Chapter 32: The Abbot Was Cursed Blind
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Lu Yuan Xiao clenched his fists tightly. Even now, people continued to compare his late elder brother to Lu Jing Huai. The world had dubbed them the “Two Talents of the Lu Clan.”
Whenever his elder brother was mentioned, people would sigh regretfully, lamenting how such a brilliant and dazzling individual had been reduced to a cripple. Then, they would take the opportunity to praise Lu Jing Huai, effectively elevating him by trampling upon his elder brother’s legacy.
“Mother, my studies are becoming increasingly difficult. I wish to borrow some of my elder brother’s old books and essays. Do you know where they might be?” Lu Yuan Xiao coughed lightly, feigning a casual tone as he asked.
Madam Xu pursed her lips. “After your elder brother’s accident, he wanted nothing to do with his past. Your father arranged to have those things moved away.”
[They’ve long been given to Lu Jing Huai, hmph!]
Lu Chao Chao could barely hold the massive apple in her arms, an apple so big it dwarfed her own cheeks.
“Speaking of him, it’s been so long since I last saw your elder brother.” A shadow passed over Madam Xu’s expression. The mere thought of her eldest son brought an unrelenting ache to her heart.
She had poured every ounce of her love and hope into him. When the accident happened, it was as if she had lost half her own life. Later, when he refused to step beyond the door of his room, she could not enter either. Occasionally, she could only sneak in while he slept, just to catch a glimpse of him. She watched helplessly as he grew thinner by the day, as despair consumed him bit by bit, as he slowly lost the will to live.
“Eight years… when will he finally step outside again?” Madam Xu sighed deeply.
“Perhaps, elder brother will find clarity soon,” Lu Yuan Xiao said, his thoughts drifting back to his last encounter with his elder brother. It seemed he had taken a liking to Chao Chao. For her sake, he had even broken his own rigid rules.
Madam Xu smiled faintly but said nothing. She dared not hope for too much. The mere fact that her eldest son was still alive had become her final solace.
During the day, Lu Yuan Xiao indulged in a deep sleep. For the next two days, he continued his nocturnal routine. By the third day, he had visibly slimmed down.
“This is unbearable! To go through this ordeal year after year—who could withstand it? Why are these accursed Evil Spirits never completely eradicated?” Madam Xu muttered angrily under her breath.
Lu Yuan Xiao yawned. “Mother, surviving unscathed is already a blessing. I heard that this year, even the abbot’s eyes have gone blind.” His tone carried a hint of lingering fear.
“Is that true?” Madam Xu was taken aback.
“When we left, the abbot’s eyes were covered with a black cloth,” Lu Yuan Xiao said before collapsing into bed, fast asleep.
Madam Xu’s thoughts returned to the last time Chao Chao had silently cursed the abbot, chastising her for giving the Buddhist Prayer Beads to Lu Jing Yao. [A pair of eyes like that might as well go blind,] she had thought.
A shiver ran down Madam Xu’s spine. Her daughter seemed to possess…
…just a tiny hint of extraordinariness.
As the Ghost Festival passed, Xu’s second maternal uncle came to visit. This time, Madam Xu did not decline his visit but instead threw open the gates to warmly welcome him!
Whether Lu Yuan Ze was pleased or not, she did not care. What mattered was that she was happy.
At this time, Lu Chao Chao, now six months old, was at the stage of eating soft foods. She spent her days gnawing on a hard biscuit, her tiny mouth working diligently as drool trickled down. Dressed in a vibrant red short skirt, she sat cross-legged on the bed. Her sparse hair had been styled into two tiny pigtails, a whimsical creation by Madam Xu.
“Chao Chao, do you miss your second uncle?” her second uncle asked with a smile. He oversaw waterworks and was a gentle and amiable man, a stark contrast to the stern demeanor of Xu Yi Ting, the eldest uncle.
Lu Chao Chao stretched out her hands and was promptly scooped up into a warm embrace. Following closely behind were two youths, the second uncle’s legitimate sons, Xu Yu Heng and Xu Yu Qing.
These two were twins, sixteen years old, and so identical in appearance that it was difficult to distinguish between them. Their features were exceptionally handsome.
Unfortunately, the twins’ birth had been fraught with difficulty. The prolonged labor had left the two boys with intellectual disabilities—a condition known as Soul-Loss Syndrome.
“This is your little sister, Chao Chao. Say ‘Sister,'” Second Uncle gently said as he stroked the heads of his two sons, his heart heavy. [How wonderful it would be if the children had been born healthy.]
The two boys blinked at Lu Chao Chao, their gazes as clear as they were confused.
“Chao Chao, don’t blame your brothers,” Second Uncle sighed. “They don’t understand words. Sixteen years, and they still can’t call their parents.”
Lu Chao Chao tilted her head, thinking, [Yu Heng-gege? Yu Qing-gege?] Her sharp senses caught an unusual flicker. [Huh, their souls are unstable? No wonder they look so dazed, like they’re missing something.]
The two brothers, who had always been unresponsive to the world, suddenly raised their heads to look at Lu Chao Chao. Their once-empty eyes now shone, fixated on her.
In their silent world, they had spent sixteen years hearing nothing, understanding nothing. But the voice of Lu Chao Chao’s thoughts pierced straight into their very souls.
[Wow, I have so many brothers! Each one is more handsome than the last… Gege, hug me!] Overcome by joy, Lu Chao Chao opened her tiny arms toward Xu Yu Heng.
“Chao Chao, your brothers can’t understand,” Second Uncle said in a panic. Sixteen years of effort had taught his sons nothing—no words, no recognition.
But Lu Chao Chao stubbornly kept her arms stretched out.
[Gege, hug me…] Her voice, soft and sweet, yet filled with a childlike determination, reached deep into their hearts.
Xu Yu Heng furrowed his brows. For a moment, his gaze held only the tiny figure before him. Then…
Under the astonished eyes of his father, Xu Yu Heng carefully opened his arms and held the plump little toddler close to his chest.
“Muah!” Lu Chao Chao unabashedly planted a kiss on his cheek.
Xu Yu Heng flustered, his hands clumsily adjusting his hold on her.
[I’m your little sister, so call me Sister!] She cheerfully offered him her saliva-covered teething stick, her generosity unmatched.
For a moment, Xu Yu Heng was at a loss. He stared at her blankly before opening his mouth.
“M-m… Meh!” His voice cracked and hoarse, the word tumbled out awkwardly.
But it was a word—a response!
Second Uncle froze in utter shock before tears streamed down his face. “Yu Heng! Yu Heng, you can speak! My son can speak!”
Sixteen years of despair shattered in that instant as his son responded for the first time.
Buoyed by success, Lu Chao Chao turned to Xu Yu Qing, opening her arms and calling for a hug. Once again, she received an embrace.
Second Uncle and his wife, overwhelmed by joy, wept openly. Though their sons remained unresponsive to their calls, their reactions to Chao Chao rekindled their hope.
“Shi Yun, Shi Yun, you’ve given birth to a remarkable daughter!” Second Aunt sobbed openly. Her body had been damaged during the birth of the twins, leaving her unable to have more children. She had long abandoned hope, yet now…
There was a glimmer of change.
Madam Xu, equally amazed, offered, “Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law, don’t cry. Yu Heng and Yu Qing are welcome to visit the manor often. Let Chao Chao spend more time with them. Or… I could bring Chao Chao here.”
Second Uncle and his wife, wiping their tears, began chatting with Madam Xu.
Meanwhile, Lu Chao Chao, seizing the moment, grabbed her brothers’ fingers. Quietly, she began stabilizing their fragile souls. [What a joke, this is what Little Aunt does best.]
Her ears, however, were keenly attuned to the adults’ conversation.
“This time, His Majesty has tasked me with managing the waterworks at Lin Luo. I likely won’t return until after the New Year,” Second Uncle said, his brows furrowed. “While I’m away, be cautious in the capital. That Lu Yuan Ze…”
“Second Brother may speak harshly, but you must remain vigilant,” he added, his tone grave.
Madam Xu, gripping her handkerchief tightly, drew a deep breath. “Second Brother, I understand. You must also take care.”
But Second Uncle’s gaze lingered on Lu Chao Chao, who was gnawing on her teething stick. His expression turned thoughtful as he strained to hear her unspoken thoughts.