Chapter 253: Chapter 253: Shen Hua Is Xue Tuan
This sudden calamity was truly beyond comprehension. Everyone held their breath.
But Cui Yun had no spare attention for anything else. He was only filled with panic and fear.
The word "like" was too unfamiliar to him.
His nature was calm, and he rarely took interest in the external world.
Shen Hua was the only girl beside the Cui Family that he sincerely cared for and was willing to marry.
She was different, and that was enough.
After all, Cui Yun did not want her to die.
He truly... could not bear to let her go.
He wiped the blood off the girl, bit by bit, but it seemed neverending, flowing more and more.
Xie Xun kept reminding himself desperately and repeatedly that Shen Hua only had a chance near Cui Yun.
The girl moved her lips slightly, as if caught in a terrifying nightmare. She could not make a sound, but her lip shape formed two words.
"...Brother."
What vitality!
All unbelievable!
In these days, when had Shen Hua improved?
Cui Yun and Yangyang had no kinship; what vitality could he offer?
As Xie Xun’s rationality was completely obliterated, he couldn’t stand it anymore and was about to push Cui Yun away and take the girl with him.
At this moment, Ying Yi stepped in quickly: "Master, someone from the Daoist School has arrived."
Cui Yun turned around abruptly.
He had sent people to the Daoist School early on several times but never found out about Sanqing Taoist’s whereabouts. Now that someone had come, he could guess who sent them.
Xie Xun’s movements also froze.
The arriving Taoist looked familiar; he was a disciple personally accepted by Sanqing Taoist.
He said one sentence, but it was enough to calm the heart.
"My master instructed before he went wandering that I should come here at 15:45 today to conduct a matter. Time is of the essence, and I cannot delay, so I must be intrusive."
The Taoist was not loquacious. He approached to examine the girl on the bed, and Cui Yun did not move a step away.
To this, the Taoist was indifferent. He shook the whisk in his hand, which was left by Sanqing Taoist.
The sole intact Vajra Bodhi bead rose into the air, then floated towards the girl’s forehead.
The originally rosy bead showed traces of blood flowing within.
The Daoist chanted a talisman in a low voice, and as he burned the talisman in his hand, a drop of essence blood fell from the bead, landing directly on the girl’s brow.
The only Vajra Bodhi bead, as if fulfilling its final mission, turned dull and lusterless, and in the blink of an eye, it turned to dust.
The drop of essence blood, nourished by the bead for a full six years, belonging to both Shen Hua’s soul and Xue Tuan, finally returned to its body.
The scene was farcical to the onlookers.
Yet, the drop of blood was absorbed in a way that defied common sense, bit by bit, bizarrely sucked away.
Having done all this, the Taoist wiped the sweat from his forehead, ready to leave.
"My master said, the lady should be able to wake within two hours."
"What’s with that bead? And what about that blood, what exactly did you just do?" It was Xie Xun’s voice.
The Taoist thought for a moment: "I do not know."
"If she can wake up, is she alright then? Or is it just that her condition has stabilized temporarily?"
The Taoist looked momentarily confused: "I am not a physician, indeed I do not know."
Cui Yun did not speak; he seemed deaf to the noisy commotion. The man stared unblinkingly at the girl on the bed with her eyes tightly closed.
He reached out, to take her pulse.
But the pulse was as before.
Cui Yun’s gaze darkened, and he involuntarily pursed his lips.
Xie Xun admitted that his legs were still weak: "Did your master leave any other words?"
At this moment, the Daoist hesitated. He remembered something: "Indeed, there were, for Marquis Cui."
Cui Yun remained indifferent.
"Please speak, young Daoist."
"My master said, ’Buhuo, a thing will be immune only when affected again, and won’t be controlled by it.’"
The girl became Xue Tuan, and only after she was taken away from Marquis Yangling Mansion by the man with the scar, following a spell of Buhuo, did they cast the poisonous insect on her. Hence, a few years later when she came to Shengjing and stayed in the pear garden, the spell of Buhuo was ineffective that night.
Cui Yun, however, was unaware of these twists and turns, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.
This shouldn’t be so.
Last time on New Year’s Eve when I mentioned Buhuo to her, the girl was incredulous, clearly it was the first she’d heard of it.
Moreover, Buhuo targeted only the eunuchs, particularly those loyal to a righteous lord’s household.
The little Taoist chuckled.
"My master also recited half a line of poetry."
Imitating the tone of Sanqing Taoist, he said: "Meeting at dusk in the autumn hills."
Cui Yun’s heart suddenly tensed. Surprise was indelibly etched in his eyes, his fingertips abruptly clenched, veins bulging on the back of his hand.
The thoughts he’d repeatedly dismissed as ridiculous and had once strangled with his own hands now were growing wildly.
The girl’s naughty pride, her unreasonable temper tantrums, her showing off when she felt proud.
Loving beauty, always dressing up before going out.
Spending Silver.
Even those cunning and glossy eyes seemed very much like his Xue Tuan.
Memories of the past stacked up, each vividly coming to life before him.
His Xue Tuan had always been clever. Able to understand human speech, even capable of reading undesired divinations and tossing them away without hesitation.
Her paw point towards the Red Glaze Willow Leaf Bottle, merging seamlessly with Shen Hua who breezed into his study for the umpteenth time trying to squeeze through the neck of the bottle.
Having witnessed the bizarre incident just now, Cui Yun felt as if there was nothing too outlandish to consider.
The more he thought, the more it seemed possible.
The more he thought, the more his eyelashes trembled.
Shen Hua seemed to have been asleep for a long time.
It felt as if a needle had been piercing and gnawing at her chest, causing her discomfort, but in that instant, a warm flow originated from her forehead and moved down to her chest, soothing the pain there.
It was as if the rose that was hardest to keep alive and already withered had received a gentle breeze and just the right amount of watering, slowly sending out new sprouts.
Deciding the future prosperity of its branches and leaves.
This was a warmth and softness Shen Hua had not felt in a long time. Her pores opened up all over, and her body felt relaxed and comfortable.
By the time she woke up, it was already dusk.
As soon as Shen Hua opened her eyes, she saw Xie Xun rushing over.
"Do you feel unwell?"
Shen Hua blinked.
Xie Xun’s eyes were moist, and he still wore his gentle and smooth demeanor, yet he said urgently, "Having not eaten in a long time, you must be hungry. You’ve just woken up and shouldn’t have greasy or rich foods. How about some white porridge with a sprinkle of brown sugar?"
But Shen Hua pursed her lips and slowly shifted her gaze to Cui Yun standing to one side.
The corner of the girl’s eyes tingled with sourness.
She lowered her eyes and gave Cui Yun a sweet, soft smile.
"Cousin."
Xie Xun: ...
Cui Yun met Shen Hua’s gaze, his Adam’s apple moving slightly.
He looked steadily at her.
"The lipstick you stole from sister-in-law, after you applied it, did you look in the copper mirror? That big bloody mouth is really unsightly, I feel ashamed to be seen with you, go wipe it off quickly."
Shen Hua was still somewhat dazed. Upon hearing this, she immediately glared fiercely.
"I paid Silver for it!"
Her weak spirit raged, "Impossible, you’re lying, you’re the ugly one!"
The tips of Cui Yun’s fingers dug deeply into his flesh, yet he was unaware of the pain.
But he suddenly laughed.
He laughed softly and ceaselessly, his laughter out of control, growing louder, yet only he knew the bitterness it contained.
Meeting at dusk in the autumn hills.
He spoke out the next line of the poem.
——As if an old friend has returned.