Chapter 7 The Enchanting Silver Bell (Part 1) This silver bell wind, in the end, is...
Guo Jia and Deng Jie had a pair of tokens that they wore at their waists for many years.
Guo Jia's was a silver sachet with openwork cloud patterns, filled with perfumed balm made by Deng Jie himself; Deng Jie's was a smaller silver bell with openwork cloud patterns, which rang wherever he went.
The two men coincidentally bought a pair of identical silversmiths in Wancheng to make these tokens.
Back then, due to Guo Jia's health problems, the two were unwilling to confront their feelings for each other, and instead exchanged gifts under the pretext that they were not tokens of affection.
On their second trip to Wanshan for hot springs, Guo Jia waited outside and insisted that Deng Jie wear a silver bell while swimming.
Deng Jie immediately exposed that he was clearly trying to "daydream" under the influence of the ringing bell, but in the end he still gave in to him.
Now that he has a warm bath at home, Guo Jia finds the hazy, budding affection from back then the most alluring.
That day, Deng Jie went into the warm water, and seeing that Guo Jia had not yet arrived, he called out to the room, "Fengxiao, aren't you coming?"
But then Guo Jia squatted by the pool, holding the silver bell she had just untied. “Come on, but…” he pulled Deng Jie’s hand out of the water, “I want you to tie this back on.”
Deng Jie pulled her hand away, bewildered. "What kind of lousy ideas are you coming up with now?" she said, looking at him irritably. "Back in the mountains, you said you were afraid I'd run away, which was somewhat of a reason, but what's your excuse now that we're at home?"
Guo Jia pouted and said coquettishly, "I'm happy to hear you make a sound, just do as I say."
Deng Jie scoffed, snatched the silver bell, and wrapped the red string around his wrist. "Oh, just wear it. Doesn't it get annoying to hear it ringing everywhere every day?"
Guo Jia took off his outer robe, jumped into the water with a splash, put one arm around his wife's shoulder, and helped up her hand that was wrapped around the bell with the other. "It's no trouble, I just want to know where you are."
Deng Jie's ears burned. "You planned this all along when you sent it, didn't you?"
Guo Jia looked at her calmly and pressed his head against hers. "Of course. Who told you to leave me alone in the room all day? You have no idea how helpless I felt that day. I couldn't speak, I couldn't get out of bed, my whole body was in pain, and I couldn't even get a medicine pouch..."
Even after all these years, Guo Jia still harbors resentment towards Deng Jie for leaving him in his room to recuperate while he himself went all over the city to seek medical treatment and medicine.
Guo Jia knew that his wife was susceptible to this kind of behavior; as long as he made the slightest concession, Deng Jie would agree to anything.
As expected, Deng Jie touched his face and apologized profusely, "I know I was wrong, my husband, please don't be resentful anymore, I'll do whatever you say."
Guo Jia felt a surge of secret delight and took the opportunity to tighten his grip, "You said it yourself..."
The sound of the bell echoed on the water, awakening memories he had held onto for many years.
After all, he could never forget that night in the thatched cottage in Qiao County.
That was their eighth month in Qiao County.
The epidemic brought about by the Battle of Xuzhou at that time affected the medical ward, and Guo Jia was even affected to the point of incontinence.
Despite the filth, Deng Jie washed his clothes and then stayed with him day and night to take care of him until he survived the epidemic. She continued to give him medicinal fumigation treatment every day.
Finally, on that night, the two of them consummated their relationship.
As the fireworks dimmed, the bitter fragrance still lingered in the air.
"I'm so sorry to have kept you up so late today..." Deng Jie was packing up the fumigation equipment when he heard long, steady breaths coming from the people at the table.
No wonder it's so quiet today, they're all asleep.
Deng Jie smiled slightly and leaned over to blow out the candle.
Just as she was about to tuck him in, she noticed the moonlight falling on his sweaty chest, a bead of sweat winding along his skin, about to disappear into his loose-fitting clothes.
Her heart trembled, and she couldn't help but reach out and touch it, gently wiping it away.
The warm touch of his skin sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn't bear to pull her hand away, and instead placed her entire palm on his chest, letting it rise and fall with his breath.
She couldn't help but swallow, her eyelashes fluttering, and the strands of hair hanging down her temples dropped another three inches.
When she came to her senses, she was already so close that she could smell the warmth of his neck. Her cheeks flushed involuntarily.
This is probably what he meant when he was at the hot springs—a "unique smell" on his body, different from the smell of medicine and alcohol.
The faint fragrance, accompanied by his body heat, made her feel slightly dazed, wanting to get closer to him, her nose lingering greedily on the crook of his neck.
If it were now, while he was asleep, it wouldn't hurt to get a little closer.
This is what Deng Jie was planning.
But her hands continued to climb up his collarbone, stroking his neck. She could feel his warm breath on his neck, making her nose itch.
As her fingers brushed against his Adam's apple, the protrusion suddenly rolled, startling Deng Jie so much that he quickly stood up.
"Don't go!" The moment Deng Jie stood up, Guo Jia opened his eyes and pulled her back into his arms.
"You, you were faking it!" Deng Jie's head was trapped in his arms, and she lightly punched him in a shy and angry tone.
“I was really asleep, but you kept making a fuss.” He cupped Deng Jie’s face, gazed into her bright and gentle eyes, and adjusted his breathing. “If you had told me earlier that you wanted to treat me like this, I would not have moved even if I were awake.”
Deng Jie placed her right hand on his chest, clearly feeling his heartbeat synchronized with her own. She let out a soft breath and resolutely said, as if making a decision, "Okay, then don't move." She also reached out and cupped Guo Jia's face, meeting his lips.
This action was unexpected by Guo Jia, but his burning body and dry throat made him reluctant to push him away.
Seeing her close her eyes and gaze so tenderly at him, he forgot all other thoughts and wholeheartedly cooperated with her.
His hand naturally slid towards her waist, but he suddenly stopped himself, forcing himself to hold onto the last shred of reason, and pressed Deng Jie's head against his chest to stop the situation from escalating.
After catching his breath, Guo Jia managed to suppress his intense emotions and said with difficulty, "You...you really won't regret treating me like this..."
He released Deng Jie, panting, a wave of sadness washing over him. He helped her up. “Actually, I overheard what you and Brother Yuanming were saying that day… Jia Shi… has no way to repay you.”
Hua Tuo's diagnosis of "unresolved stagnation and toxins, making offspring unlikely" and Deng Zhao's discussion with Deng Jie about "adoption" across the wall felt like dull knives scraping at his heart.
"What do I need you to report? Since you've heard everything, you naturally understand my decision, so why refuse again?" Deng Jie loosened his belt, picked up the silver bell he had given him, and laughed, "Weren't we already engaged and pledged our love?"
Guo Jia was taken aback. He reached out to ring the bell and said with a sad smile, "Didn't I say it wasn't a token of love..." He then put the bell back in his hand and stopped it from ringing.
Deng Jie pulled the silver bell and tied it around her neck, loosened her clothes, leaned down and pressed him down. Hearing the clear "clatter" of the bell, she nestled her right hand's five fingers into his palm: "A token of love? Then this will do, won't it?"
The vows they made on the day they pledged their love still echoed in his ears, and Guo Jia felt a lump in his throat. He tightly gripped the jade-like fingers in his hand, yet dared not accept her kiss, turning his face away to catch his breath.
"You...you like beautiful women, don't you..."
Although he had never cared about physical appearance, the thought of Deng Jie's immediate praise of Xun Yu as a "beauty" upon first seeing her made him realize that he had misled her.
Deng Jie chuckled, stroking his eyebrows and eyes, "All the beauties belong to other men..."
He lightly kissed Guo Jia's left eye, "Besides, Fengxiao... has a unique and charming appearance."
These words warmed Guo Jia's heart. "Then I am yours?"
Deng Jie nodded happily and said, "Of course. I've been holding back for a long time too."
Guo Jia could no longer hide his emotions, let out a long sigh, and turned over to press down on him.
The final conclusion is:
The moon casts shadows on the flowers, and the gentle tinkling of cloud bells echoes along the edge of the quilt.
Hearts in perfect harmony, the fragrance of mugwort and honey intertwined in tender embrace.
As time passed and the two went through many hardships, they finally settled down in Xuchang.
Guo Jia is no longer the same as before; he now has financial power that he can control.
The ringing of the hot spring bell tonight unleashed the floodgates of his wicked thoughts.
The next day, he found a silver workshop in Xudu and had a pair of silver bell hairpins made. He went home excitedly to put them on Deng Jie.
"Don't we already have silver bells? Why wear them on your head? It's too noisy."
Deng Jie wanted to take it down, but Guo Jia stopped him.
“Then wear it at home and show it to me. Jia finally thought of giving you a gift, don’t let me down…” He blinked his aggrieved eyes at her as he spoke, and Deng Jie’s heart softened, so she agreed.
Seeing that Deng Jie actually did as he was told, he became even more ambitious and brought her back a silver bell ornament every few days. After two months, Deng Jie's jewelry box was filled with all kinds of silver ornaments, such as earrings, hairpins, bracelets, and anklets.
Guo Jia would always coax her, "It doesn't matter if it's playing at home, I love listening to it."
Although Deng Jie felt shy, seeing his satisfied look and considering his old ailment and that it was just a hobby, she eventually agreed half-heartedly.
As a result, the backyard of the Guo residence, especially by the hot spring pool or in the bedroom, was often filled with the clear, delicate, or continuous sound of silver bells.
To Guo Jia, that sound was the ultimate pleasure and a resonance of memories; to Deng Jie, it was a private and intimate pleasure tinged with a sweet burden.
However, Guo Jia was not satisfied with this.
One day, he mysteriously brought in a square lacquered wooden box, about a foot in size. He went into the room, locked the door, and pulled Deng Jie over to look at it by lamplight.
"This was specially arranged by Jia to persuade Yi... It was meticulously crafted, and Madam, you must do me the honor of attending..."
Deng Jie was wondering what could make Guo Jia so eager, nervous, and expectant. After opening the lid, he couldn't help but frown.
Lying quietly in the wooden box, on the red silk, is a long string of delicate silver bells.
With a puzzled and incredulous look, Deng Jie picked up one end, and heard a clear, delicate "jingle" sound grow. He then saw the silver bell chain strung together, one link after another.
Her voice trembled, "What...what...what is this?"
When she lifted it out completely, the silver bell chains, one after another, were connected end to end, gradually increasing in length from top to bottom, resembling a bell garment.
Deng Jie was completely disoriented, his neck flushed red, and he asked in a low voice, "What...what do you mean by this?"
Guo Jia chuckled and breathed into her neck, saying, "Shuoyi already understands, why does Jia need to explain it again?"
Deng Jie recoiled as if pricked by a needle, taking two steps back. "No, no, no! Absolutely not! What kind of behavior is this? I absolutely cannot agree to this!"
Deng Jie stammered and backed away, only to be pinned against the wall by Guo Jia.
“Jia’s health… I know it… Although you’ve worked so hard to keep me from dying, I still get infected with diseases like plague and dampness. Who knows when something might happen…” Guo Jia pressed his forehead against hers, his brows furrowed, looking at her with a pitiful expression. Deng Jie couldn’t help but waver.
“You have no idea how important that night, when you tied the silver bell to your own head at the thatched cottage in Qiao County… was to Jia…”
His voice, filled with nostalgia and allure, flowed into Deng Jie's ears like a seductive melody, pulling her thoughts back to the thrill and intimacy of that night. "That clear, ringing bell, accompanied by your breath, was the most beautiful sound Jia had ever heard in her life. It was your certainty that shattered all my worries..."
"This 'wind of silver bells,' in the end, was started by you..."
Seeing that she no longer resisted, Guo Jia gently cupped her face in his hands. "Besides... there's a saying in 'Jing Nu': 'Praising the beauty of a charming woman.' This is the name that the old lady personally entrusted to me. I just want to cherish this beauty..."
When it comes to verbal sparring, Deng Jie was no match for him. In the end, he was rendered speechless and could only blush and avoid his eyes as he replied, "Well... well... just this once..."
"Really?!" Guo Jia's eyes instantly lit up with wild joy. Like a cat that had successfully stolen some fish, he quickly pecked Deng Jie's lips. "Madam's word is law! Jia will go prepare the hot spring right away!" Afraid that she would change her mind, he immediately hugged the heavy lacquered wooden box like a precious treasure and rushed to the backyard with light steps.
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