The ground was muddy and slippery. Teng Yuyi fell again, her knees striking the hard ground with a dull thud, but she didn’t register the pain, pushing herself up with both hands.

From Yangzhou to Chang’an, she had traversed thousands of li, yet never had any moment felt like now, when the path beneath her feet seemed endless.

The night wind cut against her face, seeming to freeze to the bone, yet her heart burned as hot as her breath. Lin Chengyou stood in the dark alley, his eyes blind, his appearance disheveled, yet he still radiated light like the bright moon.

Finally, he was within reach.

Teng Yuyi couldn’t wait any longer and threw herself into his embrace. The lantern in her hand fell beside her skirt and suddenly extinguished.

With one less lantern, the surroundings grew darker, but Teng Yuyi’s heart and eyes were brilliantly bright. She heard his heart pounding wildly in his chest, his breathing ragged. Just moments ago he had stood rigid as a wooden post, but now he suddenly came alive. He raised his hands, carefully touching the person before him – her shoulders, her fur collar, her cheeks… his movements urgent yet infinitely gentle as if touching a beautiful bubble that might vanish at any moment.

Tears streamed down Teng Yuyi’s face as she wrapped her arms around Lin Chengyou’s waist, pressing her head against his chest, sobbing: “Lin Chengyou!”

Just as she always did in moments of intense emotion, calling his full name.

Only she, only she would call him this way. Lin Chengyou’s hand stopped at Teng Yuyi’s cheek. In the silence, Teng Yuyi suddenly felt something cool on her forehead – tears had fallen. Her heart trembled as she looked up at him, but her tears had formed a thick shell in her eyes, preventing her from seeing his expression.

Lin Chengyou’s chest heaved as he touched Teng Yuyi’s eyebrows with infinite tenderness as if handling the world’s most precious treasure. Slowly tracing her curved brows, her large round eyes, her long eyelashes… carefully mapping every detail… just as he had done countless times in his dreams. As he traced, he suddenly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his embrace.

***

At Moon Over Pool in the Teng Manor.

The courtyard blazed with lantern light, with maids’ shadows visible shuttling about beneath the corridors and throughout the garden.

The Master and Mistress had just arrived at the manor, with piles of luggage still loaded on the carriages. Chunrong and the other maids were busy inside and outside the rooms, trying to settle everything quickly for the night.

Since the Mistress had recovered and awakened, she had never been as happy as tonight. Almost everyone in the manor could sense their young mistress’s joy and joined in the cheerful atmosphere.

Teng Yuyi walked back and forth around the table where Lin Chengyou sat, sometimes sending messages to the kitchen, asking Bilo to brew her favorite tea.

Wherever Teng Yuyi went, Lin Chengyou’s face followed the sound, and though the cloth remained over his eyes, a clear smile could be seen on his lips.

That uninhibited smile, brighter than April sunshine.

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi sat nearby, also unable to contain their smiles. They hadn’t seen their Senior Brother smile in the past few months, but tonight that familiar expression had returned – that radiant happiness that could infect everyone around him.

This was Lady Teng’s private courtyard, and they were in her study.

Though it seemed improper at such a late hour, tonight, no one paid attention to propriety.

Lady Teng had supported Senior Brother in her courtyard. General Teng had watched, leaning on his cane, and far from taking offense, he had shown an extremely warm smile.

Everyone in the manor wore beaming smiles, everyone showing genuine sincerity toward Senior Brother.

After helping Senior Brother to her study, Lady Teng insisted he sit by her table and not go anywhere.

And Senior Brother, who had previously refused anyone’s assistance, now allowed Lady Teng to support him, occasionally stumbling, then invariably saying: “A’Yu, hold me steady.”

Each time this happened, Lady Teng would carefully examine the ground at his feet, looking puzzled: “But I already checked…”

Even after reaching the room, Senior Brother remained restless, saying he was thirsty, saying he was hungry, asking Lady Teng for food.

Though Lady Teng’s skirt hem and hands were still muddy, she busied herself without hesitation.

Every time Teng Yuyi finished instructing the servants, she would turn back to look at Lin Chengyou, seeing him sitting at the table “watching” her, her eyes would brighten with joy.

Chunrong came to remind Teng Yuyi: “Young Mistress, please go clean up.”

Only then did Teng Yuyi remember her disheveled state and had to tell Lin Chengyou: “I’m going to change clothes. Jue Sheng, Qi Zhi, take good care of Senior Brother.”

After leaving the room, she suddenly lifted the curtain and poked her head back in to check, making sure Lin Chengyou was still sitting obediently in place before finally going away satisfied.

Lin Chengyou smiled silently. Hearing Teng Yuyi’s footsteps fade away, he felt around for the teacup, but when it reached his lips he didn’t drink, instead keeping his ears alert to the sounds outside. With Teng Yuyi gone, the room suddenly seemed less warm.

Fortunately, Teng Yuyi soon returned, bringing late-night refreshments with her.

She had changed into a new crimson padded dress scattered with embroidered silver balls, wearing a silver fox vest over it. The embroidery at her hem flickered in and out of view, reminiscent of early spring magnolia flowers showing their lovely faces. The furry collar and sleeves set off her jade-like complexion and cloud-dark hair.

Chunrong and Bilo glanced at Lin Chengyou by the table – no wonder the Young Mistress had insisted on wearing this new dress. Too excited earlier to look carefully, now under the lamplight they could see clearly that the Crown Prince of Cheng was also wearing a crimson inner robe with a dark silver fox great cloak outside. At a glance, the needlework of his inner robe seemed to come from the same embroiderer as the Young Mistress’s dress.

Pity the Crown Prince couldn’t see this sight.

Teng Yuyi had Chunrong and Bilo place the congee and dishes on the table, then sat down across from him.

“You must be hungry, try some quickly,” Teng Yuyi said to Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi while busy ladling congee for Lin Chengyou.

When Lin Chengyou reached for the bowl, he nearly “accidentally” knocked it over. Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi stared in shock, then ducked their heads and focused on eating.

Teng Yuyi grew anxious and simply moved to sit beside Lin Chengyou. It was her first time caring for a blind person – she had been too careless.

She handed the bowl to Lin Chengyou, helping him grip it securely, then picked up her chopsticks: “I’ll get dishes for you.”

Lin Chengyou naturally said: “I’d like some vegetarian dishes first.”

“Alright.”

Teng Yuyi spooned some mashed taro into his bowl. Lin Chengyou then asked: “Is there any minced fish?”

“Yes, yes.” Teng Yu immediately gave him some freshly pickled Songjiang bass.

“I’d like some soup now.”

Teng Yuyi personally ladled soup for Lin Chengyou: “Would you like duck flower soup?”

After a while, Lin Chengyou said he wanted some pastries, fortunately those were also ready.

After Lin Chengyou had eaten and drunk his fill, Teng Yuyi handed him a napkin. Lin Chengyou cleaned his face and hands, then sat listening to Teng Yuyi eat.

Though the tea’s fragrance filled the air, his attention was completely focused on Teng Yuyi.

Teng Yuyi ate all the meat dishes but refused to touch the vegetables.

Such a picky eater.

Lin Chengyou thought for a moment, then picked up the spoon by her cup. Relying on his memory from the meal, he carefully spooned some fern shoots into Teng Yuyi’s bowl.

Teng Yuyi froze.

Then Lin Chengyou said: “Since you like jade box soil, I got you a spoonful.”

But those were fern shots…

Teng Yuyi’s eyes grew moist: “Alright.”

Without another word, she ate every bit of the fern shoots.

Soon after, Lin Chengyou spooned another helping, and again fern shot.

Teng Yuyi ate those too.

Before long, Lin Chengyou gave her a third spoonful of fern shoots.

This time, Teng Yuyi’s sadness briefly turned to suspicion, but when she turned her head, she saw several wounds on Lin Chengyou’s hands and wrists, appearing to be scraped from stumbling. The red injuries stood out starkly against his fair skin.

Recalling the conversation she’d overheard in the alley, it seemed Lin Chengyou could no longer even investigate cases. With both eyes blind, it was like living in constant darkness. For someone like Lin Chengyou, heaven’s proud son, such a state must be nearly unbearable even for a moment, yet for these two months, fearing to disturb the gu worms in her body, he had endured it. Her heart felt as if it were soaking in salt water, swollen and about to burst. Without a sound, she lowered her head and ate every last bit of the fern shoots in her bowl.

After the meal, Teng Yuyi cleaned her hands and face, then sat before Lin Chengyou, quietly examining the cloth over his eyes. Seeing this, Chunrong and Bilo quietly withdrew with the dishes, taking Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi with them.

When no one else remained in the room, Teng Yuyi reached behind Lin Chengyou’s head, carefully untying the cloth.

As the cloth slipped from his face, his high straight nose and jade-white skin remained the same, his eyes black and bright as lacquer, seemingly no different from usual.

However, when the air touched them, Lin Chengyou’s brows creased almost imperceptibly.

“Does it hurt?”

“No.”

But his eyes quickly reddened, and Teng Yuyi hurriedly helped him tie the cloth back on, touching his brows and eyes, trying to understand where the gu worms were hidden.

Lin Chengyou pointed to his temple: “The gu worms are here, pressing on the back of my eyes, that’s why I can’t see.”

After a slight hesitation, he reached out to touch Teng Yuyi’s face. Earlier in the alley, he hadn’t had the chance to examine carefully. She was just recovering from a serious illness, and he didn’t know how well she had been cared for these months. Touching her cheeks, they seemed somewhat thinner. Thinking of all that had happened in the past half year, his heart ached sharply: “A’Yu—”

Suddenly he felt Teng Yuyi cup his face, her sweet warm breath drawing close. Before he could react, soft lips pressed against his own.

Lin Chengyou’s heart contracted suddenly.

Teng Yuyi’s heart beat as fast as his. She had heard that the gu worms were originally transmitted to her body through a kiss, so presumably breaking the curse would require the same method. She was desperate to help Lin Chengyou regain his sight, willing to try any method.

Moreover, she had always wanted to be close to him…

She closed her eyes, slowly savoring his lips, kissing him for a while before reluctantly pulling away, her face red, examining his face carefully with misty eyes.

“How is it?” she asked hopefully after a moment.

Lin Chengyou’s thin lips were as red as her face. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he said: “It seems… not quite enough, should we try again?”

Without another word, Teng Yuyi kissed him again.