Qiao Xiuyu patted Shang Shaoyan's head and said gently, "An'an, let's come and admire the plum blossoms every winter from now on, okay?"
Shang Shaoyan blinked and smiled: "Okay."
"Okay, pinky promise."
"Okay, pinky promise... for a hundred years, no take-backs!"
The two of them watched the plum blossoms together for forty-nine winters.
In the forty-ninth year, the day after seeing the plum blossoms, Qiao Xiuyu caught a cold and fell seriously ill, spending all his time bedridden.
Shang Shaoyan had abdicated ten years ago and was now seventy-six years old, but one could still glimpse the elegance and beauty of her youth, as well as the majesty of an emperor, in her eyes and brows.
But at this moment, she was nothing more than a wife whose husband was bedridden and who felt terrified as a result.
Qiao Xiuyu was getting old. He coughed and smiled as he said to Shang Shaoyan, "Leave me here quickly, lest I pass on my illness to you."
Shang Shaoyan refused to leave, glaring at Qiao Xiuyu: "Even when you're sick, you still want to upset me, don't you?"
Qiao Xiuyu smiled, but ultimately did not forcefully drive Shang Shaoyan away.
He sensed that his time was near, so he summoned Shang Yihuan, who was now the empress, her husband Ashina, and several of his grandchildren to his bedside—all while Shang Shaoyan was fast asleep.
He looked at his somewhat withered hands and asked Shang Yihuan, "Huanhuan, am I ugly now?"
With tears in her eyes, Shang Yihuan shook her head: "My father was the most handsome man in the world when he was young."
Qiao Xiuyu smiled and sighed, "You child, you always know how to coax me."
He paused, then said weakly, "After I'm gone, you must take good care of An'an... She has a strong personality and doesn't like to cry in front of others. Please keep a close eye on her at night, and if you see her crying, please try to stop her to stop, lest she hurt her eyes. An'an likes spicy food, but her stomach hasn't been very good in recent years, so please don't indulge her and encourage her to eat more bland food..."
Shang Yihuan listened with tears in her eyes. Seeing Qiao Xiuyu growing weaker and weaker, she panicked and quickly sent someone to invite Shang Shaoyan over.
Qiao Xiuyu didn't stop her, but just smiled and said, "Alright, I'll say a few more words to An'an."
When Shang Shaoyan arrived, she was still wearing her nightgown, her eyes were red, and a hint of fear appeared on her usually strong face. She trembled as she grasped Qiao Xiuyu's hand and asked, "Are you leaving me?"
Qiao Xiuyu smiled and shook her head: "How could that be? An'an always says that I am a celestial being descended to earth. I'm going back to heaven... When you miss me, just look at the stars in the sky, there will always be one that represents me."
He paused, then raised his hand with some effort to wipe away the tears from Shang Shaoyan's eyes, and said, "I still remember the first time we met. It was also winter. You were sitting in the pastry shop, looking at me curiously, and said you wanted me to teach you to play the piano... That year was very cold, and I'm most afraid of the cold—but when I stayed at your house, you complained about me, but you gave me the warmest room..."
Shang Shaoyan laughed and cried at the same time, scolding, "You're so stupid, that's clearly the room most suitable for monitoring you."
Qiao Xiuyu smiled and said, "An'an, you must be safe and sound before I leave, okay?"
After saying that, he took Shang Shaoyan's hand, but it was weak and lacked strength.
Shang Shaoyan gripped his hand tightly.
Qiao Xiuyu touched Shang Shaoyan's face and asked again, as if to confirm, "Is it okay?"
Shang Shaoyan closed his eyes briefly and said, "Okay..."
Qiao Xiuyu nodded, and then, for the first time in her life, she begged Shang Shaoyan, "An'an, I want to hear 'Nian Nu Jiao'. Can you sing it for me?"
Shang Shaoyan gently patted Qiao Xiuyu's withered hand and said in a gentle voice, "A thousand doors under the bright moon, the sky as clear as water, it is a joyous festival... The plum blossoms are in full bloom, the spring air is in full bloom, and every household is decorated with flowers and candles... People come and go in fine clothes, and the sounds of flutes and drums never cease until dawn... Young people, the scenery here is truly extraordinary."
"What a magnificent sight!"
Qiao Xiuyu smiled contentedly, then closed her eyes and fell asleep, never to wake up again.
In a daze, Shang Shaoyan saw his younger self, young and dashing, dressed in fine clothes and riding a spirited horse. Looking at the equally young Qiao Xiuyu, he smiled and said, "I have wanted to learn the zither since I was a child, but unfortunately I have never found a suitable teacher... I wonder if this young man would be willing to teach me? The price is negotiable."
The snow was falling gently, and the room was warm and cozy. She looked at him, as if this was her entire life.
-End of extra chapter-
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
