Love and Desire in the Sea [Complete] - 24

Love and Desire (162)

Chapter 160

Xu Zhenming and Yang Ping entered the Ouyang family's old house. Everyone in the Ouyang family came out to greet them in the courtyard. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they hurriedly headed towards the west wing. Ouyang Mei helped Xu Hui slowly walk over from the west wing. Yang Ping took a few quick steps and stopped in front of Xu Hui, tears streaming down her face. Xu Hui softly called out "Mom," tears falling, and the mother and daughter hugged each other. Yang Ping patted Xu Hui's back and said, "Xiao Hui, Yiming personally got you the medicine. You'll definitely get better now." Xu Hui nodded. After separating, she rushed into Xu Zhenming's arms. Xu Zhenming's eyes were red. He gently patted Xu Hui's shoulder without saying a word. After a moment, they helped each other into the house.

Everyone sat down on the sofa, and Ouyang Mei hurriedly poured water for Xu Zhenming and Yang Ping. Yang Ping said, "Meizi, don't worry about us yet. Quickly pour some water for your sister to take her medicine." Ouyang Mei responded.

Yang Ping then looked at Ouyang Yiming and said, "Yiming, we have a Buddha statue in our house, right?" Ouyang Yiming replied, "It's in the main room." Yang Ping turned to Mao Yuqin and said, "Sister, I think we should take Xu Hui to the Buddha statue to eat. We need to offer incense to the Buddha." Mao Yuqin agreed. So Ouyang Yiming and Ouyang Mei helped Xu Hui walk towards the main room. Everyone stopped in the main room, and Yang Ping said,
"Yiming, you should offer incense to the Buddha." Ouyang Yiming agreed, lit the incense, and silently prayed that the Buddha would bless Xu Hui so that she would recover after taking the medicine. Yang Ping knelt down first, saying, "Merciful Buddha, Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui didn't go to ask for the medicine themselves last time, and Xu Hui was too weak to go this time either. You are so merciful, you won't hold it against them. Please let Xu Hui take the medicine you bestowed and recover. All of Xu Hui's relatives and I will be forever grateful for your great kindness."

Everyone knelt down as Yang Ping spoke. At this moment, everyone, including Ouyang Dongdong, was filled with piety towards the Buddha. After Yang Ping finished speaking, she bowed three times to the Buddha, and everyone else followed suit. After getting up, Ouyang Mei hurriedly took a cup, poured some cool boiled water, and handed it to Yang Ping. Yang Ping poured the packet of medicine into the cup, stirred it, and looked at Xu Hui, saying, "Xu Hui, bow to the Buddha again." Xu Hui then bowed again before the Buddha statue. Yang Ping handed the cup to Xu Hui, who drank it all in one gulp. Ouyang Mei quickly handed Xu Hui another cup filled with tea and gave her a few sips. After everyone bowed to the Buddha again, Yang Ping said, "Meizi, help your sister to rest for a while. We'll talk here for a bit and then head over." Ouyang Mei agreed and helped Xu Hui out to the west wing.

Everyone sat down, and Mao Yuqin said, "None of you have eaten yet, have you?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Nobody's in the mood to eat. I just had the driver go out and grab something to eat." Yang Ping said, "Then hurry up and wash your faces and eat. I knew you probably wouldn't eat, so I prepared it and left it there." Xu Zhenming said, "I don't feel hungry at all right now." Mao Yuqin said, "We're home now, and Xu Hui has taken her medicine, so don't worry. I cooked some millet porridge, and it's been cold for a while, so it's perfect to drink now. Have a couple of cups to refresh yourselves." The old man said, "Yes, we can relax now that we're home." Mao Yuqin said, "Come on, go wash your faces first, and we can talk while we eat." Everyone stood up, and Ouyang Yiming led Xu Zhenming and Yang Ping to the washroom. Mao Yuqin went to the kitchen.

Ouyang Yiming led Xu Zhenming and Yang Ping into the dining room, where the old man and Ouyang Anping were already sitting at the table waiting. They stood up when Xu Zhenming and Yang Ping entered, and sat down again after they were seated. A bottle of aged wine sat before the old man. Mao Yuqin had already ladled out millet porridge and said, "Have a bowl of porridge before you eat. You must be thirsty from the journey." Yang Ping said, "I don't feel hungry, just a little thirsty." Mao Yuqin said, "I cooked a lot in the pot. I knew you would be thirsty. Drink some, and I'll get you more." Yang Ping, Xu Zhenming, and Ouyang Yiming picked up their bowls and drank. Ouyang Yiming put down his bowl and said, "You eat slowly. I'll go check on Xu Hui and come back later." He stood up and left without waiting for anyone else to speak. He

entered the west wing and saw Xu Hui and Ouyang Mei talking. As he went into the inner room, he asked, "Xu Hui, how are you feeling today?" Xu Hui said, "Nothing special. Why aren't you eating?"

Ouyang Yiming said, "I had a bowl of porridge." He asked again, "You didn't eat anything today?" Xu Hui said, "Nothing. You go eat. I'm fine." Ouyang Yiming said, "I'm not hungry either."

The two looked at each other. Xu Hui pointed to the stool in front of her and said, "Sit down." Ouyang Yiming sat down, and Xu Hui looked at his face and said, "You've worked very hard today." Ouyang Yiming smiled and said,

"As long as your illness can be cured, that's all that matters." Xu Hui looked at him without speaking, her eyes reddening as she lowered her head. She then looked up and said, "Yiming, go have dinner with Mom and Dad. I'm fine." Ouyang Mei said, "Brother, you go ahead. I'll take care of things here." Xu Hui said, "It's Mom and Dad's first time visiting our home. You should spend time with them." Ouyang Yiming looked at her, nodded, and got up.

Ouyang Anping and the old man drank a couple of glasses of wine with Xu Zhenming, but Xu Zhenming didn't want to drink anymore. After dinner, Ouyang Yiming and Mao Yuqin accompanied Xu Zhenming and his wife to the west wing. After talking with Xu Hui for a while, Mao Yuqin said to Yang Ping, "You two should go and rest. You've both been very busy today." Xu Zhenming and his wife agreed. Ouyang Yiming tugged at Mao Yuqin and quietly asked where Xu Hui's parents should rest. Mao Yuqin said, "I've already tidied up the guest rooms this afternoon." Ouyang Yiming nodded. Xu Hui said, "How about this, let Yiming and Dongdong stay together, and my mom and I will stay here tonight." Yang Ping said, "That's fine, it'll be good for us to chat." Ouyang Yiming then took Xu Zhenming to take a shower. After they returned, he told Ouyang Mei to go and rest as well.

After Ouyang Yiming sat down, he looked at Xu Hui and asked, "How are you feeling now?" Xu Hui said, "Still the same." Ouyang Yiming asked, "You don't feel uncomfortable, do you?" Xu Hui said, "No.

Yiming, you should go and rest too, you must be tired after running back and forth, I'm fine." Yang Ping said, "Yes, go and rest." Ouyang Yiming saw Xu Hui stand up and then said to Yang Ping, "Mom, after Dad finishes showering, you can go and shower too." Yang Ping agreed.

When Ouyang Yiming arrived at the main room, he saw his grandfather and parents sitting there talking. After sitting down on the sofa, Mao Yuqin said, "Yiming, your wedding is the day after tomorrow. Even though Xu Hui is recovering from taking medication, it's not really suitable for her to have a wedding. You see..." Ouyang Yiming said, "Logically speaking, Xu Hui's health is very weak right now, so it's not really suitable, but it's already come to this point..."

Ouyang Anping said, "Notifying her tomorrow is still possible. Xu Rui also mentioned this issue this afternoon." Ouyang Yiming said, "I'm just worried about all sorts of gossip." Mao Yuqin said:

“Let’s not worry about that now. I was wondering if Xu Hui’s illness flared up on the road after taking her medicine last time. The wedding is going on for several days, and after the wedding you’ll be going to Suzhou. Can Xu Hui’s body withstand that kind of travel?” Ouyang Yiming said, “Yes, I’ve thought about that too. Grandpa and Dad both mentioned it this morning. How about this, we’ll have Xu Hui’s parents come over later to discuss it.” The old man said, “If it’s settled, we need to have someone notify our relatives and friends first thing tomorrow morning. This needs to be settled tonight.” Ouyang Yiming nodded. Ouyang Anping said, “Your college classmates will be coming tomorrow or the day after, right? If it’s settled, you need to call them first thing tomorrow morning.” Ouyang Yiming said, “They don’t mind. If we don’t have a wedding, it’ll just be a get-together. Xu Hui and I miss them quite a bit.”

After a while, Xu Zhenming and Yang Ping finished showering, and Ouyang Yiming called them over. Mao Yuqin told them about postponing the wedding. Xu Zhenming said, "I think we should see how things go tomorrow morning. If Xu Hui can eat something, the wedding here can proceed as planned. As for holding the ceremony at our place later, that's fine too. It's already embarrassing to have already informed our relatives and friends." So, the matter was settled, and they would decide on the rest tomorrow morning.

After talking for a while, it was almost midnight, and everyone got up to rest. Ouyang Yiming escorted Yang Ping to the west wing. Still worried about Xu Hui vomiting in Ouyang Mei's room early last morning, he said, "Mom, Xu Hui, I'll rest on the sofa in the outer room. You can call me if anything happens." Xu Hui said irritably, "What could possibly happen? You should go to sleep. Can you sleep well on the sofa?" Ouyang Yiming said, "It's alright. You should all go to sleep early too." He then left the inner room, closed the door, and sat on the sofa for a while, hoping that Xu Hui would wake up and be able to eat, thinking that Xu Hui would definitely recover completely.

After Yang Ping and Xu Hui lay down face to face, Xu Hui said, "Mom, I asked you to sleep with me because I wanted to tell you something." Yang Ping asked, "What is it?" Xu Hui seemed a little flustered and said, "Last night, in the latter half of the night, I had a dream that was very frightening, but I can't remember it after I woke up." Yang Ping was startled and asked, "You can't remember anything?" Xu Hui said, "I can't remember anything. After waking up, I couldn't fall back asleep. I couldn't fall back asleep until dawn, and I was just constantly afraid."

Yang Ping felt a little panicked and sat up, looking at Xu Hui, asking, "What were you afraid of?" Xu Hui said, "I don't know, I was just afraid, it was very strange. I felt uncomfortable and wanted to vomit until dawn, and then I couldn't help but vomit." Yang Ping asked, "Have you ever had a dream like this before?" Xu Hui shook her head and said, "No, it's like something is about to happen." Yang Ping's heart was pounding, and she said, "Don't talk nonsense, it's okay. Sometimes it's normal to have nightmares, what could it be?!" As she spoke, she lay down again, also very timid.

Yang Ping looked at Xu Hui thoughtfully for a while, then asked, "It might be because you're weak. Xu Hui, what time did you and Yiming go to bed last night?" Xu Hui said, "I went to bed around 11 o'clock. I don't know what time Yiming went to bed." Yang Ping asked, "You slept with Yiming, how could you not know what time he went to bed?" Xu Hui suddenly blushed and said, "When did I sleep with him? I slept with Meizi last night." Yang Ping stared at her and asked, "You slept with Meizi?" She paused and said, "I thought you slept with Yiming, and that it was because you two did 'that' that your body is weak." Xu Hui said strangely, "Mom, what are you thinking? I've never lived with Yiming, let alone done 'that'."

Yang Ping was surprised, but she could tell from Xu Hui's tone that Xu Hui wasn't lying. But Yang Ping still asked, "You and Yiming have never done 'that'?" Xu Hui said, "Never. How could I do that with him before we had a wedding?" Yang Ping couldn't help but sigh inwardly, saying, "You two have been married for over two years; you're already husband and wife." Xu Hui said, "I know that, but I just thought I couldn't do 'that' with him before the wedding day." Yang Ping said, "I really didn't expect that. I thought you'd already done it. Have you always thought and acted this way?" Xu Hui said, "My grandmother taught me this since I was little. She said a woman's first time is the most precious, so I care a lot about it. I... I can't explain why, but I'm also very scared." Yang Ping said, "It's normal to be a little scared the first time. I shouldn't ask you about this, but since you and Ouyang Yiming have a marriage certificate, you're husband and wife. Isn't Yiming angry?" Xu Hui said, "A few times..." He was angry, but he didn't make too many demands on me. He... he was thinking about it too." Yang Ping said, "It's right that you cherish your health so much, but you're already Yiming's wife. I'm afraid people will blame you, afraid it will affect your relationship." Xu Hui said, "That won't happen. You've seen how good Yiming is to you." Yang Ping said, "Yes, Yiming is incredibly good to you. Today, when we went to the temple to ask for medicine, Yiming made a vow. I was very surprised at the time. He said that if your illness could be cured, he would give a million to the Buddha to recast his golden statue." Xu Hui jumped up, stared at Yang Ping, and asked, "Did Yiming really say that?" Yang Ping said, "Would I lie about that? He not only said it in front of the Buddha, but also in front of the abbot. I'm still moved when I think about it."

Xu Hui stared blankly at Yang Ping, and after a moment, tears streamed down her face. She said, "Yiming really put his heart into me. I really feel sorry for him now. Mom, I owe him." Yang Ping said:

“Yes, you must remember Yiming’s feelings for you, and you must treat him well in the future.” Xu Hui nodded with tears in her eyes and said, “He only has so much money. We were planning to buy a house in Shanghai.

If I really get better, he’ll lose all his money. I’m not worth that much!” Yang Ping said, “Don’t say that. I know we owe him, our whole family owes him, but what could be more important than you two being together? We’ll remember Yiming’s feelings for you. Money can be earned. As long as you both get better, you can earn more in the future.”

"Xu Hui said, 'Who would have thought he would make such a profound wish!' Yang Ping said, 'It shows how much Yiming values you.' Xu Hui nodded and said, 'I will repay him well in the future.' Yang Ping nodded and said, 'Yes, you must treat Ouyang Yiming well in this life and never do anything to betray him.' Xu Hui said, 'Don't worry, even without his wish, I would never do anything to betray him.' Yang Ping said, 'Yes, yes, you must be worthy of him for the rest of your life.' The mother and daughter were both moved by the love that Ouyang Yiming had poured into Xu Hui."

After a while, Yang Ping asked, "Xu Hui, how are you feeling now?" Xu Hui said, "I don't feel anything." Yang Ping asked, "Are you hungry?" Xu Hui said, "No." Yang Ping looked at her and said, "It's getting late, go to sleep!"

Xu Hui, however, was thinking about Ouyang Yiming's wish. Although she loved Ouyang Yiming deeply and considered him her own life, she had never thought of asking anything of him, much less that her life would be redeemed by him with money. She never imagined this outcome. She felt she owed Ouyang Yiming too much... Closing her eyes and thinking, in a daze, Xu Hui was drawn into another world, a very beautiful world. Here, auspicious light shone, rosy clouds drifted, and celestial energy filled the air... She entered a large, magnificent palace. Colorful mist filled the air, and the fragrance of flowers permeated the lungs. Here, she felt both somewhat unfamiliar and somewhat familiar, as if she had been here before, as if she had lived here before. She saw a white carriage, but instead of being surprised, she felt a special sense of familiarity… as if everything here was familiar.

She stood by the white carriage, reluctant to leave. Suddenly, she heard a melodious, silvery laugh. Looking up, she saw six exceptionally beautiful fairies in white dresses walking towards her, laughing and talking. Seeing them again, she felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity and warmth. She wanted to approach them, yet seemed somewhat afraid, staring at them without flinching. The six fairies abruptly stopped laughing when they saw her, and then one of them cried out, “It’s Seventh Sister! Look, it’s Seventh Sister!”

The fairies’ faces instantly blossomed into smiles, laughing and calling out as they surrounded her, reaching out to grab her, each affectionately calling her “Seventh Sister!” “Seventh Sister, it really is you!” She clearly recognized them too, responding with laughter, and they instantly embraced, jumping and laughing. Tears streamed down her face. A fairy asked, "Seventh Sister, why have you come back? Did you miss us? We missed you too. Are you going back?" She said, "I missed you all, I missed you all. But I have to go back, I have to go back. My husband is waiting for me there." As soon as she said this, all the fairies showed expressions of fear and trepidation.

A fairy said, "Seventh Sister, you're usually a bit willful, but you're also very obedient. We never expected you to do something so drastic. We don't have your courage, nor are we willing to suffer the hardships of the mortal world. The human world is full of treachery and evil, cunning and hypocrisy, rife with conspiracies and traps..." She panicked and interrupted, "No, the human world is beautiful; it's full of friendship and true love; human affection is heartwarming; the love between men and women is the most beautiful." The fairy said, "We sisters all know what happened to you, and we've all seen it. Seventh Sister, don't be foolish. Your trials have only just begun, and we can see them clearly. Come back. Our master loves you the most. If it were us, we don't know how the Heavenly King would punish us. It's so good for the seven of us sisters to be together. We miss you every day when you're gone. Besides, even our master and Buddha might not let you go. Why sacrifice so much for that fish?"

She knew who the fish the fairy was referring to was; she couldn't live without it. She admired and loved him the most; she considered him her life. She said, "Third Sister, I won't leave him. Nothing else matters to me but him; I only care about him and only want to be with him." A fairy said, "Master has regretted it countless times. I've heard him mutter to himself that he shouldn't have drunk too much that day and done such a foolish thing, and that he'd make you do the same." Another fairy said, "That fish is really harmful! You love him so much, yet you're still completely unaware. Do you know that fish already has his son?"

Her face flushed instantly. "Fifth Sister," she said, "we're not even married yet! How could he have a son?" The fairy said, "Seventh Sister, why would I lie to you? It's not a son you had with her; he had a son with another woman." She was stunned and immediately said, "Fifth Sister, you're lying! You're such a liar! You made it all up! I'm not talking to you anymore; I'm going back." One fairy said to the one who had spoken earlier, "You're so quick-tongued. Be careful, or your master will punish you." She then whispered to the other fairy, "Don't say anything else." The fairy she called Fifth Sister nodded. The fairy turned to her and said, "Seventh Sister, since you know, I'll tell you. Your Fifth Sister really didn't lie to you." She looked at the fairy suspiciously and asked, "Eldest Sister, why are you saying that too?" The fairy said, "Come here, I'll show you. Come here, come here." She walked to the fairy's side. The fairy pointed down and said, "Seventh Sister, look over there. That child is the fish's child, and that woman is the child's mother."

She followed the fairy's finger and indeed saw a boy of three or four years old, as well as the woman. She felt as if she had seen the woman somewhere before; she was very familiar with her. Desperate, she suddenly remembered that the woman was her. A surge of intense jealousy and resentment welled up within her, and tears streamed down her face as she cried, "No, no, this child isn't his! It's not his!

That woman has married another man; this child is his!" The fairy said, "This is indeed his child. Your elder sister wouldn't lie to you. Besides, this woman loves that fish very much and has always been thinking of him." At this moment, she felt a chill of fear, which instantly turned into anger. Tears streaming down her face, she cried out, "No, no, you're all lying to me! You're all lying! This isn't true! None of this is true! You just want to trick me into coming back, you're saying all this to trick me into coming back!" Just then, she heard a voice that terrified her: "Your elder sister is right. No one is lying to you." Upon hearing this voice, all the fairies knelt down, calling out, "Master!" Only she stared blankly at the deity who held a whisk and slowly approached, trembling all over. The deity's voice wasn't loud, but it was stern. "Little Seven," he said, "why don't you kneel?"

Her legs went weak, and she knelt down, trembling all over. She cried out to her master, "Master, Heavenly King, I don't want to come back. I can't leave him." The Heavenly King laughed loudly, "Little Seven, no one forced you to come back. He has been truly sincere for you. I've called you back here because I have something to tell you. Listen and then think it over." She didn't speak, but listened quietly with her head down.

The Heavenly King said, "Little Seven, the child your eldest sister pointed out to you earlier is indeed his child. That child is his and that woman's." She was shocked again, her heart pounding. She looked up and said, "Heavenly King, they lied to me, and you lied to me too?! How could he have a son with that woman? He wasn't married to her, so how could he have their child?! Heavenly King, you're mistaken. That child is that woman's and her husband's. Why would you say it's my husband's son?!" The Heavenly King said, "I have even less reason to lie to you! Little Seven, you've been kept in the dark all this time. If you knew he and she already had a child, would you still be with him?" She cried, saying, "I don't believe it, I don't believe it." Although she didn't want to believe it, hearing this news she had never imagined still made her very sad.

The Heavenly King said, "Whether you believe it or not is up to you, let's not talk about it for now. Xiao Qi, are you really determined to live with him in the mortal world?" She said, "Heavenly King, I really can't live without him!"

"Yes, you must remember Yiming's feelings for you, and you must treat him well in the future." Xu Hui nodded with tears in her eyes and said, "He only has so much money. We were planning to buy a house in Shanghai.

If I really get better, he'll lose all his money. I'm not worth that much!" Yang Ping said, "Don't say that. We owe him, our whole family owes him, I know that, but what could be more important than the two of you being together? We'll remember Yiming's feelings for you. Money can be earned, and as long as you're both healthy, you can earn more in the future.

" Xu Hui said, "Who would have thought he would make such a heavy vow!" Yang Ping said, "It shows how much Yiming values you in his heart." Xu Hui nodded and said, "I will repay him well in the future." Yang Ping nodded and said, "Yes, you must treat Ouyang Yiming well for the rest of your life and never do anything to betray him." Xu Hui said, "Don't worry, even without his promise, I would never do anything to betray him." Yang Ping said, "Yes, yes, you must be worthy of him for the rest of your life." The mother and daughter each thought to themselves, marveling at the love Ouyang Yiming could pour into Xu Hui.

After a while, Yang Ping asked, "Xu Hui, how are you feeling now?" Xu Hui said, "I don't feel anything." Yang Ping asked, "Are you hungry?" Xu Hui said, "No." Yang Ping looked at her and said, "It's getting late, go to sleep!" Xu Hui ,

however, was thinking about Ouyang Yiming's wish. Although she deeply loved Ouyang Yiming and considered him her own life, she had never thought of asking anything of him, much less that her life would be redeemed by him with money. She never imagined this outcome. She felt she owed Ouyang Yiming too much… Closing her eyes and lost in thought, Xu Hui was drawn into another world, a truly wonderful world. Here, auspicious light shone, ethereal glow filled the air, and celestial energy permeated the atmosphere… She entered a large, magnificent palace. Colorful mist filled the air, and the fragrance of flowers permeated the atmosphere. Here, she felt both somewhat unfamiliar and yet also… She felt a sense of familiarity, as if she had been here before, as if she had lived here before. She saw a white carriage, but instead of being surprised, she felt a special warmth... as if everything here was familiar.

She stood by the white carriage, reluctant to leave. Suddenly, she heard a melodious, silvery laugh. Looking up, she saw six exceptionally beautiful fairies in white dresses walking towards her, laughing and talking. Seeing them, she felt an unusual sense of familiarity, a great warmth. She wanted to go to them, yet seemed somewhat afraid, staring at them blankly without looking away. The six fairies suddenly saw her, their laughter abruptly stopping, and then one of them shrieked, "It's Seventh Sister! Look, it's Seventh Sister!"

Instantly, the fairies' faces blossomed into smiles, laughing and calling out as they surrounded her, reaching out to grab her, each affectionately calling her "Seventh Sister." "Seventh Sister, it really is you!" She clearly recognized them too, responding with a smile, and instantly they hugged each other, laughing and jumping. Tears streamed down her face. A fairy asked, "Seventh Sister, why are you back? Did you miss us? We missed you too, are you going back?" She said, "I missed you all, I missed you all. But I have to go back, I have to go back, my husband is waiting for me there." As soon as she said this, all the fairies' faces showed fear and trepidation.

One fairy said, "Seventh Sister, you're usually a bit willful, but you're also very obedient. I never expected you to do something so big all of a sudden. We don't have your courage, nor do we want to go to the mortal world and suffer those human hardships. The human world is full of treachery and evil, cunning and hypocrisy, full of conspiracies and traps..." She became anxious and interrupted, "No, the human world is beautiful; it's full of friendship and true love; true feelings in the human world are heartwarming; the love between men and women in the human world is the most beautiful." "A fairy said, 'We sisters all know about your situation, and we've all witnessed it. Seventh Sister, don't be foolish. Your trials have only just begun, and we can all see them clearly. Come back. Our master loves you the most. If it were us, we don't know how the Heavenly King would have punished us. It's so good for the seven of us sisters to be together. We miss you every day when you're gone. Besides, even our master and Buddha might not let you off the hook. Why sacrifice so much for that fish?'

She knew who the fish the fairy was talking about was; she couldn't live without him. She admired and loved him the most; she considered him her life. She said, 'Third Sister, I won't leave him. For me, nothing else matters except him; I only care about him and only want to be with him.' A fairy said, 'Our master has regretted it countless times. I've heard him mutter to himself that he shouldn't have drunk too much that day and done such a foolish thing, and that he would make you do the same outrageous thing.'" Another fairy said, "That fish is really harmful! You love him so much, yet you remained completely unaware. Do you even know that the fish already has his son?"

Her face flushed instantly. "Fifth Sister," she said, "we're not even married yet! How could he have a son?" The fairy said, "Seventh Sister, why would I lie to you? It's not a son you had with her; he had a son with another woman." She was stunned and immediately said, "Fifth Sister, you're lying! You're such a liar! You made it all up! I'm not talking to you anymore; I'm going back." One fairy said to the one who had spoken earlier, "You're so quick-tongued. Be careful, or your master will punish you." She then whispered to the other fairy, "Don't say anything else." The fairy she called Fifth Sister nodded. The fairy turned to her and said, "Seventh Sister, since you know, I'll tell you. Your Fifth Sister really didn't lie to you." She looked at the fairy suspiciously and asked, "Eldest Sister, why are you saying that too?" The fairy said, "Come here, I'll show you. Come here, come here." She walked to the fairy's side. The fairy pointed down and said, "Seventh Sister, look over there. That child is the fish's child, and that woman is the child's mother."

She followed the fairy's finger and indeed saw a boy of three or four years old, as well as the woman. She felt as if she had seen the woman somewhere before; she was very familiar with her. Desperate, she suddenly remembered that the woman was her. A surge of intense jealousy and resentment welled up within her, and tears streamed down her face as she cried, "No, no, this child isn't his! It's not his!

That woman has married another man; this child is his!" The fairy said, "This is indeed his child. Your elder sister wouldn't lie to you. Besides, this woman loves that fish very much and has always been thinking of him." At this moment, she felt a chill of fear, which instantly turned into anger. Tears streaming down her face, she cried out, "No, no, you're all lying to me! You're all lying! This isn't true! None of this is true! You just want to trick me into coming back, you're saying all this to trick me into coming back!" Just then, she heard a voice that terrified her: "Your elder sister is right. No one is lying to you." Upon hearing this voice, all the fairies knelt down, calling out, "Master!" Only she stared blankly at the deity who held a whisk and slowly approached, trembling all over. The deity's voice wasn't loud, but it was stern. "Little Seven," he said, "why don't you kneel?"

Her legs went weak, and she knelt down, trembling all over. She cried out to her master, "Master, Heavenly King, I don't want to come back. I can't leave him." The Heavenly King laughed loudly, "Little Seven, no one forced you to come back. He has been truly sincere for you. I've called you back here because I have something to tell you. Listen and then think it over." She didn't speak, but listened quietly with her head down.

The Heavenly King said, "Little Seven, the child your eldest sister pointed out to you earlier is indeed his child. That child is his and that woman's." She was shocked again, her heart pounding. She looked up and said, "Heavenly King, they lied to me, and you lied to me too?! How could he have a son with that woman? He wasn't married to her, so how could he have their child?! Heavenly King, you're mistaken. That child is that woman's and her husband's. Why would you say it's my husband's son?!" The Heavenly King said, "I have even less reason to lie to you! Little Seven, you've been kept in the dark all this time. If you knew he and she already had a child, would you still be with him?" She cried, saying, "I don't believe it, I don't believe it." Although she didn't want to believe it, hearing this news she had never imagined still made her very sad.

The Heavenly King said, "Whether you believe it or not is up to you, but let's not talk about it for now. Little Seven, are you really determined to live with him in the mortal realm?" She said, "Heavenly King, I really can't live without him!

He loves me, he loves me very much, you can see that." The Heavenly King said, "His lifespan in the mortal realm is supposed to be eighty-six years. If you live with him in the mortal realm, you will shorten his lifespan by fifty years. Are you willing to do that?" She was stunned upon hearing this, and after a moment she cried out, "No, I'm not willing, I'm not willing!" A casual smile appeared on the Heavenly King's face, and he said, "Also, you will be childless for the rest of your life if you are with him, and you and he will not be able to have any children in the mortal realm." She stared blankly at the Heavenly King. The king said, "No, this can't be, this can't be. We're both perfectly normal. I was reborn as a mortal, and he cultivated for three hundred years before being reborn as a human. How could this be..." The Heavenly King said, "He completed his cultivation and was reborn as a human, but you secretly descended to the mortal realm. That's why you can't have children. Listen to me carefully. If you stay in the mortal realm, you'll have a lifespan of ninety years in this life. He'll lose fifty years of his lifespan and die. If you stay in the world alone, you'll be plagued by illness for the rest of your life, and your death will be miserable. You'll never be able to return to Heaven. In your next life, you'll be reborn as a cat in a poor mortal family, and in every life after that, you'll be reborn as an animal. This time you secretly descended to the mortal realm and were reborn as a human, so you can never be reborn as a human again." You're now a mortal.

These are all punishments you should have received for breaking the heavenly rules. However, out of consideration for my continued love and care for you, and my pleading with the Buddha for you, I still wish to bring you back to Heaven and forgive your transgressions.

There's another crucial reason for this: you haven't completely lost your celestial nature. You refused his advances several times, refusing to allow the filth of mortals to defile your pure and noble celestial body. I witnessed it every time, which comforts me. If he had defiled you, it would have been your fate, and I wouldn't have brought you back. You would have been condemned to suffer in the mortal realm, never to return to Heaven. He is now a mortal, but you are different. Although you are now... You've been reborn into a mortal body, but you haven't lost your immortal nature. Consider what I'm saying. If you don't care, then you can live with him in the mortal realm; I won't stop you. There's one more thing: if you two live together in the mortal realm for this lifetime, besides what I've mentioned above, he must fulfill his promise to restore the Buddha's golden body for your recovery. Otherwise, the Buddha will punish him. She cried, her cries were heart-wrenching, and said, "Master, I beg you, please tell the Buddha not to shorten his lifespan! You can't let him die in his thirties! Please, please tell the Buddha to let us live together until we grow old, please..." The Buddha said, "Please let me have a son with him. Let us love each other for the rest of our lives, and I'll be willing to be reborn as anything in the next life. Please grant us a few more days, I beg you, I beg you, Buddha."

The Heavenly King said, "Don't say such things anymore. This is destiny, it has already been decided. If you stay with him, he will only have that one son, and his lifespan will be shortened by fifty years. If you return to Heaven, his lifespan will still be eighty-six years. He is destined to have one son and one daughter in this life. If you stay in the mortal world with him, he will only have one son. If you are willing to return to Heaven, I will give you a little more time to go back and say goodbye to the people in the mortal world." "Think about it. I won't force you. You need to think this through now, otherwise, when you return to the mortal realm, you'll be in a mortal body and won't remember these things." She was terrified and looked at the Heavenly King, asking, "Master, can you let me think about it?"

The Heavenly King said, "Little Seven, I'm very angry that you descended to the mortal realm and were reborn as a human without permission. In ten days, I will summon you back to Heaven to punish you severely. Your mortal grandmother braved the heavy rain to kneel in the temple and beg for medicine for you. Even Buddha was moved and asked me to give you some more time. Later, I was even more shocked to see you and that fish getting together. Because of this, I was reprimanded by Buddha. That time, I made a mistake while drunk, allowing him to cultivate into a human. This mistake..." Once you've made a mistake, you can't change it. But I didn't expect you had this thought all along. After I found out, I told the Buddha I wanted to take you back, but the Buddha said it was my mistake and I should bear the consequences. He said he needed to see if you still had any karmic connection with the immortals. I planned to take you back two hours ago, but the Buddha found out and scolded me, saying it wasn't the right time. The Buddha said he wanted to see if you could preserve your virginity before you consummated your marriage with him. I was afraid you wouldn't be able to preserve your virginity, so I wanted to take you back earlier. Fortunately, you still have karmic connection with the immortals, and you didn't let him defile you.

Now I've told you everything. Think about it."

She thought for a moment and said, "But when I come back, it's not just about leaving him alone. How will my parents in the mortal world live? They..." "I only have one daughter in this life." The Heavenly King said, "That's their retribution from their past life. I might as well tell you, in their previous life they were also husband and wife, and had seven children. The last child, fearing they couldn't raise him, they abandoned him by the mountain roadside. Instead of being adopted, he was eaten by a wild boar. In this life they are still husband and wife, and they are destined to be childless in middle age. Considering that their old lady has been chanting Buddhist scriptures her whole life, Buddha will make arrangements for their later life. Don't worry about these things." She asked, "If I come back, who will he marry?" The King said, "These are not things you need to know, and you shouldn't inquire. Just think about your own affairs." After saying this, he turned and left.

After the Heavenly King left, she buried her face in her hands and wept bitterly. The fairies rose and approached her. After a while, she stopped crying. One fairy said, "Seventh Sister, you're so foolish. He's already had a child with another woman..." She cried and said, "I don't care. I don't care about anything now. I don't want to know what he did before. He's good to me now. He's only good to me now."

Hearing this, she seemed even less able to believe it was true. She thought it was all a lie. Another fairy said, "Even if you don't care about his past, you still need to think it through. Don't be foolish.

Seventh Sister, you've always been so willful; you can't be willful this time. Seventh Sister, staying in the mortal realm will only shorten his lifespan, and you won't fare well either. If it weren't for the King's love for you, you wouldn't have this choice. Don't be foolish." She cried, "Eldest Sister, but I can't bear to part with him!" The fairy said, "You have to let go now, even if you can't bear it. Fate cannot be defied. If you insist on being with him, you'll only harm him. Can you bear it?" She cried, "I can't bear it! I can't bear to harm him! I want him to be well, I want him to be well in every lifetime!" The fairy said, "Isn't that enough? Leaving the mortal realm will make things better for both of you." She wept bitterly, but she couldn't accept this reality. Although she was so unwilling to leave him, she was even more unwilling to stay by his side and shorten his lifespan. His lifespan was eighty-six years; she couldn't bear to let him lose fifty years of his life because of her! She knew this was fate, and she couldn't defy it. So she had no choice but to return to Heaven. She nodded helplessly and painfully. Suddenly, she remembered the child and immediately grabbed a fairy in terror, asking, "Sister, is that child really his? When did he have that child with her?" The fairy said,

"Don't pry. Why bother with his affairs now that you're back in Heaven?" She shook her head painfully, saying, "I don't believe it! I don't believe he would betray me! I don't believe that child is his! I don't believe it!" The fairy shook her head helplessly and said, "Go back. Go back and say goodbye to them."

At this moment, Xu Hui woke up. She still stared blankly at the ceiling, unable to recall anything from her dream, only feeling panicked and confused. She tried hard to remember the dream. It seemed she had gone to a very familiar, wonderful place, as if she knew it well, as if she had been there for a while and felt happy, as if she had seen someone, as if they had said something that terrified her, as if everything was blurry, and she couldn't remember the specific details.

After talking with Xu Hui for a while, Yang Ping noticed Xu Hui was silent. Leaning closer, she realized Xu Hui had closed her eyes and seemed to have fallen asleep. Lying beside her, Yang Ping pondered their conversation, her heart filled with unease. She had been watching Xu Hui's every move closely, even listening intently to her breathing.

At first, Xu Hui tossed and turned a few times without making a sound. Yang Ping considered asking if Xu Hui was feeling unwell, but then decided against disturbing her. Later, seeing Xu Hui remain still and her breathing become increasingly steady, she slowly relaxed. She thought that as long as Xu Hui slept soundly, she would be normal when she woke up. She remembered how Xu Hui had been like this when she was ten years old, sleeping peacefully and waking up wanting food even after not complaining of hunger for days. She believed Xu Hui would be the same this time. With a lighter heart, drowsiness quickly crept in... Love and Desire (163) Chapter 161 Ouyang Yiming was also awakened by a dream at the crack of dawn, a dream he still couldn't recall. He only knew that he was awakened by a dream, and the events in the dream seemed to frighten him. After lying on the sofa for a while, he sat up and felt his mind was blank, and he seemed a little irritable. He was no longer sleepy. He sat up on the sofa and thought, but his thoughts were very chaotic. After a while, he felt the urge to urinate and went out. When he came back, he saw Xu Hui standing at the door, walked over quickly, and asked, "Why are you up too?" Xu Hui said, "Take me to the bathroom." Ouyang Yiming took her hand and asked, "Are you still scared?" Xu Hui nodded, then shook her head and said, "No, I'm not scared." Ouyang Yiming looked at her and said nothing more, and the two walked hand in hand.

Xu Hui let go of Ouyang Yiming's hand in front of the bathroom, went inside, and came out a moment later, taking his arm. They walked silently, stopping in front of the west wing, looking up at the sky.

Ouyang Yiming didn't understand, but remained silent, watching her with a growing sense of dread. After a moment, he followed Xu Hui's gaze to the sky, and suddenly saw a dazzling shooting star streak across the heavens, causing him to shudder involuntarily. Just then, he heard Xu Hui sigh and mutter to herself, "I have to go..."

Ouyang Yiming shuddered violently, turning to stare at her, and asked anxiously, "W-what did you say?" Xu Hui turned to look at him, smiled, and said, "Nothing." Ouyang Yiming quickly pulled her hand and went inside. Even inside, his heart was still pounding. After closing the door, Ouyang Yiming reached out and grabbed her arms, frowning as he asked, "Why did you say that?" Xu Hui's eyes seemed somewhat dazed as she looked at Ouyang Yiming and asked, "I... what did I say?" Ouyang Yiming looked at her in confusion, wondering to himself, "Did I hear wrong?"

Looking more closely at Xu Hui's expression, he thought to himself, "Could it be that I misheard?" He didn't want to repeat the words that had frightened him from Xu Hui's mouth, so he released her hands and said, "Oh, it's nothing. Are you feeling alright?" Xu Hui smiled and said, "No, I'm fine." Ouyang Yiming felt a little relieved and looked at her, saying, "Go and get some sleep." Xu Hui said, "I probably won't be able to sleep again." Ouyang Yiming said, "It won't be dawn for a while, go ahead, otherwise Mom will worry if she wakes up and can't see you." Xu Hui nodded, released his hands, opened the door to the inner room, and went inside.

Ouyang Yiming knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep either. Lying on the sofa, Ouyang Yiming's mind kept replaying Xu Hui's expression at the door and her inexplicable words. Had he really misheard? But those three words were imprinted in his mind, and a sense of foreboding and fear enveloped him. He felt he couldn't lie there any longer; he felt his heart was about to leap out of his throat. He sat up, wanting to go into the inner room to say a few words to Xu Hui, or even just to see her. But he knew he couldn't; Xu Hui's mother was with Xu Hui, how could he go in?

He felt he couldn't sit still any longer. His heart was pounding with anxiety, and he felt an intense tightness in his chest, as if he couldn't breathe. He needed to go out, to get some fresh air. But as he stood up, he was afraid of disturbing Xu Hui; he knew she couldn't be sleeping either. He stood by the sofa for a long time, finally unable to resist taking a step, gently opening the door a crack, and slipping out.

The air outside seemed heavy and oppressive, and the pre-dawn temperature wasn't particularly refreshing. Ouyang Yiming crossed his arms and looked up at the sky. A few thin clouds drifted across the sky, occasionally obscuring the twinkling stars. Ouyang Yiming then thought about his dream again. The dream was blurry, but he knew it had startled him awake with fear. What kind of dream was it? This time, however, he felt no fear. After a while, he remembered Xu Hui's terrifying words. Had he really misheard?

The eastern horizon was gradually brightening; dawn was approaching. How would Xu Hui be today? Would she be able to eat? Would she gradually recover? He hoped it would be as everyone in the family wished.

"Buddha, gods, bless Xu Hui!" Ouyang Yiming prayed, gazing at the sky. Suddenly, he heard a melodious chirping of birds. Looking towards the rosy dawn of the eastern sky, he saw several birds flying swiftly in a line amidst the beautiful colors. What kind of birds were they? What kind of birds were they?

At that moment, the door to the east wing opened, and Mao Yuqin stepped out. Startled to see Ouyang Yiming standing in the courtyard, she asked in a low voice, "Why are you up so early?" Ouyang Yiming didn't answer immediately. He turned and glanced at the door of the west wing before walking over. He said, "Just got up. Mom, could you cook some porridge for Xu Hui? I think... I think she'll want some when she gets up." His heart pounded as he said this. Only seeing Xu Hui drink the porridge could he see any hope for her future, and that was exactly what happened.

At that moment, Xu Hui's words came to mind again, those words that terrified him. But he knew he couldn't say those words to his mother. Besides, he was still unsure if he had misheard. Mao Yuqin said, "I just wanted to cook some porridge for Xu Hui right now. Yesterday I went to the market and bought some lotus seeds and longan." She paused, then lowered her head and said, "May Buddha bless Xu Hui so she can eat today!" Ouyang Yiming's heart tightened again. Mao Yuqin asked, "Are you sleeping in the west wing tonight too?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I was worried something might happen to Xu Hui, so I slept on the sofa." Mao Yuqin asked, "Did Xu Hui sleep well tonight?" Ouyang Yiming said, "She should have slept very well." Mao Yuqin asked, "Is she still sleeping?" Ouyang Yiming said, "She hasn't gotten up yet."

Mao Yuqin said, "Let her rest for a while. I'll go wash my face and then cook porridge for her." She seemed to want to say something but didn't, and walked towards the washroom.

The door to the west wing behind him opened, and Ouyang Yiming turned around to see Yang Ping hurrying towards the bathroom. Ouyang Yiming walked towards the west wing and entered, finding Xu Hui sitting blankly on the edge of the bed. Xu Hui looked up at him and smiled. Ouyang Yiming sat down on a stool beside the bed and said, "Mom is making you porridge. Do you have an appetite?" Xu Hui's face fell, and she said sadly, "Yiming, I'm afraid I won't be able to eat. I have no appetite at all." Ouyang Yiming felt a surge of irritation, staring at her intently for a moment before saying, "Xu Hui, you don't want to eat at all?"

Xu Hui looked at him, tears welling in her eyes, and nodded, lowering her head.

Ouyang Yiming stared at her unblinkingly, momentarily speechless. Xu Hui said softly, "Yiming, I don't know what to say right now." She looked up and grabbed Ouyang Yiming's hand, her eyes brimming with tears, "Don't worry, don't worry about me." Ouyang Yiming nodded, saying, "I'm not worried, I'm not worried." As he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes and streamed down his face.

They stared at each other in silence. Xu Hui moved her lips for a moment, then suddenly said, "Yiming, we're husband and wife, right?" Ouyang Yiming nodded, choking back tears, "Yes." Xu Hui asked, "My parents are your parents too, right?" Ouyang Yiming reached out his other hand and tightly grasped both of Xu Hui's hands, saying, "Yes, of course they're my parents too." A smile appeared on Xu Hui's face. Ouyang Yiming asked anxiously, "Xu Hui, why are you saying this?" Xu Hui wiped away her tears and said, "Yiming, don't cry, I'm fine. Wipe your tears, my mother will be back soon." Ouyang Yiming nodded and lowered his head to wipe away his tears. Xu Hui asked, "Li Xuan and the others are arriving tomorrow, right?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I told them we'd arrive two days early, so they'll probably all be here tomorrow." Xu Hui nodded.

At that moment, Yang Ping entered, glanced at Ouyang Yiming, and said, "Xu Hui slept very well last night." Ouyang Yiming didn't meet her gaze but nodded. Yang Ping sat down on the edge of the bed, noticing Xu Hui's red eyes, and hurriedly asked, "Were you crying?" Xu Hui shook her head, then nodded again, saying, "I just thought about how I'm making so many people worry about me..." Yang Ping scolded, "Why do you think like that? They're all your family." Xu Hui looked up at Yang Ping's face and said, "Okay, I don't want to think about it anymore." Ouyang Yiming knew Xu Hui was worried about Yang Ping and felt sad, but he also looked up at Yang Ping and said, "Yes, I said the same thing to her just now." Yang Ping said, "To be honest, Yiming is really good to you; just remember that." Xu Hui nodded. Yang Ping smiled and said, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Xiao Hui, do you want to eat something now?" Xu Hui said, "I'm not really hungry right now, but I could eat a little." Yang Ping said, "If you feel like you can eat a little, then eat." Ouyang Yiming knew that Xu Hui was saying this on purpose, and his heart skipped a beat again.

After a while, Yang Ping and Xu Hui went to the bathroom to wash their faces, and Ouyang Yiming went to the kitchen. He walked to his mother's side and said, "Did Xu Rui say he'd be coming over later?" Mao Yuqin said, "He said he'd be here early this morning."

Ouyang Yiming nodded and pondered. Mao Yuqin looked at him and asked, "How do you think Xu Hui is doing today?" Ouyang Yiming thought about the few words he had just exchanged with Xu Hui and felt that Xu Hui couldn't possibly get what she wanted as she had imagined. Instead, he had a feeling that something was about to happen, and his heart felt unusually heavy. Hearing Mao Yuqin's words, Ouyang Yiming looked up at her and said, "Mom, Xu Hui seems alright." Mao Yuqin said, "That's good. She needs to eat; without food, she won't be in good spirits." Ouyang Yiming remained silent, thinking that even if the porridge in the pot was ready, Xu Hui might not be able to eat it, and a pang of sadness welled up in his heart.

At this moment, Ouyang Mei came over and said, "I was worried Hui-jie hadn't woken up yet, so I washed my face and was about to go check on her. Hui-jie and her mother went to the washroom, and I think Hui-jie seems to be in good spirits today."

Ouyang Yiming looked at her but didn't speak. Mao Yuqin said, "I got up just now and she was still asleep, so I didn't go in to check on her. Mei, the porridge I made for your sister is in the pot; you watch it here. I'm going to the street corner to buy food; everyone will be up soon." Ouyang Mei agreed. Mao Yuqin left the kitchen. Ouyang Mei said, "I hope Sister Hui will drink more later." Ouyang Yiming hummed in agreement, then said expressionlessly, "Pour out a bowl to cool once it's cooked." Ouyang Mei agreed. Ouyang Yiming turned and left. Ouyang Mei's heart sank as she looked at Ouyang Yiming's expression.

Ouyang Yiming came out of the kitchen and saw Xu Hui and Yang Ping coming out of the washroom, so he headed towards the west wing. They met at the door, and Ouyang Yiming looked at Xu Hui's face and said, "The porridge will be ready soon."

Xu Hui looked at him and nodded. After entering, Xu Hui said to sit on the sofa for a while, and the three of them sat down. Yang Ping said, "Yiming, Xu Hui just told me something. She wants to postpone the wedding, but I don't know if it's still possible." Ouyang Yiming was startled, realizing that this was exactly what he meant when he asked his mother if Fan Xurui was coming today. So he said, "If Xu Hui's health really isn't good, postponing it is still possible." Yang Ping said, "Yiming, Xu Hui is worried that she won't be able to handle it on the wedding day." Ouyang Yiming nodded, thinking to himself that Xu Hui's considerations might have a deeper layer. Xu Hui said, "Yiming, I'm so sorry." Ouyang Yiming felt a pang of sadness and said, "Why are you saying all this? Xu Hui, to be honest, a wedding is just a formality. We've been husband and wife for a long time. We're still husband and wife even without this wedding." Yang Ping said, "Yes, Yiming is right. Actually, your father and I assumed you two were married the day you got your marriage certificate. Yiming, it's just that people might gossip about it. It's really hard on you and your family. Please explain to your family." Ouyang Yiming said, "We talked about this last night too. We were worried about Xu Hui's health. I'll talk to my family about it later. If it's settled, let Xu Rui arrange it. We still have three days, including today, so it's still possible." Yang Ping said, "That's good."

Actually, when Xu Hui and Yang Ping talked about this in the bathroom earlier, Yang Ping was quite surprised and offered some advice. Xu Hui mentioned that she still had no appetite and probably wouldn't be able to eat much. She was worried that something might happen during the busy wedding preparations, which would be very embarrassing. Yang Ping thought about it and realized it made sense, so she didn't say anything more.

Ouyang Mei came in at that moment, saying, "Sister, the porridge is ready. Let it cool down a bit before I bring it to you." Xu Hui said, "That's fine, half a bowl is enough." Ouyang Mei said,

"More than half a bowl, I'll go get it for you." She turned and went out. A moment later, she brought it back, saying, "I rinsed it for you, it's not hot anymore." Xu Hui took it, and Ouyang Yiming watched her nervously.

Xu Hui scooped up a spoonful and put it in her mouth. Ouyang Yiming's heart pounded wildly, but then he saw Xu Hui slurp several spoonfuls into her mouth, finishing most of the thin porridge. Yang Ping and Ouyang Mei's faces lit up with joy, but Ouyang Yiming's heart was filled with trepidation. Ouyang Mei asked, "Sister, shall I get you some more?" Xu Hui shook her head and said, "I can't eat anymore." Yang Ping said, "Try eating some more?" Xu Hui shook her head. Ouyang Yiming looked at Xu Hui without saying a word. Yang Ping looked at Ouyang Mei and said, "Never mind, let's eat these first." Ouyang Mei nodded.

Just then, Xu Zhenming entered the room. Ouyang Yiming quickly stood up, and Xu Zhenming asked, "Are you feeling better?" Yang Ping replied, "I just drank more than half a bowl of porridge." Xu Zhenming smiled and said, "That's good, that's good." Ouyang Yiming then asked Xu Zhenming to sit down. Ouyang Mei took the bowl out. Yang Ping then told Xu Zhenming about canceling the wedding. Xu Zhenming frowned and said, "We discussed this issue last night. Yiming's family is worried about Xu Hui's health. I think this might not be appropriate." Yang Ping then spoke to him for a while. Xu Zhenming said, "Yiming, this is something you two should decide. We'll discuss it with your family later." Ouyang Yiming nodded in agreement. After a while, the old man came over, followed by Ouyang Anping. After a few more words, Mao Yuqin came over and said a few more words before announcing that the food had been bought. Ouyang Yiming said, "You two go eat first. I'll stay with Xu Hui for a while." Yang Ping said she would stay with her. Mao Yuqin pulled Yang Ping aside and said, "Let Yiming eat later." So, except for Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui, everyone got up and went out.

Ouyang Yiming asked, "Xu Hui, did you experience any reaction after drinking that half bowl of porridge?" Xu Hui watched the elderly people walk away and said, "Yiming, I don't feel well, I really don't feel well." Ouyang Yiming's head buzzed; he knew in his heart that the medicine he had begged for was useless. At that moment, he was terrified and asked in a trembling voice, "Do you feel nauseous?" Xu Hui nodded and said,

"Yiming, quickly help me to the bathroom, I can't hold it in." Ouyang Yiming stood up and helped Xu Hui out the door.

Once in the bathroom, Xu Hui vomited up the food she had just eaten. After a moment, Xu Hui stood up and said, "I'm going to the washroom to rinse my mouth. Hurry back to the room, otherwise no one in the family will be able to eat."

After rinsing her mouth, she returned to the west wing, and Ouyang Yiming helped Xu Hui lie down on the bed. Ouyang Yiming asked, "Are you feeling better now?" Xu Hui nodded and said, "I feel better after throwing up." Ouyang Yiming shed tears, his hands trembling as he grasped Xu Hui's hand and said, "Xu Hui, is this medicine really not working for you anymore?" Xu Hui's tears suddenly flowed, and she said, "Yiming, don't be afraid, don't be afraid."

Ouyang Yiming said, "Xu Hui, why don't we go to the hospital again?" Xu Hui suddenly felt dizzy again and said, "Yiming, I want to sleep for a while. Go eat, don't tell me I threw up."

Ouyang Yiming said, "I'll stay here with you." Xu Hui didn't say anything and closed her eyes.

In a daze, Xu Hui's soul left her body; she was back in that fairyland, she saw the six fairies again, and she saw her master again. The Heavenly King asked, "Little Seven, you came without being summoned. Have you made up your mind?" She cried, kneeling at the feet of the Great Brahma King, sobbing, "Master, you are so compassionate! You saw how devoted he was to me, how much he grieved at my impending departure, and how much we loved each other. You are the Buddha who grants all requests; you can fulfill the wishes of so many pilgrims in the mortal realm. How can you not grant the wish of your beloved Little Seven?" The Great Brahma King said, "I did not prevent you from staying in the mortal realm to be with him."

She cried, "But if I am with him, he will lose fifty years of his lifespan; if I am with him, I will be childless for life. Master, my respected master, please, Buddha, plead for us!" "Please, Buddha, let us live together for one lifetime. I don't care what I'm reborn as in my next life, as long as I can love him and be with him for a lifetime in this one. Master, please, Buddha, don't shorten his lifespan, okay? Let me have a son with him, okay? I don't care if he already has a son, I beg you to let me have a child with him. We'll rebuild Buddha's golden body, we can live a hard life, as long as you let me be with him, we don't care about anything else. Please, please, Master. I really can't leave him, how can he live without me!"

The six fairies stood in a row, staring at her kneeling at the feet of Brahma with terrified eyes, holding their breath and not daring to make a sound. The Heavenly King said, “You wretched creature, I was originally going to punish you severely without any room for negotiation. The Buddha intended for you to remain in the mortal realm to suffer eternally without ever being able to rise again. You have broken such a heavenly rule and yet you still come here to bargain! Considering that you have not lost your immortal nature, and considering my love for you, I have already forgiven you. I even begged the Buddha for your forgiveness, and you don’t appreciate any of that?! Fine, you can stay in the mortal realm then, but you will lose fifty years of your lifespan, which is unchangeable. You will be childless for life, which is unchangeable. In your next life, you will be reborn as a cat, and in every life after that, you will be reborn as an animal, which is unchangeable. Alright, go back now, I will not keep you any longer.” After saying this, he flicked his whisk and turned to leave. Upon seeing this, a fairy rushed forward and knelt at the feet of Brahma, saying, "Master, please forgive Xiao Qi! Forgive her for being the youngest, forgive her for her ignorance. Master, you love her the most; you cannot abandon her to suffer in the mortal realm for eternity. You cannot bear to see her like that!"

All the fairies knelt down when the fairy knelt at Brahma's feet to plead for mercy, and they all cried out in unison, "Heavenly King, spare Xiao Qi!" A fairy, seeing her anxious, called out, "Little Seven, quickly apologize to your master! Master is only doing this for your own good! Master loves you! How could Master bear to see you reborn as an animal for all eternity? Why are you so insensible?

Quickly apologize to your master!" She cried, "Second Sister, but I really can't bear to part with him. Look at how he looked just now. If I really leave him, how will he live? I can't bear to see my loved ones in the mortal world suffer the pain of losing me." The fairy said, "Little Seven, don't say anymore. Buddha has arranged everything for him. Don't worry about him. Just quickly pray..." "Master, please forgive you." The Great Brahma King said, "Little Seven, he has his destiny. What do you need to worry about? You have broken the heavenly rules and deserve punishment. I have already pleaded for you before the Buddha. Do you want me to plead for you before the Buddha again? Let me tell you, even if I plead, it will be useless. Nothing can be changed. This is destiny, and it cannot be defied. Do you understand?" The fairy kneeling before the Great Brahma King said, "Little Seven, quickly apologize to your master. You must be obedient and not be willful."

She was in despair. She had thought that pleading with her master this time would bring a miracle, but her hopes were dashed again. What she least wanted was for the one she loved to lose fifty years of his lifespan; she was indifferent to everything else. But now she knew that nothing could be changed. Could she defy destiny? Could she even defy it? She had no choice but to accept her fate; she had no other option but to accept it. So she cried and said, "Master, I was wrong.

Please bless him." The Great Brahma King smiled slightly and said, "Little Seven, you must listen to me. I truly don't want you to suffer in the mortal realm. You must understand my feelings. You and that fish are different. He cultivated for three hundred years before being reborn as a human; he is now a mortal. But you descended to the mortal realm without permission and were reborn as a human. You still possess immortal roots; the two of you cannot be together.

How could I let my most beloved Little Seven suffer in the mortal realm? I couldn't bear it! Alright, it's good that you know your mistake." "You have a few hours left. Go and arrange your affairs in the mortal realm. When your time is up, your sisters will come to fetch you."

She nodded and said, "Your Majesty, I can no longer eat mortal food. Seeing me like this makes the people there very sad, and it will make him even sadder. Please, before I leave them, let me eat some mortal food. Don't torment them anymore." Brahma thought for a moment, then reached into his robes and took out a small bottle, poured out a pill, and said, "Eat this, and you can eat mortal food in the next hour." She reached out and took it, putting it in her mouth. Brahma turned and left.

After Brahma left, the celestial maidens stood up and surrounded her. She nestled in a fairy's arms and wept bitterly. The fairy said, "Little Seven, don't be sad. Staying in the mortal realm has harmed you and that fish! It's fate, something even our master can't change. How can we sisters watch you suffer in the mortal world? How can we bear to see you reborn as an animal?

Listen to me, Little Seven, aren't we happy together? We truly love you." She cried, "Eldest sister, sisters, I know you all love me, but I care about him too much. Why can't Buddha allow me to be with him for life? Just because..." "I'm still a goddess, but he's just a mortal? Even if I come back to be a goddess, I won't be happy!" A fairy said, "Silly girl, if you don't come back, you'll be hurting him. Do you really want that? Do you even love him? Stop thinking like that. You'll be happy when you come back. We sisters will be happy together." A fairy said, "We are goddesses, and we must abide by the heavenly rules. We can't change them." She cried, tears streaming down her face, saying, "Why? Why? Buddha, heaven and earth are so vast, why can't they accommodate him and me?" The other fairies wept with her.

A fairy said, "Seventh Sister, that world doesn't belong to you, it doesn't belong to us. It's a world full of evil, you're not suited to live in such an environment, and you can't survive there."

She stopped crying and said, "Third Sister, why do you say that? During the days I was there, I experienced the warmth of human affection, and enjoyed the love my family and friends gave me. It was a beautiful world, a world full of true feelings and joy..." The fairy said, "Third Sister, I don't want to argue with you. Come and see for yourself, look at the beautiful human world you speak of, it's clearly a world full of evil."

She looked down at a cloud that the fairy had parted. The fairy pointed down and said, "Look over there, they are killing each other, destroying their own kind, a pitiful and bloody slaughter." She saw the battlefield, countless corpses lying there, bleeding bright red blood. The fairy said, "Look here, they are engaging in blatant power-money transactions, he is using his power to accept bribes and reap the benefits of the masses." She saw a man who looked like an official accepting several stacks of money from a businessman. The fairy said, "Look here, this rich man and this poor woman." She saw a naked man lying beside her... Several naked women were engaging in lewd acts; the fairy said, "Look here, they are utterly depraved, abusing their own mother." She saw a man and a woman violently attacking an elderly woman; the fairy said, "Look here, such bestial atrocities." She saw a seemingly respectable middle-aged man abusing a young girl; the fairy said, "Look here again."

She couldn't bear to watch anymore; her heart trembled, her heart bled. She closed her eyes in anguish, shook her head, and said, "No, no, I won't look anymore, I don't want to see anymore." Opening her eyes, she looked at the fairy and said, "This..." "These phenomena are rare. The human world is still a place full of warmth and love," the fairy said. "Don't be silly, sister. Seventh sister, that's the human world you yearn for—a filthy space teeming with too much evil! You want to stay there? You can't adapt to it. Come back." She cried, saying, "These are all dark things, things that can't be exposed to the sunlight. They are very, very rare. There are so many kind people, so many people around me are kind and full of love. How can you not see these? How can you not see true love in the human world? What you've shown me..." "They thought it was your magic!" a fairy said. "Little Seven, it's all true. Buddha and the gods are saving the people of the mortal world and punishing their sins. You're not suited for that kind of environment, and many of your thoughts won't be understood by many people in the mortal world. They don't understand your purity, some of your actions; they even think you're an alien. Hurry back, there are only two hours left. Go and arrange your affairs in the mortal world. Be good!" She nodded helplessly again and said, "Big sister, I accept my fate, I accept my fate. Sisters, come and pick me up when the time comes." The fairies agreed.

A short while after Xu Hui drifted off to sleep, a sudden downpour fell from the clear sky. Were they her and the fairies' tears?

Xu Hui opened her eyes, looking at the rooftop in a half-dream state. Ouyang Mei, sitting beside her, saw Xu Hui open her eyes and asked, "Sister, you're awake?" Xu Hui replied with an "Oh." Ouyang Mei said, "Sister, it rained heavily just now." Xu Hui said, "Really?" Ouyang Mei said, "It's so strange, the sun was out and it rained so hard." Xu Hui said "Oh" again, and in a daze, something seemed to come to mind, and she felt a heaviness in her heart. She sat up and leaned against the headboard, looking at Ouyang Mei and asked, "How long have I been asleep?" Ouyang Mei said, "About an hour, you were sleeping so soundly." Xu Hui smiled, turned her head to look out the window, and then asked, "Where's your brother?" Ouyang Mei said, "They're in the main room talking. Brother Xu Rui came when you just fell asleep, and it started raining as soon as he entered the house." Xu Hui nodded, lowered her head and sat there thinking about something... After breakfast, Xu Zhenming and the others went to the west wing. Seeing that Xu Hui was sleeping soundly, they didn't say anything and stood silently for a while. Ouyang Yiming then suggested going to the main room to talk. After instructing Ouyang Mei to keep a close eye on Xu Hui, they went to the main room with the others. Just as he sat down, Fan Xurui pushed his bicycle in through the gate, and Ouyang Yiming came out to greet him. Fan Xurui, while fixing the bicycle in the yard, asked softly,

"Did you bring the medicine?" Ouyang Yiming replied, "Yes, I took it." Fan Xurui asked, "How is Xu Hui now?" Ouyang Yiming said, "She's sleeping peacefully now." Fan Xurui nodded.

Suddenly, Ouyang Yiming's eyes reddened, and he said, "Xurui, but Xu Hui still can't eat. This morning, she drank half a bowl of porridge in front of her mother, but after a while, she said she felt unwell. When everyone in the family went to eat, Xu Hui asked me to take her to the bathroom, and she vomited. What... what should we do?" Tears streamed down his face as he spoke.

Fan Xurui glanced at Ouyang Yiming, who was looking down and thinking for a moment. He then looked up at Ouyang Yiming with a frown and said, "Yiming, Xu Hui's condition isn't very optimistic right now, and I think you're well aware of that. Yesterday, Xu Hui also mentioned not wanting to hold the wedding now. I think it's not appropriate for you to hold the wedding now either." Ouyang Yiming said, "Xu Hui mentioned this just now. I've considered it too, but Xu Hui's health isn't suitable for a wedding right now. How about we go inside and talk to the elders? Our elders aren't a problem; Grandpa mentioned it yesterday too. I was worried Xu Hui's parents might have reservations." Fan Xurui said, "Let's go inside and talk." Just then, large raindrops began to fall. The two looked up at the sky and saw the sun shining brightly, without any rain clouds, which surprised them. Everyone inside the house

turned to look. Ouyang Yiming introduced Fan Xurui to Xu Zhenming and his wife. After exchanging pleasantries and shaking hands, they sat down and talked for a while before discussing postponing the wedding. Fan Xurui said, "I talked to Xu Hui yesterday, and she said she didn't want to have a wedding right now. I think Xu Hui's health isn't really suitable for a wedding right now. A wedding is a very tiring and stressful thing, and I'm worried that Xu Hui's body can't handle it." He paused and said, "This is just my personal opinion; you can take it into consideration." Xu Zhenming said, "Xu Hui said the same thing just now, and we talked about this yesterday. What you said makes sense. Last night, Xu Hui's mother and I were just worried that it would cause you trouble." Ouyang Anping said, "We still need to think about Xu Hui's health." Mao Yuqin chimed in, "Whether we have a wedding or not, Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui are already husband and wife. That's fine. Now, everything should be based on Xu Hui's health. Postponing it is unavoidable."

Yang Ping then thought of what Xu Hui had told her last night—that she hadn't had any relationship with Ouyang Yiming—and secretly felt sorry for the young couple. Looking at Mao Yuqin, Fan Xurui said, "This will only cause you trouble." He continued, "Just inform our relatives and friends. Tell them that Yiming and Xu Hui have to postpone because of work, and don't have any objections." Xu Zhenming quickly replied, "Absolutely not." Ouyang Yiming said, "Xurui, this matter still needs your handling. Get a few of our middle school classmates together, and then you can treat them to a meal at a restaurant." Fan Xurui said, "No problem. You should also quickly inform your workplace and the restaurant about the banquet. I'll arrange things with our relatives and friends. Since it's settled, this matter needs to be done immediately; the day after tomorrow is the date." Everyone agreed. Ouyang Anping said, "I'll go talk to Old Master." The old man said, "I'll go with you." The two got up and left.

Fan Xurui got up to say goodbye. Everyone got up to see him off. Fan Xurui said, "We're all family, don't be so polite." He then stopped Xu Zhenming and Yang Ping from leaving.

Ouyang Yiming and Fan Xurui walked out together. Standing by the pomegranate tree in the courtyard, Ouyang Yiming said, "Xurui, what should we do now?" Tears welled up in his eyes as he spoke. Fan Xurui looked at Ouyang Yiming and sighed, "Yiming, I don't think letting Xu Hui stay at home is a solution. Yesterday I told Xu Hui to come to our hospital, but she absolutely refused. Do you think you can persuade her? I want to do some more tests for her at our hospital to see if there's anything else we can do." Ouyang Yiming said, "You know she's already been tested in Shanghai. What good will it do at your hospital?" Fan Xurui said, "I know that too, but it's better than staying at home like this..." He lowered his head and thought for a moment, then said, "Yiming, you know what will happen to Xu Hui if she continues like this. Maybe there'll be a glimmer of hope at the hospital." Ouyang Yiming nodded and said, "Xu Hui knows that too. I'm just afraid she won't want to go." Fan Xurui said, "You try to persuade her later. I'll go and make arrangements for postponing the wedding." Ouyang Yiming nodded and parted ways with him, heading towards the west wing.

Walking and thinking, what should be done about Xu Hui's current condition? What if she can't eat anything anymore? Should they just let it drag on like this? He knew what the consequences would be, but what could he possibly do to treat Xu Hui's illness? Should he try going to their hospital as Fan Xurui suggested? He knew that going to their hospital wouldn't yield any results, but it was still a glimmer of hope!

Ouyang Yiming felt unusually irritable when he was alone thinking, even if it was only for a short time... He entered the west wing and looked into the inner room. He saw Xu Hui sitting on the edge of the bed and hurried over. He stopped and looked at Xu Hui, asking, "You're awake?" Xu Hui smiled at him and asked, "Were you talking about something just now?" Ouyang Yiming sat down on a stool and said, "We were discussing postponing the wedding. We were worried about your health." Ouyang Mei asked in surprise, "Postponing the wedding?" Xu Hui looked at Ouyang Mei and said,

"My current physical condition is indeed not suitable for holding a wedding. I told my mother and Brother Xurui about it yesterday." Ouyang Mei remained silent. Ouyang Yiming said, "Xurui wants you to stay at their hospital for a few more days to get a feel for things." Xu Hui frowned and said, "There's no need for that. Yiming, you know..." Ouyang Yiming felt irritated and said, "Xu Hui, you need to listen to me now. You're up early..." Xu Hui quickly interrupted him, "Yiming, don't say anything more." Ouyang Yiming looked at her, speechless. Xu Hui turned to Ouyang Mei and said,

"Meizi, I want to talk to your brother alone." Ouyang Mei looked at Xu Hui and Ouyang Yiming with a puzzled expression, then nodded. Xu Hui said, "Meizi, close the door for us." Ouyang Mei responded and went out the door.

Ouyang Yiming stood up and sat beside Xu Hui, taking her hand in his. "Xu Hui," he said, "can you understand how I feel right now? I'm so anxious! It's not that we don't have money, but we can't find anywhere to treat your illness. You vomited after breakfast this morning, which means the medicine I got from that temple isn't working! Xu Hui, I really don't know what to do. I don't care about anything else, as long as you get better. Xu Hui, you're lying at home without any treatment, what are we going to do?" Tears streamed down Ouyang Yiming

's face as he spoke. Xu Hui, also weeping, looked at him and suddenly threw herself into his arms, looking at his face. "Yiming," she said, "I know how good you are to me, I know you love me, but there's nothing I can do, nothing I can do! What's the point of going back to the hospital?" Ouyang Yiming choked back tears. "Xu Hui," he said, "there's still some hope, it's better than staying at home like this..." Xu Hui said...

“Yiming, we both know, we both know very well, that it's useless to go anywhere for treatment now.” Ouyang Yiming stared blankly at her, tears streaming down his face, before finally saying, “Xu Hui, are we just going to do this? Just wait like this?” Xu Hui shook her head and said, “Yiming, I… I don’t want to!”

Ouyang Yiming murmured to himself, “What can we do? What can we do?” Suddenly, he raised his hands, grabbed his hair, and cried, “I’m so useless, I’m so useless!”

Xu Hui looked at him in horror for a moment, then realized what he had done, raised her hand, grabbed Ouyang Yiming’s hand, and cried, “Yiming, I beg you, please don’t do this, don’t do this.” Ouyang Yiming hugged Xu Hui tightly, crying, “Xu Hui, I’m really useless. I see your illness is incurable, I can’t cure you, what use am I?” Xu Hui cried and said:

“Yiming, you’ve tried your best, you’ve tried your best! You made such a big vow for Buddha, you’ve done this for me, how could I not know your heart? But now, now there’s no way, there’s no way!” Ouyang Yiming said, “Xu Hui, I really can’t imagine it, I… I’m terrified just thinking about it. Xu Hui, I’m so scared! I still don’t dare tell our parents that I’m still vomiting. Xu Hui, what are we going to do!” He suddenly stood up, looking at Xu Hui with fear, and said, “Xu Hui, let’s go to the hospital, let’s go! Let’s go to Xu Rui’s hospital and be admitted, maybe, maybe there’ll be a way. I beg you, I beg you to go.” "Xu Hui..."

Xu Hui sobbed, her shoulders shaking. "Yiming, my good husband, I love you, I love you! Yiming, I love you, but, but now..." As she spoke, she threw herself into Ouyang Yiming's arms, and the two hugged tightly, crying... After a while, the two separated, and Ouyang Yiming looked at Xu Hui's face and said, "Xu Hui, we can't keep this from the elders forever, and we can't just stay at home like this." Xu Hui said, "What's the use of telling the elders now? Let's leave it at that for now, let me stay at home a little longer, and spend more time with my family."

At this moment, they heard the door open, and Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui hurriedly separated. Yang Ping and Xu Zhenming came in. Ouyang Yiming said a few words to them and went out of the inner room. He sat silently for a while and then called the office director, asking him to tell the people in the unit to postpone the wedding.

Love and Desire (164)

Chapter 162

On this day, Ouyang Mei served Xu Hui some thin porridge for lunch and dinner in the west wing. At noon, Xu Hui drank half a bowl of rice in front of Ouyang Mei. While her family ate, she secretly went to the bathroom with Ouyang Yiming to vomit. Xu Hui didn't eat dinner, but Ouyang Yiming drank it with tears in his eyes.

Seeing Xu Hui vomit at noon, he hugged her and cried when they returned to their room; Ouyang Yiming's heart felt like it was being torn apart. Throughout the day, Ouyang Yiming mentioned hospitalization to Xu Hui several times, but each time Xu Hui refused. Ouyang Yiming didn't know what to do. Several times he wanted to tell his family about Xu Hui's condition, but Xu Hui repeatedly told him not to let them know.

Of course, Ouyang Yiming knew that telling his family would be useless and would only make them worry more. Ouyang Yiming felt a sense of despair, a heart-wrenching despair that nearly drove him to collapse… After dinner, Yang Ping, Mao Yuqin, and Ouyang Mei spoke with Xu Hui in the west wing. Xu Hui then said she was going to take a bath. After Ouyang Mei helped Xu Hui bathe, they returned to the room. Xu Hui said to Yang Ping, who was still in the west wing, “Mom, why don’t you stay with Dad tonight? I want to talk to Yiming.” Yang Ping smiled and asked, “Are you feeling much better today than yesterday?” Xu Hui blushed and said, “A little better.” Yang Ping didn’t ask any more questions. In her mind, she still believed that Xu Hui had eaten some food and was slowly recovering. So she asked Xu Hui if she wanted to go outside for some fresh air. Xu Hui said she wanted to rest. After Ouyang Yiming finished bathing and came over, Yang Ping went out and sat in the courtyard with the Ouyang family, drinking tea and chatting.

Ouyang Yiming sat down beside Xu Hui, tears streaming down his face again. He said, "Xu Hui, I really can't take it anymore. I had to cover for you in front of them just now. Are we really going to keep going like this?" Xu Hui looked at him and lowered her head, saying, "Yiming, I don't want this either, but..." Ouyang Yiming said, "If we keep this up from our families like this, what will happen in the end? You..." He couldn't finish his sentence. Xu Hui, tears streaming down her face, didn't dare look at him. Ouyang Yiming said, "Xu Hui, just promise me, let's go to Xu Rui's hospital tomorrow." Xu Hui looked up at him and said, "Yiming, don't be sad. You know going to the hospital won't help. Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay? Didn't you say our classmates are coming tomorrow? Even if we go to the hospital, I want to see them first. Okay?" Ouyang Yiming nodded and said, "That's fine then." Xu Hui said, "Look, my mental state is okay now, don't worry."

Ouyang Yiming thought to himself, "Your mental state is getting worse every day." Xu Hui's promise to go to the hospital after meeting her classmate offered Ouyang Yiming some comfort; it was better than just enduring the pain at home. But

Xu Hui's heart was far from calm. She thought about many things that day, not so much her own death, but the pain her passing would cause her family, especially her parents and Ouyang Yiming. These thoughts pierced her heart like a thousand arrows. Whenever this happened, she would lie on her side in bed, not wanting anyone to see her pain. She knew that sooner or later she would hurt her family, but she only wanted to delay their grief as much as possible.

She still thought about the dream she had, but she couldn't recall it at all, only knowing it was a terrifying dream. "Why is fate so unfair to me?" she asked herself again and again.

Xu Hui felt incredibly sad at that moment and said, "Yiming, I'll rest for a while. You stay here with me." Ouyang Yiming agreed. Xu Hui turned to her side, lying with her back to Ouyang Yiming, tears streaming down her face. Ouyang Yiming sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at Xu Hui, his heart also filled with sorrow and pain, tears silently flowing down his face. The feelings of this couple at that moment were truly indescribable.

Ouyang Yiming stared at Xu Hui, tears streaming down his face, thinking, "Is Xu Hui really going to leave me? Is it true that we are only destined to be husband and wife without any real marriage? Are all the women I love in this life really going to leave me?" This thought then led him to Liu Yan: "One of the women I love has already left me, so is this one not mine either? Is she also going to cruelly abandon me? Why is all this happening?"

He thought of both Liu Yan and Xu Hui; he couldn't bear to part with either of them. He had thought Liu Yan's departure was a deliberate arrangement by fate, destined for him to be Xu Hui's husband, but unexpectedly, Xu Hui also contracted this terminal illness before their wedding, something no one could have foreseen. He knew what Xu Hui's illness meant; if there was no cure, she would surely die.

At this moment, his heart bled again: "Why did Heaven arrange my fate and Xu Hui's fate this way? If I did something wrong in my past life, losing Liu Yan would be a punishment enough!

Why force me into this desperate situation? Why do you want Xu Hui to leave me? If Xu Hui leaves me too, what meaning is there for me to live? This kind of excruciating pain will stay with me for a lifetime. Will there be any happiness in this life? No matter how successful I am in my career, life without love will be bland and tasteless. Am I destined to never have love, never have the woman I love? Liu Yan leaving me almost broke me, but knowing that Liu Yan would live a happy life brought me comfort after a period of pain. But Xu Hui might leave this world forever, and that is the greatest pain of my life!" He couldn't help but cry out in his heart: Xu Hui, how could you have gotten such an illness?

Even if you were paralyzed in bed, I would be willing to serve you for the rest of my life. To me, you are the nourishment of my love. With you, I have joy in life; without you, what do I have? "Heavens, why can't Xu Hui, such a pure and loving woman, be allowed to stay in this world? Why be so cruel as to separate her from all her loved ones? Don't you have any pity? Everyone says you love your subjects the most and have compassion for all living beings, but why must you separate us, these two loving and pitiful people?" Thinking this, Ouyang Yiming couldn't control himself, bent over, covered his face, and cried silently.

Hearing Ouyang Yiming's low sobs, Xu Hui turned over. Seeing his trembling back, she couldn't hold back any longer. She sat up and hugged Ouyang Yiming, crying, "Yiming, don't do this, please don't do this!" The moment Xu Hui hugged him, the sorrow in Ouyang Yiming's heart seemed to intensify, and he could only sob silently. Xu Hui moved off the bed, stood up, and walked towards the door. Ouyang Yiming looked up at her, somewhat flustered, and asked, "Where are you going?" Xu Hui didn't answer. Ouyang Yiming stood up abruptly and saw Xu Hui open the inner room door, go out, and close the main door. She turned back and closed the inner room door as well. Turning around, Ouyang Yiming asked her, "Mom hasn't come yet, why are you closing the door?" Xu Hui said, "Mom isn't coming. I told her." As she spoke, she pulled Ouyang Yiming's hand and sat him on the edge of the bed, hugging his arm and resting her head on his shoulder, saying, "Yiming, don't be like this, don't be like this." Ouyang Yiming felt Xu Hui's body trembling slightly.

Ouyang Yiming said, "Xu Hui, I'm really scared right now." Xu Hui said, "I...I know." Ouyang Yiming pulled his arm away from Xu Hui's tight embrace and picked her up to sit on his lap. Xu Hui looked up at him, raised her hand to wipe the tears from Ouyang Yiming's cheek, and said, "Yiming, seeing you sad makes my heart ache even more." Tears streamed down her face as she spoke.

Ouyang Yiming raised his hand to wipe away Xu Hui's tears, saying, "I... I couldn't control myself." Xu Hui fell silent. She knew perfectly well how one could control their emotions at a time like this.

Wasn't she the same?

Ouyang Yiming held her tightly, as if loosening his grip would cause Xu Hui to slip away from him. Xu Hui felt his strength and refused to move. After a long silence, Xu Hui said, "I didn't finish talking to you about my parents this morning. Yiming, do you know what I wanted to say?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I know. You mean, you mean you want me to treat them as my parents too, right? I do treat them as my own parents." Xu Hui asked, "Yiming, can you treat them like your own parents for the rest of your life?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Your parents are my parents. I will, I will treat them like my own parents for the rest of my life." Xu Hui smiled knowingly and said, "I believe you. With your character, you will. I'm relieved."

At that moment, Ouyang Yiming instantly understood the meaning behind Xu Hui's talk of this topic so early in the morning. Xu Hui was worried about her parents after their passing and hoped that he could take care of them as he would his own parents. Ouyang Yiming felt a sharp pain in his heart and said, "Xu Hui, don't worry, your parents will always be my parents." Xu Hui trembled even more violently, looking into Ouyang Yiming's eyes, her lips trembling as she said, "Yiming, I... I thank you." Ouyang Yiming didn't speak, but hugged Xu Hui even tighter, tears falling onto her face.

The couple gazed at each other sadly. Ouyang Yiming's greatest sorrow and regret at this moment was his inability to protect the frail, kind, and pure woman in his arms... The couple just looked at each other, tears streaming down their faces... Their faces were pressed together, rubbing tightly, tears flowing silently, stuck together... Who could they move? Could they possibly move anyone? Who would pity them, who would grant this loving couple who didn't want to be separated...? They didn't know how much time had passed. Neither of them knew when they had stopped crying, but their faces remained pressed together. Xu Hui stirred and said, "Yiming, take me to the bathroom." Ouyang Yiming nodded. When she stood up, Xu Hui was a little unsteady, so she leaned against Ouyang Yiming's chest for a moment, then took his arm and went out the door.

The family members who had been enjoying the cool air in the courtyard had already gone to sleep, making the courtyard unusually quiet. The bright moonlight bathed the courtyard, and a gentle breeze rustled the branches of the pomegranate tree. Xu Hui shivered. Ouyang Yiming noticed and looked down at her. Xu Hui said softly, "I'm fine." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Can you walk?" Xu Hui said, "Yes, I'm fine."

Ouyang Yiming stopped at the bathroom door, and Xu Hui tugged at him, saying, "You...you come in, I'm scared." Ouyang Yiming's head buzzed for a moment, and without saying a word, he helped Xu Hui inside. He reached out and turned on the light, helping Xu Hui to her feet at the toilet stall. Xu Hui looked at him, her face flushed, and said, "I'm fine, turn your face away." Ouyang Yiming turned away. Xu Hui lifted her skirt and squatted down, and Ouyang Yiming heard a "whoosh" sound, his heart pounding. After a moment, Xu Hui stood up, hugged Ouyang Yiming's arm, and whispered, "Let's go back." Walking out of the toilet, Ouyang Yiming realized he also needed to urinate. He stopped and said, "You, wait here for me, are you sure you can stand still?" Xu Hui said, "I'm fine." Ouyang Yiming went into the toilet and felt his genitals swelling. After struggling for a while, he finally released a clear liquid.

He walked over to Xu Hui and took her arm, suddenly feeling her body trembling. Startled, he asked, "What's wrong?" Xu Hui said in a trembling voice, "I... I get scared as soon as I leave you." Ouyang Yiming looked at her, bent down, picked her up, and quickly walked into the west wing. He went into the inner room, placed Xu Hui on the bed, turned back, closed the door, and sat down on the edge of the bed. He took Xu Hui's hand and asked, "Were you very scared just now?" Xu Hui nodded and said, "I was scared as soon as you left. I wanted to call out to you, but I didn't dare." Ouyang Yiming said, "Don't be scared, don't, I won't leave you, I won't leave you." Xu Hui then hugged him and said, "Yiming, you sleep here too, you sleep with me." Ouyang Yiming hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Xu Hui's face pressed against Ouyang Yiming's for a while; both faces were burning hot, and they could almost hear each other's pounding hearts.

Xu Hui released Ouyang Yiming, got into bed, stood on the bed, slowly took off her white dress with blue flowers, placed it on the clothes rack beside the bed, sat on the edge of the bed, her face flushed, and whispered:

"Yiming, you should take your clothes off too." Ouyang Yiming had already realized Xu Hui was undressing when she released him, and his heart had been pounding ever since. Hearing Xu Hui speak, he turned his head and saw her sitting on the edge of the bed wearing only a pair of panties and a bra. His head throbbed, and his eyes were glued to her. Xu Hui, head down, pulled the blanket over her lower body and said, "Take your clothes off and sleep." She shifted her body, pulled the blanket up to her shoulders, and turned her back to him. Ouyang Yiming froze, his voice trembling, "I...I'll go to the sofa..." Xu Hui said, "Just stay here." Ouyang Yiming stood there, motionless. He seemed utterly bewildered by Xu Hui's actions tonight. How could Xu Hui, who always valued her body above all else, be so bold tonight? Now, Ouyang Yiming felt a sense of panic and unease.

Xu Hui lay there, listening to Ouyang Yiming remain motionless. She turned over and saw him staring blankly at her. "Sleep," she said. Ouyang Yiming didn't reply, but stood up and took off his clothes. When he was down to only his underwear, he hurriedly turned off the light. Lying down, he gasped, "Xu Hui, I...we...your body..." Xu Hui rolled over and hugged him, saying, "Yiming, I'm your wife, I am..." Ouyang Yiming held her tightly, their lips pressed together, their nearly naked bodies intertwined.

Xu Hui's full breasts pressed tightly against Ouyang Yiming's chest; her smooth, delicate body rubbed against his; her fragrant tongue moved in his mouth... Ouyang Yiming felt feverish, his mind clouded. At this moment, he seemed to have forgotten Xu Hui's illness, forgotten everything else; his body was filled with primal, surging, uncontrollable passion. His hand reached out, caressing Xu Hui's back and shoulder blades. After a while, that disobedient hand moved to Xu Hui's waist, to her round, elastic buttocks… At this moment, Ouyang Yiming's penis was already proudly erect.

Xu Hui felt it; her whole body was burning hot, just like Ouyang Yiming's, and her mind seemed somewhat clouded. She responded to Ouyang Yiming's caresses, her slender, bamboo shoot-like hand also caressing Ouyang Yiming's back and shoulders. She felt Ouyang Yiming's hand kneading her buttocks; she felt Ouyang Yiming's hand slip inside her underwear. Just then, Xu Hui heard a very clear, terrifying voice: "Xiao Qi, do you really want to stay in the mortal realm? Do you really want him to lose fifty years of his lifespan?" Hearing this, Xu Hui was like a drunkard in the dead of winter, suddenly doused with a bucket of ice-cold water. Her body jerked up instantly, and she sat up with a cry of "Ah!" She stared blankly at Ouyang Yiming lying on the bed, her whole body trembling violently. In an instant, she bent over, hugging her knees, her head between her legs, and for a fleeting moment, the words "he will lose fifty years of his lifespan" were crystal clear in her mind. At this moment, she was terrified beyond measure, shaking her head and muttering, "No, no, I don't want him to lose his lifespan, I was wrong, I was wrong, I'll never dare again, never again..."

Ouyang Yiming was stunned for a moment when Xu Hui suddenly sat up, but quickly understood everything, and his face instantly turned red. Then, seeing Xu Hui curled up there, he was startled. Hearing her muttering to herself, his passion vanished instantly. He cried out in alarm, "Xu Hui, what's wrong? What's wrong?" Xu Hui remained silent. Ouyang Yiming reached out and put his arm around her, asking again, "Xu Hui, are you feeling unwell?" Xu Hui's mind was much clearer now. She said, "I...I'm fine." But the phrase "take away fifty years of his lifespan" couldn't be erased from her mind.

She struggled slightly and said, "Let me lie down for a while." Ouyang Yiming withdrew his hand. Xu Hui slowly lay down, curled up on her side with her back to Ouyang Yiming, her body still trembling slightly. She was pondering those terrifying words. Who had she just seen?

Who had said those words to her? Why had they said them? She couldn't understand, but she was still incredibly afraid. Ouyang Yiming said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I just now..."

Xu Hui said, "Yiming, it's not your fault, it's mine. Go to sleep." Ouyang Yiming watched her lie down, his heart filled with remorse.

When Xu Hui first asked Ouyang Yiming to sleep in the room with her, she hadn't intended to have sex with him. She was just scared and wanted Ouyang Yiming to stay with her. Later, lying in bed, she thought about how Ouyang Yiming had rushed to Suzhou for her sake and made such a big vow at the temple, and she was deeply moved. She thought to herself that they had been married for more than two years, just as her mother had said, they were already husband and wife. Thinking about how long she could last in her current state, she thought that she would give her body to her beloved husband tonight. Otherwise, wouldn't it be too unfair to Ouyang Yiming after they had been husband and wife? Would Ouyang Yiming be left with a permanent regret after she left? What had she done for him after loving him for so many years? Was she not even willing to give him her body? Could she still be considered to love him? Could she still be considered his wife? Despite her lingering fear, she remained steadfast in her resolve at that moment. She had no recollection of the words Brahma had spoken to her in her previous dreams. When Brahma saw Xu Hui's actions, he promptly reminded her. Although Xu Hui couldn't recall all her previous dreams, she remembered the phrase "he will lose fifty years of his lifespan," spoken to her in a dream by someone who terrified her. At that moment, she regretted her actions and felt fear… After a while, Xu Hui calmed down, turned to look at Ouyang Yiming sitting there blankly, and said, "Go to sleep, I wasn't feeling well just now." Ouyang Yiming hurriedly asked, "Are you feeling better now?" Xu Hui said, "I'm fine, go to sleep." Ouyang Yiming lay down, then sat up again, saying, "I'll go sleep on the sofa outside." Xu Hui said, "Sleep here, it's uncomfortable on the sofa." She thought to herself, "Sleeping together shouldn't be a problem!" Ouyang Yiming thought for a moment and lay down, but in his mind, he wondered, "Can I really sleep with her?" Thinking about it, he drifted off to sleep.

Strangely, Xu Hui also fell asleep quickly, and both of them slept soundly that night… The next morning, Ouyang Yiming woke up and was startled to find himself and Xu Hui lying together under a blanket. He sat up abruptly, thinking about what had happened the night before, wondering how he had managed to control himself and fall asleep. His heart pounded as he thought about it. He glanced at the sleeping Xu Hui, quietly got out of bed, dressed, and went outside to sit on the sofa. He thought to himself, given his feelings last night, if Xu Hui hadn't somehow managed to control herself, they definitely would have ended up having sex. How could Xu Hui, with her current serious illness, withstand such a physical and psychological impact? Perhaps it could have killed her? He was filled with regret.

Xu Hui woke up and opened her eyes. After a moment, she remembered what had happened with Ouyang Yiming the night before, blushed, and turned her head to see that Ouyang Yiming wasn't in bed. Startled, she quickly sat up, got out of bed, opened the door, and saw Ouyang Yiming sitting on the sofa. When Ouyang Yiming saw that she hadn't put on any clothes when she opened the door, he stared at her intently. Xu Hui suddenly realized she wasn't wearing a dress, quickly closed the door, put on a dress, and came out. Both of them blushed when they met.

Xu Hui sat down beside him and asked, "Didn't you sleep all night?" Ouyang Yiming said, "No, I just got up." Xu Hui looked at him and saw that he didn't seem tired at all, saying, "I thought... I thought you couldn't sleep." Ouyang Yiming smiled and said, "I slept very well; today was the best I've slept in the past few days." Xu Hui smiled. Ouyang Yiming reached out and embraced her, saying, "I thought I wouldn't be able to sleep when I went to bed, but I fell asleep very quickly." Xu Hui said, "Me too." Ouyang Yiming thought for a moment, then blushed again, saying, "I acted impulsively, knowing your body is like this, I'm sorry."

Xu Hui blushed and lowered her head, saying, "Yiming, I really wanted to give it to you last night, but I don't know why I suddenly felt unwell." Ouyang Yiming said, "How can you do such a thing in your current condition?" As he spoke, he thought about how Xu Hui's health would deteriorate, and his heart became unusually heavy.

Xu Hui said, "Actually, we've been married for over two years, and I was too stubborn. I'm sorry." Ouyang Yiming said, "Don't say that, I know you care a lot, and I appreciate it." He still felt a little regretful.

The two hugged, not saying much, and dawn broke. They heard the sound of the door to the east wing opening, and Ouyang Yiming said, "Mom will probably still make you porridge later." Xu Hui said:

“Tell Mom not to cook porridge separately for me. I want some soy milk. I’ll eat with them later.” Ouyang Yiming was overjoyed and asked, “You really feel like eating?” Xu Hui did feel a little hungry and said, “A little. Don’t let your family know, or they’ll think we’ve been lying to them these past few days!” Ouyang Yiming stood up and picked her up, saying, “Xu Hui, if you want to eat, it means you’re better.” Tears streamed down his face as he spoke. Xu Hui’s tears also fell, and she said, “Put me down and go wash your face.” Ouyang Yiming put her down and the two went out.

Mao Yuqin and Ouyang Mei went to the market together and bought soy milk and spicy soup, which Grandpa and Ouyang Anping loved. They also bought pork floss with fried dough sticks, potstickers, and steamed buns. Ouyang Yiming had told Mao Yuqin early in the morning that Xu Hui would eat with her family, so Mao Yuqin bought the food and fried eggs for Xu Hui. Xu Hui drank a bowl of soy milk and ate two fried eggs. Ouyang Yiming was overjoyed to see Xu Hui eat all that food, his eyes welling up with tears. He thought to himself, "It seems Xu Hui's illness is truly improving." He kept silently praying for Buddha's blessing. He planned to go with Xu Hui to the temple in Suzhou to fulfill his vow after some time. As long as Xu Hui recovered, and they could truly love each other for the rest of their lives and live peacefully, nothing else mattered.

After dinner, Xu Hui said, "Dad, Mom, you haven't visited any of the attractions in Panzhou. I'd like to go with you, but I'm afraid my health won't allow it. Some of Yiming's classmates and I are probably coming today, so let Meizi accompany you." Yang Ping said, "We'll just go by ourselves. We'll want to go back once you've recovered." Ouyang Yiming said, "Since we're here, let's stay a few more days. How about this, I'll have the driver bring the car over later, and you can all go have some fun. Grandpa will come too." The old man said, "I haven't walked the birds these past few days. I'm going to take them for a walk today. You all go have some fun; I can't climb any more mountains." So they agreed that Ouyang Anping and his wife, along with Ouyang Mei, would accompany Xu Zhenming and his wife to visit Panlong Mountain and other attractions.

A while later, the phone rang. Ouyang Yiming picked it up and immediately shouted, "Haha, it's Brother Yuqi! I told you you should come!" Jiang Yuqi said on the phone, "How could I not come to my little brother's wedding?" Ouyang Yiming said, "I bet you wouldn't dare not come. Where are you now? How did you get here?" Jiang Yuqi said, "I've arrived in Panzhou by car, but I can't find the place." Ouyang Yiming said, "Ask any older person or a traffic cop for directions to Xiucai Street. Everyone knows it. I'll be waiting for you at the entrance of the Xiucai Hotel at the end of Xiucai Street." Jiang Yuqi agreed and then asked if Xu Hui had arrived yet.

Xu Hui answered the phone and spoke a few words to him. After hanging up, the two went out to the alley entrance to wait for him. About twenty minutes later, a "Yizheng" jeep arrived at the hotel entrance. The door opened, and Jiang Yuqi got out. Seeing Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui running towards him, he rushed forward and hugged Ouyang Yiming tightly, his eyes red, saying, "Ouyang, I really missed you both." Ouyang Yiming said,

"We missed you too." After they separated, Jiang Yuqi looked at Xu Hui and said, "Who is this fairy? I almost didn't recognize her. She's getting more and more beautiful." Xu Hui laughed and said, "How could your sister not recognize you?"

Jiang Yuqi said, "Wrong, I'm your brother. Now I don't understand whether you should be my sister or my sister-in-law." He turned to look at Ouyang Yiming and laughed a few times, saying,

"You seem good both ways." He then turned back and shook hands with Xu Hui. Xu Hui looked at him and said, "Yuqi, you've gotten much fatter than before." Jiang Yuqi laughed and said, "I can't help it, I've had too many social engagements.

Xu Hui, you and Ouyang Zhen haven't changed much, you're even prettier than before." Xu Hui said, "Still the same old you, but your tongue's even sweeter." Jiang Yuqi chuckled.

Ouyang Yiming glanced at the car Jiang Yuqi had driven and asked, "Hey, where's my sister-in-law?" Jiang Yuqi smiled and said, "I'm so sorry, we were supposed to come together, but she's been really busy these past few days and can't make it." Ouyang Yiming shook his head and said, "What a pity, what a pity." Jiang Yuqi raised his hand and punched his chest, saying, "What's there to regret? It's fine if you don't see her. She's ugly. If she were as pretty as Xu Hui, I'd be burning incense in gratitude." Xu Hui glanced at him and said, "You're just talking nonsense." Ouyang Yiming asked, "Did you drive here yourself too?" Jiang Yuqi said, "Yes, it's more convenient to drive myself." As they spoke, they entered the hotel, and Jiang Yuqi asked, "Hasn't the rest of them arrived yet?" Ouyang Yiming said, "They'll all be here today." After paying the parking fee, he told the waiter that not everyone had arrived yet, and that they would book rooms later. Then he led Jiang Yuqi towards the Ouyang family's old house.

Upon entering the old house, Jiang Yuqi sighed, saying, "In this bustling city, your place is like paradise on earth. Such a tranquil spot is truly rare." Entering the west wing, Jiang Yuqi looked around, saying, "You two are truly a happy couple living in paradise." Xu Hui's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this.

After sitting down, Xu Hui poured tea for Ouyang Yiming and Jiang Yuqi. Jiang Yuqi took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, offered one to Ouyang Yiming, who waved his hand, saying he didn't want any. Jiang Yuqi glared at him and asked, "You really don't know how, or are you just too afraid to smoke in front of Xu Hui?" Xu Hui said, "You're just being glib. He simply doesn't know how." Jiang Yuqi looked at Ouyang Yiming mysteriously and asked

, "If you don't smoke, what do you do with the cigarettes people give you?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Of course no one gives me cigarettes if I don't smoke." Xu Hui glanced at Jiang Yuqi and said

, "Do you think everyone is like you, a corrupt official? Who would give him anything?" Jiang Yuqi smiled and shook his head, picked up a beautiful Langsheng lighter, lit a cigarette, took a puff, and said, "Don't worry, I can't be a corrupt official right now, but sometimes you can't refuse small gifts." Ouyang Yiming said, "You must stick to principles." Jiang Yuqi said, "I'll pay attention to those." Xu Hui said, "You leaders must have self-respect." Jiang Yuqi laughed twice and pushed Ouyang Yiming, saying, "With Xu Hui guiding you, your life will be straight." Ouyang Yiming and Xu Hui smiled. Jiang Yuqi said, "You two are both typical intellectuals now. I guess I wasted those years of schooling." Ouyang Yiming said, "You wasted your time? Without schooling, how could you have become the dignified Mayor Jiang?" Jiang Yuqi laughed heartily and said, "Yes, that's true, but I've basically forgotten everything I learned in school."

After chatting for a while, Jiang Yuqi asked, "What are your customs here? It's so quiet even though it's a wedding tomorrow?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Yuqi, I'm really sorry I didn't tell you sooner. Xu Hui and I only decided to postpone the wedding yesterday. Xu Hui and I both wanted to see some of our good classmates, so..." "I didn't inform any of you." Jiang Yuqi stared at Ouyang Yiming, then turned to Xu Hui in surprise, "Postponed the wedding? Why?" Ouyang Yiming said, "To be honest, after I called you guys last time, Xu Hui fell ill in Shanghai. She still couldn't eat anything until yesterday. She's just starting to feel better today, and the elders at home and I are worried about her health, so we decided to postpone the wedding." Jiang Yuqi listened intently, saying, "What a coincidence!" Remembering the cigarette in his hand, he quickly stubbed it out in the ashtray and asked, "Tell me the details." Ouyang Yiming then proceeded to tell Jiang Yuqi about Xu Hui's illness. Jiang

Yuqi sighed a few times after listening and said, "There are some things you really can't help but believe." Then, looking at Xu Hui, he said, "I think you're a fairy descended from heaven. Otherwise, how could you be so beautiful and have such a delicate body?" He laughed. Xu Hui laughed along with them, but felt a chill run down her spine.

Around noon, the phone rang again. Ouyang Yiming picked it up and heard it was Li Xuan calling, saying she and Ge Guangcheng had taken the 4:00 AM train. The three were excited again, and Ouyang Yiming told her to wait at the train station while the three of them went to pick her and Ge Guangcheng up. After hanging up, the three got up, and Ouyang Yiming looked at Xu Hui and said, "Xu Hui, why don't Jiang Yuqi and I go together? You can just wait at home." Xu Hui said, "I'm fine." So the three went out.

At the train station, Xu Hui hugged Li Xuan tightly and cried. Li Xuan also hugged Xu Hui tightly and cried, saying, "Xu Hui, I missed you so much, so much. I've missed you so much these past few days." Ouyang Yiming and Jiang Yuqi then hugged and greeted Ge Guangcheng. Ouyang Yiming asked, "Why didn't your wife come?" Ge Guangcheng said, "She's pregnant, and I was afraid she couldn't withstand this weather." Ouyang Yiming and Jiang Yuqi congratulated her. After Xu Hui and Li Xuan parted, they looked at each other, smiled, and wiped away their tears. Xu Hui then shook hands with Ge Guangcheng and greeted him.

Jiang Yuqi looked at Li Xuan and said, "Li Xuan, you've really become quite elegant now, you're definitely from a big city." Li Xuan had indeed gained a lot of charm since her school days, appearing poised and dignified. Li Xuan smiled and playfully slapped Jiang Yuqi, saying, "What big city? I'm still from that mountain valley." She then extended her arm. Jiang Yuqi laughed and said, "No way, we haven't seen each other for years, I have to give you a hug." Li Xuan said, "Okay, I'll hug you, little brother." She then opened her arms and hugged Jiang Yuqi.

Ouyang Yiming reached out his hand as they parted. Li Xuan laughed, "I wouldn't dare hug Ouyang with Xu Hui here!" Xu Hui laughed, "Still the same silly girl, go ahead and hug me."

Li Xuan said, "Then I won't be polite." She then extended her arms and gave Ouyang Yiming a symbolic hug. Everyone laughed, and Ouyang Yiming blushed slightly.

Ouyang Anping and the Xu Zhenming couple had already returned home. Upon seeing them enter, everyone came out to greet them. After a few pleasantries, Mao Yuqin said to Ouyang Yiming, "One of your classmates called from the bus station. I had Meizi and the driver go pick her up." Everyone knew it was Wu Yingying and became even more excited. They had just sat down and drunk a glass of water when Wu Yingying and Ouyang Mei entered the house together. Now, even more people came out from various rooms to greet them. Ouyang Mei handed the car keys to Ouyang Yiming, saying the driver had already gone home.

Wu Yingying also seemed much more mature. After exchanging pleasantries, they entered the west wing. Once seated, Ouyang Yiming asked, "Didn't you say you'd bring your man?" Wu Yingying replied, "It's a good thing I didn't bring him. None of the others brought him, so it makes me seem special. He's not exactly presentable." After everyone laughed, Jiang Yuqi said, "That's good, it's best to keep it simple. It's best if we don't interfere." Li Xuan said, "Wu Yingying doesn't want to bring him, but I'm afraid you can't bring him." Jiang Yuqi said, "She insisted on coming, so I told her, 'If you compare yourself to Ouyang Yiming's wife, I'd rather disappear into the ground!' Forget it, she shouldn't come. She got scared and didn't dare come." Everyone burst into laughter. After a

while, Ouyang Yiming said it was time to eat. The group stood up and went to the courtyard, where Ouyang family members from each household came out to talk. They invited Ouyang's family and Xu Zhenming and his wife to eat with them, but Ouyang's family and Xu Hui's parents declined. The group left the Ouyang family home, chatting and laughing, as if they had returned to their student days.

During the meal, Ouyang Yiming mentioned the postponement of the wedding, eliciting sighs from everyone. Li Xuan, her face hardening, said, "Ouyang Yiming, Xu Hui was so ill, how could you not inform us to go see her?" Ouyang Yiming replied, "Everyone was very busy with work, so..." Wu Yingying, with tears in her eyes, said, "We never expected this. Seeing Xu Hui was perfectly normal; who would have thought she'd been sick for so many days and could only eat something today?" Ouyang Yiming said, "She's better now." Xu Hui said, "I really missed everyone; otherwise, I wouldn't have called you all, since you're all so busy. Yesterday I told Yiming I had to see you all; I... I just missed you all." Tears streamed down Xu Hui's face as she spoke, and Li Xuan and Wu Yingying also shed tears. The three men felt a pang of sadness in their hearts.

After a few rounds of drinks and some casual conversation, Li Xuan brought up the matter of the research institute site selection that Ouyang Yiming had entrusted to her. She said that the factory was basically fine, and she had been trying to negotiate a lower price. She said that it would be basically finalized once she returned. Ouyang Yiming thanked her. Xu Hui said, "Li Xuan, Guangcheng, you must take care of Yiming when he gets to Jinling. He... he's all alone there, and I... I'm worried about him."

Ouyang Yiming was taken aback upon hearing this. Li Xuan, however, didn't catch the underlying meaning in Xu Hui's words and smiled, saying, "Xu Hui, Shanghai isn't that far from Jinling. Besides, Ouyang Yiming isn't the same Ouyang Yiming as before. Don't we know his situation? His abilities are quite remarkable now." Xu Hui said, "I'm not talking about his work, I'm talking about his personal life. He doesn't know how to take care of himself. You two must keep in touch, get together often, and chat. We're like siblings, so you must take care of each other."

Li Xuan was also a little puzzled but didn't think too much about it, saying, "Xu Hui, don't worry. We're in the same city, so we'll take care of and help each other in both work and life."

Wu Yingying said, "Xu Hui is always like this. Seeing you two so in love is truly enviable." Jiang Yuqi said, "Xu Hui, Shanghai isn't that far from Jinling. In a few years, I think you two should just transfer to the same place, otherwise you'll be constantly worried about each other." Ouyang Yiming said, "Let's talk about it in a couple of years." At this moment, for some reason, Ouyang Yiming felt a heavy weight in his heart. Xu Hui said, "Let's get together more often in the future. Even if we're busy with work, getting together once a year shouldn't be a problem." Jiang Yuqi said, "That's what I thought too. We said we could get together more often when we graduated, but it didn't happen. Let's keep in touch by phone and get together whenever we have time." Everyone agreed.

After dinner, they rested at the hotel. In the afternoon, Ouyang Yiming and Jiang Yuqi each drove around some attractions in Pancheng. After resting for a while, they all had dinner at a restaurant. During dinner, Xu Hui insisted on having a couple of drinks with her classmates, and Ouyang Yiming and the others couldn't stop her. Xu Hui then started talking about Ouyang Yiming's feelings for her and her own feelings for him, reminiscing about their time together in college. The classmates had never seen Xu Hui talk so much before, and they felt strange. Ouyang Yiming felt uneasy, as if something was about to happen. After dinner, back at the hotel, the group chatted in Jiang Yuqi and Ge Guangcheng's room. A while later, Xu Hui followed Li Xuan and Wu Yingying to their room. Xu Hui, like an older sister, gave Li Xuan and Wu Yingying some advice, mainly telling Li Xuan that as a government official, she must maintain integrity and upright conduct. She then told Wu Yingying to treat her husband well after marriage. Her words were full of care and warmth. Li Xuan and Wu Yingying were deeply moved.

Around ten o'clock, Xu Hui reluctantly said goodbye to her classmates, turning away and bursting into tears… Back at the Ouyang family's old house, she saw Xu Zhenming, Yang Ping, and the Ouyang family members chatting and relaxing in the courtyard. The two sat down and talked for a while. Xu Hui didn't say much, her eyes constantly scanning everyone's faces. Around eleven o'clock, the crowd dispersed. Xu Hui called Yang Ping and Xu Zhenming back, and they went into the west wing to sit down. Xu Hui stared at the couple for a while and said, "Dad, Mom, my illness has taken a toll on you both. You raised me, and I haven't been able to repay you in any way, except for causing you so much worry. Dad, Mom, Xu Hui owes you so much."

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face. Yang Ping scolded, "You silly child, what parent raises a child expecting something in return? As long as you're healthy and you and Yiming are happy, your father and I are content and happy." Xu Hui cried and said, "But I haven't repaid you in any way. I've only made you worry about me. You've run around everywhere for me in this heat, even putting aside your work. I... I owe you so much." Xu Zhenming said, "Xu Hui, how can you think like that? We are your parents, isn't it only right that we do these things?" Xu Hui said, "But what have I done for you? Mom and Dad, I have to say what's on my mind. I thank you for giving me life and raising me. I... I'll kowtow to you a few times." As she spoke, she stood up, turned around, and knelt before Xu Zhenming and Yang Ping, kowtowing several times. Xu Zhenming and Yang Ping quickly helped her up. Ouyang Yiming sat to the side, looking somewhat at a loss. Xu Zhenming was a little angry and said, "Xu Hui, how can you be like this? Parents do things for their children and expect you to repay them? Do you expect your thanks? Isn't this what we should do?" Yang Ping turned around and quietly asked Ouyang Yiming, "Has Xu Hui been drinking?" Ouyang Yiming said, "A little." Yang Ping said, "I think she's acting strangely today." Turning to Xu Zhenming, she said, "Xiao Hui has had a little to drink; let's let them rest." Xu Zhenming nodded.

After Xu Hui and Ouyang Yiming saw them out, Xu Hui called out "Dad, Mom" again, but couldn't say anything else. Yang Ping said, "You two should rest quickly." Ouyang Yiming agreed, and Xu Hui was already in tears. After sitting on the sofa for a while, Ouyang Yiming said, "Go take a shower, it's getting late." Xu Hui stood up and got a change of clothes. Ouyang Yiming waited for Xu Hui to finish showering outside the bathroom. After showering himself, he returned to the room and saw Xu Hui sitting blankly on the edge of the bed. Ouyang Yiming walked closer to her and said, "Why aren't you asleep yet? You must be exhausted after a long day."

Xu Hui looked up at him and asked, "Yiming, is our wedding dress here?" Ouyang Yiming said, "Yes, it's in this wardrobe." He then looked at her suspiciously and asked, "Why are you asking this now?"

Xu Hui said, "I want to try it on." Ouyang Yiming said, "Never mind, look at the time." Xu Hui said, "Tomorrow was supposed to be our wedding day, but now we can't. I want to wear it."

Ouyang Yiming looked at her, then turned and opened the wardrobe. He took out the pure white wedding dress and placed it on the bed. Xu Hui leaned over and looked at it, tears streaming down her face. After a while, she asked Ouyang Yiming to take out everything, then opened her suitcase and took out the pair of Ouyang family heirloom gold bracelets. Silently looking at Ouyang Yiming, she said, "Yiming, I want to wear it." Ouyang Yiming nodded nervously.

Xu Hui stood on the bed, took off her dress, took off her bra, and finally, without any shame, took off her underwear. A beautiful body, as white as mutton fat jade, was displayed before Ouyang Yiming... Love and Desire (165) Chapter 163 Ouyang Yiming was stunned. This was not the body of a woman on earth, but clearly the body of a goddess from heaven. In front of this beautiful body, I believe that no one would have any animalistic impulses or any filthy evil thoughts. They would only feel that she was so holy, so sacred, and so worthy of admiration! They would only feel a soul-stirring and awe-inspiring reverence, and their hearts would only feel as cool and solemn as the Pure Land of Bliss.

Xu Hui put on the new white underwear, the white bra, the white socks, and the white wedding dress. She got out of bed and put on the white high-heeled shoes. Everything was so harmonious and natural, without a trace of shyness, only sacredness, only purity, only nobility… Xu Hui stood before Ouyang Yiming, smiling slightly, and asked, “Am I pretty?” Ouyang Yiming nodded mechanically. Xu Hui watched him smile, and as he smiled, two lines of tears streamed down her face. She said, “Hold me.” Ouyang Yiming sat on the edge of the bed, opened his arms, and embraced her. He felt a pang of heartache, a surge of panic, and looked up at Xu Hui, asking, “What’s wrong with you tonight?”

Xu Hui didn’t answer, but smiled and said, “Yiming, would you like to change into your wedding dress?” Ouyang Yiming stared at her blankly, seemingly confused. Xu Hui said, “Go ahead, go change into your wedding dress.”

Ouyang Yiming asked, “Now?” Xu Hui looked at him and said, “Now.” Ouyang Yiming stared at her with a suspicious look. Xu Hui said, “Change into it.” Ouyang Yiming nodded.

He released Xu Hui, opened the closet, and took out his wedding dress. Turning to look at Xu Hui, who was blushing, he said, "Xu Hui, turn your face away." Xu Hui said, "I am your wife."

Ouyang Yiming looked at him without speaking. He felt that Xu Hui's behavior was a bit strange, and he felt an unusual panic in his heart. He felt that something was about to happen.

His hands trembled as he slowly took off all his clothes, quickly putting on his dress with his back to Xu Hui. When he turned around, his face was flushed. Looking at Xu Hui, he asked breathlessly, "Xu Hui, what's wrong with you today?" Xu Hui didn't speak. She reached out and straightened Ouyang Yiming's white tie, lifted a strand of hair from his forehead, put her hand down, and looked him over. She said, "My husband, you're so handsome!" Ouyang Yiming looked at her, looked at her, and trembled all over. He suddenly grabbed Xu Hui's arms and said fearfully, "Xu Hui, I... I'm scared." Xu Hui looked at him and said, "Yiming, hold me, hold me." Ouyang Yiming hugged her tightly. The two embraced tightly, tears streaming down their faces, without uttering a word… Xu Hui said, “Sit down, I’m a little tired.” Ouyang Yiming sat on the edge of the bed, and Xu Hui sat on his lap. They looked at each other. Xu Hui said, “Yiming, thank you.”

Ouyang Yiming asked, “Why do you say that?” Xu Hui said, “I want to thank you. You’ve brought me so much joy, you’ve given me so much love.” Ouyang Yiming said,

“We’re husband and wife, why say such things?” Xu Hui said, “Yes, we are husband and wife, we’ve been husband and wife for a long time. But I haven’t… I haven’t consummated our marriage! I’m sorry.” Ouyang Yiming said, “But we love each other, don’t we? I love you!” Xu Hui smiled and nodded, saying, “I’m content, content!” Ouyang Yiming looked at her. Xu Hui asked, “Yiming, do you remember the child we talked about?”

Ouyang Yiming nodded. Xu Hui said, "I really want a child, our child." Ouyang Yiming said, "Yes, yes." Xu Hui said, "Maybe not."

Ouyang Yiming's body trembled suddenly, his eyes widened as he stared at Xu Hui and asked, "Xu Hui, what did you say? What did you say! I've been looking at you strangely all night, what's wrong with you? Is it because of those two drinks?" Xu Hui shook her head and said, "Yiming, you know, I can't not tell you. Yiming, I have to go, I have to go..." At that moment, Ouyang Yiming's mind went blank, and he stammered in shock. Staring at Xu Hui, Ouyang Yiming asked, "Where are you going? Why are you saying that?" Xu Hui smiled and said, "Yiming, don't be afraid. I'm going to where I need to go." Ouyang Yiming hugged her tightly, panicking, "Xu Hui, what nonsense are you talking about! You're all better now, you can eat, you have no problems at all, why are you saying this? Xu Hui, don't scare me, please don't scare me, okay?" Xu Hui said, "Yiming, I don't want to leave you, but I can't. I have my own home, I have a place to go. Yiming, I'm not talking nonsense, my mind is clear..." Sober, unusually sober. Yiming, don't be nervous, don't disturb your family, I, I don't want to see them feel sad for me, okay?

Ouyang Yiming shook her and said, "Xu Hui, why do you want to make such a joke with me?" I saw it. I saw that you were recovering from your illness. You ate a lot today. Why do you still say such things? Xu Hui said: "Yiming, you must calm down now. You don't want me to see everyone in the family suffering for me!" Yiming, I will leave soon, go to the place that belongs to me. Yiming, don't worry, the place I went to is a very beautiful place. I won't be in any pain. I will live very happily there. You will also live a happy life. Yiming, I don't belong to this world, I want to go back. Yiming, what I'm most worried about is you and my parents. You know I'm going to a beautiful place, so don't worry. I just hope that you can treat my parents as yours after I go and take care of them on my behalf, okay? I will thank you and bless you. "Ouyang Yiming just trembled, but at this time he had no tears, let alone words. Xu Hui said, "Yiming, my sisters will be here to pick me up soon, very soon." At this moment, Ouyang Yiming burst into tears, his bloodshot eyes widening as he said, "No, no, I won't let you leave me, I won't! You can't leave my side!"

Xu Hui shed tears, smiled, and said, "Yiming, don't be silly. It's impossible, impossible. I want to, I want to, but it's absolutely impossible. Yiming, I'm so scared, so scared." She trembled as she spoke, burying her face in his chest and weeping. Ouyang Yiming choked back sobs, tightly hugging Xu Hui, saying, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, Xu Hui." Xu Hui remained silent. Ouyang Yiming felt an intense fear welling up inside him, turning her head to ask, "Xu Hui, are you too excited today? Did something happen to you? Your words today are abnormal, you know?"

Xu Hui looked at him, closed her eyes, and tears streamed down her cheeks. She opened her eyes and said, "Yiming, put me on the bed, I want to sleep." Ouyang Yiming hurriedly picked her up, turned around, and gently placed her on the bed, saying, "Xu Hui, you must have been too excited today. You must have been talking nonsense, you must have been drunk. You should rest, rest now. I'll help you take off your wedding dress." Xu Hui said, "No, no. I'll wear this dress." Ouyang Yiming nodded and said, "Sleep in it, sleep in it." Xu Hui said, "You sleep too, sleep next to me."

Ouyang Yiming lay down beside her, looking at her with wide eyes. Xu Hui tilted her head and looked at him, saying, "Sleep, sleep well." Ouyang Yiming didn't say anything. Xu Hui slowly closed her eyes. After a while, Ouyang Yiming heard Xu Hui's even breathing.

Ouyang Yiming couldn't sleep. He was filled with dread as he thought about Xu Hui's unusual behavior and words. Looking at her serene expression, he wondered if it was the stress of the past few days, the excitement of seeing her classmates today, or the anticipation of tomorrow's wedding. Her appetite was normal; she had recovered. So, what Xu Hui had said was simply a result of her confused thinking. She needed to rest, a proper rest. How could her weak body withstand such excitement? He secretly rejoiced that the wedding had been canceled. If it had gone ahead as planned, Xu Hui's condition would have worsened. "Sleep, a good night's sleep will make everything alright," he thought, but fear lingered. Xu Hui's words continued to echo in his mind, his heart still clenched tightly.

He frequently leaned forward to look at Xu Hui's face, listening to her breathing. Each time, it seemed normal. Ouyang Yiming felt a slight sense of relief. A sudden wave of drowsiness washed over him, and he drifted off to sleep.

He slept until dawn, and when he awoke, the first thing he noticed was a unique, intoxicating fragrance. He twitched his nostrils, finding the scent peculiar and unfamiliar; he had never smelled anything like it before. Suddenly, he heard the sound of raindrops outside the window. "Is it raining?" he wondered. He found it strange; he hadn't sensed any rain before going to sleep last night.

Opening his eyes, he saw a blurry white figure beside him. Reaching out to touch it, he suddenly realized it was Xu Hui, and a flood of memories rushed back to him. His heart pounded, and he sat bolt upright, calling out, "Xu Hui, why are you up so early?" There was no response. Ouyang Yiming reached for his glasses and put them back on. He saw Xu Hui sitting upright, facing west. He gently patted her from behind and asked, "When did you get up? What are you doing sitting here?" Still, there was no reply.

In that instant, Ouyang Yiming seemed to realize something. He scrambled to his feet, rolled over to the bed opposite Xu Hui, and stared at her. Xu Hui sat cross-legged, her face serene, her hands clasped in prayer, like a sacred Guanyin. Ouyang Yiming called out, "Xu Hui, Xu Hui?" There was no response.

A buzzing sound filled Ouyang Yiming's mind. He reached out and nudged Xu Hui's arm, calling, "Xu Hui, what are you doing? Why aren't you saying anything?" Still no reply. At that moment, Ouyang Yiming's heart seemed to stop beating, as if he had stopped breathing. He reached out a trembling hand to Xu Hui's nose, but felt no breath. He reached out and grasped Xu Hui's wrist, suddenly feeling its icy coldness. He checked Xu Hui's wrist for a pulse, but felt no beating. He froze for a moment, his mind blank for a instant. Then, he snapped back to reality, reached out to touch Xu Hui's face, and felt its icy coldness. He realized, he understood, he had gone mad… He called out Xu Hui's name, then suddenly scooped her up in his arms, leaping to his feet, muttering, "Xu Hui, what's wrong? You can't leave, you can't leave!"

He rushed to the door, opened the inner room door, opened the main door, and ran into the courtyard, into the rain, carrying Xu Hui in his arms. He knelt down with a thud, and cried out desperately to the heavens, "Xu Hui, Xu Hui, come back…"

This thunderous cry startled everyone—the main house, the east wing… Suddenly, terrified faces peeked out from the kitchen doorway, then rushed over, shouting. A group of people stood in the rain surrounding Ouyang Yiming, who was cradling Xu Hui like a wooden statue. Mao Yuqin's piercing scream shattered everyone's eardrums: "Xu Hui, Xu Hui, what's wrong? What's wrong? Wake up, wake up!" Ouyang Mei knelt in front of Xu Hui's head, touching Xu Hui's face with both hands, and cried out in anguish: "Sister, sister, what's wrong? Wake up, wake up!" The others echoed with cries for Xu Hui.

Yang Ping stared blankly at Xu Hui, seemingly stunned and speechless for a long time. Suddenly, she cried out, "Xiao Hui, Xiao Hui, my child!" and fainted. Mao Yuqin hurriedly stopped crying, caught her, and pinched her philtrum. Xu Zhenming called her name loudly. After a while, Yang Ping woke up and cried again, "Xu Hui, why didn't you say goodbye before leaving? Why? Why did you have to do this? How can I live? How can I live?" She cried and cried, her heart breaking. However, only the increasingly loud and close thunder and lightning drowned out everyone's voices.

The rain poured down harder and harder. The old man was the first to realize what was happening and said, "Xiao Ming, my child, get up and come inside quickly." Xu Zhenming and Ouyang Anping then understood. The two pulled Ouyang Yiming up, and they heard Ouyang Yiming shout to the sky, "Xu Hui, come back!" Another flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder. Ouyang Yiming was dragged into the west wing, carrying Xu Hui in his arms.

Sitting on the sofa, Ouyang Yiming's body began to tremble. He held Xu Hui tightly, staring blankly at her in his arms, his lips trembling as he repeatedly said, "Xu Hui, Xu Hui, are you asleep? Sleep, sleep!" He pressed his face tightly against Xu Hui's, saying, "Xu Hui, don't be afraid, don't be afraid, I'm here with you, right here with you." Mao Yuqin squatted in front of her, crying and calling out, "Xu Hui, aren't you better? Aren't you able to eat? What's wrong with you now?"

Ouyang Mei squatted in front of Xu Hui's head, stroking her wet hair, calling out "Sister" again and again in a heart-wrenching voice, tears streaming down her face. Xu Zhenming squatted on the ground, burying his face in his hands and weeping bitterly. Ouyang Anping and the old man sobbed softly. Ouyang Dongdong stood behind Mao Yuqin, sobbing and calling out, "Sister, sister..."

After a while, Ouyang Anping and the old man stopped crying. Ouyang Anping bent down and helped Xu Zhenming sit on the sofa, then turned to Mao Yuqin and said, "Yuqin, quickly try to comfort Xu Hui's mother. You can't cry like this." Mao Yuqin bent down and pulled Yang Ping over, without saying a word, but the two women hugged each other tightly and cried again, their sobs heart-wrenching.

After a while, things calmed down slightly, but the women were still sobbing. Ouyang Yiming was still holding Xu Hui tightly, pressing his face against hers. This time, he had no tears left, but his eyes were terrifying to everyone. Those eyes were filled with despair, sorrow, and helplessness... They were lifeless, utterly dull eyes, the eyes of a living person who had lost their will... Mao Yuqin and Yang Ping separated. Mao Yuqin knelt down in front of Ouyang Yiming, choking back tears as she asked, "Xiaoming, what happened?" Ouyang Yiming's eyes flickered as he looked at her, his lips moved but he remained silent. Ouyang Mei, sobbing, took a sofa towel and slowly wiped Xu Hui's wet hair. For a moment, there was complete silence… Ouyang Yiming suddenly stood up, carrying Xu Hui, and slowly walked, step by step, heavily and laboriously, into the inner room. He gently placed Xu Hui on the bed, murmuring, "Xu Hui, you're tired, sleep. I'll be right beside you, I won't leave you." He gently patted Xu Hui's abdomen twice, stood up, walked to the door, looked at the many pairs of eyes standing at the doorway, and closed the door behind him. He turned and walked to the bedside, silently watching Xu Hui, who seemed to be fast asleep. After a moment, he got into bed and lay down beside her, putting his arm around her and saying, "Xu Hui, I won't leave you, don't be afraid! Don't be afraid!" His hand gently patted Xu Hui's body, like patting a sleeping child... Mao Yuqin's voice came from outside the door: "Xiao Ming, open the door." Ouyang Yiming ignored her. Yang Ping's voice came from outside the door: "Yiming, open the door, open the door."

Ouyang Yiming didn't move. There were more voices outside the door... The door was finally opened; Ouyang Anping had brought a spare key. After everyone entered the room, Ouyang Yiming turned to look at them and said, "Don't make a sound, Xu Hui is asleep, she's asleep..." Everyone looked at him with tears in their eyes, and no one made a sound... Xu Zhenming glanced at a piece of paper under a pair of gold bracelets on the bedside table. He reached out and picked it up, seeing that it was left by Xu Hui. Ouyang Yiming hadn't seen this suicide note. It says on it:

"My dearest family: I'm leaving now, going to a beautiful place. Don't worry about me. Since I came into this world, I've been loved by each and every one of you, and I love you all in return. I will bless you. After I'm gone, please send me back to Suzhou, to my grandmother's side. Let me leave in this wedding dress. Don't hold any ceremony for me, absolutely not. Yiming, it's the greatest honor of my short life to have your love. I love you, and the only thing I feel sorry for is not fulfilling my responsibilities as a wife. I..." "I'm glad I was stubborn, otherwise it would have really hurt you. I don't want to explain this. Mother, I'm still the same as I told you that night, do you understand? No one should be sad for me, I will bless you all. I'm leaving these gold bracelets to you, don't give them to me, they're for the descendants of the Ouyang family. Xu Hui."

In her hazy state, Xu Hui saw the beautiful fairies and knew they had come to take her away. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at Ouyang Yiming, who was staring at her mortal body. Unable to bear seeing him leave, she called for him to fall asleep. As the fairies urged her to leave, he suddenly remembered that he hadn't finished explaining what had happened after his death, so he told the fairies about it. When Xu Hui woke up, everything was clear. She took a pen and paper and wrote these words. After finishing, she wept and leaned down to kiss Ouyang Yiming a few times. Then she sat on the bed with her hands clasped together, facing west, and her fairy body departed with the fairies, leaving behind a fragrant aroma.

She couldn't stop crying, and tears streamed down her face like a torrential downpour… After reading it, Xu Zhenming took the suicide note and the pair of gold bracelets, pulled Ouyang Anping aside, and sat down on the sofa, handing him the paper and the bracelets. Ouyang Anping read them, tears streaming down his face, speechless. Xu Zhenming said, “Let’s not be sad. Xu Hui was probably not born an ordinary person. She should have left when she was ten. So many years have passed, and she only dragged Yiming down with her.” As he spoke, tears streamed down his face. Ouyang Anping cried and said, “Don’t say that. We…we also treated Xu Hui as our own child. We…we didn’t treat her as our daughter-in-law; we treated her as our own daughter. But now…” He lowered his head and sobbed. Xu Zhenming patted Ouyang Anping's leg, nodding and crying, "Brother Anping, I know, I know." The two middle-aged men huddled together, crying, neither trying to comfort the other... The old man, tears streaming down his face, came out of the inner room, sat down on the sofa, and cried, "Xiaohui's father, you...you have to think positively." Xu Zhenming looked up at the old man, his eyes brimming with tears, and said, "Uncle, you...you must take care of yourself." The old man nodded, tears streaming down his face, choking back sobs, "Take care, I'll take care, I'll take care..." He kept saying this, finally unable to control himself any longer, and cried out, "Xiaohui, my child, my child..." Then he stared straight ahead and sobbed. The two men then burst into tears once again.

Hearing her grandfather crying loudly in the outer room, Mao Yuqin rushed out. Ouyang Dongdong followed. Mao Yuqin grabbed her grandfather's hand, crying, "Dad, Dad, don't cry, don't cry, you're so old..." Ouyang Dongdong cried, "Grandpa, don't cry, don't cry, Grandpa..." However, who can stop someone from crying? Mao Yuqin, saying, "Dad, don't cry, don't cry, okay?" couldn't stop her own grief. She cried out, "My Xiaohui!" and ran into the inner room, collapsing onto the bed and sobbing.

At this, Ouyang Mei and Yang Ping, who had been crying quietly, burst into tears.

Ouyang Yiming then shouted, "Stop crying, everyone!" The crying stopped instantly. Ouyang Yiming looked at them and said, "Xu Hui, Xu Hui is sleeping. Don't wake her. Okay?" He then patted Xu Hui and said, "Xu Hui, don't be afraid, I'm here with you. I'm not going anywhere."

Ouyang Mei, seeing Ouyang Yiming's expression, felt frightened. She sat down next to him, nudged him, and cried, "Brother, don't be like this, don't be like this, just cry if you want to..." Ouyang Yiming turned to her and said, "Meizi, what are you all doing? What are you all doing! Quick, help the two of them up!" "Mom's going out, Xu Hui is sleeping." Ouyang Mei cried out shrilly, "Brother, cry it out!" Ouyang Yiming glared at her and roared, "Get out, get out!" Ouyang Mei stood up in a panic, looked at Ouyang Yiming, then turned to look at Mao Yuqin and Yang Ping, who had stopped crying. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Mom, Aunt Yang, let's... let's go out." Mao Yuqin and Yang Ping watched as Ouyang Yiming stood up with tears in his eyes and retreated to the door. Mao Yuqin whispered to Ouyang Mei, "You stay here with your brother." Ouyang Mei nodded. Mao Yuqin helped Yang Ping out the door.

Sitting down on the sofa, Yang Ping said in a panic, "I...I'm worried about Yiming..." Ouyang Anping said, "He's fine, he's fine. Let him have some peace and quiet." Yang Ping's tears fell like pearls as she said,

"I didn't sleep a wink all night. Xu Hui was acting strangely when she came back last night. She...she kowtowed in front of me and his father, and I...I felt something was going to happen. Sure enough...sure enough, she...she left." Xu Zhenming said, "She knew, she knew she was leaving. She left a letter." Ouyang Anping handed Yang Ping the letter Xu Hui had left behind. Yang Ping took it and read it while crying. After reading it, she handed it to Mao Yuqin and then covered her face and wept bitterly. The old man, his hands trembling, packed a pipe, struck a match, lit it, took a puff, and said, "Don't...don't cry anymore. Their classmates are still at the hotel. Should we go and ask them to come now?" Ouyang Anping said, "Wait a while. Yiming's emotions are like this right now...wait a while." The old man sighed with tears in his eyes and said, "Xiaoming, Xiaming...he's too heartbroken..." He

choked up as he spoke, "He can't cry, he can't cry!" He then lowered his head and sobbed.

Yang Ping, who was also sobbing, cried out in grief, "My children, my two poor, unfortunate children!" Everyone then began to cry again. After a while, Yang Ping stopped crying. She stood up and said,

"I want to see my child, I want to see..." Xu Zhenming grabbed her arm and said, "Yang Ping, Yiming is like this now, let's... let's wait a while before going." Just then, a heart-wrenching cry came from inside the room: "Xu Hui, Xu Hui, wake up, wake up!"

Everyone hurriedly got up. Yang Ping knocked on the door, and Ouyang Mei opened it. They saw Ouyang Yiming kneeling beside Xu Hui, shaking her and crying. Yang Ping and Mao Yuqin were about to go in when the old man said, "Let him cry, let him cry for a while." The two stopped. Everyone stood at the door. Ouyang Mei pulled on Ouyang Yiming's arm and cried, "Brother, brother, don't be like this, don't be like this..." Yang Ping and Mao Yuqin couldn't hold back anymore and went inside, throwing themselves on Xu Hui and wailing. The rest of the people cried at the door. For a moment, there was another chorus of weeping...

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