Wish You All the Best - Chapter 92

Chapter 92

After Jiafu finished tidying up the room, the sky had already darkened. Hearing footsteps at the door, she turned to see Pei You’an entering. Joyfully, she hurried over to help him remove his outer coat and brought over the medicine she had carefully timed to cool. Watching him drink it, she rubbed his chest with her small hands and complained, "Old Ding says you’ve been coughing for quite some time. You spend your days treating the horses, so why haven't you treated your own illness?"

Pei You’an replied, "I have been taking medicine..."

"You’ve been taking it, so why is your cough getting worse?"

Recalling the sight of him in obvious pain from coughing the previous night, Jiafu’s anger flared up.

"And furthermore! You haven’t been here for just a day or two. It’s been so long, and yet, for a room that could have been fixed in half a day, you simply couldn't be bothered! And there’s more! When I arrived last night, there wasn't a hint of warmth in this room; it was no different from falling into an ice cellar..."

Pei You’an tried to deflect the topic: "You decorated the room? Fu'er is so capable; your husband is very gratified."

Jiafu glared at him: "I am talking to you about serious matters!"

Pei You’an laughed: "My words are just as serious!"

Jiafu hammered him with her fists. Pei You’an let her hit him, only holding her close and laughing softly.

Jiafu rolled her eyes, pushed him away, and ignored him to go open the door and call for water.

In this fodder yard, aside from seven or eight elderly soldiers, there was also a local woman—the wife of Old Ding, the soldier who had opened the door for Jiafu the night before. She was very strong; aside from cooking, she handled other chores. Seeing Jiafu today, she felt as if she were beholding a heavenly being, calling her "my lady" incessantly. Seeing that Tanxiang and Muxiang were also refined girls, she insisted on doing all the heavy and rough work herself. When she saw that Pei You’an had fetched a bathing barrel for his wife, she boiled hot water with melted snow that evening. Now, hearing the call, she brought the water in with the maids, filling the barrel more than halfway. The two girls squeezed into it together and took a bath in the snow-melt water. When Jiafu emerged, her skin was tinged with a faint pink. Draped in a robe that reached her ankles, the collar loosely tied, she sat before the stove, drying her damp hair.

Pei You’an sat behind the desk, continuing to organize his account books, though every now and then, he would look up at that graceful, slender silhouette.

Gradually, her long hair began to dry. Pei You’an stood up, walked behind her, took the comb from her hand, and began to groom her hair.

Jiafu, feeling lazy, squinted her eyes and leaned into his embrace like a cat being petted. She was on the verge of drifting off to sleep when she suddenly heard him say in her ear, "Fu’er, Yang Yun told me everything—you suffered so much just to get here, and yet here, I don’t even have a decent room for you."

Jiafu opened her eyes, turned her head, and saw him staring at her, his eyes filled with apology. She immediately shook her head: "I don't think it's bitter at all. This place is wonderful!"

Pei You’an smiled faintly, lovingly stroking her lustrous, silky hair. His gaze filled with even greater tenderness as he said softly, "I was thinking, once this winter passes and the weather warms up in the spring, I will ask Yang Yun to send you back to Quanzhou. Please rest assured, from today on, I will take good care of myself and will never make you worry for me again..."

Jiafu, who had been smiling, slowly froze as she stared at him: "Big Cousin, what did you say?"

"Fu’er, I know the depth of your heart toward me. I am fine, but this place is truly not suitable for you to live long-term. I don’t want you to suffer hardship with me..."

"What was that you just said? Say it again." Jiafu’s small face slowly darkened.

"When the weather warms in the spring, I want to have Yang Yun take you back to Quanzhou first..."

Jiafu was silent for a moment, then gave him a faint smile: "Why send me back to Quanzhou? To let me marry someone else, is that it?"

Pei You’an paused, unable to respond.

Jiafu stared at him, a cold sneer appearing on her face. Suddenly, she shoved him away violently, nodded, and said: "You want me to leave, don't you? If that’s the case, we don’t need to wait for the spring thaw. I’ll have Yang Yun prepare a carriage for me right now; I’ll leave tonight! That way, I won't be lingering here as an eyesore to you!" Saying this, she stood up, reached the door, threw open the bolt with a clatter, poked her head out, and loudly called for someone.

Her sudden change in demeanor seemed to stun Pei You’an. Only then did he react, lunging forward to drag her back, closing the door, and anxiously saying: "Fu’er, listen to me, it’s not what you think. I just don’t want you to suffer here with me..."

Jiafu’s eyes were already red. Like a fish trapped in a net, she struggled fiercely, but he held her tight, and she couldn't break free. Driven by extreme hatred, she lowered her head and bit his wrist.

Pei You’an hissed in pain and loosened his grip. Jiafu seized the opportunity to break free, turned, and ran to the few chests that had been moved against the wall during the day. She ripped one open—it was more than half-filled with books. She frantically grabbed a stack and threw them at him, saying coldly: "Before I left, I specifically chose these from your old study to bring to you. I can’t be bothered to bring them back. If you think they’re alright, keep them. If you think I’m just being a nuisance, go ahead and tear them up or burn them—it has nothing to do with me!" As she spoke, tears streamed down her face.

Pei You’an was struck in the face by the books. They fell to the floor, but he didn't move, just stared blankly at Jiafu. Only when he saw her tears did he seem to wake from a daze, hurrying forward to wrap his arms around her.

Jiafu struggled with all her might again, but he held her tightly. Jiafu opened her mouth to bite him, this time on the shoulder. Not only did he not let go, but he held her even tighter. The two remained in a standoff for a moment until Jiafu finally ran out of strength, unclenching her teeth, her body going limp.

Pei You’an picked her up and carried her to the bed.

"Fu’er... it’s my fault... if you’re still angry, bite me again..."

Pei You’an kissed her repeatedly, kissing away the tears welling in her eyes, his voice filled with extreme anxiety.

"Pei You’an, you just said that you know how I feel about you. But how could you ever know my heart? Why do you think I traveled ten thousand miles to follow you here? If I were afraid of suffering, I wouldn't have come! I know that you only forced yourself to marry me, and in your heart, you never truly considered me your wife! Whenever you have trouble, you never talk to me about it! Even before, with that matter that could have cost you your head, you kept it from me like an iron fortress! Do you think I’m an idiot, that you can just arrange my future for me, think you’ve paid your debt, and then leave me a lousy letter, and I’ll just be dismissed? It’s my own fault, too, for being so arrogant, thinking that if I followed you here, you would finally know my heart, that from then on you would be devoted to me and treat me as your wife. It turns out it was all just my own wishful thinking! Forget it, I see you for who you are now! You’ve always been this kind of person! That’s fine—I’ll go back. Let’s make a clean break. You live your life, and I’ll marry someone else; it’s not like there’s a shortage of suitors..."

She cried, her tears falling like rain, sobbing until she couldn't speak, her body trembling slightly.

Pei You’an stared at her, the corners of his own eyes gradually turning red. He suddenly blocked her mouth with his own, kissing her forcefully. Jiafu struggled at first, pounding on his shoulders and back, but eventually stopped, only closing her eyes and weeping silently.

Pei You’an finally released her, breathing slightly heavily: "Fu’er, I was wrong. I shouldn't have had such thoughts. Will you stay?"

Jiafu opened her eyes, her gaze shimmering with tears: "You wanted me to leave, so why should I stay?"

"I don't want you to leave."

His eyes were red-rimmed as he stared at her, not blinking once: "When you suddenly appeared last night, I thought I was dreaming... I don't know how long my current predicament will last, and I couldn't bear to see you suffer here with me. I know I was wrong. Fu’er, will you stay?"

"I want you to be with me."

"If one day you truly left me to marry another, I think there would be no more joy to be found in this life for me..."

He said it slowly, in a low voice.

Jiafu’s tears gradually ceased. She stared at him, then suddenly pushed him away again, sat up, slipped on her shoes, and went straight to the chest. She rummaged through it for a while, pulled out a letter, returned, and threw it at him: "Master Pei, you are a man of great literary talent; this letter is written quite well. Read it to me one more time, and I won’t hold this against you anymore.”