Chapter 35: For Whom Do Flowers Bloom and Wither?

If you see a fresh flower wither in your hands, you can’t help but feel regret, even an indescribable sorrow. (Gu Long)
……
As Jillian led him to the back of the thatched cottage, Liu Yi asked, “What are we doing here?”
Jillian smiled, picked up a shovel nearby, and began digging. In no time, jars of fine wine emerged as she worked.
Jillian clapped her hands and said, “Just help me move these wines to the room over there. Then I’ll cook, and you can rest.”
While helping, Liu Yi asked, “Will the two of you cook together? Will there be enough tools and ingredients?”
Jillian replied, “Of course. Dad and I usually cook separately, so we prepared two kitchens.”
Liu Yi laughed and said, “I wouldn’t have guessed. These three thatched cottages aren’t big, but they have everything needed.”
Carrying a large jar of wine, Jillian said with a smile, “Of course. It depends on who lives here.” With that, she led the way to another room…
“Twelve jars—just right. That should be enough for us to drink tonight,” Jillian said as she counted them.
Liu Yi waved his fan and said, “Joking aside, such a large jar—just us alone, not to mention bringing our horses too—would be enough to drink.”
Seeing Liu Yi’s serious expression, Jillian couldn’t help but laugh. “Why do scholars always say silly things? How could horses drink wine?”
Liu Yi waved his fan and replied, “I was just making an analogy to show that these ten jars of wine are enough.”
Jillian nodded and clapped her hands. “Alright, alright. Go outside. I need to cook.”
Liu Yi asked, “What? Don’t you need my help cooking?”
Jillian shook her head. “I’m afraid you’d make things worse. Besides, I can’t cook well with you around. Let’s do it together sometime in the future.”
Liu Yi nodded. “Fair enough. I might end up hindering you here. I’ll help you when no one else is around, haha.”
Jillian said nothing, only nodding…
Liu Yi turned and left the room.
The sun was setting, casting a red glow across the sky. The small bridge, flowing water, and homes formed a picturesque scene. Mo Ying and the Great Sword King were still playing chess, while the Ten Heroes and Ah Jiu were busy to the point of exhaustion. Jillian handled everything efficiently. Everything was so peaceful. Liu Yi couldn’t help but exclaim, “If life could truly be this perfect, I’d rather spend the rest of my days by this bridge and stream.”
Liu Yi walked along the river to the lake’s edge and sat down gently, watching the sunset and the beautiful scenery.
Without meaning to, he glanced down at the water and suddenly saw a scene floating there—endless yellow flowers, petals filling the air. In this boundless sea of flowers, two people sat, a man and a woman. Their faces were indistinct, but it was clear their hearts were filled with sorrow and joy. This scene seemed so familiar… Right… He had seen this scene when Jillian held his hand. What was this?

Liu Yi continued to approach the water’s surface, wanting to see more clearly. Just then, there was a “bang” as a column of water shot up. Liu Yi quickly turned around and saw Jili’er holding a stone in her hand, laughing heartily.

Liu Yi’s gaze stopped on Jili’er because he found her extremely familiar. He finally saw clearly—the scenes that had appeared before him: Jili’er pulling him along on the cliff above Yuecang, Jili’er at the foot of the mountain, and the two people who had appeared in the lake earlier…

Jili’er walked over smiling and said, “Hey, scholar, why are you in a daze again? What are you thinking about?”

When she reached Liu Yi, she noticed that his eyes were fixed intently on her face, not moving at all. Jili’er waved her hands in front of his eyes and said, “Hey, scholar, don’t scare me. Why are you acting so silly again?”

Liu Yi shook his head and said, “No.” Then he stretched out his right hand and gently placed it on Jili’er’s small face, touching it, feeling it. Yes, it was the same feeling—the one the woman in the lake had given him… so familiar, so warm.

In an instant, Jili’er was confused and stammered, “Scholar? You… you’re going crazy again.” Even though Jili’er was cheerful and unreserved, such a gesture from Liu Yi made her feel uneasy.

Liu Yi’s eyes became moist. No one could see his expression, and no one knew how much sorrow and joy lay in them. Finally, Liu Yi took his hand away and said, “It’s all in the past.”

Jili’er looked at him and asked anxiously, “What’s in the past?”

Liu Yi shook his head, now more sober, and said, “I don’t know what’s in the past. My mouth just spoke without me thinking.”

Jili’er looked at him and shook her head, saying, “You silly scholar, you’re really strange. Come on, why have you been sitting here alone for so long? It’s already dark—time to eat.”

Only then did Liu Yi realize that the sky was full of stars. He hadn’t realized he had been sitting there for so long, which surprised him. He asked back, “Why have I become so strange these past few days? It seems like I’m not the same person I used to be. What does that mean?”

Liu Yi replied, “Coincidentally, you mentioned eating, and suddenly I felt hungry.”

Jili’er took Liu Yi’s hand and walked ahead, saying, “You scholar, if no one tells you to eat, you don’t realize you’re hungry. But as soon as someone mentions it, you get hungry. If no one’s around, you’d starve to death.”

Liu Yi smiled mischievously and said, “What should I do then? Who will remind me to eat in the future? How about this—Jili’er comes to remind me every day, haha.”

Jili’er laughed as she walked, saying, “Okay, then I’ll make sure you get fat and white from eating so much.”

Liu Yi tilted his head, and a picture appeared in the air: a plump, white pig lying on the ground asleep, drool dripping three feet long.

The two of them walked toward the thatched cottage, chatting and laughing. They saw several people already setting up a large table outside the house, with a huge bonfire nearby. Everyone was busy—some pouring wine, others carrying dishes—creating a lively scene.

Ajiu was pouring wine for Mo Ying when he noticed Jilier holding Liu Yi’s hand and running over with a smile. Annoyed, he stomped his foot and slammed the wine jar onto the table. “Hmph, no need for your flattery,” he said before turning back to his seat.

Da Dao Wang stepped closer to Mo Ying and said, “Brother Mo, why do I feel so jealous?”

Mo Ying coughed awkwardly and replied, “It’s all young people. Let’s not meddle in their affairs.” Then he picked up the jar and started pouring wine himself.

Da Dao Wang also brought a bowl and began pouring wine for himself…

Jilier led Liu Yi to the table. Shi Jie Yi said hurriedly, “Boss, where have you been again? Why have you been so strange these past few days? Come, sit next to me. Don’t get lost again.”

Liu Yi smiled and sat down with Jilier. At that moment, Ajiu said, “Shi Jie Yi, shall we change seats?”

Shi Jie Yi glanced at Ajiu and then at Liu Yi, quickly nodding, “Sure, sure.”

Ajiu indeed switched seats with Shi Jie Yi. With this change, the seating arrangement became more complicated: Jilier sat next to Liu Yi, Liu Yi sat next to Ajiu, and Ajiu sat next to Shi Jie Yi.

Da Dao Wang observed the situation and also changed seats. He said to Mo Ying, “I’ll sit on your right instead. Brother Mo, young people are impulsive. If a fight breaks out, I don’t want your clothes to get bloodstained…”

Mo Ying smiled and said, “I have confidence in Jilier. Ignore them. Let’s drink.”

Ajiu reached out, snatched the jar that Shi Jie Yi was pouring from, and turned to pour wine for Liu Yi. “Brother Liu, Ajiu must thank you for saving my life. Here, let Ajiu toast you.” After that, he poured some wine for himself as well.

Shi Jie Yi widened his eyes, looked at Ajiu, shook his head, and said, “Shi Jie Yi wants to follow Ajiu, but Ajiu has no interest in him. What a sad fate.” He snatched the jar from Da Dao Wang’s hands and started drinking greedily.

Although Shi Jie Yi was a rough man, having spent so much time with Liu Yi, he had heard many words over time, though not all of them. So he took some time to phrase his response like this.

Liu Yi raised his bowl and said, “I’ve said it before—if you want to thank someone, thank Shi Jie Yi.”

Ajiu laughed and said, “I will definitely thank Brother Shi Jie Yi, but we need to finish this drink first, because I’m thanking you now.”

Liu Yi nodded and said, “Okay.” He tilted his head back and drank all the wine in his bowl.

It tasted spicy yet fragrant. Clearly, this wine had been stored for many years and was hundreds of times stronger than some of the strong liquors in the Central Plains. Moreover, Liu Yi rarely drank so heartily, so he couldn’t help but praise it: “Good wine.”

Jilier immediately picked some vegetables from the plate beside her and placed them in Liu Yi’s bowl. “Here, scholar, have some vegetables. Try Jilier’s special dish.”

Ajiu might not be suitable for this wine, as he only took a small sip. Then he picked a piece of fish and put it in Liu Yi’s bowl, smiling at Jilier as he said, “A fool who eats vegetables becomes even more foolish. Come, try the fish Ajiu made.”

Jilier reached for her chopsticks and picked a piece of chicken. “Scholar, try the chicken Jilier stewed…”

Ajiu: “…”

And so, the two of them, each with a chopstick, began to compete. Liu Yi’s bowl also filled up more and more. To prevent the food from spilling out, Liu Yi had to eat quickly.
The Great Sword King watched the three of them and said to Mo Ying, “I can already sense murderous intent. It seems things won’t end quickly.”
Mo Ying smiled and said, “I’ll bet a thousand taels—Jili Er will win.”
The Great Sword King glanced at Mo Ying and said, “A’Jiu is more capable. I’m with you. I’ll bet a thousand taels that A’Jiu will win.”
It seemed the two of them had started betting on who would win. Looking at Shi Jie Yi, he had already climbed under the table with a jar of wine.
Liu Yi could hardly take it anymore. He raised his hand and said, “Stop! Hehe, no need to pick up more food. I’m almost stuffed.”
A’Jiu quickly asked, “Idiot, tell me—is my food tastier?”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “Very good, very good.”
Jili Er quickly asked, “How about mine?”
Liu Yi nodded again and said, “Not bad, not bad.”
A’Jiu snapped, “So whose is better?”
Jili Er filled her bowl with wine and raised it, saying, “Jili Er always thought her cooking was unmatched. I didn’t expect Sister A’Jiu’s to be good too. Well, Jili Er toasts to A’Jiu!” Then she drank it all in one gulp.
A’Jiu was already angry, and now Jili Er was openly challenging her. How could she accept defeat? She snatched the jar of wine, filled it for herself, and said, “Since Sister Jili Er is so generous, A’Jiu will return the favor.” Then she endured and drank an entire bowl of wine.
Jili Er filled her bowl again and said, “Sister A’Jiu truly hides her true abilities. Since you can drink so much, Jili Er will keep up with you today.” Then she drank it all in one gulp.
A’Jiu didn’t hesitate either and accepted Jili Er’s challenge. Needless to say, the two of them started fighting again.
The Great Sword King shook his head and said, “If this goes on, I’ll lose my thousand taels. A’Jiu will get drunk soon. What hope is there then?”
After thinking for a while, the Great Sword King said, “Brother Mo, can we change our bets?”
Mo Ying shook his head and said, “If you change your bets and no one loses money, what’s the fun in it? Just watch…”
As expected, in less than half an hour, A’Jiu was already dizzy and went under the table to find Shi Jie Yi.
As for Jili Er, she had clearly drunk a lot too. Her little face was as red as a ripe apple, and she started pointing around and shouting loudly, “Sister A’Jiu, didn’t you say you wanted to drink? Where did you go? I can’t see you!”
Liu Yi quickly pulled Jili Er back and said, “Enough! Why are you acting like a madwoman? Stop drinking.”
Pullled by Liu Yi, Jili Er stopped. Looking at Liu Yi, she suddenly said, “Come, let’s go to a place.” Without caring if her feet would obey, she pulled Liu Yi and started running around.
Liu Yi didn’t know if Jili Er had drunk too much. She pulled him to the back of the thatched cottage, beside a small stream at the foot of a mountain ridge. The stream was about two zhang wide—calling it a small river wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
Jili Er let go of Liu Yi’s hand, stretched her waist, and said, “Look, this place is mine. The stream, the stones, the grass, the trees—all belong to Jili Er.”

Liu Yi found it somewhat amusing: “These things are quite ordinary, and they seem all so natural, so common.”
Jiliel turned around, looked at the bright moon in the sky, and suddenly asked, “Scholar, do you really think there is such a thing as the ends of the earth?”
Liu Yi was crouched by the stream when he suddenly heard Jiliel ask this. Of course, he didn’t know if the ends of the earth really existed, but when she met the fox spirit, she had mentioned that they probably did.
Liu Yi replied, “I guess so.”
Jiliel continued asking seemingly nonsensical questions: “Then, will you come back to see Jiliel after you leave this time?”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “Of course. Are you drunk? How could you ask such a question?”
Unable to see Jiliel’s expression, he only heard her continue, “So, does the scholar like Jiliel?”
That one sentence was like a lightning bolt striking from the sky, leaving Liu Yi speechless. He could only murmur, “This…” Not knowing what to say, Liu Yi knew he liked this little girl, but any responsible words required courage, so he remained silent.
Jiliel continued, “Then does the scholar like Sister Ajiu?”
Liu Yi kept staring at the flowing water in the stream, his calm heart instantly thrown into chaos by Jiliel’s two sentences…
Jiliel looked up, fell silent for a moment, then said, “Jiliel really likes the scholar. She wants to be with the scholar forever—watching the sunrise and sunset together, watching the river flow, admiring the moon and stars together, traveling to the ends of the earth together, and blowing in the wind among the flowers… Really!”
Ignoring Liu Yi, Jiliel continued, “Jiliel doesn’t know what this feeling is. All she knows is that being with the scholar makes her very happy. Seeing the scholar smile makes her feel happy; hearing the scholar speak makes her feel the joy of life.”
“She doesn’t know when this feeling started. If this is love, she hopes it’s perfect, meant for two people. If asked what kind of love she hopes for, she thinks it should be unforgettable.”
“Loving you is so reasonless. Loving you is so irresistible, like being trapped in quicksand—helpless and powerless. Loving you is so confusing, filled with fear.”
“Every move you make touches my heart, making me feel the beauty of the world. And tomorrow, you’re leaving. Jiliel has so many things she wants to say to you.”
Liu Yi sighed and said, “Jiliel is a good girl…”
Jiliel suddenly turned her head and shouted, “No! Jiliel isn’t a good girl! Jiliel is selfish! Do you know that? When we were coming down the mountain, I prepared mushroom soup for you, but—I put poison in it too! It’s all Jiliel’s fault. Jiliel is bad.” Tears kept falling, looking like white crystals under the moonlight.
Liu Yi stood up, looked at Jiliel, and smiled, “Jiliel is a good girl. Tell the scholar what kind of poison Jiliel used—why it hasn’t killed this silly scholar yet.”

Gillian looked at Liu Yi. She wanted to laugh, but she couldn’t. She knew this might be the last time they spoke—there might be no chance again in the future… After hearing her words, Liu Yi might walk away without even looking back.

“Gillian is just an ordinary girl who wants to enjoy the rights life gives her, to love freely, to feel pain, sorrow, hurt, and emotion, and to savor love. Gillian is also a selfish girl; afraid of losing her love, she would poison it…”

“What’s on you isn’t poison—it’s a charm, a unique ‘love charm’ of the Miao people, exclusive to Miao girls. It’s made from ‘heart blood’ mixed with the charm, fed daily with heart blood. It takes ten years to create one such charm. This ‘love charm’ can be placed in food or clothing, and Miao girls use it on their lovers.”

Liu Yi said nothing, just waved his fan and continued to listen…

Gillian glanced at Liu Yi and went on, “The ‘love charm’ was created from my heart blood and now resides deep in your heart. It will flare up once a month. The feeling must be heart-wrenching. I’ve heard from my people that those infected with the ‘love charm,’ if they don’t take the antidote, can’t bear the pain during an outbreak and end up committing suicide.”

Gillian continued, “Of course, if one doesn’t take the antidote within a year after being infected, the ‘love charm’ will wither and die deep in the lover’s heart. As the charm disappears, its owner will also vanish from this world. Because such pain, worse than death,—if someone can endure it for a year—it only proves one thing… he doesn’t love her; he’d rather suffer than love her.”

“Of course, this ‘love charm’ seems powerful, but its antidote is simple—just a drop of the lover’s blood per month can relieve the pain. Or… if you kill me, the ‘love charm’ will naturally disappear…” After saying all this in one breath, Gillian was in tears, looking up at the bright moon in the sky. What else could she do?

Love is inherently selfish and unfair. What could such a helpless girl do?