After Transmigrating Into a Scummy Alpha, I Have Unlimited Krypton Gold - Chapter 31

“Tears welled up and spilled from his eyes, as if he’d been wronged in the greatest way, or perhaps, as if he were begging his mother to save him.”

******

The atmosphere at the old Xue family manor was heavy and somber.

Word was that Xue Tingwei, the second son, had gotten drunk, lost his balance, and fallen into a pond. He’d been rescued, but his condition was far from good. Although the old matriarch favored her eldest son, she wasn’t indifferent to her other children. Upon hearing of her son’s accident, she rushed to his side. In her haste, she stumbled and fell, nearly hurting herself badly. The shock and pain were too much, and she fainted on the spot.

When she came to, she learned that when Xue Tingwei had fallen, he’d hit his head on a rock and lost a lot of blood. If he could survive the night, there was a chance he might live. But if he couldn’t… the matriarch would once again experience the unbearable pain of a parent outliving their child.

To pray for her son, the matriarch summoned everyone in the family, young and old, to the ancestral hall. They were to kneel before the ancestral tablets and pray for Xue Tingwei’s recovery.

Her own daughter, Xue Baiguang, was among them. As Xue Cheng walked past her, she caught a faint scent of gardenias, quickly recognizing it as the scent of a kunze (Alpha). Xue Cheng didn’t think too much of it; by the standards of her time, Xue Baiguang was of a marriageable age. Although Xue Cheng herself didn’t approve of premarital intimacy, she wouldn’t comment on it at a time like this.

The matriarch, still weak from her fall, knelt at the very front. Xue Cheng went to her side, a frown of disapproval on her face. “Grandmother, you’re not well. Please, let your granddaughter pray for Second Uncle. You should rest.”

Seeing her, the matriarch managed a weak smile. She knew Xue Cheng was a filial granddaughter, and her dreadful mood lifted slightly. The day’s events had dredged up memories of her eldest son’s tragic death years ago. Back then, Xue Cheng was just a baby, and the matriarch herself was so young. Her son had just started his life when disaster struck, leaving her, a lonely old woman, to raise his infant daughter.

The matriarch sighed, pulling Xue Cheng down to kneel beside her. “I can’t help but wonder if I’ve done some terrible sin. First your parents, and now your second uncle…”

The old woman was blaming herself, worried that she was a curse on her children. Xue Cheng tried to reassure her. “Grandmother, misfortune can strike anyone. You mustn’t blame yourself.”

Besides, if Xue Tingwei hadn’t been so drunk, he wouldn’t have lost control and fallen into the pond, causing the old woman such worry and suffering. But this wasn’t the time to say that. Instead, Xue Cheng continued to comfort her.

“Second Uncle is a good man. Good fortune will come to him. He’ll be alright.”

The rest of the family continued their silent prayers for Xue Tingwei. Xue Cheng saw that the Third and Fourth families were all there. For the Second family, only Xue Baiguang was present, as her mother, Lu Wannian, was reportedly by Xue Tingwei’s bedside, caring for him.

About half an hour later, Liu Wuyuan also arrived at the ancestral hall. Noticing the look of question in Xue Cheng’s eyes, the matriarch explained, “Your aunt said that another person’s prayers would add to the effort. Perhaps the gods will see our sincerity and bless your second uncle with a full recovery.”

Xue Cheng nodded. If the matriarch had sent for her, it was only natural for Liu Wuyuan to come. When Liu Wuyuan knelt beside her, Xue Cheng asked quietly, “Have you had dinner yet?”

Liu Wuyuan shook her head. She had been about to make dinner when a servant from the shop came to tell her that Xue Cheng had returned to the family manor. She wasn’t particularly hungry, so she hadn’t bothered to cook. Not long after, the family sent for her. As a daughter-in-law, she knew she had to come when her elders called.

So the entire family remained kneeling in the hall, praying for Xue Tingwei until late in the night. Finally, Lu Wannian sent someone to announce that Xue Tingwei had woken up.

Xue Cheng’s legs were numb from kneeling, but the good news was a relief. Thanks to her strong qianyuan constitution, she recovered quickly after standing up. However, Liu Wuyuan’s legs were so weak that she nearly fell. Fortunately, Xue Cheng was quick enough to catch her.

As they stood close, their breaths mingled and brushed against their necks. Liu Wuyuan’s eyelashes fluttered as she gently tried to pull away. Xue Cheng understood, and after making sure Liu Wuyuan could stand on her own, she released her.

******

After some time they received news that Xue Tingwei had gained consciousness.When the matriarch heard her son was awake, she insisted on going to see him. But because of her sprained ankle, she had to be carried in a sedan chair.

Upon arriving at Xue Tingwei’s residence, they found Lu Wannian quietly weeping by his bedside. Xue Tingwei’s eyes were open, yet the corner of his mouth drooped unnaturally. When Lu Wannian tried to spoon medicine into his mouth, most of it dribbled out. He was even struggling to swallow on his own.

The matriarch, a woman who had seen much in her life, was rarely so distressed. “Tingwei, what’s wrong with you?” she cried out with alarm and grief.

The doctor, who had not yet left, sighed and explained the situation to the matriarch. It turned out that the fall had damaged Xue Tingwei’s brain. Because he’d been drunk, no one knew how long he’d been in the water before being rescued. The prolonged lack of oxygen had caused irreversible damage. He was alive, but he would likely remain in this vegetable state—a broken man.

When he saw the matriarch, Xue Tingwei made an excited garbling sound, “Ah-ah-oo-oo,” in an attempt to communicate something. Tears streamed down his face as if he’d been wronged in the greatest way, or perhaps, as if he were begging his mother to save him.

But his coordination seemed to be completely off. His hands and feet twitched uncontrollably as he tried to prop himself up. In his struggle to speak, he accidentally bit his own tongue, and a drop of bright red blood welled up on the tip.

The matriarch, heartbroken, rushed to his bedside to comfort him. With a choked voice, she said, “My child, your mother will find the best doctor to cure you. Don’t be afraid.”

The doctor hesitated, wanting to tell the matriarch that at this point, survival was a blessing from the ancestors, and even a celestial being would have a hard time curing him. But everyone knew this was not the time to upset a poor soul who had just survived a brush with death. He simply sighed, collected his fee, and left.

Xue Cheng had studied medicine in her previous life and knew that Xue Tingwei had sustained irreversible damage. The prolonged oxygen deprivation had caused brain damage. In a modern hospital, there might have been hope for a cure. But here, in ancient times, without sterile operating rooms or advanced equipment to see the extent of the damage, there was nothing they could do.

Although her relationship with the Second family was distant and Xue Tingwei often mocked her, she did not harbor any deep-seated animosity towards him. Xue Cheng couldn’t help but feel a sense of pity for him.

They stayed for a while longer to show their concern. After Xue Tingwei finished his medicine, he grew exhausted and fell asleep. The family then began to disperse and return home.

With Xue Tingwei incapacitated, Xue Baiguang, as the only other adult qianyuan in the Second family, had to step up. She took on the role of head of the household and respectfully saw off all the guests who had come to visit her father.

The matriarch and Xue Cheng’s family were the last to leave. As Xue Baiguang walked them to the door, the matriarch took her hands, sighing endlessly. With a look of pity, she said, “With your father like this, the family will depend on you. It’s a heavy burden to bear.”

Xue Baiguang’s face was pale, even more so than usual, likely from the shock of the day’s events. She shook her head at the matriarch’s words of comfort. She didn’t say much, simply responding, “It’s what I must do.”

The matriarch, understanding her granddaughter’s distress, didn’t press her further. She only told her to come to her if she ever ran into trouble.

Xue Cheng and Liu Wuyuan saw the matriarch back to the main house. Along the way, the old woman couldn’t stop sighing, looking as though she’d aged several years in a single day. She was likely worried about how the Second family would manage without their pillar. It was with much hesitation that she began to discuss with Xue Cheng the matter of distributing the family businesses. Of course, with Xue Tingwei’s condition, he couldn’t possibly manage any of them. Xue Baiguang was still young and needed to focus on her studies. As for Lu Wannian, she was not the type to manage a household. And with Xue Baiguang’s half-brother still so young, the family couldn’t just live off their savings forever.

The matriarch knew that what she was about to say might seem unfair to Xue Cheng, but she couldn’t simply stand by and watch the Second family fall into destitution.

“Cheng’er, I wanted to discuss the Second family’s future expenses…”

Before she could finish, Xue Cheng agreed. “Grandmother, you can decide on these matters. No matter what, we’re still family, bound by blood.”

Xue Cheng wasn’t the kind of person to covet the family fortune. In fact, her parents had built the First family’s assets for the original owner. She was just an outsider living in someone else’s body. The relatives, the businesses, even the wife—none of it should have been hers.

For Xue Cheng, aside from Liu Wuyuan, whom she couldn’t give up, she didn’t mind helping the Second family.

The matriarch patted Xue Cheng’s hand, her eyes filled with love. “You’ve grown up.”

By the time Xue Cheng and Liu Wuyuan had seen the matriarch back to the manor, it was getting late. The matriarch insisted that they stay for dinner and spend the night after such a long and exhausting day.

Xue Cheng turned to Liu Wuyuan, asking for her opinion with her eyes. Liu Wuyuan nodded in agreement.

Since Liu Wuyuan didn’t mind, Xue Cheng saw no reason to argue. She’d been busy all day without eating. Walking home only to cook would be a hassle, so staying the night was a good compromise.

They stayed in the courtyard that once belonged to the First family. Even though it had been empty for years, the matriarch had servants clean it daily. The closet even held new clothes that would fit Xue Cheng. It was clear that while the matriarch hadn’t said anything, she had always hoped Xue Cheng would return to live there. The old woman was probably lonely, yet she had always indulged the original owner, likely fearing that staying at the old manor would bring back painful memories. Her thoughtfulness touched Xue Cheng.

Seeing her standing in front of the closet for a long time, Liu Wuyuan looked at her curiously, then walked over and patted her shoulder.

Snapping out of her daze, Xue Cheng took out two new sets of clothes from the closet and handed the smaller one to Liu Wuyuan. She forced a smile; her emotions had been unstable, but she tried to compose herself before saying, “They might not fit perfectly, but they’ll do for the night.”

Liu Wuyuan nodded, taking the clothes. Before going to bathe, she gave Xue Cheng a hug.

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