Chapter 150 The Tip of the Knot (Sixteen): Using her body as a substitute, tearing out her heart to prolong her life...
Candlelight seeped into the thin gauze curtains, casting a dim, yellowish glow, like a raging fire that grows rapidly in the wind, burning fiercely.
Song Qiling developed a fever.
In her hazy state of consciousness, she glimpsed a hidden scar, undulating before her eyes.
She couldn't help but raise her hand and trace the thin scar inch by inch, her voice hoarse and broken: "How...did you get this scar?"
Having grown up with him all these years, how could she not know that he had suffered such a serious injury?
Moreover, the wound is a vertical cut along the sternum; who did it intentionally, or was it simply an accident by the body's owner...?
As soon as he finished speaking, the man seemed completely unconcerned. He simply pressed her hand down and caressed the almost faint wound, his tone casual and unserious, "It's because I gave you half of my heart. Lingling, can you feel it?"
The calloused fingertips glided across his body, landing on the small, thumping spot, pausing solemnly, and then, after a moment, leaning closer.
"You've slept for a long time, are you still willing to wake up?"
He paused for a moment, then hesitantly called out, "Senior Brother."
Vibrant colors burst forth before my eyes, the candlelight crashed to the ground, rolled onto the floor-length bed curtains, and the flames scorched the thin fabric, instantly erupting into a scorching fire.
Song Qiling sank into the pillows, feeling dizzy and disoriented, as if her body was sinking deeper and deeper...
It was as if a string in her mind had suddenly snapped, making a sharp "clang" sound, and the man in front of her gradually overlapped with a face from her memory.
In an instant, flames engulfed her and Gu Lianzhou, turning the entire world into a fiery hell.
It was scalding hot, burning hot, seeping into her skin and blood through her pores, as if trying to burn her dry.
The limp limbs seemed to be infused with boundless vitality, becoming increasingly powerful.
Suddenly, I felt a clear mind.
But the flames subsided, and the sky brightened considerably.
A familiar yet unfamiliar face came into view.
"Awake?" The man's pupils trembled for a moment, then his hands trembled slightly as he shakily sprinkled all the dried medicinal herbs on her body.
Song Qiling closed her eyes, still not fully recovered from the long dream. After a moment, she heard the person shout loudly, "Liu Xingchuan! He's awake!"
With a series of hurried footsteps, another figure came into view. This person had delicate features, but his eyes were filled with worry. When his gaze met her calm eyes, he visibly breathed a sigh of relief.
He took a few steps forward and whispered to himself, "Master Song, can you hear me?"
Song Qiling nodded: "Brother Liu."
Before he could respond, she turned to the young man on the other side and said, "Brother Yu."
"Hey, you actually remember everything?" Yu Qi jumped up and down with laughter. "I thought you'd forgotten us all after being in a coma for the past six months."
Half a year?
Song Qiling frowned slightly, glanced around the room, and couldn't help but ask, "Junior Brother... where is Gu Lianzhou?"
After he finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence.
No one answered.
Liu Dai looked away, while Yu Qi gripped the hem of his clothes tightly.
Images of her battle with Chu Yue flooded her mind like a tidal wave. Song Qiling felt a sharp pain in her temples, followed by a fear of the unknown.
She glanced down at her arm in a panic, only to find that her forearm, which should have been empty, was now completely intact, and her heart skipped a beat.
She immediately propped herself up in bed, but halfway up, everything went black before her eyes, and she collapsed back onto the bed.
"How is my junior brother?" she repeated, unwilling to give up.
After a long silence, Liu Dai replied softly, "Brother Gu... he's gone."
Yu Qi followed closely behind: "Don't be sad."
Song Qiling wondered if she had misheard: "Gone? He was perfectly fine just now, how could he..."
Even Chu Yue couldn't do anything to the mighty Tai Sui, so how could those cowards pose a threat to him?
What exactly happened in Lake Stone Lane after she fell into a coma that day?
She stared blankly at the bed canopy, her fingertips tracing her forearm that she had regained; the touch of her skin felt so real, not like a hallucination.
A jumble of chaotic thoughts churned in her mind. She recalled the hallucination she had after falling into a coma, in which Gu Lianzhou jokingly said he would share half of his heart with her…
Was that wound real?
My heart was beating strongly in my chest, each beat more steady than before, carrying a burning warmth that spread through my veins to every part of my body.
"It's all because of me that he... sacrificed himself to prolong his life." She murmured to herself, her eyes suddenly reddening and a heavy soreness welling up in her nose.
She couldn't understand it, yet she couldn't help but keep thinking about it.
That day, he must have exerted all his strength, using his own life essence to reattach her severed arm and keep her alive, only to end up disappearing without a trace.
Tears rolled down unexpectedly, leaving a small wet patch on the bedding.
She bit her lower lip hard to stop the sobs from escaping, but her shoulders trembled uncontrollably, and her hands gripped the blankets tightly as pain overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.
She suddenly raised her hand to her chest, feeling the vibrant beating there, choked with sobs, tears blurring her vision.
Seeing her crying so sadly, Yu Qi felt helpless and went over to her. He reached out to pat her shoulder, but then hesitated for a moment, as if afraid of hurting her, before gently lowering his hand: "I'll be back in a couple of days, don't be sad."
The crying stopped abruptly.
Song Qiling's shoulders stiffened abruptly. She slowly turned her head, her eyes blurry with tears, and looked at Yu Qi: "What did you say?"
Liu Dai, who had already realized what was happening, quickly explained, "You were unconscious for a long time, and Brother Gu took care of you day and night. He was on his way back to Huaidu to settle things at home, and... he had only been gone for two days. Who would have thought you would wake up at this time?"
He continued, "But you don't need to worry. Before he left, Brother Gu specifically instructed that he would return immediately after finishing his trivial matters and would be back in a few days. However, it is currently the dead of winter, and there is wind and snow on the road, which may cause some delays."
The room was so quiet that you could hear the soft tapping of snowflakes on the window.
"Back to Huaidu... to settle family affairs?" Song Qiling repeated blankly, the tears in her eyes still wet, but the pain on her face gradually faded, replaced by a sudden moment of bewilderment.
She raised her hand and wiped her face.
The heart pounding in my chest was still warm, and the sharp pain from before had dissipated, leaving only a vague sense of unease.
The person is not dead.
I'm still alive and well.
Yes, if he does not exist in this world, then how should we explain the previous illusion, and how should we explain the Tai Sui heart?
Her tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly involuntarily. Looking at Liu Dai and the bewildered Yu Qi, she didn't know what to say for a moment.
These two...when did they start breathing so heavily while they were talking!
-
Time slips away quietly.
Song Qiling's health improved day by day.
The half of the Tai Sui heart beat steadily in her chest, bringing unprecedented vitality and strength.
At first, he was able to sit up on his own, hold the dark-colored medicine that Yu Qi had brewed, and drink it without frowning. Later, he was able to get out of bed and walk around without Liu Dai's help, slowly strolling in the courtyard and feeling the long-lost stretch in his muscles and bones.
The strangest thing was that she really couldn't feel hungry anymore.
Grains and cereals became dispensable, and the body's needs seemed to be met by that half-heart of Tai Sui.
She would occasionally sit at the table and watch Yu Qi and Liu Dai eat, as if that would allow her to absorb some of the warmth and comfort of everyday life.
According to Liu Dai, the fight between humans and demons in Hushi Lane half a year ago resulted in both sides being injured. The fire burned for more than a month and was only extinguished by a torrential rain.
The remains of the Tianji Sect leader had long since turned to dust in the subterranean fire, their whereabouts unknown.
Song Qiling was incredibly lucky and blessed by the Grand Duke Jupiter. She received half a heart to save her life and was reborn from a severed arm. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she underwent a complete transformation.
As for Gu Lianzhou...
The scene was chaotic that day. The surrounding people avoided it like the plague, some fled, some fainted, and the sorcerers who remained were all drawn into a phantom.
It's said to be an illusion, but that's not entirely true. It feels no different from the place where I live, just with a different identity.
Peddlers, noblemen, mischievous children... no one knows where the master of this illusion is or what his intentions are. All that is known is that in the end, the son of Minister Gu married the daughter of the Song family.
In the end, it felt like watching a play.
When the illusion shattered and the spirit returned to the world, no one could find any trace of the Grand Duke Jupiter.
-
On this day, Song Qiling got up as usual, pushed open the door, and a refreshing chill rushed in.
What came into view was a world of white.
It's snowing.
The snow fell thick and fast, blanketing the sky.
She looked up in a daze.
As far as the eye can see, the scattered rooftops and the low slopes in the distance are all covered with thick white snow, creating a scene of jade-like branches and trees, with an endless expanse of white.
Snowflakes drifted down gently, large flakes landing silently on shoulders and hair like willow catkins, leaving a cool sensation.
She reached out and caught one, slowly closing her palm.
The cool snowflakes melted instantly upon touching the warm skin, leaving only a damp mark.
The air was cold and clean; when she inhaled it, the dampness washed away the stagnation in her lungs caused by prolonged bed rest.
She was staring blankly at her palm when suddenly, the sound of rolling wheels came from afar, accompanied by the crunching of horses' hooves on the snow, breaking the tranquility of the world.
Song Qiling's mind stirred slightly, and she looked up.
Then a very impressive carriage came steadily through the snow.
The carriage was of extraordinary quality, with intricate carvings and heavy brocade curtains. The four horses pulling the carriage were plump and strong, with glossy coats.
Horse hooves pounded through the snow, splashing up fine snowflakes.
The horse seemed to sense her gaze, snorted from afar, and exhaled a cloud of hot white mist that quickly dissipated in the cold air.
Before long, the carriage stopped in front of the door, leaving two deep tracks in the snow.
The carriage curtain was lifted by a hand with distinct knuckles, revealing first a section of the sleeve of a black brocade robe, and then a tall figure jumped down from it, his movements swift and somewhat urgent.
The man landed in ankle-deep snow, but without stopping, he rushed straight towards her.
Song Qiling felt a chilling aura, accompanied by wind and snow, rush towards her face. The next moment, she was embraced by a tremendous force.
The force was so great that she lost her footing and stumbled back several steps before the other person grabbed her waist tightly and steadied her.
His arms were wrapped tightly around her, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.
My heart was pounding wildly in my chest, whether from the sudden impact or from the familiar, crisp breath that instantly filled my nostrils.
Before she could speak, a soft call rang in her ears.
Her voice was terribly hoarse, carrying the weariness of a long journey and the slight tremor of joy at something lost and found, as it gently touched my ear.
"Senior brother, I'm back."
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[End of text]
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