Chapter 103 Who are you? You overestimate yourself.
The sedan curtains rolled up without wind, and Nian Nian coldly glanced at the red silk spread on the ground before gracefully walking over.
She wore a bright red brocade wedding dress, draped with a light blue shawl, her fair face hidden under an embroidered scarf, her shoulders not bent, her hands not clenched, and her red embroidered shoes stepped on the ground, each step like a lotus blossom.
As she walked, the pair of magpies on the embroidered scarf swayed in the red waves, like kites about to take flight in the spring breeze.
Li Xunhuan suddenly felt that the wind was about to pick up.
He instinctively grabbed her wrist and tightened his grip.
The copper bell on her wrist trembled incessantly. Nian Nian stopped in her tracks, turned around, and waited silently for him to speak.
Chaotic thoughts tangled in Li Xunhuan's mind, forming an intractable knot. He only knew that the cat-like eyes beneath the red veil were fixed on him, shining brightly like wildfire suddenly ignited in the forest.
His lips trembled amidst the blazing firelight, a thousand words surging in his throat, almost bursting out, but in the end they just stuck there, firmly lodged, tearing his flesh apart.
He realized once again that the Flying Dagger of Li Xunhuan could not save him, nor Lin Shiyin, much less her.
...He suddenly began to resent himself, wondering why he had wasted ten years of his life.
Why, after ten years, has he never improved, and only ever taught those around him to hurt themselves and be harmed by him?
His eyes were so red they were almost bleeding, and his teeth were rusty; suddenly he couldn't even open and close his mouth.
The little imp wearing the crown stared at him with his leopard eyes that gleamed with blue light, and said slowly, "Let's talk about it after the bride has entered the house."
All the little devils responded, "If we dawdle any longer, we'll miss the auspicious time!"
"Don't keep Lord Du waiting."
......
Niannian bit her lip and abruptly withdrew her hand.
She gripped her wrist, which was red and swollen from being pinched, and retorted, "You gave me this name, so consider it a return to you."
There's no need to say anything about feeling indebted or guilty anymore.
After saying that, she turned around and strode forward.
The red line, visible only to the two of them, suddenly straightened and snaked its way into the sedan chair curtains.
Li Xunhuan's eyelashes trembled as he felt the thick smoke from the wildfire stinging his eyes, making them sore he could barely move.
"Lift the sedan chair!" A sharp shout pierced the night, and the ghost bearers who carried the sedan chair began to sing a wedding song in a hoarse voice. Together they lifted the sedan chair and walked outside.
Li Xunhuan slumped down, curling his empty hand, and followed, his face pale.
Jing Shu turned around and called out to the half-closed door and window, "I left a plum branch in the courtyard. Sister, please stay here. We'll be right back."
He spoke lightly, but his heart was already in his throat, fearing that she would insist on coming along.
The journey ahead is fraught with danger and uncertainty. He himself is not even confident of escaping unscathed, so how could he risk his sister's life?
Given my sister's personality, I'm afraid it will be difficult...
Contrary to his expectations, Lin Shiyin remained silent for a while before saying firmly, "I'll wait for you here."
Her voice was dry, and she paused twice during a short sentence, with very stiff intonation.
Jing Shu subconsciously sensed something was wrong, but the bridal sedan chair had already left the courtyard in a grand procession and headed straight for the main street.
His sister must be worried about Niannian; he must bring Niannian back safe and sound.
He exhaled, suppressing his hesitation, and chased after him, calling out, "Cousin, wait for me!"
Oops.
As soon as he uttered the name, he bit his tongue.
Jing Shu cautiously glanced up at Li Xunhuan's face—his face was covered in cold sweat, his eyes fixed on the bridal sedan chair as if clutching a lifeline, and he wasn't listening to what he was saying at all.
He paused, then, a beat late, realized something was amiss.
My cousin and sister are just ordinary people; how could Nian Nian possibly be their daughter?
But between two people...
"careful!"
His pupils contracted, and the plum branch transformed into a vine, quickly wrapping around Li Xunhuan's waist and dragging him away from the spot.
Li Xunhuan staggered a couple of steps before finally regaining his footing. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the ground where he had just stood had suddenly turned into a puddle, and a pale blue ghost hand was haphazardly pulling and tugging in the black water.
Jing Shu tightened his grip on his arm and warned, "It's a water ghost, watch your step."
He wanted to say, "Don't stare at the bridal sedan chair," but then he thought that if it were his sister in the sedan chair, he certainly wouldn't dare to look away either.
never mind.
Cousin, dear cousin, please remember my kindness.
A foul-smelling, damp mist rose in wisps.
On the dry ground, puddles appeared one after another. The sound of dripping water filled the air, and large, blurry outlines could be vaguely seen in the thick black fog.
Pairs of eerie green eyes hovered silently in mid-air like will-o'-the-wisps, their bloated, rotting skin twisted and contorted as they crookedly approached them.
Jing Shu felt a chill run down his spine. He was about to take Li Xunhuan and flee the place when he reached out but found nothing.
Looking back, he saw that his good cousin had already caught up with the bridal sedan chair.
He took a deep breath and had no choice but to grit his teeth and keep up.
Just as the ghostly hand, its skin and flesh half-peeled, reached into the sedan curtain, a flying knife pierced straight through its arm, pinning it firmly to the ground.
Li Xunhuan hurriedly lifted the curtain, asking in a flustered manner, "Niannian, are you alright?"
The moment he lifted the curtain, the deafening sound of gongs and drums abruptly ceased, axes and forks clashed and blocked the sedan chair door, and the accompanying demons all stopped in their tracks, staring at him intently.
The surroundings suddenly fell silent, with only the cracking sound of the water ghost's limbs bending and stretching as it crawled.
If we wait until they get close, how will we survive?
Two throwing knives shot out, piercing straight into the porter's throat. Thick black blood splattered all over the ground, the knives lodged in his throat, their hilts still vibrating with a 'humming' sound.
The sedan bearer stiffly lowered his head to look at his pierced throat, then swung his axe at him.
Jing Shu opened his eyes wide, manipulated the plum branch to wrap around the steel fork raised behind Li Xunhuan, and said in a deep voice, "Isn't this a wedding procession? Don't you know you're supposed to deliver the bride safely to her husband's house?"
The little ghost in the crown laughed and sobbed, "Lord Du has waited for over a hundred years and has long since turned into a handful of dust. He is currently waiting for his little sister to come down from the underworld."
A long sword slashed diagonally at Li Xunhuan, while the little devil holding the sword chuckled, "Little sister has the Ghost King's protection; she'll only know what good days are like after she comes down here. It's hard to say about you two."
Li Xunhuan kept his footing steady, gripping his throwing knife tightly, and did not make another move.
He doesn't have many throwing knives on him. If he makes a rash move, he will be helpless and captured once he runs out of knives.
These demons and ghosts cannot be killed by swords, they are ignorant and painless. Even if a flying knife pierces their heart, they can still wield their swords and axes and get up.
His heart sank. His inner robe was soaked with sweat. He glanced at the motionless bridal sedan chair and knew that she was still sulking.
Li Xunhuan was so anxious and worried that his heart trembled, and he could only call out, "Niannian..."
He knew she must have a way.
The little imp in the hat interrupted him in a hoarse voice: "Now that my sister has married Master Du, she is a member of the Du family..."
Before the words were finished, a deep, clear voice suddenly rang out from the thick fog.
"My junior sister will not marry anyone but me."
The sound wasn't loud, but it struck everyone's ears like a bronze bell, making their eardrums ache.
With a series of clanging sounds, the axe, halberd, and steel fork broke free from their powerless hands and crashed to the ground.
In an instant, Li Xunhuan's ears were filled with wailing and lamenting sounds—all the little ghosts in the street were clutching their heads and begging for mercy.
Jing Shu closed his eyes, rested his hands on his knees, and breathed a sigh of relief.
That was close.
Li Xunhuan pursed his lips, his fingertips somehow digging into his palm again.
He raised his head and looked towards the end of the fog.
The thick black fog suddenly dissipated, and a tall and handsome young man slowly emerged. He wore a light blue wide-sleeved robe with a crimson belt, his eyebrows were like ink paintings, his phoenix eyes were long and narrow, and his lips were crimson, like a blood-stained frost knife.
Jing Shu stood there, stunned, and said in a daze, "Is this Nian Nian's senior brother?"
It turns out they didn't need to come to the rescue at all.
Li Xunhuan stared at the peacock feather on the man's clothes and said in a hoarse voice, "...I don't know."
He knew perfectly well. The day he first met Nian Nian, she was wearing a light blue summer dress with peacock feathers and a crimson skirt.
Li Xunhuan bit his tongue, the words he had just spoken echoing in his ears—'My junior sister will not marry anyone but me.'
It felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, soaking him completely. In his dazed state, he suddenly realized that he had forgotten she had amnesia.
Li Xunhuan's face suddenly turned pale, and the words "amnesia" seemed to grip his heart like a pair of giant hands.
So, what she forgot was him... The bond between fellow disciples, like that between him and Shiyin.
Having grown up together, how could we not develop feelings for each other?
He gripped the throwing knife tightly in his palm, and an unpredictable, stinging sensation was forced into his chest, grinding against his heart like rough stones.
Lost in thought, he spoke softly again, drawing out the last syllable of his name as he called out to Nian Nian, "Junior Sister—"
The bright red sedan curtain was suddenly torn off. Nian Nian pulled off her red veil, lifted her eyelashes to look at him, and said coldly, "Who are you?"
The man curled his lips slightly, his body remaining still, yet he was already in front of Nian Nian.
He leaned forward, lazily extending his hand, and said with a smile, "Lingxing has always found the answers on her own since she was little."
His hands were as pale as white paper, devoid of any color. The veins were as dark as ink seeping into the thin layer of skin, yet a cinnabar mole appeared on his wrist. The rich blue and red intertwined, revealing a somewhat morbid and bewitching beauty.
Niannian turned her head away, "Playing tricks."
He sighed softly and chuckled, "How come you're still like this even with amnesia? The answer lies in my blood."
He rolled up his sleeve, revealing his entire wrist, and said slowly, "Junior sister can bite wherever she wants."
His voice, held between his lips and tongue, carried a hint of seduction, a flirtatious tone that seemed both oblivious to others and a provocation.
Li Xunhuan felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest—as if those young hands were tightly covering his nose and throat.
He pursed his lips, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "A woman's reputation is a matter of lifelong importance; this action is probably inappropriate."
The moment he said those words, his heart skipped a beat, and he clenched his fist tightly.
—He is the one who is least qualified to speak.
As if struck by a sudden thought, his pale lips began to tremble.
She has tarnished her own reputation.
If she truly harbors feelings for her fellow disciple, and recalls their past, including their shameful and sordid affair, then she...
Li Xunhuan's blood instantly froze, frost forming inch by inch, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
No, she can't remember.
He raised his head and looked at Xi Rao's young and handsome face. The words that had reached his tongue suddenly became barbs, firmly embedded in his flesh, difficult to remove.
...This is the kind of person she should admire: young, vibrant, possessing exceptional skills, and capable of protecting her for a lifetime.
He was no longer young; his heart was a barren desert, and his spirit had long since withered. Faced with these calamities, he could no longer protect anyone.
This relationship was wrong from the start, and it really was 'wrong'.
Should we let her continue making mistakes?
He tensed his spine, his whole body trembled, and finally lowered his head, just as he always had.
It seems that no matter what choice he makes, he has already ruined her, completely and utterly.
Xi Rao glanced at him coldly, his dark gaze fixed on the glaring red rope.
A good-for-nothing who usurped someone else's place.
You stole mine, and I'll make you spit it out.
He suppressed the rage within him and asked in a playful tone, "Junior Sister, are you aware that you've been bewitched by a love potion?"
Nian Nian gasped for breath, her face pale, and said, "A love potion?"
Xi Rao scrutinized Li Xunhuan, drawing out the last syllable of his words, and said meaningfully, "After the Gu worm possesses someone, that person will forget their past life, fall into a coma, and then hopelessly fall in love with the first person they see when they open their eyes. They will feel joy because of him, and pain because of him. If they are more than a mile away from him, the Gu worm will devour their heart and kill them."
“Junior sister, my blood can cure all poisons. If this Gu poison is not cured, you will forever be a puppet in his hands.”
With a whoosh, Li Xunhuan froze on the spot, as if he had been suddenly stripped naked and thrown into a blizzard. Layer upon layer of snow drowned his breath, crushed his back, and the biting cold seeped into his bones, freezing him to the bone in an instant.
The reason she had inappropriate thoughts about him was because she was poisoned by a Gu curse.
She didn't want to, she was forced into it, but he treated her like a beast... and even defiled her body.
His legs suddenly gave way, and he almost collapsed to his knees.
His limbs and bones were still intact, but he knew he would never be able to stand up again.
Niannian bit her lip, as Xi Rao's words corresponded one by one with the chaotic images in her mind.
The moment she saw Li Xunhuan in the snow, she was instantly captivated by his emerald green eyes, as if under a spell.
As soon as he was far away, her heart ached unbearably.
He disliked himself intensely, and his heart ached and felt heavy, from which he could not escape.
She thought it was love that was harming her, but it turned out she had been poisoned by a curse.
She was always vengeful, and knowing that someone had tormented her like this, she wanted nothing more than to skin him alive and drink his blood. Without needing Xi Rao's persuasion, she immediately used a red thread to cut open his arm.
The vermilion blood had barely fallen as raindrops when it was wiped away by Nian Nian.
The blood droplet slid across the tip of my tongue, and the sweet and metallic taste instantly filled my mouth, like a trigger to awaken the uninvited guest residing in my heart.
It hurts! It hurts!!
Niannian clutched her heart and gasped for breath. Her legs buckled, and she was about to fall to the ground.
Li Xunhuan's pupils contracted, and he hurriedly hugged her tighter, his voice almost cracking: "Niannian! You..."
Niannian clenched her sleeves, curled up in excruciating pain, and suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood.
Blood splattered onto the filthy puddle, creating ripples. A crimson Gu worm broke through the water's surface and, driven by instinct, desperately crawled toward Li Xunhuan.
The dark blue boots rolled over it, crushing the worm that had brewed so much evil and wrong into minced meat.
This is... a love potion.
Li Xunhuan breathed heavily, his pupils trembling violently, suspecting that his own heart had been crushed.
Xi Rao scooped up the unconscious Nian Nian, looked up to meet Li Xunhuan's bloodshot, tearful eyes, and slowly said in a drawn-out tone, "Do you really think Junior Sister would fall in love with a man old enough to be her father?"
He paused, then clicked his tongue and said, "You think too highly of yourself."
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Author's note: 荇 (xīng) is pronounced in the fourth tone and refers to aquatic plants with vigorous vitality!
Regarding the fact that everyone wants to call Little Li Cousin! (From "Rebirth: After Being Bound to a Golden Finger, I Became My Dream Lover")
"Little Li! You think you're the only one with a cousin? Hehehehe..." (laughs strangely as he leaves)
At this point, the senior brother hadn't realized that they were already... well, you know... lol
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