Chapter 74

Chapter 74: He Came Looking

When Song An Lan said, “I do not have much time left,” his voice was calm and steady.

He already knew his days were numbered. Death itself did not scare him. What he feared was that after he died, his uncles would only think about swallowing up the family wealth and no one would treat Wan’er kindly.

In this world he had only one sister, Song Wan’er. He wished for her to live the rest of her life in peace, with no worries about food or clothing.

Moments ago those uncles had pressed him to take a wife and to adopt a younger clan member as an heir, but he refused, because none of them would take good care of Wan’er.

They had even mistaken Chun Zhi for his woman, and by accident reminded him that there was another path he could take: he could marry Chun Zhi.

Chun Zhi was with child, and the doctor said the baby was very likely a boy.

No one knew his body better than Song An Lan did; even if he married now, he might not be able to have children. Besides, people’s hearts are hard to read. Who could tell what kind of person a new wife would be? If she were cruel, who knew how she might mistreat Wan’er later? If she were kind, he did not want to ruin a good woman’s life by tying it to his dying self.

So he needed a lady of the house who would not be harmed by marrying him, who would be good to Wan’er, and who would have a child at her side to help hold on to the Song Clan’s fortune. Chun Zhi was the best choice.

Chun Zhi stood up: “Young Master Song…”

“Chun Zhi, do not rush to refuse me.”

He spoke softly, explaining the pros and cons and his reasons. He said: “You must have your reasons for leaving the nobleman who has been searching for you, but you are about to give birth. Your child needs a proper, lawful identity.”

His words hit her heart. If a child could not be entered on the household registry, he would become a drifter without papers. Drifters could not go to school or do business. They spent their lives hiding and could even fall into slavery.

If Chun Zhi had stayed in Linshui Town, she could have found a way to register the child. But she had fled to Dongzhou. If she left the Song Manor now, she could not even reveal her own identity, much less register the baby.

“I am willing to be this child’s father and leave the Song Clan’s wealth to him,” said Song An Lan. “Chun Zhi, after we marry, I will not ask anything of you. I only ask that you treat Wan’er well and protect her so she can live in peace all her life.”

He made that promise.

Young Master Song had saved Chun Zhi’s life and sheltered her in the Song Manor. Song Wan’er treated her like a true sister. Even more, marrying Song An Lan would cut off Huo Zheng’s pursuit. Chun Zhi found it hard to refuse.

But she did not agree at once. Lowering her eyes to think, she said softly: “Even if marrying you is all gain and no loss for me, I still cannot agree right away.”

His offer let her take all the advantage, and she did not want to take advantage of Song An Lan.

“It is all right,” he said gently. “I will give you time. Think it over.”

Chun Zhi murmured an “mm,” stood, and returned to her small courtyard. As she stepped out the door, she heard Song An Lan’s suppressed cough.

[Perhaps he truly has no one he can trust, so he wants to marry me, to claim my child as his, just to trade for a promise that I will care for Song Wan’er.]

When she reached the courtyard, she ran into Song Wan’er. Wan’er’s eyes were red, as if she had been crying. The moment she saw Chun Zhi, she hurried over, asking: “Sister, where did you go?”

Chun Zhi answered: “I went to see Young Master Song.”

Rubbing her eyes, Song Wan’er asked, “Is my older brother any better today?”

Song An Lan had protected her well; none of the awful things the uncles did while he was sick had reached her ears.

Chun Zhi touched the corner of Wan’er’s eye and said: “If you want to know how your older brother is, you can go see him yourself.”

Sniffling, Song Wan’er said, “I do not want my older brother to see me crying.”

Yet every time she saw Song An Lan lying weak on the couch, she could not help it. These siblings had depended on each other for many years and had long made each other the most important person in their lives.

Chun Zhi soothed her for a long time before coaxing her to eat.

She weighed Song An Lan’s proposal carefully for three days. It was winter. The flowers had withered; frost and snow lay over the land. After she saw him cough blood for the second time, she nodded and agreed.

[How should one repay a life-saving grace?] Chun Zhi thought: [I will do as Song An Lan wishes.]

She agreed to marry him, not to covet the Song Clan’s wealth, but to put him at ease. At the same time, it would make Huo Zheng give up taking her away. Her child would have a proper registration and a good father in Song An Lan. She would do her best to protect the Song Clan’s money and to be kind to Song Wan’er. She and Song An Lan would each get what they needed.

That afternoon, Song An Lan called Wan’er to him and told her that he and Chun Zhi were going to be married.

“What?” Song Wan’er was stunned: “Older brother is going to marry Sister Chun Zhi?”

From the first moment she met Chun Zhi, Wan’er had wished for her to become her sister-in-law. But Chun Zhi was carrying another man’s child; no matter how much Wan’er wanted that sister-in-law, she could not force it. Now her gravely ill older brother said he would marry Chun Zhi.

Song An Lan nodded and said: “Wan’er, did you not want this sister-in-law very much? Now you have your wish. Are you happy?”

Wan’er did not know what to say. She faintly understood that her older brother was marrying this sister-in-law for her sake. His sickness was likely beyond any cure. With tears in her eyes, Song Wan’er nodded and said: “I am happy.”

“As long as you are happy.”

Song An Lan gave orders, and the whole Song Manor began preparing for the wedding. For days, the manor was busy from top to bottom. Song Wan’er helped pick the wedding clothes for her brother and Chun Zhi and decided on the dishes for the banquet. One day she saw Song An Lan coughing blood and hid to cry her heart out. Early the next morning she planned to go to Wanhua Temple to burn incense and pray for him.

Since the doctor could not save him, she could only ask the gods.

When Chun Zhi learned of it, she went with Wan’er to Wanhua Temple. The day they left, the wind was harsh and the dew heavy. Halfway there, snow began to fall. Flakes drifted down and covered the city in white. The Song Clan carriage passed along the long street, headed outside the city, and climbed the mountain road to Wanhua Temple.

They stopped outside the temple. Snow fell thick in the hills. Green bamboo and pines were dusted with white. At the entrance they were blocked. A guard said: “A nobleman is praying inside. You may only exit, not enter.”

Holding an oil-paper umbrella to shield Chun Zhi from the wind and snow, Song Wan’er whispered: “They say Wanhua Temple is very effective. The gods here answer prayers. Sister-in-law, look, even a nobleman has come to burn incense.”

Chun Zhi looked through the gate at the tall, straight back of that nobleman. The temple was full of incense smoke. He stood with a stick of incense in hand, straight as a jade tree, mist swirling around him. Even from dozens of steps away, just from his silhouette, Chun Zhi knew at a glance that the man was Huo Zheng.

She froze as if the wind and snow had turned her to ice. Her body went stiff, her face changed, and she grabbed Song Wan’er’s hand: “He… he came looking. Wan’er, let us go, quickly…”