[Bonus Chapter 2] Not Waiting (Part 1)

An ancient saying goes: May we all live long and share the beauty of the moon, even though we are thousands of miles apart.

In the seventh year of Qingyun, on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the streets of Xiling were packed with people and lanterns were hung high. As night deepened, the cuckoos called out from outside the walls of the Tang Mansion.

Tang Feng was sitting upright at his desk in his study, practicing calligraphy. Hearing a noise outside, he quietly put down his brush, opened the door, and saw Zhang Mobai clinging to the wall between the two mansions. Tang Feng was terrified and quickly whispered, "Mobai! Get down! Don't fall!"

"What are you afraid of?" Zhang Mobai jumped down from the wall, dusted himself off, and pulled Tang Feng away. Tang Feng didn't react in time and stumbled. "Mo... Mobai, keep your voice down, Father's outside..." Tang Feng let go of Zhang Mobai's hand, then rubbed the hem of his clothes with both hands, constantly turning his head to look behind him, watching the movements at the courtyard gate.

"Oh dear, my dad said he's going to go drink with your dad later. Don't you know they're going to drink until tomorrow? Besides, today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, don't you want to see the lanterns?"

"Lanterns?" Tang Feng hesitated. He hadn't been out much since childhood, being timid and cowardly. He usually stayed home writing and drawing, and Zhang Mobai would climb over the wall to tell him about the outside world. Although lanterns were very attractive, Tang Feng was still a little scared. Putting aside his timidity, he was worried that if his father found out, he would inevitably get a scolding. "No... that's not a good idea! Daddy made me practice calligraphy at home... and A-Wan is watching at the door too..." "Liu Yiwan?" Zhang Mobai rolled his eyes. "Why are you afraid of him? I'll take you out the back door today." Zhang Mobai pointed to the back door. "Come on, come on, it'll be too late if we don't go now, little brother, let me tell you, the Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns are absolutely gorgeous. You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't see them." After saying that, Zhang Mobai didn't wait for Tang Feng's response, grabbed him and ran outside. Halfway there, he realized that Tang Feng hadn't put on anything except his undergarments. He was afraid of being discovered if they went back, and he was afraid Tang Feng would get sick if they continued walking. So he had to pass by the clothes drying area in the backyard, steal the clothes that Liu Yiwan had washed a few days ago, and hand them to Tang Feng. "Little brother, hurry up and change your clothes, then we'll leave." Tang Feng looked at the clothes in his hand, then at Zhang Mobai, and had no choice but to do as he was told. "Mobai... maybe we should just forget about it... I... hey... don't pull me!"

Zhang Mobai dragged Tang Feng, finally managing to pull him onto the street. He then pointed to the lanterns in the sky, "Little brother, look! There are lanterns over there, let's go take a look!" Tang Feng, a resident of the house, had never seen anything like it before. Although he went out occasionally, it was rare. The lanterns blended seamlessly with the stars. Tang Feng looked up in surprise at the sight, clutching Zhang Mobai's sleeve tightly. His cheeks flushed slightly from the autumn breeze, and he whispered, "Mobai, it's beautiful." Zhang Mobai chuckled, pulling Tang Feng's hand and running forward, saying as they ran, "I bet there are food stalls ahead! I can already smell the aroma! Come on, little brother!" Tang Feng, held tightly by Zhang Mobai, couldn't refuse and could only follow closely behind until… Out of breath and exhausted, Zhang Mobai finally stopped. "This place has the best sweet cakes! Wait for me, I'll go buy some." Before Tang Feng could react, Zhang Mobai was gone. Standing in the crowd, Tang Feng frantically looked around, trying to find Zhang Mobai, but the throng pushed him further away. "Mo...Mobai...Mobai? Mobai, where are you?" Tang Feng was easily moved to tears, and now, unable to find Zhang Mobai, tears welled up in his eyes.

"Oh? Isn't that the little crybaby?" Tang Feng heard a trembling voice behind him. Tears welled in his eyes as he turned around and saw Lu Changyuan and his henchmen standing not far away. Instantly, tears welled up in his eyes. "Lu... Lu Changyuan?" Tang Feng took a step back. Lu Changyuan had often bullied Tang Feng back in the private school, always teasing him with his henchmen because of Tang Feng's timid demeanor. Tang Feng was naturally terrified upon seeing him. Although his mind went blank, his body reacted instinctively. He turned to run, but Lu Changyuan grabbed his arm and yanked him back, causing Tang Feng to stumble and fall. "Ouch..." Tang Feng's trembling voice, trembling with a sob, looked pitiful, but Lu Changyuan felt Tang Feng was even easier to bully. Lu Changyuan dragged Tang Feng along until they reached a quiet alley. Seeing no one around, he pushed Tang Feng to the ground and said angrily... "You coward! All you do is cry all day, and now you're even tattling?" This story begins a few days ago. Tang Feng was often bullied, and the students and teachers at the private school all knew, but none of them intervened. Those attending the private school were all children of officials, and could afford to offend anyone. They simply turned a blind eye. But that day, by sheer coincidence, Lu Changyuan was blocked at the door when Zhang Mobai saw him. Not only did Zhang Mobai beat Lu Changyuan up, but he also took Tang Feng to the residence of the Grand Master Zijinlu to complain. Lu Changyuan, who had never been beaten before, couldn't swallow this insult. Although Tang Feng had been staying home and not attending school for the past few days, he never expected to run into them like this today. "I didn't... I didn't want to..." Tang Feng sat on the ground, looking at Lu Changyuan's fierce face, and couldn't help but cry out, "Waaah... Mother..."

Seeing Tang Feng's tear-streaked face and his servant's clothes, Lu Changyuan grinned and said sarcastically, "Oh? How old are you, still crying for your mother? Tang Feng, your clothes... are they from your servants?" He then turned to his henchman and teased, "A young master dressed as a servant, did his father kick him out? Anyway, everyone's saying your father doesn't like you, and it seems it's true, hahahahaha, come on! Beat him up! What's your friend's name? Zhang Mobai, right? Tell him not to meddle in my business next time." Tang Feng looked at Lu Changyuan approaching in terror. He didn't know where the courage came from, but he suddenly stood up, pushed away Lu Changyuan and the others surrounding him, and then scrambled out of the alley, looking back as he ran, afraid that Lu Changyuan would catch up and drag him back. While running, he wasn't paying attention and bumped straight into someone. Tang Feng rubbed his dazed forehead, and a hand reached out towards him. Thinking it was Lu Changyuan, Tang Feng slapped the hand away and then covered his head, begging for mercy, "Don't hit me! Don't hit me! I was wrong..."

"Someone's trying to hit you?" Tang Feng slowly opened his eyes. The voice was gentle, tinged with sympathy. Before Tang Feng could react, he heard Lu Changyuan's voice behind him, "He ran this way!" A wave of anxiety washed over him, but the man grabbed his wrist and pulled him into the crowd. As he was led along, Tang Feng couldn't help but blush. In all these years, no one except Zhang Mobai had ever held his hand. Lost in thought, the man stopped and turned to Tang Feng. "Are you alright?" The lights of the surrounding houses illuminated the man's face, finally giving Tang Feng a clear look. He appeared to be about his age, his youthful face now showing a hint of maturity. His almond-shaped eyes were fixed on him, filled with concern. Hearing the man speak, Tang Feng quickly shook his head, clutching his sleeve in silence for a long time before finally managing to utter a "Thank you."

"I don't know how you offended Lu Changyuan. Come and hide in my carriage! My name is Zhou Ziliang, don't be afraid." Zhou Ziliang looked at Tang Feng, who was dressed in a servant's linen clothes and had a dark face. He couldn't tell what Tang Feng looked like at all and just assumed that he was a servant who had offended his master and had been beaten. Tang Feng followed Zhou Ziliang into the carriage. Even though they were safe, for some reason, his heart was pounding. Tang Feng pressed his chest, trying to calm himself down, but when he looked up, he met Zhou Ziliang's gaze. "What's wrong? Not feeling well?" Zhou Ziliang knew what kind of person Lu Changyuan was. Tang Feng was covered in dirt, and although no injuries were visible, no one knew what suffering he had endured. Upon hearing this, Tang Feng quickly shook his head, hugging his knees and curling up in the corner of the carriage. Seeing this, Zhou Ziliang assumed Tang Feng was afraid and didn't say anything more. He turned his head to look at the moon outside the window, but Tang Feng was secretly watching him intently, his cheeks flushed, a strange feeling rising in his heart. He slightly raised his head, a smile appearing on his face, but unfortunately, Zhou Ziliang was focused on the bright moon outside the window and didn't notice Tang Feng's change. The two sat silently in the carriage for two hours. Tang Feng moved his slightly numb legs and inadvertently glanced at Zhou Ziliang, who was fast asleep. Tang Feng quietly crawled over, bent down, and carefully examined Zhou Ziliang's face. His hand unconsciously rose, and just as he was about to touch Zhou Ziliang's nose, Tang Feng's heart trembled. He didn't know what was wrong with him, as if he had been bewitched. He quickly withdrew his hand, his heart pounding wildly in his chest, unable to calm down for a long time. Tang Feng knelt in front of Zhou Ziliang, one hand holding the other, not daring to move, until Zhou Ziliang heard the commotion outside, gradually woke up, slowly opened his eyes, and saw Tang Feng kneeling in front of him. "Is there something you need?"

Tang Feng shook his head, then said softly, "I...it's too late...I want to go home." Zhou Ziliang was also puzzled. Wasn't he a servant in Lu Changyuan's household? How could he dare to go home after being beaten like this? "I...I can manage, don't worry." Seeing Tang Feng's lowered head and reluctance to speak loudly, Zhou Ziliang sighed. "If you really want to leave, I won't stop you. Just walk to the end of the carriage, and you'll reach Jiming Street. You should know the way from there." Tang Feng nodded. For some reason, his cheeks were burning, and he felt a slight sweat. He got off the carriage in a daze, standing beside it hesitantly, tugging at his clothes in silence for a long time before finally managing to utter, "Thank you."

It's alright.

Watching Zhou Ziliang's carriage drive away, Tang Feng clutched his chest, panting heavily. Although Tang Feng was timid and fearful throughout his life, he was usually quite emotional. But this time, something had struck his heart, and he felt as if he had been touched by a spring breeze.