Chapter 270

Chapter 270: Mother

The woman did not react. She kept her head lowered and focused on the cradle.

Inside the cradle, a cloth doll lay on soft bedding. Over it was a quilt made from cloud brocade. The woman was quietly and gently patting the quilt, her eyes tender.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, she whispered: “Shh,” then lowered her gaze again and kept soothing the “child” in the cradle.

Yu Zhi Yi looked at the woman’s thin body; her chest ached and felt tight with pity.

She walked forward on silent feet, moved to the other side of the cradle, slowly crouched, and only leaned her head out so she could quietly watch Xiao Qing.

No matter how focused Xiao Qing was, she could not miss a face that suddenly slid into the edge of her vision. Seeing that gentle, elegant face, she froze, then could not look away.

This face felt so familiar and so dear. Although the young woman’s expression was calm and still, Xiao Qing could not help wanting to be close. Staring blankly, she reached out and covered the young woman’s cheek with her hand, saying: “Jin’er…”

Yu Zhi Yi looked toward Jiang Yu Chuan with a questioning gaze. Jiang Yu Chuan explained: “We chose your name before you were born. Whether you were a boy or a girl, you were to be called Jiang Si Jin.”

Yu Zhi Yi lowered her eyes, thinking: [Jiang Si Jin… years like brocade. Such a lovely name. What a pity.] Then she said, steady and clear: “I have already been registered under a woman’s household. The name on the registry is Yu Zhi Yi.”

Though the record could be changed, under the laws of Sheng it could not be changed back anytime soon. Besides, Yu Zhi Yi had used this name for two lifetimes, and it had already become part of who she was.

Jiang Yu Chuan looked a little disappointed, but he still said with care: “It’s all right. A name is only a label. Your status is special too, so it would be inconvenient to keep changing it.”

The cool hand stroked Yu Zhi Yi’s face for a moment. Then Xiao Qing suddenly smiled and said with joy: “My Jin’er has come back! My Jin’er has come back!” Turning to Aunt Yin, she said: “A Fang, look, Jin’er looks so much like me.”

Yu Zhi Yi was a little surprised. On the journey here, she had heard Jiang Liu Yun talk often about Mother. She knew that most of the time Mother’s mind was unclear; even when she was clear, she spoke little and was easily upset. She had planned to treat her, yet before she even began, Xiao Qing seemed better. She wondered: [Is she already better?]

The thought had barely formed when Xiao Qing added, soft and dreamy: “It may be only a dream, but today’s dream feels especially real. If my Jin’er had grown up safe and sound, she would surely look like this peerless beauty.” She moved to the cradle’s side, crouched beside Yu Zhi Yi, and gently drew her into an embrace, saying: “A Fang, this time the dream is so real. I can even feel Jin’er’s warmth…”

Her voice suddenly broke. Two clear lines of tears slid down. One hand lightly stroked Yu Zhi Yi’s back as she murmured: “Jin’er, my Jin’er…”

Yu Zhi Yi let her hold on. [I thought I would hate a stranger’s touch, but I don’t want to push her away at all.] She allowed Xiao Qing to whisper by her ear.

But Xiao Qing’s state turned at once: “No. This isn’t a dream. Dreams aren’t this real. Who are you? Why are you pretending to be my Jin’er?” Her eyes sharpened as she cried: “Which fox spirit sent you? Do you want to steal everything that belongs to Jin’er? I’m telling you, as long as I’m here, don’t even think about it!”

Her face twisted, and she shoved hard. Yu Zhi Yi’s expression changed; she quickly removed the protective barrier around her body. Without it, she was pushed and fell seated on the floor.

At once, Xiao Qing’s palm struck down again and again: “How dare you pretend to be my Jin’er! Pretending to be my Jin’er! I’m telling you, no one can replace Jin’er. No one!”

Jiang Yu Chuan and the others were startled and wanted to rush in to pull Xiao Qing away. But she was too agitated and was using all her strength to hit Yu Zhi Yi; if they forced her off, they might injure her.

Yu Zhi Yi lowered her voice and said: “Don’t come over.”

The three men stopped at once.

Though Xiao Qing was striking with all her might, it meant little to Yu Zhi Yi. After dozens of blows like wind and rain, Yu Zhi Yi barely felt any pain. Xiao Qing, panting for breath, had no strength left. She slumped softly at Yu Zhi Yi’s side. Yu Zhi Yi seized the chance and tapped a point on her neck. Xiao Qing went limp and fell into Yu Zhi Yi’s arms.

Jiang Yu Chuan hurried forward to lift his wife. Jiang Liu Yi and Jiang Liu Yun helped Yu Zhi Yi up.

Jiang Liu Yun asked, face full of worry: “Sister, are you okay?”

Yu Zhi Yi shook her head and said: “I’m fine.”

Jiang Liu Yi’s brows were tight with concern as he said: “We should still find a physician to check.”

Yu Zhi Yi answered calmly: “I’m a physician. I know best whether I’m fine or not.”

The Jiang brothers were both stunned. Jiang Liu Yi could be forgiven; after all, this was his first time meeting Yu Zhi Yi. But Jiang Liu Yun had spent time with her and still had not known she had medical skill.

Ignoring the brothers’ surprise, Yu Zhi Yi said to Jiang Yu Chuan: “Lay Mother on the bed. I want to examine her.”

Jiang Yu Chuan did not know his daughter could practice medicine, but he knew she never spoke without reason. He did as she said and placed Xiao Qing on the bed.

Yu Zhi Yi sat by the bed and set her fingers on Xiao Qing’s wrist. A thread of spiritual energy flowed into Xiao Qing’s body. After a long time, she withdrew her hand, her gaze darkening.

Jiang Yu Chuan, Jiang Liu Yi, and Aunt Yin had no great hopes. Over the years they had found many physicians, even a divine physician. Yet all of them had been helpless. Even the divine physician could only soothe Xiao Qing when she went mad.

Only Jiang Liu Yun, who worshiped his sister blindly, looked at her full of hope and asked: “Sister, how is it? Can Mother’s mind come back?”

Yu Zhi Yi’s smooth brow curved with a slight frown as she said: “It can be done…”

Jiang Liu Yun’s eyes lit up at once. Jiang Liu Yi and Jiang Yu Chuan both changed expression, and Jiang Yu Chuan asked anxiously: “Yi’er, do you truly have a way?”

Aunt Yin’s brows pulled tight. Even a divine physician had no cure. What way could this newly returned young miss have?

Then Yu Zhi Yi said something that shook them all: “Mother is not sick. Someone forcibly took one of her souls and one of her spirits.”

People have three souls and seven spirits. You cannot miss even one. Xiao Qing now has only two spirits and six souls left. That is why she is not like other people. To make her normal again is simple: find and return the missing soul and spirit, and she will recover. But because they have been gone too long, at first she will often feel weary. She will need time and gentle care before she can return to normal.