Chapter 57: Childhood Sweethearts

Chapter 57: Childhood Sweethearts

Mrs. Song's visit to Du Village was clearly not just for a casual visit.

Sure enough, she continued to inquire, "I heard that the eldest grandson of the village chief's family in Du Village is of good character and scholarly, and he is currently in the village. My husband has always admired young scholars from our hometown, and he would like to meet him if there's a chance in the future."

Qiu Huanian had already guessed that Mrs. Song was interested in Yun Cheng and vaguely replied, "Yun Cheng passed the preliminary scholar examination at the age of fifteen and will be able to take the provincial examination in a couple of years. If he could really receive guidance from Mr. Song, it would be his good fortune."

"It's not easy for such a young talent to emerge from the countryside. Your family has produced one, and this young scholar from Du Village is another, which shows that Du Village is indeed a place of outstanding people."

Qiu Huanian smiled, "Their success is due to their hard work and their families' support."

Mrs. Song naturally asked, "Does Du Yun Cheng have any other brothers or sisters? I'd like to hear about these good children from our hometown."

"Yun Cheng is the only child of his parents, but he has uncles and aunts, and many cousins. You know that Cun Lan studies with Miss Chi, and there are many others."

Upon hearing that he was an only child, Mrs. Song's expression fell slightly, and she asked no more.

Two days later, Mrs. Song came to Du Village exactly as she had mentioned, bringing several books compiled by the imperial library, saying she wanted to give them to the scholars of Du Village on behalf of Mr. Song Juren. Qiu Huanian gathered the families of the village's few scholars to welcome her.

There were very few scholars in the village, counting only Yun Cheng, Yun Kang, and two other families that Qiu Huanian was not very familiar with. Yun Zhe from Bao Li's family was represented by Meng Fuyue.

The status of a Juren was high, as they belonged to the upper class, and Mr. Song Juren had once been a county magistrate, so no one dared to be negligent.

Mrs. Song spoke with the families of the scholars, further encouraging them to support their children's studies, and she particularly spent more time talking with Meng Fuyue.

After Mrs. Song left, Meng Fuyue pondered repeatedly, feeling that something was not quite right, so she decided to have her nephew Meng Yuanling, who was staying at her house, invite Qiu Huanian over to ask.

Meng Yuanling seemed to be in a bad mood, apparently for some reason, and Qiu Huanian couldn't get anything out of him.

Qiu Huanian formulated his response and went to the village chief's house, finding an excuse to send Meng Yuanling away first.

Meng Fuyue had set up a small stove on the ground with a flat iron plate on top, carefully roasting jujubes.

Fresh jujubes are harvested and dried, then roasted on the fire until both sides are charred, and then taken down to make roasted jujubes that can be stored for a long time.

Roasted jujubes are often used to cook porridge and make tea, which is more flavorful than ordinary dried jujubes and can also be used as a medicinal ingredient.

Meng Fuyue used a wooden spatula to turn the jujubes and invited Qiu Huanian to sit beside her. No one else was at home.

"Hua, I always feel that something is not quite right."

After all, Meng Fuyue was the eldest daughter-in-law of the village chief's family. The village chief's wife had passed away early, and matters related to the family in the village were mostly handled by Meng Fuyue. Over the years, she had dealt with many weddings and funerals and could vaguely sense Mrs. Song's intentions.

"Although Mrs. Song spoke with everyone today, her attitude was subtly different when she spoke with me. I feel that she was hinting at Yun Cheng, both openly and covertly..."

Amidst the fragrant aroma of the roasted jujubes, Qiu Huanian said, "Auntie, haven't you already made some guesses?"

"This... alas, our family has only been farmers for ten generations, how dare we think of marrying into such a family!"

"Yun Cheng is promising, naturally someone would be interested in him. Auntie, why belittle yourself?" Qiu Huanian subtly probed Meng Fuyue's thoughts.

"Although that's true, there are also other young men from good families who are promising." Meng Fuyue still felt that something was not quite right.

She certainly knew that her son had potential, but she also knew that he was not as good as Du Yunse.

Now that her son hasn't yet passed the provincial examination, and the daughter of a Juren family is actively seeking to arrange a marriage, it's inevitable for a mother to think too much.

Meng Fuyue had seen Chi Qinghe, a young lady so perfect she seemed to have stepped out of a painting, and couldn't help but wonder.

Such a girl, if there were no underlying reasons, why would Mrs. Song be willing to come to the village to seek a marriage alliance?

"Brother Hua, please keep this matter confidential for me. Don't tell anyone; I need to think about it some more."

Meng Fuyue was worried her father-in-law and the third branch of the family would find out about this.

The third branch wanted to climb the social hierarchy, and her father-in-law also wanted to find a beneficial marriage for Yun Cheng. If they were determined to arrange the marriage, Meng Fuyue would have no say in the matter.

Meng Fuyue's decision was within Qiu Huanian's expectations. Although he didn't know the details, he understood that Chi Qinghe's modest choice of a husband in Zhang County was due to some unavoidable reason.

While others were drawn to Song Juren's wealth and power, Meng Fuyue, as a mother, truly only wanted the best for her child.

Qiu Huanian subtly reminded her, "Yun Cheng is fifteen or sixteen now, and after getting engaged, it's for a lifetime. We should also listen to the child's own thoughts. Mutual affection and compatibility are more important than anything else in a marriage."

"I know, he's my only child, how could I not wish for everything to go smoothly for him?"

Meng Fuyue finished roasting the dates and packed a basketful for Qiu Huanian. When Qiu Huanian left, Meng Yuanling, who was supposed to be waiting for him outside, was nowhere to be seen.

Qiu Huanian looked around but still couldn't find Meng Yuanling, so he had no choice but to head back alone.

In the evening, Qiu Huanian was lounging in the study with Du Yunse, supposedly "working," when suddenly Yun Cheng hurried in.

"Sister Huanian, did you see Brother Ling this afternoon?"

Qiu Huanian put down the wool he was holding, and Du Yunse looked up from his books.

"Isn't Brother Ling supposed to be at your house? Did he get lost or something?"

On one hand, Qiu Huanian thought Meng Yuanling was too old to get lost, but on the other hand, he still stood up nervously.

Yun Cheng shook his head, hesitating to speak.

"Brother Ling left us a note saying he was going home, and he left in the afternoon."

"If he left a note and you know where he went, why are you still looking for him?"

Seeing Yun Cheng's hesitant look, Qiu Huanian felt a pang of concern and invited him to sit down in the study.

"We are from the same clan, and I know you and Brother Ling well. If you consider me and Yunse as elder brothers, you might as well share your thoughts and see if we, as elders, can offer some advice."

A pot of roasted date water was warming on the small stove in the kitchen. Qiu Huanian tossed in a small handful of sugar, making it sweet and tasty.

Yun Cheng took a sip of the roasted date water Qiu Huanian poured for him, but it tasted bland.

After hesitating for a while, he blurted out, "I upset Brother Ling."

"Brother Ling could still be angry with you?"

Qiu Huanian wasn't entirely joking. Meng Yuanling was at that age full of youthful feelings, and he wouldn't easily get mad at someone he cared about.

"What exactly happened? If you don't tell us, we can't really say."

Yun Cheng finished the roasted date water without really tasting it and finally made up his mind, "I should have told you two about this as soon as I got back, but I didn't know how to bring it up, so I put it off."

"Is it related to us?"

"It's related to Du Yunjing."

Hearing this name after a long time, Qiu Huanian felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

"I remember Du Yunjing is currently working as a teacher at a private school in the county town?"

Qiu Huanian hadn’t really kept tabs on Du Yunjing; this was something she had heard from Wei Liuhua once.

"Du Yunjing sometimes comes to the county school to catch up with his old classmates and friends," Yun Cheng began to narrate.

"There was a teacher at the county school who once considered him for his daughter’s hand, but after the incident with Li Guer, that idea was scrapped. However, Du Yunjing hasn’t given up and has maintained contact with that teacher."

"I can’t stand the way he acts and never speak to him at the county school."

"Until before the autumn harvest..."

Yun Cheng paused and then vaguely said, "I heard him publicly slandering Brother Ling’s reputation outside, and I got into a fight with him."

"A fight?" Qiu Huanian asked in return.

"I broke Du Yunjing’s nose, and as a result, I was suspended from school for a month."

"..."

Yun Cheng had originally planned to go home to help his family with the autumn harvest, so this punishment wasn’t much of a setback; the school had already gone easy on him.

Qiu Huanian hadn’t expected Yun Cheng, who always seemed so mature for his age, to actually throw punches at school and break Du Yunjing’s nose.

After all, Du Yunjing is a strapping nineteen-year-old, while Yun Cheng is just a fifteen-year-old boy.

Is Yun Cheng just that tough, or is Du Yunjing really that weak?

"I didn’t want to upset my family, so I haven’t mentioned this since I returned. This morning, a classmate from the county school came by Du Village to deliver some lecture notes from the teacher and brought up what happened with Du Yunjing, which Brother Ling happened to overhear."

"Brother Ling... was really mad at me."

Yun Cheng bit his lip, suddenly unable to continue.

Yun Cheng knew that Brother Ling had almost been engaged to Du Yunjing and that Du Yunjing was indeed the kind of son-in-law his uncles had favored.

But Du Yunjing clearly looked down on the poor and fawned over the rich, was untrustworthy, and even after so long, he was still distorting the facts, publicly belittling Meng Yuanling at the county school to boost his own image.

Such a person, he punched him, but Brother Ling got angry with him for it...

Could it be that in Brother Ling’s heart, someone like Du Yunjing is considered good?

Yun Cheng felt choked up and frustrated, a bitter taste rising in his throat. He couldn’t figure out the reason and could only explain to himself that he didn’t want to see his cousin pining for a good-for-nothing, throwing himself into the fire.

"I wanted to apologize to my cousin this afternoon, but who knew he would just up and leave."

"...Just yesterday, we agreed that I would teach him how to write in the evening." Yun Cheng said in a low voice, like a lost puppy.

Qiu Huanian looked at him and finally confirmed something.

He couldn’t help but chuckle.

What is this? Watching high schoolers navigate their love lives?

Yun Cheng looked up, puzzled, as Qiu Huanian added a few more sticks of firewood to the stove and spoke leisurely.

"If Brother Ling knew that you thought he still had lingering feelings for Du Yunjing, he would be so angry he’d want to scratch your face."

"Why do you think he’s angry? Isn’t he angry that you acted recklessly, disregarding your own future and getting punished by the county school?"

"Isn't he upset because he feels responsible for your punishment?"

Yun Cheng frowned and said, "It was Du Yunjing who said the wrong things, and I was the one who hit him. What does Brother Ling have to do with it?"

"Why don't you go and tell him that yourself?"

Yun Cheng wanted to get up but hesitated.

"Brother Ling was already mad at me. If I go now, wouldn't he be even more displeased?"

Qiu Huanian also found it strange. Meng Yuanling and Yun Cheng had a dispute in the morning, and in the afternoon, Meng Yuanling came to see Qiu Huanian on behalf of Meng Fuyue.

Everything seemed fine, so why did he suddenly leave in the afternoon?

Thinking back, Meng Yuanling probably left while he and Meng Fuyue were talking...

Did Meng Yuanling overhear Qiu Huanian and Meng Fuyue's conversation?

"Sister Huanian, do you know what's going on?" Yun Cheng asked urgently.

Qiu Huanian carefully chose her words, "This afternoon, your mother invited me to your house to discuss your marriage."

"My marriage?" Yun Cheng didn't react.

"It's a well-off family with a good reputation, and the girl is around your age, beautiful and well-educated."

Qiu Huanian didn't specify who it was. The matter is still in its early stages, and both sides are just testing the waters. It would be inappropriate to directly mention the girl's name.

If things don't work out later, it could be embarrassing.

Yun Cheng wasn't interested in the details of the girl Qiu Huanian mentioned. His mind was full of Meng Yuanling.

"What does this have to do with Brother Ling..."

"Brother Ling must have overheard us, got upset, and didn't know how to stay, so he left."

Qiu Huanian looked meaningfully at Yun Cheng, "Why do you think he did that? Do I need to spell it out for you?"

Yun Cheng stood there, cup in hand, torn between joy and worry. His heart was racing, his mouth went dry, and his emotions were in turmoil.

For the first time in his fifteen or sixteen years, he understood what it meant to fall deeply in love without realizing it.

Yun Cheng jumped up, knocking the stool over with a loud clatter.

"Where are you going?" Qiu Huanian quickly asked behind him.

But Yun Cheng was in too much of a hurry. By the time she finished asking, Yun Cheng was already out the gate, not bothering to answer.

Qiu Huanian was at a loss. She was glad Yun Cheng clearly felt the same way about Meng Yuanling, but worried they might act impulsively.

"Let him go," Du Yunse said calmly from behind the desk.

"I'm still a bit worried."

"Yun Cheng has been lost for a while, but now that he's figured things out, nothing can hold him back."

Qiu Huanian sighed in relief and smiled, "You really have a high opinion of Yun Cheng."

"Yun Cheng is smart, and what's even more impressive is his clear thinking and steady actions. With time, he's sure to become a renowned official."

Qiu Huanian picked up the scissors and trimmed the wick of the oil lamp. The burnt part fell off, and the light instantly brightened.

"I hope they’re doing well, so I can still get a sip of their engagement wine later."

"Yun Cheng will do his best to push for it. Once he has made up his mind, even the clan leader can't control him."

Qiu Huanian added, "It's also fortunate that Mrs. Song's intentions are only known to Meng Fuyue for now. Otherwise, some people in the clan leader's family might not easily give up."

...

The moon hung high, its light faint through thin clouds. The autumn wind swept fallen leaves, leaving a rustling, desolate echo on the empty streets of Qingfu Town.

The family members were all asleep, but Meng Yuanling tossed and turned in his room, unable to rest. He cracked open the back window and gazed blankly at the moon high above.

An old cat somewhere nearby let out a hoarse cry, startling a flock of birds into flight.

Everything was quiet, save for the restless thoughts of a young man.

Meng Yuanling ran his fingers through his hair, sometimes wanting to get up, sometimes hesitating and sitting back down. At times, he seemed resolved, but then tears would well up, leaving him frozen in place.

Suddenly, Meng Yuanling heard an unusual sound outside the back window.

It was close to midnight, and the bright moonlight spilled onto the ground, half obscured by the back wall, leaving everything in darkness and indistinct.

Meng Yuanling’s heart raced. After the harvest, the town was full of idle men and laborers who’d fled the northern border, now homeless and wandering Qingfu’s streets.

The townsfolk, fearing trouble, kept their doors and windows locked at night, keeping the children close to home.

Meng Yuanling lived in a wing room at the corner of the courtyard, with the back window facing a small path outside the back door. The back window, no bigger than a fist, was set high to deter thieves, forcing Meng Yuanling to stretch to reach it.

Worried someone might be out there, Meng Yuanling tiptoed to shut the window.

The person on the small path outside heard the movement inside and whispered, "Cousin Yuanling, let me in."

Meng Yuanling’s eyes widened. Though the voice was hoarse and faint, almost ghostly in the night, he knew it was Yun Cheng.

At this hour, why wasn't Yun Cheng at home, and how did he get to Qingfu Town?

Meng Yuanling panicked, pacing in circles before snatching a coat and sneaking to the back door.

He braced a foot against the door, easing it open inch by inch, careful not to wake the household.

When the back door opened just enough for a person to pass through, Meng Yuanling slipped out, holding his coat, and indeed saw Yun Cheng at the edge where moonlight met shadow.

"What... what are you doing here?"

Meng Yuanling was stunned, stammering in disbelief.

Yun Cheng was slightly out of breath, his simple clothes covered in a layer of frost. The young man's body rose and fell with his breathing in the night, his eyes frighteningly bright in the darkness.

He looked at Meng Yuanling, a thousand things on his mind, but after racing from Du Village to Qingfu Town, the words wouldn’t come.

Meng Yuanling, holding the coat draped over him, looked left and right, seeing no one else and no mule cart.

"How did you get here?" Meng Yuanling asked urgently.

Yun Cheng answered honestly, "I walked all the way from the village."

It's an hour's walk from Du Village to Qingfu Town, and even if Yun Cheng ran all the way, it wouldn't take less than half an hour.

On such a dark night, without even a lantern or torch, he trudged alone under the moonlight through the desolate fields for what felt like forever, just to see Meng Yuanling.

Meng Yuanling felt a lump in his throat and clutched his clothes tightly, wrinkling them into a ball. "I told you this morning to look after yourself, and now you do this at night. Are you trying to piss me off on purpose?"

Yun Cheng, usually quick-witted, was at a loss for words. "...I thought you were angry this morning because you didn't like me hitting Du Yunjing."

Meng Yuanling tilted his head and spat lightly, "Even if Du Yunjing's nose got broken, or if his head fell off someday, I'd just clap and cheer."

"I'm worried about you, don’t you get it? You're all grown up, yet you still brawl like a kid. In a couple of years, when you get married, if you're still like this, as your cousin, I..."

Meng Yuanling's voice cracked, and he took two deep breaths, unable to go on.

Even before Yun Cheng understood his own feelings, his gaze would often unconsciously follow Meng Yuanling. Now, seeing Meng Yuanling's reddened eyes, his heart turned to mush.

Meng Yuanling continued to scold him, "It's already autumn, and the nights are frosty. You didn’t even throw on an extra layer. Aren’t you scared of catching a cold? The big beasts in the mountains are out and about this time of year. What if you bump into a wolf? What would you do then? If you got hurt, what would Aunt and Uncle, my parents, my two brothers... and I do? How would we cope?"

Yun Cheng, like a scolded child, hung his head and listened to Meng Yuanling's lecture. He was already a head taller than Meng Yuanling, who had to crane his neck to see Yun Cheng's face.

"Did you catch all that?" Meng Yuanling felt that Yun Cheng wasn't listening.

Yun Cheng reached out and fixed Meng Yuanling's unbuttoned collar.

"You say I don’t look after myself, but it’s windy at night. Why did you come out half-dressed?"

Yun Cheng's hand was cold on the back, but his palm was scorching hot. The brush of his thumb against Meng Yuanling's wrist sent shivers down his spine.

Meng Yuanling tried to pull his hand away, but Yun Cheng held on tight.

"What... what are you up to?" Meng Yuanling hunched his shoulders, his wide eyes like a scared rabbit.

Yun Cheng, raised with strict manners, was always proper. Even though they had grown up together like childhood friends, Meng Yuanling could hardly remember a time when they had been this close.

"Brother Ling..." Yun Cheng opened his mouth, "Brother Ling."

Yun Cheng's hand was long and burning, searing into Meng Yuanling's heart.

The unprecedented term of endearment made Meng Yuanling dizzy.

This "Brother Ling" didn't sound like he was addressing a cousin; it sounded more like he was calling a lover.

Meng Yuanling was startled by his own thoughts. How could he think that? This was Yun Cheng, the promising Yun Cheng who was destined to marry a lady from a prominent family.

But... but...

Meng Yuanling looked at Yun Cheng, his heart in turmoil, as large teardrops rolled down from his beautiful eyes.

Yun Cheng's heart ached at the sight, and he reached out to wipe the tears away. His thumb brushed over the dimple on Meng Yuanling's cheek, something he had wanted to do for a long time.

"What do you want?" Meng Yuanling's voice was tinged with tears. "Don't think... you can just bully me like this."

Meng Yuanling truly felt bullied, though he couldn't quite explain why. He just felt extremely wronged.

Yun Cheng cupped Meng Yuanling's face with one hand and whispered soothingly, "Brother Ling, will you marry me? I promise I'll never make you cry again."

Meng Yuanling's long eyelashes were still wet with tears, and he blinked in confusion, like a little rabbit that had fallen into a trap and was suddenly set free.

He didn't know how to respond, and Yun Cheng had used up all his courage to say those words. They stood in this intimate position for a moment, until a soft cough came from the small door behind them.

Yun Cheng and Meng Yuanling immediately separated as if they had been burned. Meng Wudong stood there with his arms crossed, watching them, unsure of how long he had been standing.

"Second... second brother," Meng Yuanling's round earlobes turned as red as if they were about to bleed.

"Cousin Wudong," Yun Cheng clenched his hand at his side, looking at him firmly.

Meng Wudong's expression was displeased. He gave Yun Cheng a cold glance and first pulled his younger brother back.

Meng Yuanling nervously peeked toward the courtyard, and Meng Wudong patted him.

"Don't worry, only I woke up. If I hadn't been here keeping an eye out, a young man and a young man like you two meeting secretly at the back door in the middle of the night—do you know what would happen if someone found out?"

Meng Yuanling lowered his head, the words "secret meeting" echoing repeatedly in his mind.

Meng Wudong, exasperated with his brother's innocence, pulled him behind his back and spoke harshly to Yun Cheng.

"You're a scholar; you should know more about propriety than a rough man like me. If you want to propose marriage, you should formally send a matchmaker with the proper betrothal gifts and documents. How could you just show up in the middle of the night like this? What do you take my Brother Ling for, huh?"

Meng Yuanling anxiously tugged at his second brother's sleeve, but Meng Wudong ignored him for the moment.

Yun Cheng knew he was at fault and cupped his hands respectfully, saying seriously, "I was eager to explain things to Brother Ling. I shouldn't have proposed privately. My emotions got the better of me, but it was inappropriate."

"Today, I asked for Brother Ling's feelings. As long as he agrees, I will immediately go home and ask my family to send a matchmaker to your door."

Meng Wudong said irritably, "I know my brother better than anyone. If he weren't willing, I would have already broken your legs by now."

"Brother Ling, go back to sleep. I'll take the donkey cart and escort you back to Du Village. Come up with a good excuse, and don't involve Brother Ling in this."

"Of course," Yun Cheng hadn't completely lost his mind. He had already come up with an excuse before arriving.

Meng Wudong tossed the keys to him and told Yun Cheng to fetch the donkey cart from the nearby tofu factory. He then tapped his brother on the forehead.

"Happy now?"

Meng Yuanling seemed to be in a daze, holding his forehead for a moment before he remembered to ask, "Second brother, how long have you known?"

"You've been daydreaming all day, and every time you make an excuse to go to Du Village, you ask about Yun Cheng's whereabouts. How could I not know? But don't worry, for now, only I know in the family."

"If it weren't for me covering your tracks, how long do you think you could have kept this hidden?"

Meng Yuanling pondered this and smiled foolishly, "Second brother, you're the best."

"Enough with the flattery. You and Yun Cheng just live happily together in the future—that's what matters most."

Meng Yuanling muttered softly, "I thought you didn't like Yun Cheng."

Yun Cheng had already walked away.

Meng Wudong chuckled, "Yun Cheng grew up with us, and we know him well. He's a scholar, and after you marry him, your mother-in-law will be your own aunt, so you won't suffer. Why wouldn't I be satisfied?"

"Earlier, I was just giving him a hard time intentionally, so he wouldn't think marrying my Brother Ling was an easy task. I don't want him to take you for granted later."

Meng Yuanling lowered his head, pursing his lips and smiling foolishly, "Yun Cheng wouldn't do that."

The warmth of Yun Cheng's palm still lingered on his face, and a burning flame ignited in his heart. Every word Yun Cheng had just spoken was etched in his mind, replaying over and over.

Meng Wudong sighed helplessly, smiling as he pushed Meng Yuanling inside. He then turned to fetch the donkey cart from the tofu factory to accompany Yun Cheng back to the village.

...

Qiu Huanian had been wondering what Yun Cheng had been up to after leaving last night. Before he could go and inquire the next morning, Yun Cheng showed up at his door.

He carried a basket of red dates and a basket of eggs. After setting them down, he bowed respectfully to Qiu Huanian and got straight to the point, asking him to act as a matchmaker.