Chapter 56.2

Pear Blossom groaned in pain but gritted her teeth and suppressed the pain. She didn’t seem to have any intention of pulling her hand away.

Dong Yun’s face turned pale at her actions. When she saw that Pear Blossom still kept her hand there, her expression darkened, and she scolded in a low voice, “What are you trying to do?!”

Pear Blossom endured the sharp pain in her fingers and shook her head. “I… I just don’t want you to be unhappy.”

“When did I tell you I was unhappy?” Dong Yun frowned, her expression not looking good. She grabbed Pear Blossom’s arm and dragged her into the courtyard. “But you doing this makes me really unhappy! What if your hand breaks?”

It was the first time Dong Yun spoke to her so sharply. Pear Blossom felt somewhat helpless. Even though her finger hurt terribly, she didn’t dare feel wronged. She knew this was her own fault—she hadn’t informed Dong Yun about saving Xia Xunyan in time, nor had she kept her promise regarding the matter of studying. Sister Dong had the right to be angry. But she couldn’t bear for her to be angry, nor could she leave just like that. The more Dong Yun acted like this, the more she wanted to stay by her side!

She moved her fingers slightly. The pain was intense, but it seemed they weren’t broken. She nervously glanced up at Dong Yun and said, “It won’t break…”

What could Dong Yun do? She wasn’t a doctor. Besides the two bottles of medicine in the house, she couldn’t do much. Thinking about Pear Blossom’s actions just now, her anger surged, and she muttered, “Don’t you think at all?”

Pear Blossom shook her head, starting to feel a little sad herself.

Dong Yun turned back inside to get the medicine. When she came out, she made Pear Blossom sit at the table in the hall and reluctantly applied the medicine, wrapping her index and middle fingers with cloth. “Go to Jinyang tomorrow and have a doctor from the city check it out. Don’t let your hand get seriously hurt.”

Pear Blossom nodded.

Dong Yun then said, “You couldn’t stay out of the courtyard, so you came in anyway. Now, is there anything else you want to say? Go have Fubao play with you. I’m not feeling well, so I’m going back inside.”

When Pear Blossom saw she was about to leave, she felt anxious and hurried to stand in front of her. “I bought gifts for you and Fubao today… I was planning to come see you later, but I didn’t expect you to be so upset… I’ll go get them now, and can you leave the door open for me?”

Dong Yun felt a mix of emotions. Honestly, when she saw Pear Blossom go find someone else to teach her characters, her heart ached. It was a kind of bitterness that surged in her chest, making her angrier than when Yu Wenming Xuan had dropped the jade pendant his mother gave him. She was angry that this little girl hadn’t kept her promise, and angry at herself for being so easily affected by such small matters.

Now, Pear Blossom was so eager to please, carefully observing her face, and then looking at her swollen fingers. Dong Yun felt a mix of anger, hatred, and helplessness, with a vague feeling inside her she couldn’t describe.

“…Sister Dong…” Pear Blossom saw that Dong Yun was frowning and not responding, so she nervously called her name again in a soft voice.

Dong Yun replied irritably, “It’s almost dark. Was today the only day you could do this?”

She hadn’t seen such enthusiasm from Pear Blossom for the past few days.

But at that moment, Pear Blossom’s thoughts shifted. As she looked at the frown and anger in Dong Yun’s eyes, and the rising and falling of her chest from anger, a sudden, untimely thought rose in Pear Blossom’s mind. All these expressions were because of her, and if Dong Yun didn’t care, why would she get angry? The thought made Pear Blossom feel a flicker of secret delight in her heavy heart.

“Today is the only day! I’ll go get it now.”

Before Dong Yun could reply, Pear Blossom turned and rushed out of the courtyard, heading toward her own home.

Mrs. Xiong watched her daughter rush in like a whirlwind, about to ask what had just happened with Dong Yun. But before she could speak, Pear Blossom directly ran into the courtyard and headed straight for the room.

When Xia Xunyan saw her, she immediately opened a cabinet and took out something. Although the things were kept in her room, she had never bothered to look through them. But now, her eyes couldn’t help but glance over and noticed it was a box of rouge and a small toy for a child.

It seemed like she was about to go out again, and Xia Xunyan couldn’t help but ask, “Are you going out again?”

Pear Blossom suddenly remembered that there was someone else in the room, feeling embarrassed. “Sorry, teacher, I had something to deal with just now and left without telling you. I’ll take my punishment later.”

Xia Xunyan forced a smile and said, “Why punish you? If you have something to do, go ahead. I’m not unreasonable.”

“Who were those two just now?”

Pear Blossom came back to herself and said, “I forgot to introduce them. They’re from a nearby family, surnamed Dong. I’m close with them. Their daughter’s name is Fubao… Don’t worry, Sister Dong saved my life and Xinghua’s. She won’t tell anyone about your situation.”

Xia Xunyan looked at the rouge in Pear Blossom’s hand, her expression flickering. Her hands, hidden behind her back, clenched tightly.

“Oh, she has a child? What about her husband—”

Pear Blossom, eager to see Dong Yun, interrupted quickly, “Teacher Xia, I’ll go find Sister Dong now. I’ll tell you more about her later.”

Xia Xunyan returned to her usual expression and said, “Go ahead.”

Pear Blossom rushed out again.

Mrs. Xiong watched her run out again like the wind, shaking her head, and entered the yard.

When Pear Blossom arrived at the Zeng family’s courtyard, she found the door still locked. She gritted her teeth, gently knocked on the door, and softly called out, “Sister Dong, open the door.”

From inside, Dong Yun’s voice came: “It’s getting late, go back, we can talk about it tomorrow.”

Pear Blossom didn’t give in and continued knocking on the door.

Inside, Fubao’s cries were heard: “Mother, let Pear Blossom in, let Pear Blossom in—”

Pear Blossom felt a pang in her heart. It was all her fault for not being more careful, causing her sister to feel upset, and Fubao had also been dragged into it. She thought of the little bundle who always trusted her, running into her arms and burrowing her little round head into her neck. Now, she was crying on her behalf, perhaps even facing her sister’s scolding. Pear Blossom couldn’t help but feel deeply wronged.

She knocked for a while, but there was no response. Not knowing what else to do and fearing the arrival of the Mrs. Zeng and Zeng Guangjin, she just sat by the gate, leaning against the door, looking up at the night sky.

It had just rained, and the weather had been bad these days, with only a few stars in the sky.

The cries inside gradually quieted down, and the surroundings became silent again.

Inside, Dong Yun first scolded her daughter, then managed to coax her to sleep. She herself leaned against the wooden couch, motionless.

The sound of knocking on the door outside had stopped for a while. That silly girl must have gone by now, Dong Yun thought as she blankly watched the flickering candlelight inside the room, unsure whether what she had done was right.

The young girl was confused by her budding feelings, but she was not. Now that she knew the girl had started to develop feelings, it should have stopped right there. If it wasn’t stopped now, the consequences would be irreparable.

She had initially thought that if she just delayed things, the girl would lose interest and leave. But unexpectedly, she herself was the one caught up in this whirlwind, angry but also moved.

She had previously deceived herself into pretending to be indifferent, but now, for the sake of a mere female scholar, she had become furious, and it had left her feeling just as helpless.

She thought of the cautious little eyes that had followed her silently today, the pale little face that looked in pain, and the stubborn little hand that refused to retract. Dong Yun placed her hand over her heart.

After a long while, she finally stood up, walked out of the room, and quietly stood behind the courtyard door.

The silly girl must have left by now. She had been knocking at the door, waiting for her to open it, but in the end, she left disappointed.

Dong Yun felt both uneasy and relieved. Once tonight, or perhaps tomorrow night passed, the girl would slowly grow disappointed and gradually let go. Her obsession would dissipate little by little, and by then, she might truly become just an older sister in the countryside.

With a suppressed feeling in her heart, she looked at the quiet night outside, unlatched the door, and intended to step outside for some fresh air.

But as soon as she opened the door, a shadow darted out and grabbed her tightly.

The force was so strong that her arms were squeezed painfully.

The soft touch pressed against her back, and the faint scent of plants from the girl’s body reached her nose. The cloth wrapped around her hand felt very uncomfortable.

“Sister, don’t shout, it’s me—”

Dong Yun had already realized it was her. She closed her eyes, both disappointed in her plans failing and irritated by the girl’s persistence, yet there was also a faint sense of relief she couldn’t even detect herself.

“Why are you still waiting here?”

This was the second time Pear Blossom had held Dong Yun in her arms. The first time was when Dong Yun fell from the ladder, and Pear Blossom ran to catch her. This time, she directly embraced her, not daring to let go, fearing that if she did, Dong Yun would run back into the yard and close the door again.

“I didn’t see you. I don’t want to leave.”

The warm breath brushed against Dong Yun’s ear, and her body softened, letting the girl hold her tightly. At this moment, she even wished she could hold her tighter, as only the pain from their bodies pressed together could ease her unease.

“You’ve seen me now. You can go back,” Dong Yun said.

Pear Blossom shook her head. “It’s dark, I can’t see.”

Dong Yun didn’t say anything, simply leaning against her, letting her hold her.

She didn’t know how long it had been, but after a while, she whispered, “My legs are weak, carry me inside.”

Pear Blossom was a little worried when she heard this, just about to speak when Dong Yun interrupted her, “Don’t ask.”

Pear Blossom immediately held her more securely, one hand supporting her as she leaned against her, the other closing the door. Just as she was about to lift the woman in her arms, Dong Yun spoke again, “Hold me like you hold Fubao.”

Hearing this, Pear Blossom’s heart suddenly raced. She tightened her grip on Dong Yun’s soft waist and pulled her up into her arms. Dong Yun’s legs wrapped around her waist, her arms around her neck, and her head rested on her shoulder.

Pear Blossom’s whole body tensed, even aching. She didn’t know what to feel, it was all so unfamiliar, but her blood seemed to surge, rushing to her abdomen and heart. She tightened her grip on Dong Yun’s waist, pulling her closer.

This single movement made Dong Yun almost moan softly, pressing her throat to suppress the sound, resting her head on the girl’s shoulder, eyes closed, gently inhaling the mix of soap and the girl’s scent.

From the yard to the room, it was only a dozen steps. To Pear Blossom, it felt too brief, especially the sensation of her heart racing, so pleasant that she didn’t want it to end. She wished she could just keep holding her and walking forever.

Entering the room, the oil lamp illuminated their faces, and also the sleeping Fubao on the bed. They both turned their faces away in slight embarrassment. Pear Blossom hurriedly focused her thoughts and gently placed Dong Yun on the bed.

After laying her down, Pear Blossom stood at the bedside, feeling a bit awkward, as though it was her first time entering the room, unsure of what to do.

Dong Yun’s hair was slightly messy, hanging down on her shoulders, adding a touch of enchantment and grace in the candlelight.

“Weren’t you supposed to have bought something for me?”

Pear Blossom suddenly slapped her forehead and took out the box of rouge she had long been eyeing from her bosom.

“Here, this is for you.”

Dong Yun took it. The small white porcelain bottle, while not an extraordinary gift to her, would probably be considered quite expensive by the consumption standards of Jinyang County.

She carefully examined the lid and smiled. “It even has the character ‘Yun’ on it.”

Seeing Dong Yun finally reveal her first smile of the evening, a smile that reached her eyes, Pear Blossom’s heart also filled with joy. “These small porcelain bottles have words like ‘Fang’, ‘Autumn’, ‘Moon’, and ‘Yun’ engraved on them. I had the shopkeeper pick it for me.”

“How did she know there would be a grass radical on top?”

Pear Blossom explained, “When you bought something for me and Xinghua before, your name was written on the contract, and I remember it had a radical on it.”

Dong Yun chuckled, unscrewed the lid, and took a sniff. “It smells quite nice.”

“I’m glad you like it,” Pear Blossom said, then took out a yellow cloth tiger from her sleeve. “This is for Fubao.”

Dong Yun took it, a soft smile appearing in her eyes. She turned around, lifted the small quilt, and placed the cloth tiger into Fubao’s arms. “She’ll see the gift you gave her when she wakes up tomorrow morning.”

Pear Blossom was delighted.

Dong Yun then pulled her hand over and asked, “Does it still hurt?”

Pear Blossom shook her head. The hug earlier was worth it, even if it had broken her hand.

“Then tomorrow, when you go to the city, remember to see a doctor, okay?”

Pear Blossom nodded. “I will go.”

Dong Yun wasn’t sure what to say next. Anyway, tonight’s incident was in the past. What would happen in the future, she didn’t know. The young girl seemed a bit dazed, as if she hadn’t really planned anything. Perhaps it was best to leave things as they were, a bit muddled.

She smiled at her and said, “It’s getting late. You should go and rest. You need to wake up early tomorrow.”

Pear Blossom responded with an “oh” and suddenly remembered the misunderstanding about reading that hadn’t been cleared up. She hurriedly said, “Um, the female teacher was someone I saved on the way back from the bandits. She had nowhere to go and stayed at my house. I didn’t actually want to learn from her, it’s just that I’ve always been a bit slow, and I was afraid you would think I’m stupid when I tried to learn from you… So, I thought I would learn a bit from her first, and then come to you later…”

Dong Yun finally understood, realizing that the silly girl had such a thought process. She couldn’t help but laugh and shake her head, feeling both exasperated and relieved, as the lingering unease in her heart finally dissipated. At the same time, she felt a bit embarrassed, annoyed at herself for getting worked up. It was clear that this naive girl wouldn’t do something as contradictory, but she had let herself get all stirred up, making such a fuss over it.

Pear Blossom continued, “I gave my room to her. Now, I’m sleeping in the same room as Xinghua.”

Dong Yun couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed. “What does your sleeping arrangement with her have to do with me?”

Pear Blossom closed her mouth and slowly shuffled her feet. “Then I’ll go now.”

“Go ahead. Close the door outside,” Dong Yun said, looking at her reluctant expression. “Come over after you return tomorrow. Fubao didn’t get a chance to talk to you properly today. Now that she has the cloth tiger, she’ll probably keep mentioning you all day tomorrow.”

Pear Blossom, hearing this, bit her lip to suppress her excitement and nodded. “I’ll come over as soon as I return tomorrow.”