Huancheng Deep - Kapitel 66
"Alright, alright, I'm telling you, you better not wander off. Be careful, there are wolves all over here. They love to eat tender little kids, like you. Don't you dare wander off!" After saying that, she didn't forget to howl a few times to scare Yu Zhou.
Yu Zhou nodded blankly; she had never seen such an absurd person.
Qiao Yun quickly fled the room, covering her flushed cheeks, her bright eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions. She kept muttering, "Luckily I ran fast! That brat is really handsome. But why the hell am I blushing?! It's definitely those damn kids' fault." Qiao Yun continued cursing, but she didn't notice the smile playing on her lips.
Yu Zhou gazed at the exquisite landscape painting beside the bed and the classical curtains; the room was utterly silent, as if devoid of human presence. Yu Zhou unfolded the letter again, but this time, it vanished without a trace, not even a scrap of paper remained. Yu Zhou stroked the dragon pendant at his waist. Those purple eyes, inwardly mocking himself, were filled with a boundless chill that seeped into his very bones.
Who is Qiao Yun, and why is he dressed as a woman? Yu Zhou was utterly bewildered. But what could he do now? Several moments of deep thought caused Yu Zhou to cough violently, as if his lungs were about to burst. He leaned against the edge of the bed, his chest heaving, his breathing labored. Suddenly, a metallic taste of blood filled his throat, and Yu Zhou involuntarily spat it out, watching the blood seep into the red carpet. Yu Zhou instinctively picked up his sleeve to wipe it, the bright red blood stains on his white sleeve standing out starkly. Scene after scene played out again: wolves, humans, a sea of fire—they began to intertwine once more.
On Yu Zhou's desolate yet exquisitely beautiful face emanated a deadly allure, a chilling and mournful cry, the seductive allure of blood stained the corners of his mouth, the crimson blood particularly striking. A breathtakingly beautiful smile. A beauty that takes your breath away. The unparalleled elegance of his white sleeves.
Yu Zhou lay flat on the bed. He coughed lightly from time to time, suppressing his emotions. When he closed his eyes, he saw the unparalleled battle from a thousand years ago. Thirteen peerless figures stood side by side, their bloodthirsty red eyes filled with a frenzied carnage. Blood stained their faces.
The wind blew, the desolation of the desert was palpable, and the air was thick with the hatred of bloodshed. Yu Zhou quickly opened his eyes, and in a daze, his hands seemed to be covered in blood, drop by drop.
"Blood," Yu Zhou uttered indifferently. His gaze grew increasingly hollow. The short flute at his waist became even more eerie, a symbol of the Thirteen Riders of Absolute Brute.
"Neither male nor female, I've brought you some food." Qiao Yun composed herself and chattered as she brought a few steamed buns for Yu Zhou to eat. She had just kicked open the door when she saw Yu Zhou lying slumped on the bed. Startled, she picked up the bloodstains on the carpet. Qiao Yun's heart felt like it was being squeezed, and she couldn't breathe.
"Neither male nor female, what's wrong with you?" Qiao Yun shook Yu Zhou anxiously. He looked at her in fear, as if he had returned to more than ten years ago, when he watched her die in the same way.
[Dynasty Storm: Curing Illness 2]
"Xiao Die, don't die. Xiao Die, your brother is here." Qiao Yun felt as if she had returned to more than ten years ago. The way Yu Zhou lay flat was exactly like how Qiao Die died. Qiao Yun's heart was gripped. Her sister's pale smile had somehow become one with Yu Zhou's.
Qiao Yun shook Yu Zhou violently, continuously channeling her inner energy into her palms. Her anxious eyes were filled with confusion, and despair returned. Her limbs clenched tightly. Fine beads of sweat covered her palms, wetting both her own and Yu Zhou's. A cold, profound despair filled her expression…
"Qiao Die, your brother is here. I can't let you die. Qiao Die, wake up!" Qiao Yun kept pulling at him. Yu Zhou's brows furrowed with annoyance.
Yu Zhou suddenly opened his eyes and saw only a face filled with despair. Tears welled up in those defiant eyes, trickling down to his chin, gathering into teardrops, and falling onto Yu Zhou's lips.
"Bitter." Yu Zhou didn't know how to describe his current feelings. He only felt that the man in front of him was in great pain, and his heart was empty.
When Qiao Yun saw Yu Zhou wake up, she hugged him tightly and kept calling out, "Xiao Die, Xiao Die, it's me, your brother, Xiao Die." She kept murmuring. Her arms were wrapped around Yu Zhou so tightly that it seemed she wanted to meld him into her very bones.
"Who is Xiaodie?" Yu Zhou asked unconsciously, even though he was having difficulty breathing.
Qiao Yun was suddenly pulled back to reality. She pushed Yu Zhou away and said coldly, "This is not something you should be asking."
"Also, your illness has been dragging on for too long. I'll start treating you tomorrow, and after that, get out of the Qiao family. We've paid off all our debts." Qiao Yun's eyes held a hint of murderous intent, as if afraid others would see through it. But that vulnerable look in her eyes, and the feeling of her holding him, were things Yu Zhou couldn't forget. How could someone who was usually so eccentric become so violent when Xiao Die was mentioned? Could it be related to his cross-dressing?
Yu Zhou watched Qiao Yun walk further and further away, lost in thought.
Shi Yanyan stuck half her head out, staring blankly at Yu Zhou's face. Her mouth was watering; she had originally come to find her cousin, but instead, she had seen an incredibly handsome man. Her eyes were full of hearts.
"Who are you?" Yu Zhou smelled the fragrance of orchids. Turning his head, he saw a woman lying on the ground, staring intently at him.
"I...I'm Shi Yanyan. I'm sixteen years old and not married yet. If you want to marry me, you can tell my father. I'm willing to marry you, as long as you don't mind. And it doesn't matter if you don't have money, my father has plenty." Shi Yanyan said with a smile, wiping her drool as she spoke.
Yu Zhou chuckled lightly; this girl was very naive.
Shi Yanyan was stunned when she saw the handsome man's smiling face. She also smiled foolishly. Her hand unconsciously reached out to touch Yu Zhou's face. Yu Zhou took a few steps back, embarrassed.
"Handsome man, Yan Yan likes you. What's your name?" Shi Yan Yan pushed Yu Zhou forward without any politeness.
Yu Zhou awkwardly stepped back. He glanced at Shi Yanyan and said calmly, "I have a wife." Shi Yanyan's originally blushing face showed confusion and some disappointment.
"Oh, then..." Shi Yanyan pouted. Her eyes were red, and she wanted to cry but couldn't.
After Yu Zhou comforted her, Shi Yanyan actually started calling Yu Zhou "Brother Yu" and became quite friendly. Yu Zhou and Shi Yanyan sat down on the ground and began to talk.
"Yan Yan, why is your cousin dressed as a woman?" Yu Zhou asked. Before Yu Zhou could finish speaking, Shi Yan Yan immediately covered his mouth, looking at him nervously. She put her finger to her lips, glanced around for a moment, and then carefully whispered, "Luckily, my cousin isn't here—oops! I mean, my older cousin."
After Shi Yanyan's flustered and incoherent outburst, Yu Zhou became even more puzzled. Shi Yanyan sighed, her eyes dimming as she glanced at him, filled with boundless sorrow.
[Dynasty Storms: The Peerless Prime Minister]
"Actually, the Qiao family always has twins, a boy and a girl," Shi Yanyan said. Twins? That means besides Qiao Yun, there's another younger sister.
Yu Zhou nodded, without interrupting Shi Yanyan.
"Actually, the Qiao family has a rule, which is that only one of the twins can live."
"So Qiao Die is dead. Does that mean only men can survive?" Yu Zhou asked.
Shi Yanyan looked at Yu Zhou strangely, and asked in confusion, "How do you know my cousin's name is Qiao Die?"
"Qiao Yun said it himself," Yu Zhou said.
Shi Yanyan relaxed her guard and said, "No, there have been many women who have survived in the Qiao family throughout the generations. It just depends on whether they are the true successors. Only when the Qiao family's successors reach the age of five and absorb the essence of their brothers and sisters can they gain extraordinary abilities, including spiritual communication. However, spiritual communication is a little different. They must have a guardian spirit to be considered true successors of the Qiao family and possess double pupils."
"You mean Qiao Die has become Qiao Yun's spirit owner?" Yu Zhou asked.
Shi Yanyan nodded and continued, "Indeed, only souls born on the same day, month, and year can cooperate with their master. Thus, Qiao Die's soul actually has no thoughts, unlike other spirits. It has always resided deep within her cousin's heart, and her twin pupils and the spirit that holds them will only appear when her cousin is able to overcome his inner demons."
“Qiao Yun’s psychic abilities are not yet at their peak,” Yu Zhou asked.
Shi Yanyan nodded, glanced at Yu Zhou, and said, "Yes, only after the twin pupils appear will my cousin's spirit possession be truly unique."
"He dressed as a woman just to avoid recalling the memory of killing his sister," Yu Zhou asked, standing up and stroking the bed.
Shi Yanyan's eyes were glistening with tears, and she was whimpering softly.
“Yes, because when I was five, the person with the ability would involuntarily strangle their own family members, without knowing why, only remembering it when the spirit entered their heart. And my cousin strangled Xiaodie to death in bed.” Shi Yanyan looked at Yu Zhou with bright red eyes. It was as if she had returned to the day Qiao Yun strangled Qiaodie.
“From that day on, my cousin started wearing women’s clothes and made everyone in the Qiao family call him ‘Miss’ instead of ‘Young Master.’ My uncle knew about this but didn’t say anything because he had experienced the same thing.” Shi Yanyan lowered her head, tears streaming down her face.
"Is that so?" Yu Zhou said calmly.