Chapter 95 Severed Finger: I Want to Give You a Gift
After the land deed for Jude Winery was handed over to Le Jin, Meng Shutai seemed to have disappeared, and Le Jin had not seen him for a long time.
Life was peaceful and uneventful, even the weather seemed to be cooperating. Winter was approaching, but there was no sign of snow, and Le Jin could see the bright autumn sun every day when she opened her window.
But when she thought of that person saying in the palace that he was willing to be a concubine, even the gentlest sunshine seemed like a slightly colored block of ice to Le Jin, leaving her stunned and shrouding the world before her.
Sheng Yi was checking the wedding banquet arrangements when he looked up and saw Le Jin gazing at the jade trees and branches in the courtyard with a worried expression. He smiled and said, "The wedding will really happen in three days, so what are you worried about, Miss?"
Sheng San held the arrangement notice in his hand, looking at the sentence "Red jade beaded curtains shall be placed in the left and right entrance halls of the winery" again and again, his brows furrowing. Wouldn't empty beaded curtains be too monotonous?
Finally, he picked up his pen and added a line: "A gauze curtain is set behind the window, carefully hung down." After making the change, he looked at Le Jin by the window, following Sheng Yi's words, and nudged Sheng Yi with his elbow.
"Oh dear, how can you be so clueless? It's a young lady's first time getting married; it's perfectly normal for her to feel sentimental. Look how clumsy he is, Miss Qingsi!"
Sheng Yi disagreed and retorted, and the two immediately started arguing.
Looking at them, Le Jin didn't know whether to laugh or cry; she was just frustrated: Actually, this wasn't the first time...
"Qingsi! The wedding dress has been retrieved!"
Yuanfang, carrying a square box in his arms, rushed in and handed it to her with both hands before he could even catch his breath.
"Quick, open it and see if it fits!"
Le Jin initially had no intention of holding a wedding ceremony with Yuan Fang. After the torment of her previous marriage, she preferred that the two of them be free, drink nuptial wine together in their room, promise each other, and then write a marriage certificate. But Yuan Fang was not happy about it.
"This is my first and only wedding in my life, why are you making it seem like I'm doing it secretly and as if it's something I can't show to others?"
He rejected Le Jin's suggestion on the spot, proudly stating that Le Jin could not hurt his innocent young heart.
Le Jin bit her lip to stop laughing. He's twenty-three, why is he still acting so coquettish... But there was nothing she could do. She thought about it and realized she shouldn't take away his expectations because of her own resistance.
“Alright. But I have one request: keep the wedding simple. I only want a bright red wedding dress, the most ordinary kind, the kind a country girl would wear.”
In her memory, her older sister also had a bright red wedding dress before she got married. She took the fabric that her family bought to Chen the tailor at the village entrance to have it made.
The vibrant red color and the perfectly tailored cut made her look like a flower in full bloom that day. Young Le Jin looked up at her, babbling "Wah wah wah..."
Now that she has married herself, what she misses most is that red wedding dress.
Le Jin used to be busy working to earn money, and she never had a moment of girlish shyness in her life, except perhaps for that wedding dress.
The square box was tied with a pretty knot. Just as Le Jin was about to open it, she suddenly asked, "Have you seen it?"
Yuanfang's eyes lit up unusually, and he shook his head seriously: "No, I'm waiting for you to send it to me."
"no."
"Why!"
Le Jin took the box from his arms, turned her body slightly to the side, and secretly tapped the bottom of the box with her fingertips, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed.
"The groom can only see the wedding dress on the wedding day. What's the point of seeing it beforehand?"
She gestured towards the door, "You guys go out first, I'll try it myself, and I'll let you know if I need to make any changes."
Yuan Fang's eyes suddenly became dull and lifeless. He wanted to say something, but Le Jin half-pushed and half-shoved him out.
As soon as the door closed, Le Jin took the wedding dress box to the bed, looking at it from all angles as if it were a rare treasure.
A smile curved her lips; she could hardly believe she was really getting married, yet she was also looking forward to the red wedding dress.
Gently untying the box's ribbon and opening the lid, a beautiful wedding dress lay obediently before Le Jin's eyes. Yuan Fang had listened to Le Jin's advice and hadn't added any unnecessary or frivolous embellishments to the dress.
The collar and cuffs of the dress were embroidered with auspicious clouds, the chest featured a pair of phoenixes and peonies, and the skirt was decorated with a circle of floral basket patterns. The whole outfit exuded a festive atmosphere at first glance.
Le Jin was so happy that she picked up her wedding dress and almost jumped up on the spot.
She was just about to go to the mirror to compare her height when she suddenly noticed a small thing in the box.
Wrapped in fine red silk, it lay quietly at the bottom of the box, covered by her wedding dress.
Is it some kind of button decoration?
Le Jin put down her wedding dress and reached out to pick up the object. But as soon as her fingertips touched the red silk outside, she was startled.
It's wet!
This wet thing was used as a liner under her wedding dress all the way!
Le Jin felt a sudden discomfort. This shopkeeper wasn't being very careful! She quickly picked up the wedding dress and carefully examined it, and sure enough, she felt a dampness on the right sleeve.
Upon closer inspection, a small patch of that area had been soaked with an unknown liquid.
It felt like a bucket of ice-cold water had been poured over her head; Le Jin was both angry and wanted to cry.
What bride wants something stuck to her wedding dress!
Le Jin grabbed the damp thing and angrily flipped it open. She was going to take it to the shopkeeper later to argue; they shouldn't have treated a newcomer like that!
As the last corner of the red silk was lifted, a freshly severed finger appeared in her palm.
It was a little finger, with distinct joints, long and slender like jade. Even after it was cut off, the beauty of the finger's owner's bones could still be seen.
Blood congealed on the pale flesh, the severed finger was stained mottled, the nail looked like it was coated with an uneven layer of nail polish, the muscles at the fingertips were slightly atrophied, revealing a bit of jade-like white bone.
Beside it was a piece of paper about the size of a thumb, with strong yet elegant handwriting that read:
He Ajin remarries
"ah!!!"
Le Jin's face turned pale. She immediately dropped the severed finger, as if it had bitten into her palm, its sharp teeth hooking into her flesh.
She didn't lose a finger, but she was so frightened that her hand hurt.
"What's wrong?"
Upon hearing the commotion inside, Yuanfang realized that Qingsi seemed to be acting strangely. He should have rushed in, but what if Qingsi's clothes were removed? Wouldn't that be inconvenient for her? He hurried over, but in the end, he only stood at the door and asked.
"No...nothing...don't come in..."
Le Jin trembled as she instructed Yuan Fang to follow, covering her mouth with her hands and staring timidly at the severed finger lying on her bed.
Now she understood why the red silk was wet—it was soaked in blood.
And her wedding dress was also stained with Meng Shutai's blood.
A mixture of cold and hot sweat rushed to Le Jin's forehead. She bit her lower lip tightly to keep herself from screaming out of control.
Why did he do that?
Why would you cut off your little finger and give it to her?
Le Jin felt a churning in her stomach and was so nauseous that she bent over to vomit, but nothing came out. Her throat felt stuffy and gurgling, as if something was drilling inside.
She knew Meng Shutai wouldn't be so calm. His fingers were here, just as he was here.
It vanishes without a trace, yet its spirit lingers.
Her nerves were being agitated by him, and she trembled uncontrollably. The delivery of the wedding dress should have been the happiest moment, but for a moment, Kele Jin felt like she was about to go insane.
She was going to find Meng Shutai and ask him why he did this and why he wouldn't let her go... However, as soon as she turned around, a thought flashed through Le Jin's mind.
He's been missing these past few days, isn't it because he wants her to come to him?
She's about to marry Yuanfang, so she absolutely can't afford any mishaps at a time like this.
Le Jin looked frantically at the closed door. Although she couldn't see it, she knew Yuan Fang was right there, unwavering and staying with her.
As her heart, pounding with fear, gradually calmed, Le Jin walked step by step toward the door and gently pulled it open.
Her bloodless lips curved into a sweet smile.
"I've seen the wedding dress; it's beautiful and fits perfectly."
Yuanfang's gaze swept over Le Jin's face, his brows furrowing with heartache, "Qing Si..."
"Fang Sui, thank you."
——
Le Jin didn't say anything to anyone and endured it until the night of her wedding.
Jude Winery is brightly lit tonight, and the entire building is newly renovated with red ribbons fluttering in the wind. However, no outside guests are welcome. Only Jiang Yingyun's family, Madam Zhang, Sheng Yi, Sheng Er, Sheng San, and Consort Wen are invited.
However, today she is not a noble concubine in the palace, but simply Yuanfang's mother.
When Le Jin saw her arrive, after the wedding ceremony, she left Yuan Fang outside the bridal chamber.
A round fan embroidered with a hundred flowers symbolizing reunion was placed in front of her face, and Yuanfang could only vaguely see Le Jin's smiling face.
"It's not easy for Consort Wen to leave the palace. She must have a lot to say to you. Go and keep her company first. You can drink, but you must drink less."
The girl he loved sat gracefully on the wedding bed, dressed in red. Yuanfang had long been tempted, but after she said that, he realized that if he continued to act rashly, he would look like a heartless lecher.
He lowered his head and sighed, the gauze crown adorned with flowers and jade seemed to weigh him down.
"...Then I'll go say a few words to them first, and I'll be right back!"
He turned away reluctantly, when suddenly his fingers were grasped by Le Jin.
The girl's soft palm enveloped him, gentle and warm.
"I'm waiting for you."
Yuanfang smiled brightly, took Lejin's hand and kissed it hard. After the kiss, he winked at Lejin, his expression childlike and happy: "Finally, it's okay."
Le Jin laughed, her hair tassels swaying wildly at his amusement, and watched him rush out through the hazy obstruction of the fan.
The hand he kissed felt itchy, as if my heart wasn't in my chest, but in my hand.
She quietly tucked her hand into her sleeve and hid it inside her wedding dress; the bright red dress covered the lingering sensation on the back of her left hand.
Le Jin smiled with her eyes lowered, and pressed her right hand, holding a round fan, directly against her burning cheek.
However, as she moved shyly, the blood-red mark on her right sleeve also began to move.
She had washed it by hand many times, but she still suspected it was still there.
Her left hand bore Yuan Fangsui's kiss, and her right sleeve was stained with Meng Shutai's blood. Le Jin felt utterly disoriented; where in the world could she find a bride like herself?
Her internal organs were trembling, and through the floral shadows on the round fan, she glimpsed a man in a magnificent wedding robe who had returned and stood silently before her.
Le Jin immediately lowered her head, her lips pursed in embarrassment. She wanted to ask him why he had returned so quickly, but then she felt that any words would be superfluous when the couple met, so she lowered her face even further.
She bit her lip lightly, her neck was slightly sweaty, her breathing was tight, and a sweet and tender feeling was brewing in her heart.
To get the bride to move the fan away, you need to recite a poem about removing the fan.
"Purple sandalwood is cut into cloud-like bones, and silk gauze is used to veil the autumn moon..."
"Thud—"
A clear, cool voice, like an icy spring, gently recited the poem about the hidden fan, but Le Jin's hidden fan instantly fell to the ground. Her body instinctively leaned back, her heart suddenly clenching.
"I would rather see your face than envy the snow on the Jade Terrace."
Those inhumanly beautiful eyes curved like crescent moons, their allure captivating as the red candles flickered.
"You haven't even finished reciting the poem, why is Ah Jin in such a hurry to see me?"
Le Jindan opened her lips, speechless with horror, her eyes scanning Meng Shutai, who was dressed as a groom, up and down, trying her best to find a clue that this was a nightmare.
Meng Shutai bent down to pick up the fan; his right hand, wrapped in white gauze, was clearly injured.
"Where...where did your little finger go?"
Le Jin's soul seemed to leave her body, her gaze fixed intently on his right hand.
Meng Shutai looked at his right hand, then calmly stretched it out and turned it over in the candlelight.
I'd like to give you a congratulatory gift.
He walked slowly toward Le Jin with a smile, his wedding dress trailing behind him like a pool of blood. Le Jin trembled, shrinking her legs and hiding on the bed.
"I've spent days searching everywhere for a gift, but I haven't found anything decent. Of course, those cheap, gold and jade items aren't worthy of you."
"Suddenly I remembered the first time we were intimate... oh no, the first time I was with you, I scared you by saying I wanted your little finger."
Meng Shutai sat down on the edge of the bed, while Le Jin had already hidden in the corner of the bed, her eyes filled with fear and disbelief.
Seeing her like this, Meng Shutai chuckled softly. Why was she so afraid of him? He loved her too much to even think about hurting her.
He continued with a smile, "I still remember how stingy Ah Jin was back then; she would burst into tears at the mere mention of it."
Meng Shutai laughed so hard his chest vibrated. His elegant and beautiful face was unusually vivid, even showing a kind of melancholy that comes with the inevitable decline of prosperity.
A poignant and enchanting beauty.
“My love for you will always be deeper than your love for me…” Meng Shutai rotated his right wrist, “I’ll cut off my little finger from the ivory dagger you gave me as a congratulatory gift for you. Do you like it?”
"madman!"
Le Jin's chest heaved violently, almost roaring, "I don't want your fingers!"
She understood.
Meng Shutai extended his finger to remind her of those intimate moments, those intense pleasures... on her wedding day! Just as she was about to be with the person she loved!
Le Jin's eyes widened in shock, her nerves, which had been stretched taut for days, finally snapped. She pounced on him, pinning him down and gripping his neck tightly.
"Meng Shutai!"
Large, pearl-like tears fell from Le Jin's eyes and landed on Meng Shutai's cheeks and lips.
His breath caught in his throat for a moment, his face flushed, but his expression remained unchanged. His eyes still gazed tenderly at Le Jin, and his pale red tongue licked away her tears from his lips.
It's cool, a little salty, and also quite bitter.
Meng Shutai grasped Le Jin's wrists with both hands. This time, instead of increasing the pressure, he used force to restrain her.
“Ah Jin, I wasn’t lying when I said I was willing to stay by your side anonymously. But seeing you living happily with another man is more painful than being slowly sliced to death, so I had no choice but to take your place…”
"Don't worry, Yuanfang is still outside, nothing's wrong with him, and I'll only be here for a short while."
Meng Shutai's lips trembled slightly, a pitiful grievance overflowing from his throat. His eyes were filled with tears, which had already wet his long eyelashes, and the corners of his eyes were red.
"I just want to ask you...do I have any place in your heart?"
Please, say you have it.
Whether it's resentment, hatred, or the desire to tear him to pieces, skin him alive, as long as he exists in even a small corner of her life, he will no longer be a lonely ghost.
He begged her to perform a ritual in his heart to help him pass on to the afterlife.
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Author's Note: Meng Shutai's experience as a mistress is like this: she performs the wedding ceremony for others, but keeps the bridal chamber for herself.
P.S.: My update schedule has been very unstable lately, constantly changing. The reason is that the closer I get to the end, the more reluctant I become [crying][crying][crying] I'm extremely anxious and in pain, my mood is just... I already have procrastination issues, but now I realize that the "ending" can also trigger procrastination [crying]
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