The majestic courtyard of the Xu Family was filled with flowers of different species, ranging from the peonies to lilies to Red Camellias. The plants and old trees gave the garden a beautiful and tranquil ambiance, almost magical, as the afternoon light radiated through the leafy branch. The grass path and flowerbed have been tended to by experts; one glance at it shows the artistry of horticulture. Legendary statues of lions, representing guardians, were lined on each side along the path leading to the main house, where a wooden plaque was placed at the door, bearing the Family name Xu in bold characters.
All was silent except the sound from the maids and servants tending to their daily business. In a room, portraits of each former head of the Xu family hung on the wall. One could tell they had all had their share of life. The fragrance of incense blended with the dusty smell of books arranged on a long shelf in the study room. Everywhere felt alive with candles lighting up the walls of the rooms, except for a place…
The only daughter of the Xu Family, Xu Ruyi, lay still on a bed in one of the many chambers. She was wrapped with a thick duvet, her body frail and pale, as if her soul had been sucked out of her body. For weeks, she had been unresponsive, sickness taking over all of her.
Her parents, Xu Huai and Lady Ling, sat by her bedside, their faces lined with worry. Lady Ling clasped her hands with her daughter's as she looked from her feeble daughter to the physician who was present in the room. The physician, in his early sixties, had a worried look on his face. He had been taking care of Ruyi since she was a kid and had always been able to keep her stable, but now he was worried there was so little he could do. Of course, he was experienced and considered one of the best in the city. Over the years, he had seen a lot of patients, but Ruyi's case was different, unique, and rare.
More like something he couldn't fathom, his voice was low and filled with empathy as he spoke. "I have done all I can; the sickness has taken over her entirely this time. Her body has grown cold.
Perhaps it would be wise to start preparing yourselves," he couldn't finish the sentence, unwilling to shatter the little bit of hope they had. Ruyi was the first patient he wasn't able to heal.
Xu Huai, a tall, elegant man in his prime, stood up and quickly dabbed his eyes with the sleeves of his robes. He tried as much as possible to conceal his tears, but one could tell he'd been having a hard time; after all, Ruyi was his only child. He had always been protective of her since she was born; she meant the world to him, and he couldn't imagine losing her. Despite everything they'd been through, he tried his best to stand his ground and continue to hope for the best.
Lady Ling, on the other hand, broke down in tears. "I don't believe it!" she said as tears flowed down her cheeks freely. "My daughter will wake up; she will call me mother again." She held her daughter close as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Xu Huai held her tenderly, trying to calm her down. He couldn't see his wife like this, nor could he handle the thought of losing his daughter. His family was at the verge of collapsing, and at this point, he had started to lose his stoicism.
"Ruyi will wake up, right?" Lady Ling turned to the physician and asked, unable to face reality. The physician sighed before responding, his voice calm and his expression relaxed. "My Lady, I can't guarantee you that. It's clear; her body is too weak."
In the blink of an eye, weeks turned to months, and months turned to years. The Xu Family had to deal with the trauma of losing their daughter forever with each passing day. She remained in her sickbed, showing no sign of recovery. The only hope they were clinging onto now was a miracle.
Even the best physician from other towns and cities had been called in to share their knowledge, but they came to the same conclusion.
Nevertheless, her parents remained optimistic, their love and care unwavering.
The locals had already started to gossip about the Xu family. Some talked about their refusal to acknowledge their daughter's death and bury her in a respectable way. "It's unnatural," a commoner muttered to another, "to keep a dead body in the house for years; they must be crazy." "Yes," answered another, "every physician they called must have made a good fortune. Spending that much money on a dead girl, even the wealthiest family in the city wouldn't dare lavish their money like that. Whether they like it or not, they'll eventually have to accept the truth and bury her accordingly."
Even in the Xu household, the servants were beginning to whisper after witnessing the sleepless nights and troubled days. While some called for Ruyi to be buried, others held on to the hope that she could awaken.
Xu Huai and Lady Ling had been by Ruyi's bed for hours. The sound of rain pattered softly on the roof and against the windows, followed by lightning and thunderstorms. The servants walked in silence while attending to the couple's needs, but as they walked in and out, they couldn't take their eyes off Ruyi, who lay motionless on the bed.
Arriving with a basin of water and clean white cloth was Ruyi's personal maid, Xiao Lan. She knelt beside Ruyi's bed, dipped the cloth into the water, squeezed it, and began to mop her body delicately. When she finished, she turned towards Ruyi's parents. "Master, Madam, don't worry. Miss Ruyi will surely wake up; she has to," Xiao Lan said softly. If anyone had missed Ruyi's presence after her parents, it would be her.
Lady Ling smiled, grateful for Xiao Lan's comforting words. "Thank you, Xiao Lan," she whispered.
Lady Ling sat in the stillness of the night by Ruyi's bed, her eyelids heavy and drained from sitting all day. After what felt like an eternity, Ruyi's eyelids twitched and opened slowly, her vision blurring as she tried to take in her surroundings.
Her mind raced as she blinked constantly, her chest rising and falling in rhythm, like the gentle swell of a musical note. Her gasps were shallow, and her first words came out faint, confused, and hardly heard. "I didn't die…"
She looked scared and glanced around the room; everything seemed so weird, and unfamiliar, as if she had entered another world different from the one she used to know. "Where… where am I?" she muttered to herself.
Lady Ling let out a surprised gasp as her sleepy eyes fluttered open; the change in atmosphere made her believe she had dreamed it. However, when she leaned closer, she realized everything that was happening was real. She was amused, and her face lit up as she gently called, "Ruyi?" She didn't understand what was going on, so she rubbed her eyes just to be sure. "Ruyi? You're awake? My daughter, you're really awake." Her voice trembled as she reached for her daughter's hand gently.
"Ruyi," the name lingered in the air as Ruyi blinked. She didn't recognize the name. She didn't understand what was going on; she wanted to scream but couldn't find her voice. She raised her brows and looked at Lady Ling with uncertainty.
"Fü jun!" Lady Ling called, addressing her husband, her voice laced with urgency. "Ruyi is awake!" Her voice echoed down the halls, waking Xu Huai, who had slept off while working on some court cases. The noise also reached the servants, who ran towards the room, horror and disbelief displayed on their faces.
With tears in his eyes, Xu Huai hurried in; he walked to his daughter's bedside, looking directly into her eyes. "My daughter, you're finally awake," he said in a low, husky voice.
Ruyi's mind raced. What's happening? Who are they? She pondered, "Who is Ruyi?"
"You frightened us," Lady Ling spoke again, with tears in her eyes. "I can't believe you've returned to us, my lovely daughter."
Before Ruyi could respond, Xiao Lan entered the room, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Miss Ruyi, you scared me to death. I thought… I thought you were gonna leave me forever," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "I missed you so much."
Ruyi stared at the three figures before her in confusion. She didn't follow; she needed someone to explain what was going on. The illness was so severe this time, Xu Huai said softly, his voice filled with relief, "we really did think we'd lost you this time."
Illness? Ruyi thought, her heart began to beat fast as she rose abruptly from the bed. Ignoring the startled gasps, she stumbled towards the mirror across the room.
Her face went pale when she saw her reflection.
She reached up for her face, her fingers quivering as she touched the strange face staring back at her, a whirlwind of questions swirled in her mind. "How's this possible? Who am I?"