Chapter Forty-five: Farewell to Mother

Update Time: 2013-06-14

Lan Shui noticed that Lian Yue had been lost in thought, staring at the path before her feet. She could tell that Lian Yue was once again caught up in her memories. Seeing that a turn was just ahead, yet Lian Yue seemed oblivious, Lan Shui realized that if she let her continue like this, she would soon walk straight into the hot spring pool by the roadside.

Lan Shui had no choice but to remind her, “Yue’er.”

“Hm?” Only then did Lian Yue snap out of her reverie from three years ago. She turned to look at Lan Shui, completely unaware that the path beneath her feet had come to an end.

With a helpless sigh, Lan Shui reached out to pull her back, her tone tinged with reproach. “What are you thinking about? Look at your feet—what’s there?”

Lian Yue looked down and finally realized she was already by the edge of the pool. If she’d taken one more absent-minded step, she’d have ended up in the water. But with Lan Shui by her side, that would never happen.

She moved her foot back onto the proper path, grinned, and clung to Lan Shui’s hand, wheedling, “With Sister Lan here, it doesn’t matter if I watch where I’m going.”

“Oh? Then next time I won’t warn you. It seems I haven’t seen you make a fool of yourself in a long time.”

Catching the mischief in Lan Shui’s eyes, Lian Yue quickly straightened her expression and said seriously, “Then, Sister Lan, think back—how long has it been since you last stayed by my side?”

At these words, Lan Shui fell silent. Lian Yue immediately felt like biting her own tongue. She knew full well that Lan Shui had only stayed away from the Yue household to avoid her elder brother, yet here she was, bringing up the very thing that shouldn’t be mentioned. Now she could only try to make up for it; otherwise, if Lan Shui changed her mind about tomorrow, her brother would surely be disappointed again.

“Hidden Sect is the best. With those two lakes atop the mountains, it’s spring all year round. Don’t you think so, Sister Lan?”

She looked at Lan Shui with a pitiful expression, fully aware of how effective this act could be.

Sure enough, Lan Shui’s face softened instantly. She continued with praise, “The senior who came up with such a design truly knew how to enjoy life!”

Lian Yue nodded in deep agreement. She remembered the first time she entered Phoenix Ridge—it was a biting winter, but thanks to the hot springs, the Hidden Sect felt nothing of the cold. She’d thought that come spring, the place would be stifling, but to her surprise, the water cooled as the weather warmed. She’d thought it was her imagination.

It wasn’t until the peak of summer, when the spring water turned chilly, that Lian Yue truly marveled. She’d gone out of her way to ask her second brother, and learned that Phoenix Ridge had two peaks to the north and south, each with its own lake. The southern lake was scalding; a normal person would be burned just by touching it. The northern lake was the opposite—a frigid pool, its banks rimed with frost all year. Some ingenious predecessor had built sluice gates at both lakes, allowing the water to be regulated and channeled down the mountain to pool together—just like the misty sea Yao Yao once showed her.

Lian Yue had even climbed to the peaks herself to investigate, marveling for quite some time.

Now it was already May, and though the weather outside was stifling, within the Hidden Sect it remained comfortably warm and moist.

As they drew closer to the rear mountain, Lian Yue’s once relaxed expression gradually grew solemn.

Though night was falling, in the dusk Lian Yue could still see the graves on the clearing beside the peach grove.

There lay her mother. Though she’d enjoyed less than two years of maternal love—much of it interrupted by Meng Yanran’s frequent periods of seclusion—Lian Yue’s longing for her mother was no less than that of children who’d grown up by their mothers’ side.

On the contrary, having lost that love, she cherished it all the more.

Zizhu and Qingfeng stopped some distance away. As trusted attendants, they understood their mistress’s habits well. She would surely have many words to say to her mother now.

Lan Shui, however, was different; she didn’t need to step aside.

With a brocade handkerchief in hand, Lian Yue gently wiped the tombstone before her, murmuring, “Mother, Yue’er has come to see you. Have you been well?”

No sooner had she finished speaking than her nose tingled and tears fell uncontrollably, her voice catching in her throat.

But not wanting her mother to see her weakness, she sniffed hard and forced her voice to sound cheerful. “I’ve been good, Mother. I practice every day, and I’ve already reached the fourth level of the technique you taught me. Also, tomorrow I’m going with Big Brother and Sister Lan to visit Eldest Sister. Is there anything you’d like me to tell her?”

The only reply was the rustling of the wind through the peach grove.

Pretending to understand, Lian Yue nodded, “Oh? Yue’er understands. Mother, you miss Eldest Sister too, don’t you? Don’t worry, I’ll pass on your words. She will be so happy, and her health—”

Realizing her slip, she quickly corrected herself, “Eldest Sister is in good health. Big Brother is well too. It’s just that Father misses you so much.” At this, her gaze grew forlorn. “He’s even mistaken me for you several times. But I can’t blame him; every time I look in the mirror, I feel as if you’re right there beside me.”

The more Lan Shui listened, the more her heart ached. She couldn’t help but interrupt, “Isn’t that so? I think you look alike too.”

A faint, bitter smile touched Lian Yue’s lips, but it vanished so quickly that Lan Shui doubted she’d seen it at all.

By now, night had fallen. Lights began to glow from the direction of the Hidden Sect, their soft haze reminding Lian Yue that it was getting late.

If she didn’t return soon, her brother would worry.

“Sister Lan, are you coming back with me tonight, or…?”

Lan Shui hesitated a moment. “I’ll come tomorrow morning.”

Lian Yue had expected this and didn’t press her. “Then I’ll leave you to talk with Mother a while longer. I’ll head back first.”

“Be careful on the way.”

Reluctantly, Lian Yue glanced back one last time before turning to leave.

On her return to the Hidden Sect, she didn’t see Yao Yao. There was no need to ask—her second brother must have confined her again. But since this trip to Nanping Prefecture wasn’t for pleasure, bringing Yao Yao along would have been inconvenient. So she didn’t plead for her. Meng Chuchen escorted her as far as the foot of the mountain and, worried about the darkness, had a carriage prepared.

After bidding him farewell, Lian Yue boarded the carriage with Zizhu’s assistance.

On the journey back, her mind raced—sometimes thinking of her parents, sometimes of her brother and Sister Lan, and sometimes of her second brother and Yao Yao.

She was no longer the clueless little girl of three years ago. Having come of age this past March, she now understood more about the matters between men and women.

The Yu Wen family had written to propose her marriage to Yu Wen Lingxi when she came of age, wishing to arrange it soon after her year of mourning was over. But Yue Zhanpeng declined, saying she was still too young. He hadn’t hidden any of this from her. She knew that her father did so because of something her mother had said on her deathbed.

That day, Lian Yue had been in tears long before Meng Lan, helpless, shook her head and left. Her father, Yue Zhanpeng, sat by the bedside holding her mother’s hands, tears streaming down his face.

On the bed, Meng Yanran struggled to keep her eyes open, calling each of their names, leaving her final wishes. It was then that she revealed Yue Lingjun’s troubles.

By the time she got to Lian Yue, Meng Yanran was on the verge of death. She reached out a trembling hand toward Lian Yue, but lacked the strength—her hand fell midway.

She looked weakly at the bedside, “Second Brother—”

Yue Zhanpeng quickly nodded, suppressing his grief. “I’m here.”

With effort, the woman forced a smile. “Yue’er’s marriage… she must agree herself… Only if she…cough…is willing. If she…is not, then tell Big Brother…it was my wish.”

“I understand. Don’t worry!” Yue Zhanpeng nodded forcefully.

Seeing his promise, Meng Yanran looked at him with deep affection and slowly closed her eyes.

“Ayue…”

“Mother…”

Recalling that day, Lian Yue wiped away her tears and smiled reassuringly at Zizhu, who looked worried. “Where are we now?”

“We’ve just entered the city, miss. Earlier, you…”

“It’s nothing.”

Lian Yue lifted the curtain and saw that they had indeed entered the city—they were nearly home.

Soon, the carriage stopped.

With Zizhu’s help, Lian Yue stepped down and saw her big brother waiting at the gate.

A warmth filled her heart. “Big Brother,” she called.

As she alighted, Qingfeng drove the carriage toward the stables.

Yue Lingjun concealed his disappointment and turned to Lian Yue. “You’re back late. Have you eaten?”

A little peeved, Lian Yue huffed, ignoring his question.

Yue Lingjun, knowing his thoughts hadn’t escaped his little sister’s notice, coughed awkwardly. “I knew you hadn’t. I’ve had Ziling prepare a meal in Orchid Fragrance Garden.”

Lian Yue understood her brother’s feelings and wasn’t really angry, but she couldn’t resist teasing him. Her ever-serious brother was rarely so distracted.

“Um, Brother…”

“Yes?”

“Sister Lan…” She paused deliberately.

“What about her?”

Sure enough, at the mention of Sister Lan, her brother was immediately concerned. Not wanting him to be sad, Lian Yue grinned and threw out, “Sister Lan will join us tomorrow.”

Before Yue Lingjun could react, she hurried past him with Zizhu, running toward Orchid Fragrance Garden.

He watched his little sister’s figure, shook his head helplessly, but the smile on his lips wouldn’t fade.

Lian Yue entered the garden, the aroma of food greeting her. Unable to wait, she washed her hands with the help of Ziling and Zizhu, and focused intently on the delicious dishes before her.

After the meal, Zizhu packed for the next day under Ziling’s direction, chattering on about all sorts of things to remember.

Lian Yue watched, teasing her all the while.

Gradually, drowsiness overtook her. With a lazy yawn, she went to bed early.

She was looking forward to tomorrow—it would be her first time leaving Lingyang City.