Chapter 53 I will always follow you

Chapter 53 I will always follow you

Jiang Ru stared blankly at the fine raindrops on the horizon. She thought the rain would come late and that the drought would last a long time, but now the rain had arrived.

Raindrops covered the dust on the ground, and the dampness mixed with the soil quickly swept in. Jiang Ru excitedly shook Pei Wu's arm: "Pei Wu, it's raining, it's raining!"

Pei Wu looked up at the falling raindrops, which adorned his hair and eyelashes with countless sparkling diamonds. He said, "It's rain."

The rain has come, and this drought will be completely over.

Jiang Ru had never looked forward to rain as much as she did now. Even if the rain soaked her clothes and clung to her skin, she would still be happy.

Soon, many people on the street noticed the rain. They cheered and said things that God had revealed. Everyone ran into the street to worship the rain.

Pei Wu did not believe in gods or Buddhas, nor did he like to kowtow. In order to pray for rain, many people would secretly perform sacrifices in private. Pei Wu neither stopped them nor participated in them.

Therefore, when he sees people bowing in worship, he simply smiles faintly and pretends not to see them.

However, the two of them would be too conspicuous if they went out now. Jiang Ru was afraid that he would be surrounded by the enthusiastic crowd as soon as he went out, so she pulled Pei Wu to the eaves at the entrance of the alley. There was a place where they could take shelter from the rain, but the space was too small and they had to stand very close together.

Their clothes were almost touching. Spring rain is the most persistent, and it can last for several days in a row. Jiang Ru looked at the raindrops dripping from the eaves and muttered to herself, "We might have to go back in the rain."

We were planning to wander around, but it started raining before we got very far. Looks like we won't be able to do any shopping today.

Although Jiang Ru was talking to herself, her voice was not quiet, as she was waiting for Pei Wu to respond. However, Pei Wu did not react. Jiang Ru turned her head and saw that Pei Wu was still holding the two boxes of cosmetics in his hand, wiping the raindrops off the boxes with his sleeve.

The thing that Pei Wu wiped with his sleeve must have been extremely important, but all he wiped were two boxes of ointment.

Moreover, wiping it with his sleeve was quite reckless for Pei Wu, who was usually very well-mannered. Jiang Ru stared at his cherished gesture and raised an eyebrow: "I didn't know you cared so much about your appearance that you would buy these things."

Before she could finish speaking, Pei Wu replied, "This is for you."

Jiang Ru was stunned.

She asked, puzzled, "Why are you giving this to me?"

Pei Wu opened his hand to Jiang Ru. A light drizzle fell, and a faint light shone down from the dust and mist, casting shadows on the back of Pei Wu's hand from a corner of the eaves.

Jiang Ru also spread out her hands, and the sunlight shone on them, covering the backs of her hands with a layer of light. They fit together perfectly with Pei Wu's hands. Perhaps it was because Pei Wu's hands were no longer as white as before, but their hands still looked quite fitting together.

Even though they weren't as beautiful as before, Pei Wu's hands were still pretty, slender and well-proportioned. The calluses on his fingers had been worn down and healed, leaving marks on his fingertips.

Jiang Ru watched for a while and understood what Pei Wu meant. She said, "So that's how it is."

Her hands had indeed become much rougher. She had used up the face cream she had used up in a short time. The winters in Jinzhou were dry and cold, and exposed skin would always become dry and rough.

She took the cream from Pei Wu's hand, scooped out a small piece into her own palm, and then placed half of it on the back of Pei Wu's hand: "Brothers in arms, let's apply it together."

The cream on the back of her hand was cool and refreshing, with a strong, cloying floral scent. Jiang Ru's hands were also covered in the cloying floral fragrance, which lingered around them. Seeing Pei Wu not moving, Jiang Ru urged him, "Are you stupid?"

Pei Wu rarely used this, but Jiang Ru had already applied the ointment to the back of his hand, so Pei Wu used it.

The cream made his hands feel slippery, a strange sensation. Pei Wu clenched his fist, forcibly ignoring the discomfort.

Both of them were covered in the same fragrance, which was quite overpowering. Jiang Ru fanned herself, and the fragrance spread everywhere, but the rain did not lessen and splashed up and landed on their trouser legs.

If we wait any longer, the rain probably won't stop even by nightfall.

Jiang Ru looked up at Pei Wu, who understood and said, "I'll go back and get my umbrella first. You wait here for me to come pick you up."

Jiang Ru was impatient and couldn't wait for him to return. She jumped down the steps, and the rain quickly soaked her clothes. Jiang Ru raised her hand to shield her face from the rain and said, "Let's go."

It was too late for Pei Wu to get an umbrella, so he went down the steps and ran back to the government office with Jiang Ru in the rain.

They lived in the Jinzhou government office. There was a row of rooms in the backyard of the office for the servants to live in. The rooms were not large, but neither of them were picky and they were fine with living in any of them.

Although the rain wasn't heavy, after running such a distance in the rain, the two of them were almost completely soaked. As soon as they entered the door, a servant came up to them. Seeing their disheveled appearance, the servant exclaimed "Oh dear!" and asked why they hadn't waited to have someone bring them umbrellas.

They went out without anyone with them, and they didn't know where to send the umbrella. Pei Wu's attitude was still relatively mild: "It's okay, we just got a little wet in the rain."

She said she had only gotten a little rained on, but as soon as she entered the mansion, Pei Wu ordered someone to make ginger soup and told Jiang Ru to change her clothes.

The water had been heated long ago. Jiang Ru took a hot bath, changed into dry clothes, and sat in the courtyard drinking ginger soup.

She breathed a sigh of relief: "I think life in Jinzhou is also very good. It's not as restrictive as in Bianjing, and you can do whatever you want without restraint."

In Bianjing, Pei Wu had many superiors, making it difficult for him to do anything without being hindered by various obstacles. Unlike in Jinzhou, where Pei Wu was the leader and deeply loved by the people, he faced almost no hindrance.

Jiang Ru sat up straighter, leaning against the table: "Pei Wu, don't you think it would be wonderful if we could stay in Jinzhou forever?"

No need to restrain yourself, do whatever you want, and you don't have to see those annoying people.

Because of the distance, the two were originally separated by a table. Now that Jiang Ru leaned forward, the faint scent of soap wafted over her. Although Pei Wu smelled the same, something felt different.

She wore no makeup, her hair was casually tied up, and after drinking the ginger soup, her cheeks were slightly pink, and her eyes shone like stars. She was already stunningly beautiful.

Pei Wu finished the ginger soup in one gulp, and following Jiang Ru's words, he said, "It's good in Jinzhou, but it may not last long."

Jiang Ru tilted her head in confusion.

Pei Wu: "The prefect is transferred every three years. Perhaps in three years, we will have to leave Jinzhou."

Jiang Ru had been saying she wanted to go back to Bianjing, but she never really had any hope. Pei Wu had left Bianjing and was now serving as the prefect, so it would be difficult for him to be transferred back.

Unexpectedly, they had to go somewhere else.

Jiang Ru: "Where will you be transferred to?"

Pei Wu shook his head: "I don't know."

"It's alright." Jiang Ru smiled. "Wherever you go, I'll follow you."

Pei Wu paused for a moment, then simply said, "Okay."

Whether he will be transferred is a matter for a long time to come. Now that the first stage of the drought has passed, Pei Wu should start working on other matters.

Pei Wu submitted a memorial to Bianjing. Since his transfer to Jinzhou, he had to send documents to the court every now and then, reporting on the situation in Jinzhou. Occasionally, he would receive a reply, but most of the time, it was like a stone sinking into the sea.

When submitting his memorial, Pei Wu also mentioned the ditch project. Even though the court had given him considerable power, it wasn't enough to order him to build the ditch without saying a word. Now that the ditch was completed, Pei Wu finally took the initiative and mentioned the matter in his official document to the court.

Besides this, there are other important matters, such as education.

Local education has always been a top priority. Education in Jinzhou almost came to a standstill due to the drought the previous year, and no one enrolled in the academies, which have been abandoned for some time now.

Pei Wu went to the academy in person. His teacher, Fan Yongcheng, knew he was coming and had someone wait for him at the academy beforehand. As soon as Pei Wu arrived, he led him to the backyard.

Returning to the old place, Yulin Academy was truly dilapidated. All the bamboo in the academy had withered, all the koi in the pond had died, and even the walls of the academy gate seemed to have many mottled marks, making it desolate and bleak.

When they arrived in the courtyard, tea was being brewed on the stove. The two sat down together, and Fan Yongcheng glanced at Pei Wu with mixed feelings.

When Pei Wu first went to Bianjing, he thought Pei Wu would never come back. Later, when Jinzhou suffered a severe drought and Pei Wu was transferred to Jinzhou, he knew that Pei Wu was still the same Pei Wu.

Still full of enthusiasm, still true to myself.

He had seen everything Pei Wu did after returning to Jinzhou, and he was still very pleased with this student.

The drought in Jinzhou had passed, and when he learned that Pei Wu wanted to promote education, he was naturally the first to agree. The two discussed the matter and decided to expand enrollment and halve tuition fees. In addition, Pei Wu would take time every few days to come to the academy to give lectures to the students.

Once Pei Wu's name is known, the number of students enrolling will surely increase significantly. Pei Wu also said, "If the academy cannot accommodate so many people, then take the old Qingju residence as well."

That house was the residence of the former prefect, but it's now abandoned and nobody lives there anyway, so we might as well take it.

After finishing the story, Fan Yongcheng was extremely satisfied and repeatedly urged them to stay. In the end, the two of them stayed at the academy for a meal.

Pei Wu was able to lecture at the academy, and Jiang Ru, walking ahead of him, turned back and smiled at him: "You can be said to have students all over the world."

Pei Wu had already taught many students in Muxi Village, and now he would teach even more at Yulin Academy. Even Jiang Ru could be considered half a student of his.

Before Pei Wu could answer, Jiang Ru continued, "I'm also your student, aren't I?"

Pei Wu didn't speak, so Jiang Ru teased him, "Mr. Pei."

Pei Wu sounded several years older than she was. After Jiang Ru finished speaking, she got goosebumps and ran away.

Once Pei Wu's name was announced, many students quickly enrolled at Yulin Academy. Within a few days, Yulin Academy regained its former vitality. Fan Yongcheng hired a gardener to renovate the academy, and it was reborn in just a few days.

Pei Wu would give a lecture at the academy every few days, and Jiang Ru liked to join in the fun. She would always sit in the last row to listen to him. Sometimes, when she saw students stumped by Pei Wu's questions, she would chuckle to herself.

Pei Wu was a very respectable and authoritative teacher, and he was able to keep his students in line even though many of them were older than him.

Before they knew it, it was April. Pei Wu celebrated his birthday in Jinzhou, and soon after, an imperial edict arrived.

Pei Wu was unaware that his work on repairing the ditches had caused a huge uproar in the court, leading to several arguments. It was Song Pingzhang who single-handedly stopped the others from intervening. However, at the same time, Pei Wu could no longer stay in Jinzhou.

Each prefect only serves for three years, precisely to prevent them from cultivating their own power base in the area. Now that Pei Wu has won the hearts of the people, it's natural that he should be transferred away as soon as possible.

The imperial edict stated that Pei Wu was promoted to the position of Imperial Secretary, a fourth-rank official, and was to take office before June.

To prevent Pei Wu from refusing to take office, a document was also sent along with it, stating that the new prefect of Jinzhou would be taking office soon.

It means that Pei Wu should hurry up and take up his post.

After reading the imperial edict, Jiang Ru was dumbfounded: "Didn't you say at least three years? Could this be a trap?"

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Author's Note: Currently, Xiao Pei is about 1.9 meters tall, and Xiao Jiang is less than 1.7 meters tall.