Lin Chengyou didn’t enter the washing chamber, only passing Teng Yu’yi’s skirts through from outside.
His long, fair fingers made the skirts appear as blue as clear water.
Teng Yu’yi felt her face growing hot again, telling herself it must be the heat of the washing chamber.
She refused to take them: “Biluo and Chunrong will help me with these.”
“Don’t wait for them. I found them bothersome and sent them away.”
“You—” Teng Yu’yi raised her voice, “They are my maids!”
“And this is still our bridal chamber.”
At these words, even Teng Yu’yi’s ears began to burn.
“Do you plan to hide in the washing chamber until dawn?” Lin Chengyou’s voice carried a hint of laughter.
Teng Yu’yi hesitantly took the skirts from Lin Chengyou’s hands, lowering her head as she rustled about putting on her undergarments and skirts. Just as she finished dressing, the curtain suddenly moved, and Lin Chengyou reached in to grab her wrist, pulling her out in one swift motion: “Come out, let’s have a proper talk.”
Unable to break free, Teng Yu’yi could only follow his lead, half-resisting.
At least she wasn’t wearing only that thin, translucent sleeping robe anymore, which made her feel somewhat more at ease.
Though angry, she didn’t forget to carefully observe Lin Chengyou. Not only could he walk so quickly and steadily, but when he turned to look at her, his gaze was so intense it seemed to burn straight into her heart.
There was no doubt now – Lin Chengyou had regained his sight.
Teng Yu’yi felt a tightness in her nose. What started as feigned anger now turned genuine.
These past days, her heart had been torn to pieces by him.
The Lin Chengyou she knew was a carefree young man who roamed freely through Chang’an’s streets and markets. In her heart, there was no case Lin Chengyou couldn’t solve, no demon he couldn’t subdue. But ever since he lost his sight, everything had changed. She had seen his dejection when investigations stalled, witnessed his moments of despair when he thought no one was watching. He was like a dragon trapped in shallow waters – the more unrestrained he had been before, the more confined he was now.
Yet he remained so proud.
In the depths of night, she would lie awake staring at the dark canopy, thinking of how Lin Chengyou lived in such darkness all day, and her heart would ache terribly.
If she could help him regain his sight, never mind just marriage and seeking the Red Beard’s Wing – she would follow him through mountains of blades and seas of fire.
Not for herself, but only to see him as free and happy as before.
Shaotang had mentioned Lin Chengyou wasn’t in Chang’an the first few days, which meant his eyes hadn’t just recovered today. Knowing how much she had hoped for his recovery, Lin Chengyou hadn’t even thought to share this joyous news with her.
The more she cared, the angrier she became.
Teng Yu’yi struggled against his grip, saying resentfully: “Well, I don’t want to talk to you at all right now.”
Lin Chengyou’s steps faltered, and in the small bridal chamber, as he turned around, Teng Yu’yi couldn’t help but collide with his chest.
“Ayu.”
Teng Yu’yi turned her head away, refusing to meet Lin Chengyou’s gaze. At that moment, a strange red cord suddenly dropped before her eyes.
Teng Yu’yi froze – what was this?
Lin Chengyou took advantage of her confusion to pull her to sit on the bed, then grabbed her hand and made her touch his eyes.
“I’m healed.”
Teng Yu’yi’s heart clenched again, and she angrily withdrew her hand: “I can see that. Lin Chengyou, don’t expect me to speak to you tonight.”
“I didn’t deliberately keep it from you,” Lin Chengyou suddenly said.
Teng Yu’yi didn’t respond.
Lin Chengyou lowered his brow to study Teng Yu’yi. When she was angry, her cheeks were as soft as a celestial peach, and as he gazed at her, his heart began to melt.
He felt an urge to touch that softness, but knowing she was angry, he restrained himself for now, clearing his throat before speaking seriously: “Five days ago was the first time I could see things. My first thought was to tell you, but before I could even leave the East Wing, I was blind again. This kept happening over and over, never lasting more than half an hour. Those days were torture – when I could see, I was overwhelmed with joy, when I couldn’t, it was like being thrown back into hell. I didn’t dare tell you because I feared giving you false hope. If I went blind again, I worried you couldn’t bear that disappointment.”
Though Teng Yu’yi wouldn’t turn her face, her ears perked up high. By the end, her heartstrings were inexplicably pulled taut. In Lin Chengyou’s tone was a rare vulnerability – not just for himself, but even more so for her.
The anger in her stomach dissipated instantly. She slowly turned her head, raising her eyes to meet his. Lin Chengyou’s eyes were like the cold springs of Heaven’s Pool, usually as dark as ink, only lightening slightly under the blazing sun.
If Lin Chengyou gazed at someone with a smile for too long, even the most tranquil heart lake would be stirred.
Previously these eyes had mostly remained still, but now, she could not only see her tiny reflection in his eyes, but with her slightest movement, his gaze would follow.
So focused, so deep, as if beside her, these eyes could contain nothing else.
Teng Yu’yi’s throat felt tight, and before she realized it, her fingers had gently touched his eyebrows.
The proud brow, the smiling thin lips… even the most critical observer would have to admit Lin Chengyou was extremely handsome.
As she caressed him, Teng Yu’yi felt strangely dazed. Perhaps it wasn’t just this life – in her previous life at the Jade Chastity Taoist Temple’s flower viewing ceremony, when she first saw that youth walking through the garden with a golden bow on his back, her heart and eyes had already remembered these eyes before her.
Lin Chengyou gazed intently at Teng Yu’yi without blinking. Watching her fingers draw closer to him, his heartbeat suddenly quickened. This wasn’t just imagination in his mind, but something he could truly see – her every movement seemed magical, making it impossible for him to look away. He silently watched Teng Yu’yi, allowing her to gently touch his eyes. The moment her fingers contacted his skin, that warm touch made his chest swell with a bittersweet ache.
He simply caught Teng Yu’yi’s wrist, pulling her closer to himself, making it easier for her to examine him thoroughly.
Teng Yu’yi struggled slightly, the movement so minimal it was almost negligible.
Lin Chengyou smiled, lowering his head to rest against Teng Yu’yi’s forehead, his gaze moving inch by inch across her face. Her luminous red lips were fuller than he remembered.
“Yesterday in Luoyang, my sight lasted a whole day. Since showing signs of recovery, this was the first time. Unfortunately, I was in Luoyang and had no chance to rush back to tell you. Today is the second time.”
Teng Yu’yi’s breathing trembled. Hearing this, she blinked. So that was it. Today was her and Lin Chengyou’s wedding day, yet Lin Chengyou had traveled far to the Eastern Capital. The journey was so bumpy, and his eyes weren’t fully recovered – if he hadn’t made it back to Chang’an in time, would the wedding have proceeded or not?
“Weren’t you afraid you wouldn’t make it back in time?” Her voice was low and sweet, though her words carried a hint of reproach. The sweet breath from her words brushed faintly across Lin Chengyou’s face.
Lin Chengyou’s eyes darkened further.
“Running off to Luoyang for no apparent reason before the wedding,” Teng Yu’yi questioned him softly. “Only returning this morning. Tell me, is it that you didn’t want to marry me?” As she spoke, she mimicked how Lin Chengyou gazed at her, letting her gaze sweep slowly across his face. Though questioning him, her tone was almost a murmur, floating lightly into his ears, making them burn.
After saying this, Teng Yu’yi felt inexplicably flustered. As her peach-like cheeks tried to dodge away, Lin Chengyou’s hand suddenly reached down and caught her ankle.
Teng Yu’yi’s heart skipped several beats. She was only wearing her sleeping clothes and middle skirt, and Lin Chengyou’s grip caught her right at the leg-binding. The fabric was thin and transparent, and the heat from his palm seemed to climb up her calf.
“What… what are you doing?” Teng Yu’yi stammered, trying to pull her foot back, but Lin Chengyou held it firmly.
Lin Chengyou’s face was slightly red, but his tone was very serious: “Don’t move.”
In his other hand, he held a long red cord.
Teng Yu’yi had been curious about this red cord’s origin, and for a moment forgot to withdraw her leg.
“What… what is this?”
“The Twin Lives Twin Companions Knot.” Lin Chengyou lifted Teng Yu’yi’s leg-binding, intending to tie the red cord around it. Seeing her ankle as white as lotus petals, his throat suddenly tightened.
He forcefully moved his gaze away, temporarily pushing aside the chaotic thoughts in his mind. He raised Teng Yu’yi’s ankle higher, focusing on helping her tie the red cord.
“Just now you asked why I went to Luoyang. Look, it was for this.” Lin Chengyou said, “This is a magical artifact left behind by the True Person of the Central Yellow, now kept in the Purple Extreme Palace in Luoyang. According to the ‘Five True Texts of the Numinous Treasure’, this object has spirituality. If husband and wife tie this red cord to their ankles on their wedding night, in the next life—”
Lin Chengyou paused: “There’s a chance to become husband and wife again.”
Teng Yu’yi held her breath as she listened, and hearing this, her eyes widened slightly.
“Though it might not work, it’s worth trying.” Lin Chengyou usually had thicker skin than others, but when saying these words he seemed somewhat bashful. “They say it was originally a spirit pill left behind by a fox spirit seeking a mate. The True Person of the Central Yellow used an alchemical furnace to melt it into a red cord. I went through great trouble to get it from Daoist Jingxu of the Purple Extreme Palace. Now that your curse has been lifted, you may not have accumulated much fortune for the next life. If you encounter calamity, your soul might scatter. I’m different though – I’m a cultivator. As long as I don’t commit evil in this life, I’ll have deep blessings in the next. With this red cord, I won’t have to worry about not finding you…”
When Teng Yu’yi didn’t respond for a long while, Lin Chengyou looked up at her: “What’s wrong, you don’t want to?”
Teng Yu’yi just stared at him silently.
A red cord just held between his fingers. For her sake, even if it was just an illusory blessing, he was willing to try.
With this red cord, I won’t have to worry about not finding you…
Seeing Teng Yu’yi’s silence, Lin Chengyou raised his eyebrows: “I am the best husband in this world, and even in the next life I won’t be far off. If I hadn’t met the best little wife in this world, I wouldn’t be willing to try this method. If you don’t want to, then I—”
Teng Yu’yi suddenly threw herself into Lin Chengyou’s arms, hugging his neck as she cried out: “I want to, I do!”
With her sudden pounce, she didn’t expect Lin Chengyou to fall backward with the momentum. Teng Yu’yi lay on his chest, her red lips almost touching his. She hurriedly looked up, meeting his dark, deep eyes.
Lin Chengyou saw the moisture in her eyes, his heart stirred, and he rolled over to pin her down.
Teng Yu’yi’s heart pounded deafeningly. Wherever Lin Chengyou’s hands went felt like it was on fire. She wanted to dodge but regrettably felt as if all her strength had been drained away.
Suddenly, Lin Chengyou caught her hand and whispered in her ear: “Ayu, help me tie mine too—”
“What…”
“The red cord…”
In the bridal chamber, only their rushed breathing could be heard for a moment, when suddenly someone loudly coughed: “It seems this old man has come at an inopportune time.”
The bed went still, followed by a rush of movement. Teng Yu’yi frightfully dove under the quilts, while Lin Chengyou nearly rolled off the bed.
Lin Chengyou was furious with embarrassment, grabbing a fruit without thinking and preparing to throw it as a hidden weapon.
When he saw who it was, he forcefully stopped: “It’s you?!”
Teng Yu’yi also thought the voice familiar and panted as she poked her head out from under the quilts.
In the corner of the bridal chamber, on the small table, sat a jade-green small sword, and on the sword sat a small old man.
Looking closely, the old man even had a piece of red silk tied over his eyes, dressed exactly like Lin Chengyou when he had been blind.
“Little Ye!” Teng Yu’yi was both shocked and delighted, momentarily forgetting her embarrassment as she tried to climb out from under the quilt, but Lin Chengyou’s arm blocked her, pushing her back.
“You old mimic! Are you blind too?” Lin Chengyou’s outer robe was half-open, his face flushed, and it was hard to tell if he was angry or troubled. Before he could catch his breath, he quickly got off the bed and tied his belt.
Little Ye lifted his chin and smacked his lips, saying: “Not bad, Young Master’s eyes have recovered, and you’re as arrogant as before. I’m not blind, but as they say, ‘Don’t look at what you shouldn’t see.’ Knowing it was your wedding night, this old man feared accidentally seeing something inappropriate, so I covered my eyes beforehand. Don’t worry, I didn’t see anything just now.”
Now even Teng Yu’yi was a bit angry, ducking her head back under the quilt: “I waited for you day after day but never saw you, why did you choose tonight of all nights to come?”
Lin Chengyou lifted his chin, saying irritably: “You did this on purpose? What do you want?”
Little Ye sighed: “Miss Teng has passed through her calamity, and this old man had intended to leave without saying goodbye. But when I returned to the Wei River, I found myself carrying filth. Having grown used to Young Master’s bath water, I had to come back to find you. Fortunately, I came in time – any later and I wouldn’t have been able to use Young Master’s bath water.”
Author’s Note:
*spreads hands* This is as far as I can go.
Big A and Little Yu are married, this Gong Yu – Chapter is a red envelope gift for everyone.
The next Gong Yu – Chapter is the grand finale, with several post-marriage scenes to write, and one thread running through the whole story to wrap up (I’ll clarify in advance, it’s the kind I think it is, not necessarily the kind you imagine it to be)