Chapter 40 – Understanding Romance

The sky was overcast, and soon a light rain began to fall. The Pei Family’s wedding procession made its way down Peony Street with lively music and fanfare.

At the Xining Count’s residence, Cui Ti sat dazedly at her dressing table. A woman with an ingratiating tone turned her around, her smile uncomfortable, and awkwardly praised her, “Look at our bride today; she’s more beautiful than a heavenly fairy.”

The room was filled with voices agreeing with her.

Outside, the sound of the rain grew louder. Cui Ti, facing the familiar unknown, asked in confusion, “Bride?”

“Yes, Gentleman Pei’s bride!”

The room erupted with envious chatter, marveling at Cui Ti’s good fortune to have won the heart of Xi Jing’s most esteemed young gentleman.

Before the bewildered Cui Ti could fully grasp the situation, the wedding procession arrived at the door, and she was pushed into the bridal sedan chair.

Everything felt off.

Why was she… marrying Pei Xuan again?

Wasn’t she already the Young Madam Pei?

It felt like a dream, yet not a dream.

Thinking of Pei Xuan, her mood involuntarily brightened. This was the third time she was marrying the same person.

Her lips curled into a smile, her face beneath the bridal veil blushing.

“Bow to Heaven and Earth—”

Cui Ti’s heart raced with anticipation, eager for the wedding night and to see her elegant ‘Fujun’ as soon as possible.

“Bow to the parents—”

She bent down.

The atmosphere in the joyous hall reached its peak, and the ceremonial woman shouted, “Bow to each other—”

The red silk ribbon in her hand was gently tugged, filling Cui Ti with joy. Even if it was a dream, she didn’t want to wake up early.

It seemed like this dream was lasting a bit longer than usual.

She sat on the bridal bed, her veil still not lifted, with Bai Tang murmuring beside her.

“Everyone, leave now.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Footsteps grew louder as Cui Ti recalled the first thing Pei Xuan instructed upon entering the room: to have the servants prepare a bath.

While waiting for the bath, Cui Ti picked up the wedding scale to lift the red veil from her eyes.

The veil was lifted.

Suddenly, the world went silent; no one spoke.

Cui Ti’s spiritual eye had not yet opened, and Pei Xuan, who should have spoken, remained silent.

She waited and waited, growing more puzzled.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Then how was it supposed to be?

Pei Xuan would usually smile and ask her, “Have you grown impatient from waiting?” To which she would reply, “No,” and then, following the traditional Dazhao customs, they would drink the nuptial wine, their arms intertwined. The ritual required each to drink half, symbolizing their inseparable bond for life.

Cui Ti drifted into her thoughts. The ‘Pei Xuan’ beside her, however, was indifferent, handing her the wine perfunctorily, caring little for her feelings.

“Fujun, the water is ready.”

Pei Xuan responded with a hum. As she turned and went behind the screen to undress, Cui Ti’s heart tightened with anxiety. The heavy phoenix coronet on her head felt like a mountain pressing down on her.

She listened to the sound of water in the room, her entire being engulfed in fear.

No.

This wasn’t her Pei Xuan.

This was a dream!

A nightmare!

Desperate to escape the nightmare, Cui Ti moved hastily and accidentally hit her leg against the corner of the table. The sharp pain surged over her like a tide, causing her face to pale. She thought, why hasn’t the immortal riding the fat crane come to open her spiritual eye?

No.

Everything was wrong!

“Why are you so clumsy?”

‘Pei Xuan’ approached leisurely in a neatly tied bathrobe, “Does it hurt?”

The voice was flat, devoid of any sympathy.

Why wouldn’t this dream end?

This wasn’t real; it was too terrifying!

Cui Ti clutched her chest in agony, biting her lip until it bled. Despite this, the nightmare continued to unfold.

She couldn’t resist, like a drowning person in a vast sea with no hope of rescue.

There was no sudden blinding pain in her eyes, no immortal arriving on a crane to open her spiritual eye, no Pei Xuan rushing out of the bath, her inner garment hastily thrown on.

There was no tenderness, no shyness, no sense of fortunate fulfillment.

There was only an inescapable dead end.

She was trapped in a net, unable to call for help.

“Xingguang, Xingguang, save me… save me…”

Whispers of near-collapse filled the room. Pei Xuan, trembling, wiped away the tears rolling down the corners of Cui Ti’s eyes. “Who has cursed my Niangzi? I will not rest until they are destroyed.”

“…”

Ning Hehuan, unwilling to extend this dangerous topic, diverted, “The insidiousness of this dream curse lies in giving hope and then extinguishing it completely.

“For now, it’s manageable. But soon, she won’t be able to distinguish between dream and reality. She will start doubting whether the beautiful moments with you are just an unrealistic illusion.

“Destroying the will to survive is a very serious matter. You must make a decision quickly.”

“Alright.”

She made up her mind, “I will trust you this once.”

Seeing the determination emanating from her, Ning Hehuan lightly chuckled, “Never underestimate the power of intimate union. True connection can be the most moving confession in the world.”

“…”

No one else came to disturb Pei Xuan.

Deep into the quiet night, Cui Ti lay with her eyes closed, body curled up, softly sobbing, her eyes red and swollen, a tear-streaked mess.

Truly desperate measures for a desperate situation, agreeing to such a ridiculous idea?

Suppressing her guilt, Pei Xuan gently explained, “Titi, I’m not trying to hurt you. I want to save you.”

“Xingguang…”

“Xingguang…”

Each call pierced Pei Xuan’s heart, causing her insides to ache deeply.

The curse was a matter that required long-term planning. The immediate task was to help Titi wake from the nightmare’s grip.

Her small face flushed red, her heart twisted with complex emotions: what kind of gentleman would take advantage of his wife’s ‘illness’ to do something so insane?

Pei Xuan constantly berated herself, her face burning with shame.

“Titi…”

She swallowed, her lips close to Cui Ti’s ear, soothing her trembling body inch by inch.

“Don’t be afraid.”

“Don’t be afraid.”

The instinctive reactions of their bodies enlivened the elegantly simple inner chamber.

Pei Xuan’s face burned red, feeling as if her soul was being split by a knife, one half shouting with desire, the other filled with sorrow.

She felt like a shameless rogue.

Pushing boundaries and doing excessive things.

So conflicted.

Cui Ti’s tears fell on her shoulder, and Pei Xuan’s heart ached unbearably. Repeating “let’s try this,” this attempt welcomed the bright morning light.

At the Hanlin Academy, the ever-diligent Editor Pei had taken a seven-day leave.

This was the first day of her break.

Song Zizhen and Zheng Wuji had planned to visit the Pei Residence in the afternoon to offer their regards. However, before noon, a young servant from the Pei Family arrived with a message.

“The gentleman says that there are urgent matters at home, and he is too busy to entertain guests. He will invite the two editors for a drink another day.”

“Urgent matters? What urgent matters?”

The young servant’s face was earnest. “I do not know, sir.”

After delivering the message, the servant left. Song Zizhen, stroking his chin in deep thought, came up with an unreliable guess. “Could he be ill? Weak?”

“…”

“Ah, having a wife has its downsides. If your health falters a bit, you can’t get out of bed and end up slacking on work.”

Zheng Wuji shook his head. “Do you and I not know the kind of person Xingguang is? If he can’t come, he must be truly tied up with something. As friends, we should hope for his well-being, not wish for his illness or weakness. Keep your mouth shut!”

Chastised, Song Zizhen sheepishly replied, “Of course, I also hope Xingguang is well. Fine, I’ll eat vegetarian today to accumulate some good karma for him.”

Pei Xingguang, who had been busy all night, was surprised to find that Cui Ti’s fever had subsided, and her tears had stopped. She was sleeping more soundly.

“Senior!”

Ning Hehuan was idly passing the time under a pear blossom tree. Seeing Pei Xuan approach from afar with dark circles under her eyes, she teased, “Was your gentleman’s attempt effective?”

Even the steady temperament of eighteen-year-old Editor Pei couldn’t withstand such a question, and her face turned red immediately.

Such an amusing Literature Star was rare.

Pei Xuan sincerely thanked her, “Senior, what should I do next? Although my Niangzi’s condition has improved, she hasn’t woken up yet. What should I do?”

“Continue doing it.”

“…”

“But now you need to rest.”

Ning Hehuan looked at the fragile figure of the Literature Star and clicked her tongue in amazement. “You should drink a few bowls of soup to replenish yourself, lest you collapse from exhaustion.”

With every word Ning Hehuan said, the young editor’s beautiful face grew redder. Taking advantage of this, Ning Hehuan aimed to corrupt this Literature Star who had etiquette and propriety woven into her very blood.

“In this world, especially in matters between men and women, if there’s a problem, doing it once can solve most of it. If it doesn’t, then do it a few more times.

“She loves you, and you love her. If both of you willingly engage in this beautiful act, the fervent and sincere love can defeat the evil lurking in the dark. Even a dream curse is nothing.”

Pei Xuan pondered this and then bowed respectfully, “I will remember that, senior.”

“Stop calling me ‘senior’ and ‘junior.'”

She feared it would shorten her lifespan.

Touching the fat crane jade, Ning Hehuan’s interest was piqued. “Why don’t you call me ‘master’ and let me hear it?”

After all, she was a master.

She had cultivated the Path of Pleasure and attained the celestial rank. Unlike other Daoists who became minor deities, she remained a mere scattered immortal, which left her rather disgruntled.

Eight hundred years ago, in the Heavenly Realm, she had to respectfully address the Literature Star as “Celestial Being,” given that he was the Star Lord governing all literary fortune in the world. Even the grass in front of his palace was more esteemed than that in front of other deities’ residences.

“Thank you for your guidance, Master. I, Pei Xuan, will remember it.”

Satisfied.

Ning Hehuan squinted her eyes.

That’s more like it.

She wouldn’t allow the reincarnation of the Literature Star, under the tutelage of her, the revered Pleasure Immortal, to remain an oblivious block of wood.

Nor would she permit a passionate, loving couple to miss out on the wonders of intimacy due to shyness.

With her around, the dream curse would certainly be broken.

Just do it to resolve everything.

She nudged the plump body of the jade crane. “One must not be cowardly, especially in crucial moments.”

If they had the courage to throw caution to the wind last night, why in their first life couldn’t they utter a single “I like you”?

Poor rabbit spirit, awakening to emotions step by step but never being satisfied, was a prime piece of meat eyed by many—ah, Literature Star, you are truly a calamity to beauty.