Miao Liangfang was stunned. Pei Yunmeng glanced sideways at Lu Tong, the woman’s eyebrows and eyes gentle, her tone calm, as if she was talking about a reality that would soon come to pass.
Miao Liangfang then burst out laughing, "What a ’universal path of medicine,’ if such a day really comes, it would be a blessing for everyone in the world!"
Lu Tong smiled, "It certainly will." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
He wanted to say a few more words when someone ahead at the ferry called out twice. Yin Zheng said, "The boatman is urging us to board, Mr. Miao..."
Parting is always hard to bear. Miao Liangfang looked at Pei Yunmeng, pulled Lu Tong to the side, and whispered, "Xiao Lu, in the future, you’ll be looking after the medical hall. Du Changqing may seem tough but has a soft heart and is easily deceived. I can rest assured with you watching over, but as for your husband..."
He glanced at Pei Yunmeng, lowered his voice, and cautioned, "After all, he is a man who works in the Imperial City, and he’s born good-looking. You’re young and married to him; never allow yourself to be wronged. Just like you said before in the medical hall, if you ever fall out of love, then divorce him. If he falls out of love, you just poison him to death, do it cleanly, without leaving any evidence..."
Pei Yunmeng, who heard everything, said: "..."
He scoffed, "You could have spoken a bit louder."
Miao Liangfang coughed lightly, stepped back, and said to everyone, "Anyway, I’ve said what needs to be said over and over, you’re probably tired of it. I won’t say much more."
"You can accompany a traveler for a thousand miles, but in the end, you must part ways. There’s no such thing as a feast that never ends in this world, so let’s leave it here."
He turned, dragging his luggage aboard the passenger boat and waved to everyone.
"Let’s go back."
There was no wind on the river. The boat owner, seeing the last passenger had boarded, had the boatmen push off with their poles, and the boat headed towards the distant riverbank. Birds flew around from all sides; the boat became like a water bird on the river and then the mountain colors by the riverbank rose and fell, with only a blurry dot visible, gradually disappearing from sight.
Ah Cheng rubbed his eyes.
Having spent the seasons together at Benevolent Heart Medical Hall, though West Street wasn’t the most prosperous, it had its worldly fireworks. The departure of a member of the family left one feeling lost.
"Cheer up," Du Changqing looked at the dispirited group, "Don’t look like you’re about to cry. Do we still have to live, to earn silver? Tomorrow the Medical Practice will do an inspection, and today we need to get back and sort out the medicine cabinet and account books. Don’t think about being lazy, let’s go... let’s go back."
Gathering everyone together, he took one last glance at the riverbank and then, without looking back, left.
Lu Tong and Pei Yunmeng followed behind. On their way back, they didn’t take a carriage.
Along the riverbank there were vendors selling calligraphy, paintings, and books. As they passed by, a vendor on the ground eagerly presented several volumes to Lu Tong: "Miss, here are some newly arrived storybooks from the market. Would you like to buy a few to read at home? I guarantee they’re good reads!"
Lu Tong shook her head and sighed.
Pei Yunmeng asked, "Why the sigh?"
"I was reminded of a storybook I read last night."
"Oh? What’s it about?"
"It tells the story of a couple in love who went through trials and tribulations to be together."
"Isn’t that nice?" Pei Yunmeng smiled, "A happy union."
"But I wanted to read more." Lu Tong, her hand held by him, spoke slowly as they walked forward, "I want to see how they live a tranquil life afterward, perhaps with children, and later a house full of descendants, or maybe what happens a hundred years on... It always feels insufficient, why does the story end here?"
He laughed.
"Tong Tong," Pei Yunmeng corrected, "Only storybooks have an ending, stories do not."
She looked up, and the person before her was gazing down at her with a smile in his eyes and inviting dimples at the corners of his lips.
She was momentarily stunned, mentally repeating his words several times, gradually coming to terms with them.
Life is filled with joy and sorrow, with its own taste of bitterness and sweetness. Until the end is reached, nobody knows the outcome. Despite the lingering memories, perhaps the reluctance, one must always look forward.
The story is not over; she still dislikes parting, but she no longer fears it as she once did.
Pei Yunmeng said, "It’s still early; before we go back to the Medical Officer, let’s go to Official Lane to buy some food. I heard that there’s a new type of flower cake this year, pick one you like."
"There are so many, I don’t know what I like."
"No matter, we have plenty of time, we can find out slowly."
She tightened her grip on his hand, "Okay."
The leaves along the riverbank were half green, half yellow, the west wind dispelled the heat, and by the ferry dock in the slowly waning autumn light, departing travelers recited poems to bid farewell to their friends; further away, the lively cries of vendors in Official Lane faintly traveled through the air.
Shengjing seemed to have changed, yet it seemed as if nothing had changed at all.
The man and woman, hand in hand, gradually vanished into the bustling crowd.
It was the eighth day of September in the forty-first year of Yongchang, during a golden autumn with clear skies and crisp air, and dew white as frost.
It was indeed the best of times.
End of the main text
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