Chapter 55 - Little Rabbit Ti
Indeed, I am your Xing Guang.
...
By the time Pei Xuan woke up, it was already the seventh day. From the emperor to the lowliest servant cleaning the Pei mansion, countless hearts were stirred.
"Cousin!"
Dou Qingyue, pale and leaning on her maid's arm, approached, her frail form swaying like a willow in the wind.
Upon seeing her, Cui Ti's anxious heart instantly calmed. She glanced at Pei Xuan, then shifted her gaze to Dou Qingyue's pristine white undergarment. After a moment's thought, she leaned over and added a thick fur coat over Dou Qingyue.
This season, nearing autumn, was far from the time to wear fur coats.
It was clear Dou Qingyue was being petulant. Pei Xuan, seated on his bed, adjusted the thick white fur coat, covering her slender figure.
Only then did Cui Ti feel a bit more at ease. However, she still disliked how Dou Qingyue trailed behind Pei Xuan like a little tail. If anyone should be acting like Xing Guang's tail, following him everywhere, it should be her.
Who does Dou Qingyue think she is? By relation, she's at best a daughter from his maternal uncle's family. Not to mention, in their past life, Dou Qingyue was responsible for her death.
Between them lay a blood feud, mutual loathing evident in their gazes.
Standing there, Cui Ti made Dou Qingyue feel uneasy. Especially seeing that out-of-season clothing on Pei Xuan, the furry coat seemed even more glaring to her eyes.
Such a pampered act!
She gritted her teeth in annoyance. Suddenly, dizziness washed over her, and her maid quickly steadied her.
"Cousin, I need to speak with you."
"Just speak here."
"Cousin!"
She grew so agitated that she began to cough repeatedly. Her maid, unable to bear the sight, softly pleaded on her mistress's behalf. Pei Xuan's cold gaze paused momentarily, then he tilted his head toward Cui Ti: "My wife."
The tension in Cui Ti's brow eased. "Very well, you two talk."
She got up and walked away, but not too far, standing just outside the door, her ears perked.
The room was silent, with no one speaking.
Dou Qingyue, with her sickly face, observed her 'dear cousin.' His pristine white robe, jet-black hair, and exquisite neckline made him look more refined and otherworldly than she remembered.
Softly, she called out, "Cousin..."
Pei Xuan, without raising his eyes, said, "Sit."
Pointing to a wooden stool nearby, Dou Qingyue obediently took a seat. She coughed again, this time so violently it felt as if her heart and lungs would burst out. Yet, Pei Xuan showed no sympathy.
It shouldn't be this way.
Her cousin had always been gentle and soft-hearted.
A chilling suspicion crossed her mind, making her shudder.
"Qingyue."
"Cousin..."
Pei Xuan meticulously stroked the long furs on his coat. With fingers as delicate as spring onions and skin as white as jade, his cascading hair flowed over his shoulders. He softly said, "Qingyue, you know, I am not your 'cousin.' I am your cousin-sister."
Dou Qingyue felt a jolt in her heart, exclaiming in disbelief, "You---"
Her face turned ghostly pale. "You're back too?"
"Qingyao, it's time to turn back."
He raised an eyebrow, his stunning eyes indifferent and emotionless.
Suddenly, Dou Qingyue spat out blood, staining her silk handkerchief. Her body trembled uncontrollably, as suppressed memories overwhelmed her.
Qingyao.
Who is Qingyao?
And who am I?
Terror filled her heart. Facing the gaze from Pei Xuan, all she wanted was to flee.
But where could she run?
She dared not meet that gaze.
No!
I am not Qingyao!
She stood up abruptly, memories of the past rushing towards her, as if they were fated to come back.
That's right.
She was Qingyao.
A celestial grass that sprouted emotions next to the ink washing pond of the Wenqu Star Palace in the heavenly realm.
She had foolishly hoped to gain the love of the Celestial Lord. Ignoring heavenly rules, she jumped off the reincarnation platform, entering the cycle of life and became the daughter of the Dou family.
"No, no!"
She took two steps back, knocking over a stool in the process.
There was a commotion inside the room. Cui Ti, suffering from blindness, couldn't see what was happening. Just as she was considering approaching the door, it opened, and someone rushed out.
The wind carried a strong medicinal scent.
It was Dou Qingyue.
"Young miss? Young miss!"
Her maid chased after her.
Cui Ti was puzzled, "What happened?"
"Xuan? Xuan!" Lady Pei arrived in haste, "Is Xuan awake?"
Pei Xuan, draped in his fur coat, with his hair flowing freely, walked out, "Mother."
Seeing her unharmed, Lady Pei was overjoyed. She was so thrilled that both she and Cui Ti momentarily forgot about Dou Qingyue's outburst.
After witnessing two similar scenarios, Cui Ti realized the depths of a mother's love for her daughter.
The last time, there was a slight misunderstanding, thinking Pei Xuan had a hysterical fit. Lady Pei had hurriedly come over, lost her composure, and mistakenly thought Cui Ti could see her facial expressions.
This was later narrated to her by Bai Tang.
Bai Tang had a good laugh about it in private.
The situation was the same this time. The dignified wife of the Prime Minister ignored her relatives and fussed over her daughter, "I have made chicken soup for you in the kitchen. Do you want some?"
Being the Wenqu Star of the heavenly realm and also the child of the Pei family on Earth, Pei Xuan smiled, "Yes."
Lady Pei paused, tears welled up in her eyes, and she embraced her daughter, "You scared me so much. Promise me you won't get involved in such matters again, alright?"
She nodded earnestly, "I will listen to mother."
Truly a mother's darling, always reassuring.
"What did you say to her?"
When Lady Pei went to the kitchen to fetch the soup, Cui Ti curiously inquired.
Dressed in the fur coat, Pei Xuan was sweating. But because it was given to her by her beloved, she didn't want to take it off, "Nothing much. After today, she will come to her senses."
"Is it really that miraculous?"
"Don't you believe me, my love?"
Caught by Pei Xuan's clear and pure gaze, Cui Ti chuckled, "I believe everything you say. But aren't you feeling hot?"
How could she not?
Pei Xuan cherished and adored Cui Ti. Regretting the wasted time due to her own clumsiness, she smiled, "I am, but I want you to help me take it off."
"Oh my, is this our proper Wenqu Star?"
Beneath the Tree of Fate, the old moon deity looked at the water mirror, his smile so wide that he couldn't close his mouth.
The Red Phoenix star, intrigued, mischievously remarked, "Now that her wish has been fulfilled and she has won her beloved, surely she won't keep holding a grudge against the rabbit, tasting its head once every month, right?"
The old moon deity paused, and then burst into hearty laughter.
While the two celestial beings above enjoyed the spectacle, the earthly Wenqu was suddenly reminded of something and looked up at the vast sky.
And the vast sky was clear, stretching endlessly without a cloud.
"What are you looking at?"
Beneath the eaves, Cui Ti followed her gaze, puzzled: the sky? What's so fascinating about the sky?
To Pei Xuan, her clueless expression transformed her into an adorable Ti rabbit with long ears. Her lips curled upward, "Nothing much, my wife. Let's head back to our room."
Every word she spoke to Cui Ti since awakening was as if coated with honey, unbearably sweet. Yet she herself was unaware, still speaking with that same doting tone.
Cui Ti's ears turned red. She rubbed her earlobes, feigning composure, and took her hand.
Their fingers
intertwined, and the anxious heart from the past few days finally found peace.
Certainly, everyone rejoiced when Pei Xuan woke up. However, over at the Dou residence, Dou Qingyue's condition deteriorated severely, and no medicine or doctor could cure her.
In just a couple of days, her spirit ascended to the heavens, and the fairy Qingyao was the first to return to her place.
Their beloved daughter was critically ill, a fever rendering her delirious and lost. The severe distress turned General Dou's hair white, while Lady Dou nearly wept her eyes blind, staying beside the bed day and night without rest.
Little did they know that their daughter had already returned to where she was meant to be.
"Pity the love of parents across the world."
Thankfully, since the Pei and Dou families were related, Wenqu had to remain in the mortal realm until the love story reached its completion. If Dou Qingyue were to die prematurely and the two families became enemies, it would greatly disadvantage the reincarnated Wenqu.
In light of their past amity, the old moon deity brought the book of destined relationships to the higher-ups, hoping to fill the void left by Fairy Qingyao.
With this endeavor, a solution was indeed found.
The book of destined relationships happened to contain a mortal woman of good deeds, who died unexpectedly, and was fated to be the wife of the mortal Song Zizhen in a previous life. After obtaining permission, the old moon deity made a trip to the underworld and back.
"On the day when Wenqu returns to her position, I must trick her into gifting me several jars of spirit wine. Otherwise, all my efforts will have been in vain," he mused.
The Red Phoenix star chuckled upon hearing this.
When celestial beings take action, mortals benefit.
After finishing his duties, Song Zizhen visited the Dou residence daily to see the ailing Miss Dou. He wrote poems for her, made her laugh, and tried his best to console her.
Strangely enough, the previously delirious Miss Dou suddenly regained consciousness one day.
The people of Xi Jing believed that it was Song's sincere love that moved the heavens.
No longer did the townsfolk discuss the incident of Dou Qingyue confessing her love to Pei Xuan at the Gui Ming Bridge, lest they push someone, who had barely escaped death, back to the brink with gossip.
"Fairy Qingyao, let's go. The playful Ning Hehuan and Qin Zhen are waiting," an impatient celestial servant urged in the Nine Heavens.
Beside the Ink-Washing Pond, a celestial herb looked longingly towards the mortal realm. It saw the celestial lord tenderly covering the rabbit spirit with a quilt.
Feeling a pang of pain, it deliberately averted its gaze, only to catch the last scene of young Master Song making 'Miss Dou' laugh heartily.
It was an indescribable feeling deep within.
Opening her palm, it felt as if all the blessings and fortune were slipping through her fingers.
All because of an undesired infatuation.
She was resentful, yet had to accept it.
For
The celestial lord said, "Qingyao, it's time to turn back."
Upon her return to the heavenly court, Fairy Qingyao was immediately taken to the Water Dungeon by celestial servants, joining Ning Hehuan and Qin Jing. When she arrived, Qin Jing was ridiculing the playful fairy, Ning Hehuan.
Ning Hehuan couldn't be bothered to respond.
Hearing the commotion, she turned and remarked with a smirk, "Isn't this Miss Dou?"
She loved to poke fun. Fairy Qingyao turned her face away, ignoring her, and instead bowed respectfully to Qin Jing.
Qin Jing dismissed her with a wave, her demeanor cool, "I helped you for my own reasons. No need to thank me."
Now hesitant, Fairy Qingyao found herself positioned between the two, facing chilling winds and cold waters.
The punishments in heaven were harsh, even for celestial beings.
Yet, Ning Hehuan still found the mood to tease. With a wave of her hand, she summoned a water mirror, saying, "Given our century of solitude, we might as well amuse ourselves by watching Wenqu and that rabbit spirit."
"..."
Down in the mortal realm, Da Zhao, Xi Jing.
A servant hurriedly approached, "M'lord, young madam, Miss Bai and Mr. Song Zizhen are here to visit."
The Dou family had already formed a marital bond with the Song family. Although they were quite astonished by Dou Qingyue's near 'resurrection' experience, upon learning that the famed Dou Qingyue was now spoken for and hearing about her drastic change in temperament, Cui Ti was curious to 'see' if she was truly different from before.
"Let them in quickly."
Upon her command, Pei Xuan finally spoke, "Please come in."
Song Zizhen was attentively accompanying his fiancée, and just before entering, he asked, "Do you truly wish to marry me?"
He shamelessly asked such a question right in another's home. What kind of talk was this?!
Dou Qingyue blushed and responded, making Song Zizhen so happy that he almost stumbled as he walked.
His giddy demeanor caught the eye of Pei Xuan, who laughed, "What brings you two here?"
From her tone, it seemed there was no lingering resentment.
"Greetings to cousin and cousin-in-law," Dou Qingyue said. "On this visit, Zizhen and I wish to apologize for any past offenses. We hope you both will not hold it against us."
Her words intertwined her identity with Song Zizhen's, as if she had truly become a different person.
Cui Ti was half skeptical; the change was so drastic that it was hard to fathom.
Pei Xuan offered a reassuring pat, "We're all family here; no need to be so formal."
Hearing her say 'we're all family', Song Zizhen visibly relaxed and laughed, "Exactly, Xing Guang, I always knew you weren't petty!"
As the two of them chatted, Dou Qingyue approached Cui Ti, "I wish everlasting love for my cousin and cousin-in-law, may you grow old together."
"..."
Despite her attempts to make amends, Dou Qingyue's past misdeeds had darkened her reputation with Cui Ti. When Cui Ti heard her kind words, she couldn't shake off the uneasiness, reminiscent of a weasel wishing a chicken a Happy New Year. Should she believe her or not?
Lost in her thoughts, if it weren't for her inability to see, she'd be looking intently to determine if Dou Qingyue's very soul had been swapped.
"Cousin-in-law?"
"..."
Given Dou Qingyue's notorious past, Cui Ti still chose to ignore her.
By dusk, after seeing off the engaged couple, she sat in her room deep in thought.
Pei Xuan walked over, wrapping his arms around her, chuckling.
"What are you laughing about?"
Lady Pei was completely baffled.
Pei Xuan stopped laughing and, with a straight face, holding her waist said, "I just suddenly remembered someone once mentioned that a rabbit's brain is quite small, implying it might not be very sharp."
Cui Ti's eyes widened in astonishment, "Who said that?!"
For no apparent reason, she felt a rush of indignation---what had the rabbit done to deserve such mockery?