Chapter 229: Dark Peach Blossoms
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Gripping her older brother’s sleeve tightly with her small hand, Lu Chao Chao sneakily tugged him away from the main room.
“Big brother, make sure to lock the door,” the little girl reminded him earnestly, her voice a high-pitched whisper.
Lu Yan Shu chuckled, his eyes brimming with fondness for his sister. “Don’t worry, Chao Chao. I’ll lock the door.”
“Big bwother, you wike Uncle Wong as stepdaddy?” Chao Chao asked, her eyes wide and innocent as she gazed up at him.
Lu Yan Shu’s expression softened even further. “If Chao Chao likes him, then I like him too.”
Long ago, Lu Yan Shu had given up on seeking their father’s affection. A terrifying incident from his childhood, where he nearly drowned and was left paralyzed due to prolonged suffocation, left a deep scar not just physically but also emotionally. When he had awakened, instead of concern, his father had expressed anger over his son’s newfound limitations, worried more about losing a valuable asset than his child’s wellbeing.
The real pain for Yan Shu wasn’t his paralysis, but the deep-seated disappointment visible in his father’s eyes.
“Does Chao Chao like Uncle Wong?” Lu Yan Shu gently inquired.
Chao Chao nodded eagerly. “He is good to Mama… and he is good to Chao Chao too.”
Touching her nose affectionately, Lu Yan Shu smiled. “Then that’s enough for me,” he said with a gentle gaze.
Chao Chao, despite her youth, carried the burden of being the least favored by their father, Lu Yuan Ze. Her existence seemed almost regrettable to him, and she had never felt the warmth of paternal love—not even slightly.
Understanding the void in his sister’s life, Lu Yan Shu, as her older brother, felt a deep responsibility. He knew her thoughts and her past life’s sorrows, filled with broken family ties. He wished for nothing more than to have her cherished and loved by all.
After spending merely a day at home, Lu Yan Shu’s classmates came to take him away.
That same evening, Chao Chao stood before Madam Xu, examining a letter from their second brother.
“Mama, did Second Bwother weally get pwomotion?” she inquired, her chubby fingers tracing the ink on the parchment.
Madam Xu, while wiping her tears discreetly, replied with a mixture of pride and pain, “Your foolish brother earned his promotion on the battlefield, risking his life for military merits.”
“Did he write to Sister Wen Ning?” Chao Chao asked with a serious tone.
Laughing through her tears, Madam Xu responded, “You little busybody! Wen Ning is his fiancée; do you think he would forget her? There’s no need for you to worry about it…”
Chao Chao giggled at her mother’s words, who then coaxed her to sleep before taking her son’s letters back to her room.
Unable to sleep, Chao Chao suddenly sniffed something odd in the air. Slipping out of bed, she put on her shoes and quietly opened the door. Yuhua, her maid, awoke with a start.
Chao Chao put her finger to her lips. “Shh…”
Yuhua, still groggy, followed her out of the room. They passed by Chao Chao’s house on the left, heading towards Uncle Rong’s on the right. The Wen family, close to Madam Xu, often visited during holidays.
“Miss, why do I smell something strange… like burning paper money?” Yuhua asked, shivering as goosebumps rose on her skin, the air growing inexplicably cold.
Chao Chao patted her shoulder, calming her slightly.
[Hmm, after I drew the Radiant Sword, there shouldn’t be any evil spirits left in North Zhao… The Radiant Sword is pure yang, capable of subduing ghosts and demons…]
Realizing the possible cause, Chao Chao suspected it might be because she had stored the Radiant Sword in her jade pendant space.
Finding a small dog hole, she crawled into the Wen family’s yard undetected. She paused outside Wen Ning’s courtyard, her expression turning into a frown.
[Why is there such a heavy presence of dark peach blossoms here?]
The courtyard seemed engulfed in a thick, ominous aura.
“This is my future sister-in-law!” Chao Chao muttered angrily. With her second brother away, she felt it was her duty to protect his fiancée. Picking up a leaf, she infused it with spiritual energy. The withered leaf revitalized, turning green again. She directed it towards Wen Ning’s door, watching as the dark aura began to recede.
Chao Chao clapped her hands, satisfied. “Time to go home and sweep. I’ll check on Sister Wen Ning in da morning,” she decided, sensing that something was wrong with Wen Ning.
Early the next morning, Chao Chao hurried to the Wen family.
“Uncle Wen, I miss Sister Ning…” she pleaded, hugging his leg as he prepared to leave for court.
Uncle Wen, who adored Chao Chao, hesitated. “Ning has been sick lately; you might catch her illness,” he warned.
Unperturbed, Chao Chao waved her hand dismissively. “I’m not afwaid. I’m very heawthy. With Second Bwother away, I have to take care of my future sister-in-law,” she declared, her voice firm despite her youthful lisp.
Unable to refuse her, Uncle Wen allowed her inside. A maid escorted Chao Chao to Wen Ning’s room.
“Miss Ning has been having nightmares and waking up disoriented. The royal physician can’t find anything wrong,” the maid sighed, opening the door to reveal Wen Ning staring blankly out the window.
Chao Chao tugged at her sleeve. “Sister Ning, are you thinking about Second Bwother?” she asked innocently.
Normally, such a question would make Wen Ning blush, but now she seemed distant.
Holding a letter from Lu Zheng Yue, tears began to form in her eyes. She had been harboring a secret, unsure of how to share it.
“Sister Ning, what’s wrong? Did someone bully you? Tell me, and I’ll help you,” Chao Chao offered, her tone filled with genuine concern. “Was it Second Bwother who made you sad?”
Wen Ning lifted Chao Chao into her arms, her eyes red with emotion. “Chao Chao, I’m a bad girl…” she sobbed, lost in her dilemma.
Feeling slightly relieved by Chao Chao’s innocent presence, she confided in the little girl.
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
“I really like Brother Zheng Yue. I’ve liked him since I was little. Every time he writes to me, I’m so happy… But…” Wen Ning’s voice broke off.
“I don’t understand why I keep dreaming about a stranger,” she whispered, her voice tinged with shame and fear. “In my dreams, he’s very handsome and tells me he loves me. I see him every night. Yesterday, he gave me an address and told me to find him. When I didn’t go, he appeared furious in my dream, looking terrifying and insane. Last night, he disappeared from my dream, and I finally woke up.”
“Chao Chao, I feel so guilty. I’m a bad girl for dreaming about another man while liking your brother,” Wen Ning confessed, tears streaming down her face.
Chao Chao’s eyes widened in realization.
[Dark peach blossoms!]
[Some wandering spirit has dared to trouble my future sister-in-law!]
[Hmph, this ghost must be tired of existing if it thinks it can mess with someone from the Lu family!]
Filled with determination to protect Wen Ning, Chao Chao vowed to rid her of the ghostly presence haunting her.