Her eyes gradually opened and caught sight of the face of an outstanding youth, who stood more than a meter away from her. The young man stood under plum blossoms and faintly smiled at her.
“Ji Pei?”
She could not believe her eyes. She hurried toward him, but the more she approached him, the further the distance between them grew.
“Shu’er… Shu’er…” Ji Pei called her while wearing a smile that became even more brilliant.
As their distance could not be pulled closer, Ji Yunshu reached out in an attempt to grab him, but instead ended up grabbing into the cold and empty air before falling into the abyss. In a moment, she was engulfed in darkness, and her eyes lost vision!
“Lian? Lian?”
She was roused by the straightforward voice of a man. Her eyes opened and were blinded by a piercing white light of a big lamp above her head. Her eyes slowly adapted to the glaring light. But what entered her eyes were the sight of six people draped in surgical gown and mask. They were closely watching her, stationed all around her. She now saw the large and round lamp often seen in an operation room. She suddenly understood. She was back in her original body at the time of her surgery!
“Lian.” A man lightly touched her shoulder.
She shifted her eyes and saw a familiar face with brows wrinkled with worries. His expression was desolate when he looked at her.
“Dad?” Her dry throat only permitted a soft whisper to be heard.
Was she still dreaming or did she really return?
“Lian! Lian!” The man continued to shout her name.
She wanted to touch his face, but her body didn’t have any strength. Her sight gradually blurred and the continuous shout slowly turned into a distant echo.
“Dad… Dad…” She incessantly called out for her father, but everything before her eyes became increasingly hazy. His silhouette gradually turned more illusory and transparent. Terror filled her at this instant and dread could be seen in her eyes. “Dad! Dad!” She loudly screamed, but her body was out of her control like a wild horse in a gallop.
Suddenly, she woke up and shot up in her bed. Her forehead covered in beads of sweat and she was still gasping for her breath. Even though the terror still lingered, her vision was restored.
She was in an unfamiliar room that was spacious and bright, neatly furbished with mahogany furniture. Light colored muslin curtains were hung all around the wood carved bed, lightly fluttering.
‘So, it was just a dream!’
“Shu’er?” Wei Yi’s voice echoed from beside her. He sounded rather frightened. He must have been scared when Ji Yunshu abruptly sat up in the bed and had recoiled back.
Ji Yunshu’s complexion was pale as were her chapped lips. She slowly turned her head and looked at him. “Wei Yi?”
“Shu’er, how are you feeling? Did you have a nightmare?”
“Where are we?” asked Ji Yunshu in a weak voice.
“We’re at big brother’s home, in the Grand Canal manor.”
She discolored lips lightly moved, “Why am I here? I… How long did I sleep?”
“Three days.”
“Three days?”
“Yeah.” A question asked; a reply given.
Ji Yunshu raised her hands and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. Then, she began to ponder before asking Wei Yi, “Then, why are you be here? What about your parents’ burial…” She was not done speaking, but Wei Yi answered her first.
Sadness painted his traits as tears pooled within his eyes, but he forced himself to hold them in. “Father and mother are buried. Uncle Fu said that he will take care of the rest, so I went to find you. Big brother brought you here. Shu’er, did you get sick?”
“I…”
“You must not get sick. Shu’er, you can’t get sick.” Wei Yi showed a nervous expression.
Ji Yunshu reached for his trembling arms and grabbed them, before shaking her head. “I didn’t fall ill. So, stop being scared.”
“Hmmm!” He nodded with his nose wrinkled. Sourness filled him inside.
Ji Yunshu stroked his head. Then, she lifted her quilt and dragged her sore and weary body out of bed. Each step she made felt as if there was glue under her insole. At a turtle’s pace, she walked toward the dressing table and looks at herself in the mirror. The reflection she saw was that of a small built woman draped in a white satin buttoned jacket. Under it, her wide sleeves hung to her side and her skirt which reached to her ankle lightly moved with each of her movement. Her figure was slender and outstanding in every aspect.
In the yellow copper mirror, her usual face, although pale, was reflected, but the only difference with before was the long and dark red scab on the left of her face.
The scab extended from her cheekbone to her lower jaw and was ostentatious to the eyes. The wound didn’t look sinister or disgusting, and the surrounding skin and flesh were not gouged out. Despite that, her originally exquisite face was now uglier.
For three days, medicine was applied to her wound, making it a bit less painful. Moreover, she could see signs of healing with the scab forming on it.
Her reaction was calmer than she had imagined. Her appearance was destroyed, but for her, she calmly accepted it. She raised her hand and lightly touched the scab. Her lips unexpectedly curled into a smile.
Ji Pei no longer lived; There was no point in her appearance. Her heart truly felt dead.
After a long while, she finally turned around and pointed at the scar on her face. “Are you scared?”
Wei Yi shook his head. “I’m not scared. Shu’er should also not be scared. Big brother said that he will use every means necessary to heal your face back to before.”
“The scar can’t be erased.”
“It certainly can be.” Wei Yi anxiously declared. He added, “Even if the scar on Shu’er’s face doesn’t disappear, I will not turn my back on you.”
“Thank you, Wei Yi.
He blinked and seriously stated, “Shu’er, you don’t need to thank me. I just like Shu’er, so I want you to be well.” His heartfelt words were spoken with sincerity.
She must be quite lucky to be able to have such a pure-hearted and kind person by her side. Ji Yunshu smiled, but with her ugly scar, it made her beauty more morbid. She suddenly asked him, “Wei Yi, have you ever thought of going to the capital?”
“The capital? Where is it?”
‘Where?’
“I also don’t know where it is.” She faintly spoke out. She was fully aware that the capital was like a tiger den, a treacherous place, unlike the peaceful Jinjiang. There would be no simple and honest common folks. So to say, although in the small and peaceful world of Jinjiang city, life was comfortable, but was there any difference with the capital when it came to people’s lives? Afterall, the will of people is everywhere! However, she came to realize this principle a bit too late.
Wei Yi pursed his lips and hurriedly said, “Shu’er, wherever you go, I’ll follow you. I don’t want to be separated from you. If you go to the capital, can I go with you?” His expression revealed a desperate longing.
She had already promised to fulfill Madame Wei’s last will. Therefore, she will take care of Wei Yi. Regardless of how devastated she was when learning of Ji Pei’s death. She would not abandon Wei Yi. She couldn’t go against her promise with Madame Wei. She lightly nodded. “I promise you. No matter where I go in the future, I will bring you with me.”
“Shu’er is the best!” Wei Yi rejoiced, but he quietly looked at Ji Yunshu. The corner of his mouth curled into a smile. It seemed in his eyes, it didn’t matter if Ji Yunshu was ugly or beautiful. Or perhaps, regardless of Ji Yunshu’s appearance, in his heart, she would always be the most beautiful woman because to him she was his wife.