The Amnesiac, Sickly Beauty Is Pregnant With My Dragon Cub - Chapter 47.1

Inside the room, the two were sharing a tender moment. Outside, Tushan Bai looked at the door that hadn’t budged since daytime and the two untouched meals left at the entrance. She stomped her feet, gritting her teeth in frustration.

Originally, she wanted to burst through the door, grab Cang Lan by the scruff of her neck, and demand to know why she wasn’t eating the food she had prepared. However, after weighing her options, Tushan Bai felt that treating the moss-covered ground beneath her feet as Cang Lan’s surrogate was more productive.

After trampling the ground in front of the side room for a while and cursing Cang Lan’s ancestors back several generations in her heart, Tushan Bai finally vented her anger and prepared to return to her room.

In the depths of the night, a thick, drifting fragrance of “dark scent” gradually approached, enveloping Tushan Bai’s limbs in the blink of an eye. Sensing this unusual aroma, she slowly drew closer to a rose bush blooming in the darkness. She wasn’t sure if it was a hallucination, but she thought she saw the stems and leaves of the rose quiver a few times. However, upon closer inspection, there was no other movement.

“I must be losing my mind,” Tushan Bai sighed and murmured to herself. “It’s all that wicked dragon’s fault. She’s really infuriated me these past few days; now I’m even seeing things.”

Tushan Bai hurried back to her bedroom and hugged Xiu Xiu, who was reading on the bed, rubbing against her affectionately. A snowy-white, fluffy tail emerged silently from behind her, wrapping tightly around Shen Xiu’s waist.

Shen Xiu dropped her book on the floor as her grip slipped. Tushan Bai, who had been blissfully lost in the embrace, was jolted by the thud. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she discovered that Shen Xiu was reading the storybook she had written.

As their eyes met, Shen Xiu smiled and moved to pick up the book, but a terrified Tushan Bai snatched it away first. “XiuXiu, you shouldn’t read such trivial books in the future.”

Shen Xiu laughed. “Why? The book you wrote is very good; I like it a lot.”

Hiding the book behind her back, Tushan Bai said softly, “This was merely a work for my own distraction. I never expected so many people to like it; I am truly overwhelmed. Do you really like it, XiuXiu?”

Shen Xiu nodded. “Yes, you are a great writer. In all the years I spent wasting away in the mortal world, I saw many changes. The world outside has evolved beyond imagination.”

Tushan Bai had been in the Great Barren for less than a thousand years and had no idea what the outside world had become. During these days trapped in the Barren, she couldn’t leave, so she simply made a home here.

Shen Xiu gently cupped Tushan Bai’s face. “Since the day you left, I could never sleep peacefully at night. It wasn’t long before I passed away.”

Seeing Tushan Bai’s eyes suddenly turn red, the words at the tip of Shen Xiu’s tongue were swallowed back down. She told a lie instead: “You didn’t escort me to the Naihe Bridge this time, so I lingered by its banks, refusing to follow the other ghosts across. Later, my soul attached itself to the bleached bones left behind after the flesh withered away. As time passed, I became a spirit.”

Tushan Bai choked out, “It was my incompetence; I couldn’t find the Elixir of Longevity.”

Shen Xiu stroked Tushan Bai’s chin and smiled. “There is no such thing as an Elixir of Longevity in this world. Even if there were, I carry a curse and can never be reincarnated. Even if I lived, I would suffer endless disasters and heavenly punishment. This is my retribution; dying was a relief.”

Tushan Bai covered Shen Xiu’s lips and shook her head. “I won’t allow you to say that. The root cause of this has nothing to do with you; it was those ignorant mortals who were wrong.”

Shen Xiu pulled Tushan Bai into a tight embrace and murmured, “But the most innocent one was still that dragon.”

Quickly changing the subject, Shen Xiu smiled. “Now I have an immortal body anyway, so I’ll never need any elixir again. You’ve truly suffered these years in the Barren.”

Tushan Bai lowered her gaze and forced her lips into a smile. “It wasn’t bitter. Not bitter at all.”

As the night deepened, the lamp in Tushan Bai’s bedroom was extinguished, and the fox den was shrouded in darkness.

In the corner of the courtyard wall, the red rose slowly bloomed. The petals that had bloomed before had all withered away, and now a new batch had grown, appearing even more bewitching than the day before. Following this, countless thorny vines spread out from the root of the rose bush like a spiderweb. Every thorn sprouted numerous roses, blooming with an eerie and seductive beauty.

Suddenly, an exceptionally green vine quietly crept to the bedside of the side room. Its sharp thorns pierced small holes through the thin window paper, and a deep red rose sprouted upon the window frame.

As the two on the bed slept in each other’s arms, this abnormally red rose turned toward their bed and slowly released invisible pollen from its stamen.

Cang Lan hugged Yu Xuanji and nuzzled her. Her nose inhaled a rich, sweet scent. Before she could open her eyes to investigate, she fell into a heavy, groggy slumber.

In her dream, there was a field of sweet, mushy red. It felt as if she were bound by countless red threads, or as if she had fallen into a pool of sweet spring water from which she couldn’t escape no matter how hard she struggled.

Cang Lan let out a soft moan in her sleep and held the soft, fragrant woman in her arms even tighter. When she finally opened her eyes, it was broad daylight.

Rubbing her heavy temples, Cang Lan’s vision gradually focused. She looked at the sleeping Yu Xuanji and couldn’t help but smile, reaching out to ruffle her messy hair.

Yu Xuanji’s health had improved significantly lately; she could run, jump, eat, and sleep well. These days in the Deng Forest were like a paradise compared to the mortal world. One day in Deng Forest was equal to a year in the human realm.

Before they knew it, Yu Xuanji and Cang Lan had stayed in Deng Forest for half a month. Cang Lan would take Yu Xuanji out to play from time to time, and every time they stepped out, the scenery was different.

In the blink of an eye, over a dozen years had passed in the mortal world. Yu Xuanji still looked like a sixteen-year-old girl, her skin firm and her eyes reflecting the lively charm of youth.

The two changed their appearances and arrived at Qingyang Town. Cang Lan turned to look at the mask on Yu Xuanji’s face and instinctively touched the fine lines near her eyes, laughing. “I wonder what my wife would look like at thirty.”

Yu Xuanji held her hand and smiled. “Don’t I look like this right now?”

Cang Lan shook her head. “I don’t think so. This is just a mask I conjured; it can’t compare to the real you.”

Yu Xuanji continued, “If you want to see me at thirty, it’s not hard; it just takes time. You’ll see in fourteen years.”

Cang Lan whispered softly, “I don’t actually want to see you grow old.”

Hearing the last few words, Yu Xuanji asked in confusion, “A-Lan, what did you say?”

Cang Lan shook her head. “Nothing… it’s nothing…”

They arrived at their usual spot, the Wangyue Tower. The shopkeeper’s temples had grown much whiter, and he was standing in the lobby holding his young daughter. Yu Xuanji and Cang Lan exchanged a look but remained at the entrance, never going inside.

Leaving the inn, Cang Lan asked Yu Xuanji what she wanted to eat, but she shook her head. “I have no appetite.”

Without needing another word, Cang Lan knew what was on Yu Xuanji’s mind. She took her hand and smiled. “Wife, come with me. I’ll take you somewhere.”

Yu Xuanji was led by the wrist toward the east. The further they walked, the more she realized the path felt familiar. They shared a knowing look and, without speaking, walked into a small alley and arrived at the back gate of the Yu Manor.

Yu Xuanji’s father was originally the magistrate of Qingyang County, but he had retired to his hometown due to poor health. The couple had been blessed with children late in life, having two daughters.

Seeing that Yu Xuanji understood where this path led, Cang Lan instinctively gripped her hand tighter, her pace slowing down. Yu Xuanji turned to see Cang Lan standing still, her eyelids lowered as if she were somewhat unhappy. The moment Yu Xuanji looked over, Cang Lan immediately regained her smile. “Wife, why did you stop?”

Yu Xuanji stared blankly at Cang Lan, gripping her hand and interlacing their fingers. “A-Lan, I’m just taking a look.”

Cang Lan nodded. “I know.”

Yu Xuanji used her left hand to grasp Cang Lan’s other hand and asked cautiously, “Are you afraid that after I go back and see them, I won’t want to leave with you?”

Cang Lan pursed her lips and smiled. “No.”

Yu Xuanji gazed into Cang Lan’s eyes, her look sincere and firm. “I just want to see my parents and my sister. I’ll leave with you as soon as I’m done. Rest assured, I won’t leave you behind.”

Cang Lan nodded, bit her lower lip, and gave Yu Xuanji’s wrist a little shake with a smile. “Okay.”

Fearing they would be discovered, Cang Lan cast an invisibility spell on Yu Xuanji to hide her form. However, the main gates of the Yu Manor were tightly shut. Unable to enter, Cang Lan held Yu Xuanji and leaped lightly over the wall, landing steadily in the courtyard.

Upon landing, Yu Xuanji looked toward the main hall. She saw that her parents’ hair had already turned completely white. Even her sister was married and standing next to a child of about six years old. Seeing this, Yu Xuanji couldn’t help but tighten her grip on Cang Lan’s hand and lean against her.

Cang Lan’s gaze fell upon the woman who was still relatively young. Her features were almost identical to Yu Xuanji’s, but there were fine lines at the corners of her eyes, and she looked haggard.

Seeing Cang Lan looking at the woman, Yu Xuanji explained, “That is my sister, Yu Linlang. My sister and I are twins. She was the one who came out of my mother’s womb first, so she is the elder sister and I am the younger.”

Cang Lan nodded, but doubt remained in her heart. “But your sister is only thirty this year. Why does she look so aged, even with white hair?”

Yu Xuanji slowly shook her head, not knowing the reason herself. Watching her once radiant family turn gray-haired in the blink of an eye made her heart ache with distress.

Yu Linlang wore a white flower in her hair, and her clothes were the hemp garments worn during mourning. Seeing this, Yu Xuanji slowly approached her. The once bright and beautiful girl had turned into a gaunt, pale-faced wife. Yu Xuanji reached out a hand toward her but pulled it back a moment later, fighting back tears.

The little girl nearby was playing on the ground. Yu Xuanji’s gaze lingered on the faces of her parents and sister for a while before she looked down at her sister’s child and curled her lips into a faint smile.

The little girl held a bamboo dragonfly in her hand. As she spun it, it took flight and happened to hit Yu Xuanji’s chest before bouncing back. The bamboo dragonfly flew backward and struck the little girl’s forehead. Her brow was punctured by the sharp handle, and blood immediately began to flow.

Yu Xuanji anxiously reached out to help press down on the wound, but Yu Linlang pulled her daughter into her arms. She took out a handkerchief and pressed it firmly against the girl’s forehead, but the blood wouldn’t stop; it soaked through the handkerchief and seeped out.

Comforting her crying daughter, Yu Linlang turned to her parents and sneered, “You see now? This is my retribution. I married a man thinking he had a bright future in the imperial examinations, but who knew he’d contract an incurable disease right after I entered his house? They called me a ‘jinx’ and kicked me out; I became the laughingstock of the whole county!”

The white-haired Father and Mother Yu lowered their heads, only to hear their daughter continue, “Then I married a scholar from the neighboring county. After we finally had a child, my husband fell into the water and drowned. XiuXiu was born without a father, and she’s been sickly since she was in the womb. A fortune-telling Taoist said she wouldn’t live past sixteen.”

Yu Linlang’s lips trembled. “This is all the work of Yu Xuanji’s vengeful spirit… she’s come back for revenge… my husband, my daughter… she didn’t spare a single one of them.”

Mother Yu hurriedly said, “Don’t say such nonsense! If Xuanji hadn’t married the Dragon God in your place back then, would you even be alive today?”