Chapter 18: Is She an Immortal Sister?
Page 1/3
“Yes, it was sent by your eldest uncle’s wife.” Cheng Yuan’s expression changed instantly.
Cheng Zhi quickly added, “Your eldest uncle’s wife came specifically to apologize. She said she was impulsive before. Grandma has also agreed to your name change. So it’s settled. In the future, our two families can still keep in close contact.”
The more Cheng Zhi spoke, the less confident she sounded, as Cheng Yuan’s face darkened completely.
She couldn’t help but explain, “Yuan’er, I was thinking, it’s better to avoid trouble than to cause it. It’s easier to make enemies than friends, and we live in the same village, always running into each other…”
Cheng Yuan listened quietly, her dark eyes unreadable, but her voice trembled with suppressed sobs.
“So father bought you and abused you; eldest uncle stole our family’s lifesaving grain; eldest uncle’s wife watched us starve without giving a scrap; grandmother slandered me in front of the entire village. There’s probably more. Do you think a few light words from eldest uncle’s wife mean you can just let it go, Mother?”
“How can you be so easy to bully?”
Cheng Yuan’s eyes reddened even before Cheng Zhi’s.
Cheng Zhi stood frozen, like a child who had done something wrong, unsure what to say.
“I, I…”
The sharp scent of burnt caramel wafted from the pot. Sensing the tense atmosphere, little Cheng Hu’s smile faded gradually.
His eyes showed panic as he glanced between his sister and mother, then clung tightly to Cheng Yuan’s leg.
“Sis, Mom said you’ve worked hard these past two days, so she wanted to make you candied hawthorns. Don’t be mad at Mom—if anyone should be upset, it should be me.”
Cheng Zhi lowered her head stiffly. “It’s not Hu’er’s fault. It’s Mom who misunderstood. I shouldn’t have accepted their food when making something for Yuan’er…”
Cheng Yuan shivered but bit her lip, pried Cheng Hu’s grip loose, and turned to leave.
After a while, she returned.
Cheng Zhi, holding Hu’er, was silently wiping tears. Seeing her come back, she hurriedly dried her eyes.
But Cheng Yuan’s gaze was unwavering; she didn’t look at her once, took the medicine pot and herbs, and left.
She felt a gaze following her all along, but a surge of anger kept her from looking back or saying another word.
Her footsteps echoed loudly as she walked out into the courtyard.
Xie Yanzhi jumped in surprise, clutching the remaining sunflower seeds tightly, his eyes following her. Noticing her almost cold and ruthless expression, he thought to himself, “This isn’t good.”
Xie Tingjun glanced once but quickly withdrew his gaze.
Xie Yanzhi wanted to say something but held back out of caution.
Only when the sun set did Cheng Yuan leave with the medicine bowl, and Xie Yanzhi quietly peeked inside.
But the next moment, Xie Tingjun pulled him back roughly.
“Mind your own family’s business.”
Xie Yanzhi yelped, then straightened his disheveled clothes. “But, Father, I think I saw Xie Changzhi lying in bed. Is Cheng Yuan making medicine for him?”
Page 2/3
“Sick?” Xie Tingjun didn’t even blink, as if hearing that Xie Changzhi had eaten was just ordinary news. He continued cracking sunflower seeds, his beard twitching.
Earlier, in the capital, he looked down on his wife and child’s food. Unexpectedly, now he found himself somewhat addicted.
“He’s not in pain. Taking medicine is useless. Better to buy me something to eat—I’m starving.”
Xie Yanzhi complained, rubbing his stomach.
They had expected to eat right after returning from the market, but after the incident with the old lady, they missed lunch. Neighbors passing by shared some sunflower seeds, and a plump Aunt Jiang brought some hawthorns.
Finally waiting for Cheng Yuan to return, she had been boiling medicine for half a day. Seeing her pale face, they didn’t dare jinx it.
——
“Changzhi, Changzhi.”
In the dilapidated courtyard, icicles hung from the eaves. The drafty room contained a bed with a heavily patched quilt bulging in one spot, and a pair of frostbitten feet poking out.
“Changzhi, Changzhi.”
The quilt was slowly pulled back at one corner, revealing a pair of moist eyes, wary beneath a tuft of sticking-up hair.
Chilled by an unknown cold, he shivered, curled in a corner, lips bitten raw.
“Who’s there?”
The little one hesitated long before answering.
Who could it be?
His younger brother, who loved to tease him? Impossible. His brother was delicate, likely wrapped in several warm blankets and wouldn’t come here.
His father? But Father never called him Changzhi alone. He would say “Xie Changzhi” and scold him for bullying his brother.
Or greedy servants? But all valuable things in the yard had been moved, and he had nothing left to give.
Still, he was freezing cold—if only he had another blanket, he’d even learn to bark like a dog…
“Changzhi?”
The voice came again, gentle and cautious, a woman’s voice.
Little Xie Changzhi froze.
He had never heard this voice before, so warm, just like the voice he imagined—
His mother’s voice!
But his mother was dead.
They all said his mother was dead, and he was a motherless child.
Could it be the fairy sister? A goddess finally hearing his prayers…
Page 3/3
Outside the dream.
Cheng Yuan had called Xie Changzhi for a long time, but he seemed trapped in a nightmare, his face troubled yet unable to wake.
She narrowed her eyes. Since this was the case, she had no choice but to play her trump card.
Setting the medicine bowl aside, she reached out and touched his chin. Almost instantly, the person on the bed jerked open his eyes.
“Fairy sister!”
“Ah!” Cheng Yuan was startled, but Xie Changzhi gripped her wrist tightly, too hard, causing discomfort. She twisted to free herself.
Yet Xie Changzhi, seemingly awake physically but not mentally, suddenly pulled her under the quilt.
Before she could react, two layers of cotton quilts were thrown back, pressing her face against his chest.
She pressed her lips together. “Xie Changzhi? Let me go.”
But he kept mumbling, ignoring her words. Cheng Yuan sighed and leaned closer to his ear.
“Fairy sister, please don’t abandon me…”
Fairy sister? Cheng Yuan frowned—this child was still dreaming?
She wanted to listen more, but suddenly the grip on her wrist loosened. Turning her head, she saw he had fallen back asleep.
Cheng Yuan felt a strange mix of anger and amusement.
She got up from the bed, tucked in the quilt corners, then without mercy, tilted his chin up and forced the now cold medicine down his throat before straightening the quilt again.
Turning to leave, she nearly bumped into Cheng Zhi standing at the door.
“Yuan’er, Mother… Mother wants to talk to you.”
Meeting Cheng Yuan’s sharp gaze, Cheng Zhi stammered.
Cheng Yuan shifted her eyes aside. “Later.”
She passed by her and walked out.
Cheng Zhi stood there, tears welling again.
In the courtyard, Xie Yanzhi mustered courage to stop Cheng Yuan.
“What’s for dinner tonight?”
“Nothing!”