Chapter 197
"You're always cooped up in the Chengen Marquis Residence, which must be stifling. Go out for a bit, change your mood, and who knows? It might just happen. Trust me and give it a try," Li Xia could see that Li Xin wasn't very happy living in the Marquis's residence, so she encouraged her to go out with Cao Fugui to refresh their spirits.
Li Xin nodded after consideration. However, before leaving, she still asked Li Xia for a small garment that Lu Liucheng had worn, to take back and place under her pillow.
As for Cao Fugui, Li Xia also had someone notify Li Hui to speak with him. Li Xin was his own sister, so Li Hui would certainly care. Upon receiving Li Xia's message, he arranged to have drinks with Cao Fugui and broached the subject tactfully.
Cao Fugui thought it was a good idea and took advantage of his time off to take Li Xin to the Marquis's suburban villa for two days. Seeing Li Xin's joyful smile, he suddenly realized he hadn't seen her like this in a long time.
Afterwards, Cao Fugui would take Li Xin out during his time off. Perhaps this method really worked. Three months later, Li Xin was pregnant. The Li family sent someone to announce Li Xin's pregnancy. Li Xin insisted it was thanks to Cheng Cheng bringing her a little brother, and sent over many gifts.
Li Xia found this quite amusing. However, given the superstitious nature of people in this era, she accepted the gifts, planning to return them to Li Xin later.
The old Marquis and his wife had moved to the Mansion of Marquis of Pacifying the South when Li Xia was pregnant, spending their days with their great-grandson, living a very content life.
With someone to help take care of the child, Li Xia was more than happy. The child was truly a handful, especially Cheng Cheng with his loud voice - when he cried, it was enough to give one a headache.
After giving birth, that painful sensation in her body returned. With Zhou Heng absent, Li Xia sent Qiu Ling to find Xiao Changyou for medicine.
Xiao Changyou prepared new medicine and sent it over. After taking one pill, the pain in Li Xia's body lessened somewhat. However, the effect wasn't as good as when she first took it.
As her bedside companion, Lu XuanNing quickly discovered that Li Xia was taking medicine. He took the medicine to question Xiao Changyou. Looking at the medicine before him, Xiao Changyou knew this day would come.
"This is your wife's secret. You should ask her," Xiao Changyou didn't want to get involved in their marital affairs.
"Will taking this medicine harm her body?" Lu XuanNing needed to confirm.
"No."
"When did you help her make this?"
"At Ten Mile Slope, the main ingredient you used to wake up was provided by your wife," Xiao Changyou's words made Lu XuanNing pause. He left and returned home to find Li Xia waiting for him.
"I understand now." A seemingly unrelated sentence, but Lu XuanNing understood its meaning.
"Your body?"
"I used to not believe in karma, but now I do. I gained abilities beyond others, so I must pay a price," Li Xia's words made Lu XuanNing more anxious.
"There must be a way. I will definitely find a way to cure you," Lu XuanNing thought of the dream where Li Xia left by boat, wondering if she had a premonition then that her time in this world was limited. So she left by boat, leaving a mystery for the world, making them wary and unwilling to move against the Lu family.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine as long as I take my medicine regularly," Li Xia said as she took the pill from Lu XuanNing's hand and swallowed it.
Lu XuanNing watched Li Xia calmly take her medicine. At this moment, she looked very much like the Li Xia he had seen in his coma. That ethereal quality, as if she might drift away with the wind at any moment. He couldn't help but embrace her, "No matter where you go, I'll be with you."
"With you in this world, with Cheng Cheng, with mother, and so many people who love and care for me, how could I bear to leave?" Li Xia's words made Lu XuanNing hold her even tighter.
Afterwards, everyone in the household noticed that Lu XuanNing became even more attached to Li Xia. He truly stayed by her side at every step. Li Xia knew that Lu XuanNing had suddenly realized something was wrong and was anxious, so she let him be.
Every day, she would spend time playing with Cheng Cheng, who loved Li Xia the most. As long as Li Xia was around, he wouldn't look at anyone else. The father and son competing for Li Xia's attention, back and forth, was quite amusing.
"Can it be completely cured?" In private, Lu XuanNing asked Xiao Changyou if there was a way.
"I can't do it. Zhou Heng has been researching, he might have a way," Xiao Changyou admitted he wasn't as capable as Zhou Heng.
Lu XuanNing went to find Li Hui. "Where is Zhou Heng? I need to see him."
Instead of answering, Li Hui asked, "Has something happened to Xia Xia?"
"Xia Xia's body pain has returned. The previous prescription is becoming less effective. We need Zhou Heng to return and develop a new prescription." Lu XuanNing didn't hide anything and explained the situation to Li Hui.
"How could it recur? Zhou Heng said that if Li Xia maintained her physical condition, she would have no problems living to 50." As soon as Li Hui finished speaking, he looked at Lu XuanNing. Lu XuanNing only understood the meaning in Zhou Heng's words.
"Cheng Cheng," they both blurted out simultaneously.
Li Hui couldn't help but throw a punch at Lu XuanNing. Lu XuanNing didn't retaliate and took the hit.
"Why are you two fighting?" Li Xia's voice came from the doorway.
"Why are you here?" Lu XuanNing went forward to help Li Xia sit down.
"No need to be so cautious. My eldest brother's wedding is coming up soon. I came back to ask if there's anything I can help with?" Li Xia knew about Lu XuanNing's concern for her, but his excessive caution made her somewhat helpless.
"Just take care of yourself, that's enough," Li Hui was exasperated that Li Xia wouldn't stay quietly at home at a time like this.
"Can you both stop treating me like I'm about to die? This bit of pain is nothing," Li Xia said helplessly, taking the hot water Lu XuanNing handed her. During the breastfeeding period, Xu Xinyue had said she couldn't drink tea. So Li Xia hadn't had tea since.
Li Hui looked at the jade bracelet on Li Xia's wrist and suddenly remembered the incident before coming to the capital when Li Xia was in a coma. "The Buddhist prayer bead bracelet, Master Huizhen..."
Lu XuanNing reacted quickly, "Can Master Huizhen save Xia Xia?"
Li Hui explained everything about Taoist Master Chisongzi and Buddhist Master Huizhen.
"Master Chisongzi said Xia Xia is a person of great virtue, and Master Huizhen, who rarely sees outsiders, made an exception to give Xia Xia a Buddhist prayer bead bracelet. They must have seen something. I'll go find them right away." Lu XuanNing said, about to leave.
But Li Xia called him back, "Come back, you're not allowed to go."
"Xia Xia," Lu XuanNing turned back to look at Li Xia. He wanted Xia Xia to accompany him for a lifetime.
"Taoist Master Chisongzi ensured my safe birth, already saving my life once. Master Huizhen gave me the Buddhist prayer bead bracelet to extend my life. They've both done what they can for me. It's enough," Li Xia's words left Lu XuanNing and Li Hui unsatisfied. How could they watch their wife/sister die?
"If we're not going to find them, I'll go find Zhou Heng and ask him to return as quickly as possible," Li Hui changed his tune and decided to seek out Zhou Heng, seeing Li Xia's firm opposition. Zhou Heng had done more research on Li Xia's physical condition, so he might have a good solution.
"You two can discuss how to find Zhou Heng," Li Xia said, knowing that the two were hiding something from her. She didn't ask further and got up to go to the Wild Goose Pavilion.
Inside the room were the second branch's daughter Li Pan'er and Lu Liucheng. Madam Zhang sat silently to one side, her eyes rimmed with red.