Chapter Seventy-Three: Classic Lines

In the Pavilion of Words, Feng Jinye could not bear to sit still. Without his beloved wife by his side, he was restless and anxious. Before a quarter of an hour had passed, he rose to his feet...

Yun Ming wanted to stop him, but after a moment's thought, decided against it. He supposed that Wei Spoon Qingyu knew he could not restrain Feng Jinye, and her request for him to keep an eye on Feng Jinye was more for Feng Jinye’s benefit than his own...

Just as Feng Jinye reached the moon gate, he saw Wei Spoon Qingyu walking slowly toward him. He was about to rush over when, from a distance, he heard Huangfu Chen’s voice calling out to Wei Spoon Qingyu...

"Qingyu..." Huangfu Chen appeared behind her, though neither knew when he had arrived.

Wei Spoon Qingyu turned her head, her tone less than pleasant. "What is it?"

Huangfu Chen lowered his gaze. "Tomorrow I must return to the Marquis of Qin's estate. There is something I have long wanted to ask you."

Wei Spoon Qingyu found Huangfu Chen’s demeanor peculiar, awkward even, and asked in confusion, "Ask, then..."

The early spring night was comfortable and full of intrigue.

Huangfu Chen hesitated, saying nothing for a long time. Eventually, a voice as soft as smoke broke the silence of the night, unusually clear: "Is it truly because twelve years ago he met you first, that it is him and not me?"

Wei Spoon Qingyu paused, staring dazedly at Huangfu Chen. Then she regained her composure and shook her head. "No."

Huangfu Chen drew a sharp breath, and outside the moon gate, Feng Jinye stiffened...

"I'm not a good person, don't fall for me!" Wei Spoon Qingyu's words were astonishing. Then, in a calm tone, she continued:

"Five years ago, at Mingke Residence, I fell for Feng Jinye at first sight, simply because he was the Prince of War—the most outstanding man in all of Li Yue! I am shallow."

"I pretended to be aloof. I liked Feng Jinye, and those years of indifference were just a game of playing hard to get. I am hypocritical."

"I am always scheming. I cannot count how much silver and property I have tricked from Feng Jinye. I am cunning and deceitful. Feng Jinye marrying me is destined to bring disaster to the Feng family for three generations."

"Moreover, I am unaware, undisciplined, and lack self-love. I am entangled with Lin Yichu, Lu Liyuan, Yun Ming—and now you. I am wanton, and Feng Jinye is very uneasy because of it."

"Besides, you are the legitimate son of the Marquis of Qin, yet you haven't inherited the title. You aren't as handsome as Feng Jinye, nor as wealthy, and your estate cannot compare to the Prince of War's household. I am not blind; of course it is Feng Jinye and not you!"

"I am a wicked woman!"

The night was quiet, and Wei Spoon Qingyu spoke without a ripple.

She then turned and exhaled a long breath, heading toward the moon gate, where she saw Feng Jinye standing outside. In the dim light, Huangfu Chen, a short distance away, could not see Feng Jinye’s figure...

Wei Spoon Qingyu took Feng Jinye’s hand and led him back inside the Pavilion of Words...

Upon entering, she saw Feng Jinye’s face cold and silent. Yun Ming, sensing an impending quarrel between the couple, slipped away quickly...

Not far from the pavilion, Yun Ming spotted Huangfu Chen standing, disheveled and forlorn. Likely, the quarrel inside concerned him; Yun Ming patted Huangfu Chen’s shoulder without a word and went off to find Feng Qingxuan in the Qinglan Courtyard...

"Why were you standing behind someone, eavesdropping?" As soon as Yun Ming left, Wei Spoon Qingyu demanded angrily...

Feng Jinye was caught off guard. Was this a preemptive strike?

Seeing that Feng Jinye offered no response, Wei Spoon Qingyu pondered. She hadn’t said anything particularly offensive just now...

"You only spoke a few words to me after waking, yet you wasted so many on him!" Feng Jinye's accusation bewildered Wei Spoon Qingyu...

What kind of logic was this? Was he jealous because she talked more to Huangfu Chen?

"Would you like me to tell you a story?" Suddenly, Wei Spoon Qingyu offered, and began:

"Once upon a time, there was a man named Ye Jinfeng. He had a delicate wife, who told him stories every day..."

The story went: "Once upon a time, there was a man named Ye Jinfeng. He had a delicate wife, who told him stories every day..."

"That’s how the story goes..."

Feng Jinye watched Wei Spoon Qingyu chattering endlessly, pulled her close, and in an instant, all chatter ceased...

After the kiss, Feng Jinye pressed his forehead to hers and asked, "Tell me, which of your words were true, and which were false?"

He had overheard Wei Spoon Qingyu say she fell for him at first sight, even played hard to get. His heart had stirred... But the latter words had tightened his brow with every sentence...

"Of course every word was false! Hmph..." Wei Spoon Qingyu pouted and turned her head away, not forgetting to snort.

"How could that be? I don’t believe you!" Feng Jinye turned her head back, threatening, "Did you fall for me at first sight or not? Tell me!"

Wei Spoon Qingyu paused, looked up at him, and retorted angrily, "How could it not be false? Tell me, am I a good person? Am I shallow? Am I pretentious? Am I hypocritical? Am I cunning? Am I sly? Am I wanton? Am I snobbish? Am I a wicked woman?"

Feng Jinye was suddenly silent, staring at the little woman before him for a long, long time, then asked, "Are you blind?"

Wei Spoon Qingyu burst into laughter...

She had just said to Huangfu Chen outside that she was not blind. Her eyes sparkled as she replied, "Yes, I am not blind. If I were, how could I have found you!"

Feng Jinye stroked her hair, gazing deeply at her face, and said affectionately, "There was one thing you said that was absolutely right—I'm very uneasy. From now on, whenever you leave the estate, you must wear a veil."

Wei Spoon Qingyu nodded, a little dispirited. "Huangfu is very strange."

"You mean, every time he seeks you out, I’m there?" Feng Jinye had noticed this as well...

Wei Spoon Qingyu nodded. The first time, Huangfu Chen held her in the General’s Mansion—it could be considered a coincidence. Today, outside the Pavilion of Words, was it another coincidence? Both times, Feng Jinye had witnessed it...

"I thought of something else. Isn't it said that the poison of Twilight Pavilion can only be cured by its own antidote? How did Huangfu Chen recover back then?" Wei Spoon Qingyu wondered aloud.

Feng Jinye, having lost his memory, could not recall how Huangfu Chen had awakened...

Wei Spoon Qingyu nestled closer into Feng Jinye’s embrace. "Jinye, I’m a little scared..."

At first, Wei Spoon Qingyu only wanted to return to Feng Jinye’s side and uncover the truth behind her father's death...

She had never expected so many complications. Now, not only she and Feng Jinye, but almost everyone around her was involved...

Feng Jinye held her tighter, his voice gentle: "Don't be afraid, Qingqing. I am here."

She nodded in his arms, and he stroked her hair, saying softly, "Tonight, help me recover my memories, all right?"

Wei Spoon Qingyu nodded. "Alright, let’s start from the Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival four years ago..."

"Just think of it as a dream. In the dream, I’m waiting for you to save me. Don’t be frightened again... I am right here, safe and sound!"

"Mm." Feng Jinye responded, taking her hand and leading her to the rocking chair...

"Lie down first, I’ll sing you a song..." Without music, she would sing to help him relax...

"Come, fly with me, no matter how long, I will never tire.

Let us try to forget, wherever our feet touch down.

If memory fades one day, I’ll still accept it—perfection found in imperfection.

Cold winds and snow can make me strong, make me brave, falling in my dream—so long as there’s a spark, it will light my smile.

May the coming years be rich or desolate, able to forget endings, but never the meeting..."

...

In the gentle singing, Feng Jinye was taken back to the Mid-Autumn night four years prior...

He saw Wei Spoon Qingyu collapsed in Qingxia’s arms, and even as he sat in the rocking chair, Feng Jinye was shaken. With her soothing words, he opened his eyes...

Feng Jinye rushed forward, fed Wei Spoon Qingyu the antidote pill, and, disregarding propriety, carried her straight to the Prince of War’s mansion...

Yun Ming saw Feng Jinye rushing back in a panic, and before he could see whom Feng Jinye was carrying, the prince entered the main hall and dismissed all the servants...

Feng Jinye was panicked and disordered, but quickly regained his composure. Without hesitation, he tore open Wei Spoon Qingyu’s shoulder garments...

Yun Ming followed in, and seeing Feng Jinye’s actions through the screen, realized his intentions and shouted angrily, "Are you mad, Feng Jinye!"

"Out!" Feng Jinye replied coldly.

Yun Ming did not move, shouting again: "She’s already had the antidote, her life should be safe. Wait for the cold order to arrive, there will be a way to detoxify!"

"But she has not awakened!" Feng Jinye could not wait for the cold order. "Yun Ming, leave!"

Yun Ming was astonished; never had he heard Feng Jinye speak so weakly...

Perhaps at the time, Yun Ming did not understand that Wei Spoon Qingyu was the only color, the only hope in Feng Jinye’s dark life spanning more than ten years...

Life is often thus—a careless act may change a person’s entire destiny.

Wei Spoon Qingyu was stunned...

Four years ago, it was Feng Jinye who removed the poisoned dart for her, who drew out the toxic blood...

She had not known any of this, and Feng Jinye had hidden it from her for four whole years...

In an instant, tears welled in her eyes as she murmured, "Foolish prince..."

In Feng Jinye’s recollection, Wei Spoon Qingyu awoke two days later.

When she opened her eyes, he was beside her, murmuring, "I was wrong. I shouldn’t have been angry with you. From now on, if you quarrel with me, no matter how angry I am, I will just follow you!"

Often, it takes only a moment to be moved; that was the first time Wei Spoon Qingyu stared at Feng Jinye lost in thought...

"How many concubines do you have in your estate?" Wei Spoon Qingyu suddenly asked.

"Hmm?" Feng Jinye seemed not to understand her meaning...

Seeing his confusion, Wei Spoon Qingyu did not explain. If he didn’t understand, so be it...

But Feng Jinye quickly caught on. "None, none, not a single one."

Feng Jinye thought to himself: Even if there were, there should be none. He would have to ask Chu Jiu whether anyone had ever sent someone in the past...

Wei Spoon Qingyu turned her head, her brows and eyes full of smiles. "If I say: From this moment on, you must be good only to me, spoil me, never deceive me.

You must fulfill every promise you make, and every word you speak to me must be sincere.

You must never scold me, always care for me, and when others bully me, you must come to my aid at once.

When I am happy, you must share in my happiness; when I am unhappy, you must cheer me up. You must always believe I am the most beautiful, see me in your dreams, and keep only me in your heart...

Can you do that?" For some reason, Wei Spoon Qingyu recalled this classic line.

It was the first time Feng Jinye had heard her speak so much at once, and he was left utterly dumbfounded...