"Send men immediately, at breakneck speed, to bring Zu Xian here, even if it means carrying him by horse."
As soon as he finished speaking, Lan Wuxie broke out in a cold sweat, his face as white as paper, and groaned softly. Hua Chongyang leaned over, but couldn't hear what he was saying, so he took Lan Wuxie's icy hands in his hands and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his brow. Dusk was just beginning to fall outside, and through the half-open window, one could see low, cloud-like clouds, a crescent moon, and slanting rays of sunlight filtering through the flower trellis and scattering across the windowpane. Hua Chongyang glanced at the fading sunlight, got up, went to the table, lit a candle, and carried the candlestick to the bedside.
Light and shadow shifted, and in a moment of distraction, time seemed to rewind to the past, to the first time she saw him. He lay drunk in the octagonal pavilion of Half-Drunk in Hangzhou, his appearance extraordinary, his smile sometimes deep, sometimes faint, his hazy gaze seemingly near yet far. He covered his eyes with the back of his hand, a bitter smile on his lips, and said:
"...This must be a dream."
She smiled slightly, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye with her finger. Through her blurred vision, she saw that the pale face on the bedside table had actually shown an expression.
Hua Chongyang frantically wiped her face with the back of her hand, then grasped his hand and hurriedly lowered her face.
"Lan Wuxie? Lan Wuxie? You're awake? You're awake, aren't you?"
Lan Wuxie opened his long eyes slightly and murmured:
"……water."
"Water? Oh, oh! Water! Water! The water's coming!"
She stood up, lunged at the table, picked up the teapot, touched its icy touch, then dashed towards the door and began to shout:
"Orchid? Orchid! Hurry! Pour water! Quickly! Don't dawdle! If you're any later, I'll break your legs!"
After yelling, he rushed back to the bedside, grabbed Lan Wuxie's hand, and asked urgently:
"The water's coming—is your head still hurting? Are you feeling any better?"
Lan Wuxie's gaze was slightly unfocused as he looked at her. After a moment, he looked away and murmured in a hoarse voice:
"...Am I dreaming?"
Hua Chongyang was stunned, and for a moment he was truly bewildered... Had time really flowed back, or had he remembered?
Still in a daze, Lan Wuxie closed her eyes and added in a hoarse voice:
"...I even dreamt of that shrew."
Hua Chongyang froze.
Lancao, who was carrying water to the door, paused, her face twitching. She then rushed forward and held the teacup in front of Hua Chongyang.
"Master! The water is here."
Hua Chongyang didn't raise his hand.
Lan Wuxie slightly raised his eyes, frowned, and looked at the orchid:
"Not a dream?"
"……"
A teacup was handed to him. Lan Wuxie swallowed half a mouthful of water, then another small mouthful, and lay down again. Lan Cao put down the teacup and saw that Hua Chongyang was still sitting by the window without moving. He carefully moved a step closer and was surprised to find that... there was mist in Hua Chongyang's eyes.
"Ah?" Lan Cao exclaimed in surprise, "...Hua Chongyang?"
Hua Chongyang suddenly stood up and strode out. Lan Cao looked at Lan Wuxie and then at her, and finally chased after her to the door and grabbed her arm.
"What's wrong?"
Hua Chongyang wiped away his tears, then looked up and smiled: "It's nothing."
Lan Cao was greatly puzzled: "Surely not, you're not that petty, crying over a single sentence—is there something else?"
"It's nothing." Hua Chongyang smiled slightly. "I'm so happy to see him awake."
She wiped her eyes again.
Lancao breathed a sigh of relief and smiled:
"Is it really necessary? You stay here for a bit, I'll go in and take a look."
He went back into the house.
Lan Wuxie leaned against the pillow, her eyes slightly closed. Lan Cao approached and asked softly again:
"...Is your headache any better? Would you like some more water, Master?"
Lan Cao brought the teacup closer, and Lan Wuxie lowered his eyes slightly, raised his hand to push the water away, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke:
Why is she here?
"Uh...she knows a little medicine, so...so I called her over, uh, to help! To help take care of the Pavilion Master."
Lan Wuxie remained silent for a moment, a hint of impatience creeping into her expression:
Was she...crying just now?
"Uh, I guess so. Women—they all love to cry, it's such a hassle—ha, hahahaha."
Lan Cao chuckled foolishly, inwardly weeping: Heaven above, I said the Pavilion Master's woman was troublesome today, I wonder what kind of retribution I'll face tomorrow...
"Call her over."
"Ah, is that so—ah?" Lan Cao looked up, stunned. "...What did you say, Pavilion Master?"
Lan Wuxie leaned against the pillow, her expression indifferent:
"Let her in, and go get me some clean clothes."
Lan Cao responded and went out.
...This is clearly a way to get rid of him.
When he went outside, he was shocked to see Hua Chongyang standing under the flower trellis in the courtyard, his back to the door, tears streaming down his face.
Lan Cao stammered and whispered Lan Wuxie's words:
"Sect Master... will guide you in."
Hua Chongyang wiped his face and turned around:
"Then—just say Fu Shun is looking for me. I won't go in yet."
Her voice was slightly choked with sobs as she finished speaking and turned to walk out of the courtyard.
Lan Cao stared speechlessly at her retreating figure, shook her head, sighed, and turned around, only to be startled again:
"...Sect Master?!"
Lan Wuxie stood at the doorway, dressed in a snow-white undergarment, his long hair flowing over his shoulders, his face pale. Lan Cao quickly jumped into the room, grabbed a robe, and draped it over him. Looking at his expression, she carefully and tactfully said:
"...She—uh, Fushun wanted her mother, so she went—"
"No need to say anything more." Lan Wuxie lowered her eyes. "I heard you."
"……"
Orchid.
"Sect Master?"
Lan Wuxie coughed lightly and narrowed his eyes slightly:
"I liked that child at first sight."
"...Ah, of course, Fu Shun is exceptionally intelligent and quick-witted, and his appearance is as handsome as a little fairy. Who wouldn't like such a child?"...Flattery, flattery, is always a good thing.
"It's because of those eyes." Lan Wuxie leaned against the doorframe, her gaze deep and unfathomable. "I always felt that his eyes and brows were vaguely familiar, and they made my heart tremble."
"……Well?"
"Long eyebrows and long eyes, with slightly upturned corners. Even in my dreams, a pair of the same eyebrows and eyes float by, impossible to see clearly." Lan Wuxie's voice was slightly hoarse as she spoke slowly, "So when I opened my eyes and saw those eyes, I thought I was still dreaming."
"……"
Lan Cao suddenly understood what Lan Wuxie meant—Lan Fushun's eyebrows and eyes were exactly the same as Hua Chongyang's, like identical ones.
Lan Wuxie clutched his chest, his black hair disheveled, his long eyelashes drooping, his voice low and hoarse:
"...For some reason, seeing her cry just now, I felt as if my heart was being pierced by needles—Lan Cao."
"……yes."
"That woman, I know her from before, don't I?"
97. Domineering Wife
The disciples of Lanying Palace returned halfway and sent word that Zu Xian arrived in Suzhou two days later.
Lan Wuxie's headache came and went. When it was better, he was fine, but when it was worse, he was drenched in sweat and his face was as white as snow. The next morning, Hua Chongyang came to visit him again. The door was closed, but when he pushed it open, there was a candle burning on the table. Lan Wuxie was leaning against the headboard with his eyes closed, his chest rising and falling slowly. He must have fallen asleep.
She approached silently, blew out the candle, sat down on the edge of the bed, and stared at him blankly.
There was still a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead, probably from the pain he had just endured, and he was falling asleep from exhaustion.
A slight tightness in my chest.
It would be a lie to say she wasn't heartbroken. She constantly wished she could take his pain upon herself, but he treated her like a stranger, even a shrew. She'd rather he were asleep, silent, than both of them be awake, and he'd completely forgotten the past.
After sitting for a while, she sighed softly, got up, and quietly walked out of the yard. She stood under the flower trellis outside and began to stare blankly again.
What if he never remembers it for the rest of his life?
Just as she was lost in thought, footsteps sounded, and Lan Cao walked in carrying clothes. As soon as she saw Hua Chongyang, she pounced on her like a hungry tiger and grabbed her sleeve:
"Great-grandmother!"
Hua Chongyang carefully pulled his sleeve back:
"What's wrong with you? He's still sleeping, be careful not to wake him."
Lan Cao let go, ran to the door, peeked cautiously through the crack, then quietly returned, looking distressed, and said:
"It seems the Pavilion Master has discerned clues. After you left yesterday, I wondered if I had ever known you before."
Hua Chongyang's heart skipped a beat, and his voice became slightly hoarse:
"……how do you say?"
"Of course I swear to God I didn't," Lan Cao sighed. "If I had told him, knowing his personality, he would have forced himself to think about the past. I've never seen him in so much pain lately—and Zu Xian isn't here right now. If it flares up again, I'm afraid he'll die from the pain."
Hua Chongyang suppressed his disappointment and raised an eyebrow: "...Then forget it. Why did you have to tell me all this?"
The orchid drooped its brows, continuing to look worried and distressed.
Then he asked me—"
"What do you want to ask you?"