Shu Rui tiptoed to the back door, cracked it open, and peered outside.
Lu Ling followed. Shu Rui, focused on the scene, accidentally brushed his nose against Lu Ling’s chest.
Lu Ling looked down at the grayish mark on his dark clothes, blinked, and instinctively touched it.
Shu Rui quickly covered his nose and smoothed away the powder, noticing Lu Ling still looked affectionately at him. He nudged him gently. “Aren’t you too close?”
Lu Ling lifted his eyes. “You actually used powder?”
“I… I’m just a young boy. Using a little powder isn’t a problem!” Shu Rui admitted, looking guilty.
“No, I just thought your powder seemed cheap. I heard crushed pearls could make the skin fair. I don’t know if it’s true.”
“Do you want to try it? I can buy some for you.”
Shu Rui squinted. “Do you think I’m ugly?”
Lu Ling paused, shaking his head. “Absolutely not! I’ve never thought that!”
Shu Rui was about to tease Lu Ling, but the noise outside grew louder, pulling his attention away. Seeing a crowd already gathering, he opened the door fully.
In the alley, a man and woman—around thirty years old—were pushing and shoving each other.
The woman was unusually tall and well-built, her steps forceful and full of wind. In her anger, her face was fierce and commanding. The man, by contrast, looked frail, desperately trying to hold her back, only to be knocked down to the ground with a single shove.
“I never meant to deceive you. That marriage—my heart was never in it. It was just that, with my parents gone and no one to rely on, the clan forced it upon me,” the man sobbed, half-collapsed on the ground, wiping his tears with heartfelt sincerity.
“I endured such bitter days, feeling life itself was worse than death. When I finally stepped out into the world, thinking I might die in that winter’s snow, I was blessed by the deities and met you.”
“I’ve long wanted to explain my past, yet before I could speak, your wife and child came searching for me.”
The man remained nearly prostrate, weeping earnestly.
Yet the woman would not be swayed. With two sharp slaps, she struck his face, the sound crisp and echoing through the alley, startling onlookers.
Hands on her hips, she scolded him: “The clan may make decisions, but if your heart isn’t in it, that doesn’t give you the right to father children! And now, at this stage, you still feign ignorance like a fool—worthless!”
“Pah!” She spat in his face. “Wait until I settle the accounts! All these months, everything you ate or used from me, you will repay—else I’ll leave you with one leg! You thought you could deceive me with tears and cunning, but I won’t let you off easy. Your wife and children are now well-provided for by you, yet you still deceive!”
Shouting, she pulled a key from her waist and opened the door to enter the house.
Shu Rui was surprised to realize this woman lived directly opposite their inn! Despite her frequent comings and goings over the past days, he had never seen the door open or anyone entering or leaving, assuming the house was uninhabited.
“She lives here. The alley behind the inn doubles as the back door for this dwelling. The main entrance is on the other side. The alley is narrow, and many residents use the main street entrance, so you wouldn’t have seen her. She only moved in recently,” explained an onlooker.
With the woman inside, the crowd dispersed. Zhang, the local fortune-teller, spotted Shu Rui and ambled over to chat.
“She just moved in?” Shu Rui asked.
“Probably about ten days ago,” Zhang replied, still nibbling at the aromas wafting from Shu Rui’s house. Her nose twitched at the scent of food, making her mouth water.
Seeing Shu Rui curious about the household, she said: “If you want to know about them, let’s sit over some tea, and I’ll tell you slowly.”
Shu Rui, understanding she only wanted a free meal, didn’t object, inviting her in and giving her extra chopsticks.
Tasting the oily prawns and fragrant oysters, Zhang smacked her lips in appreciation before continuing her tale.
The woman, it seemed, was skilled at slaughtering pigs and sheep, running a stall in the northern meat market with thriving business. Despite her capable hands and enough money to live comfortably, troubles still came her way. As a woman in a male-dominated trade, she was often considered difficult for marriage. Early on, she had married into a household, only for her husband to die prematurely, leaving their children unborn. Gossip labeled her as “cursed” to husbands.
Last winter, while slaughtering pigs in the icy fields, she rescued a young man. Grateful, he vowed to repay her kindness. Over time, the two became close. The man’s cleverness and charm occasionally drew whispers from others, prompting him to feign strangeness.
Zhang explained further: the young man had been possessed by misfortune, and locals sought Zhang’s help to administer protective charms and talismans. Within a couple of days, he recovered and began speaking honestly. Wishing to find a comfortable place for the young man, the woman, still caring for him, rented the nearby house discreetly.
Shu Rui listened silently. When Zhang warned that strangers shouldn’t be trusted blindly, he glanced at Lu Ling, who tensed under the scrutiny, sensing something unjustly falling on him.
Zhang, absorbed in her meal, hadn’t noticed the tension. Reflecting on the young man’s features, she commented, “I could tell from his face—he seems honest and clever, though cautious. Trouble was inevitable.”
Shu Rui murmured: “Can you read my brother’s fortune too?”
Zhang was startled but, as an experienced fortune-teller, she could conjure some words. She looked at Lu Ling, and instantly felt a chill. His eyes were sharp as icicles dangling from a rooftop in midwinter.
Hesitant to continue, Zhang murmured, “This young man must be protected by the heavens. A mere mortal like me cannot easily probe his fate. To do so would cost my lifespan just to glimpse a bit.”
Shu Rui glanced at Lu Ling: “If my brother has such fortune, handling that young man’s affairs would surely be smooth sailing.”
“No,” Zhang replied. “Even without reading his face, his righteous bearing alone shows he is exceptional.”
Closing her eyes, Zhang flattered: “Both of you are upright people. From early on, I could tell your household would live in harmony.”
Shu Rui stayed silent; Lu Ling dared not speak. Realizing her words may have been excessive, Zhang excused herself, citing the stove water boiling too long, and left, closing the door behind her.
The courtyard fell silent.
Shu Rui, already tense from the day’s activities, felt his composure slip. Losing his appetite, he rose and headed inside.
Lu Ling, worried by Shu Rui’s expression, hurried after him, insisting, “Shu Rui, I truly am not that kind of person!”
“I really am Lu Ling, from Gan County in Jizhou Prefecture. My parents are alive, and I have a younger brother. My father recently passed the imperial exam, and my brother excels in studies. It’s true I left home young; our family was poor. My father studied but had no success, and we relied on my mother’s embroidery for income. I didn’t like study, so I left early to train in martial arts, seldom returning, only occasionally sending letters.”
“I trained in several martial arts halls, then went to the capital to teach. Two years later, I was noticed by a noble and began serving him. A year ago, I was injured, and while my master treated me well, he gave me compensation to return home and recover. When I met you, I was on my way back…”
Shu Rui felt warmth in his wrist as he grasped Lu Ling’s hand. He had always been cautious and thoughtful, yet sincere. He had wanted to know Lu Ling’s past but never asked, not fully trusting words, and also to avoid mentioning his own history.
Now, Lu Ling spoke openly about his family and past, leaving Shu Rui surprised, especially when hearing “Gan County”—his mind skipped a beat, leaving him momentarily stunned.
“I’ve never been married, nor had any close attachments before. I never even thought about such things,” Shu Rui said.
“If it weren’t for you, perhaps I—”
Lu Ling was still speaking, but Shu Rui suddenly felt his chest tighten. He hastily withdrew his hand, even unable to meet Lu Ling’s gaze.
Lu Ling assumed it was distrust, words without proof. He tried to reassure him, speaking gently: “I can take you to Gan County to see—”
“I won’t go back!”
Before Lu Ling could finish, Shu Rui interrupted sharply.
Seeing the surprise and slight hurt in Lu Ling’s eyes, Shu Rui realized he had overreacted. He turned his head, closing his eyes and frowning.
He could not have imagined Lu Ling was from Gan County, a family of scholars, and he even speculated that his uncle or father might have met Lu Ling’s family. Fate seemed impossibly coincidental, connecting two people from seemingly unrelated places.
“Shu Rui…”
Lu Ling’s voice was soft, sensing Shu Rui’s unease. He slowed his tone, trying to calm him: “You don’t want to go back, then you won’t….”
Shu Rui pressed his lips together and glanced at Lu Ling, who looked so cautious, as if afraid a single sound would scare him. His heart twisted with emotion.
After a long pause, his voice thick, he said: “Since you’ve told me your past, your family background… I won’t hold it against you.”
“You don’t have to speak of your past if you don’t want to. I don’t mind. There’s no need to trade your history for mine. You are young, and it’s natural to worry more. It’s also my fault for not explaining earlier, leaving you to guess.”
Lu Ling had no intention of hiding anything, but circumstances had not allowed the right moment to confess. He had also wanted to know Shu Rui’s past, and even without seeing the struggle on Shu Rui’s face, he could sense it—an only child running a decades-old shop in Chaoxi Prefecture hinted at hardships behind the scenes.
Listening, Shu Rui’s eyes reddened slightly. He felt grateful for Lu Ling’s patience and understanding, but the more he felt this way, the guiltier he became about the secrets he had kept.
He revealed his true name, wanting Lu Ling to gradually learn his past on his own, without exposing the shameful details himself. He knew that even if Lu Ling could not accept it, hated him, or left, he would have to accept it.
He did not seek excuses, speaking plainly: “Lu Ling, when you met me, traveling all the way from Gan County, and I told you so many lies… it’s because I ran away from an arranged marriage.”
The air froze for a moment, tense and heavy. Outside, the wind rustled a tree, shaking the hanging elm seeds.
“Ran… away from your marriage?”
Lu Ling’s eyes narrowed as he considered possibilities, yet had never imagined this one.
“Yes.”
Shu Rui forced calm, looking directly at Lu Ling: “I lost both parents as a child, and my uncle raised me. I grew up in Gan County. When I came of age, elders arranged a marriage for me, and I ran away.”
Lu Ling stared, not with anger or dislike, but as if a sudden bucket of vinegar had been poured over him, souring his whole being.
After a long pause, he seemed deflated, like a widower, struggling to speak: “Then… did you still have feelings for him?”
“Who?” Shu Rui blinked.
“The one you were betrothed to.”
Shu Rui’s eyes widened: “Are you a fool? If I had any such thought, why run away at all? I intended to be with—”
“Stop!” Lu Ling quickly interrupted, unable to hear Shu Rui speak of marrying anyone else.
Relieved, he realized there had never been affection before—so the ‘vinegar’ was not that strong.
“Good, then it was right to run from that marriage.”
Shu Rui’s words seemed to ease Lu Ling’s tension, as though running from the arranged marriage wasn’t shameful or scandalous.
“Say whatever you like,” he added lightly.
“If you hadn’t run, what would have become of me? But it’s also my fault for thinking only of myself, not considering you. You hid your identity before—were you afraid they would find you?”
Lu Ling had initially suspected Shu Rui of distrust, but now understood why he had shared his real name. His previous alias suddenly revealed how rare it was for Shu Rui to confide in him.
“Don’t be afraid, I’m here. I’ll protect you from now on.”
Shu Rui twirled his fingers nervously: “By running away, if I ever wanted to marry again, it would be complicated. If I don’t want to return and entangle with my family, there may be no proper way to wed.”
“You come from a scholarly family; your father values reputation above all. I told you what I would never speak of to save you from delay. You deserve to find someone…”
“No ‘deserve,’ only you or no one! Even if you had an arranged marriage now, waiting for the house to be ready to meet them, I wouldn’t leave. He may do small, I may do large… your family has no right to intervene. If they consent, fine. If not, it’s not their concern.”
“No matter what, I will protect you, never letting anyone wrong you.”
Shu Rui felt uncertain how to respond. Lu Ling’s worry and care seemed to make all troubles trivial. He could not tell if Lu Ling spoke in youthful impulse or true certainty. Yet who could resist such attention?
Lu Ling tentatively held Shu Rui’s hand, finding it unresisting, and carefully asked: “Shu Rui, you worry for me, keep secrets, yet still confide in me. It seems you also have some feelings for me, am I right?”
Shu Rui could not deny it, but dared not admit it.
He had only encountered modest, proud scholars before, who would hint feelings through poetry. No one had ever asked so directly.
“If you don’t speak, I’ll take that as consent.”
“I know your heart values status. As for the marriage, we’ll resolve it together properly, ensuring you have a legitimate union.”
Shu Rui blushed, withdrawing his hand: “I… I was only speaking hypothetically, not that I intended—”
He felt his ears burn; the conversation had somehow drifted to marriage as if inevitable.
“You won’t marry anyone else either,” Lu Ling said firmly, refusing to release his hand. Their palms were sweaty.
Shu Rui’s heart fluttered under Lu Ling’s possessive tone. Having revealed his secret, he felt exposed and sensitive.
“You take advantage of knowing I ran away, thinking I have no support. Go ahead if you wish,” he said.
Lu Ling let go slightly: “I don’t wish to oppress you. Knowing this, I could never care enough for you; if I did, reckless death might be the result!”
Shu Rui blushed and turned away.
“You really should send a letter home,” Lu Ling suggested brightly.
“To talk about marriage?” Shu Rui was startled: “Marriage? You know nothing!”
“You were supposed to return home. Two to three months without news, shouldn’t you write?”
Lu Ling’s hope sank: “I sent a letter earlier, saying I’m busy in Chaoxi Prefecture, no rush to return.”
Shu Rui, knowing he had taken precautions, remained silent, hands clenched.
Lu Ling’s expression softened: “Then, no talk of marriage, we’re still cousins?”
Shu Rui understood, but did not clarify: “To outsiders, we remain cousins. That’s how we explain it.”
“Then inside, we can be… close?” Lu Ling asked, looking at him for acknowledgment.
Shu Rui’s face burned. He tried to slip indoors, but Lu Ling, anticipating his move, blocked his path.
“You want a definite answer, so you know what to do.”
“What answer? Cousins, I protect you? Lovers, I chase off anyone near you?”
“If cousins, I’ll make an effort. If lovers, I’ll keep others away from you.”
Shu Rui thought, now that Lu Ling had shown such resolve, few would dare approach. Bitterly, he murmured: “Who wants to approach me? Some just flirt recklessly.”
Lu Ling felt wronged, yet found no way to argue.
Shu Rui saw the glum expression and pressed his lips together: “Since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t lose out either. But if we are to be together, there must be three rules.”
Lu Ling hadn’t expected him to set conditions and hurriedly said, “Three rules? Three hundred rules, I’ll agree to them all!”