Chapter 29#

If You See SnowCh29 - Silly Wife Yu’er#

TY to Blythe for the kofi ~ Here’s your extra chapter

When Su Ruhui was carried back to the Buliao residence, he was already on the verge of death. Ming Ruowu fed him a Bloodrage Pill to stimulate his last bit of life force. He awoke from unconsciousness, his mind thick as paste, a hazy layer of fog enveloping his thoughts. Many people crowded around him. Servants carried in basins filled with his blood, then carried them out again. Su Ruhui’s vision grew increasingly blurry, as if veiled by a curtain of rain, making it impossible to see clearly. Yet, he sensed that Jiang Xueya and Zhou Xiaosu were always there, along with Sang Chiyu, covered in blood.

Zhou Xiaosu wept uncontrollably, pushing Sang Chiyu as she cried: “Go away, you killed shige! I’ll never forgive you for the rest of my life.”

Su Ruhui didn’t hear Sang Chiyu’s response, only Zhou Xiaosu’s wailing. Is Yu’er alright? Why isn’t he making a sound? His thoughts unraveled like strands of silk, fraying as if they might snap completely. Suddenly, a drop of water splashed onto the back of his hand, followed by a series of large drops hitting it. They were ice cold. He wondered blankly, is it raining?

Standing beside him was Sang Chiyu, pale as a ghost. He was being pushed relentlessly by Zhou Xiaosu, frozen in place like a wooden puppet. Su Ruhui belatedly realized that Yu’er was crying; his little wife was weeping for him. He wanted to get up and tell Zhou Xiaosu to stop pushing him. He and Sang Chiyu had already pledged their lives to each other. If he died, Sang Chiyu would be his widow, and Zhou Xiaosu would have to call her sister-in-law from then on.

Suddenly, Zhou Xiaosu’s crying stopped, and his master’s gentle voice came, “Yu’er, Hui’er’s internal organs are ruptured, and he is bleeding profusely. There is no medicine in the world that can save his life. However, I have one risky method. You may not know this, but your constitution is different from others. If you can donate your heart’s blood to save Hui’er, there might be a chance for him to recover. Are you willing to give Hui’er a bowl of your heart’s blood?”

What kind of method is this? Su Ruhui was horrified. To cut open his heart and draw a whole bowl’s worth of blood, could Yu’er even survive? What method to save lives, this was clearly a method to exchange one life for another! He moved his fingers, his lips trembling, but Jiang Xueya pressed him down, saying: “You’re about to die, but you can’t even stay still!”

Don’t you dare agree to it! Su Ruhui screamed inwardly. Death was just death—he, Su Ruhui, did not fear death!

He cried out, but no one could hear him. In the silence, Sang Chiyu spoke: “My entire heart, I’ll give to him.”

After Ming Ruowu performed the heart-extraction surgery and implanted it into Su Ruhui’s body, Su Ruhui remembered none of it. He had been given a potent anesthetic and didn’t wake until the third morning. Jiang Xueya told him everything, describing how dangerous the process was, how Zhou Xiaosu was summoned to the medicine room twice to use secret arts to heal Su Ruhui and Sang Chiyu’s wounds. She also said that the Grandmaster received the news and opened up a formless gate overnight, personally going to Zhuluo Mountain. Finally, Jiang Xueya clicked her tongue in admiration, “Grandmaster is truly a generational beauty; I was so busy looking at him in the middle of the night that I forgot to look after you.”

Upon waking, he found himself in his own small room. The boxing manuals and saber techniques had been neatly arranged on a black lacquered table. He sat up and bent down to loosen his belt to examine his body. There were no knife wounds, no cuts. He was as whole as before, with not even a scratch. Su Ruhui almost thought that his walk before the gates of hell was but a dream.

His master’s medical skills had improved again.

Su Ruhui thought the way that his injury healed wasn’t quite right, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what was wrong. Back then, he was a good-for-nothing, his mind filled only with eating, drinking, and making merry, leaving no room for serious matters. So he didn’t dwell on it.

A commotion arose outside the door. Su Ruhui slipped on his deerskin boots, pulling on his clothes as he pushed open the door. The morning light was perfect, the courtyard dazzlingly so. Shielding his eyes with his hand, Su Ruhui spotted Zhou Xiaosu standing far across the courtyard at the entrance to the west wing, directing servants to carry the clutter from the back yard back into the west wing. Sang Chiyu stood silently at the doorway, a bundle clutched in his arms.

“Now that you’ve recovered, hurry up and leave. You’re not allowed to stay here anymore; go back to your cave.” Zhou Xiaosu gestured towards Sang Chiyu with her lips. “Hurry up. Pack your clothes and get lost!”

Sang Chiyu paused for a moment, lowered his long lashes, and gathered his bundle to leave.

“Wait a minute!” Zhou Xiaosu snatched his small bundle and examined its contents. There wasn’t much of value inside; most of it consisted of trinkets given to him by Su Ruhui, Jiang Xueya, and Zhou Xiaosu. It was hard to believe that Sang Chiyu, despite being from the Secret Sect, was penniless, even poorer than Su Ruhui, an orphan.

Zhou Xiaosu pulled out the three puppies Su Ruhui had given them, as well as the silk flowers and toy moths Jiang Xueya and her had given. She huffed, “These are all gifts from us, you’re not allowed to take them with you. You came here empty-handed, and you’re leaving the same way. Listen up, we’re breaking off our friendship with you. From now on, you can’t play with us anymore.”

“Breaking off…” Sang Chiyu repeated softly.

“Yes, breaking off!”

“Zhou Xiaosu!” Su Ruhui’s vision darkened with anger. He steadied himself against the corridor pillar, “Are you freaking crazy!?”

“Am I crazy? It’s you who’s freaking stupid!” Zhou Xiaosu cried out, “Shige, look what he’s done to you! Everyone is saying he’s a little monster. Da Long’s parents are both dead. It’s only because he has a good master that Grandmaster was able to hush all this. I heard everything when Master saved you that day. Even the Grandmaster called him a monster and told Master to turn him into a normal person!”

“You—” Su Ruhui felt a pain in his chest. This time he truly believed that his chest had been cut open.

“Aiya, don’t talk about it anymore.” An old woman came over to mediate, “Young Master Hui has just woken up, go inside and rest. Madam Su, don’t upset your shige anymore. Since that young nobleman surnamed Sang came down from the mountain, let him go back up the mountain. You two shouldn’t be angry anymore.”

Zhou Xiaosu pouted and muttered: “Anyway, I’m not going to live with monsters.”

Su Ruhui was in so much pain he couldn’t straighten up. He tried to say something, but the old woman picked him up and carried him inside. Sang Chiyu stood under the wooden veranda, quietly watching Su Ruhui disappear behind the door. He handed the small bundle in his arms to Zhou Xiaosu, taking nothing with him. His hands were left empty, dressed only in white. Zhou Xiaosu had a servant lead him back to the cave. The servants looked at each other, their faces showing fear. They were all afraid of Sang Chiyu, having heard that Da Long’s parents had met a most gruesome end.

“No need, I know the way.” Sang Chiyu said calmly.

He left Pear Blossom Courtyard alone. As he reached the doorway, he paused briefly, glancing back at Su Ruhui’s tightly shut doors and windows. He pursed his lips and left in silence.

Su Ruhui was confined indoors for two whole days. During those two days, he often heard cries coming from the entrance of the Buliao residence. It was said that Da Long’s relatives had laid the bodies of his parents across the entrance of the residence, trying to force Ming Ruowu to hand over Sang Chiyu from the small cave in the back mountain. As the case involved the direct disciple of the Grandmaster, the county magistrate of Zhuluo Town personally came to oversee the case. In the end, the pair of Da Long husband and wife were sentenced to be torn apart by chariots for abducting a noble family’s son. However, since the criminals were already dead, no further punishment was imposed. Da Long’s family was dissatisfied, but Ming Ruowu gave them enough silver and even refused to accept money for Da Long’s medical treatment; only then did they stop causing trouble.

Su Ruhui felt unjustified. That Da Long was clearly scum. He couldn’t rely on Dantai Jing; he was the one who created the Secret Sect’s laws, and over the years he had upheld and enforced the law, setting an example for others. He was Sang Chiyu’s master, and to avoid suspicion, Su Ruhui returned to Kunlun after recovering from his injuries, avoiding any involvement in the case of Da Long’s parents. Had the magistrate of Zhuluo County been more reckless and convicted Sang Chiyu, Su Ruhui was certain Dantai Jing would have locked him up without a second thought.

After lying in bed another day, Su Ruhui finally realized he had lost his secret arts. Ming Ruowu had been evasive all along, trying to figure out how to break the news to him. Zhou Xiaosu and Jiang Xueya had also been walking on eggshells around him these past two days, as if afraid he couldn’t take it if he found out. Secret arts users were not like ordinary people—the former were like celestial cranes, the latter like earth’s dogs and cattle. To lose one’s secret arts was a devastating blow. Su Ruhui brooded under the covers for a shichen. He then crawled out, ate and drank, and slept like a pig. Ming Ruowu sighed repeatedly, thinking this boy was really carefree.

On the fourth day, Su Ruhui seized an opportunity to bundle up his bedding and clothes, then slipped out under cover of night with a huge bundle strapped to his back. He crept furtively to the entrance of the Buliao residence, only to bump into his master and Dantai Jing. He was a little afraid of Dantai Jing because this a-jiu of his always had a stern face. Anyone who got close to him would freeze into ice.

“Where you going?” Ming Ruowu asked him with a big smile.

Su Ruhui chuckled along, “Master, you already know so why are you asking?”

Dantai Jing frowned and said: “Yu’er has a penchant for killing. You must not get close to him. Hasn’t your walk in front of the gates of hell been enough to commit that to memory?”

“It’s one thing for Zhou Xiaosu to be mad at him, but you’re his master, how could you say that about him?” Su Ruhui muttered resentfully, “Don’t say it to his face, he’ll be sad if he hears it. I’m leaving now, you two continue to enjoy your moongazing.”

“Hui’er.” Ming Ruowu stopped him and pressed a scripture into his hands. “Rest assured, I’ve cured Yu’er’s chronic ailment. He won’t experience another secret arts deviation.” Bring Yu’er along for tomorrow’s morning lesson. It’s simply unacceptable that the child is ten years old and still can’t read.“ He shot Dantai Jing a disapproving glance. “If you want him to learn to be a person, he should read books, learn etiquette, and understand reason and righteousness. Keeping him locked up in a cave all day will only raise a beast that eats raw meat and drinks blood.”

Dantai Jing lightly furrowed his brows, no longer stopping him.

Su Ruhui tucked away the scriptures and promptly took off. Entering the “Little Cave,” he found Sang Chiyu sitting on the stone bed, hugging his knees. It was so late, yet Sang Chiyu hadn’t slept, sitting there alone like a lonely little mushroom. Seeing Su Ruhui arrive, his eyes dazed over. His pitch black and round pupils reminded Su Ruhui of the little raccoons in the mountain forests.

Su Ruhui put down his bundle, untied the rope, and spread the bedding on the ground.

“Zhou Xiaosu won’t let you live in Pear Blossom Courtyard, so I’ll come live with you in your small cave.” Su Ruhui sat cross-legged on the bedding and patted his pillow. “From now on, I’ll be sleeping here.”

“No,” Sang Chiyu shrank into a corner, keeping far away from Su Ruhui, “I’ll harm people.”

“You didn’t harm anyone, it was Da Long’s family who harmed you.” Su Ruhui said resentfully.

Sang Chiyu lowered his eyes and said softly: “But I killed them.”

The people who ultimately died were Da Long’s family. Everyone also saw Sang Chiyu’s frenzied state. Even though Da Long’s family had abducted Sang Chiyu, everyone feared this child who couldn’t control his secret arts, especially since even his master insisted he was inherently cruel. Su Ruhui felt bitter. Why must the victim bear the blame? He wanted to argue with those people, to tell them that Yu’er was a good child. But adults reasoned based on age, and he was too young; he had no grounds for argument.

The atmosphere was too heavy, and the two sat facing each other in silence.

After a long while, Sang Chiyu spoke up: “Master said I’m different from others.”

“How are you different?” Su Ruhui asked gloomily, “All I see is that you’re prettier than others.”

Sang Chiyu pursed his lips and said: “When we were in town, I thought you smelled really good.”

“Smelled good?” Su Ruhui blushed instantly. He hadn’t expected Yu’er, who seemed so quiet and demure as any young maiden, to say something so bold. Su Ruhui scratched his head and said, “Yu’er, you’re so silly. You think I smell good because you like me.”

Sang Chiyu’s eyes showed some doubt, “Is that so?”

“Yep,” Su Ruhui said with an air of knowing. “It’s all written in Zhou Xiaosu’s storybooks, those ‘sweat glistening with fragrance,’ ‘heavenly beauty,‘ ‘fragrant skin, slender waist, wide sash, a peach-blossom beauty intoxicating the soul’… Basically, whichever young lady a scholar likes, she’ll perfume him until he’s head over heels. After all, you’re a man, and you’re treating me like a fragrant young lady. Don’t worry, liking me isn’t shameful. You’re my wife, and you’ll have to like me sooner or later.” Su Ruhui held out his hand. “Smell it, doesn’t it smell good?”

Sang Chiyu lowered his head and sniffed, then shook his head hesitantly, “It doesn’t smell good anymore.”

“…” Su Ruhui muttered, “No wonder Jiang Xueya always said that men who are fickle are no good. These feelings of yours disappeared way too fast.”

Sang Chiyu said sullenly: “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, I don’t mind.” Su Ruhui then asked, “How’s your injury?”

Sang Chiyu unbuttoned his robes and opened his lapel. Su Ruhui saw his chest wrapped in bandages, thin as paper, with traces of blood still staining the cloth. A pang of sorrow tightened Su Ruhui’s heart.

Sang Chiyu closed his robes, “You should go.”

Su Ruhui snorted, flopped down on the ground, and began acting like a rascal, “I’m not leaving, carry me out if you can.”

Sang Chiyu climbed off the stone bed and squatted down to move him. The child looked frail, but he was surprisingly strong. Su Ruhui really was being shifted, and he quickly said: “You’re my wife, will you listen to me or them?”

Sang Chiyu stared at him, his brows tightly furrowed.

Su Ruhui coaxed him: “If you don’t listen to me, you’re a bad wife. Are you a bad wife?”

Sang Chiyu’s eyes softened with grievance. He buried his face and shook his head.

“That’s right, now go to sleep. Yu’er is a good wife.” Su Ruhui pushed him onto the bed.

Su Ruhui was unrelenting, and Sang Chiyu couldn’t resist him. After rustling on the stone bed, both lay down to rest. Su Ruhui cautiously cracked open an eye. Sang Chiyu slept in front of him, curled up like a cat. His long, silky hair cascaded down the edge of the bed, hanging in front of Su Ruhui’s eyes. Su Ruhui couldn’t help but run his hand through his hair, counting each strand.

One stand, two strands, three strands. Yu’er was his silly wife.

The author has something to say:

He didn’t lose his memory, Sang ge just doesn’t know he’s a Yao (at that time). Was the last chapter angsty? I thought it was sweet, this chapter is sweet too.