Life is unpredictable

Hours before Xie Yi’s death.

The sun was setting, the moon yet to rise, and twilight hues painted the horizon crimson.

Within the main courtyard of the Shangguan family estate, Shangguan Qiūyuè, who had been unconscious for several days, had only just awakened.

She leaned against the wall, pushing herself into a sitting position, her eyes still heavy with sleep, her face etched with weariness.

At the edge of the bed, Lín Yǎyuè held a bowl of millet porridge, stirring it gently twice with a spoon before scooping up a mouthful and blowing on it.

Her daughter, possessing a ‘cat’s tongue’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom referring to someone who cannot tolerate hot food), was unable to eat anything too warm. This mother had, therefore, grown accustomed to this routine before every feeding.

“Qiūyuè, try this,” she murmured, only offering the spoon after ensuring it wasn’t too hot, her eyes brimming with doting affection. “Mother added some sweet potato; you love it.”

Noticing her mother’s haggard face, the girl, who had initially intended to shake her head, instinctively leaned forward, parting her lips to take the spoon and swallow the porridge.

“It’s delicious, Mother, thank you…”

She ate a few more spoonfuls, a radiant smile gracing her lips.

A complex turmoil churned within the girl. Truth be told, she had no appetite at all. The image of Yún Mù kneeling on the ground, painstakingly collecting coins, was seared into her mind, refusing to fade.

The harsh, grating words of passersby further choked her heart, compelling her to ponder deeply.

‘Could all the suffering Yún Mù had endured within the Shangguan household over the years truly be compensated by the things she had done?’

When the boy lacked proper food, she would occasionally sneak him some pastries. Yet, his everyday meals consisted of extremely unnutritious fare, leaving him still gaunt and skeletal, his height barely surpassing that of a twelve-year-old girl like herself.

When the boy’s clothes were threadbare, she learned needlework from her mother, secretly sewing garments for him. However, they proved too large, hindering his chores, and consequently, he wore them only a handful of times.

When the boy’s sleeping quarters were inadequate, she pleaded with her father numerous times, only to be met with various excuses and ultimately, no resolution.

Not to mention, he was constantly beaten when she wasn’t aware, and sometimes… it was even because of her.

Though she always ensured someone treated his injuries, could such belated efforts (TL Note: A Chinese idiom, ‘wáng yáng bǔ láo,’ meaning to mend the fold after the sheep are lost; to take action after damage has occurred) truly make amends?

She didn’t know, and her heart felt suffocated by the uncertainty.

“Mother, Xiao Mù… is Yún Mù alright?”

Shangguan Qiūyuè’s voice trembled. She vividly recalled the scene of the boy being kicked to the ground by Shangguan Ce. Coupled with her own recent illness, she knew that if Shangguan Ce were to exaggerate the situation with a few embellished words, the boy would undoubtedly face another brutal beating.

“Yún Mù? That child came to see you a while ago, but…” Lín Yǎyuè paused slightly. “He left after hearing you were well. He seemed fine, so don’t worry.” She deliberately concealed the fact that the boy had been covered in injuries.

“He came to see me… He really is something. He came all this way but didn’t even step inside to say a few words. What if I hadn’t made it this time?”

“Hey! You child!” The beautiful woman raised a hand to cover the girl’s mouth, her elegant brows furrowed slightly. “Don’t say such things. You must learn to avoid ill omens (TL Note: A cultural belief in avoiding words or actions that might invite bad luck or misfortune), understand?”

“I know, I know! Shangguan Qiūyuè will live a hundred years, Shangguan Qiūyuè will live a hundred years~”

The girl gently pushed away her mother’s hand, speaking with a cheerful grin. Her gaze drifted to the calendar hanging by the bed, and she noticed the date.

‘By now, Xiao Mù should have gone to that bookshop, right? The last time I secretly peeked in, he was truly smiling so happily, and those two children were very kind to him. He should go there more often in the future, in the future…’

As she mused, a sudden cough seized her, a pain like a knife twisting in her chest. She raised a hand to cover her mouth, and the metallic scent of blood abruptly filled her nostrils.

When she spread her hand open again, crimson stained her palm.

‘But… it seems I won’t have a future.’

Tears streamed down her face, unchecked.

Lín Yǎyuè anxiously set down the bowl and chopsticks, heedless of the hot porridge scalding her hand. She grabbed a clean silk cloth to wipe away the girl’s incessant tears, gently pulling her into an embrace, allowing the blood to stain her own clothes, and spoke, forcing back her own tears.

“Don’t be afraid, child… Mother’s here… Mother’s here… You’ll be alright…”

As she spoke, her voice finally broke, a sob escaping her.

The beautiful woman couldn’t discern whether her heart ached for her daughter or if she felt profound guilt for Yún Mù’s future.

But she knew… she didn’t want her daughter to die.

****

At the same time, in the western district of the city.

Shangguan Xúnyī was strolling along the main thoroughfare of the western district, which was bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun.

Observing the familiar shops and faces around her, she greeted people just as Yún Mù did, though she was considerably more outgoing.

“Oh, Uncle Li, Aunt Li, long time no see! Is the teahouse business still thriving these days?”

“Thriving is good, when business is good, life is good! Oh, you’re inviting me in for a couple of teas, and a new flavor you’ve developed? It’s been so long, it’d be rude not to come in for a drink? Oh dear, oh dear, I have something important to do today, another day, another day then!”

“By the way… have any of you seen where Yún Mù went? Hey! Do I have some kind of ‘meaning’ for him? No, not at all! Don’t overthink it, I’m just his nominal older sister!”

“The bookshop, you say~ Alright~ Thank you~ I know where that is.”

Of course, she engaged in such extensive chatter for two reasons: firstly, she used to frequent this area with Lín Xīzhī as a child and was quite familiar with everyone; secondly, and more importantly, her primary objective was to inquire about Yún Mù’s whereabouts.

Earlier, she had visited the stables, intending to check on the boy’s condition.

Having given him medicine for his injuries, she naturally had reason to visit him.

However, she had underestimated both her own early rising and the boy’s. Though she had arrived as early as possible, the place was empty.

Shangguan Xúnyī considered seeking out Shangguan Qiūyuè to inquire, but then dismissed the idea, mindful of her sister’s delicate health. Fortunately, she later overheard a returning stable hand muttering to himself, which gave her a general idea of the western district.

Gazing at the setting sun, she hummed a little tune as she ran towards the bookshop.

This so-called bookshop was also a place she had visited as a child. In her recollection, Grandpa Xie and Lín Xīzhī had a rather good relationship back then.

“Grandpa Xie Yi!”

From a considerable distance, she spotted the elderly man standing at the entrance, raising her hand to call out. Her ethereal voice pierced through the dense foliage, causing him to pause slightly.

“Is that… Xúnyī, my dear?”

“It’s me, Grandpa Xie! After all this time, you still remember me?”

The girl grinned at the old man, making a V-sign with her fingers, an adorable imitation of her childhood self.

“Of course I remember! I just can’t believe how much you’ve grown in the blink of an eye. Oh, I still recall when you were a little girl…”

The girl listened quietly, refraining from interrupting. She knew this was an ‘old man’s habit’ (TL Note: A colloquial term referring to a common characteristic of elderly people), where, once they began speaking of events from many years ago, especially those concerning children’s younger days, they would open their ‘floodgates of conversation’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom, ‘huà xiá zi,’ meaning to become very talkative) and recount numerous old tales.

She was quite willing to listen, for after all… hardly anyone called her ‘Xúnyī, my dear’ anymore, and few remembered the stories of her childhood.

After speaking for a while, Xie Yi hastily snapped back to the present. Realizing he had perhaps talked too much, he awkwardly scratched his head and brought up the main topic.

“What brings you here today, Xúnyī, my dear? Are you looking for Yún Mù?”

His single sentence, revealing everything, caused the girl, who had already prepared her excuses, to blush faintly. She offered a small smile, nodded subtly, and lowered her gaze.

Seeing this, the old man chuckled twice, saying nothing further.

‘To see through something but not expose it—that is how one truly shows respect to a young lady.’

Besides, he now had a more pressing matter to attend to.

Xie Yi grew slightly serious. After raising his gaze and scanning his surroundings, his tone became grave.

“Xúnyī, my dear, listen to me first. That boy Yún Mù was here earlier, but the situation…” He explained the events from earlier, then pulled out the rough paper from his clothes and pressed it into the girl’s hand, letting out a long sigh. “I suspect that boy was afraid of implicating me, so he went to confront that Shangguan Ce.”

‘Shangguan Ce… that scoundrel…!’

Muttering the words on the rough paper, the girl’s face darkened considerably, her hands clenching into tight fists, teetering on the brink of an outburst.

She had, in fact, long been aware of Shangguan Ce’s many cruel actions towards Yún Mù; the beatings and insults were old news to her. This was why she had previously dealt a harsh lesson to her so-called cousin, even beating him so severely once that he was bedridden for half a month.

‘To think he would beg for mercy openly, yet still act this way in private, that despicable fellow…’

However, the girl quickly reined in her temper. She raised her gaze to the old man, hesitated for a moment, and then finally spoke.

“Grandpa Xie, actually… the matter of capturing Xiao Chun and Xiao Qiu was likely not Shangguan Ce’s own decision, but Shangguan Hóngzhì’s.”

“Shangguan Hóngzhì? Are you referring to the one who, to usurp the family head position, slaughtered…” He paused slightly, not finishing his sentence. A sharp, chilling killing intent flickered in his eyes.

“Yes, the very executioner who, to elevate his own status, massacred an entire city’s population.” Shangguan Xúnyī nodded in confirmation, continuing her explanation. “He kept Yún Mù confined to the Shangguan estate also to replace my younger sister’s bones, thereby prolonging her life.”

“Bone replacement? Are you saying he intends to dig out Xiao Mù’s bones and transplant them into his daughter?”

“Mm-hmm…”

“That scoundrel! Relying on his superior strength, he’s committed countless evils for years, but to think he would lay hands on a child… No, I’m going to confront him myself and demand an explanation!”

Seeing Xie Yi about to impulsively depart, the girl quickly grabbed him, shaking her head vigorously.

“Grandpa Xie, please don’t be rash. I recall you were injured, weren’t you? What if something truly happens? What would become of Xiao Chun and Xiao Qiu then?”

“Rest assured, I’m going to find Yún Mù right now. I returned to my sect yesterday and found some methods. I will definitely figure out a way to get him out tonight. As for you… please take Xiao Chun and Xiao Qiu to a much farther place immediately.”

The girl released his arm, took two steps, then turned back to glance at the old man. A sense of unease gnawed at her heart; for some reason, she had a terrible premonition.

“Grandpa Xie, please, whatever you do, don’t act rashly. I will get Yún Mù out.”

With that, she turned and departed.

What the girl didn’t know was that this, their first meeting in many years, would also be their last.

From that day forward, the world would hold one less beloved elder for Shangguan Xúnyī.