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"Mother, what... what is happening to me?"
Winter Pearl clutched her chest, looking at her Mother in confusion. Just a moment ago, she was clearly at Liu Haiyan's house, how did she suddenly return home?
"Silly child, what on earth have you done?" Dongzhu's Mother, appearing increasingly frail, staggered over to Winter Pearl and grasped her hands with trembling fingers, her eyes fixed on the wooden hairpin piercing her heart.
"Mother, you can speak!"
Dongzhu's Mother shook her head. "I've always been able to speak. I didn't before because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hold back the truth from you, afraid that I would be sad in front of you. My foolish daughter, tell me, why did you do this?"
"My Husband... he has always been here, he just fell into a coma and can't wake up, so I thought... I thought I could wake him up. Mother! Tell me, why isn't my heart bleeding?"
"Zhu Zhu! My Zhu Zhu, why are you so foolish? You could have stayed in this world a little longer, but you chose... you chose to waste the last bit of my heart's blood for that man." Dongzhu's Mother weakly pounded her chest. "Master, is this truly your intention?"
"Mother! Zhu Zhu doesn't understand. Can you tell me what is going on?"
"Alright! Sit down and listen carefully to what I have to say."
Dongzhu's Mother made an effort to calm her emotions and then pointed to the cabinet behind her. "Zhu Zhu, go and open that cabinet door for me."
Winter Pearl nodded and walked toward the cabinet; however, when she reached out, her hand passed right through the cabinet door. She turned around, looking at her Mother in confusion, only to hear the sound of the cabinet door slowly creaking open.
Behind the cabinet was a separate space. It was clear that this space had been dug out little by little by her mother. Inside lay a person—specifically, Winter Pearl herself.
"Mother?"
"Zhu Zhu, you've actually long since left this world. So has your mother; I am no longer here either."
Winter Pearl's mouth fell open in shock, disbelief written all over her face. "No! This can't be true! Mother, tell Zhu Zhu this isn't real!"
"Do you remember what happened before? Well, Mother got up very early, not for any other reason, but because she heard that Liu Haiyan had returned. According to common sense, since he is back, he should come to see you. But Mother waited for two days, and he did not come. Worried, she went to check on him herself.
Who would have thought that during that time, you secretly left the city to look for him and ended up encountering an accident? Although Liu Haiyan returned, he was carried back by someone. He sustained serious injuries on the battlefield and remained unconscious. If it weren't for the fact that the officer was a relative of the Liu Family, he might have been discarded long ago. And you... you became like this, so Mother thought, well, you might as well consider him dead.
Mother prepared everything for your future, but she never expected that you would be so infatuated, unable to let go of his spirit. Mother couldn't bear it either and could only use the Method from our hometown to keep you safe. She thought that when the time came, she would leave with you to prevent you from feeling lonely on the road to the afterlife.
But plans don't always work out; you unexpectedly encountered his soul and foolishly wanted to use your own blood to awaken him. Zhu Zhu, you have long been a pitiful ghost; if it weren't for Mother's efforts sustaining you, you wouldn't even be able to maintain your human form, let alone bleed from your heart.
Now that everything is clear, it's time for us mother and daughter to leave."
"Mother!" Winter Pearl hugged her mother tightly, crying uncontrollably. It was only now that she truly saw her mother's appearance. No wonder her mother's complexion was getting paler and why she was becoming thinner. It turned out that all these years, her mother had been using her own life force to sustain her. The red candles were made from her mother's blood.
On the night before the Lunar New Year’s fourteenth day, when Winter Pearl and her mother were about to depart, an unexpected guest arrived at their home—a Taoist priest clad in a robe. This priest claimed that Liu Haiyan's unconsciousness was due to the Evil Spirits haunting this residence. During the struggle, Dongzhu's Mother was destroyed in body and soul scattered; Winter Pearl was severely injured but managed to escape temporarily under Dongzhu's Mother's protection.
When Xing Ruyi and the fox heard the news and rushed over, they could only take the injured Winter Pearl back to Ruyi Rouge shop for the time being.
"Ruyi, my mother has left me, and I am about to leave too. Can I ask you for one last favor?"
"To save Liu Haiyan?"
Winter Pearl hesitated but eventually nodded: "I know I shouldn't make such a request. If it weren't for his father and mother, my own mother wouldn't have ended up like this. But I can't accept it; I want to ask him directly if he would be willing to keep his promise from back then and marry Winter Pearl."
"You know he has lost his memory; all past events are forgotten by him now. Even if he wakes up, he may still be like this. Do you still want me to save him?"
Winter Pearl thought for a moment but ultimately nodded: "At least there is still a chance for Winter Pearl, isn't there?"
"Alright then, I will go save him, but I will only be responsible for driving his soul back into his body. As for what happens afterward, it has nothing to do with me; I won't interfere."
"Thank you, miss!" Winter Pearl forced herself up and bowed deeply to Xing Ruyi: "The Wedding Garment is already prepared at home, but as for the purse and embroidered shoes, I fear I won't have time to make them. Please don't blame me!"
"These are all matters at hand. Your time is running out, and I will do my best to help fulfill your wishes. However, not everything in this world can end as you desire."
"Winter Pearl understands! If he truly cannot remember Winter Pearl, if he cannot recall the promises made back then, Winter Pearl will not blame him. Winter Pearl has no more time left; for him, forgetting might be better."
Although Winter Pearl claims not to care, through her eyes, Xing Ruyi knows that she does care, and very much so.
Xing Ruyi sighed lightly, saying nothing. While it was still dark, he found a passing Ghost Messenger and had him return Liu Haiyan's wandering soul.
After the Ghost Messenger completed his task and returned to report, he mentioned that the Taoist priest hired by the Liu Family was performing rituals in the courtyard, mumbling incantations that were quite bothersome to hear. Nevertheless, he did not fail his mission and managed to return Liu Haiyan's soul. However, such actions were against the rules, and if the underworld were to inquire later, he would need Xing Ruyi to explain.
Xing Ruyi had never intended to accept any favors from the Liu Family; whether this credit would go to the Taoist priest did not concern him.
On the fifteenth day of the lunar month, Liu Haiyan finally woke up after years of coma. As members of the Liu Family who were unaware of the truth, they naturally believed that everything was due to the Taoist priest's efforts and increasingly thought that their son's coma was caused by the mischief of Winter Pearl and her mother.
Seizing the opportunity to take credit and hoping for a larger reward, the Taoist priest suggested a marriage to bring good fortune to the Liu Family. Thus, under his calculations, the Liu Family arranged for Liu Haiyan to marry someone else that very night to avoid any prolonged uncertainties.
The new Wife was chosen from among the maids of the Liu Family; she was the girl who had been attending to Liu Haiyan since his coma. Previously from a scholarly family with a father who was a teacher, she had entered the Liu Family as a maid due to her family's decline. With a gentle temperament and diligent work ethic, she was considered a suitable choice in the eyes of Liu Haiyan's parents.
Although Liu Haiyan had awakened, he bore many disabilities. Only his own family would willingly care for him wholeheartedly without disdain.
As for this marriage arrangement, the bride naturally did not object. She had been with the Liu Family for several years and had seen Liu Haiyan before his injury. To be honest, she admired him deeply. If it weren't for Liu Haiyan's severe injuries, this marriage might not have come her way at all. Therefore, hastily marrying him was acceptable; as long as her husband was Liu Haiyan, she cared for nothing else. Moreover, transitioning from being a maid overnight into becoming a Young Lady of the Liu Family was a significant honor for her.
Liu Haiyan had no objections to his parents' decision. The bride was someone who had devoted herself to caring for him for many years; marrying her was perfectly fine. Yet as he leaned against his bed and looked out at the gloomy yet festive courtyard, he felt as if he had lost something.
News of Liu Haiyan's impending marriage quickly reached Ruyi Rouge's shop. Xing Ruyi looked at Winter Pearl, who seemed lost in thought, and asked her, "Do you regret it?"
Winter Pearl bit her lip tightly and remained silent.
The wedding of the Liu Family followed the Taoist priest's arrangements and began in the evening. The new Wife wore a bright red wedding gown adorned with phoenix crowns and colorful veils; with pearls adorning her headpiece and a red veil covering her face, she stood quietly without moving an inch, her eyes radiating a cold light.
The Matchmaker stood to the right of the bride, gently holding her hand, while the other maids, dressed in new garments, stood neatly behind the new Wife. Although this new Wife was brought forth by a maid from the Liu Family, the Liu Family still ensured that everything was properly arranged for the grand wedding.
The deafening sound of firecrackers erupted, causing the new Wife's veil to flutter slightly as she clenched her hands tightly beneath her sleeves. Hearing the synchronized footsteps, she knew, "He has arrived!"
The Groom, having just recovered from a serious illness, naturally could not follow tradition and personally come to greet the bride. However, this step of welcoming the bride could not be omitted. Thus, a strong servant was found to carry the sedan chair and come out to receive her. This fresh scene brought joy to many onlookers.
After the tedious rituals concluded, it was time to enter the Wedding Chamber. Given the Groom's poor health, the toast segment was naturally skipped. The former Young Master's Bedroom had now transformed into a new home, with the former master and maid now becoming the groom and bride.
Liu Haiyan gazed at the red veil, somewhat lost in thought, as a delicate face faintly emerged in his mind. He softly cleared his throat and gently asked, "You've been through a lot; you must be tired. If you're weary, you should rest early."
"Young Master!" The new Wife called out anxiously.
"Mm? What is it?" Liu Haiyan asked as he reached out to lift her veil but was stopped by a pair of jade-like hands.
"Is this marriage something you truly wish for?"
"Of course I wish for it; it's just that my current situation has caused you some distress."
The new Wife's hands stiffened momentarily before she asked again, "Do you still remember our previous marriage agreement?"
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