“Oh? Really? Did you really hear Lu Zhao and his wife arguing?” An Yu leaned against the back of the chair, listening to the servant’s report. Instantly sitting up straight, she leaned forward with interest, unable to conceal the triumphant look on her face.
“Yes, this servant was just doing some cleaning chores at the inn, so I was far away and didn’t hear clearly. But when Young Master Lu returned, he looked furious, pulled his wife into the room, and shortly after, news spread that Madam fainted from anger. It seems they had a serious quarrel!” A plain-looking maid knelt below, eager to report vividly.
Wu Nan stood aside, his pupils contracting upon hearing that Shen Qingyao had fainted.
An’yu smiled happily, waving off the maid invitingly. She instructed her to continue gathering information and then stood up slowly. Calling her personal maid, she said leisurely, “Go, send a message. Tomorrow, we will go visit the Young Madam.”
Knowing her gu insect had surely taken effect, An’yu naturally intended to inspect personally.
After the maid departed, Wu Nan stepped forward. His face darkened, and in a hoarse voice, he asked, “What… what have you done?”
An’yu looked at him in surprise and after a moment of confusion, said innocently, “What have I done? I just like the Young Madam and wanted to visit her. Is that not allowed?”
Wu Nan furrowed his brows, not wanting to hear her excuses, and said directly, “You used the gu! The sachet I gave her can repel ordinary insects, but if a gu smells it, they’ll be attracted by the scent and become restless.”
Initially suspicious, Wu Nan had given Shen Qingyao the sachet, and that night she had fainted. Seeing An’yu’s reaction now, it was clear that her involvement was not merely about Madam fainting from anger.
“I will inform His Majesty!” Wu Nan gritted his teeth.
A flash of severity crossed An’yu’s face, disappearing after a moment. She giggled, stepping closer, her breath fragrant as she leaned towards Wu Nan’s ear and said, “Inform Elder Brother? Do you have evidence? But…” An Yu’s hand circled Wu Nan’s ear, causing him to blush and step back.
“But I must thank you for your sachet. If it weren’t for it stimulating my little pet, I don’t think the effect would have been so good!”
“You!” Wu Nan’s face changed. He wanted to say more but suddenly felt heat in his ears and collapsed softly.
“Now… what should I do? If you’ve discovered me, you’ll go tell His Majesty… I guess I’ll have to let you rest for a while.” An’yu clapped her hands lightly, and a faint powder dispersed from her fingers, vanishing into the air…
In the inn, the news of Shen Qingyao’s fainting due to heart disease alarmed many. The old doctor arrived; Lu Zhao was standing guard by the bed, while Shen Yushu had hurried over, pacing anxiously.
“Madam’s heart disease has been long-standing, and it’s difficult to cure. This time it’s come on fiercely again, and even I am helpless. I can only slightly modify the old prescription. As for when Madam will wake up, it depends on her fate.” The old doctor had always been the one to treat Shen Qingyao. He sighed, his face growing more serious.
“Is there really no other way?” Shen Yushu anxiously approached, grabbing the old doctor, worried and helpless. Suddenly, he turned to look at Lu Zhao, who had been holding Shen Qingyao’s hand without moving. Unable to hold back, he asked, “What exactly happened? Yaoyao’s heart disease hasn’t acted up for so long. How could it suddenly relapse?”
Lu Zhao didn’t speak, only showing regret on his face, blaming himself for losing his temper with Yaoyao.
At this moment, Shen Qinglin, who had also received the news, burst in through the door, looking extremely anxious: “I heard Yaoyao is sick again?! How is she?” Seeing Shen Yushu, she hurried over and asked, “Eldest Brother, how is Yao Yao?”
Shen Yushu sighed before answering her, and Shen Qinglin’s heart sank. “She…”
“You said you know Kong Lin’s whereabouts, where is he?” Lu Zhao suddenly spoke up. Shen Qinglin turned to look at him. His expression was calm, but seemed to be suppressing something forcefully, as if Shen Qingyao’s condition worsening would immediately make him lose control. Shen Qinglin hesitated for a moment before saying, “I did meet Doctor Kong before, but that was three months ago. The doctor has since left the royal court. I can only confirm he’s still in Nanzhao, but I don’t know exactly where.”
Seeing Lu Zhao showing signs of anger, Shen Qinglin’s heart skipped a beat. She realized the importance: Shen Qingyao’s system mission was likely to prevent Lu Zhao from turning ecil. She couldn’t afford to add fuel to the fire now. She quickly added, “But I can indeed contact Doctor Kong! We have a specific way to reach him, and I’ve left him a message. If he sees it, he’ll come…”
Lu Zhao’s expression darkened, making Shen Qinglin nervous. She herself wasn’t entirely confident; what if Kong Lin didn’t show up? Shen Qingyao had rushed to Nanzhao to help her, and Shen Qingyao had indeed found news about Lin Yingqiu. But if she couldn’t find the doctor for Shen Qingyao, wouldn’t it be deception?
Both were his younger sisters. Shen Yushu worried about Shen Qingyao, but seeing Shen Qinglin looking anxious, he softened. He pulled Shen Qinglin behind him and said to Lu Zhao, “Changfeng, don’t be too anxious. Finding the doctor requires the doctor’s cooperation; Ah Lin can’t control that. Yaoyao has good fortune; she will definitely be safe. I will send a message to Ah Li as soon as I get back, asking her to also keep an eye out in the north. If there are any spiritual medicines that could help, we’ll rush them over.”
Lu Zhao held Shen Qingyao’s hand tightly, not pressing further. After a moment, he suddenly said calmly, “Before Yaoyao fell ill, someone gave her a sachet. It was scattered at the time, but Yaoyao seemed a bit unusual after smelling it.”
Both Shen Yushu and Shen Qinglin were startled and quickly glanced at the table beside them, where many fragments of spices had indeed been picked up. If Yaoyao’s illness wasn’t accidental but intentionally induced…
Shen Yushu’s eyes flashed with a hint of coldness.
“I understand. I will investigate this. You stay with Yaoyao!”
Lu Zhao nodded and fell silent again.
It was clear that Lu Zhao was restraining himself. Shen Yushu sighed and gave Shen Qinglin a meaningful look, urging her to leave first.
“But… I haven’t seen Yaoyao yet…” Shen Qinglin stretched her neck toward the bed, but Shen Yushu firmly held her back.
“Let’s go first! Let him and Yaoyao be alone. You and I will investigate that sachet!”
“Oh…”
After the two left, the room fell silent. Shen Qingyao on the bed was breathing evenly, her face unusually pale, as if she were sleeping peacefully. Lu Zhao sat beside her, his eyes fixed on her as if trying to imprint her appearance in his mind.
“Yaoyao, wake up soon. Even if…” Lu Zhao’s heart ached as he thought of six years ago. “Even if, like before, you wake up and don’t remember me, it’s okay. This time, I’m by your side. Elder Brother Lu Zhao is here with you. Forget it and start over, it’s okay…”
Cui Qiao entered with medicine and happened to hear this last sentence. Her eyes teared up, thinking, Miss, so many people are worried about you. You must wake up soon.
She didn’t step forward to disturb and silently withdrew.
Shen Qingyao, who was in a deep sleep, was now trapped in one dream after another…
[Host… Host… Host, wake up!]
The system was calling her, but Shen Qingyao furrowed her brow. Her eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, refusing to open. She sensed her body sinking, like a rootless wanderer, unable to find its origin or destination.
The sensation was unbearable. Shen Qingyao took a deep breath and struggled, finally forcing her eyes open with great effort. The glaring sunlight fell directly into her eyes, causing her discomfort as she squinted, gradually taking in her surroundings. This wasn’t the inn in Nanzhao. Shen Qingyao looked around, feeling a strange familiarity but unable to recall where she was.
Suddenly, a small figure emerged from a nearby corridor, running towards her without even looking. Shen Qingyao couldn’t move out of the way in time and was about to collide when the figure passed right through her. Startled, Shen Qingyao jumped back. It was a young girl with double hair buns, holding a piece of paper and running joyfully while shouting, “Elder Brother Lu Zhao!”
Shen Qingyao was stunned. Unable to resist, she turned to follow the girl’s figure. At the end of the corridor, stood a smiling young man.
It was Lu Zhao from his youth, and the little girl… wasn’t she the original owner from her childhood? Shen Qingyao looked closely and confirmed that it was the little Qingyao she had seen in her dreams several times.
Am I still in a dream? If so, this place should be the Shen residence from several years ago. No wonder it feels familiar. Shen Qingyao thought faintly, her eyes lowering. In the past, she found these dreams amusing, but now, aside from the amusement, there was also impatience. She didn’t want to learn more about the past between the original owner and Lu Zhao. The more she knew, the more guilty she felt.
But the dream continued. Shen Qingyao watched as little Qingyao ran happily, stumbling near Lu Zhao and then laughing as he caught her in his arms.
Lu Zhao tapped her nose playfully, somewhat reproachful, “Why are you so careless!”
Sticking out her tongue, little Qingyao reached up to encircle Lu Zhao’s neck, burying her face in his embrace just as Shen Qingyao used to do. Then she spoke crisply, “I was just too excited! Brother Lu Zhao, look at this! How’s my drawing?”
With that, she pulled out the paper she held, presenting a cute little fox.
“This is… a puppy?” Lu Zhao hesitated, and little Qingyao widened her eyes, “It’s a fox! Clearly a fox! A white fox! Don’t you think I did well? It looks just like you! Handsome and clever!”
The fox on the paper was hardly good-looking, but Lu Zhao’s eyes lit up with happiness as he squinted and nodded, “You did a great job.”
The scene shifted. Shen Qingyao watched as little Qingyao forgot her drawing within days. Lu Zhao picked up the scattered paper, made some additions and changes, turning it into a splendid jade pendant design. He then found the finest white jade, meticulously carving the jade fox and presented it to the little girl.
Little Qingyao was thrilled for a long time, holding the jade fox dearly.
Not long after, Lu Zhao accompanied his father on a mission to Xiling, and ten-year-old Shen Qingyao fell ill. Chaos erupted in the Shen residence due to her condition, and the cherished jade fox was left forgotten in a corner, with no one to remember it.
Two years later, twelve-year-old little Qingyao moved to another courtyard. Cui Qiao tidied up her things when she suddenly made a strange noise, “Huh? Miss? How did this jade pendant end up here? It looks like… a little dog? Is it yours?”
At this time, little Qingyao had lost her former vitality. She appeared indifferent and distant, often staring blankly into space. If no one called her, she wouldn’t move all day, like a soulless puppet.
Upon hearing this, she turned her eyes and shook her head again. “No.”
“If it’s not yours, then who could have left it here? I’ll take it to Madam to have a look. She’s been busy counting the things in the mansion recently!”
Little Qingyao naturally had no objections.
The jade fox went through several twists and turns and ended up in Shen Qingli’s own jade shop. Several years passed without it appearing again until now, when Shen Qingyao once again stepped into that jade shop and immediately took a liking to it, sending it back into Lu Zhao’s hands.
“It’s actually like this…” In the dream, Shen Qingyao widened her eyes in disbelief.
No wonder, no wonder her elder sister had a subtle expression when she selected the jade fox back then. No wonder, no wonder Lu Zhao looked surprised when she gave him the jade fox, only commenting that it was his design.
Could this be another fateful encounter between them from the past?
The scene in the dream changed again, this time without the shadow of little Qingyao. Instead, it was a long and lonely night.
It was her courtyard, the crabapple tree was still there, but every mid-month, there would always be a figure standing silently under the tree, motionless. That was Lu Zhao.
After Shen Qingyao lost her memory, Lu Zhao gradually reduced his visits to the Shen residence. The passionate and brilliant friendship of their childhood was buried since the night he returned from Xiling. However, he never forgot his little girl. Initially, it was hearing that she wasn’t feeling well again and wanting to quietly sneak in to see her. Later, it gradually became wanting to see her when he was happy or upset.
In any case, even just listening to the faint yet steady sound of her breathing in the courtyard could make him feel calm.
Watching the moon outside her courtyard became a habit for Lu Zhao over the years.
It wasn’t until now that Shen Qingyao suddenly realized what Lu Zhao meant when he said on the boat heading south, “Because for a long time before, only the moon accompanied me.” Lu Zhao liked looking at the moon because it shone upon his peacefully sleeping little girl.
Shen Qingyao couldn’t say whether she felt joy or sorrow, only finding it absurd. It turned out that those few joys she thought were unrelated to the original owner were also not exclusively hers.
Whether it was the jade fox or the moon.
She thought they were memories between her and Lu Zhao, but in fact, these memories were deeply marked with the imprint of the original owner.
Even in her dream, Shen Qingyao blinked her eyes and couldn’t help but shed a tear. She couldn’t help but wonder, when she cherished playing with the jade fox, when Lu Zhao affectionately showed her the moon, who exactly was he seeing through her?
Sorrow overwhelmed Shen Qingyao. In the blurry dream, she couldn’t feel anything at all. But in reality, her wrist throbbed violently, stirring her emotions.
Under the moonlight, An’yu stood holding a small box in her hands. Inside was a golden insect, currently wriggling actively. An’yu smirked. This insect was a pair with the one inside Shen Qingyao’s body. Its lively movements meant the one inside Shen Qingyao was also active.
She reached out and poked it. The insect suddenly twisted violently and then stiffened motionless. An’yu was stunned. Had the effect of the insect reached its peak? It had actually died?
She sneered. It seemed the rift between Shen Qingyao and Lu Zhao was even greater than she had thought. An’yu’s gaze turned mischievous, increasingly looking forward to personally seeing Shen Qingyao…
Thanks for the chapter!!!!