Moonlit Reunion

When Wu Zhen's vision cleared, she looked up at Mei Zhuyu. His eyes were bright and calm—not a trace of red in them.

Wu Zhen took hold of one of his hands, then flicked her fingers again to stir up another gust of wind and dust. True to form, Mei Zhuyu used his remaining free hand to shield her eyes. Yet this time, his eyes still didn’t redden—only the base of his ears flushed slightly.

It seemed this method wasn’t working. Wu Zhen pondered what to do. She couldn’t just make him cry outright like she did with Mei Si. Those lads were used to her doing inexplicable things and wouldn’t dare question her, but Mei Zhuyu… her little husband had such a serious disposition. If she wanted to make him cry, she’d need a proper reason first.

She’d have to engineer some sort of accident.

The overcast sky had lingered for a long while before finally breaking into rain. At first, it was just a few scattered droplets, but within moments, it transformed into a torrential downpour—fierce, dense raindrops hammering the ground, splashing up mist and puddles. Pedestrians caught unawares were instantly drenched.

Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu found themselves stranded on the road. They had originally set out for a casual stroll, but the sudden deluge forced them to take shelter under the eaves of a nearby house. Mei Zhuyu’s horse was also led beneath the overhang, positioned beside Wu Zhen to block the rain that blew in sideways. Though they had dodged quickly, the rain had come too fast, and both were slightly dampened.

Wu Zhen was distracted, still mulling over how to make her little husband cry. Meanwhile, Mei Zhuyu was wholly focused on her. Seeing droplets speckling her hair and clothes, he hesitated before reaching out to wipe them away—pulling back her outer sleeve and using the white inner lining to dab at the moisture. The touch snapped Wu Zhen out of her thoughts. Watching him, his own robes dripping, yet diligently tending to the water on her hair, she suddenly laughed.

She tugged his hand away. "Enough, no need." Then she turned and knocked several times on the door behind them.

The door opened, and the servant who answered immediately swung it wide upon seeing her. "Ah, Wu Er Niangzi! What brings you here in such heavy rain? Come in, come in, please!"

Wu Zhen gave a hum of acknowledgment. "Are your master and mistress home? We were passing by and stopped to take shelter."

"Yes, yes! Please, both of you, come inside. I’ll take care of the horse—this way, this way."

Wu Zhen pulled Mei Zhuyu along as they were eagerly ushered inside. Without a hint of hesitation, as if this were her own home, she began guiding him through the courtyard with familiarity. "See those peonies over there? They’re called ‘Silver-Red Candlelight.’ Their blossoms are as wide as a bowl, with six flowers per stem—a rare variety. Pity they haven’t bloomed yet; we’ll have to wait a few more days."

"Come this way. At this hour, that lazy couple is definitely holed up in their room."

Mei Zhuyu, abruptly dragged inside, was momentarily stunned. Glancing around the residence, he asked, "You know the owners here?"

Wu Zhen replied, "Yes, I know both husband and wife." They had once followed her around in their younger days. But after marrying, the husband took up an official post and became busy, while the wife, being somewhat shy, felt awkward mingling with their unmarried crowd, so their interactions had dwindled.Mei Zhuyu listened to her casual introduction and once again realized that her reputation for having friends all over Chang'an and acquaintances far and wide was indeed well-deserved. Even taking shelter from the rain under a random eave led them to the residence of someone she knew.

The master of the house, Master Song, and his wife, Lady Fu, finally emerged upon hearing the commotion. When Lady Fu—a plump woman with a round, fair face—caught sight of Wu Zhen, she beamed with delight and rushed forward.

"Zhen-jie, it's been so long since I last saw you!"

Master Song, quick-eyed, pulled his wife back and whispered, "Use your eyes—don’t you see the man beside Zhen-jie?"

Only then did Lady Fu notice Mei Zhuyu. "Oh!" she gasped, covering her cheeks in surprise. "Could this be your betrothed, Zhen-jie? This is my first time seeing him!"

Master Song grinned smugly. "Not my first time—I’ve seen him several times." He held a position as a Right Rectifier in the Secretariat, and though he didn’t often interact with officials from the Ministry of Justice, they were still colleagues in the same court, so he had encountered Mei Zhuyu before.

Seeing them whispering to each other, Wu Zhen laughed. "Little Fu has no observational skills, but it seems your husband isn’t much better. Haven’t you noticed? Our clothes are dripping wet—are you just going to stand there and watch?"

Master Song smacked his forehead and hurriedly led them inside to change. Halfway there, Lady Fu intercepted Wu Zhen, pulling her in another direction. "Zhen-jie, this silly husband of mine forgot you’re a woman—but how could you forget too? Why follow them? You should come with me!"

Mei Zhuyu silently exhaled in relief. He had been inwardly conflicted when he saw Wu Zhen about to enter the same room as him to change, nearly unable to stop himself from speaking up. Thankfully, someone had intervened.

Wu Zhen followed Lady Fu to change. Since Lady Fu only had women’s clothing on hand, Wu Zhen had to make do. Lady Fu was rounder in figure, so the clothes hung a bit loosely on Wu Zhen, but being slightly taller, she managed to carry them off. Like many young women, Lady Fu favored bright, floral-patterned dresses in bold reds and greens. Wu Zhen picked a less flashy lilac high-waisted ruqun and paired it with a silver-red silk scarf. After roughly drying her hair, she simply twisted it up into a casual bun.

Lady Fu, holding a pomegranate-red dress Wu Zhen had rejected, looked disappointed. Seeing Wu Zhen swiftly finish dressing and prepare to leave, she quickly said, "Zhen-jie, I have two newly made necklaces—won’t you wear one? And this skirt—at least add a sachet or a jade pendant! Your hair has no ornaments at all—it’s too plain. I’ve also recently had some new jewelry made—take a look!"

Wu Zhen watched as she circled around, muttering discontentedly, and clicked her tongue. Spotting a few pink peonies on the dressing table, she snipped off a small one and tucked it into her bun.

"Will this do?"

Lady Fu clutched her chest, nearly losing her soul at the sight of Zhen-jie’s smile, and could only beam at her while cupping her cheeks. "Zhen-jie is so beautiful~" Their Zhen-jie was naturally lovely—no matter what she wore, she always looked stunning!

Wu Zhen usually preferred the neat and practical round-collar robe, and because of her poised demeanor, people often praised her for her dashing charm. But when she returned to women’s attire, she exuded a different kind of bewitching grace—especially with this effortlessly arranged outfit and her faintly amused expression. Even Lady Fu was captivated, let alone a certain gentleman who already held her dear in his heart.Mei Zhuyu sat in the hall gazing at the curtain of rain and the dim sky outside when he heard footsteps approaching from afar. Turning his head, he saw Wu Zhen walking along the corridor. Her skirt flowed like a waterfall, her silk scarf cascading down, a pink peony adorning her dark hair as she emerged from the darkness with an ethereal lightness, like mist.

For a moment, the sound of rain seemed to fade as he watched her approach, his expression dazed.

"Lord," Wu Zhen called to him. Seeing him simply staring at her, she suppressed a smile and called again. Only then did he seem to snap out of it, turning his head away briefly before quickly looking back—though now he avoided her face, focusing instead on her shoes as he softly acknowledged her.

Wu Zhen lifted a corner of his damp robe. "Why haven't you changed out of these wet clothes?"

As soon as she asked, she realized and tapped her forehead. "I forgot—you're so much taller than Lord Song. His clothes wouldn't fit you, would they?"

Mei Zhuyu gently pulled his damp robe from her grasp and shifted slightly away, as if afraid his wetness might affect her. "I am somewhat taller. The clothes didn't fit, but it's no matter—they'll dry soon enough." Earlier, Lord Song had offered several garments, but all were far too short, making it impossible to wear them properly.

Wu Zhen studied his profile, then reached out with a finger to turn his face toward her. "Are your inner clothes soaked through?"

Mei Zhuyu shook his head slightly, uncomfortable. "No."

He still wore the damp outer robe, though he had dried himself somewhat. His hair was tousled from wiping, a few stray strands framing his face. His hair seemed even blacker than hers, like ink.

Wu Zhen considered herself a proper person, not one to deliberately tease or provoke others. Yet somehow, with this reserved lord, she couldn't resist the urge to touch him.

In the end, she withdrew her hand and simply sat beside Mei Zhuyu, watching the rain together.

"Lord, when you've been deeply saddened, have you ever cried?"

Mei Zhuyu didn't understand why she suddenly asked this but answered nonetheless. "I don't recall clearly, but I believe there was once."

"Only once?"

"I likely cried as a child before forming memories, but after that, only once."

Wu Zhen thought to herself: This might prove troublesome.

As she pondered how to make him cry, her peripheral vision caught Mei Zhuyu's left hand trembling slightly. His hands were slender and elegant—far more attractive than his face. Without thinking, she grasped his hand. "Why is it shaking so much? Are you cold?"

Mei Zhuyu had tried to hide his hand in his sleeve, but she'd noticed anyway. After a moment's hesitation, he told the truth. "Not cold. It's an old ailment. Whenever it rains like this, this hand trembles uncontrollably."

The day his parents died had been just such a rainy day. This entire hand had been soaked in their blood. He still remembered the shuddering sensation when this hand had involuntarily clenched, crushing a heart—the scalding blood and icy rain making the tremors impossible to stop. In recent years, others believed he had moved on, but only this hand, trembling with subconscious chill during rainstorms, reminded him that some things remained unresolved.Mei Zhuyu took a deep breath, trying to control his hand, not wanting Wu Zhen to pay too much attention to his strange condition. Yet, just like many times before, he found himself powerless over it.

Wu Zhen had no idea what he was thinking. She only felt the slight tremble in the hand she held—a subtle, restrained movement that made her feel as though she were cradling a tiny fledgling bird. Fragile—the word strangely surfaced in her mind.

She tightened her grip on Mei Zhuyu’s left hand. "Don’t worry, the rain will stop soon."

Mei Zhuyu gave a quiet hum. "Once it stops, everything will be fine."

Hiding behind them, Madam Fu and Master Song nudged each other, exchanging knowing smiles. Look at their Sister Zhen, taking the initiative to hold that young man’s hand—heehee!

Master Song pulled his wife to the back of the house, sighing with emotion. "Many of my colleagues think Sister Zhen’s marriage isn’t ideal. I used to feel the same way, but seeing them sitting together like this, holding hands, I think they actually suit each other quite well."

Madam Fu rolled her eyes. "Who cares what others say about whether they suit each other? If Sister Zhen agreed to it, it means she’s satisfied. And if she’s satisfied, then they’re the best match."

Master Song clasped his hands behind his back, recalling something. "At first, I thought Young Master Mei seemed a bit hard to get along with. I was worried Sister Zhen wouldn’t mesh well with him."

Madam Fu rolled her eyes again. "She’s tired of you lot who are always laughing and joking around. What’s wrong with finding a steady, serious man? Besides, didn’t you notice? Young Master Mei is clearly smitten with Sister Zhen. Earlier, he was staring at her dumbstruck, speechless for the longest time."

Master Song: "Really? I didn’t notice."

Madam Fu: "You men are so careless, utterly clueless about romance! Come on, let’s go and give them some time alone. At Sister Zhen’s wedding banquet in a few days, we’ll have to brag to Mei Si and the others—after all, Sister Zhen brought her groom to our house first!"