On the road, Pei You’an didn’t say a word, and Jia Fu remained equally silent.
By the time the lamps were being lit, the carriage returned to the Duke’s mansion. Governess Liu and Tanxiang, who had been sitting on either side of the driver, immediately jumped down as soon as the carriage stopped.
Pei You’an got out first. When it was Jia Fu’s turn, Governess Liu and Tanxiang hurried forward to help her, but Pei You’an had already extended his hand, grasping her arm, almost dragging her down. He released her and turned to walk inside.
Jia Fu glanced at his retreating figure and hurriedly followed.
They first went to Old Lady Pei’s quarters, where Madam Xin and the Second Madam were also present, attending to the old lady’s dinner.
Pei You’an, with a smile on his face, said, “We should have returned earlier, but afternoon I thought of something, so I had Afu stay longer to accompany her mother. That’s good, but I’m late.”
The old lady smiled, “It’s just returning a bit later, not a big deal. It’s good for mother and daughter to talk more. Have you eaten?”
“We ate at my mother-in-law’s place.”
The old lady nodded, “That’s good then. You may return to your quarters.”
Pei You’an respectfully acknowledged and led Jia Fu out. He walked faster and faster until finally, Jia Fu was almost taking small running steps to keep up, as they returned to their courtyard.
Once inside, he ordered Tanxiang and the other maids who had followed them to leave, closed the door, and said, “You went to the temple? What were you doing?”
He had his back to her, removing and hanging up his clothes.
His tone was restrained, but Jia Fu sensed that he was angry, his words tinged with accusation.
On the way back, Jia Fu knew he was displeased and recognized that her behavior was inappropriate. She had been anxious, but now, hearing him begin with accusations, she bit her lip hard, staring at his back. Her earlier anxiety was immediately replaced by grievance and irritation. She said nothing, walked to the dressing table, sat down, and began to unfasten her hairdo.
Pei You’an didn’t hear her response and turned around. Seeing her sitting down to remove her makeup, ignoring him, he frowned, “Why aren’t you speaking? I saw that your mother was reluctant to see you leave, and since I had some business, I told you to stay and keep her company, and I would come for you later. Yet you ran off to the temple! Do you still think you’re in the right?”
“I’m not right! But are you?”
Jia Fu could no longer contain herself. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she quickly undid her hair while rapidly saying, “Yes, I went to the temple, but what about you? When Grandmother asked me, I was too embarrassed to mention it. Going once is one thing, but two or three times! Using my mother keeping me as an excuse, today you left me and ran off to where? I’ll say it again—before, I was wrong to force you to marry me, I know that now, and I’ve stopped insisting. If you dislike me so much, why did you marry me three days ago, only to run off to see another woman?”
For the return visit to her maternal home that morning, Tanxiang had arranged an elaborate and beautiful hairdo for her, with numerous ornaments. Jia Fu removed them one by one, tossing them onto the table with a clatter. Finally, a copper wire comb used to secure the bun remained in her hair. The comb’s tip was fine and had become entangled in her hair, impossible to remove no matter how she tried.
Pei You’an watched her back, his expression slightly bewildered. After a moment, he frowned and said, “I don’t know what you’re thinking about all day…”
Jia Fu didn’t hear him, continuing to struggle with the copper wire comb.
Pei You’an’s expression gradually softened. He hesitated, then walked over, stopping behind her, reaching for the copper wire comb. His tone, upon careful consideration, even carried a hint of teasing, “Weren’t you always the one who loved to cry? Just now when I scolded you, why didn’t you cry?”
“If you want me to cry, I won’t!”
Jia Fu snorted coldly, tilting her head to avoid his outstretched hand. With determination, she yanked the copper wire comb out in one motion, pulling along ten or so strands of hair that were still entangled in it. She hadn’t expected his face to be bending down, and as her arm swung up, she heard him make a soft “hiss” sound. By unfortunate coincidence, the comb’s tip had grazed his forehead, immediately leaving a fine line of blood about half a finger’s length.
A drop of blood seeped from the cut.
The air instantly froze, and both of them seemed as if under a spell, maintaining their original positions, motionless.
Jia Fu realized she had done something terrible, and was greatly startled. She held the comb in her hand, staring blankly at the man reflected in the mirror behind her.
Pei You’an’s eyes also looked at her reflection in the mirror, and he slowly straightened up.
With a “clatter,” the weapon in her hand fell. Jia Fu stood up at once, turning around, frantically searching for a handkerchief to wipe away the blood.
Pei You’an tilted his head slightly, avoiding her hand, and wiped the blood with his finger, looking at the blood on his fingertip, then glancing at her.
Jia Fu’s earlier irritation had completely vanished. Her fingers tightly clutched the handkerchief, her knuckles turning white, as she stared at him with wide eyes.
“…Elder Cousin… I didn’t mean it… Does it hurt…”
Pei You’an snorted coldly, “If you had meant it, that would be even worse.”
Jia Fu bit her lip with her pearl-like teeth.
Pei You’an looked down at her, “You knew where I went, so you ran to the temple to intercept me? Hmm?”
“If not the temple, where else would it be?”
Jia Fu stared at his collar, weakly defending herself.
Pei You’an paused, as if speechless.
“I did tell you the day before yesterday that I went to the temple, but yesterday and today, I went to the Imperial Hospital!”
Jia Fu suddenly looked up.
“The Daoist priestess Chi has a younger brother. Five years ago, when the entire Chi family was executed, he was only three years old and was saved by an old friend of Scholar Chi, who sacrificed his life. However, the boy fell ill at that time and has been sick ever since. Now his life hangs by a thread, and he’s lying in the temple. The other day, I happened to meet Priestess Chi in the palace, and she begged me to examine her brother. Her grandfather was the chief examiner in my year’s imperial examination and had given me much guidance in the past. I respected him as a teacher. Now that the child is in critical condition, how could I not help? That day I went to examine him, but the case was puzzling. These past few days, whenever I had time, I’ve been researching medical texts at the Imperial Hospital and discussing the symptoms with the imperial physicians.”
“What have you been imagining in your mind?”
Jia Fu was stunned, looking up at him with her lips slightly parted.
“Today I thought of a therapeutic formula, but there was one ingredient that I wasn’t sure if the Imperial Hospital had in stock, as it’s a foreign medicine and difficult to preserve. I obtained it from a physician from Dashi when I was young. Seeing your mother’s reluctance to part with you, I asked you to stay a while longer, and I went to the Imperial Hospital to inquire. At the end of the wei hour, I went to your home to pick you up. Your mother said you had returned, so I came back. When I arrived, the gatekeeper said you had returned, stood at the gate for a moment, then got back into the carriage and left, without saying where you were going. At first, I thought you had gone back to your family, but I was afraid that if you weren’t there, it would only cause your mother worry. So I pretended that you had left something at home and sent someone in to get it. When they came out saying it wasn’t there, I realized you hadn’t gone home either! Do you know, I asked several brothers from the Five Military Commands Inspectorate to secretly search several places, and finally thought of it myself and went to the temple?”
His voice wasn’t raised, but his tone became increasingly severe.
Jia Fu felt both ashamed and remorseful, her face turning red to her ears. She slowly lowered her head, motionless.
The room fell into brief silence. Pei You’an seemed to be making a great effort to control his anger, hands behind his back, pacing back and forth in front of her. Finally, he stopped, slowly exhaled, and when he spoke again, his tone had calmed, “Enough, it’s good that you’re safe. Next time, don’t do such foolish things. I’m going to my study.” With that, he turned and walked out.
Governess Liu, Tanxiang, and others were waiting in the corridor. Seeing the door open and a figure emerges, they hurried forward, addressing him as “Master.”
Pei You’an raised his hand, covering his forehead, and turned toward his study. His footsteps gradually faded away.
Jia Fu watched his departing figure, standing motionless in place. Shortly after, hearing the footsteps of Governess Liu and Tanxiang entering, she hurriedly turned around, forcing back the tears that were about to fall. She sat back at the dressing table, pretending to arrange her disheveled hair.
Governess Liu and Tanxiang had been in the corridor and had faintly heard the master’s rising and falling voice from inside, but naturally, they couldn’t make out what he was saying. Combined with the events of the afternoon, though still confused, they guessed that the two had quarreled. After the master left for his study, they entered to find Jia Fu sitting at the dressing table, her back to them, both hands raised, arranging her beautiful hair. Tanxiang hurried over to help, but heard her say, “I don’t need you here, please leave.”
The two looked at each other.
“Please leave. I’ll call you if I need anything.” She raised her voice slightly, without turning her head.
Governess Liu and Tanxiang had no choice but to withdraw.
Jia Fu propped her forehead with one hand, while the other picked up the accessories she had scattered across the table. She placed them back in the box one by one, then took a comb and slowly untangled the long hair that had been pulled into knots earlier. After sitting quietly for a while, she finally rose, called Tanxiang in, washed her face, arranged a simple hairdo, tied her long hair neatly, and finally changed into casual home attire.
Governess Liu turned, “You haven’t had dinner yet. I’ll go to the small kitchen to see if I can bring some simple dishes over.”
Jia Fu said, “I’ll go myself.”
…
Light shone through the door of the study. Jia Fu, carrying a food box, arrived at the door, knocked on the half-closed door, and then gently pushed it open.
Pei You’an was sitting behind his desk, writing with a brush. He raised his gaze to look at her. The wound on his forehead had stopped bleeding.
Jia Fu slowly walked in and stopped in front of his desk.
“What is it?”
Jia Fu said softly, “You haven’t had dinner yet, have you? You must be full of anger already. I just went to the small kitchen and picked out some simple dishes and rice, all warmed up. I saw there was ready-made snow fungus and made a snow fungus and taro milk custard. I remember you said before that an extra spoonful of honey could be added, so I added two…”
Pei You’an stopped writing.
Jia Fu lowered her eyelashes.
“I was wrong… wrong about you, and wrong about Priestess Chi. You were right to scold me, but don’t let anger make you go hungry. I’ll leave the food box here. If you’re hungry, please eat something…”
Jia Fu placed the food box at the corner of the desk and turned to leave with her head bowed.
“Have you eaten?”
When Jia Fu reached the door, she suddenly heard his voice from behind. She stopped and slowly turned her head. Seeing him looking at her, she bit her lip and shook her head.
“Let’s eat together. It’s too much for me to finish alone,” he said.
Jia Fu was surprised, and then her eyes immediately brightened. She nodded, “Alright,” turned around, quickly came back, opened the food box lid, and arranged the stewed bamboo shoots with goose, Jiangnan bamboo shoots, white sea vegetables, a bowl of chicken soup, and a large bowl of rice. Then she quickly went to the door and called Tanxiang to bring another set of bowls and chopsticks.
The tableware was quickly delivered.
Pei You’an was indeed hungry. Without further words, he came over and began eating with Jia Fu. Seeing that he had finished quickly, Jia Fu said, “I’m full. If you’re still hungry, I can have someone bring more rice.”
Pei You’an said, “Isn’t there still the snow fungus and taro milk custard? That should be enough.”
Jia Fu smiled, hurriedly brought out the custard bowl, and opened the lid. It emitted a light steam, just right for eating.
Jia Fu pushed the bowl in front of him.
Pei You’an said, “I can’t finish this much. You eat some first, and I’ll have the rest.”
His tone was natural, but when Jia Fu heard this, her face quietly flushed. She said softly, “Or I could get another small bowl and divide it…”
“No need. You eat first, it’s fine.”
Jia Fu’s heart gradually sweetened. She softly responded with a sound of agreement, took a spoon, scooped the custard, brought it to her mouth, and began eating, one spoonful at a time.
Like a sea crabapple tree through the mist, the beauty under the lamp—her face like a lotus flower washed clean of makeup—had a different kind of charm compared to during the day.
Pei You’an didn’t mean to, but his gaze couldn’t help falling on her lips as they opened to eat the snow fungus custard.
Her cherry-like lips were moist and shiny, with a layer of enticing glaze, like a half-open, half-closed flower bud filled with nectar, tempting one to taste its sweetness. Having just taken a spoonful of milk custard, her lips were coated with a translucent milky white. The tip of her pink tongue emerged from her mouth, licking her lips, then quickly retreated before he could see clearly.
Pei You’an suddenly felt his mouth dry, with a subtle reaction below. He immediately shifted his gaze.
Jia Fu, however, was completely unaware. After counting how many spoonfuls she had eaten, she pushed the remaining custard in front of him and said, “Elder Cousin, I’m full. You can have the rest.”
Pei You’an didn’t look at her again. He picked it up, finished it in a few mouthfuls, put it down, and said, “I’m full too. I still have some things to do, but I’ll come back a bit later. You go to sleep first, don’t wait for me.”
Jia Fu saw that after speaking, he turned around and sat back at his desk. Not daring to stay longer, afraid of annoying him, she acknowledged with a sound, collected the bowls and chopsticks, put them back in the food box, and carried them out.
“Elder Cousin, don’t be too late, come back to bed early.”
At the door, she turned back and added.
Pei You’an looked up at her, nodded, and smiled slightly.