Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"Don't, I don't want to eat, please, don't make me eat."
As soon as Shen Muhan's words fell, he saw Xia Muxin's brows furrowed tightly, a dark cloud gathering at her forehead. She looked pained, kicking the blanket and crying out in desperation.
Both Shen Muhan and Rong Li were startled and rushed to her bedside. However, Xia Muxin did not open her eyes; it was as if she were trapped in a terrifying nightmare, struggling incessantly. She flailed her arms and legs, even banging her head against the headboard, mumbling incoherently about not wanting to eat.
"Muxin, don't be afraid. It's me, I'm your uncle."
Shen Muhan quickly reached out to grasp her wildly flailing hand, softly whispering comforting words in her ear.
Rong Li watched his cautious movements with a smirk of irony on his lips.
In the end, he would bear the weight of the world for Xia Muxin. But what about him?
Finally, after kicking for a while, Xia Muxin stopped. At that moment, she opened her dazed eyes and upon seeing the enlarged face before her, she burst into tears.
"Wah... Uncle, I forced myself to eat Songzi's heart, and my father's, my mother's, Xue Er's... Wah... How could I be so wicked?"
"It's okay, it's okay. It was just a nightmare. You're awake now; everything is fine."
Shen Muhan gently stroked her hair, soothing her softly.
Seeing her cry made his heart ache as if it were being gnawed by countless ants; it hurt unbearably. How could he ever let go?
Rong Li scoffed and shook his head before quietly leaving the tent.
After crying for a while, Xia Muxin finally quieted down, but her body still trembled. This didn’t seem like a dream; it felt as real as if it were right in front of her—a heart drenched in blood, the terrifying cries and pleas of her family. How could this be a dream?
“Uncle, I want to go home. I miss my parents so much, Songzi... The peanuts I planted are already ripe, and there are still two months until the harvest... Has little Python Brother been born? Can we go home, please? Let’s go home...”
It was the first time Shen Muhan had seen Xia Muxin so fragile and helpless since they met. No matter what happened, she always greeted him with a smile. If someone insulted her, she would retaliate; if someone bullied her, she would fight back. He never expected her to be this vulnerable, as if she could shatter with just a touch. Shen Muhan held her tightly in his arms, gently patting her back and softly comforting her.
“Good girl, we’ll be home soon.”
After a while, Xia Muxin’s cries ceased, but she still sobbed lightly. Her faint voice echoed in his ears.
“Uncle... I’m so tired. I want to sleep.”
As soon as she finished speaking, her hands fell limply to her sides.
Shen Muhan was startled and quickly turned her to face him. However, her eyes were tightly shut, her breathing steady; she was deeply asleep.
He tentatively called out to her a couple of times, but there was no response. He gently laid her down.
He didn’t leave; instead, he took off his shoes and socks and pulled her into his embrace. Only then could he truly feel her presence.
But the more he thought about it, the more something felt off. Even a common cold wouldn’t cause this kind of reaction. Besides, he had already given her medicine that worked well for all kinds of colds.
So he reached for her pulse again.
At first, he didn’t notice anything unusual, but the longer he checked, the more he felt something was wrong. Her pulse fluctuated between steady and erratic, and it didn’t feel like one person’s pulse; it felt like two.
A series of doubts filled Aunt Er's mind as Qingyue walked in, only to find Shen Muhan and Xia Muxin sharing a bed. Her pretty face turned a shade of dark blue with anger; who sleeps during the day while being held by someone else?
With a cold huff, she turned to leave.
“Qingyue, did you lose Mother Child Gu?”
Just as she stepped out of the tent, Shen Muhan's icy voice pierced through the air. She jolted, turning around with a hint of panic in her eyes. Lowering her head, she hesitated for a long moment before sheepishly admitting, “Ming Lie took her away.”
No sooner had she spoken than a gust of wind swept through one side of the tent, shattering the tea set on that side. She widened her eyes in surprise, only to see Shen Muhan’s cold glare.
“Get out!”
Confused about why he was so angry, Qingyue felt wronged and her eyes turned red as she stomped away.
“Muxin, I won’t let anything happen to you. Absolutely not.”
On the bed, Shen Muhan held Xia Muxin tightly, his eyes red as he murmured softly...
Outside, the rain continued to pour relentlessly like beads from a broken string. The world was shrouded in chaos, and the ground was muddy. In no time, water began to accumulate at the entrance of the tent. Everyone braved the rain to dig up mud and seal off the area where the tent met the ground.
Shen Muqing had indeed been disfigured; now she approached the tent with an iron-gray face that was hard to recognize, storming toward it angrily. She collided with Qingyue, who looked utterly lost.
Both of them let out an “ouch” as they fell to the ground.
As he fell back, the raindrops the size of beans pelted against Shen Muqing's scarred face, sending sharp pain through him. He wanted to curse, but then he saw Qingyue sitting on the ground, lost and motionless, her shoulders faintly shaking. It was clear she was crying.
He was somewhat familiar with Qingyue because of Qing Zhan. Moreover, her temper was a bit willful; she always acted like a spoiled young lady. This was also why Shen Muhan had kept her at the villa for so long.
In this world, the only person who could make her sad enough to cry was probably Shen Muhan.
Sigh...
He deeply understood the pain of love.
Unfortunately, the person in his heart had yet to be seen.
"Hey, get up. You'll catch a cold in the rain."
He stepped forward, pulled Qingyue up, and spoke gently.
"Woo... I lost Mother Child Gu. Senior Brother got really angry. I've never seen him this angry before. It hurts so much here, woo..."
Qingyue trembled as she clutched her chest, crying heartbrokenly.
The rain washed over them, blurring everyone's vision.
"Let's go settle the score with him."
Shen Muqing was also furious. Qingyue had always been like a sister to him, and after so many years of deep-rooted feelings, it was hard not to feel pity for her. If their parents were still alive, she would have already dominated her surroundings.
Shen Muhan had truly lost his mind; he would do anything for Xia Muxin.
"Don't... they're on... the bed."
Qingyue, heartbroken, clutched his arm and wiped her face with her hand, speaking in broken phrases. The sound of the rain drowned out some of her words, but from her lips, Shen Muqing understood enough.
This only fueled his anger further.
He knew a little about Child Gu. As the name suggested, there was a Mother Gu and a Child Gu. If planted in a person's body, the one who had the Mother Gu would transform into the appearance of whoever they first thought of, targeting only that first person.
He also possessed mysterious powers to manipulate Child Gu, even from thousands of miles away.
Moreover, the person who had the Child Gu was doomed to die; if the Child Gu perished, the one who had the Mother Gu would never return to their original appearance but would instead continue to live with the transformed visage.
Besides, only a fool would willingly live under someone else's appearance and identity...
In the end, Qingyue could not resist Shen Muqing and was pulled directly into the tent.
What greeted her was Shen Muhan's haggard face and vacant gaze. Both were momentarily stunned until a voice as cold as ice pierced through the air:
"Get out."
That word again. Seeing Shen Muhan's expression that pushed people away, Qingyue stumbled back a few steps, tears streaming down her face once more.
From birth until now, Shen Muhan had told her to "get out" twice in one day, and both times it was for another woman.
From a young age, she knew that Shen Muhan was her only support. He bore heavy responsibilities and endured immense pressure, whether it was from the court, the military, or their parents' wishes. She allowed him his freedom, refraining from interference, but she would eventually grow up; she had feelings too. Her willfulness and stubbornness were merely attempts to draw his attention.
Yet now, he treated her this way for the sake of another woman.
She couldn't accept it—she simply couldn't.
"Shen Muhan, have you lost your mind? How can you speak like that?"
In truth, Shen Muqing was also taken aback by Shen Muhan's icy demeanor. They disagreed on many matters but had never truly fallen out. At this moment, however, she was seething with anger and reprimanded him sharply.
Shen Muhan's cold eyes swept over her, and his gaze felt like a thousand ice blades piercing through Qingyue. She shivered involuntarily, almost unable to meet his gaze.
Suddenly, her eyes widened. Mother Child Gu had been taken—could it be Xia Muxin...
In shock, she covered her mouth, unable to believe what she had just deduced.
"Yes, it's exactly as you think. You’ve won; are you satisfied now? You can leave."
Seeing her terrified expression, Shen Muhan's lips curled slightly into a bitter smile as he spoke.
"Uncle, what happened? Why did I fall asleep again?"
- End of Chapter -
Comment 0 Comment Count