Love & Redemption
Chapter 38: Farewell to the Salad Days (Part One)

Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Farewell to the Salad Days (Part One)

Today is the first update.

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"Linglong, your sister just woke up, don’t always talk to her about this and that." He Danping saw Xuanji’s pale complexion and hurriedly gently pushed her older daughter away, sitting by the bed herself with a bowl of medicine in her hands, softly saying, "Come, drink your medicine first, then have a good sleep, and all will be well."

Xuanji indeed didn’t have the energy to wonder where she had mustered such strength, casually tossing aside some broken wood and drinking a mouthful of medicine with her mother’s help.

"Mom, it’s so bitter..." she complained with a frown.

Linglong smiled and handed her a few sugar-coated plums wrapped in paper, "I knew you would complain about the bitterness, here, eat a plum. You really are a little girl."

She popped one into her mouth, propping herself up in front of the bed and smiling as she asked, "How is it? Sweet, isn’t it? I made it myself."

Xuanji nodded, "Sweet... um, just a bit too sweet..."

She quickly drank all the medicine in one go to avoid Linglong feeding her more plums. She didn’t know how much sugar Linglong had put in those sugar-coated plums, it was frighteningly sweet.

"Just sleep now, don’t think about anything," Linglong said with a maturity beyond her years, helping her lie back down and then fussing over her blankets and pillow, babbling like an old mother.

Xuanji couldn’t help but laugh out loud, "Linglong, you’re becoming more and more like mom."

Linglong glared at her, "I’m your sister, so you have to listen to me. Be good, go to sleep. Try to get well soon."

Xuanji had just woken up and was not sleepy yet. Seeing her mother leave with the medicine, she took Linglong’s hand, softly saying, "Are you alright? That person...didn’t hurt you?"

Linglong’s eyes reddened, and she pouted, "I’m fine. Why on earth did you run out like that! It really... almost killed me with fright..."

She rubbed her eyes, holding back her tears, and added, "I’m a lot tougher than you. Getting stabbed is nothing big. You’re so frail yet still trying to act tough, it scared everyone to death, we...we thought you were going to die..."

As she spoke, she couldn’t help but let the fear overwhelm her into tears.

Xuanji stayed silent, only gently caressing her hand. After a long pause, she softly said, "I don’t know what came over me. When I saw him stab at you, I just rushed forward. Don’t worry, it won’t happen again. And look, I’m fine, aren’t I?"

"Next time?!" Linglong stared at her, "There better not be a next time! And you say you’re fine, you’ve been asleep for five or six days! If you were fine, would you sleep that long? Mom has been crying every day, and Aunt Hong and the others have been coming to see you, all terribly worried."

"Ah, I slept for five or six days?" Xuanji also couldn’t help but be shocked; she thought it had only been like a dream’s length. The last time at Lutai Mountain, they said she had slept for several days, yet she hadn’t felt it at all.

"So... has the Flower Pinning Conference ended?"

Linglong nodded, "It ended long ago. That scoundrel Wu Tong stabbed you and then ran away. The Valley Master from Dianjing Valley probably felt humiliated, so the disciples of Dianjing Valley withdrew from the competition. In the end, our Duan Zheng Senior Brother won, and the day before yesterday, he fought the Heavenly Dog and won too. Dongfang Island Master personally pinned the peony flower on him."

Xuanji sighed softly, "It must have been spectacular...and I missed it."

"Who was in the mood to watch? I didn’t really watch either; I was right here with you!" Linglong stroked her head.

"Did Si Feng and the others...leave?" Xuanji asked again.

"They only left yesterday. He also came each day to see you, just wouldn’t come in, only watched from outside... You were not waking up, and in the end, he had no choice but to leave." Linglong paused, then added, "Si Feng was really worried about you, before leaving he even told us to remind you to write to him once you’re better."

Xuanji closed her eyes, a faint sadness welling up in her heart. She hadn’t had the chance to say goodbye, and he must have been very upset when he left. Even though they could correspond by letters, who knew when they would meet again?

This beautiful-eyed young man, both proud and kind. What would it be like when they met next?

Seeing her with her eyes closed, Linglong thought she was tired and quietly stood up, preparing to leave.

Xuanji suddenly grabbed her sleeve, softly saying, "Linglong, stay and talk with me a little longer, please? I’ve slept for so long, I can’t sleep now."

Liuli sat back down and repeatedly touched her forehead, sighing, "Talking to you is fine, but you should really rest more. That’s how your wounds will heal faster."

She shook her head, "I don’t feel any pain right now, just numbness, and I can’t move. Liuli, dad and the others...didn’t have any unpleasant conflicts with Dianjing Valley, did they?"

Now, just the mention of Dianjing Valley made Liuli grind her teeth in anger and she said hatefully, "Have any unpleasant conflicts! Dad was even joking and laughing with them! I really don’t know what he was thinking! If it were me, I would stab each of their shoulders, let them taste what it’s like!"

Xuanji grasped her hand, saying, "Liuli, you’re always so impulsive. Listen to me, that Wu Tong ran away, and even if you meet him again, don’t provoke him. I think this man is narrow-minded, not of the benevolent kind. If he could stab me once, next time he might kill someone. We shouldn’t get on the wrong side of such a person."

Liuli vehemently said, "No! How can we just let him go? I will cultivate diligently, and if I see him again, I will definitely break his arms to avenge you!"

Xuanji sighed, Liuli’s nature was just like that, hot-tempered and quick to anger, and ordinary people couldn’t persuade her. She simply clamped her mouth shut and only said, "Anyway...be careful."

After more conversation, He Danping came back from the pharmacy and seeing them still chatting busily, laughed from outside the door, "Liuli, your sister is weak from her injury, don’t talk so much with her, it’s draining. Come out and let her sleep some more."

Liuli acknowledged with a yes, then moved the strands of hair from Xuanji’s cheek to the side, and softly said, "Xuanji, rest well. In a few days, the other senior brothers will also come to see you, they’ve been very worried."

Xuanji nodded and finally felt tired, and gradually fell asleep.

A few days later, her injuries healed increasingly fast.

When Chu Yinghong came to change her bandages and medicine, she noticed that the hole in her shoulder had already started forming new skin and muscle, and couldn’t help but laugh, "This child, although her body has weakened, her wounds heal really quickly. Usually, such a wound would require at least a month in bed."

Xuanji tried moving the injured arm and feeling her fingers a bit unresponsive, she exclaimed in alarm, "Aunt Hong, my hand feels like...it’s been filled with lead. Did I injure the tendons and veins?"

Chu Yinghong quickly responded, "No, that sword struck quite skillfully, actually not harming the tendons or bones. You’re quite lucky indeed. Right now, it’s not entirely healed, but it will be fine after it fully recovers. Don’t overthink it."

Xuanji nodded, just as she was about to speak, she heard Liuli laughing from outside the window, "Aunt Hong, may we come in to see Xuanji? Everyone has arrived!"

Chu Yinghong helped Xuanji put on her clothes, then said, "Everyone come in, but don’t be too noisy. You little ghosts, always so loud and rowdy."

As soon as the words fell, a group of people rushed in, a bunch of Min Generation senior brothers arrived. Liuli led the way, most spirited, first rushing to the bedside, looking at Xuanji, then saying, "We promise not to be noisy, definitely won’t tire out our little sister."

Chu Yinghong carried the hot water and used bandages and ointment out, laughing, "Alright, all good, make room for these little ghosts."

Upon hearing this, everyone "whooshed" around the bedside, looking at Xuanji, chattering non-stop, one asking if it hurts, another asking if she felt dizzy, making the room exceedingly lively.

Xuanji, having never received such enthusiastic treatment before, actually felt at a loss.

It was the eldest senior brother, Du Minxing, who had the presence of mind to quickly say, "Ease up, ease up, don’t scare our little junior sister. I told you all not to come all at once!"

The second senior brother, Chen Minjue, laughed, "Coming all together is what makes it lively. Little junior sister, it must be boring staying here alone, right? If there’s anything you want to eat or play with, just tell your second senior brother, and I guarantee it’ll be taken care of."

Everyone scoffed, "There he goes boasting again! She’s injured, how can she just eat anything! Besides, what good things do you have!"

Chen Minjue was not annoyed, only saying, "How do you know I don’t have good things? Look, what is this?"

As he spoke, he pulled a box out of his sleeve, opened it, and revealed a cylindrical object, sealed at both ends with clear Liuli.

He passed it to Xuanji and instructed, "Look into this end."

Xuanji did as told and saw that although the object was small, the inside was full of colors and strange shapes, changing every time it was turned, truly a curious sight.

Chen Minjue smiled proudly, "This is called a kaleidoscope. Some time ago when I went down the mountain, a strange trader gave it to me. How about it, fun, right?"

Seeing Xuanji amused, everyone eagerly took turns looking at it, all exclaiming how interesting it was.

Chen Minjue was extremely pleased, shaking his head and swaggering about.