Chapter 4 The Secretly Blossoming Love

The sun at noon was rather hot. Chiyou lifted the carriage curtains, allowing the cold air to enter. She poked her head out and looked around. It was the most beautiful time of the year. The grass that had withered for the entire winter had shed their yellow clothing and emerged from the ground. After the wheels of the carriage pressed over them, the grass bowed their heads. Chiyou looked at the patch of verdant green grass and could not bear it. She quickly made her sister stop. Mengxi held the reins, looking at her little sister in confusion. Could it be that the little girl had lost her enthusiasm?

"Little You, do you want to go home?"

"Sister, the grass hasn't even lived past spring, and they've been ravaged by this horse."

Han Chiyou's eyes were filled with tears, and Mengxi felt helpless. Her little sister's complaint made it seem as if she had committed a heinous crime. She really felt like prying open her little sister's head to take a look inside it.

"Little sister, what exactly do you want? Do you not wish to go?"

"I do, but elder sister, this horse really has no sense. It doesn't know how to go around the grass! Look at the grass and at the hoof prints."

"You're such a child."

Han Chiyou went forward and kicked the horse viciously. The horse lifted its tail, trying to lash the girl.

"You beast, you don't listen to instructions anymore."

Two red streaks immediately appeared on Han Chiyou's little hands. Mengxi looked at her little sister, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Elder sister, I'm going to kick your ass."

Han Chiyou leaped forward and Mengxi finally could not bear it any longer. She laughed out loud. Her bell-like laughter reverberated in the air. Chiyou stopped horsing around and looked at her second sister quietly. She thought to herself, "Mengxi is so beautiful when she laughs."

The sun tore through the clouds, revealing its smiling face. Under the sunlight, Wuyou's purple satin dress floated in the air as she rode on a Qilin, becoming one with the spring scene. No matter what happened in the future, right now, she had Little Lingchong, the Qilin, and also the handsome man.

The man Wuyou had been waiting for appeared. She was like a little leaf boat on the crowded streets, looking for her harbor. The seed of love had landed on her heart, and even the barren lands could not stop the seed from sprouting. She waited, waited for the nourishment of the spring rain and the light of the spring sun. At this moment, Wuyou had reincarnated several lifetimes.

Xu Linghe looked at the woman who approached from the crowds. He took one look at her and his eyes never moved again. The woman was like a flower in the mountain spring. She was energetic and a breath of fresh air. Her purple satin clothes enveloped her slender and beautiful face that was tinged with sadness. Her tiny mouth lifted up slightly, and she bit her lower lip gently sometimes. Xu Linghe's heart melted at this moment. His girl was right before him and his pace quickened. His robe swayed in the wind, and his black hair tangled in the wind because he walked so quickly.

This was the Xu Linghe Wuyou saw in the crowd. The two of them looked at each other, having only each other in their eyes. The world became silent at this moment and they could hear the sound of their hearts emerging from the soil. The wind by their ears blew at their black hair, with every strand and every wisp entangling into a web. And bliss surged in their eyes.

Xu Linghe stood in the crowd, looking at Jiang Wuyou lovingly. He was so near to her. Xu Linghe moved even closer, wanting to hug the girl in front of him, even if it was just for a moment. His lady was like the flower in early spring, dewy, elegant and extremely beautiful.

"Jiang Wuyou."

The color red crept up the girl's face when she looked down. The corners of her eyes lifted slightly and her ears grew red. Xu Linghe's lips lifted.

"I'm Xu Linghe."

Wuyou mouthed the words silently, wanting to carve the name in her heart.

"Move away, move away quickly."

A woman screamed in the crowd. Then, it was immediately followed by the whining of a horse. The wildly trampling horse approached and the woman driving the carriage was terrified. The startled horse raised its front hooves, rushing toward Jiang Wuyou. Xu Linghe saw that something was amiss and carried Jiang Wuyou away quickly. The woman in his embrace shut her eyes tightly, her expression shy. Xu Linghe thought that she looked adorable. He touched the tip of her nose lightly and smiled dotingly. His low voice reverberated. This was the nicest voice Wuyou had ever heard. It was as warm as sunshine and was like the best wine, it made one want to get drunk in it. Wuyou wanted to touch this affection, and her little hand that she had just lifted fell. She loved him so much, so she did not dare to express it. Wuyou bowed her head slightly.

The love in her eyes lightened. She dared not love the man before her. She was just a demon! How could she thirst for the love of humans? Her blood cooled slightly, and her eyes watered. She was smiling, but her heart was crying.

Xu Linghe could not bear to let go. He had been rude to a beautiful woman, and he felt annoyed, hating himself for being flustered. He looked at the girl before him and apologized profusely. Wuyou's heart hurt even more. Was this still the man who rode a dragon? Right now, this was the truest form. Loving someone was so simple. It was caring for someone's feelings. And disregarding love, it was bliss that was hidden at the bottom of one's heart. This man cared for her, so he cherished her. But did she have the strength to love this man? Wuyou asked herself again and again. Xu Linghe and Jiang Wuyou had no future. The distance between them was one of human and demon.

Xu Linghe accompanied her through the market. This was the most blissful moment for Wuyou. The sounds of merchants yelling reverberated in her ears. Xu Linghe walked extremely slowly, stopping occasionally, waiting for the curious, beautiful woman.

Wuyou stopped in front of a stall, staring at the little candy figures. Xu Linghe's lips lifted. He knew that women cherished such things. Wuyou observed carefully, and when she saw the caramel turn into little lifelike animals, she touched the figures, her eyes filled with desire. Xu Linghe spoke with the stall owner softly and the man replied, "Alright!"

"Elder sister Wuyou."

Jiang Wuyou followed the voice. A little girl threw down her kite and ran over. Xu Linghe shielded Wuyou, his expression dark. "Whose child is this girl who does not know her manners?" he thought. The girl ran around wildly, unlike a girl. Wuyou wanted to dodge, but her hand was tugged on painfully by the girl.

"Slowly, little monkey, if you run and jump around, I wouldn't dare to bring you out next time."

Wuyou looked at the older woman. It was the woman who drove the horse carriage in the market. The wild horse had been stopped by her. One could imagine how powerful she was.

"Elder sister, have you forgotten Chiyou?"

Han Chiyou's tiny mouth pouted, her little hand wiped the corners of her eyes. Wuyou knew that the little girl was mischievous. There were no tears on her sleeves. Wuyou smiled lightly. The girl in front of her was adorable and was as naughty as she was when she was a child. She patted the little girl. Han Chiyou liked the fairy elder sister, she hugged Wuyou, refusing to let go.

Xu Linghe frowned and tugged away the little hand. He did not want the little girl to have his little woman to herself. The boss selling the candy figures called out to Xu Linghe. When Wuyou saw the little candy figure, she was so touched that she could not spoke incoherently. She looked silently at the figurine she held in her hands.

The little candy figure seemed life-like in the sunlight. Wuyou looked at it carefully and was shocked. The little candy figure possessed her own features. It had beautiful eyes, and a blissful smile on its lips. It was evidently her.

When Wuyou looked down shyly, her soft lips brushed Xu Linghe's and felt numb. Xu Linghe stared dazedly at the little woman. Wuyou was flustered, her face blushed bright red and the candy figure in her hands shattered. Her hands which were stained with sugar was tempting, its sweetness seducing Xu Linghe. When his lips kissed her fingers, Wuyou's eyes widened and she yelled out loud. Xu Linghe only came back to his senses then, and he turned around awkwardly, his ears burning red. Wuyou laughed out loud, the corner of her lips lifted up. She looked at Xu Linghe tenderly as she tried to wipe away the sugar from his lips.

"Sister Wuyou, you guys needn't be shy when you kiss."

Han Chiyou appeared. Xu Linghe coughed lightly. This little girl was such a mood-killer. He pulled at Wuyou's little hand and left quickly. His calves felt aching and limp as they walked, and he held the railings on the little bridge. The little woman in the sunlight seemed as soft as water, and she imprinted on Xu Linghe's heart like a picture. The two stood in the setting sun, side by side, looking at each other silently. This moment stopped forever.

They should bid each other farewell. Wuyou looked down, biting the corner of her lips until blood filled the gaps in her teeth. Mustering the courage to leave, Wuyou dared not look at the man, afraid that she might crave for his gentleness. Her fingers clutched tightly on the stone railing, leaving a streak of blood under her tender pinky. When the scent of blood filled the night sky, Xu Linghe was shocked. He thought of what his uncle had said. Could it be that this woman was his love hurdle? His uncle had seen the wills of heaven and had told him not to have anything to do with people who were of the purple-blooded tribe. He had told Linghe to make a detour when he saw them. But Xu Linghe understood at that moment, that if this woman was his hurdle, he was willing. Even if it might mean that he would lose his life, he would stay with her forever.

The Saint Lodge was before them. Xu Linghe held her hand and walked toward his abode.

Xu Linghe pushed down on the key, and a secret door opened. He clutched the little hand tightly. This was a secret passage that was two meters wide. There were candles lit on the wall. Every step brought forth a different picture. Wuyou did not know where the passage led to. Xu Linghe knew that the little woman had questions, but he did not explain. He just comforted her, patting her hand. The further the passage they went into, the colder it became. When they exited the passage, they saw an intense brightness. They were on a cliff. The man stayed in such a secluded place.

The new moon hung high in the sky. Xu Linghe helped Wuyou onto a little bamboo bridge. The deep valley winds blew at the corner of their clothes silently. Wuyou held out her little hands and felt the coldness. Looking at the little woman's mischievous behavior, Xu Linghe's lips lifted. The bamboo bridge below their feet swayed with the wind. Wuyou was so frightened, she hid in his embrace. When she felt the familiar aura, Wuyou pushed the man away in fear. Xu Linghe looked at the shocked woman and wondered to himself if he was a ferocious monster.

Xu Linghe held the little hand and the two passed a stone cave. When Wuyou came to a courtyard and saw the things on the altar, she was attracted to it. She never thought that there would be such divine items in the human world. This ancient stringed instrument was the nemesis of demons. It was a divine instrument used to search for the souls of the dead named reincarnation mirror. Wuyou dared not get close to the demon-suppressing pagoda. This man alone had the two rare divine instruments. What story did this man have with divine instruments?

The man ruminated over the chess game leisurely and looked up occasionally at the little woman. Wuyou was so excited that she had long forgotten where she was. She caressed the reincarnation mirror with her little hands. She was eager to know where her father, mother and Uncle Jiefei were. She cried silently as she caressed the reincarnation mirror.

"Why are you crying?"

Xu Linghe abandoned the chessboard and patted the crying woman until her sobs subsided. Xu Linghe hugged the little woman silently in the night, the woman in his arms had her brows tightly locked. Teardrops stopped on her slightly tilted eyelashes which were like butterfly wings. Little pearls crawled along her tilted eye, rolling across the hair at her temples. Xu Linghe looked at the little woman and suddenly felt sleepy. He leaned against a stone chair and the woman lying in his arms fell asleep. The meeting of hearts had a moving melody. And the man and woman in the moonlight were like pictures, beautiful and silent. Even if there was a ranging wind right now, it would not be able to extinguish the flame of love.

The nights in March were wet and cold. When he woke up, his shoulders hurt, the woman in his arms slept well. The sun shone through the branches and leaves, landing on the woman's face. Wuyou wanted to block it with her little hand. Xu Linghe looked at the sleeping little woman, his eyes overflowing with joy. Yes! He loved this woman. He was filled with bliss as long as he looked at her quietly.

Flower buds emerged on the pear trees in the courtyard, and dew drops landed on the buds. Occasionally, the sun shining through would make the dew drops move. Xu Linghe picked up the little woman and walked to the inner hall.

A black-feathered bird stood on the branch and chirped. Xu Linghe threw a blow using his spiritual finger, and the little black bird opened its mouth and found that it could not move.

"Impudent Junior Brother. You should be punished."

The little black bird flapped its wings and hurtled towards its Senior Brother. Xu Linghe revealed his white teeth.

"Is Father making any moves?"

Father. Xu Linghe placed a heavy emphasis on this word. Chengyi, the little black bird, knew its Senior Brother. He loved and hated his father. Thinking of everything his father had done, Xu Linghe's heart felt heavy. His heart, which had been soft and tender earlier, hardened once more.

"Senior Brother, your father wanted to arrange a betrothal for you. Everyone in the capital is talking about it. It seems to be the lady of the You family."

"Is that so? Father has indeed thought of everything. Except, your Senior Brother, I, am not a piece of chess that can be controlled."

Xu Linghe overturned the chessboard, his heart was torn apart. His father had abandoned everything for power. "How great would it be if my mother is still alive? Xu Yinchang, you're the one who forced your child." Xu Linghe sat, exhausted.

Wuyou wanted to hug the man, the man in front of her was so lonely. If only she had met him earlier! Even if her shoulders were not broad enough, she wanted to shield him from the rain. She looked at the man with pity. She ran out of the inner hall barefooted. Xu Linghe's frozen heart softened when she saw the little woman running toward him barefooted. He did not think of anything else then. He only wanted to hug the woman and wipe her little feet for her.

Chengyi stared with wide eyes. "When does my Senior Brother have such a beautiful girl hidden in his house?"

"Little woman, I shall bring you to a place."

The term "little woman" made Wuyou flush red. Xu Linghe looked at the little woman dotingly, using his fingers to pat her head. He could not bear to lift his hand even when her hair had become a complete mess. When he saw the flushed redness of her ears, he thought, "This little woman is being shy! How adorable she is!" A light tore through the ward, Wuyou walked with light steps. What was before her was a neverending sea of flowers. The beauty of all four seasons had bloomed in this place.

Wuyou flew toward it happily. The petals that lifted off the ground with the wind flew as if they were butterflies. The petals rained down on her hair, her skirts and in Xu Linghe's heart one after another. The man watched the little woman under the tree from afar. All that mattered was in what was unspoken. He knew that the little woman would like this place. Perhaps, one day, when he was not encumbered by matters of the world, he would bring the little woman to live in seclusion here, living a life free from entanglements. At this moment, he wished badly for his mother to still be alive, to see how blissful he was right now.

His mother's dream was to be a couple loyal to each other for life. But it had not happened even until her death. His father's love and heartlessness were like a heavy lock that imprisoned his mother's heart. His mother had given up her life for his father's love, but in the end, her beloved son was about to become a chess piece in the powerplay. How sad would his mother be if she was still alive? His poor mother had given up the right to live because she loved her son and husband. The fairy princess had given up her inner elixir because she loved a mortal. And in the end, that had only become a cornerstone for his father.

His mother would never know that the man who had gotten her inner elixir would abandon everything for power and that his son would become a bargaining chip of the nobles.

Wuyou laid under the flowering tree beneath a cluster of pear flowers. Her fingers tickled the petals lightly, and the delicate petals fell. Xu Linghe fell asleep with his back against the sun. Wuyou stared at the man under the tree dazedly. The man's brows were locked tightly in the slight breeze. The mischievous wind blew at a few wisps of hair onto the man's handsome face. The man was tired and not willing to awake, allowing the annoying strands of hair to make a mess.

Wuyou looked at the man and teased him like the wind. She moved quietly, holding the soft tip of the grass and approached her target. When she neared the man's nose, her little hand was caught tightly in another. Wuyou's eyes widened as she stared dazedly. "What an interesting little woman!" Xu Linghe thought. He laughed happily. Wuyou felt even more lost. Xu Linghe quietly looked at the little woman. She was really like a fox. There was a hint of innocence in her crafty eyes. Just like the effect a cool breeze had on the mountain spring, Xu Linghe's heart rippled.

Wuyou did not dare to look at the deep love in the man's eyes. She was afraid that it would one day hold her back. She bore the fate of Teal Hill. She loved this man, but what else could she leave behind other than sorrow? She wanted to become a butterfly in the flowers and bear the pain caused by thorns for a moment of beauty. However, did she have the courage to do so?

"Little cat."

Xu Linghe held the little woman tightly, his chest burning with tears. The woman before him was fragile. Xu Linghe wanted to give the little woman a solid arm and prop up the world for her. He only wanted to make the woman in his arms happy. He hoped she could be a butterfly in the flower, looking for her own fragrance. Only he knew how sensitive the woman in his arms was. Beneath the cool armor hid a soft heart. He wanted to soothe her, warm her up until the day when she emerged from the cocoon and became a butterfly.

"Xu Linghe."

The girl muttered silently to herself. She could no longer escape in this life. The man in front of her was gentle. She could not convey the bliss in her heart in words.

"Call me husband and let your husband, I, hear you say it."

But the little woman had self-restraint. Annoyance spread between her brows. Xu Linghe laughed naughtily, carrying his woman into the depths of the forest. Wuyou screamed shrilly, and he hugged her even tighter. Wuyou bit him without caring too much, and Xu Linghe frowned lightly.

"Woman, so you're a tigress? It seems that your husband, I, have to teach you lots in the future."

"You... why are you so good to me?"

Wuyou felt angry when she saw the teeth marks on his neck. Xu Linghe's heart was filled with bliss.