Chapter 47
The farewell banquet was a great success. Everyone ate and drank to their heart’s content, and the festivities lasted from morning until late at night before the villagers gradually returned to their homes. Throughout the banquet, they offered Wanniang and Yang Lulong their blessings and wished them a safe journey.
Since they were leaving early the next morning, Wanniang and Yang Lulong did not dare indulge too much. Instead, they spent most of the banquet bustling around and looking after their guests, visiting each table and responding to everyone’s toasts with tea in place of wine.
Early the next morning, they picked up the luggage they had prepared in advance.
Wanniang gazed at the locked front door, not knowing when they would return after leaving this time. The dog had been entrusted to Erni’s family, and she had made proper arrangements for all her medicinal herbs.
Everything had been taken care of, but there was still one last thing Wanniang had to do before departing.
She placed fresh offerings before her mother’s grave and cleaned the burial site one final time. She came here once every month, but the weeds grew so quickly that she always found them running wild whenever she visited. Now that Yang Lulong was there to help her, clearing them away had become much easier.
Once they left, however, she would have to entrust this place to Xiaowen.
Yang Lulong stood obediently beside Wanniang and watched as she pressed her palms together in prayer before her mother’s grave.
As they were leaving, Yang Lulong asked what she had said to her mother.
Wanniang turned toward her with a smile, her gentle eyes curving like crescents.
“I asked Mother to bless us with a smooth journey.”
With that, Yang Lulong and Wanniang left the village.
Several days passed.
The little village remained much the same. Everyone continued living their ordinary lives, although the villagers seemed more cautious than usual, afraid that getting injured might cause trouble while Wanniang was away.
Li Cuier had also become far more restrained. Gone was the woman who used to run wild and climb all over the place. She had grown mature and steady. Ever since her grandfather’s death, she had never ventured into the mountains alone to hunt again. Whenever she went somewhere, she always told Nian Xi first.
Most of the time, she merely visited the village entrance to gossip with the local women about their families and neighbors. After chatting for a while, she would return home.
Today was no different. She was sitting at the village entrance and talking with several women when a carriage unexpectedly stopped nearby.
Everyone’s attention immediately turned toward it.
The moment Li Cuier saw the person stepping out of the carriage, she froze. She stared at the woman in astonished silence.
She had not changed at all…
“You haven’t changed one bit.”
Unexpectedly, the woman approached Li Cuier and voiced the exact thought running through her mind.
“…Neither have you,” Li Cuier replied slowly after a long pause.
The village women studied the newcomer. She appeared to be around Li Cuier’s age, but her clothing and appearance were entirely unlike those of ordinary village women. At a glance, anyone could tell that she was a refined lady from a wealthy family.
However, her long hair had been pinned up, revealing that she was already married.
The woman stepped forward and affectionately embraced Li Cuier.
“It’s been so long…”
Li Cuier’s body stiffened.
“It has,” she answered awkwardly.
The reunion between old friends was neither warm nor touching. Instead, it was painfully awkward. The village women watching nearby quickly invented various excuses to leave, until only the two of them remained.
Realizing how uncomfortable the atmosphere had become, the woman hurriedly changed the subject.
“How is your grandfather?”
“He…” She had unexpectedly touched upon Li Cuier’s deepest pain the moment she arrived. “…He passed away.”
“…”
The atmosphere became even more awkward.
“…I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Why did you…come back?”
Li Cuier gazed at the woman before her. Her clothes were finer than before, and her skin had grown considerably fairer. Her hands remained as delicate and smooth as jade, so it seemed she had been living quite well in her husband’s household.
Her name was You Ru, Li Cuier’s childhood companion. She had married and moved elsewhere many years ago, and the two of them had not seen each other since.
She was also the woman to whom Li Cuier had never confessed, even before she left…
When asked why she had returned, You Ru merely smiled helplessly and offered an unconvincing explanation.
“I missed you, so I came back to see you…”
“You didn’t bring any luggage?” Li Cuier noticed that she was alone and did not even have a traveling bag with her. “Where is your…husband?”
“I came alone. It’s just me.” You Ru affectionately wrapped both hands around Li Cuier’s arm. “Could I stay at your house for a few days?”
“But…” Li Cuier remembered that Nian Xi was already living there and wondered if they had enough room. “There might not be enough space in my house.”
“Is someone else living with you?” You Ru’s heart tightened, and she stopped walking.
When Li Cuier explained that Nian Xi was staying with her, You Ru relaxed and tugged her forward again.
“I’ll sleep with you. You won’t mind, will you?”
The smile on her face left Li Cuier momentarily dazed.
It was exactly the same as it had been all those years ago…
The two chatted sporadically as they walked and soon arrived at Li Cuier’s house without realizing it.
It was already noon, and wisps of cooking smoke drifted from the kitchen chimney.
Li Cuier brought You Ru into the kitchen and introduced her to Nian Xi, who was preparing lunch.
“You must be Nian Xi,” You Ru said with a smile. “My name is You Ru.”
The sight of a stranger made Nian Xi anxious. She wiped her hands, which had just been cutting vegetables, against her skirt.
“Hello,” she murmured softly.
When she noticed You Ru studying the scar on her face, she hurriedly adjusted her long hair to conceal it and shyly turned her face away.
You Ru did not ask about it. Instead, she glanced toward the pot and abruptly said, “When did you start eating cabbage? I remember you never liked it.”
Her words left Nian Xi at a loss.
Li Cuier had never told her that she disliked cabbage, yet Nian Xi cooked it for nearly every meal.
“I’m not a child anymore…” Li Cuier said helplessly.
She then began formally introducing You Ru to Nian Xi.
“She was my childhood playmate—”
“We’re best friends who grew up together,” You Ru finished before Li Cuier could.
Before Nian Xi could respond, You Ru took Li Cuier by the arm and pulled her away to look around the rest of the house, leaving Nian Xi alone in the kitchen.
Watching the two of them disappear, Nian Xi turned toward the cabbage simmering in the pot, looking utterly lost.
The three of them ate together. Throughout the meal, You Ru and Li Cuier did nearly all the talking, while Nian Xi kept her head lowered and took small bites of rice from her bowl.
They spoke entirely about matters she knew nothing about—stories from Li Cuier’s childhood. There was no way for her to join the conversation.
She sat with her head lowered, silent as though she were not there.
A pair of chopsticks suddenly reached into the bowl before her. Nian Xi looked up and found Li Cuier placing some food inside.
“Don’t eat only rice. Have some vegetables too.”
“Thank you…” Nian Xi murmured before lowering her face again.
You Ru observed their entire exchange. Her eyes darted from Li Cuier to Nian Xi and back again.
After that, she said nothing more.
Once the meal was finished, Li Cuier cleared the bowls and chopsticks. This was their usual arrangement: Nian Xi cooked, while Li Cuier washed the dishes.
You Ru followed and offered to help her.
Seeing how effortlessly close the two of them were, Nian Xi felt painfully out of place. Realizing that she could not fit in between them, she quietly returned to her room.
That night, as Li Cuier was about to enter her bedroom, she glanced toward Nian Xi’s door with concern.
You Ru had clung to her throughout the entire day. Nian Xi was already a woman of few words, but today Li Cuier had barely heard her speak at all. She had hardly even caught sight of her.
In the past, Li Cuier would have been delighted to have You Ru attached to her all day. But now, it somehow felt awkward, almost suffocating.
You Ru’s enthusiasm was more than she could handle, but Li Cuier did not have the heart to neglect her. After all, You Ru had finally returned after so many years.
Li Cuier sighed helplessly and entered the bedroom.
After changing her clothes, she sat on the edge of the bed. When she looked up, she saw You Ru standing nearby with her back facing her. You Ru reached behind her head and gently pulled the pin from her hair. Her ink-black locks cascaded down, concealing the slender nape of her neck.
As she loosened her clothing, the fabric accidentally slipped apart and revealed one fair shoulder.
Embarrassed, Li Cuier hurriedly lifted the covers and climbed beneath them with her back facing You Ru.
You Ru calmly continued undressing until only her undergarments remained. She lifted one corner of the quilt and slipped into bed.
“This feels just like when we were children.”
“Mm…”
“You’re still so warm. Do you remember how I always used to cling to you during winter?”
Her hand curled around Li Cuier’s waist, causing Li Cuier’s body to stiffen instantly. Discomfort welled within her, and she squirmed in an attempt to escape that hand.
“I have so much I want to tell you.”
“…”
“Turn around.”
“…”
Li Cuier tightly closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.
When You Ru received no response, she fell silent.
Before long, Li Cuier heard rustling behind her. A cool draft gently brushed across her back. She opened her eyes and cautiously turned around, only to discover that the other half of the bed was empty.
The bedroom door had been left slightly ajar.
Li Cuier sat up and sighed. She picked up a thicker garment, draped it over her shoulders, and walked out of the room.
The moment she stepped outside, she saw You Ru sitting in the courtyard. Her back faced Li Cuier, and her body was curled into itself, her shoulders trembling with every quiet sob.
Li Cuier pulled the garment more tightly around herself and walked over. Hearing the sound of muffled crying, she confirmed that You Ru was indeed weeping.
“Why did you really come back?”
She sat down beside her.
You Ru sniffled. “I secretly ran away…”
“Why?” Li Cuier frowned at her and kindly shared half of the thick outer garment with her.
“My husband…took a concubine. I was upset, so I ran away without telling anyone.”
Li Cuier could not help scoffing inwardly at the reason.
Was that not perfectly ordinary?
Not every Qianyuan was like Yang Lulong…
“Qianyuan are all like that…” Unable to think of any comforting words, she bluntly voiced what she believed.
“No… It was all because of me…”
“What was your fault?”
“I can’t… I can’t bear children. That’s why he did it. I’m the one being unreasonable…”
Li Cuier could no longer bear listening to You Ru blame herself and immediately interrupted her.
“It has nothing to do with you.”
“If he truly treated you well, then whether or not you could bear children wouldn’t change anything. He would still treat you well,” Li Cuier said quietly. “Stop blaming yourself for everything. He is the one at fault.”
She simply could not stand hearing about such things.
The two sat in the courtyard with their shoulders touching, sharing the same garment.
And Nian Xi, who had gotten out of bed during the night, happened to witness the entire scene.
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