Chapter 5

Hack...hack...hack…

Xiuying coughs as she opens her eyes however she can’t see anything but only feels being hugged by a pair of strong arms and hard chest hinders her eyesight. She tries to get up and remove the arms hugging her but the person wakes up due to her movements.

“Ying-er? Daughter?” Qi Chen's hoarse voice reached her ears and it seems he is in pain.

“Fa-father?” As her oriole like voice is heard she can feel droplets pour onto her back realizing it isn’t raining but the father she only heard during her coma who is always strong and determined is now crying silently while hugging her more tightly.

“I thought we would lose you… I thought I couldn't save you again…” Her father’s voice is full of self-blame and at the same time happy that she is finally awake.

“You save me father… Please don’t cry.” 

“Then you also don’t cry and I’ll stop.”

Her hands reach out to feel her father’s face and try to wipe his tears that seem endless, not realizing she is also crying until Qi Chen mentioned it.

“I will… see I am not crying anymore. Father, where are we and where’s Xue?”

“We are in the underground room located underneath your bed. Don’t worry Xue is behind you, she passed out due to tiredness. Rest for now while waiting for your brother because the door can only be opened by the key he has.”

“But where’s your key?”

Ahem… “I left it in the study… I was in a hurry to save you…” Qi Chen is thankful that there’s no light in the room, otherwise her daughter will definitely see his embarrassed face.

Suddenly giggles echoed throughout the room, Xiuying’s body shakes as she tries to hold back but she really can’t help it.

“You dare laugh at your father now, huh?” Qi Chen tries to make his voice stern but his happiness can’t help but mix in it.

“Don’t dare…don’t dare…”

Qi Chen gently helped her daughter stand up as he faintly heard someone trying to open the door.

“Father… “ before Xiuying completed her question to Qi Chen the door opened. The light of the moon peeks into the room until it lightens up the whole room.

The first thing Qi Ming notices is her sister’s being helped by his father to stand up and her doe-like eyes suddenly turn to face him. He immediately steals Xiuying from his father’s arms and hugs her tightly, thanking fate for giving his sister a chance of another life while trying to fight his tears from falling.

“Brother…?”

“Yes, your handsome brother is here…” Qi Ming jokes lightly.

Qi Chen lightly smacks Qi Ming’s head upon hearing the usual greetings he hears from him, earning a chuckle from both his children.

“Took you a long time to clear out everything.” Qi Chen lightly reprimanded his son.

“There are spies mixed in with our servants due to what happened earlier. I wasn’t able to guard tightly.”

“I see.. Did you catch the people who started the fire?”

“Yes but one has died in the fire. His retribution came faster than the others.”

“Make sure to keep the rest alive and don’t alarm the people behind them.”

“Yes Father.”

Ahem…”Can we talk about this later, I am hungry…” Xiuying blushes as she interrupts the two, she feels that if she didn’t interrupt it will take a long time before they get done discussing.

“Sorry Ying-er, pretend for now that you are still in a coma till we sort everything out. Housekeeper Qi, have a female servant help Xue. She passed out after protecting my daughter. Ming-er help your sister, I’ll go see your mother.”

Seeing that everything can be handled by his son, Qi Chen hurriedly went to his wife.

“Glad to have you back little sis… Don’t make us worried again, alright?”

“I will try...” Xiuying wittily answered Qi Ming, earning a flick on her forehead.

“Brother…” 

“Pretend to be asleep, I’ll tell you once we arrive in our parents’ courtyard.” Qi Ming chuckles as he carries his sister. Xiuying nodded lightly before closing her eyes.

Xiuying can still hear the movements however the sounds became faint and she can feel her sleepiness due to tiredness increased as Qi Ming’s movement served as her lullaby.

When they are about to reach the place where the former gate of her sister’s courtyard, Qi Ming hears his sister’s light snores, easing up his worries of her being in a coma again.

Upon seeing Qi Ming showing up from the ruins after Qi Chen with Xiuying in her arms, all servants loudly cheer, however a few have stiff expressions on their faces. Qi Chen didn’t care about them but glanced at his trusted servants who nodded lightly to him tacitly understanding his master’s instructions to note those and have their movements monitored moving forward. 

Xiuying woke up around afternoon the following day, hearing the movements of the person on the bed. Xi Hui immediately came near her daughter. She is excited since last night hearing from her husband about her daughter’s coming out of the coma. She sees her daughter scratching her eyes as she tries to adjust to the light and immediately stops Xiuying by grabbing both of her hands. Xi Hui can’t help but bring Xiuying’s hands to her lips and lightly kiss both.

Xiuying knows Xi Hui is near her due to the fragrance she smells from her and feeling her mother’s light kisses warms up her heart more. She slowly opens her eyes and finally sees a beautiful woman wearing a dark green hanfu which makes Xi Hui’s skin more white, her eyes trails from her mother’s hands that holds hers to her eyes that looks at her with so much love that she can’t help but tear up.

“Mother…”

“Yes my daughter…”

“Mo-mother…”

“I’m here.. Don’t be afraid… we’re here for you my child.” Xi Hui pats her daughter’s back as she hugs her.

Xiuying didn’t know why, but she can’t help but start to cry loudly as she repeatedly calls out Xi Hui as mother. As her heart firmly recognized her new family and identity, she felt something left her body or she could say it was the original Xiuying’s soul.

They will be my family now Xiuying and I’ll cherish and love them as you did when you were alive.

Even the servants near them couldn't help but to be emotional, they controlled their emotions immediately as they knew Xi Hui would need them to be ready for any orders. The most trusted mama of Xi Hui immediately instructed one of the maidservants to get boiled eggs and have them peeled as both mother and daughter’s eyes are now swollen due to crying.

“Hush now my child… you’re safe now. Don’t cry anymore alright? You are making me worried if you cry more, look your eyes are now swollen.” 

Xi Hui finally let go of her daughter and gently wipes the other’s tears with the handkerchief readily handed by her trusted maidservant before exchanging it with the peeled egg and gently tap it on Xiuying’s eyes to lessen the swelling.

After making sure that her daughter’s eyes aren’t swelling much she stops her actions and puts a few hair strands behind Xiuying’s ear while taking a good look at her now-awake child. No words can describe how thankful and happy she is at this moment.

“Did both of you cry babies got your eyes swollen again?” Qi Chen's voice alerted the servants and composed themselves before greeting their master.

“Mother..., Father’s making fun of us!” Xiuying hids in her mother’s arms as she complains.

“He dares to make us a joke… You will sleep in the study.” Xi Hui wraps her arms around her daughter’s thin body, a slight distress flashed in her eyes. She immediately calms her emotions before turning her gaze to her husband and jokingly reprimanded him.

“You child! I am just stating the fact, look at your reddish and swollen eyes.” Qi Chen can’t rebut his wife even with their antics so he turns to his daughter who is now looking at him proudly with a smirk.

“You still scold my dear daughter, let’s increase your punishment for a week then.”

“Please don’t do that my dear wife. It is this husband’s fault for stating the facts…”

“Stating the facts?” Xi Hui raises her eyebrow as she questions her husband.

“Who said that, I only said it is this husband’s fault. Now… Now let’s stop on this topic and eat our lunch shall we?” Qi Chen denies urgently as he hugs both of his wife and daughter before kissing their foreheads before changing the topic. In his mind, he hopes that his dear wife will not let him sleep in the study tonight.

“Fine, let’s get you ready Ying-er and you, my husband needs to get our lunch ready.”

“At your command my beautiful wife.” Qi Chen bows like a servant before leaving as if nothing happened, earning a giggle from Xiuying as she notices her mother’s blushing face.