“What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here?”
The two stared at each other in surprise and spoke in unison.
Xue Zhi was the first to speak.
“There wasn’t enough rice and grain at home, so I came to town to buy some supplies. What about you? Scholar Fu, shouldn’t you be at the academy at this hour?”
Why was Fu Shiyue here?
Although Sifang Town was the nearest town to Jingning County, Nanxi Academy was on a mountain outside the county seat. It was still some distance from here, and it was not yet time for his monthly leave.
At that moment, the two scholars standing behind Fu Shiyue smiled and cut in.
“Ahem, Shiyue… and this young lady is…?”
Only then did Fu Shiyue suddenly react and introduce them.
“These two are my classmates, Zhen Zhao and Tan Fengzhi. This is Xue… Xue Zhi, my… my neighbor.”
For a moment, he did not know how to introduce her.
Should he say she was his tenant?
In the end, he chose “neighbor.”
After all, they really were neighbors, so it was not exactly a lie.
Unfortunately, Zhen Zhao and Tan Fengzhi clearly did not believe him.
Zhen Zhao’s eyes sparkled with amusement as his gaze moved back and forth between Fu Shiyue and Xue Zhi.
“Neighbor? Shiyue, why have we never heard you mention her before?”
“Exactly,” Tan Fengzhi added.
“Lady Xue, what a coincidence. Shiyue wanted to send a letter home and has been searching everywhere for someone going to Fu Family Village. Could I trouble you to take it back for him?”
“A letter?”
Xue Zhi turned her head toward Fu Shiyue.
She saw his body stiffen slightly, the tips of his ears reddening, while his brows drew together.
“Scholar Fu, who are you sending a letter to?”
Fu Shiyue usually kept to himself in the village.
Other than having some dealings with the village chief’s family, she had never heard of him being close to anyone.
Zhen Zhao grinned.
“What luck, then. Shiyue, why are you standing there? Quickly hand the letter to Lady Xue.”
Fu Shiyue slowly pulled the letter from his robe.
Then, as if thinking of something, he shoved it back in and said:
“Actually… this letter is for you.”
“Ah?!”
“Ah?!”
“Ah?!”
Xue Zhi, Zhen Zhao, and Tan Fengzhi all cried out in astonishment.
Xue Zhi pointed at herself in disbelief.
“For… for me?”
Wait!
Why would Fu Shiyue be writing her a letter?
Meanwhile, Tan Fengzhi and Zhen Zhao exchanged raised brows.
What is going on here?
Why would Shiyue write to a married young woman?
Wasn’t she just a neighbor?
Zhen Zhao muttered,
“Neighbor? Do you really think someone like Shiyue would write a letter to an ordinary neighbor?”
Tan Fengzhi silently shook his head.
The atmosphere became awkward.
Under the scrutiny of three pairs of eyes, Fu Shiyue forced himself to remain calm.
“Yes.
You were staying in my house, and I was somewhat worried.
But I had no way to return to the village, so I thought to send you a letter.
Who would have expected to meet you here instead?
As for the grain and oil—I failed to consider it properly.
How have you been these past few days?
Are you living comfortably?
Has your health fully recovered?
Do you still need to see a doctor?
And… as for money, you needn’t worry. I’m here.”
“I’m already well now. No need for a doctor.”
Xue Zhi’s lips curved slightly as gratitude shone in her eyes.
“I am able to live as I do now entirely thanks to Scholar Fu.
Thank you for still thinking of me at all times.
There is no need to worry.
I know Scholar Fu is kind-hearted, but if I were to delay you because of me, then that would be my sin.”
At her words, Fu Shiyue’s expression stiffened.
A trace of gloom flashed through his eyes.
During these past days at the academy, Xue Zhi’s face had often appeared in his mind.
Sometimes even he did not understand why he kept thinking of her.
He had deliberately tried to stop himself.
He told himself it was only pity.
She had no family, her husband had died, and she had suffered under her in-laws for so long.
Now, for the sake of survival, she had divorced.
How could a widow endure life in the village?
The gossip alone would be enough to crush her.
Yet deep inside, he knew perfectly well that he was not someone who casually helped others out of kindness.
After struggling with himself, he had taken advantage of the early dismissal that afternoon—because the teacher had matters to attend to—and came to send her a letter.
Who would have thought he would run into her here?
And for some reason, hearing her speak to him in such a polite yet distant tone stirred a strange frustration in his chest.
“Since you are renting my house,” he said coolly, “it is only natural for me to pay attention to my tenant’s situation.
These past days… the Fu family hasn’t come to cause trouble, have they?”
“No.”
Xue Zhi shook her head and teased lightly,
“Who would dare cause trouble in Scholar Fu’s house?”
At the side, Zhen Zhao and Tan Fengzhi listened to the exchange, their brows furrowing more and more.
Zhen Zhao finally interrupted.
“Shiyue, it’s getting late. Weren’t we going to Baixiang Tower for dinner?
Fengzhi and I are starving.”
Hearing that, Fu Shiyue turned to Xue Zhi.
“Would you like to join us?”
“No need.”
Xue Zhi declined.
“I already made arrangements with the cart driver.”
The moment she finished speaking, a voice called out nearby.
“Miss Xue! Over here!”
Xue Zhi instinctively turned toward the sound.
When she saw the driver, she quickly said to Fu Shiyue,
“The driver is here, so I’ll be leaving first.”
With that, she turned and walked toward the cart.
Fu Shiyue stood there, watching helplessly as the carriage rolled farther and farther away until it disappeared from sight.
“She’s already gone. Haven’t seen enough yet?”
Zhen Zhao’s teasing voice suddenly rang out behind him.
Fu Shiyue jumped in shock.