Chapter 33 Fate's Will The family she had always dreamed of had gained two more members…
(33)
When Gu Ye brought the baby back, Chu Li had never seen the baby look so pitiful. She buried her face in Gu Ye's arms, not daring to cry, and sobbing softly.
Chu Li looked him up and down, and said with some anger, "Where did you take him?"
"Just browsing around." Gu Ye glanced at Shang Xinglan, then quickly looked away. His master's clothes were ripped at the chest. The silk fabric wasn't particularly conspicuous, but it was hard to miss. Anyone could tell whose handiwork it was.
Chu Li knew perfectly well that he wouldn't dare do anything to the little one, but this man was just too unreliable, and the little one must have been wronged.
She gave Gu Ye a cold glare, then leaned down and said, "Yinyin, tell me, did he bully you?"
If Yinyin were to utter any reasonable explanation today, she would absolutely not let this madman off the hook.
The little one wiped away his tears, his little mouth slightly open, then gently closed again.
It doesn't seem like he was bullied; he just didn't want to stay by Gu Ye's side.
"I...I just miss you."
As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Li was slightly stunned, and quickly hugged the sobbing baby into her arms.
That's true. The little one stayed by her side the whole time, afraid that something might happen to her. But as soon as Chu Li woke up, Gu Ye took her away. How could he not miss her?
During this period, she focused too much energy on Shang Xinglan and neglected to spend time with Yinyin.
Thinking of this, Chu Li felt even worse. She took out the storybook she had brought for the little boy from her luggage, and led him into the hall. "Mother won't go anywhere. How about I read to you today and tell you the story of your favorite Elder Tanuki?"
The little boy obediently grabbed her hand and followed her away, saying, "Okay."
Shang Xinglan watched the mother and son enter the room, then turned her gaze to Gu Ye, asking in confusion, "Where did they go?"
Gu Ye lowered his eyes, feeling inexplicably guilty, and said, "I just went to Xianghuafang for a stroll, and I bought him lychee shaved ice, which is currently the most popular snack among city kids..."
"Fragrant Flower Shop?" Shang Xinglan's vision went black. Could a five-year-old child go to such a brothel and entertainment venue?
He took a deep breath, rubbed his forehead, and asked, "Then why are you crying?"
"He just complained that I took him away. I really didn't bully him." This was the first time in his life that Gu Ye had explained to someone that he had never bullied a child. But his master's gaze was too oppressive, so he honestly said, "I saw him crying and said that if he kept crying, I would make soup with him. That was just to scare him. I didn't really mean to do that."
Shang Xinglan: "..."
He will never hand the child over to Gu Ye again, never.
The room fell silent for a moment. Gu Ye finally looked up at him and whispered, "Master, can I go back to the Demon Realm?"
"What?" Shang Xinglan asked, puzzled. "It's just a small matter. I didn't mean to offend you."
Hearing his words, Gu Ye frowned slightly, but still insisted, "I know, there's no need for me here. Yan Xinbai is enough. I'll go back and help Master manage the Demon Palace."
Staying by their side, Gu Ye felt that he was becoming very strange. He hadn't felt this way before, but lately he felt increasingly uncomfortable. In particular, every time he saw his master, the scene of Chu Li rushing into the lake to save people would appear in his mind. But when he thought of his master's wife, Gu Ye felt a guilty feeling as if he had done something wrong.
He would never betray his master.
So it's better to go back to the Demon Realm. It's much more comfortable there. I can drink some wine and kill some people whenever I have nothing to do. It's very pleasant.
Seeing that he was determined to do so, Shang Xinglan didn't say anything more and waved her hand, saying, "Go, send me a talisman if you have anything important to say."
Yan Xinbai has been searching for ways to restore his cultivation these past two days. With Gu Ye gone, only he, Chu Li, and the little one are left. It's not bad for the family to relax outside.
"Yes." Gu Ye breathed a sigh of relief and left.
After he left, Shang Xinglan intended to enter the side hall, but saw an uninvited guest standing outside the door from afar.
Under the crabapple tree, Chu Shuyi stood quietly gazing at him.
Seeing her walk over, Shang Xinglan's eyelids twitched, and she turned around and entered the side hall without hesitation.
"Elder Tanuki shouted, 'Whoever runs wild in my territory, I'll eat him like a mouse...'" Chu Li was vividly describing the story to the little cub when she was suddenly gently poked twice on the shoulder.
She turned around and saw Shang Xinglan say with a grim expression, "There's someone outside."
"Who? Just let him in." Chu Li didn't take it to heart and continued to concentrate on reading the storybook to the little one. "Mommy will continue reading to you, and then that black dog prince said..."
Chu Li felt a tap on her shoulder again. She looked at Shang Xinglan and found that his expression had become even more unpleasant. She could only put down the storybook in her hand in a puzzlement and said to the little boy, "Read it by yourself for a while. Mother will be back soon."
As she stepped out of the side hall, she immediately spotted the elegant, ethereal figure in snow-white robes under the shade of the trees.
Chu Li's heart skipped a beat, his eyelashes trembled, and he turned to look at Shang Xinglan behind him. He said softly, "I'm going to accompany Yinyin to study."
Chu Li immediately grabbed his wrist and pulled him back, asking nervously, "What about her?"
Shang Xinglan tapped the spot on her chest where she had been stabbed, her eyes filled with gloom. "I don't care."
If I try to control her, she might just stab me in the back again.
After he finished speaking, he turned and went into the inner hall without looking back, giving the impression of fleeing in panic.
Chu Li couldn't even utter a word of farewell. After a long while, she could only grit her teeth and look at the person in the distance.
So beautiful! Just standing there made her afraid to get close. A ray of warm sunlight shone through the gaps in the trees onto Chu Shuyi, as if she were bathed in the glow of a goddess.
Such a person should be a woman born under the influence of the Heavenly Yin. She had heard that every woman born under the Heavenly Yin in the past had a noble status, comparable to the Shang family, and everyone who saw them would say that they were a perfect match.
Chu Li tentatively took a few steps closer and saw the other person staring intently as he walked towards her.
She actually wanted to turn around and run into the hall to close the door.
Why is this happening?
The thought of Chu Shuyi's identity filled her with inexplicable fear.
Before long, Chu Shuyi stopped in front of her, and bowed politely, saying, "It is really impolite to disturb you so abruptly. I have something I would like to say to you. May I come into the hall for a talk?"
Every movement was perfect, neither humble nor arrogant, and the posture was not even slightly crooked, just like the movements made by the person who taught Chu Li etiquette.
"good."
Chu Li lowered his eyes and stepped aside to lead her inside.
Since they've already come all this way and are being so polite, how could she possibly kick them out?
The two sat down, and Chu Li only remembered to pour tea for the guest after she sat down. She cursed herself for being stupid in her heart, and then hurriedly got up to make tea for her.
"The situation was urgent that day, and I didn't have time to ask in detail." Chu Shuyi watched her make tea and said gently, "May I ask how you are addressed, Madam?"
Chu Li clenched her fists slightly inside her sleeve, poured hot water into the kettle, and answered her in as calm a tone as possible, "Chu Li, the Li of dawn."
Upon hearing her surname was Chu, Chu Shuyi paused slightly, her gaze shifting from the teapot in her hand, and said calmly, "Qingshan Yunwu tea requires shaking the pot three times to fully release its flavor."
Chu Li didn't understand what "Qingshan" or "Yaohu" meant, but the names sounded familiar.
After a moment, she remembered that Shang Xinglan had told her that his favorite tea was Qingshan Yunwu.
Chu Li stiffened, as if she had been transported back to the days when she was disliked and ridiculed.
“The young mistress doesn’t know as much as my aunt from the village. She can’t even tell the difference between Tianxiang silk and Luobu. She wears Luobu clothes and wanders around the streets every day, only knowing how to embarrass the merchants.”
"More than that, she can't even read many words, let alone manage accounts. It's a miracle if she doesn't mispronounce a word."
She stiffly gripped the teapot, tentatively shaking it. Instantly, a few drops of tea spilled, splashing onto her skirt, and Chu Li's face turned even paler.
Chu Shuyi looked at her quietly. After a while, she stood up and walked to Chu Li's side.
Chu Li glared at her instinctively, thinking that she was going to take this opportunity to humiliate her.
Unexpectedly, Chu Shuyi took the teapot and shook it vigorously with swift and decisive movements. After shaking the teapot, she handed it back to Chu Li.
"You try it. Press down on the air hole and apply some force."
The voice was calm, without any hint of sarcasm, as if it were simply to teach her how to brew tea.
Chu Li paused slightly, and after a moment, under her slightly encouraging gaze, she imitated Chu Shuyi by pressing down the air vent and shaking the teapot vigorously.
"Okay, it will be ready in three tries. I've already shaken it twice, so one more time will do." Chu Shuyi sat back down, as if nothing had happened, and patiently waited for her tea.
Chu Li shook the teapot again, then carefully poured the tea into the teacup. Instantly, the aroma of tea filled the hall, refreshing and delightful.
She asked softly, "Like this?"
Watching her movements, Chu Shuyi's heartstrings twitched slightly. "Yes, that's it."
She was indeed a gentle woman; her voice was soft, as if she were afraid of startling herself.
Although she came from a humble background and didn't know many things, she was willing to learn diligently, which is what makes her so admirable.
Chu Li put the teapot aside, and for some reason, she felt less afraid.
"What did you want to see me about?"
If we're going to look for someone, we should look for Shang Xinglan; she's not an ascended being.
Upon hearing this, Chu Shuyi recalled Shang Xinglan's angry expression that day, and the words, "You just want to kill me."
She thought about it for a long time after she got back, but she couldn't figure out what that sentence meant.
They were clearly there to help him, so how could they have killed him?
However, she did not come for Shang Xinglan today.
"I want to know..." Chu Shuyi's gaze slowly moved down, landing on the jade pendant at her waist, "where did you get that jade pendant?"
Chu Li, puzzled, took off the jade pendant from her waist. "You mean this one? Shang Xinglan gave it to me. It's a piece of jade given to him by his family. You want this one?"
Chu Shuyi shook her head and whispered, "The other one."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Li looked down in confusion, then suddenly opened his eyes.
She did indeed have another jade piece, carved with a blue phoenix and a small character for Chu on it.
It was the jade that Achu gave her.
Chu Shuyi observed the panicked look on her face, her eyes darkening slightly. She took out a similar piece of Azure Phoenix Jade from her bosom. "I have one exactly the same jade. It's a family heirloom of my Chu family. There are only two in the world, one in my possession and one in my elder sister's."
From a young age, their family members told them that even if they were to die, they must never lose or break the jade.
Chu Li pursed her lips and immediately understood Chu Shuyi's intention. She subconsciously pinched the jade pendant and muttered in protest, "This was given to me by Chu Shuyi. She gave it to me. I didn't steal it."
Upon hearing this, Chu Shuyi's breath caught in her throat. She whispered, "Ah Chu... what does she look like?"
Chu Li looked up at her, and that face was so similar to the person in her memory. "Ah Chu is your sister. She looks a lot like you."
Just as I expected.
Chu Shuyi suppressed her excitement and clenched her fingers. "You said this jade pendant was a gift from her. What exactly happened back then?"
When she asked, Chu Li told her everything that had happened back then, though he never embellished the story this time, unlike his usual tendency to exaggerate.
However, Chu Shuyi's face grew increasingly pale, almost as white as a sheet of paper. "My sister is begging on the street and she's sick?"
"Yes." Chu Li was afraid that she would think he was lying, so he quickly added, "When I saw her, she was already sick. She kept coughing up blood, and her face was covered in spots. She was as thin as a withered tree branch."
Every word that fell into Chu Shuyi's ears was like a bolt from the blue. She listened in a daze, letting the steam from the tea in front of her blur her vision.
Seeing her grief-stricken expression, Chu Li lowered her eyelashes and said softly, "Actually, being a beggar isn't so pitiful. You can get freshly baked pancakes from time to time. One winter, I even got lucky and found a cotton quilt. Many poor families might not even have a cotton quilt to cover themselves with in winter."
“Ah Chu was very lucky. Everyone said her illness was contagious, so they all avoided her and she didn’t suffer any humiliation.”
"Unfortunately, she was still often harassed by hooligans and thugs. Once, I saw her surrounded in a dilapidated temple, and I helped her out. That's how we met."
Chu Shuyi looked at her in disbelief, her eyes gradually turning completely red. She originally thought that her older sister had been kidnapped and killed by thieves, but she never expected that she was alive and had suffered so much before she died!
When she fell ill and was left homeless, without even a dilapidated house to shelter her from the wind and snow, did she ever think of how warm and happy the days they spent living together in Cangxian Valley were?
Trembling uncontrollably, Chu Shuyi pinched her forehead, forcing herself to calm down. "Madam, please continue."
Chu Li pursed her lips, knowing from her expression that she couldn't bear to listen anymore, so she could only say some nice things, "After we met, she often shared the steamed buns and dry food she had begged with me. Unfortunately, at that time I was worried about her illness, so I didn't get too close to her. She was so good to me back then, always smiling and asking me to call her 'sister'..."
As soon as he finished speaking, the two of them froze.
Chu Li suddenly understood why A Chu was so kind to her, took the initiative to chat with her, and shared her food with her. It was because A Chu treated her like a younger sister of similar age.
Chu Shuyi burst into tears, covered her lips, choked with sobs, and couldn't say a word.
For her, all her memories of her elder sister were still those of her childhood, lying on a couch, with her elder sister gently coaxing her to sleep. Even her sister's appearance was gradually becoming unclear to Chu Shuyi.
But for the older sister, the memories with her younger sister were the most beautiful time of her life, and she would never forget them.
Chu Li silently clenched her sleeves, ultimately benefiting from Chu Shuyi's influence.
She knew it! How could such unexpected good fortune have befallen her?
What happened next was obvious to Chu Shuyi, without Chu Li needing to explain. Her elder sister had always been kind and gentle, and in order to repay Chu Li's kindness, she gave him the jade pendant and her birth date to help her escape her suffering.
After a long while, Chu Shuyi recovered, wiped away her tears, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Did my sister say anything before she died?"
“She said…” Chu Li racked her brains for a moment, “her fate was sealed, and it was the will of Heaven that could not be defied, that’s roughly what she meant.”
Chu Shuyi listened in a daze. Someone had once told her that a woman born under the influence of Yin could glimpse the secrets of heaven, but some secrets could only be known before death.
Why did the older sister say such things before she died?
Just then, Shang Xinglan came out of the inner hall carrying the baby. Without even glancing at them, she took some snacks from the table and left, as if she had come out specifically to check on the situation.
Chu Shuyi snapped out of her daze and watched as the toddler in his arms poked his head out from his shoulder, eating snacks while curiously observing her.
"You...already have a child?"
She spoke abruptly, asking about the baby again. Chu Li regained his guard, "Yes, my child."
Upon hearing this, Chu Shuyi closed her eyes and whispered, "I see."
Indeed, it is the will of Heaven that cannot be defied.
She stood up and said, "Thank you for telling me about my sister, Madam. I'll head back now. If you need anything, you can come to Qinglan Peak to find me anytime. I'll be staying at the Cangshan Sect for a while."
Seeing Chu Shuyi turn and leave, Chu Li was somewhat taken aback. She touched her jade pendant and tentatively asked, "You don't want the jade pendant anymore?"
Chu Shuyi turned around and smiled at her, "Since your elder sister has given you the jade pendant and asked you to call her elder sister, it means that you are now a member of the Chu family. Chu Li, the jade pendant belongs to you, and no one has the right to take it away."
Chu Li stared blankly as she left, forgetting even to see her off, and stood there dumbly clutching the teapot.
Just before stepping out the door, Chu Shuyi turned back as if remembering something. "Her name isn't A-Chu, it's Chu Zi, the Zi of catalpa tree. Don't forget your sister's name, okay?"
Her smile blended seamlessly with the warm, gentle sunlight, and the unyielding ice in Chu Li's heart was gradually melted away by that warmth without her even realizing it. She felt an incredible sensation, as if she were in a fragile, ethereal dream.
Chu Zi, Chu Zi.
She repeatedly pondered her sister's name, imprinting it deeply in her heart.
From today onwards, she is Chu Zi's younger sister, and also Chu Shuyi's younger sister.
She had once dreamed of having two more family members.
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