CH 34

The eastern horizon began to brighten, casting a gentle glow over the land. The sky and earth were enveloped in a delicate mist, creating an ethereal atmosphere. 

Outside the window, the flowers flourished, their petals unfurling in vibrant colors, filling the air with a delightful fragrance.

The expansive sky, adorned with twinkling stars that hold the promise of the future, harmonizes with the blooming flowers, creating a picturesque morning that can only be described as breathtakingly beautiful.

In the midst of this serene ambiance, the silence is interrupted by the palpable tremors of people's hearts.

Pei Xuan found herself lost in a whirlwind of thoughts, her mind was a tumultuous sea, caught between deep contemplation and a state of complete emptiness.

A chilling sensation engulfed half of her body, mirroring the frigid state of her heart. The once esteemed and charismatic No. 1 ‘gentleman’ in Xijing now resembled a delicate flower petal, mercilessly battered by the harsh winds of early spring, quivering and in tatters.

Suddenly, a thunderous explosion reverberated in her mind, as if a bolt of lightning had struck on a clear day, leaving her disoriented and unable to discern her bearings. She couldn't help but question if this was some cruel trickery unfolding.

Doubts began to plague her, causing her to question the state of her own mind.

Maybe, she was still in a dream.

At this time, Pei Xuan let go of her wife's embrace and walked to the bed in a daze, planning to sleep again.

Otherwise, how can a woman who is born blind suddenly begin to see? It defied all logical reasoning.

And yet, why did she allow herself to believe that her wife had the ability to see?

It felt as if something within her had suddenly shattered. She was overwhelmed by a racing heart and trembling legs, fully aware of her wakefulness. Her soul seemed to detach from her body, floating in a state of disbelief. Involuntarily, she found herself lying on the spacious bed, wrapped snugly in a quilt adorned with delicate brocade. The fabric exuded the gentle scent of Cui Ti’s skin, invoking memories of their passionate intimacy from the previous night.

Vividly, she recalled the beads of sweat that trickled down Cui Ti's neck, cascading onto her chest like glistening pearls. Her wife's fair complexion radiated an ethereal beauty, every inch of her body exquisitely soft to touch.

"..."

Watching Pei Xuan retreat to the bed and gently close her eyes, Cui Ti found the situation amusing yet tinged with a hint of embarrassment. She settled herself back on the bed and playfully tapped Pei Xuan's face with her fingertip, relishing the pleasant sensation it brought.

"Husband,” she called out softly.

Pei Xuan shut her eyes tightly, gritted her teeth, and stood upright, resembling a dried salted fish devoid of its soul. 

Her reaction, though seemingly peculiar, was expected. Even if she experienced a slight dizziness, it was understandable. When Cui Ti discovered that she obtained the ability to see, her heart was equally shaken.

In the past, Cui Ti had been unable to fully comprehend the depths of Pei Xuan's heart, hesitating to speak. However, now that they had undergone the sacred ceremony of intimacy, and it would be unfair to keep such a profound secret.

hidden.

Speaking softly, the kind-hearted Cui Ti gently caressed Pei Xuan's astonished face once again with her fingertips, "Husband?.”

At the sound of her voice, Pei Xuan couldn't help but feel a flicker of disbelief, momentarily deceiving herself.

She slowly opened her eyes, her lips parting slightly, but no words escaped her mouth.

Understanding her disbelief, Cui Ti decided not to press her further. She rambled on about trivial matters, diverting her own thoughts, while her fingertips strayed from Pei Xuan's smooth face and delicately traced the collar of her white shirt. "I... I had the most peculiar dream when I was at the Xining mansion. In this dream, a fairy appeared atop a plump, white crane and asked me what I desired the most. And at that moment, all I yearned for was to look at you. This dream recurred multiple times, and eventually... I could see, but it only applied to you."

Acknowledging the peculiarity of her explanation that a fairy had visited her in a dream, Pei Xuan suppressed the ticklish sensation in her collarbone, swiftly gathering her thoughts. She leaned in and whispered, "Why did you wish to see me? At that time, we hadn't met, right?.”

"The reason is..." Cui Ti blushed then continued: "Before this dream, actually, I had a  very long dream."

"What?"

Pei Xuan was then dumbfounded.

Cui Ti found her silly expression incredibly amusing, so she observed her a bit longer, taking mental notes to tease her about it in the future. 

She couldn't help but suppress a small smile and playfully said, "You know what? I had a dream where I actually married you."

Pei Xuan’s eyes were wide and confused as she asked, "Marry me, and then what? Would we still be like we are now?"

Curiosity burned inside her as she yearned to hear more about the long dream Cui Ti had experienced. Fortunately, a good story requires both a good audience and a good storyteller, and they had both in abundance. 

Cui Ti rubbed her arms, and said in a slightly resentful tone, "I'm a little cold."

Pei Xuan was caught off guard by her words and quickly pulled her into her embrace, wrapping them both tightly in the quilt. 

After a minute, Cui Ti whispered, "I'm feeling a little hot.”

"..."

Pei Xuan responded by taking off the quilt and holding her close to her chest, asking, "What about now?.”

She was finally willing to stay close to her intimately, and Cui Ti was content. Slowly, she began to describe her dream: "In my dream, I was still Mr. Xining's eldest daughter, blind and despised..."

Her words may have been unintentional, but they certainly caught Pei Xuan's interest. 

She felt a heavy weight settle in her chest as her words brought her to a strange yet familiar situation.

"You fell from the wall and broke your hand, and you couldn’t participate in the imperial examination..." Cui Ti continued, painting a picture of a different path their lives could have taken.

Listening to the diverging path, Pei Xuan was terrified. It was similar to their current fate, but there were differences that made it feel like an alternate reality.

"You were carrying a big sedan chair and asked to marry me. Just like that, I have become the young lady of the mansion. In fact, you treated me well."

"Which one do you prefer, the dream or reality of me?" asked Pei Xuan cautiously, seeking Cui Ti's opinion.

Cui Ti smiled before pausing to think deeply. "I don't like you in the dream," she finally answered.

"Did I do something to make you unhappy?.”

"No."

"Since I treated you well in the dream, why didn’t you like me?" Pei Xuan asked again, still not understanding.

After a few moments of silence, Cui Ti answered in a quiet voice, "Because you refused to consummate the marriage with me. I didn't understand your heart, and my heart was also worried about the gains and losses."

The phrase "consummate the marriage" held a lot of weight, and it made Pei Xuan remember something she had forgotten. Her back stiffened as she realized what it was.

Cui Ti noticed Pei Xuan's reaction, but deliberately didn't push the matter further. Instead, she continued with the previous topic in a calm and gentle voice, "In my dream, I died the year I first married you."

In an instant, Pei Xuan’s flushed expression turned into one of concern.

"Someone pushed me into the lotus pond, and I suffocated in the water.”

Hearing Cui Ti's tone being steady, panic flashed in Pei Xuan’s heart, and she whispered: "Who did it?.”

"I have no idea."

Pei Xuan took a deep breath before saying, "Fortunately, it was just a dream."

This dream, however strange and outrageous it may seem, holds a deeper truth known only to Cui Ti. It's not just a dream; it is a reflection of her past life when she was married into the Pei family. 

The only difference now is that she has been granted a second chance, an opportunity to start anew.

This is why there are possibilities, why Pei Xuan achieved the number one scholar of Xijing. Because of this, Cui Ti gave herself the courage to fight for her intimacy and to give her all.

"What’s more, in my dream, you have lied to me, pretending to be a man when in reality you are a woman."

Hearing Cui TI’s words, Pei Xuan felt as if she had been hit hard, and her lips trembled, not knowing what to say.

"In fact, this is the second time you lied to me besides the dream."

No matter how talented and quick-witted Pei Xuan is, all she can do at this moment is to comply with Cui Ti's desires and release her from her warm embrace.

Pei Xuan was terrified.

Fear engulfed her, much like a prisoner awaiting the fall of the executioner's blade.

Dim rays of light seeped through the window, casting a faint glow upon the cozy room, and in Cui Ti's eyes, the image of Pei Xuan became clearer.

She calmly observed Pei Xuan's face growing pale, witnessing her confusion and speechlessness. Her heart softened, her eyes slightly reddened, recalling the hesitations of her past life. How many sleepless nights she endured, feeling a deep resentment towards this person.

Pei Xuan had robbed her of the love she yearned for, forcing her to pretend to let go until her dying breath.

But she had never truly let go!

Pei Xuan was so kind to her, how could she not love her?

That had lingered in her heart, becoming a knot that tormented her.

Fortunately, not long ago, this knot was finally unraveled when Pei Xuan expressed her desire for her. It brought her the greatest sense of security she had ever felt.

Cui Ti gazed intently at her, her eyes filled with determination, and suddenly she fiercely bit into Pei Xuan’s shoulder.

Her white teeth sunk into her delicate skin, piercing through the thin fabric, causing Pei Xuan to hiss in pain then to quickly fall silent. In her thoughts, she acknowledged that it was her fault.

For someone like her, who concealed her true identity and pursued her own desires, she had no right to beg for mercy. Being subjected to punishment, scolding, and cold treatment were all justified.

A faint scent of blood wafted in the air as Cui Ti gritted her teeth, tears streaming from her eyes, “There won't be a second time."

Pei Xuan embraced her tightly, overwhelmed by the sudden rush of forgiveness and liberation. She couldn't contain her joy and laughter as she exclaimed, "My wife!.”

A resolute and righteous cry escaped her throat as Cui Ti laughed through her tears. 

Finally, Cui Ti retrieved a medicine bottle from the low cabinet near the bed to tend to Pei Xuan’s wound.

The beginning of this day was filled with excitement.

The crimson sun rose, and it seemed as if the soul of Pei Xuan, the diligent scholar working at the Imperial Academy, had been ensnared by some mischievous spirit.

As the ‘son’ of the prime minister and a high-ranking official in His Majesty's court, she fulfilled her duties admirably, and it didn't matter if she occasionally drifted into daydreams during her spare time.

Usually, Song Zizhen rarely saw Pei Xuan, so he would often tease her. But now, he was too busy to talk to her. Zheng Wuji was also occupied with his own matters. 

Comparing the two, Pei Xuan seemed unusually free.

Feeling restless in her idleness, Pei Xuan suddenly stood up and made her way towards the Library Pavilion.

She considered herself well-read, but as her wife had mentioned that morning, she had never come across a blind person suddenly gaining the sight to see without medicine in her studies. 

Clearly, she hadn't read enough. (T/L: This is funny XD)

The Library Pavilion of the Imperial Academy housed a vast collection of books from all corners of the world. Pei Xuan immersed herself in this sea of knowledge, unearthing all sorts of peculiar accounts about ghosts and accumulating them into a towering pile of books.

Lost in her reading, she completely missed the lunch hour. It wasn't until the sun began to set that Pei Xuan reluctantly halted her exploration, as the librarian reminded her of the closing time.

"Pei Xuan, what's gotten into you? You’re acting weirdly," yawned Song Zizhen.

Pei Xuan thought to herself, ‘If you had a wife who encountered such unbelievable things, you'd be perplexed too. But a woman like Ti’er was one-of-a-kind. Song Zizhen didn't even have a prospective partner, so I don’t expect him to understand too much.’

"I've found something interesting. It might take me a while to make sense of it," she replied, not intending to share the details. 

Song Zizhen and Zheng Wuji exchanged a glance, realizing that it wouldn't be easy to pry further.

Her two friends didn't have a family of their own so they went to a restaurant to drink after giving their farewell to Pei Xuan.

As Pei Xuan contemplated the connection between dreams and reality on her way, she couldn't help but quicken her pace.

If immortals can open people's spiritual eyes, why couldn't they use dreams as a means of communication?

In Cui Ti’s dream, she had been pushed into a lotus pond. So, who would want to harm her, even in her subconscious?

As soon as Pei Xuan stepped into the entrance of her home, an unusual commotion caught her attention. Laughter emanated from the main hall.

Pei Xuan stood at the doorway, observing Dou Qingyue engaged in lively conversation with her mother, while Cui Ti sat gracefully in her seat, listening and smiling.

Seeing this, warmth flooded Pei Xuan's heart.

"Cousin? You're back,” Dou Qingyue said.

Pei Xuan was quick to notice Cui Ti's lingering gaze, which made her blush involuntarily. 

She turned to her mother and her wife asking, "What were you discussing with my cousin?.”

Relying on her 'blindness', Cui Ti blatantly stared at her for a long while until Pei Xuan's ears turned red, and she directed her gaze elsewhere,

"Well, I brought you an embroidery of a hundred sons and thousands of grandchildren," Dou Qingyue explained.

[T/L: This is a subtle tease, and also how she’s feeling towards Pei Xuan which is something close to love]

An embroidery of hundreds of sons and thousands of grandchildren?

She and Cui Ti are both women, so where would the hundreds of sons and grandchildren come from?

If this had happened yesterday, Pei Xuan wouldn't have thought much about it. But now, knowing of Cui Ti's true feelings, how could she not want to resolve this issue? How deeply would this affect Cui Ti?

Furthermore, the Pei family maintained a pristine reputation, and her mother's strict management of the household meant that even a jealous maid wouldn't dare lay a hand on Dou Qingyue

Knowing this, suspicion arose from the bottom of Pei Xuan’s heart, and she suddenly had a biased view that everyone besides the most important people of the Pei Family were bad.