My mother laughed heartily, like a little girl. I was speechless, finally understanding how she had schemed against my father back then.
I'm speechless. I was tricked by my own mother, and I have nowhere to vent my frustrations.
Seeing that I looked listless and like I'd been hit by frost, my father smiled and comforted me, saying, "Little Mo, it's also a blessing to be bullied."
I sighed. It seems my cultivation is still insufficient; I haven't reached my father's level.
At dinner, Jiang Chen reverted to his male form. After half a year apart, he seemed even more handsome and mature. I still felt awkward, and he seemed to know it too. He didn't speak to me, but spoke with his eyes, staring at me like a woven net.
Jiang Chen's mother put some food on his plate and said softly, "Your father came home a few days ago. After you finish eating, go back and see him."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen was stunned, and the chopsticks in his hand stopped moving.
I was also taken aback; the news came as a complete surprise.
Jiang Chen immediately got up to say goodbye, not even finishing his meal.
When his mother returned after seeing him off, she looked at his seat and said, "If I had known, I would have told him after I had eaten. He came back from a long and tiring journey and hadn't even finished his meal."
"Mother, don't worry. How could Guiyun Manor possibly let him go hungry?"
My mother pointed at me and laughed, "Don't you feel sorry for him? You're just saying one thing and meaning another."
My face flushed, and I lowered my head to eat.
"Where has his father been all these years?"
The mother's face darkened, and after a long silence, she said, "When he escaped from Liujin Island, he injured both his legs. He left home in a fit of anger, and with his disability, he refused to return and be ridiculed by Lady Qi, so he went into seclusion in the capital. Later, he met Physician Xie, who served the Emperor, and the two became friends. This man was highly skilled in medicine and had extraordinary connections, so some of the events at Guiyun Manor were actually resolved secretly by Physician Xie."
"Some time ago, I finally found out where he lived and sent Lady Qi to find him. The two finally reconciled, and Lady Qi took him into her home. It can be said that they were reunited after their breakup."
I sighed deeply. The grudges and misunderstandings between these two had truly dragged on for a long time. If either of them had been less proud, perhaps they would have reconciled long ago. However, many love entanglements in this world, aside from unforeseen external circumstances, are often simply a matter of personality.
My mother patted my hand and said softly, "Later, you'll come with me to pay your respects to Jiang Chen's parents." Hearing this, I felt a headache coming on.
“Jiang Chen’s father is not in good health. You should go and visit him, shouldn’t you? He is your father’s senior apprentice. After all, you are still Jiang’s daughter-in-law.”
Indeed, even if Jiang Chen and I have conflicts, it's between us. Paying respects to our elders is only right and proper, and it must be done. So, after dinner, I went to Guiyun Manor with my parents.
The first time I met Uncle Jiang, he was lying in bed! I didn't expect him to be so ill.
He weakly extended his hand, "Oh, this is Shi Jing's daughter, Xiao Mo?"
I quickly stepped forward and bowed, "Uncle."
Uncle Jiang frowned and said, "Why call me Uncle? You should call me Father."
My face flushed with embarrassment, and I lowered my head, remaining silent.
He said listlessly, "I'm not well, I might not live to see tomorrow. It's good that you're back. Hurry up and get married to Chen'er, then I can rest easy."
My heart skipped a beat when I heard that. Was the illness really that serious?
Lady Qi frowned and said to her mother, "Maybe a wedding to bring good luck will solve the problem."
The mother nodded, then turned to the father and asked, "A marriage to ward off bad luck is a good idea, Shi Jing, what do you think?"
Father nodded repeatedly, appearing completely obedient.
Uncle Jiang held my hand, his expression sorrowful and earnest. "Xiao Mo, please say yes. Your uncle has been waiting for this day for so long."
All eyes in the room were on me, as if Uncle Jiang's life hung in the balance. I felt a heavy weight of expectation on my shoulders. Everyone stared intently at me, as if if I said "no," Uncle Jiang's condition would worsen and become irreversible.
I couldn't open my mouth in sorrow. When I glanced up unintentionally, I saw Jiang Chen looking at me expectantly, his gaze so gentle it seemed to drip with water, almost drowning me.
I looked down and fiddled with the hem of my clothes. How should I put this?
Lady Qi made a swift and decisive decision: "I think the wedding should be held the day after tomorrow! Everything has been prepared long ago, and the wedding invitations can be sent out immediately. Now, everything is ready except for the final touch. When the two children return, we can get this done and avoid any further complications."
"well."
Immediately, a chorus of agreement erupted throughout the room. The four parents hit it off immediately, without even asking my opinion. Jiang Chen lowered his head, forcefully pursing his lips. Seeing him smile so smugly, like a peach blossom in full bloom, inexplicably irritated me.
Next, Madam Qi began discussing the wedding details with her mother, and Jiang Chen listened attentively with a spring in his eyes, cooperating fully.
My father sat by Uncle Jiang's bedside, reminiscing. The two had already started addressing each other as in-laws. I was speechless.
It was late at night when we finally left Guiyun Manor. On the way, I asked my mother with great displeasure, "Mother, you've always favored Jiang Chen. Why didn't you ever ask what I thought? Don't you know about Yu Muxi and his affair?"
The mother nodded. "I know everything. It's all that girl's wishful thinking. Madam Qi and I have already dealt with her. Don't worry, she will never bother you again. Jiang Chen only likes you, we outsiders can see that clearly, so why are you so insecure?"
I'm speechless. Is it that those involved are blinded, or those onlookers are blinded?
On the third day, I was married off to Guiyun Manor with lightning speed, as if I had been abducted.
The four elders all breathed a sigh of relief, as if marrying me off to Jiang Chen was finally getting rid of a hot potato. The difference was that Jiang Chen was a hot potato for his parents, while I was my parents'.
When the bridal sedan chair arrived at Guiyun Manor, I secretly peeked through a crack in the curtain and was astonished to find Uncle Jiang standing at the gate to greet the guests. His voice was booming, and he walked with incredible speed; there was not a trace of illness in him! Madam Qi happily told everyone she met that a marriage to ward off bad luck was truly a miracle cure; even divine doctors were nothing compared to that…
I had a vague feeling that something was amiss, but the bridal sedan chair had already been carried to the Jiang family's doorstep, and it seemed a bit too late to realize it now. After going through the same procedures that every woman goes through on her wedding day, I was led to the bridal chamber.
Sitting on the bed, I felt a mix of emotions, both complicated and anxious. Although I hadn't objected to the wedding, a nagging unease lingered in my heart. Relationships can't tolerate even the slightest flaw, and I wasn't sure if I had healed the cracks in our relationship.
The bridal chamber was warm and filled with an intoxicatingly sweet fragrance. My heart was pounding like a rabbit's.
After the matchmaker finished singing all the blessings, she left, and the bridal chamber fell silent. I saw a pair of boots under the veil, smelled a faint scent of alcohol, and felt Jiang Chen's presence all around me. I felt like I had been smelling that scent for a long time and had become quite accustomed to it.
My eyes lit up as the veil was lifted. Red candles burned brightly, filling the room with a joyous, crimson glow. He stood before me in a red robe, his handsome face adorned with light-colored fabric, his eyes brimming with affection as he gazed at me with a silent smile.
I hurriedly lowered my eyes, my face flushing with each passing moment... At that moment, I felt a sense of joy, but mixed with it was a touch of awkwardness and embarrassment, as well as some unspeakable turmoil.
"Xiao Mo".
I lowered my head and gave a muffled reply.
He gently sat down beside me, and I unconsciously shifted to the side. Knowing his personality, I thought he would surely move along with me, but to my surprise, he remained motionless for a long time.
Are you still angry with me?
I was speechless for a moment, and I asked myself: Am I still angry?
He paused for a long time, his voice tinged with sorrow, "Am I truly unforgivable? How can you possibly forgive me?"
"Did Mother give you that half of the Mandarin Duck Sword Manual?" Only after asking this question did I realize what I was struggling with. Perhaps what happened between him and Yu Muxi was a misunderstanding, or perhaps it was just Yu Muxi's wishful thinking. But was it really because of the Chongshan Sword Technique that he liked me? I could ignore everything else, but this was the one thing that bothered me the most.
Jiang Chen clenched his fist, turned, and walked out of the room. I didn't expect him to leave without answering my question. Was he feeling guilty and unwilling to answer, or was he just being stubborn and refusing to answer? I stood there, stunned, feeling extremely disappointed.
I sat blankly on the bed. Was this wedding night going to be a night I spent alone in an empty room?
Unexpectedly, after a while, Jiang Chen turned back, holding two booklets in his hands. I immediately understood; Mother had kept her word and returned the Mandarin Duck Sword Manual intact. His wish had been fulfilled.
He stood before me, his back to the candlelight, his handsome features like those of an immortal bathed in warm light. He was so close I could hear his soft breathing.
"Xiao Mo, I know you still doubt my motives for being with you. Now, both sword manuals are here. Keep them safe for now and give them to your uncle in a few days. When I said that these sword manuals were more important than life, I meant this: firstly, these sword manuals are the most precious heirloom of my Jiang family; secondly, these sword manuals can be used for much greater purposes, so how can I easily give them to evil people? Now that I'm giving them to your uncle, you should believe me that I'm not with you because I want to monopolize your share of the sword manual, right?"
These words were like the moon emerging from the clouds, a radiant light illuminating my heart. The unease and displeasure that filled me quietly melted away, turning into light dust, and were submerged by light joy.
The invisible barriers between us have disappeared. I suddenly have so much to say to him, but I don't know where to begin. It seems like I don't need to say anything at all; he will understand on his own.
I met his honest gaze and smiled gently, "You've always been clever, but I'm dull. I hope you'll be honest with me from now on and stop bullying me."
He raised an eyebrow, smiled wryly, and sighed softly, "Xiao Mo, you've always been the one bullying me, haven't you noticed?"
Did I ever bully him?
He began to list them one by one—
“Every year on your birthday, I give you a gift. I want to express my feelings, but I'm also afraid of alerting you. I don't know how much thought and expectation I put into it, but you are oblivious. It's one thing that you don't understand romance, but you also treat those gifts as worthless things, and forget about them after just one glance. Every time, it breaks my heart.”
I thought about it, and it seems like there might be such a thing.
One year on my birthday, he gave me a leaf with a poem written on it:
Red beans grow in the south; how many branches will sprout in spring?
I urge you to gather more of these birds, for they are the most evocative of longing.
I was angry at him for being stingy and petty, so I ignored him for three whole days.
Another year, he gave me two sparrows, their wings loosely tied together with a red string. When I asked him why, he said it was so they could fly wing to wing.
I thought he was bored out of his mind and was having wild thoughts, so I untied the sparrow's wings and let it fly away.
Jiang Chen sat down and whispered in my ear, "Do you remember my birthday? Have you ever given me anything?"
I shook my head guiltily, truly not remembering. I definitely didn't give it to anyone, except for a gold lock, which I asked for back several times. Now, that gold lock is hanging around my neck…
“Every time I roast wild game, I invite you to enjoy it. Have you ever sincerely thanked me? Have you ever spoken a few words to me properly? Your eyes are only on the wild game, never on me. What’s worse, once you even took a portion to Yunzhou after you finished eating. I was so angry with you that I wanted to vomit blood.”
I lowered my head in shame, vaguely remembering that such a thing had happened.
"You made baseless accusations that I was promiscuous, 'kindly' introduced me to Yaksha, and generously gave me to your cousin. The list of things you did is simply too long to list."
I admit that I did these things.
“Look at my hands.” He held out his hands and laid them out under my eyes.
I glanced at him and immediately felt guilty and speechless. His palms were covered in calluses; he had never developed so many calluses when he was practicing swordsmanship.
"I've served you like a servant for so many days, have you ever felt sorry for me?"
It seems I did feel sorry for the paint on the stool. I lowered my head, feeling utterly guilty.
"What's even more heartless is that you looked at me, touched me, and used me, but then you discarded me like trash and left without saying goodbye. You are truly ruthless."
I was so ashamed and angry that I almost fainted. How could anyone say such a thing!
"You, you're framing me."
"I'm not exaggerating at all. That night, you forced yourself on me."
I feel like my skin is so thick it could cook an egg; I want to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
"You, you're talking nonsense." I'm completely confused about what happened that night; I don't remember the specifics. I'll admit to everything else, but I absolutely cannot make up an excuse about this.
"I'm not making this up, Little Pocket can testify—you clung to me tightly, refusing to let go. Even when I put you in the bathtub, you wouldn't let go, and you pulled me in too. My clothes were wet, and as soon as I took them off, you started groping me. I had no choice but to..."
"Stop talking." I covered my face... Sigh, I never thought I was even more fierce than my mother was back then.
"I have no complaints about using me as an antidote. But how can you abandon me after you've used me?"
I covered my face; my palms were already burning hot.
"You should reflect on your mistakes and correct them."
Faced with his tearful accusations, I also felt that I had gone a bit too far, so I hummed softly, "I promise I will treat you better from now on."
"And now?"