Chapter 3

Sunlight streamed in through the window.

Du Shiyi lay on the bed, his eyes fixed on the emerald bamboo grove outside the window, lost in thought. His health had improved over these days, and after much effort, he gradually managed to turn over and even sit up. He also began to plan on telling the truth to Du Shisan Niang, who had been by his side all along. So, when he heard a slight commotion outside, he looked up and saw Zhuying in a green robe. He habitually glanced at the food tray in Zhuying’s hand, seeing millet rice, two vegetable dishes, and an egg. Unable to resist, he looked behind her and suddenly asked, "Where is Shisan Niang?"

At these simple four words, Zhuying was taken aback at first, then her face lit up with surprise and joy. Although Du Shiyi had been ill, he could still eat and drink, but everything else required assistance. Now that he could finally speak, it surely indicated a turn for the better. She took a deep breath, put down the food tray, and knelt beside the bed.

"Congratulations, Master, you can finally speak!"

"What’s there to congratulate? I’m not a born mute!"

Seeing Du Shiyi say this with a bad temper, Zhuying, recalling Du Shisan Niang’s unwavering support over the past days, mistakenly thought he was still giving up on himself. She bit her lip and boldly said, "Master, Lady traveled a thousand miles from Jingzhao to Songshan to seek medical help for you. She has been living frugally, even saving the only egg for you. Now that you can speak, please consider her efforts, muster your strength, eat more, and recover well. It would not be in vain for her to go to Songyang Temple every day to seek medical help."

Although Du Shiyi had reluctantly decided to accept this life and Du Shisan Niang as his sister, hearing such a lecture made his eyebrows arch. The days that felt like years had been counted clearly. Falling into this unfamiliar era and place, becoming someone else for no apparent reason, all because of that guy who had given up on himself and sought death due to a loss of talent! Just because he lost his talent after a serious illness and couldn’t write poems that earned praise, did he have to cruelly abandon his only sister who depended on him for survival!

Seeing Du Shiyi lost in thought and not speaking, Zhuying, recalling what Du Shisan Niang said when she left today, couldn’t help but earnestly say, "Master, I haven’t read books and can’t speak grand truths. But you are just ill, not incurable. Why be so disheartened! Lady has been putting on a brave face in front of you, but she has cried many times behind your back. Master, you just asked where Lady went. She is determined to kneel at Songyang Temple today until she gets the Daoist Sun to come out. If she can’t, she plans to kneel until she dies! Since Master fell ill, Lady, though young, has worked hard and suffered without any complaints. Master, even if you don’t think of yourself, please think of Lady and recover well!"

Hearing this, Du Shiyi was greatly shocked. These days, Du Shisan Niang often stayed by his bedside, from wiping his face to feeding him, giving him water, and administering medicine, showing deep concern and affection for her brother. Even though he was different from the person who should have been in this body, and although he was still reluctant to accept the extra memories, he ultimately felt grateful to that little girl. After all, if it weren’t for her and Zhuying’s careful care, he wouldn’t have made it through these days!

At this moment, a blinding white light flashed before his eyes, followed by a loud thunderclap outside the window. After being bedridden for dozens of days, his reaction was much slower. It took a moment for him to realize it was thunder. Zhuying suddenly turned to look out the window, her face turning pale as she said, "Oh no, Lady is still kneeling in front of Songyang Temple! The mountain rain comes quickly, I have to go check!" With that, she stood up and rushed out.

Du Shiyi was about to call her back but heard the sound of the door opening, the umbrella being opened, and the footsteps rushing into the rain. After much thought, he finally managed to sit up straight, an action he had practiced many times in the evening, which he completed smoothly. When he struggled to get off the bed, his legs trembled, as if they couldn’t support his body. After walking a few circles in the small space, he barely regained the feeling of walking on solid ground. However, after walking back and forth for a long time, he only heard the heavy rain, but Zhuying, who had been gone for a long time, was nowhere to be seen, making him increasingly anxious.

Thinking of Du Shisan Niang, a young girl, being exposed to the rain, he thought for a long time and finally dragged his heavy steps to the outer room. The outer room had only a few simple pieces of furniture. After a laborious search, he finally found a dusty bamboo hat and a raincoat, which he hastily put on. Without looking for wooden shoes, he opened the door. The moment he opened the door, a gust of mountain wind swept in, bringing countless raindrops that pierced his body, making him shiver with cold.

Not to mention whether he could withstand the rain, the most important thing was that he didn’t know where Songyang Temple was!

As he hesitated, a figure with an umbrella seemed to stagger back through the rain. As the person with the umbrella drew near, Du Shiyi immediately recognized the person under the broken umbrella, drenched from head to toe, as Zhuying.

When Zhuying reached the house, she saw the person in the bamboo hat and raincoat at the door, and was taken aback. When she saw the person lift the bamboo hat, she immediately rushed over and knelt in the rain.

"Master, please go and persuade Lady! I’ve told her you can speak and walk, but she won’t listen or believe me. She’s still kneeling in front of Songyang Temple, and the temple has closed its doors!"

"Stop rambling, help me up!"

Although Zhuying didn’t know how Du Shiyi suddenly could speak and walk, she didn’t have time to think about it. She ignored her own wet body, bit her lip, and walked over to support Du Shiyi’s right arm. After just a few steps, she felt most of his weight on her, breaking out in a sweat. But thinking of Du Shisan Niang’s frail figure kneeling in the rain, she became even more anxious and took a deep breath to quicken her pace.

From the muddy path in the heavy rain to the stone path outside, Du Shiyi felt his feet becoming unsteady. Fortunately, the bamboo hat and raincoat, though dusty, were more effective than Zhuying’s broken umbrella. Seeing the drenched maid supporting him with one hand and holding the umbrella with the other, her face pale but still struggling, he felt increasingly angry.

This body’s condition was really too bad!

Not knowing how long they had walked in the rain, he saw the dense forest thin out, and after a few more steps, the view opened up. A tall wall stretched out of sight in the rain. The green tiles, flying eaves, and intricate brackets made the place look grand and elegant, a vast temple complex.

This was Songyang Temple!

However, at this moment, with his teeth chattering from the cold, he had no time to marvel at the grandeur of Songyang Temple. Following Zhuying, he finally saw the frail figure kneeling in the rain. The strong wind and heavy raindrops created splashes on the ground in front of her, but she remained steadfast, despite looking like she might fall over.

"Lady, Lady!"

Zhuying immediately let go of Du Shiyi and rushed forward, holding the broken umbrella over Du Shisan Niang’s head. Seeing her lips blue from the cold and her dazed state, she tried to pull her up, but to no avail. She shouted in frustration, "Lady, Master can speak and walk now. Look, he’s come to find you! Lady, if you make yourself sick, who will take care of Master? Do you plan to abandon him?"

Du Shisan Niang seemed to hear the desperate cry and looked up dazedly. Seeing a figure in a raincoat and bamboo hat standing in the heavy rain, she was stunned. When the figure lifted the bamboo hat, and she saw it was indeed her brother, tears welled up in her eyes. She tried to say something, but when Du Shiyi finally reached her, she instinctively grabbed his arms tightly.

"Brother... it’s really you! Am I dreaming?"

"You’re not dreaming, let’s go back!"

Du Shiyi sighed and tried to pull her up. With Zhuying’s help, the already numb and stiff Du Shisan Niang finally stood up, but the pain in her knees made her groan, and she bit her lip.

At this moment, the closed gates of Songyang Temple remained still, but a sound came from the road to the south of the gate. Du Shiyi looked and saw a group of seven or eight people escorting a carriage slowly approaching through the rain.

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