But the one I long for is the patriarch himself.
The Beiling Wu tribe used to rely on jade mines to mine jade and make jade artifacts. If they had surplus production, they would barter with passing merchants, so they were not completely isolated from the world.
When they moved to Longji Mountain, more than half of the tribe members were killed or injured. They were in urgent need of recuperation, so they took the initiative to cut off contact with the outside world.
The young children were born in the mountains and had never seen outsiders. When they heard that the patriarch had brought back a blind man, they called their friends and ran over to see him.
Shi Cheng loved the children of the Wu clan, so how could he not love them? He picked out some interesting stories from all over the world and told them.
The children love to listen to stories. They come to wait outside the door every day when the sun rises, and go back reluctantly only when the sun sets.
Wu Wen was helpless and wrote to him, asking, "Are you still going to treat your eyes?"
Shi Cheng sat on a low stool and hugged his waist coquettishly: "If I am cured, will you chase me away?"
Wu Wen couldn't answer his question. He had violated the clan's rules by bringing the person back without permission. The witch and the elders should all know about it.
But A-gu did not come to ask. First, she knew that Shi Cheng had saved them in the past and was the benefactor of the Wu clan; second, she wanted to see what the clan leader himself planned.
Shi Cheng was used to his silence, but also afraid of it.
In fact, because he couldn't see, he was afraid of silence and afraid of leaving without a word. He always clung to Wu Wen like a clingy puppy. That was the only way he felt at ease.
Wu Wen had put a lot of thought into treating his eyes, but Shi Cheng didn't dare to refuse. "Okay, okay, I still need to treat my eyes, but I like it here. Please, Chief, let me stay, okay?"
Wu Wen extended her index finger and wrote on his forehead, stroke by stroke, "OK."
According to legend, the Wu clan is the descendant of the ancient gods, but up to now, they no longer possess the immortal powers and various elixirs as in the legend.
However, the Ten Witches originated from ten surnames. Through medical records and prescriptions from past dynasties, it can be found that the blood of descendants of the Wu surname does have a good healing effect on certain diseases.
In order to treat Shi Cheng's eyes, Wu Wen had to draw her own blood every ten days. It took half a year for the walnut-like wrinkles on his eyelids to gradually smooth out.
Wu Wen lifted his eyelids, blew gently, and asked him if he could feel anything.
Shi Cheng said that there was light, but he could not see anything, and everything was blurry and just shadows.
Wu Wen knew that he had a chance of recovery, and she was so happy that she unconsciously clenched his hand.
After his eyesight improved, Shi Cheng could do more things. He would not trip over door thresholds or stones, nor would he suddenly bump into other people.
That day, he went to water the medicinal field. As soon as he left the door, the witch came.
Shi Cheng watched someone enter the house from afar. Although the figure was blurry, it looked very familiar. He thought about it and went back home through the back door.
Leaning against the wall, he could only hear the witch talking, while Awen always just wrote and never spoke.
The witch said, "We are of course happy that our benefactor is willing to stay. However, he is not young anymore and is unmarried. We should choose a witch as soon as possible and marry him to continue the bloodline of our witch clan."
The witch said, "We suffered a great disaster that year, and more than half of our clan was killed or injured. Now, facilitating marriages and the birth of children is of vital importance. You must pay close attention to it!"
The witch said, "The benefactor comes from outside, so there's no need to avoid kinship. Moreover, he has a kind heart, and there are many women in the clan who admire him. If you choose one for him, he will surely be pleased."
The witch said, "Awen, please think carefully about this!"
Shi Cheng went home in a bad mood and even forgot to take the bucket.
Although he had lost his parents when he was in his teens, in his hometown, the most important thing in marriage is to match the family backgrounds, and then the parents' orders, the matchmaker's words, all the etiquette and rules must be followed, and nothing can be missed.
Sometimes he secretly wondered, if his father were still alive, the commander's son and the clan leader would have similar status and position, so would they be considered a good match?
It is not easy to revive the witch clan, and he does not want to make things difficult for Awen, but there is indeed no one else in his heart.
Three months later, Shi Cheng's eyes were almost healed. Previously, Wu Wen used the excuse of healing his injury, saying that it would not be too late to get married after his eye injury healed. Now, A-gu and the elders were urging him repeatedly, and they really could not delay any longer.
However, the status of women in the Wu clan is higher than that of men. Even if there are many women of the right age who like Shi Cheng, he will not be able to choose one.
So the clan leader had to step forward, collect the information about the daughters of each family, copy it down, and wait for Shi Cheng to come back and take a look.
At night, the two sat together under the lamp. It was late autumn and outside the house, crickets were chirping softly.
Wu Wen handed one to Shi Cheng, who glanced at it and said coldly, "Very good."
Wu Wen handed over another one, but Shi Cheng didn't even look at it and continued, "Very good."
Wu Wen handed over another one, but before she could get to him, Shi Cheng turned away and said, "I won't look at them anymore. They're all good. Auntie is right! You picked the best!"
Wu Wen didn't send it. Shi Cheng was getting married, and he should have congratulated him, but he didn't feel happy.
He just suddenly wanted to ask whether the statement "The jade was given by my sweetheart" still counted, but then he felt that there was no need to ask anymore. He was not a woman and could not give birth to a child of the witch clan's bloodline. Moreover, Shi Cheng was there in Amang's military camp that year... He knew everything.
I think the autumn wind also feels lonely, and it wants to sneak into the house when no one is paying attention.
The papers on the table were blown all over the floor. Both of them bent down to pick them up. When they looked up again, each other's faces were suddenly close to them. Their eyes met and they could hear each other's breathing.
Ten years later, Shi Cheng finally saw Wu Wen's true appearance again. He was more compassionate and gentle than when he was young, and more mature and moving.
Looking back on the days they've been together lately, aren't they just like a married couple?
Every day after Wu Wen finished her work, she would come back to treat his eye injury; although he had difficulty moving, she would help him with small things within her ability, such as cleaning the house and making fires to cook.
Shi Cheng knew that he was too emotionally attached to A-wen to let go and marry another woman.
The night wind blew, startling the candle flame and causing the mottled light to shatter on the two people.
With his heart beating fast and his mind shaken, Shi Cheng kissed her tentatively, and their lips separated as soon as they touched. He greedily watched Awen's reaction.
Fortunately, Awen did not hide.
He seemed to have received tacit consent and encouragement. He supported his waist with one hand and kissed him again.
Wu Wen's tense heartstrings broke, and his chaotic thoughts rushed down like a torrent carrying mud and sand from the mountains. Tears slid down unconsciously, but he couldn't even make a sound when crying.
The pious kiss stopped at Adam's apple. Shi Cheng knew that it was not that Awen was unable to speak, but that he still could not let go of what happened that year.
He didn't ask because he didn't want to bring up his painful memories; and everything just stopped at a kiss because he didn't want to be reckless and make his sweetheart feel trembling and uneasy.
Wu Wen threw herself into his arms. For so many years, he had been suspended high by forbearance, loneliness, and longing. Now he cut the rope of suspension and let himself fall, just because Shi Cheng could catch him and hold him tightly.
"Shi Cheng." He wrote on his back, "Does that sentence still count?"
"Which sentence?"
"The jade was given to me by my sweetheart."
"Of course! I adore you, Wen. You have always been my sweetheart."
Shi Cheng had just finished telling him about the jade when the next day, the Tongxin Jade disappeared.
They slept under the same quilt last night. Maybe Wen put it away when she got up early. I can only ask him later.
But Wu Wen didn't come back until evening. At the same time, Wu Gu received a note with the name of a woman named Wu on it.
Wu Wen suddenly became very busy, and Shi Cheng could not wait for him even after preparing dinner. When they met occasionally, he was either at the altar, the ancestral temple, or with the witch.
Shi Cheng finally found an opportunity to ask him if he could help him.
Wu Wen said that it was not necessary, as he was about to go into seclusion.
This retreat lasted for a whole month, and Shi Cheng waited and waited, but he never came out.
During the slack season, the men of the tribe would sit around the fire, and he would sit beside them and listen to their chatting.
"The clan leader and Auntie have finally chosen a satisfactory woman named Wu, and even arranged the marriage."
"Are you talking about the witch who can hit the target even from a hundred and fifty paces away?"
"It's her! Her name is Wu Jing...!"
"Hey, just say it, why are you blushing?"
"She lives next door to me. I often see her practicing archery..."
"Do you think she will choose you?"
"...I, I don't have an idea. I need to see what A-Jing thinks..."
The men burst into laughter, laughing at the man who overestimated his own abilities. The witch chosen by the patriarch must be extraordinary. Countless men prayed and hoped for her, so how could he be so close to her that he could get what he wanted?
Shi Cheng also laughed. He rubbed his right thumb, where he used to wear a ring. When he was lucky, he could shoot down a flying wild goose.
As for wild geese, it is best to catch a pair. If you want to get married, you will need a pair of geese as a lucky charm.
Shi Cheng only dared to think about it but didn't dare to say it out loud. Others admired the witch chosen by the patriarch, but what he was thinking about day and night was the patriarch himself.
After a few days, the clan decorated their house with lanterns and held a wedding.
When Shi Cheng asked around, he found out that what the men said was correct, it was exactly Wu Jing's marriage.
As for who the man was, no one knew no matter how much they asked. Most of the men didn't care. After all, the status of men in the Wu tribe was not high, and the child would follow the woman after birth. Most outsiders only knew the uncle, not the biological father.
Shi Cheng returned to his deserted home and recalled what the witch had said to Awen.
The patriarch chose a witch. Why did Awen choose the witch?
The more Shi Cheng thought about it, the more scared he became. Would the witch choose him? No one had told him that the witch custom was to arrange the ceremony first and then let the bride choose the man on the spur of the moment!
He was panicking and walked out aimlessly, wanting to find Wu Wen to ask for clarification. Unknowingly, he walked to the towering altar.
The altar is ten feet high and has ninety-nine steps. No one except the clan leader and the witch is allowed to go up without permission.
Shi Cheng didn't care about so many things and just walked up with his head down. Even if he was guilty, the clan leader should come forward and punish him personally.
He climbed onto the altar, and indeed, Wu Wen was there, with the witch named Wu Jing beside her!
"You've come just in time," Wu Wen took his hand and wrote on his palm, "Let's go."
"Leave? Where are you sending me?! You chose the miko so I can marry her?!"
The writing speed was too slow. Wu Wen looked at him in confusion, not knowing where to start explaining.
Wu Jing had already put on the clan leader's robe, which was white with red stripes, and the heart-shaped jade was hanging on her chest. "Who wants to marry you? If the clan leader wants to take you away, just go with him."
"Everything... has been arranged... already," Wu Wen said with difficulty, fearing he might misunderstand. "Ajing... is about to choose a husband and get married... Clan leader, tell... her, you and I, let's go..."
Shi Cheng was stunned. He knew the rules: outsiders who came and left would have their eyes gouged out and their hands chopped off.
Seeing that Wu Wen wanted to explain but was too anxious to speak, Wu Jing spoke for him, "As long as you follow the tribe leader, you won't be considered to have left the Wu tribe. But if you separate from him, he will personally gouge out your eyes and chop off your hands."
Wu Wen pursed her lips, her eyes gentle, as if asking him if he was willing.
How could Shi Cheng not be willing? He just didn't expect that Ah Wen was avoiding him just to arrange all this. He had wanted to give himself a surprise, but he had accidentally discovered it.
"You guys should leave now." Wu Jing calmly drew her bow and glanced at the bonfire under the altar. "That kid next door can now watch me practice archery openly!"
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