the man immediately became anxious, “Meixue, are you… are you still angry with my mother?”
Yunyi really didn’t know how to respond. She knew nothing about this matter. After thinking for a long while, she tried to avoid the main issue and said lightly, “There’s no anger or anything like that. In any case, please take this hairpin back.”
“Meixue!” In his urgency, the man couldn’t help but grasp Meixue’s hand, causing her to be startled and quickly withdraw her hand, saying coldly, “What are you trying to do?”
The man also realized his improper behavior and quickly withdrew his hand, “Meixue, I know what my mother did last time was very wrong, but you should be very clear about my feelings for you. I…” He took a deep breath and said solemnly, “I’m going to Luoyang tomorrow to take the imperial examination. After I pass the jinshi examination, I will definitely come back to marry you!”
This time, Yunyi was truly shocked. Marry… her? No, it should be marry Meixue. This person… who exactly was he? Also, did Meixue have a marriage engagement? She had never heard Meixue mention it.
The man kept waiting for Yunyi to respond, and thinking she was doubting his words, he said again, “Believe me, I will definitely come back to marry you, definitely!”
Just then, Wu Laosan returned carrying things. Seeing him there, he said indifferently, “Ruhui, your mother is looking for you. You should go home!”
Hearing this, Du Ruhui’s face turned pale. He gritted his teeth and forcibly stuffed the pure silver butterfly clasp hairpin into Yunyi’s hands, saying in a low voice, “The day I pass the jinshi examination will be the day we get married!”
Watching Du Ruhui’s departing figure, Wu Laosan shook his head, “If it weren’t for having such a snobbish mother, you and Ruhui would truly be a match made in heaven. By the way, what did he say to you?”
Ruhui… Hearing this name, Yunyi understood. This man who had said so many inexplicable things to her was Du Ruhui, whom Wu Laosan had mentioned before. She steadied herself and handed over the silver hairpin, “He gave me this silver hairpin and said… he’s going to Luoyang tomorrow to take the imperial examination, and after passing the jinshi examination, he’ll… he’ll marry me.” The last two words made Yunyi feel uncomfortable all over.
Wu Laosan smiled bitterly, “If you really got married, his mother would be beside herself with rage. Forget it, forget it. Don’t think about him anymore. Father will definitely help you find a better husband. That boy Ruhui… you and he have fate but no destiny.”
After several attempts at probing, Yunyi finally understood the whole cause and effect. Du Ruhui and Meixue could be said to be childhood sweethearts who grew up together. As they gradually grew up, they developed feelings for each other. The Du family had been merchants for generations and was well-off, much better than Meixue’s family. Half a year ago, Du Ruhui boldly informed his father of his intentions, wanting to marry Meixue.
His father didn’t say much, but his mother strongly opposed it, saying Meixue was a wild girl brought from a tiger’s den who wasn’t worthy of being the Du family’s daughter-in-law. She wanted Du Ruhui to abandon this idea.
Du Ruhui naturally refused and argued his case, but his mother was a fierce character who immediately resorted to crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide. His father also advised him to focus on his studies and the imperial examination. Helplessly, Du Ruhui had to temporarily set aside this matter.
But Du’s mother didn’t let it go. The next day, she went to block the Wu family’s door and gave them a thorough scolding. The Wu father and daughter were honest people who were no match for her. They were scolded miserably, and Meixue cried until she was a mess. Even so, Du’s mother still wouldn’t give up, pointing fingers and making indirect accusations. Finally, Wu Laosan couldn’t hold back his anger and picked up a stick nearby, making a gesture to hit her, which finally made Du’s mother leave.
From then on, the feud between the Du and Wu families was established. Du’s mother constantly threw mud at Meixue’s reputation outside, ruining her name. Du Ruhui was also confined to his home, not allowed to associate with Meixue anymore.
That period was the most difficult time for Meixue. She didn’t dare step out of her home because as soon as she went out, she would hear all sorts of vicious gossip that she couldn’t bear. It wasn’t until much later that the matter gradually died down. However, during that time, for some unknown reason, there was much less game on the mountain, and the few thin fields also had poor harvests. Wu Laosan could only look for work everywhere, and life was very difficult. It was at that time that the Governor’s residence was hiring, so Meixue went to work at the Governor’s residence, which also allowed her to avoid the gossip in the village that had faded but still circulated from time to time.
Wu Laosan sighed heavily, “Girl, Father knows Ruhui is good, but his mother… sigh, forget it.”
“Your daughter understands.” With that, she handed the hairpin to Wu Laosan, “When Father finds it convenient, please return this hairpin to him for me. Tell him that your daughter has a thin fate and cannot marry him, and hope he can find a better woman.”
“Good.” Wu Laosan nodded with relief. When he was about to take the hairpin, Yunyi pulled it back. He looked at Yunyi in surprise, and she said, “I’ll go myself instead, so they won’t make things difficult for Father.”
Wu Laosan smiled with his weathered face, “It’s fine. Father is used to it.”
Yunyi smiled but still wouldn’t hand the hairpin back. Wu Laosan knew she was feeling sorry for him, so he could only say, “Alright then, Father will go with you later.” Then he said, “Enough, let’s not talk about this anymore. Let Father personally make you a table of delicious food.”
Yunyi was about to speak when her heart suddenly moved. She probed, “Father, when you brought me back, besides the birth date and time, was there anything else?”
Wu Laosan thought for a moment, “Oh right, there was also a swaddling cloth, but later it was chewed up by mice and became unrecognizable, so I threw it away. I vaguely remember it had many beautiful embroidered patterns—auspicious clouds, cranes, and it seemed like there was also… a four-legged snake.”
“A four-legged snake?” Yunyi repeated in surprise. Generally speaking, the patterns embroidered on clothing would all take auspicious meanings. A four-legged snake had no auspicious meaning and was ugly—she really couldn’t understand why it would be embroidered on a swaddling cloth.