Cásate con un funcionario público de la dinastía Song del Norte

Capítulo 9

It was breakfast time for the Cheng family when Xiaohe stumbled into the front hall, her eyes red and her voice choked with sobs, "Old..."

"Master, Madam, something's happened!" "Is it my cousin?!" Cheng Zhuri jumped up from his chair upon hearing this. Cheng Zuye slammed his bowl and chopsticks down and sternly said, "Is there no manners at all! If you have something to say, come to my study. Yuehua, Zhuri..."

Xiaohe came along too. Inside the study, Xiaohe said tearfully, "That day, Miss Biao sent me to personally escort the young master home, and also to report to the Madam that she was at the Liu family's..."

Everything is fine, don't worry about her, just focus on handling the important matters at hand; also, please have me pack some books to take with her, I...

After doing what Miss Biao had instructed, I gathered some clothes. The weather was getting chilly, and Miss Biao's clothes were rather thin. As I prepared to get up...

When I went to the Liu family's house, it started to rain heavily. I thought I would wait until the rain subsided before returning, but the rain only got heavier. It was past dinner time when the rain finally stopped.

"We only set off after a while. If I had known it would be like this, I would have rushed back even if it was raining knives!" "Xiao He, get to the important stuff!" Cheng Zhu Ri stared at Xiao He, his face ashen, his eyes sharp as if he wanted to devour her.

Upon seeing this, Xiaohe couldn't help but shudder. "Then, when I returned that day, I saw that Miss was completely soaked; she must have been drenched in water."

Rain, her hair disheveled and her clothes tattered as if torn, huddled in the corner of the bed, looking terrified. Liu

The old lady sat by her cousin's bedside, wiping away tears. The cousin's pitiful state was heartbreaking to see, and I was suddenly at a loss for what to do.

Intrigued, he asked Old Mrs. Liu what had happened, but she only replied that they should settle Miss Liu first, and they would talk about other things later.

The maid was going to change her clothes, but as soon as she touched Miss Biao's body, she bit and hit the maid, refusing to let anyone touch her, just like five years ago.

She didn't recognize anyone. I spoke to her for a long time before she finally recognized me. The young lady's body was as cold as ice, trembling uncontrollably.

Stop. I don't know how long she'd been soaked, but she kept crying while clinging to me, holding my hand tightly and refusing to let me leave her side for even a moment.

Kai, despite being given clean clothes and ginger water, still developed a fever that night. The Liu family called a doctor to examine her, who diagnosed her with [a condition].

He caught a chill and was frightened; after taking two doses of medicine and recuperating properly, he'll be fine. The next day, I heard that the young master of the Liu family had been...

The old master and master were punished by being made to kneel in the ancestral hall. The servant asked the elders of the Liu family what had happened, but they all said they needed to see the young lady first.

"Fine, we'll talk about it later. We can discuss other things later." Having no other choice, I went to ask Xiao Lü for help. Xiao Lü, unable to resist her nagging, finally told me that it turned out the Liu family...

That night, the young master got extremely drunk and actually wanted to... wanted to... wanted to take advantage of Miss Biao!" Liu Yuehua, trembling with fear, nearly slipped off her chair. "Xiaoxiao... Xiaoxiao was violated?"

Cheng Zhuri simply clenched his fists and remained silent, veins bulging on his forehead and jaw muscles taut.

"No, there shouldn't be any. When I changed Miss's clothes, apart from the clothes being torn, there were no marks on her body. It must be from the Liu family."

The young master failed, but the young lady's high fever persisted, and she had been delirious for two days, crying and shouting for her aunt and the eldest son.

A moment later, she started calling to go home, saying many things that this servant couldn't understand. This servant wanted to go back and tell the master and the first mistress, but the old man of the Cheng family...

Madam said everything should wait until Miss Cousin recovers, explaining that the family needs to prepare for the wedding and they can't let you be distracted. She said to wait until she recovers...

I will inform Master Cheng myself, but seeing Miss Biao's condition, I am very frightened. She drinks two sips of medicine and vomits three. I need to change her medicine...

The two doctors haven't seen any improvement in her condition. I sneaked out today, sir and madam, please go and bring Miss Biao back quickly!

I've been serving Miss Biao for seven years now, and I know her thoughts best. She definitely doesn't want to stay there any longer; if she keeps burning up there, she might burn her brain.

"Oh no, if we're any later, I'm afraid her body won't be able to hold on." Upon hearing this, Cheng Zhu Ri turned and walked towards the door, his fierce aura causing Xiao He to take two steps back. "You stop right there! I'll handle this small matter myself. Look at you now, going there will only make things worse. I forgot what I told you..."

"What?!" Cheng Zuye interrupted Cheng Zhuri. Cheng Zhuri stopped and turned back, pausing to say each word clearly, "Father, if I can't even protect my own woman, how can you expect me to..."

"How can I protect the Cheng family's business?!" With that, she strode out of the room without looking back, calling out as she went, "Cheng Shun! Cheng..."

"Sure! Prepare the carriage, take Xiaohe and go to the Liu family immediately! Uncle Qi, quickly prepare the horses!" "Master, I'm going to my father's house. I want to bring Xiaoxiao back." Liu Yuehua staggered towards the door, sobbing as she spoke.

"If anything were to happen to Xiaoxiao, how could I face my poor sister?" Cheng Zuye helped Liu Yuehua up.

Hua, Yuehua, calm down first. Stay home, and someone at home should make preparations. I will personally go to your father's house to pick up Xiaoxiao. I'll see what the sun is shining on.

The way he's acting, something bad is going to happen. This child is good in every way, but when it comes to Xiaoxiao... sigh, let's not talk about that now, only I can keep things under control.

"It's so hard." He wiped away her tears and gently comforted her, "Xiaoxiao will be alright. She survived the great flood."

"You're such a lucky child. Wait for me at home. We can't panic. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

Version 1: Falling in love is easy, staying together is hard. Chapter 27: High fever and dreaming.

Fire was everywhere, raging flames surrounded me with nowhere to escape. The heatwave scorched my face, hands, and feet, making my throat parched and sweat pouring down my back. I was going to die of dehydration! Someone, please save me! Heaven heard my plea again. A fairy descended from the sky, dressed in white, with a hazy mist behind her. She walked slowly towards me, radiating a chilling aura. Wherever she passed, the flames extinguished, and a thick layer of ice formed, instantly cooling the surroundings. A fairy had come to save me! I ran to her, knelt, and kowtowed, pleading, "Fairy, save me! Someone is trying to harm me, trying to burn me alive!" She smiled silently, extending her delicate hand to touch my face, her eyes filled with tenderness. Her touch soothed my throat. Fairies are truly otherworldly, their eyes like pools of clear water. Wait, why does this fairy look so much like Cheng Zhu Ri? My cousin? The inextinguishable flames turned the sky blood red. Although they didn't burn me to death, being steamed in a steamer was unpleasant. I was thirsty, very thirsty, and very hot. Every day I longed for the white-clad fairy to come quickly. Whenever she came, she would feed me fairy dew, and after drinking it, my body would resist the heat wave.

Today she brought me the fairy dew again, and gently hugged me and kissed my forehead. I really wanted to thank her, but my throat was burned and I couldn't make a sound. I hope she can see the gratitude in my eyes. She will definitely understand; she is a fairy, and fairies know everything.

Suddenly, a deafening roar came from above, and a huge hole appeared in the sky. A gigantic black hand emerged, grabbing the fairy and suspending her in mid-air. The hand moved swiftly and ruthlessly, its five long, sharp claws like Wolverine's carbon alloy claws gripping her body tightly. Instantly, her body was covered in wounds, her white clothes stained with blood, making her look like a rag doll, her expression one of extreme pain. At that moment, a flash of white light snapped me out of my shock. Another black hand appeared in the air, wielding a barbed dagger, about to stab the fairy. I was frantic. If she was a good person, a good fairy, I couldn't just watch her die. I had to do something. If only I could fly! The thought had barely crossed my mind when I flew to her side like the wind. "Fairy, I'm here to save you!" Wait, I can fly too? Never mind, I have to save her first. I spread my arms and used my body to shield her. The black hand holding the dagger stopped its attack and moved around in place, seemingly observing me. No, those black hands were as huge as mountains, and those blades were long and sharp. To them, I was as insignificant as a speck of dust. Even sacrificing myself wouldn't save the fairy; we'd both end up like a string of candied hawthorns. I had to beg him; maybe there was still a glimmer of hope. I immediately knelt down, about to kowtow and beg him not to harm the fairy, but who should I kowtow to? Which direction should I kowtow in? It was just a pair of hands; where was its owner? My mind was blank. Just as I was lost in thought, that huge hand rose high again, the sharp blade flashing with a cold blue light, accompanied by a howling wind, and attacked us. I quickly got up and tightly embraced the fairy's body. The swirling dust made it almost impossible for me to open my eyes. Suddenly, there was a loud bang, and then silence. The black hand and the sharp blade had vanished. Everything was white. Was everything alright? Was everything alright? I looked up in delight, only to see the fairy's brows furrowed, her right hand pressed against her chest as if enduring excruciating pain. The sharp knife was deeply embedded in her heart, blood gushing out, staining her white robes crimson, and mine too. How could this be? Why did the knife avoid my body and pierce her? "Xiao Xiao," the fairy called weakly, her first words. "I'm here." "Xiao Xiao..." "I'm here." Why did the fairy's voice sound so deep and masculine, so familiar, so much like Cheng Zhu Ri's? No, this was Cheng Zhu Ri's voice. I carefully examined the fairy's face. No, the fairy was Cheng Zhu Ri, my cousin. Why hadn't I noticed before?

"Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao..." Cheng Zhuri tried to touch my face, but he didn't even have the strength to reach out. He kept calling my name, his voice...

The sound grew fainter and weaker. I reached out my trembling hand to catch his voice pressed against my face. "Cousin, no, please, no!" Was he dying? He really was dying, a knife piercing his heart, blood flowing like a river. He couldn't possibly survive. He was leaving me. Holding the dying Cheng Zhuri, I wept bitterly. "Cousin, no!" I prayed incessantly, hoping for a miracle, but there are no miracles in this world. There was nothing I could do. All I could do was watch him breathe his last, his body growing cold in my arms, slowly turning transparent, disappearing into the air. I reached out to grab him, but I couldn't hold onto anything. "No!!! ... My heart felt like it was being gripped tightly, the pain so intense I could hardly breathe. I pressed my hand to my chest, but all I pressed was emptiness. I looked down—where was my heart? My heart was gone! Who took it from me? How can a person live without a heart? All around me was deathly darkness; I could see nothing, hear nothing. Had I arrived in hell? Suddenly, a flickering blue dot appeared ahead, glowing but without flame—a will-o'-the-wisp. Two men stood before me, one dressed in white, the other in black. Though their faces were obscured, they were likely the Black and White Impermanence. Was it my turn now? I was fearless. I rose and walked towards the flickering will-o'-the-wisp. "Cheng Zhuri, wait! I'm here. I won't let you stay alone in the underworld. I want to be with you forever. Now, no one can separate us." "Xiao Xiao, Xiao Xiao." Suddenly, someone called my name from behind. I turned around. Cheng Zhuri was calling me from the other side of the river. He wasn't dead? Cheng Zhuri waved to me, "Xiaoxiao, you can't go over there, come here, come to your cousin!" I ran across the bridge to his side. He was still wearing that moon-white robe. I carefully examined his eyes, his nose and lips, and the white jade hairpin. Yes, it was my cousin. I pressed my ear against his chest, and "thump, thump, thump, thump," his heart was still beating rhythmically. My cousin really wasn't dead. Miracles really do exist in this world. I cried tears of joy. It's so good. Now I have no more worries and can leave in peace. "Cousin, I'm so glad you're alright, but I have to go!" "Xiaoxiao isn't going anywhere, she's coming home with you, cousin." "I want to too, but I can't go back. My heart is gone, I can't live anymore. Look, the Black and White Impermanence are here to take me on my way. Cousin, I've always wanted to say something to you, and today I can finally say it: I love you. In my two lifetimes, it was you, cousin, who taught me what love is. Although you're going to marry someone else, causing me unbearable pain, I don't blame you. I only blame the timing of our meeting. But I never regret falling in love with you. Without you, without someone I can love, think about, and long for, I would only be spending my life waiting in loneliness. Goodbye, cousin."

Cheng Zhuri held my hand and pressed it against my heart, smiling brightly: "Isn't your heart perfectly fine and still attached to your body?"

Looking down, my heart returned, it really returned! I don't have to die?! "As long as my cousin's heart is here, my little heart will never be lost!"

First Edition: Falling in love is easy, staying together is hard. Chapter Twenty-Eight: Cheng Zhu Ri's Struggle

"Xiaoxiao." A tiny drop of water landed on my eyelid, cool to the touch. Was it raining? "Xiaoxiao, wake up!" Who was calling me? Why did their voice sound so sorrowful, like the mournful cry of a lone goose that had lost its mate? "Xiaoxiao, you can't sleep anymore. The doctor said if you sleep any longer, you won't wake up." "Xiaoxiao, don't you want your cousin anymore?" It was him calling me, he was calling me. I struggled to open my heavy eyes, and what I saw was a haggard face. Cheng Zhuri's complexion was sallow, his eyes were sunken, and his beard was unkempt. "Cousin, what's wrong?" I tried to get up to see clearly, but I couldn't move. My head was so heavy, and my limbs were weak. "Xiaoxiao, you're finally awake!" Cheng Zhuri's eyes lit up with joy. He excitedly grabbed my hand, his voice still trembling slightly.

"Cousin? Your eyes...you've been crying?" "No, I'm just happy to see you're awake." "What's wrong with me? My head feels so heavy. How did I get home? Wasn't I at Grandma's house? That day, I played music with Xing'er, Xing'er, and Cousin Liu Yu..." At this moment, memories flooded my mind like a tidal wave. Recalling that terrible rainy day, that nightmare, fear, terror, and grievances came rushing in. I burst into tears and threw myself into Cheng Zhuri's arms, sobbing uncontrollably on his shoulder. I didn't care if I was disheveled, or if there were other people around, or if it was proper etiquette. His embrace was the place I wanted to go most, the safest harbor. When I was close to him, no one could hurt me. "Cry, cry your heart out. Just think of it as a nightmare. Now that you're awake, your cousin is here, and no one can hurt you anymore. After you've cried, forget about it completely!" "Cousin, I was so scared. Cousin Liu Yu came into the room drunk, but there was no one around. I screamed for help, but the rain was so heavy, and the thunder was so loud, no one could hear me." "Don't be afraid, it's all over. Your cousin is here, and I'll always be with you." "Cousin." I nestled in his arms, sobbing softly, unconsciously murmuring. "Cousin is here, always here." His voice was as soft as a feather, his hand gently stroking my back to comfort me, his breath swirling around my ear, like the best calming medicine in the world. "Xiao Xiao, rinse your mouth first, eat some salty porridge, and then take your medicine. You need to get better quickly." Cheng Zhu Ri helped me lie down and turned to leave.

She reached out and grabbed his hand. "Cousin, don't go. I'm scared." "Xiaohe and Chengshun are serving in the outer room. I'm going to give some instructions and I'll be right back. Don't be afraid, cousin will be back soon."

"Then hurry up." His figure seemed a bit thinner after a few days. "Xiaohe, quickly go and fetch Doctor Lan. Miss Biao has woken up. Also, inform Mother. Oh, and prepare hot water for Miss Biao to wash up properly. When you come back, tell the kitchen to cook a bowl of salty porridge. Go quickly!" "Xiaoxiao, you've had a fever for five days. Drink this bowl of hot water first; the fever hasn't completely subsided." Cheng Zhuri helped me sit up and fed me water.

He seemed different today, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I looked closer and exclaimed, "Cousin!"