When Bao Chun returned to Huangfu’s room again, Nineteen was there one step ahead of her and has already taken care of everything.
Huangfu was switched out of his bloodstained gown, his once blood-soaked lips were tightly shut, and he was laying on his bed peacefully asleep.
If it weren’t for the dirt on her skirt from tripping over and the blood drops on the hem of her skirt, she almost thought what happened was all just a dream.
Bao Chun stood quietly by the bed, tears poured out from her eyes.
“It’s an old illness of The Master’s, it’s not a big deal.” Nineteen finished settling Huangfu down in bed, before slowly turning to comfort Bao Chun.
“His body was so cold … he, he was puking up blood ….” Bao Chun said hoarsely. The scene of him falling unconscious played repeatedly in her mind.
“Master’s illness flares up regularly, it’s not a big deal.” Nineteen patiently tried to reassure her once again.
“He threw up so much blood …. He was just fine a moment ago, he was happily fishing for geese, and talking … and then out of nowhere, so suddenly … he just kept, kept on puking blood ….” Bao Chun looked at her palms in horror, it was as if she could still feel his coldness on her fingertips, “Is he going to die? Is he going to die ….”
“MISS BAO CHUN!” Nineteen clamped down on Bao Chun’s quivering shoulders, interrupting her muttered words to herself, forcing her to snap back to reality, away from the scene of Huangfu covered in blood. “That’s The Master’s, old, illness! Do you hear me? OLD, ILLNESS! He’s fine, he’ll wake up after a few days, he’ll continue to talk and laugh with you, did you hear what I just said?!”
He broke out of his usual cold, uncaring tone and growled at Bao Chun.
“But ….” Bao Chun finally looked at Nineteen’s dark eyes, seemingly searching for a more convincing promise.
Nineteen pulled Bao Chun over by her right hand and placed it on Huangfu’s chest.
“He’s breathing, can you feel it?” He lightly coaxed her.
The skin she felt under her slightly trembling palm was moving up and down at a slow pace, but it’s an irrefutable proof that he was still there.
“He’s still alive ….” Even more tears poured out of Bao Chun’s eyes, but this time out of joy.
Nineteen breathed a sign of relief, “Do you want to go take a rest, go to your room to change and wash your face?”
She looked even worse than The Master. Her long hair held up by a wooden hair pin was now messy and disheveled, she was covered in dirt from head to toe, her extremely haggard face streaked with tears.
Bao Chun shook her head, her right hand still lightly placed on top of Huangfu’s chest, as if afraid that she’ll miss Huangfu’s breathing and heartbeat if she was inattentive for a slight moment.
“Master won’t be waking up anytime soon, you’ll scare him if he wakes up seeing you in this state.”
“Let me be with him for a little bit, just a little while. Don’t force me to leave him at a time like this, I’m so scared! I’ve seen so much death and separation, the type of loss that no one can prepare for, I’m afraid, I never want to feel it ever again ….”
With her back to Nineteen, Bao Chun confessed her fears, tears fell like raindrops on the back of her hand.
If she was forced to leave Huangfu’s side right now, she will definitely be driven mad by her own ridiculous thoughts and guesses.
“I’ll get you a basin of water and clothes for you to clean yourself up, if you want to stay then stay.” Nineteen did not keep on insisting and agreed to let her stay.
The room fell into silence, the only sounds present in the room were her own breathing and weeping.
Bao Chun affectionately combed Huangfu’s silver hair with her left hand, while softly saying, “Have I ever told you your hair was really pretty? I don’t know a lot of words, so I can’t use beautiful and fancy vocabularies to describe how I feel while I am touching them, but it’s really, really pretty, especially when you talk, it flows with you while you move, up and down, back and forth, as if you were surrounded by an aura of light, making me smile in such a silly way every time I see it …. You have to get better soon, this way I’d be able to see them flow around you once again ….”
Bao Chun started to state her love for Huangfu starting from his hair, then his eyes, his nose, and his lips …. Her fingertips running over each of his features and carefully describing her feelings, each time ending with “you have to get better soon”.
When Nineteen and Granny Li walked into the room again, Bao Chun already got to talking about things totally unrelated to him.
“So you have to get better soon, or else I’m going to tell Nineteen to sell those two dumb geese, this way you won’t be able to trick and bully them anymore.” She’s even resorting to threats and trickery.
Nineteen wrung out a warmed towel, twisted her over by her chin and started to wipe Bao Chun’s face roughly.
“Nineteen, you are too rough! Do you think Bao Chun’s face is a table?” Granny Li couldn’t keep watching him and took away the towel in Nineteen’s hand, “Boys will be boys, they never know how to treat a girl properly! Little Bao Chun, don’t cry, Granny’s so sad seeing you cry like this.”
“I’m sorry for making you guys worry ….” Bao Chun sniffed and gave them a weary smile.
“This is your first time seeing The Master’s old illness flare up, it was only normal for you to be caught unprepared. You’ll get used to it after a few more times.” Granny Li carefully wiped away tear streaks from Bao Chun’s face as she comforted her. Thinking back to the first time she saw The Master’s illness flare up, she was so anxious and worried, but when the same thing kept on happening several times later, she and Nineteen eventually got used to it and is now cool as a cucumber.
“What kind of illness does Huangfu suffer from? Is there any way to cure him? Can’t Huangfu cure himself?” Bao Chun asked nervously, she’ll probably die from worrying about Huangfu before seeing his illness flare up a few more times.
Nineteen and Granny Li looked at each other, Nineteen nodded as if agreeing with Granny Li to tell Bao Chun the truth.
“Alright, Granny’ll tell you then.” Granny Li patted Bao Chun on the hand, “The Master doesn’t actually have an illness, the reason why he throws up blood is because he was poisoned, and Miss Chi Shao is the only person who—, do you know who she is?”
Bao Chun nodded, “Huangfu’s younger sister.”
“Yes, The Master’s sister. She’s the only one who can cure him, but after their fight several years ago, curing him sort of got put off.”
Bao Chun knew the Huangfu siblings weren’t on good terms, but she didn’t expect their rocky relationships to have such a serious impact.
“But Huangfu is her older brother, how could she bear to not save him?” Bao Chun furrowed her thin brows, and started to complain about this Huangfu Chi Shao.
“The reason why she refuses to help was because she herself was also poisoned, and the only person with the cure just so happens to be The Master.” Nineteen found it funny to see the rare look of hostility in Bao Chun’s eyes, so he had to explain for the unlucky Chi Shao, who happens to be The Master’s younger sister. “To put it simply, the two of them both refuses to save each other, letting the poisons wreak havoc on each other.”
“The two of them are both so stubborn, both refuses to back down or give in. It seems to me that they’ll both have to wait until the next lifetime to be cured.” Granny Li paused, “However ….”
“However what?” Bao Chun asked anxiously. Is there another way?
“However, if Little Bao Chun were to ….” Granny Li paused again.
“Me? What can I do to help?”
“If you could convince The Master to back down then you can save The Master’s life, as well as cure Miss Chi Shao.” Nineteen and Granny Li said, collaborating with each other.
“But … will Huangfu listen to me?” Huangfu’s always in control of the situation in their relationship, every time he smiles, she forgets everything, she even forgets who she is, there is nothing she could do.
“How do you know you can’t unless you try? If not even you could do anything, then there is really no way to save him.” Granny Li was unwilling to give up and tried to convince her again. She knew that Bao Chun meant more to The Master than anyone else in the mansion, Bao Chun’s words mean more to him than all the urging and convincing she and Nineteen had done over the years.
“But ….” Bao Chun hesitated, having absolutely no confidence in herself.
Nineteen knelt down and looked Bao Chun in the eyes while she sat on the bed, his face was serious and stern. He asked her in a low voice, “Do you want to see The Master smile to you forever?”
“Yes!” She loved his smile!
“Then remember, if you could convince him, then The Master’s smile is yours forever. If you were to fail ….” Nineteen intentionally paused, letting Bao Chun figure out the rest on her own.
“Fa, fail?” Bao Chun’s face drained of all colours. If she can’t convince Huangfu to treat the poison, then … her gaze shifted to the still and unmoving Huangfu laying on the bed, her small hands tightly clutching his large cold palms.
“How long did you think The Master could keep going with the poison in him?” Nineteen upped the dose, making absolutely sure that Bao Chun will take on the task.
Of course he’ll never tell Bao Chun that albeit it’s difficult to cure The Master of the poison in his body, but due to The Master’s foundation of medical knowledge, it’s all too easy to avoid dying from the poison, so it’s no problem for him to hold out for fifty more years.
“Do you think you could do it?” Nineteen asked Bao Chun, desperately trying to suppress his laughter.
Bao Chun yelled without thinking, “I CAN DO IT!”
Nineteen and Granny Li exchanged looks. No wonder The Master always liked teasing Bao Chun, it’s because she’s just too gullible!
✧ ✧ ✧
The days are so long while waiting for Huangfu to wake up.
Bao Chun stayed by his side almost never leaving him, even when Nineteen and Granny Li promised and swore that Huangfu won’t die in his sleep, Bao Chun still insisted on seeing him opening his eyes.
Early in the morning every day, Bao Chun would go to the kitchen first to make him a pot of spare rib congee, and it’s only during this period of time would Bao Chun leave his room, wait for the congee to finish cooking, then sit by Huangfu’s bed while holding the piping hot congee in her hands, waiting for him to wake up.
She wanted him to be able to have hot congee as soon as he wakes up, but unfortunately none of her hard cooked congee saw Huangfu waking up, so she had to heartbreakingly eat the cold congee bite after bite herself, every day just before dawn. Her sad sobbing made her look like a poor deserted wife.
“The Master still haven’t woken up yet?” Whenever Granny Li brings over lunch, she will always stay for a while with Bao Chun in Huangfu’s room, and every day she opened with this question.
“Yeah.” Bao Chun answered wistfully.
“The longest The Master has ever slept for was sixty days, it’s only the fourth day today, don’t worry.”
“But he didn’t turn, he didn’t move one bit. He doesn’t snore or talk in his sleep, he didn’t even change his position. Doesn’t he get hungry?” Bao Chun said with a long face, thinking how much he looked like a corpse in his sleep.
“The Master is unconscious right now, so of course he doesn’t feel hungry. He won’t even feel the pain if you secretly pinch him.”
Granny Li was going to demonstrate for Bao Chun to see, but Bao Chun hurried to stop her. “No, don’t, he’s already in such a bad condition.”
“Look at you, like a mother hen protecting her chicks.” Granny Li jokingly teased her, but she was also worried that the exertion during the past few days will wear her out, “You have to take good care of yourself too, you aren’t sleeping enough. It’s no good if The Master wakes up, only to have you fall ill from over exhaustion.”
“I’m not tired.” Bao Chun was running completely on willpower. She gave Granny Li a weak smile, then continued to hold the porridge while looking down at a medical book.
“Little Bao Chun, since when did you become interested in medical books?”
Bao Chun showed a forced smile, “I don’t recognize many of these crooked looking characters, but Huangfu said his name’s in the medical books so I have to find it no matter what.” She pointed to the medical book, fortunately, this “Hundred Herbs Guide Book” has ink illustrations beside each herb, so she could only look at the pictures and figure out the medicinal herbs.
“You’ve worked hard.” Granny Li patted her on the cheeks, giving her some encouragement mentally, “I’ve got to go out for a bit, I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”
“Okay.” Bao Chun replied.
She watched as Granny Li left the room, then Bao Chun set the medical book on her knees, leaned against the bedside, resting her head on the end of Huangfu’s bed. From here she only needed to lift her head slightly to see Huangfu’s deep-set features.
“You have to wake up soon, I really miss your smile and your voice ….” Her eyes lingered on his face, then kept on calling to him in a small voice.
Bao Chun closed her eyes, letting her tired self fall asleep momentarily. Because nestled on the bedside is an uncomfortable way to sleep, this way, even if no one is here to wake her up, she will wake up on her own from a sore neck, ensuring that she won’t just keep on sleeping.
Thin black strands of hair fell over her face and his palm, the owner of the tiny face was in a deep slumber, but the owner of the palm twitched slightly from the smooth and delicate sensation ….
✧ ✧ ✧
Oh gosh, neck cramps!
Bao Chun complained as she slowly turned her stiff neck and opened her eyes, hitting her neck with her fist to ease the soreness and discomfort.
What time is it now?
Bao Chun stared into the darkness in the room, it seems she slept past dinner time. She got up and patted her rumpled skirt, then took out a flare[1] to light up the lamp and habitually got ready to sit back on the edge of the bed.
“You’ve slept for almost another day ….” Bao Chun said as she turned towards the bed, then suddenly realizing that the bed was completely empty! She jumped onto the bed, flattened the beddings, but Huangfu was nowhere to be seen!
“Huangfu?!” Bao Chun flew out from the room like a headless chicken, ready to search for Huangfu in the pitch dark garden. Why didn’t he wake her when he woke up?
A strong, firm hand grabbed Bao Chun’s hand, she happily turned around and yelled, “Huangfu!”
“No.” Nineteen’s face slowly became visible in the moonlight. He had expected Bao Chun to run out like crazy after discovering The Master was gone, so he had been waiting outside the room. “The Master is in the alchemy room, he woke up.”
Bao Chun’s ears only heard the last three words that Nineteen said so nonchalantly, “he woke up”!
“Re … really?!” Bao Chun asked in a tiny uncertain voice.
Seeing Nineteen nod, Bao Chun finally relaxed her tightly wound nerves and cried as she laughed, “He woke up! He woke up!” She repeated as she sobbed and sniffled, her words were so mumbled that no one could understand what she was saying.
“I’ve told you that The Master would be fine, you look like a mess, why would you go and put yourself through all this?” It was rare for Nineteen to be in such a good mood, so he teased her jokingly, “You look like some deserted wife left behind by her husband.”
Bao Chun’s cheeks flushed red, “I was worried ….”
“Alright, do you want to go and see The Master?”
“Yes.” Bao Chun wiped away her tears, “Where did you say he was?”
“The alchemy room.”
Bao Chun only took one step outside before she quickly turned back to ask Nineteen, “Do I look scary or awful right now?” She touched her loose hair and looked down at her rumpled clothes.
“Did you think you were going to a wedding? It’s good enough and cute enough.” Nineteen stretched out his hand, his palm facing up and made a gesture meaning “please proceed”.
“Thank you.” Bao Chun finally hopped off happily to her destination.
“Wait!” Nineteen called out after her, reminding her, “Don’t forget to mention to The Master about curing the poison.”
Bao Chun patted her chest reassuringly and shot him a smile that says “leave it to me”.
“It’s really getting more and more lively.” Nineteen laughed as he watched Bao Chun walk away.
To the north of the Huangfu mansion, along the foothills of the mountain straight ahead, lies the lavender garden. Before reaching the foothills, there is a low but exquisite looking house. From what Nineteen had told her, this slightly hidden place was Huangfu’s alchemy room.
Holding back the urge to break through the door, Bao Chun decided do the proper thing and knock.
“Come in.”
Oh! Huangfu’s voice sounds like a beautiful melody, I’ve missed it so much!
Bao Chun smiled her silly smile, feeling like she was going to die from happiness.
“Little Bao Chun, if you aren’t going to come in then you aren’t allowed to come in anymore.” Huangfu seems to know the person outside the doors was immersed in her own world, so he uttered a threat.
“I’m coming in!” Bao Chun rushed to open the doors.
Huangfu lazily slumped over the lounge chair, a coat draped over his shoulders, he wasn’t decently dressed but was still so damned charming. He brushed aside his loose hair, the smile never leaving his face.
Huangfu threw a dark brown pill into the air, then opened his mouth wide to catch it.
“You’re moving! You’re moving!” Bao Chun was so touched. The Huangfu that was lying there unmoving on the bed yesterday was now putting on a peanut eating show in front of her.
“Have you still not woken up yet? Come sit here.” Nonsense, if he’s not moving then isn’t he dead?!
Huangfu held out his hand to her, Bao Chun gently gave him her own hand. Huangfu tugged gently, letting her fall into his arms.
She’s not the only one who missed the warmth of embrace.
“If I keep on sleeping, then someone’s going to ‘drown the Huangfu Temple with waterworks’. He wiped away the tears rolling down her face, “Crybaby Bao Chun.”
No matter how he mocks or ridicule her, Bao Chun was still overflowing with joy. As long as he’s alive, any vicious words of his she will believe and follow like an imperial decree.
“Thank goodness, you scared me to death ….” She held up his hand and rubbed it against her face. So warm, this is the temperature he should have. “I was so worried, so worried …. You fainted for four whole days, four days … and threw up almost a vat full of blood. Thank goodness you woke up, and you’re back to your old self.” She doesn’t care how Huangfu’s going to laugh at her for her overreaction, she just wants to tell him how happy and moved she was.
The usually vicious-tongued Huangfu was uncharacteristically holding her in his embrace, not mocking, laughing at or ridiculing her, his eyes showed slightly how moved he was. Never had anyone cared whether or not he’d die in his sleep when the poison flared up, because everyone thought of him as the Godly Doctor, thought that he’ll never lose to some poison.
But he was still just a human after all, it still hurts when he gets injured, it’s still painful when he gets sick, he also needs the care and affection of others. And she, was the first person to treat him like this.
Huangfu’s big hands gently caressed her neck like the soft spring wind. When he woke up, he saw Bao Chun curled up against the edge of the bed and knew she was probably going to have muscle soreness from her bad sleeping posture. Too bad whenever he wakes up after the poison flares up, his arms are so weak he can’t even pick up a brick. Otherwise, he’d pick up the sleeping Bao Chun and put her on the bed, letting her have a good night’s sleep.
“The moment the poison flared up, I thought if you saw me puking blood and fainting you’d probably be scared out of your wits, unfortunately, I still couldn’t hold off until we reached the room and lost consciousness before we got there.”
I’m sorry for making you worry so much. Huangfu silently buried this thought at the bottom of his heart.
He knew how worried, and how scared Bao Chun must have been when she saw the scene of him fainting. But knowing that there is someone who is worried about you is indeed quite heartwarming.
Bao Chun shook her head, “If you died ….” She shivered, afraid to keep on thinking, “I don’t want it to happen! Please don’t ever die in front of me!” She demanded Huangfu to make a promise.
“I’m not King Yan Luo,[2] ruler of the underworld, maybe according to The Book of Life and Death[3] my life is shorter than yours, this way I’ll still die before you.” Huangfu shrugged, he always had an accepting attitude towards life and death, but Bao Chun’s words were sweet and they slightly lit up his heart.
“Then … what if we cure you of the poison in your body? Will that prolong your life?”
Huangfu wiped the smile off of his face and replaced it with a look of displeasure, “Did Nineteen and Granny Li say something to you?”
“We are all very concerned about you, and we all want you to be completely rid of the poison in your body. Huangfu, can you please call back your sister?” She asked warmly.
“No.” Huangfu rejected her without hesitation, “I don’t want to see that ugly woman ever again.”
“She’s your little sister.” But what she really wanted to say was, with Huangfu being so handsome, his sister probably won’t be that terrible looking.
“True, this is the biggest indelible stain on my life.” Huangfu tossed another pill into his mouth and also put one up against Bao Chun’s lips, “Here, it’s a blood supplementing pill, taste it.” Every time he threw up a bunch of blood he’ll eat a dozen or so of these blood supplementing pills, to make up for his excessive loss of blood.
“Don’t try and direct my attention away, I’m talking to you about some serious business here.” Bao Chun pushed aside his hand and looked him in the eye.
He always skillfully deflected her questions to divert the topic, it was the same way back when she tried asking him to cure Ruo Xia’s illness, and now, even with his own life at stake, he’s doing the same thing.
“Okay, if you want to talk serious business then I’ll talk serious business with you.” Huangfu put away his playful expression, a shadow cast over his bloodless white porcelain-like face, thick lashes hid the emotions in his eyes, and his voice was different from their usual light and happy tone, it sounded low and gravelly.
“Do you want to know the real reason behind why I don’t like to save people, despite being a doctor?” His eyes weren’t looking at Bao Chun, it was as if he’s talking to himself.
“If you want to tell me.”
“Of course.” He was so sure. He never liked talking about himself, but with her, he doesn’t want to hide anything from her.
Huangfu flicked at the silvery strands that fell beside his cheeks, “I used to have black hair in the past. I can’t remember when it started …. When it faded to this unpleasant and repulsive colour.” There was a flash of inexplicable loss in his eyes, then as if laughing in self-mockery he said, “But I digress.”
“I like your silver hair, it’s beautiful, it really is.”
Huangfu took a deep breath, breathing in the faint scent of her hair, his embrace around her waist unknowingly tightened.
“My mom, was a genuine weak and naive … overly nice person. A lot like you.”
He didn’t mean her appearance but was referring to her personality. “She was afraid to see other people suffer any sort of pain, if she could give something of her’s to other people, then she will gladly be generous. To others, she was kind, but to me, that was stupidity. In order to protect her, Chi Shao and I became the polar opposites to our mother’s personality, to make sure she’s not getting taken advantage of by others, to make her live better, we had to be stronger than her, and tougher than her.”
“When I was five, some random distant relative suddenly came to the mansion, begging for mom to take her in, and of course, mom didn’t refuse. But Chi Shao and I both disliked that woman, behind her sad pitiful eyes, she inadvertently revealed a hint of cruelty. Though mom always thought we were too suspicious. But the truth revealed that this almost stranger-like distant relative of ours was a calculating venomous snake harbouring sinister motives, and her intention was to kill mum, and drag down the entire Huangfu household to die with her. To this day, I still didn’t understand why she wanted to kill a woman so kind-hearted that she was almost like a Buddha.”[4]
Huangfu was completely immersed in the memories from the past, peacefully revealing it to Bao Chun.
“She poisoned mom with two types of poisons, two types of poisons that no doctor could cure. She didn’t want to kill mom immediately, just wanted to torture her slowly by making mom throw up blood time and time again. When I was seven, Chi Shao and I separately transplanted the poisons into our bodies, and each studied the poison the other had in their body, researching methods for a cure, hoping to save mom … before the poison became too much for her. Unfortunately, before we could figure out a way to save her, she passed away, right in front of Chi Shao and I, she threw up her last drop of blood. What good is there to save all the people in the world? I couldn’t save her. I couldn’t save her, what good is there to save all the people in the world.” Huangfu burst out in laughter and repeated the last two sentences over and over again. He studied medicine to save his family, not those thousands and millions of strangers!
He spread open his right palm that he had around Bao Chun’s waist, letting Bao Chun see clearly the scab that formed from the knife scar that he made when he was transmitting the poison into his own body, the scar that tears open every time the poison flares up, never ever able to fully heal, as if ridiculing and mocking his incompetence!
Bao Chun wrapped her hands around his wounded palm, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked, I’m sorry ….”
She knew the powerlessness and self-blame that came with the inability to save a loved one. At this moment, she finally understood, the smiling Huangfu she usually sees was only a child stuck in deep guilt over his inability to save his mother. He put so much blame on himself, he was in such pain ….
Huangfu took another deep breath, a smile lit up on his porcelain like face. “Oh wow, don’t tell me you believed all that?” He asked teasingly, as if saying, “I was just lying to you back there.”
“I believe it. That wasn’t a beautiful story, but I believe it.” Bao Chun looked at his forced smile, filled with heartache. His eyes, they couldn’t hide all the pain he was feeling. “That’s why you hated when I begged you to help the other people that came to you seeking help, that’s why you were so tough on me and wanted me to learn to be selfish. You must really hate people like me, right?”
After hearing his story, everything he did before suddenly all made sense.
Huangfu looked down and smiled, hiding his face in the crevice of Bao Chun’s neck, “Hate? No, I deeply despise them.”
He was honest and blunt, “I despised your gentle and selfless acts, despised how you think the whole world can betray you, despised the disgusting cowardice hiding behind your kind heart.” He was a man advocating selfishness, but the woman he fell in love with just so happen to have the type of personality that he dislikes the most.
It wasn’t so much that he hates soft-hearted women, it was more like he’s afraid of them. Because he isn’t sure he can always be there to protect her, and he dare not imagine what would happen if this soft-hearted woman were to end up like his mother ….
“If there comes such a day, will you be selfish for my sake? Will you change for my sake?” Huangfu held her face in his hands, his gentle breath falling on her nose, asking her to make a promise.
“I will.” Bao Chun answered. “I’ll be selfish for you right now. I want you to be good, to be healthy, to live a long life! My way of being selfish is to make you agree to invite your sister back, only she can save you! Huangfu, can you please let your sister come back?” She was almost begging him.
Maybe he doesn’t value his own life, but she does! She will cherish it and carefully hold it in her hands, protecting it.
Bao Chun held the hands he had around her cheeks and concentrated on waiting for him to answer her.
“Curing me, is it really that important to you? Why?” Huangfu put his forehead closely against her’s, he knew Bao Chun had a kind heart, sympathetic to any sufferings of other people. But he doesn’t want her to give her kindness away to other people, he want it exclusively all to himself! At least in her heart, he has to be the most special.
Bao Chun felt Huangfu’s breath on her nose, his clear eyes full of anticipation, waiting for her answer. The blood red star from the day when his illness flared up has faded back to the pinkish skin tone, sitting between his slightly upturned brows.
Bao Chun put her hands on his shiny silvery hair, feeling its silky smoothness, carefully combing it with her fingers.
“I’ve never been so scared before in my whole life …. I’ve seen so many friends and family members die in front of me, I’ve been sad, I’ve been depressed, however, I’ve never been scared, but ….” Bao Chun looked up with her once again tear-filled eyes, “This time, I was scared! I was scared that you will keep on sleeping, that you will never wake up. I was scared that you will never open your eyes and look at me … and now, I’m afraid I have to face yet again the fear of your poison flaring up ….”
She doesn’t know how to answer Huangfu’s question of whether it’s “important or not”, she just knew that she wants to save him, she has to save him!
“Please ask Miss Chi Shao to come back, I’m begging—”
Huangfu suddenly leaned in, easily taking her pink lips into his, blocking her words of request.
Silly girl! Don’t beg him! He’s the one who should be begging! But for the sake of his life and death, she in turn is begging him to have Chi Shao treat him? If he’s just a bystander, perhaps he’ll have a good laugh at her ridiculous behaviour, but at this time, he can only feel complete heartache and contentment!
Yes, contentment. He once gave all he had to try and save mom’s life, because mom and Chi Shao were the most important people in his life. But now, she’s worried about him, scared for him, wanted to prolong his life …. Does that mean in his heart she’s also different?
He lightly pecked and tasted the fragrance between her lips, his voice was vague and husky. “Whatever you say then ….”
“Really? You promise?” Bao Chun’s body shook out of reflex, her lips left Huangfu’s seduction, in her excitement she didn’t notice Huangfu’s look of disappointment.
Huangfu wiped his face in defeat and muttered, “At least give me a little sugar ….” He hadn’t even had a chance to warm his lips yet, before this “delicious little bird” before him flew away. If he knew this then he wouldn’t have answered her so quickly, he’d at least wait until he’s kissed her enough.
“Stop messing around.” Bao Chun scolded him, But she liked the playful Huangfu that would joke and ridicule people.
“I still haven’t shown you what real messing around looks like.” Huangfu quickly gave her a loud smooch on each cheek.
Bao Chun laughed as she hid from his puckered lips, he playfully stuck out his tongue, circling Bao Chun’s palm, making her yank back her hand in embarrassment.
“Ah, yes!” Huangfu opened the wooden cabinet beside him as if he suddenly remembered something. Inside there was an array of bottles, he took out one of the jars, took off the cork and the room instantly filled with a sweet fragrance. “Hold your hand out.”
Bao Chun curiously watched him as he poured out a cold green liquid, then carefully rubbed it evenly on her hands.
“It feels really good, what is it?”
“It’s a nourishing formula, it’ll restore your hands to a baby like delicate state.” Her rough, calloused hands was always on his mind, a few days ago, he took special care and blended together several sweet-smelling herbs for her to use, but it got delayed because his illness flared up.
“Thank you.” The icy coolness pleasantly surrounded her little palms, making her sigh in comfort.
“You’re welcome, it doesn’t really matter since I’ll be the one benefitting.” Huangfu gave her a wicked smile.
This was for when he’s biting her fingers later on, they’ll be as sweet as white asparagus shoots. Upon thinking of this, Huangfu was even more happy than before.
“What do you mean you’ll be the one benefitting?” Bao Chun asked in a silly way. Why does it matter to him if her hands are soft or not?
“You don’t have to understand too much. By the way, if you have time, you can also rub some medicinal liquid on your body, this way the feel of your skin would be a lot better as well …. But it seems I’ll have to make several more vats.” Huangfu stroked his chin and thought, but Bao Chun certainly wouldn’t know his mind had already wandered off imagining scenes not suitable for young audiences.
After thoroughly massaging her palms, Huangfu felt satisfied and put away the bottle.
Bao Chun gently shook her hands in the air, letting the medicinal liquid dry quicker, and said, “But when I go back and keep on working won’t my hands get rough once again?”
“Work? Did Granny Li give you some heavy work to do?” He doesn’t remember there being anything in the mansion that needed her to work hard, small things like boiling medicine won’t do any harm to her hands.
“I mean when I go home with Papa, I’ll have to work just like before.” Bao Chun answered him matter-of-factly. She can’t be like him and use his title of the Godly Doctor to take advantage of the members of the royal family.
Huangfu’s face sunk, he stared at her and asked, “Go home?” Does she want to leave here?
“Yeah, when Ruo Xia recovers, then we’ll go to Suzhou to live with Papa and Qiu Yue.”
“I guarantee that Liu Ruo Xia will be so sick starting today that she won’t be able to leave the bed.” He said glumly.
“Why?!” Bao Chun couldn’t detect the anger in his tone, she was only concerned about what he had just said. “But I saw that lately Ruo Xia was getting much better than before.”
“So, once she gets better you’re in a hurry to leave?” He asked, extremely displeased.
“I’m not in a hurry, Papa and I made a promise to meet up at the Mountain God Temple after three months, there’s still two more months left, I’ll at least have to wait until your sister cures you of your poison.” Bao Chun curled her fingers and counted. She could still stay with him for two more months … time flew by so quickly, in the blink of an eye she’ll have to leave him.
“Did I say you could leave?!”
“Huh?” Bao Chun raised an eyebrow and look at Huangfu with a puzzled expression.
Huangfu’s thoughts spun quickly in his mind, and he suddenly revealed a sinister fox-like smile. “Besides, you can’t go anywhere before you settled your debt for the treatment fees as well as room and board fees.” Haha! He’s such a genius!
Bao Chun stared wide-eyed. Oh no! Qiu Yue told her before to first find out the basic rate the Godly Doctor charges. If the fees are high enough to bankrupt them, then absolutely do not let him treat Ruo Xia. She forgot to ask him first …. Her mind wandered off to Cheng Wang Ye,[5] who came to Huangfu for treatment. His fees were enough for the entire mansion to live in luxury for an entire year!
Bao Chun gulped, then worked up the courage and asked, “How are you going to charge for your treatments?”
“Can you take the responsibility for the decision? I want to talk to your Papa face to face.” Huangfu saw through what Bao Chun was thinking. He’s admiring himself more and more now for this reason he just thought of. This way, he can have both Bao Chun’s person and heart as compensation to him, for the rest of his life!
“We are a poor family, really poor, even Papa won’t be able to afford it ….” Bao Chun grimaced, then suddenly shook her hand and realized, “Are you going to charge me for the medicinal liquid I rubbed on my hands?”
“You can count those as free gifts, no need to be so polite.” Huangfu laughed to himself, pretending to be generous in giving her a favour. “I’ll have Nineteen go to Suzhou to seek out the whereabouts of your Papa and little sister, and invite them over to—pay the bill.”
Translator’s Notes:
Some of you might know that my father flew in from out of the country and is here visiting, I had to go with him to run a few errands for a while so my progress was a little slowed.
For this chapter, my favourite part was when Huangfu threatened Bao Chun that Ruo Xia was going to be bedridden starting that day. xD Oh Huangfu, look at how jealous you are! Also at the end where he thought up that “genius” idea to charge Bao Chun~ I think the chapter ended perfectly the way it did, with pay the bill :D
If I remember correctly, we have three more chapters left and then an epilogue. So please stay tuned! :) Once Singing Spring Melody ends I’ll post up a character name and relationship page so anyone confused by the names can refer to. I’m also considering creating a general glossary page for common terms that I’ll keep in Chinese, this way people can read it, understand it and have an easier time reading my translations. For anyone following Hunting for Beautiful Men, a Journey Through Time, I’m also going to start translating the next chapter for that one, so I won’t be working on chapter seven just yet.
Happy belated April Fool’s and Easter everyone! I’m currently re-watching 宫锁心玉 and 金玉良缘. Micky He and Wallace Huo <3 also, 冯绍峰！～
As always, please like, comment, and follow if you’ve enjoyed reading!~ Ciao! <3
1 In Chinese it’s called a 火折子, it’s a portable lighter of sorts. People were more advanced than the days of using flint to lightfire.This was mentioned in some grave robbing novels. To read about it and see a picture of it, please click here—>LINK.
2 In Chinese his is 阎罗王, he is the ruler and judge of the underworld, where all the dead people have to go after they die.
3 The book is called 生死簿 in Chinese, if you’ve read or watched Journey to the West you’ll know that the Monkey King tore the page with his name off of the book, that way he could no longer be crossed out and die. The book is filled with all the names of the people in the world, as well as their time and reason for death. It is kept by one of the judges that aids Yan Luo in his judgement.
4 The book originally said 菩萨 which is a Bodhisattva, a Buddhist religious figure. To see what the Bodhisattva looks like click here—>LINK. Although always portrayed as a female by TV shows, but the Bodhisattva is in fact genderless. Chinese says like 菩萨心肠 or describing someone as 菩萨 basically means the person is really really kind hearted. There are other proverbs and sayings that involve 菩萨, but I’ll learn about them as we encounter them.
5 In Chinese it says 王爷 wáng ye, is the title used to address the Emperor’s brothers, or certain other men in the ranks of nobility.
When Bao Chun returned to Huangfu’s room again, Nineteen was there one step ahead of her and has already taken care of everything.
Huangfu was switched out of his bloodstained gown, his once blood-soaked lips were tightly shut, and he was laying on his bed peacefully asleep.
If it weren’t for the dirt on her skirt from tripping over and the blood drops on the hem of her skirt, she almost thought what happened was all just a dream.
Bao Chun stood quietly by the bed, tears poured out from her eyes.
“It’s an old illness of The Master’s, it’s not a big deal.” Nineteen finished settling Huangfu down in bed, before slowly turning to comfort Bao Chun.
“His body was so cold … he, he was puking up blood ….” Bao Chun said hoarsely. The scene of him falling unconscious played repeatedly in her mind.
“Master’s illness flares up regularly, it’s not a big deal.” Nineteen patiently tried to reassure her once again.
“He threw up so much blood …. He was just fine a moment ago, he was happily fishing for geese, and talking … and then out of nowhere, so suddenly … he just kept, kept on puking blood ….” Bao Chun looked at her palms in horror, it was as if she could still feel his coldness on her fingertips, “Is he going to die? Is he going to die ….”
“MISS BAO CHUN!” Nineteen clamped down on Bao Chun’s quivering shoulders, interrupting her muttered words to herself, forcing her to snap back to reality, away from the scene of Huangfu covered in blood. “That’s The Master’s, old, illness! Do you hear me? OLD, ILLNESS! He’s fine, he’ll wake up after a few days, he’ll continue to talk and laugh with you, did you hear what I just said?!”
He broke out of his usual cold, uncaring tone and growled at Bao Chun.
“But ….” Bao Chun finally looked at Nineteen’s dark eyes, seemingly searching for a more convincing promise.
Nineteen pulled Bao Chun over by her right hand and placed it on Huangfu’s chest.
“He’s breathing, can you feel it?” He lightly coaxed her.
The skin she felt under her slightly trembling palm was moving up and down at a slow pace, but it’s an irrefutable proof that he was still there.
“He’s still alive ….” Even more tears poured out of Bao Chun’s eyes, but this time out of joy.
Nineteen breathed a sign of relief, “Do you want to go take a rest, go to your room to change and wash your face?”
She looked even worse than The Master. Her long hair held up by a wooden hair pin was now messy and disheveled, she was covered in dirt from head to toe, her extremely haggard face streaked with tears.
Bao Chun shook her head, her right hand still lightly placed on top of Huangfu’s chest, as if afraid that she’ll miss Huangfu’s breathing and heartbeat if she was inattentive for a slight moment.
“Master won’t be waking up anytime soon, you’ll scare him if he wakes up seeing you in this state.”
“Let me be with him for a little bit, just a little while. Don’t force me to leave him at a time like this, I’m so scared! I’ve seen so much death and separation, the type of loss that no one can prepare for, I’m afraid, I never want to feel it ever again ….”
With her back to Nineteen, Bao Chun confessed her fears, tears fell like raindrops on the back of her hand.
If she was forced to leave Huangfu’s side right now, she will definitely be driven mad by her own ridiculous thoughts and guesses.
“I’ll get you a basin of water and clothes for you to clean yourself up, if you want to stay then stay.” Nineteen did not keep on insisting and agreed to let her stay.
The room fell into silence, the only sounds present in the room were her own breathing and weeping.
Bao Chun affectionately combed Huangfu’s silver hair with her left hand, while softly saying, “Have I ever told you your hair was really pretty? I don’t know a lot of words, so I can’t use beautiful and fancy vocabularies to describe how I feel while I am touching them, but it’s really, really pretty, especially when you talk, it flows with you while you move, up and down, back and forth, as if you were surrounded by an aura of light, making me smile in such a silly way every time I see it …. You have to get better soon, this way I’d be able to see them flow around you once again ….”
Bao Chun started to state her love for Huangfu starting from his hair, then his eyes, his nose, and his lips …. Her fingertips running over each of his features and carefully describing her feelings, each time ending with “you have to get better soon”.
When Nineteen and Granny Li walked into the room again, Bao Chun already got to talking about things totally unrelated to him.
“So you have to get better soon, or else I’m going to tell Nineteen to sell those two dumb geese, this way you won’t be able to trick and bully them anymore.” She’s even resorting to threats and trickery.
Nineteen wrung out a warmed towel, twisted her over by her chin and started to wipe Bao Chun’s face roughly.
“Nineteen, you are too rough! Do you think Bao Chun’s face is a table?” Granny Li couldn’t keep watching him and took away the towel in Nineteen’s hand, “Boys will be boys, they never know how to treat a girl properly! Little Bao Chun, don’t cry, Granny’s so sad seeing you cry like this.”
“I’m sorry for making you guys worry ….” Bao Chun sniffed and gave them a weary smile.
“This is your first time seeing The Master’s old illness flare up, it was only normal for you to be caught unprepared. You’ll get used to it after a few more times.” Granny Li carefully wiped away tear streaks from Bao Chun’s face as she comforted her. Thinking back to the first time she saw The Master’s illness flare up, she was so anxious and worried, but when the same thing kept on happening several times later, she and Nineteen eventually got used to it and is now cool as a cucumber.
“What kind of illness does Huangfu suffer from? Is there any way to cure him? Can’t Huangfu cure himself?” Bao Chun asked nervously, she’ll probably die from worrying about Huangfu before seeing his illness flare up a few more times.
Nineteen and Granny Li looked at each other, Nineteen nodded as if agreeing with Granny Li to tell Bao Chun the truth.
“Alright, Granny’ll tell you then.” Granny Li patted Bao Chun on the hand, “The Master doesn’t actually have an illness, the reason why he throws up blood is because he was poisoned, and Miss Chi Shao is the only person who—, do you know who she is?”
Bao Chun nodded, “Huangfu’s younger sister.”
“Yes, The Master’s sister. She’s the only one who can cure him, but after their fight several years ago, curing him sort of got put off.”
Bao Chun knew the Huangfu siblings weren’t on good terms, but she didn’t expect their rocky relationships to have such a serious impact.
“But Huangfu is her older brother, how could she bear to not save him?” Bao Chun furrowed her thin brows, and started to complain about this Huangfu Chi Shao.
“The reason why she refuses to help was because she herself was also poisoned, and the only person with the cure just so happens to be The Master.” Nineteen found it funny to see the rare look of hostility in Bao Chun’s eyes, so he had to explain for the unlucky Chi Shao, who happens to be The Master’s younger sister. “To put it simply, the two of them both refuses to save each other, letting the poisons wreak havoc on each other.”
“The two of them are both so stubborn, both refuses to back down or give in. It seems to me that they’ll both have to wait until the next lifetime to be cured.” Granny Li paused, “However ….”
“However what?” Bao Chun asked anxiously. Is there another way?
“However, if Little Bao Chun were to ….” Granny Li paused again.
“Me? What can I do to help?”
“If you could convince The Master to back down then you can save The Master’s life, as well as cure Miss Chi Shao.” Nineteen and Granny Li said, collaborating with each other.
“But … will Huangfu listen to me?” Huangfu’s always in control of the situation in their relationship, every time he smiles, she forgets everything, she even forgets who she is, there is nothing she could do.
“How do you know you can’t unless you try? If not even you could do anything, then there is really no way to save him.” Granny Li was unwilling to give up and tried to convince her again. She knew that Bao Chun meant more to The Master than anyone else in the mansion, Bao Chun’s words mean more to him than all the urging and convincing she and Nineteen had done over the years.
“But ….” Bao Chun hesitated, having absolutely no confidence in herself.
Nineteen knelt down and looked Bao Chun in the eyes while she sat on the bed, his face was serious and stern. He asked her in a low voice, “Do you want to see The Master smile to you forever?”
“Yes!” She loved his smile!
“Then remember, if you could convince him, then The Master’s smile is yours forever. If you were to fail ….” Nineteen intentionally paused, letting Bao Chun figure out the rest on her own.
“Fa, fail?” Bao Chun’s face drained of all colours. If she can’t convince Huangfu to treat the poison, then … her gaze shifted to the still and unmoving Huangfu laying on the bed, her small hands tightly clutching his large cold palms.
“How long did you think The Master could keep going with the poison in him?” Nineteen upped the dose, making absolutely sure that Bao Chun will take on the task.
Of course he’ll never tell Bao Chun that albeit it’s difficult to cure The Master of the poison in his body, but due to The Master’s foundation of medical knowledge, it’s all too easy to avoid dying from the poison, so it’s no problem for him to hold out for fifty more years.
“Do you think you could do it?” Nineteen asked Bao Chun, desperately trying to suppress his laughter.
Bao Chun yelled without thinking, “I CAN DO IT!”
Nineteen and Granny Li exchanged looks. No wonder The Master always liked teasing Bao Chun, it’s because she’s just too gullible!
✧ ✧ ✧
The days are so long while waiting for Huangfu to wake up.
Bao Chun stayed by his side almost never leaving him, even when Nineteen and Granny Li promised and swore that Huangfu won’t die in his sleep, Bao Chun still insisted on seeing him opening his eyes.
Early in the morning every day, Bao Chun would go to the kitchen first to make him a pot of spare rib congee, and it’s only during this period of time would Bao Chun leave his room, wait for the congee to finish cooking, then sit by Huangfu’s bed while holding the piping hot congee in her hands, waiting for him to wake up.
She wanted him to be able to have hot congee as soon as he wakes up, but unfortunately none of her hard cooked congee saw Huangfu waking up, so she had to heartbreakingly eat the cold congee bite after bite herself, every day just before dawn. Her sad sobbing made her look like a poor deserted wife.
“The Master still haven’t woken up yet?” Whenever Granny Li brings over lunch, she will always stay for a while with Bao Chun in Huangfu’s room, and every day she opened with this question.
“Yeah.” Bao Chun answered wistfully.
“The longest The Master has ever slept for was sixty days, it’s only the fourth day today, don’t worry.”
“But he didn’t turn, he didn’t move one bit. He doesn’t snore or talk in his sleep, he didn’t even change his position. Doesn’t he get hungry?” Bao Chun said with a long face, thinking how much he looked like a corpse in his sleep.
“The Master is unconscious right now, so of course he doesn’t feel hungry. He won’t even feel the pain if you secretly pinch him.”
Granny Li was going to demonstrate for Bao Chun to see, but Bao Chun hurried to stop her. “No, don’t, he’s already in such a bad condition.”
“Look at you, like a mother hen protecting her chicks.” Granny Li jokingly teased her, but she was also worried that the exertion during the past few days will wear her out, “You have to take good care of yourself too, you aren’t sleeping enough. It’s no good if The Master wakes up, only to have you fall ill from over exhaustion.”
“I’m not tired.” Bao Chun was running completely on willpower. She gave Granny Li a weak smile, then continued to hold the porridge while looking down at a medical book.
“Little Bao Chun, since when did you become interested in medical books?”
Bao Chun showed a forced smile, “I don’t recognize many of these crooked looking characters, but Huangfu said his name’s in the medical books so I have to find it no matter what.” She pointed to the medical book, fortunately, this “Hundred Herbs Guide Book” has ink illustrations beside each herb, so she could only look at the pictures and figure out the medicinal herbs.
“You’ve worked hard.” Granny Li patted her on the cheeks, giving her some encouragement mentally, “I’ve got to go out for a bit, I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”
“Okay.” Bao Chun replied.
She watched as Granny Li left the room, then Bao Chun set the medical book on her knees, leaned against the bedside, resting her head on the end of Huangfu’s bed. From here she only needed to lift her head slightly to see Huangfu’s deep-set features.
“You have to wake up soon, I really miss your smile and your voice ….” Her eyes lingered on his face, then kept on calling to him in a small voice.
Bao Chun closed her eyes, letting her tired self fall asleep momentarily. Because nestled on the bedside is an uncomfortable way to sleep, this way, even if no one is here to wake her up, she will wake up on her own from a sore neck, ensuring that she won’t just keep on sleeping.
Thin black strands of hair fell over her face and his palm, the owner of the tiny face was in a deep slumber, but the owner of the palm twitched slightly from the smooth and delicate sensation ….
✧ ✧ ✧
Oh gosh, neck cramps!
Bao Chun complained as she slowly turned her stiff neck and opened her eyes, hitting her neck with her fist to ease the soreness and discomfort.
What time is it now?
Bao Chun stared into the darkness in the room, it seems she slept past dinner time. She got up and patted her rumpled skirt, then took out a flare[1] to light up the lamp and habitually got ready to sit back on the edge of the bed.
“You’ve slept for almost another day ….” Bao Chun said as she turned towards the bed, then suddenly realizing that the bed was completely empty! She jumped onto the bed, flattened the beddings, but Huangfu was nowhere to be seen!
“Huangfu?!” Bao Chun flew out from the room like a headless chicken, ready to search for Huangfu in the pitch dark garden. Why didn’t he wake her when he woke up?
A strong, firm hand grabbed Bao Chun’s hand, she happily turned around and yelled, “Huangfu!”
“No.” Nineteen’s face slowly became visible in the moonlight. He had expected Bao Chun to run out like crazy after discovering The Master was gone, so he had been waiting outside the room. “The Master is in the alchemy room, he woke up.”
Bao Chun’s ears only heard the last three words that Nineteen said so nonchalantly, “he woke up”!
“Re … really?!” Bao Chun asked in a tiny uncertain voice.
Seeing Nineteen nod, Bao Chun finally relaxed her tightly wound nerves and cried as she laughed, “He woke up! He woke up!” She repeated as she sobbed and sniffled, her words were so mumbled that no one could understand what she was saying.
“I’ve told you that The Master would be fine, you look like a mess, why would you go and put yourself through all this?” It was rare for Nineteen to be in such a good mood, so he teased her jokingly, “You look like some deserted wife left behind by her husband.”
Bao Chun’s cheeks flushed red, “I was worried ….”
“Alright, do you want to go and see The Master?”
“Yes.” Bao Chun wiped away her tears, “Where did you say he was?”
“The alchemy room.”
Bao Chun only took one step outside before she quickly turned back to ask Nineteen, “Do I look scary or awful right now?” She touched her loose hair and looked down at her rumpled clothes.
“Did you think you were going to a wedding? It’s good enough and cute enough.” Nineteen stretched out his hand, his palm facing up and made a gesture meaning “please proceed”.
“Thank you.” Bao Chun finally hopped off happily to her destination.
“Wait!” Nineteen called out after her, reminding her, “Don’t forget to mention to The Master about curing the poison.”
Bao Chun patted her chest reassuringly and shot him a smile that says “leave it to me”.
“It’s really getting more and more lively.” Nineteen laughed as he watched Bao Chun walk away.
To the north of the Huangfu mansion, along the foothills of the mountain straight ahead, lies the lavender garden. Before reaching the foothills, there is a low but exquisite looking house. From what Nineteen had told her, this slightly hidden place was Huangfu’s alchemy room.
Holding back the urge to break through the door, Bao Chun decided do the proper thing and knock.
“Come in.”
Oh! Huangfu’s voice sounds like a beautiful melody, I’ve missed it so much!
Bao Chun smiled her silly smile, feeling like she was going to die from happiness.
“Little Bao Chun, if you aren’t going to come in then you aren’t allowed to come in anymore.” Huangfu seems to know the person outside the doors was immersed in her own world, so he uttered a threat.
“I’m coming in!” Bao Chun rushed to open the doors.
Huangfu lazily slumped over the lounge chair, a coat draped over his shoulders, he wasn’t decently dressed but was still so damned charming. He brushed aside his loose hair, the smile never leaving his face.
Huangfu threw a dark brown pill into the air, then opened his mouth wide to catch it.
“You’re moving! You’re moving!” Bao Chun was so touched. The Huangfu that was lying there unmoving on the bed yesterday was now putting on a peanut eating show in front of her.
“Have you still not woken up yet? Come sit here.” Nonsense, if he’s not moving then isn’t he dead?!
Huangfu held out his hand to her, Bao Chun gently gave him her own hand. Huangfu tugged gently, letting her fall into his arms.
She’s not the only one who missed the warmth of embrace.
“If I keep on sleeping, then someone’s going to ‘drown the Huangfu Temple with waterworks’. He wiped away the tears rolling down her face, “Crybaby Bao Chun.”
No matter how he mocks or ridicule her, Bao Chun was still overflowing with joy. As long as he’s alive, any vicious words of his she will believe and follow like an imperial decree.
“Thank goodness, you scared me to death ….” She held up his hand and rubbed it against her face. So warm, this is the temperature he should have. “I was so worried, so worried …. You fainted for four whole days, four days … and threw up almost a vat full of blood. Thank goodness you woke up, and you’re back to your old self.” She doesn’t care how Huangfu’s going to laugh at her for her overreaction, she just wants to tell him how happy and moved she was.
The usually vicious-tongued Huangfu was uncharacteristically holding her in his embrace, not mocking, laughing at or ridiculing her, his eyes showed slightly how moved he was. Never had anyone cared whether or not he’d die in his sleep when the poison flared up, because everyone thought of him as the Godly Doctor, thought that he’ll never lose to some poison.
But he was still just a human after all, it still hurts when he gets injured, it’s still painful when he gets sick, he also needs the care and affection of others. And she, was the first person to treat him like this.
Huangfu’s big hands gently caressed her neck like the soft spring wind. When he woke up, he saw Bao Chun curled up against the edge of the bed and knew she was probably going to have muscle soreness from her bad sleeping posture. Too bad whenever he wakes up after the poison flares up, his arms are so weak he can’t even pick up a brick. Otherwise, he’d pick up the sleeping Bao Chun and put her on the bed, letting her have a good night’s sleep.
“The moment the poison flared up, I thought if you saw me puking blood and fainting you’d probably be scared out of your wits, unfortunately, I still couldn’t hold off until we reached the room and lost consciousness before we got there.”
I’m sorry for making you worry so much. Huangfu silently buried this thought at the bottom of his heart.
He knew how worried, and how scared Bao Chun must have been when she saw the scene of him fainting. But knowing that there is someone who is worried about you is indeed quite heartwarming.
Bao Chun shook her head, “If you died ….” She shivered, afraid to keep on thinking, “I don’t want it to happen! Please don’t ever die in front of me!” She demanded Huangfu to make a promise.
“I’m not King Yan Luo,[2] ruler of the underworld, maybe according to The Book of Life and Death[3] my life is shorter than yours, this way I’ll still die before you.” Huangfu shrugged, he always had an accepting attitude towards life and death, but Bao Chun’s words were sweet and they slightly lit up his heart.
“Then … what if we cure you of the poison in your body? Will that prolong your life?”
Huangfu wiped the smile off of his face and replaced it with a look of displeasure, “Did Nineteen and Granny Li say something to you?”
“We are all very concerned about you, and we all want you to be completely rid of the poison in your body. Huangfu, can you please call back your sister?” She asked warmly.
“No.” Huangfu rejected her without hesitation, “I don’t want to see that ugly woman ever again.”
“She’s your little sister.” But what she really wanted to say was, with Huangfu being so handsome, his sister probably won’t be that terrible looking.
“True, this is the biggest indelible stain on my life.” Huangfu tossed another pill into his mouth and also put one up against Bao Chun’s lips, “Here, it’s a blood supplementing pill, taste it.” Every time he threw up a bunch of blood he’ll eat a dozen or so of these blood supplementing pills, to make up for his excessive loss of blood.
“Don’t try and direct my attention away, I’m talking to you about some serious business here.” Bao Chun pushed aside his hand and looked him in the eye.
He always skillfully deflected her questions to divert the topic, it was the same way back when she tried asking him to cure Ruo Xia’s illness, and now, even with his own life at stake, he’s doing the same thing.
“Okay, if you want to talk serious business then I’ll talk serious business with you.” Huangfu put away his playful expression, a shadow cast over his bloodless white porcelain-like face, thick lashes hid the emotions in his eyes, and his voice was different from their usual light and happy tone, it sounded low and gravelly.
“Do you want to know the real reason behind why I don’t like to save people, despite being a doctor?” His eyes weren’t looking at Bao Chun, it was as if he’s talking to himself.
“If you want to tell me.”
“Of course.” He was so sure. He never liked talking about himself, but with her, he doesn’t want to hide anything from her.
Huangfu flicked at the silvery strands that fell beside his cheeks, “I used to have black hair in the past. I can’t remember when it started …. When it faded to this unpleasant and repulsive colour.” There was a flash of inexplicable loss in his eyes, then as if laughing in self-mockery he said, “But I digress.”
“I like your silver hair, it’s beautiful, it really is.”
Huangfu took a deep breath, breathing in the faint scent of her hair, his embrace around her waist unknowingly tightened.
“My mom, was a genuine weak and naive … overly nice person. A lot like you.”
He didn’t mean her appearance but was referring to her personality. “She was afraid to see other people suffer any sort of pain, if she could give something of her’s to other people, then she will gladly be generous. To others, she was kind, but to me, that was stupidity. In order to protect her, Chi Shao and I became the polar opposites to our mother’s personality, to make sure she’s not getting taken advantage of by others, to make her live better, we had to be stronger than her, and tougher than her.”
“When I was five, some random distant relative suddenly came to the mansion, begging for mom to take her in, and of course, mom didn’t refuse. But Chi Shao and I both disliked that woman, behind her sad pitiful eyes, she inadvertently revealed a hint of cruelty. Though mom always thought we were too suspicious. But the truth revealed that this almost stranger-like distant relative of ours was a calculating venomous snake harbouring sinister motives, and her intention was to kill mum, and drag down the entire Huangfu household to die with her. To this day, I still didn’t understand why she wanted to kill a woman so kind-hearted that she was almost like a Buddha.”[4]
Huangfu was completely immersed in the memories from the past, peacefully revealing it to Bao Chun.
“She poisoned mom with two types of poisons, two types of poisons that no doctor could cure. She didn’t want to kill mom immediately, just wanted to torture her slowly by making mom throw up blood time and time again. When I was seven, Chi Shao and I separately transplanted the poisons into our bodies, and each studied the poison the other had in their body, researching methods for a cure, hoping to save mom … before the poison became too much for her. Unfortunately, before we could figure out a way to save her, she passed away, right in front of Chi Shao and I, she threw up her last drop of blood. What good is there to save all the people in the world? I couldn’t save her. I couldn’t save her, what good is there to save all the people in the world.” Huangfu burst out in laughter and repeated the last two sentences over and over again. He studied medicine to save his family, not those thousands and millions of strangers!
He spread open his right palm that he had around Bao Chun’s waist, letting Bao Chun see clearly the scab that formed from the knife scar that he made when he was transmitting the poison into his own body, the scar that tears open every time the poison flares up, never ever able to fully heal, as if ridiculing and mocking his incompetence!
Bao Chun wrapped her hands around his wounded palm, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked, I’m sorry ….”
She knew the powerlessness and self-blame that came with the inability to save a loved one. At this moment, she finally understood, the smiling Huangfu she usually sees was only a child stuck in deep guilt over his inability to save his mother. He put so much blame on himself, he was in such pain ….
Huangfu took another deep breath, a smile lit up on his porcelain like face. “Oh wow, don’t tell me you believed all that?” He asked teasingly, as if saying, “I was just lying to you back there.”
“I believe it. That wasn’t a beautiful story, but I believe it.” Bao Chun looked at his forced smile, filled with heartache. His eyes, they couldn’t hide all the pain he was feeling. “That’s why you hated when I begged you to help the other people that came to you seeking help, that’s why you were so tough on me and wanted me to learn to be selfish. You must really hate people like me, right?”
After hearing his story, everything he did before suddenly all made sense.
Huangfu looked down and smiled, hiding his face in the crevice of Bao Chun’s neck, “Hate? No, I deeply despise them.”
He was honest and blunt, “I despised your gentle and selfless acts, despised how you think the whole world can betray you, despised the disgusting cowardice hiding behind your kind heart.” He was a man advocating selfishness, but the woman he fell in love with just so happen to have the type of personality that he dislikes the most.
It wasn’t so much that he hates soft-hearted women, it was more like he’s afraid of them. Because he isn’t sure he can always be there to protect her, and he dare not imagine what would happen if this soft-hearted woman were to end up like his mother ….
“If there comes such a day, will you be selfish for my sake? Will you change for my sake?” Huangfu held her face in his hands, his gentle breath falling on her nose, asking her to make a promise.
“I will.” Bao Chun answered. “I’ll be selfish for you right now. I want you to be good, to be healthy, to live a long life! My way of being selfish is to make you agree to invite your sister back, only she can save you! Huangfu, can you please let your sister come back?” She was almost begging him.
Maybe he doesn’t value his own life, but she does! She will cherish it and carefully hold it in her hands, protecting it.
Bao Chun held the hands he had around her cheeks and concentrated on waiting for him to answer her.
“Curing me, is it really that important to you? Why?” Huangfu put his forehead closely against her’s, he knew Bao Chun had a kind heart, sympathetic to any sufferings of other people. But he doesn’t want her to give her kindness away to other people, he want it exclusively all to himself! At least in her heart, he has to be the most special.
Bao Chun felt Huangfu’s breath on her nose, his clear eyes full of anticipation, waiting for her answer. The blood red star from the day when his illness flared up has faded back to the pinkish skin tone, sitting between his slightly upturned brows.
Bao Chun put her hands on his shiny silvery hair, feeling its silky smoothness, carefully combing it with her fingers.
“I’ve never been so scared before in my whole life …. I’ve seen so many friends and family members die in front of me, I’ve been sad, I’ve been depressed, however, I’ve never been scared, but ….” Bao Chun looked up with her once again tear-filled eyes, “This time, I was scared! I was scared that you will keep on sleeping, that you will never wake up. I was scared that you will never open your eyes and look at me … and now, I’m afraid I have to face yet again the fear of your poison flaring up ….”
She doesn’t know how to answer Huangfu’s question of whether it’s “important or not”, she just knew that she wants to save him, she has to save him!
“Please ask Miss Chi Shao to come back, I’m begging—”
Huangfu suddenly leaned in, easily taking her pink lips into his, blocking her words of request.
Silly girl! Don’t beg him! He’s the one who should be begging! But for the sake of his life and death, she in turn is begging him to have Chi Shao treat him? If he’s just a bystander, perhaps he’ll have a good laugh at her ridiculous behaviour, but at this time, he can only feel complete heartache and contentment!
Yes, contentment. He once gave all he had to try and save mom’s life, because mom and Chi Shao were the most important people in his life. But now, she’s worried about him, scared for him, wanted to prolong his life …. Does that mean in his heart she’s also different?
He lightly pecked and tasted the fragrance between her lips, his voice was vague and husky. “Whatever you say then ….”
“Really? You promise?” Bao Chun’s body shook out of reflex, her lips left Huangfu’s seduction, in her excitement she didn’t notice Huangfu’s look of disappointment.
Huangfu wiped his face in defeat and muttered, “At least give me a little sugar ….” He hadn’t even had a chance to warm his lips yet, before this “delicious little bird” before him flew away. If he knew this then he wouldn’t have answered her so quickly, he’d at least wait until he’s kissed her enough.
“Stop messing around.” Bao Chun scolded him, But she liked the playful Huangfu that would joke and ridicule people.
“I still haven’t shown you what real messing around looks like.” Huangfu quickly gave her a loud smooch on each cheek.
Bao Chun laughed as she hid from his puckered lips, he playfully stuck out his tongue, circling Bao Chun’s palm, making her yank back her hand in embarrassment.
“Ah, yes!” Huangfu opened the wooden cabinet beside him as if he suddenly remembered something. Inside there was an array of bottles, he took out one of the jars, took off the cork and the room instantly filled with a sweet fragrance. “Hold your hand out.”
Bao Chun curiously watched him as he poured out a cold green liquid, then carefully rubbed it evenly on her hands.
“It feels really good, what is it?”
“It’s a nourishing formula, it’ll restore your hands to a baby like delicate state.” Her rough, calloused hands was always on his mind, a few days ago, he took special care and blended together several sweet-smelling herbs for her to use, but it got delayed because his illness flared up.
“Thank you.” The icy coolness pleasantly surrounded her little palms, making her sigh in comfort.
“You’re welcome, it doesn’t really matter since I’ll be the one benefitting.” Huangfu gave her a wicked smile.
This was for when he’s biting her fingers later on, they’ll be as sweet as white asparagus shoots. Upon thinking of this, Huangfu was even more happy than before.
“What do you mean you’ll be the one benefitting?” Bao Chun asked in a silly way. Why does it matter to him if her hands are soft or not?
“You don’t have to understand too much. By the way, if you have time, you can also rub some medicinal liquid on your body, this way the feel of your skin would be a lot better as well …. But it seems I’ll have to make several more vats.” Huangfu stroked his chin and thought, but Bao Chun certainly wouldn’t know his mind had already wandered off imagining scenes not suitable for young audiences.
After thoroughly massaging her palms, Huangfu felt satisfied and put away the bottle.
Bao Chun gently shook her hands in the air, letting the medicinal liquid dry quicker, and said, “But when I go back and keep on working won’t my hands get rough once again?”
“Work? Did Granny Li give you some heavy work to do?” He doesn’t remember there being anything in the mansion that needed her to work hard, small things like boiling medicine won’t do any harm to her hands.
“I mean when I go home with Papa, I’ll have to work just like before.” Bao Chun answered him matter-of-factly. She can’t be like him and use his title of the Godly Doctor to take advantage of the members of the royal family.
Huangfu’s face sunk, he stared at her and asked, “Go home?” Does she want to leave here?
“Yeah, when Ruo Xia recovers, then we’ll go to Suzhou to live with Papa and Qiu Yue.”
“I guarantee that Liu Ruo Xia will be so sick starting today that she won’t be able to leave the bed.” He said glumly.
“Why?!” Bao Chun couldn’t detect the anger in his tone, she was only concerned about what he had just said. “But I saw that lately Ruo Xia was getting much better than before.”
“So, once she gets better you’re in a hurry to leave?” He asked, extremely displeased.
“I’m not in a hurry, Papa and I made a promise to meet up at the Mountain God Temple after three months, there’s still two more months left, I’ll at least have to wait until your sister cures you of your poison.” Bao Chun curled her fingers and counted. She could still stay with him for two more months … time flew by so quickly, in the blink of an eye she’ll have to leave him.
“Did I say you could leave?!”
“Huh?” Bao Chun raised an eyebrow and look at Huangfu with a puzzled expression.
Huangfu’s thoughts spun quickly in his mind, and he suddenly revealed a sinister fox-like smile. “Besides, you can’t go anywhere before you settled your debt for the treatment fees as well as room and board fees.” Haha! He’s such a genius!
Bao Chun stared wide-eyed. Oh no! Qiu Yue told her before to first find out the basic rate the Godly Doctor charges. If the fees are high enough to bankrupt them, then absolutely do not let him treat Ruo Xia. She forgot to ask him first …. Her mind wandered off to Cheng Wang Ye,[5] who came to Huangfu for treatment. His fees were enough for the entire mansion to live in luxury for an entire year!
Bao Chun gulped, then worked up the courage and asked, “How are you going to charge for your treatments?”
“Can you take the responsibility for the decision? I want to talk to your Papa face to face.” Huangfu saw through what Bao Chun was thinking. He’s admiring himself more and more now for this reason he just thought of. This way, he can have both Bao Chun’s person and heart as compensation to him, for the rest of his life!
“We are a poor family, really poor, even Papa won’t be able to afford it ….” Bao Chun grimaced, then suddenly shook her hand and realized, “Are you going to charge me for the medicinal liquid I rubbed on my hands?”
“You can count those as free gifts, no need to be so polite.” Huangfu laughed to himself, pretending to be generous in giving her a favour. “I’ll have Nineteen go to Suzhou to seek out the whereabouts of your Papa and little sister, and invite them over to—pay the bill.”
Translator’s Notes:
Some of you might know that my father flew in from out of the country and is here visiting, I had to go with him to run a few errands for a while so my progress was a little slowed.
For this chapter, my favourite part was when Huangfu threatened Bao Chun that Ruo Xia was going to be bedridden starting that day. xD Oh Huangfu, look at how jealous you are! Also at the end where he thought up that “genius” idea to charge Bao Chun~ I think the chapter ended perfectly the way it did, with pay the bill :D
If I remember correctly, we have three more chapters left and then an epilogue. So please stay tuned! :) Once Singing Spring Melody ends I’ll post up a character name and relationship page so anyone confused by the names can refer to. I’m also considering creating a general glossary page for common terms that I’ll keep in Chinese, this way people can read it, understand it and have an easier time reading my translations. For anyone following Hunting for Beautiful Men, a Journey Through Time, I’m also going to start translating the next chapter for that one, so I won’t be working on chapter seven just yet.
Happy belated April Fool’s and Easter everyone! I’m currently re-watching 宫锁心玉 and 金玉良缘. Micky He and Wallace Huo <3 also, 冯绍峰！～
As always, please like, comment, and follow if you’ve enjoyed reading!~ Ciao! <3
1 In Chinese it’s called a 火折子, it’s a portable lighter of sorts. People were more advanced than the days of using flint to lightfire.This was mentioned in some grave robbing novels. To read about it and see a picture of it, please click here—>LINK.
2 In Chinese his is 阎罗王, he is the ruler and judge of the underworld, where all the dead people have to go after they die.
3 The book is called 生死簿 in Chinese, if you’ve read or watched Journey to the West you’ll know that the Monkey King tore the page with his name off of the book, that way he could no longer be crossed out and die. The book is filled with all the names of the people in the world, as well as their time and reason for death. It is kept by one of the judges that aids Yan Luo in his judgement.
4 The book originally said 菩萨 which is a Bodhisattva, a Buddhist religious figure. To see what the Bodhisattva looks like click here—>LINK. Although always portrayed as a female by TV shows, but the Bodhisattva is in fact genderless. Chinese says like 菩萨心肠 or describing someone as 菩萨 basically means the person is really really kind hearted. There are other proverbs and sayings that involve 菩萨, but I’ll learn about them as we encounter them.
5 In Chinese it says 王爷 wáng ye, is the title used to address the Emperor’s brothers, or certain other men in the ranks of nobility.
