Never wither
Yi Shen was rarely nervous. He had been good at drawing since childhood, but at this moment, he could not hide his nervousness as he held the pen. He had already conceived the appearance of the red plum blossoms in his mind and should have been able to draw with ease, but after careful consideration, he dared not put pen to paper, for fear that if he put pen to paper, the ink would leave an indelible mark on Wu Qi.
Wu Qi sat on the table, neither urging nor avoiding him.
When Liang Mo first touched her warm skin, she did indeed shrink back slightly. Seeing Yi Shen nervously pursing his lips, Wu Qi found it amusing. He let Yi Shen paint on her body, resisting the urge to shrink back, as if he were deliberately going against his body.
To make it easier for Yi Shen to paint, Wu Qi leaned back slightly. Even with her hands supporting her on the table, it became increasingly difficult to endure. If it weren't for Yi Shen's arm supporting her from behind, she would have already collapsed onto the table.
It was too unbearable, so Wu Qi quietly loosened her grip a bit. When she saw Yi Shen increase his strength to support her waist, she loosened her grip even more.
The soft, fine tip of the pen moved gently and slowly over that spot, like a feather floating on ocean waves.
It was tough, even tougher.
To combat this unbearable feeling, Wu Qi decided to look at Yi Shen. She was sitting at the table, so she could see him clearly without having to look up. If someone who didn't know Yi Shen were watching, they would probably think to themselves, "His usual expressionless face." However, Wu Qi could see some tension in Yi Shen's face, especially in his eyes.
As Yi Shen said, he was nervous.
But Wu Qi knew him too well. Apart from nervousness, she could also see other emotions on Yi Shen's face, such as joy, surprise, and confidence.
It seems that even without painting this red plum blossom, she still possesses him. From the moment he fell in love with her, he was hers.
Today is a fine day, with clear skies and gentle breezes, butterflies fluttering among the flowers. At this time of year, most of the flowers in the capital are in bloom, but the red plum blossoms, which should not be blooming, are blooming on Wu Qi's body.
After finishing the last stroke, Yi Shen put down his brush, supported Wu Qi's waist, and stood still, quietly looking at the red plum blossom on Wu Qi's body.
The ink was not yet dry, and the red plum blossoms still glistened with moisture.
Wu Qi has fair skin that doesn't tan easily. From a young age, she climbed trees to pick flowers and ran around laughing under the scorching sun. Even so, at first glance, she was still the fairest person in the crowd.
Many people asked Wu Qi what she applied to her face, or what she ate and drank daily for beauty and health, but Wu Qi couldn't answer any of them. Just as Wu Qi said, "Why bother with natural talent?" She didn't care about her appearance when she was young, and she certainly didn't spend several hours a day on her face. Therefore, she always thought that she had never put any effort into her face.
As she grew up, she realized that it wasn't her who had put so much effort into her face, but rather Qi Kong.
Qi Kong not only put effort into Wu Qi's face, but also sought out expensive materials to make clothes for her from the time she was born. Because the materials were of good quality, they would not fade or deteriorate even after long wear, and it would be a pity to throw them away. So Qi Kong sorted out all of Wu Qi's clothes from childhood to adulthood and specially used a room to store these clothes that Wu Qi could no longer wear.
As Wu Qi grew older, he accumulated more and more clothes that he could no longer wear. One room became two rooms, two rooms became three rooms, and now he had a total of six rooms.
In addition, when Wu Qi was little, Qi Kong would always braid her hair, and the color of the hair ribbon would be different every day. After braiding, Qi Kong would pick a flower from the yard and put it in her hair.
Wu Qi was a child who was dressed up by his mother as he grew up.
Qi Kongyang was very meticulous in raising Wu Qi, from his fair and jade-like skin to his courage in decisively using his immunity token.
Yi Shen stared at that spot for a long time, then suddenly bent down slightly and blew on the ink that was about to dry.
This ink is named Eternal Ink.
The ink has dried, and this life will never be enough to erase it.
The red plum blossoms there never wither or fade.
To get rid of the red spots, you have to poke the skin in those spots until it heals, then poke it again, and let it heal again, repeating this process three to five times until it disappears. The suffering involved is indescribable.
Seeing that the ink was almost dry, Wu Qi asked Yi Shen, "Is it done?"
Yi Shen said, "Alright."
Wu Qi let out a breath. Her back and waist ached and she collapsed into Yi Shen's arms, her forehead pressed against him. Yi Shen put one arm around her waist and used the other to gently massage her aching back and waist.
His hands are the hands of someone who has spent years playing the piano and practicing swordsmanship.
Wu Qi nestled in his arms and said, "Actually, it's not that tiring. Compared to using a hollow needle to prick my skin and inject ink, I prefer this ink. It doesn't hurt or itch, and after I finish painting, it leaves a red plum blossom on my body that will never wither."
If you want to leave something on your body, there are only two ways.
One method involves inserting a hollow needle into the skin, injecting ink from the needle into the flesh. This method is extremely painful. People who cannot afford permanent ink would use this method if they wanted to leave something on their bodies. However, this method requires superb skill, and not everyone can accurately insert a hollow needle into the flesh.
Another type is the Eternal Ink, which is rare and hard to come by, but coincidentally, Wu Qi is not short of money.
However, no matter which method is used, getting rid of it is extremely difficult. Some people, in a moment of impulsiveness, go into the shop and let a hollow needle pierce their skin. Afterwards, if they want to get rid of it, they will suffer a lot.
Yi Shen rubbed Wu Qi's waist and said, "Why did you decide to paint red plum blossoms on your body?"
Wu Qi said, "Because I've discovered that I truly, truly love you."
Yi Shen listened to her quietly.
Wu Qi said, "In the stories, whether the lovers grow old together or kill each other, without exception, they have all been passionately in love with each other, as dazzling as the sun. But love is not something that lasts forever."
Gold and silver jewelry remain as good as new even after many years.
Love, however, is elusive and fleeting.
You may love someone today, but you might not love them tomorrow.
In the blink of an eye, love vanished and never returned.
“I don’t want this,” Wu Qi said. “I want to love you forever. How can I not love you? I can’t even imagine how I would live without loving you in the future…”
As he spoke, Wu Qi seemed to be lost in some emotion, his eyes fixed on Yi Shen, and he murmured, "Yi Shen, we have been together for far too long. Long enough that you have permeated half of my life, until death."
It seems she has always loved him.
Looking back now, I can't recall the exact moment I fell in love with Yi Shen. Looking back, I've loved Yi Shen every single moment.
Like two intertwined vines, over the years, they have unknowingly seeped into each other. If one vine wants to leave, it risks being covered in wounds and has to watch the other vine become a bloody mess.
Yi Shen patted her head and said, "It's okay, you don't have to love me."
Wu Qi was still staring at Yi Shen.
Yi Shen added, "Didn't I tell you? Don't imagine a life-and-death separation or a never-ending separation for the two of us."
No matter what, I will love you.
Without blinking, Wu Qi asked, "Why?"
Yi Shen frowned slightly, as if he was thinking, then raised his hand and pinched Wu Qi's cheek. It was unclear what he was thinking, but he smiled and said, "If you were Yi Shen, you would also fall for Wu Qi."
He said, "I will not leave you, nor will I stop loving you."
So, relax.
Wu Qi nestled in Yi Shen's arms and nodded silently.
She seems to like Yi Shen more now.
Qi Kong has not yet returned home, and Wu Qi has not been staying at the Wu residence for the past few days, but has been staying at the Yi residence with Yi Shen. She has her own courtyard and her own room at the Yi residence, so she does not need to live with Yi Shen.
Yi Shen escorted Wu Qi to her own courtyard and instructed her before leaving, "After using the Eternal Life Ink, you cannot bathe for three days."
Wu Qi nodded and said, "I know. Three days is Sister Yuqu's birthday. I can take a bath and go celebrate Sister Yuqu's birthday."
Ning Chanyuan's birthday was different from the others. Both of Ning's parents had passed away, leaving their children behind. Ning Xunxu was still young, so Ning Chanyuan became the matriarch of the Ning family. Despite her illness, she worked tirelessly day and night. Even though her birthday was one of the few remaining days, she didn't follow her own wishes and preferences. Instead, she considered many things and made sure the guests were satisfied.
Ning Xunxu was never satisfied with Ning Chanyuan's birthday, and this year was no exception. His face was cold as he frowned at the person entering the mansion, his expression growing increasingly stern. Ning Chanyuan sighed, offered a few words of casual comfort, and then, having no time for him, rose to greet the guest.
Ning Xunxu followed behind Ning Chanyuan with furrowed brows. He only smiled after Ning Chanyuan nudged him, and the smile deepened when he saw Wu Qi and his group arrive. He said, "Brothers and sisters have arrived! Please come in, please come in!"
Wu Qi received many gifts today. One was a birthday gift she prepared for Ning Chanyuan herself, and the other was a birthday gift that Qi Kong and Wu Shanyun had prepared for Ning Chanyuan before going to Changru Town.
Ning Chanyuan asked, "What birthday gift did Yaoling prepare for me this year?"
Wu Qi blinked and smiled, "It's a secret!"
Today, Ning Chanyuan was too busy, and Wu Qi and his group didn't dare to keep her any longer. After saying goodbye to her, they persuaded her to go and attend to her own business. Before leaving, Ning Chanyuan said to Ning Xunxu, "Hansu, you keep Yaoling and the others company."
Rather than forcing a smile to greet strangers, Ning Xunxu would naturally prefer to stay here and eat, drink, and laugh with Wu Qi and his group. However, he shook his head and said to Ning Chanyuan, "Sister, I'll stay with you today."
Ning Chanyuan said, "Don't you dislike faking smiles when greeting guests?"
Ning Xunxu said, "Doesn't my sister also dislike faking smiles when greeting guests?"
After a moment, Ning Chanyuan frowned and said, "Between the two of us, it's enough for one of us to do what we don't like."
Ning Xunxu said nonchalantly, "That's fine. Then you can stay here and chat with Yaoling and Yinxing. I'll go greet the guests."
"Han Su!" Ning Chanyuan coughed softly before she could finish speaking. Ning Xunxu quickly took the medicine and handed it to Ning Chanyuan, gently patting her back to help her catch her breath. Wu Qi and Song Yinxing also rushed forward, taking water and handing it to Ning Chanyuan.
Ning Chanyuan drank the medicine and then took a sip of water. It took her a while to stop coughing.
Ning Xunxu said, "I'm sorry, sister."
Ning Chanyuan said, "It's alright, you can play here for a while." After saying that, she got up and left, stepping out of the room to greet the guests.
Ning Xunxu rarely bickered with Ning Chanyuan like this, let alone made Ning Chanyuan cough uncontrollably. Lin Kuo patted Ning Xunxu's shoulder and said, "What's wrong with you today? Why are you still arguing with your sister at your age?"
“I’m so grown up now…” Ning Xunxu said, “When will my sister realize how grown up I am…”
Lin Kuo also had an older sister, but she would never stand in Ning Xunxu's way like Ning Chanyuan did. Even though Lin Kuo had been beaten by his sister a lot when he was young, he still cried uncontrollably on the day his sister got married. After finally calming down, he returned to the mansion and was about to call his sister to go for some iced sweet water when he suddenly realized that his sister had already gotten married.
So he cried again, his eyes red and swollen the next day.
People are different from one another. Lin Kuo dared not say that he could understand Ning Xunxu's thoughts at this moment, but he knew that Ning Xunxu cared about Ning Chanyuan, just as Ning Chanyuan was determined to protect Ning Xunxu.
Lin Kuo asked, "Have you been busy seeking medical treatment these past few years? How's the progress?"
Ning Xunxu lowered his head and said dejectedly, "It's beyond saving."
After searching for renowned doctors all over the world, all they could hear was the same thing: life and death are determined by fate.
Ning Xunxu naturally refused to believe in superstition. While asking Yi Shen to continue seeking medical treatment, he also secretly sent a royal physician to examine Ning Chanyuan's illness, taking advantage of Lin Kuo's influence in the palace, but to no avail.
Ning Chanyuan seemed to know that her illness was incurable, and she worked tirelessly day and night, even more so than usual. If she could endure one hour in the past, she could endure two hours now.
It was as if she wanted to pave a smooth road for Ning Xunxu before she passed away.
Ning Xunxu was deeply worried as he watched Ning Chanyuan suffer. While seeking medical help, he would also study ancient medical texts on his own. He prided himself on his intelligence, but even those whose ancestors had studied medicine for three generations couldn't cure Ning Chanyuan's illness. How could he possibly cure her?
Sometimes he thought that if it weren't for him, his sister wouldn't have to work so hard, but Ning Chanyuan said to him, "Everyone in this world has something to look forward to. If I didn't even have something to look forward to, I would have left with my parents long ago. Han Su, you are my something to look forward to."
After that, Ning Xunxu never thought about dying; he only thought about him and his sister living.
He would stop at nothing to keep his sister alive.
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