" My lord."
A figure slowly walked towards where he was. It was foggy and the dense scent of incense filled his lungs.
As the figure moves closer, it got less foggy, and the scent became mild.
" My lord."
The voice called out again. More like a whisper.
" Qing Hua?"
The voice became quiet. The figure kept walking towards him at a slow pace.
' Isn't it Qing Hua? '
He squint his eyes to make out what the figure was like. He couldn't but he could hear the sounds of bells jingling.
' Who is that? '
Gradually, the fog dispersed, revealing an altar lit with several lamps, several baskets filled with offerings, and several burning incense sticks. A huge white statue seated atop the altar, with a blindfold around its eyes sat in a lotus position, holding a glimmering sword in its left and a red string of a waist drum flowing from the sea in its right, and a drum sits in front of it. At each side of the statue were fountains of glass-like waters.
Before he could make sense of it, the figure was standing in front of him.
' Lady in white?!'
" My Lord." She kowtowed.
She looked just the same before she died. A peony.
" You can call me Lin Xiang," she said with a smile.
' An elegant peony as she died the most horrible death? They would pay! '
" Is this..."
" Yes my Lord," she walked towards the altar and paid her respect, " Thank you, my Lord. "
A confused look painted his face as he found himself walking towards the alter. He sat beside the praying peony and silently waited for her to finish her prayers. His eyes roamed the altar, especially the statue. It looked quite familiar. The more he stared at it, the more it looks familiar. A hushed voice pulled him out of his trance.
" My lord. "
Shen Zhufu fought within himself between asking about the statue or staying silent about it " Whose statue is that?" well, the urge to know won.
Lin Xiang covered her giggle with her sleeves like the shy lady she was, " My Lord? " and she said nothing about it.
' Oh, well! '
Shen Zhufu moved closer to her and brushed off the strands of hair hiding her eyes; she looked the same but not totally. Her eyes had no mirth in them. Sadness clouded her features. Shen Zhufu, " How are you?"
Even her smile no longer reach her eyes. In a bitter voice so bitter than the gall he tasted in his throat. Lin Xiang, "I am fine," she did a curt bow, " I am grateful to you for preserving my soul."
Shen Zhufu nodded his head in reply.
His eyes didn't miss those hidden tears falling down her cheeks.
Her voice choked with tears of a longing mother, " My lord, I don't know what they would do to my baby. Or something might have happened to him? Like his brother?"
Shen Zhufu felt heartbroken as he couldn't find the right words to console her. Instead, he pulled her into a warm hug, at least, it was better than words. He borrowed her his shoulders and consoling warmth. She had been holding the tears since.
" I have been looking for him but... I don't know where he is now!! What they might have done to him... "
' Shit, I'm a sucker for a situation like this.. '
He released her a little so he could clean the tears from her eyes. In a soft voice, he made her promise, the altar as the witness.
Her face gradually lightens up, mirth returning to her eyes.
' That's more like it. '
" I don't know how to repay you. "
' If I say she shouldn't... She would cry more... Hmm.. ' his eyes fell on the belled anklet on her feet 'I know...'
" Would you dance for me? "
" Would you beat me the drum, my Lord? "
He would but he couldn't bring his drum with him.
Her red lips curled up in a small smile. She kowtowed to the alter before taking the drum and offering it to him.
The soft jingles of bells and white sleeves swayed with her elegant and delicate movement, in tune with the gentle sound of a drum.
White petals rained like snow. A sweet melody was sung.
Her voice told the sad story of an elegant peony. White peonies covered the floor.
Shen Zhufu never stopped playing the drum, uprooted one.
' Just like her. '
A blue firelight appeared in front of him and went for his cheek with a gentle caress before flying away. It was an odd mixture of warmth and ice.
It didn't come alone. They were everywhere. Some flowed with her delicate movement just like a peaceful sea flowing with the tide.
' Eh? '
Soft strums of guqin accompanied the drum from a distance.
Shen Zhufu searched everywhere but found no one.
' Again? '
This time, the soft beat of the drum came to an end along with every other thing, including the distant guqin music.
" My lord?"
Lin Xiang's crimson face twisted with confusion. If she were alive, she would be drippy with sweats. She took a seat in front of him, the drum between them.
' That reminds me... Should I ask her now? Or...'
As soon as the decision was made, it wasn't given the chance of fulfillment.
His time was up.
Everywhere went blank and the confused Lin Xiang was nowhere to be found.
Giggles of a baby and a boyish voice replaced it.
" Gege~ you are awake?"
The bright ray of light coming from the opened window forced his eyes open. A splitting headache had his head spinning.
" No, can't you see I'm still sleeping and dreaming?" he stretched out his hand to the confused Cao Chang, " Idiot, help me up."
Ignoring the stretched hand, he snaked his way beside him with a puzzled look on his face. Voice velvety, Cao Chang asked" Dreaming of what? Me~" A flush crept up his face at whatever he was thinking.
The blush on his face had Shen Zhufu cringed. ' Why will I be dreaming of you? What the fuck are you thinking about?' He lifted an eyebrow and gave him a once-over " Come closer." he gestured with a finger.
He pretended to want to whisper something important into his ear. Shen Zhufu, " I'm hungry."
Cao Chang, "...."
Shen Zhufu burst into a fit of uncontrolled laughter. Seeing the blank look on his enemy's face made him burst into another round of loud laughter, holding his stomach and hitting the bed.
"...."
"hahahahaha, if you could see your face in the mirror Hahahaha"
" Gege~"
The defeated peacock got up with his tail between his legs and left the room, not without stomping his feet hard on the floor.
" Mind the wall ahead, Hahaha" Shen Zhufu shouted after him.
' I'm up for your games this time, Hehe'
He took Wei Xiang, who had drank several gourds of vinegar, into his arms.
' The cold shoulder? This pungent stench? '
When it dawned on him, he let out a little giggle. " Someone is drunk with vinegar? Is it you, A-Xiang?" he gave a light laugh before raining kisses all over the baby in his arms whose cold wall had been broken. He gave in easily.
Watching this wholesome interaction between them was a person who leaned against the wall with a small smile on his face.