When the group arrived at the front door of the Guo residence, Ping'an had already left, her despair driving her away. Zhao Renshu, his heart seizing with panic, rushed into the street, his voice raw as he called out her name.
Mad with fear, Zhao Renshu grabbed Guo Baiyu by the collar, his knuckles white. "If something happens to her, I will kill you!" he snarled, pushing Guo Baiyu backward.
Suddenly, a lady in a green costume, her voice piercing the morning air, shouted, "Someone jumped into the river! Someone jumped into the river!"
Zhao Renshu and Guo Baiyu, a shared terror in their eyes, immediately sprinted towards the river bank. Guo Longtong, his face pale with dread, quickly followed them.
Without hesitation, the two men plunged into the frigid water. Below the surface, it was dark and murky; nothing could be clearly seen. The gloomy morning, devoid of sunshine, offered no natural light. Zhao Renshu, desperate, summoned a fire talisman and sent its glowing orb spiraling down into the depths. Its light revealed Ping'an, unconscious and motionless, suspended in the water. Guo Baiyu, swift as a current, grabbed Ping'an's upper body, while Zhao Renshu frantically untied the belt from her ankle. Together, the two men gripped her arms and pulled her upwards with all their might. When they finally broke the surface, gasping for air, Zhao Renshu cradled her torso, and Guo Baiyu supported her legs.
They gently laid Ping'an's lifeless body on the riverbank. Guo Baiyu immediately began to perform chest compressions, while Zhao Renshu desperately administered breaths, their faces grim with a silent plea.
Guo Longtong knelt near Ping'an, his trembling fingers searching for a pulse. His heart sank. There was no pulse. Her skin was cold, and her lips had turned a chilling shade of purple. She had been in the river for too long; it only took four to eight minutes for someone to drown, and it had taken them at least half an hour from the Guo residence to the riverbank. Ping'an, he realized with a crushing certainty, had died long ago.
Guo Longtong sadly reached out, gently grabbing Guo Baiyu's hand. "Baiyu... Stop... Baiyu... Stop..." his voice choked with tears.
Guo Baiyu looked at Guo Longtong, his eyes pleading for denial. Guo Longtong could only shake his head, tears streaming freely down his own face.
"Baiyu, stop," Guo Longtong whispered, his voice broken. "She is gone."
Guo Baiyu stopped, his hands frozen on Ping'an's chest. At that moment, thunder roared in the open sky, and lightning flashed, momentarily blinding them. The heavens opened, and rain began to pour down, mingling with the tears streaming down his face, a cosmic reflection of his shattered heart.
Zhao Renshu, a wild, panicked look in his eyes, surged forward. "What are you doing?! Don't stop!" he shouted, desperate.
Guo Longtong grabbed Zhao Renshu's left shoulder. "Zhao-xiong," he said, shaking his head, his voice filled with sorrow. "She is gone."
"You shut your mouth! Don't say that!" Zhao Renshu roared, pushing Guo Baiyu aside with unexpected force. He immediately began to press on Ping'an's abdomen, resuming the desperate resuscitation efforts. "I will do it myself!" he snarled, a stubborn, unyielding resolve hardening his features. He continued to work tirelessly, frantically, to save Ping'an, refusing to accept defeat.
Guo Baiyu, a desolate despair filling his eyes, reached for Zhao Renshu's sword, a terrible intention in his gaze, but Guo Longtong quickly intervened, grabbing his arm.
"Baiyu, you can't do this!" Guo Longtong pleaded, his voice sharp with alarm.
"This is my fault!" Guo Baiyu cried, tears streaming down his face. "If I were..."
"This is my fault!" Zhao Renshu interrupted, his own voice raw with self-blame.
Guo Longtong gently took Zhao Renshu's sword from Guo Baiyu's trembling hand.
Many people had gathered at the scene, their faces a mix of horror and pity. The mysterious lady in green, who had shouted the initial warning, stared intently at the distraught lovers, shaking her head with a knowing sadness. Then, she sent out a tiny, shimmering light orb that pulsed and flickered over Ping'an's dead body. As swiftly as she had appeared, she vanished, leaving no trace behind.
Suddenly, Ping'an coughed, a wet, rattling sound.
"Ping'an!" both men exclaimed simultaneously, their voices choked with disbelief and overwhelming relief. They pulled her lifeless body upwards into their arms, embracing her fiercely. They cried, their tears mingling with the rain, refusing to let her go, clutching her as if she might disappear again.
"This is a miracle!" Guo Longtong gasped, utterly stunned. "How is it possible?"
Zhao Renshu looked at Guo Baiyu, his eyes filled with a new understanding, a desperate hope. "Baiyu, do you agree to stay in Peach Blossom Valley with Ping'an and me?"
Guo Baiyu gently kissed Ping'an's cold cheek, his heart overflowing. "I am not afraid of what other people think," he whispered, his voice trembling. "I am most afraid of losing you." He kissed her forehead, then met Zhao Renshu's gaze, nodding his acceptance.
Ping'an, still coughing weakly, wept openly in the powerful, comforting embrace of the two men, her body shaking with tremors of relief and exhaustion.
Inside the Guo Mansion, Guo Baiyu held her right hand tightly, and Zhao Renshu held her left, their hands intertwined. The lightning continued to roar, and the rain poured down in torrents. The lovers stood united outside the Guo family's main hall, defiant against the storm. The Wu family, attracted by the commotion, emerged from the back door of the residence and joined the assembled Guo family members.
"Master Guo, what does this mean?" Master Wu demanded, his voice sharp, taking in the chaotic scene.
"Can someone explain to me what happened?" Madam Wu shrieked, her voice shrills with indignation. "Today should be the two weddings of my two daughters! Why is Baiyu standing there holding that woman's hand?!"
"Baiyu," Wu Meixiang cried, her voice trembling, "we are getting married today! What does this mean?!"
"Lady Wu, I can't marry you," Guo Baiyu stated, his voice clear and resolute, despite the pain in his eyes.
"What do you say?!" Master Guo roared, his face contorted with fury.
"Are you deaf, old man?" Zhao Renshu retorted, rolling his eyes contemptuously at Master Guo.
"Father," Guo Baiyu continued, ignoring Zhao Renshu's insult, his gaze steady on his father, "I am asking your permission to marry Ping'an with him today."
"Nonsense! This is ridiculous!" Grand Lady Guo shrieked, her face a mask of outrage. "Baiyu! You are the heir of the family! You are the eldest son! This is your responsibility!"
"I want to pass that responsibility," Guo Baiyu declared, his voice firm. "I am sure that my other five brothers up there want that responsibility more than I do."
"You have two choices!" Master Guo snarled, his voice trembling with barely controlled rage. "One is to marry Lady Wu according to the schedule, and be my heir, continue the family name!" Master Guo's eyes burned with a mad fury as he stared at Ping'an. "The other is, you pick her, and you lose everything!" He was so consumed by anger that he felt his face burning. "I will disown you, and for the rest of your life, you will never set foot in this home again!"
"Baiyu, think clearly!" First Lady Guo urged, her voice laced with false concern. "Remember how you achieved this point in life! Is she worthy of you to destroy your future?"
Ping'an, her face pale, slowly pulled her hand away from Guo Baiyu. "Renshu," she whispered, looking at Zhao Renshu, a profound weariness in her eyes. "Let's go home."
"Ping'an," Zhao Renshu responded, his voice stern, pulling her back. "Remember what I told you. I don't want a half-dead Ping'an!"
"I promise I won't do that again," Ping'an pleaded, tears welling up, "Let's go."
Guo Baiyu held her hand tightly, refusing to let go. "I won't let you go," he stated, his voice filled with desperate resolve. He looked at Wu Meixiang, his gaze cold and direct. "Lady Wu, even if we get married today, you will never get my body or my love, because they both belong to Ping'an. What you get is only the title. Are you satisfied with it? Even if I am with you, I will never stop thinking about Ping'an."
"Guo Baiyu, don't look down on me!" Wu Meixiang retorted, her face flushing with anger. "What benefits does she have that I can't compare with her?"
Guo Baiyu looked deeply into Ping'an's eyes, a tender smile touching his lips. "You are better than her in every aspect," he said, his voice soft but firm, "but you are not her."
"Tell me what your choice is!" Master Guo roared, his face purpling with rage.
"Please don't let me choose," Guo Baiyu pleaded, his voice barely audible.
"You ungrateful son!" Master Guo screamed, his body trembling.
"Stop it, old man!" Zhao Renshu cut in, his voice sharp and furious. "What's wrong if Baiyu wants to have this kind of relationship? As a father, you should consider the happiness of your child!"
"What's wrong with this relationship?!" Grand Lady Guo shrieked, her voice rising to a furious pitch. "Do you dare to ask?! A woman with two husbands is unnatural!"
"Hey, old lady," Zhao Renshu sneered, his eyes narrowed, "the whiter your hair, the more stupid you become! As long as we love each other, why should it bother you?!"
"Renshu, let's go!" Ping'an urged, pulling at his arm, wanting to end the terrible scene.
Zhao Renshu turned to Ping'an, his voice stern and unwavering. "No. I have already said that today Baiyu will either go with us, or we will be with him."
"If he walks out that door with you two, I will disown him!" Master Guo roared, his final ultimatum.
Zhao Renshu walked directly to Guo Baiyu, his eyes cold and determined. "You don't want your family to disown you. You also want to be with Ping'an, but your family does not want it. You are not sure, but I have a perfect solution for you." He took out a small bottle, pouring out a small, black pill onto his palm. "The solution to your problem is death. Once you die, you don't have to marry someone you don't love. You don't have to betray Ping'an's love. You don't have to walk out of here with us, which means your family will not disown you. So, what do you say?"
"Renshu, please let us go back!" Ping'an pleaded, her voice breaking. "Leave Baiyu!"
Guo Baiyu smiled, a profound sadness and acceptance in his eyes. "Ping'an, it's the same to die today or die tomorrow. I will die anyway. Why not die today?" He took the pill from Zhao Renshu's palm, put it in his mouth, and swallowed it without hesitation. "Ping'an, I will wait for you in the netherworld." His eyes became heavy, and then slowly, peacefully, closed.
Guo Baiyu crumpled into Guo Longtong's arms, and together, the two men slowly sank to the ground, Guo Longtong's cries of anguish echoing in the rain.
Ping'an, a raw cry of anguish tearing from her throat, slapped Zhao Renshu across the face with all her might. "Why can't we leave him alone?!" she shouted fiercely, her body shaking with fury and grief. She bent down and, with desperate strength, snatched Guo Baiyu's limp body from Guo Longtong's arms. "Baiyu!" she sobbed, clutching him tightly.
Thunder roared and lightning flashed violently in the late morning sky, mirroring the chaos below.
"Let it be announced that the Young Master Guo has died of a fatal disease!" Master Guo declared, his voice cold and calculating even in the face of his son's death. "We will hold the funeral in two days. Drag his body out, and do not bury him in the Guo cemetery!"
"But he is a Guo!" First Lady protested, genuinely shocked by the final insult.
"I don't want his body to taint our ancestors!" Master Guo snarled, his face twisted with disdain.
Zhao Renshu laughed, a harsh, mirthless sound. "Wow... As soon as he is no longer useful to you, you tossed him aside like a piece of trash!" He clapped slowly, sarcastically. "Master Guo, you are fantastic."
"He has done a lot for this family!" Fourth Lady Guo interjected, defensively. "Master Guo did express his love for him to bury his body. If not, do you think Master Guo will even bury his body?"
Two servants approached Ping'an and Guo Longtong, ready to obey Master Guo's cruel order.
Ping'an tightened her grasp on Guo Baiyu's body, her eyes blazing with defiance. "Don't touch him! I won't allow you to touch him!" she snarled, embracing his body fiercely, tears streaming down her face.
"Master Guo," Zhao Renshu said, his voice cold and calm, "to save your time, we will bury that body."
"Be my guest," Master Guo sneered, waving a dismissive hand.
"Wait!" Wu Meixiang cried, her voice trembling. "Yingyu, please go check him!"
Guo Yingyu, hesitant, checked Guo Baiyu's pulse and breathing. His face paled. He could feel Guo Baiyu's shallow breathing, a faint flutter.
"He is dead," Guo Yingyu pronounced, his voice a whisper, his eyes wide with shock.
"Yingyu," Master Guo said, a triumphant gleam in his eyes, "from now on, you will be my heir!"
The faces of the Fourth Lady of the house and Guo Yingyu brightened instantly, their grief for Guo Baiyu overshadowed by ambition.
"Master Guo, we will take our leave," Zhao Renshu stated, his voice flat. "Are you sure we can take him?"
"I have already said it," Master Guo replied, his voice firm. "The Young Master Guo Baiyu died of a fatal infectious disease. We will hold his funeral in two days."
Zhao Renshu walked to Ping'an and Guo Baiyu. "Childe Guo," he said, looking at Guo Longtong, "help him on my back."
"Baiyu..." Guo Longtong choked out, his eyes wet with tears, grief overwhelming him.
"You don't have to walk out with us," Zhao Renshu said, offering him a choice, a small kindness.
Zhao Renshu carefully lifted Guo Baiyu onto his back, and Guo Baiyu's arms dangled loosely from Zhao Renshu's shoulders, a silent, heavy burden.
Ping'an wrapped her arms around Guo Baiyu's waist, holding him close. "Baiyu, let's go home," she whispered, her voice filled with a desperate, new hope.
The lovers walked out of the back door of the Guo residence, leaving the cruel family behind. They walked into the street, and Zhao Renshu gently laid Guo Baiyu's seemingly lifeless body in the carriage. Ping'an cradled Guo Baiyu's body in her arms, holding him close, her tears still falling. Zhao Renshu climbed into the driver's seat and drove them out of Capital City, leaving behind the storm and the bitterness.
Ping'an heard Zhao Renshu calling her name, his voice soft and insistent. She slowly, reluctantly, opened her eyes. The first thing she felt was Zhao Renshu gently wiping her face with a cold, damp towel. Her vision cleared, and she slowly realized that she was in the familiar, comforting room in Peach Blossom Valley.
"Eat something," Zhao Renshu urged, his voice filled with relief and a gentle command, "so you can drink the medicine."
Tears streamed from Ping'an's eyes, fresh tears of despair. She shook her head, turning away. "Renshu, let me go," she sobbed, her voice broken. "I don't want to live anymore. I'm half dead. I'm a curse! Everyone close to me is dead: My mother, my grandmother, and now Baiyu! I don't want to make you the next one!"
"Who said I was going to die?" Zhao Renshu scoffed, a wry smile touching his lips, dismissing her fears with a wave of his hand. "I don't believe those nonsense. Baiyu always says something like..." He scratched his chin, feigning a moment of thought. "Oh, yes. Ridiculous."
"Baiyu..." Ping'an whispered, her eyes wide with a terrible memory. "What did you do to his body?"
"I didn't do anything," Zhao Renshu replied, his voice calm, reassuring. He grabbed a wooden spoon and stirred the rice congee in the bowl, letting it cool. "Open your mouth and eat this." Ping'an looked the other way, refusing. "Don't be silly," he coaxed gently, "I promise I won't put a spell on you, but if you don't behave yourself, I will."
"Do you dare?" Ping'an challenged, a flicker of her old spirit returning.
"If I have to," Zhao Renshu said sternly, his gaze unwavering. "Open your mouth now."
Ping'an, defeated, closed her eyes, and reluctantly opened her mouth.
The door opened gently, and Guo Baiyu walked into the room, a bowl of steaming medicine in his hand. He went to the table, grabbed a chair, and sat down by the bed, his presence a tangible comfort.
"Has she not eaten yet?" Guo Baiyu asked, his voice soft with concern.
Zhao Renshu scoffed impatiently. "I am losing my patience!" He handed the bowl of congee to Guo Baiyu. "You try."
Ping'an's eyes snapped open at the sound of Guo Baiyu's voice. She stared at him, her face a mask of utter disbelief.
"Impossible!" Ping'an sobbed, her voice thick with tears. "You are dead, Baiyu! Are you a spirit?"
"Nonsense!" Zhao Renshu laughed, rolling his eyes. "Spirits do not come out during the day. Spirits have no shadow!"
"But... I saw him die," Ping'an insisted, her voice trembling.
Guo Baiyu carefully placed the medicine and the rice congee on the bed. He reached out and held her hands, his grip firm and warm. "Ping'an, I am no longer the heir of the Guo family. I have no money and no home. All I have is the clothes on my body and a heart that loves you so much. Will you look down on me?"
Ping'an burst into fresh tears, shaking her head vehemently. "Not at all!"
"Now you have to be obedient, eat and drink the medicine," Zhao Renshu said, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "By the way, I'm thinking about it."
"What?" Guo Baiyu asked, curious.
"Ping'an," Zhao Renshu continued, "are you not allowed to use your father's surname, correct?"
Ping'an nodded, a faint frown on her face.
"You can use one of our surnames," Zhao Renshu declared. "Any one is fine. Although, I prefer you to use Zhao."
"How about... Guozhao?" Guo Baiyu suggested, a hopeful smile playing on his lips.
"No, Zhaoguo?" Zhao Renshu countered, wrinkling his nose.
"I think Guozhao sounds better," Guo Baiyu insisted.
"How about rock, paper, scissors?" Zhao Renshu proposed, his eyes gleaming with playful challenge.
"One go," Guo Baiyu agreed, a rare smile on his face.
"Fine. One go," Zhao Renshu echoed.
"One." The two men stared at each other, their faces serious with mock intensity.
"Two." They were still staring fiercely, not a flicker of movement.
"Three!" Zhao Renshu and Guo Baiyu both released their hands at the same time. Zhao Renshu made a scissor, while Guo Baiyu made a fist.
"You cheated!" Zhao Renshu shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Guo Baiyu.
"How?" Guo Baiyu asked, feigning innocence.
"You were going to open your hand!" Zhao Renshu accused.
"But I didn't," Guo Baiyu retorted, a smug smirk on his face.
"Let's do it again!" Zhao Renshu insisted.
"As a man, you should not betray your own words," Guo Baiyu calmly countered, shutting down the argument.
Ping'an smiled at Zhao Renshu and Guo Baiyu, a warmth spreading through her chest. "So, it is Guozhao," she declared, her voice soft with newfound contentment.
"I guess so," Zhao Renshu conceded, shaking his head in mock defeat.
Guo Baiyu looked at Zhao Renshu. "How about we expand your bedroom? I don't feel right sleeping here in your master's bedroom."
"We will start in three days, and let Ping'an rest," Zhao Renshu agreed, already beginning to feed Ping'an a spoonful of congee. "You need to be stronger and help us."
"You don't have to feed me so quickly," Ping'an protested, a faint blush on her cheeks.
"Don't talk, just concentrate on eating," Zhao Renshu commanded gently.
The lovers laughed happily inside the small bamboo shed, the sound echoing with their renewed joy.
Far away, the lady in green stared into a magic mirror, her brow furrowed and shook her head slowly.
"Why do you keep repeating the same mistake?" Jiutian Xuannü's ethereal voice echoed, filled with exasperation.
"Jiutian Xuannü, what are we going to do?" Yue Lao, the matchmaker god, asked, his voice tinged with anxiety.
Jiutian Xuannü frowned, her gaze distant. "We have tried many times but failed. The strings are indestructible. It must be the will of heaven."
"That promise is a curse," Yue Lao sighed, his voice heavy. "A promise that will never be broken."
"How could it be broken, Yue Lao?" Jiutian Xuannü mused, a profound sorrow in her voice. "Nuwa still loves mortals. The mountains are still full of trees, and the river is still running towards the sea. How could such a promise be broken?"