This is one of the saddest chapters as you see HQG and BZH spend their last meal together. Yet for BZH it ends in betrayal for him and for HQG given the depth of her feeling for BZH, she arguably feels even more hurt. The title of this chapter really is apt in a very bitter kind of way.
When Bai Zi Hua woke up, he saw the blood and knew that he had drunk Qian Gu’s blood. He however could not remmeber anything else and felt angry at himself. He could not stay here for long or he might endanger Xiao Gu. Yet there was a strange sense of unwillingness to leave which he did not understand. He then saw a letter from his Shi Xiong and he flew towards Tan Lan Dian to let his Shi Xiong know he was leaving Chang Liu Mountain.
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“Gu Tou!!” Tang Bao shook her hard.
“Ah? What? What?” Hua Qian Gu dropped her chopsticks on the floor.
“Did you even listen to me? You have been smiling to the window like an idiot!”
“Kekeke…. Nothing. You continue.”
Tang Bao bit shyly on the cabbage leaf as though she was biting onto a handkerchief and looked at her: “What should I do?”
Hua Qian Gu grabbed on to her caabe leaf with her chopsticks and ate it with a big mouthful of rice: “Do what?”
Tang Bao angrily rolled on the table inf front of her….
*Cries “You weren’t listening to me ask what I should do about Luo Shi Xiong’s confession?”
“Pui” Hua Qian Gu eyes widened as well as small bell as she spat out her huge mouthful of rice on Tang Bao like a fairy throwing flowers.
Wurt?
Tang Bao shyly buried her head in her body making her look like a small transclucent ball.
Hua Qian Gu poked its face with her finger, feeling helpless yet finding this hilarious.
“How did he tell you?”
“He said Bao Bao I really like you. Let you take care of you for the rest of your life!” Tang Bao imitated Luo Shi Yi’s passionate tone.
“Haha. And then?”
“And then, and then, he kissed me when I was still in shock.” Tang Bao voice became even softer.
Hua Qian Gu hugged on to her tummy, laughing so hard she was going to faint: “How do you know he is confessing to you. Maybe he wants to bring you home and keep you as a pet?”
“He won’t. You don’t know how good he is to me. He will buy me whatever I want to eat, unlike you who always restricts me to grass and leaves.”
“I restrict you because I am afraid your teeth will rot. You are a worm. Of course you should eat a lot of green plants to take in enough vitamins. I am a good mother. I won’t spoil you like your father and Luo Shi Yi! And then? How did you answer?”
“I said that Gu Tou Ma Ma will take care of me for the rest of my life. You only need to play with me often.”
Hua Qian Gu could only imagine Luo Shi Yi’s heartbroken face when it gave such an answer and used her chopsticks to pick up Tang Bao and placed it in front of her. “Who wants to take care of you. Tell me honestly. Do you like Luo Shi Xiong?”
“Yes.” Tang Bao answered honestly.
“What about Qing Shui?”
“Haha. I like her too.”
Hua Qian Gu helplessly shook her head “I think you should wait until you are sure which kind of like is it before you think of how to deal with it. However I hope that you will not be too close to Luo Shi Xiong.”
“Why?” Hua Qian Gu did not answer and only worriedly looked out of the window. Given the situation now, she could only rely on Luo Shi Yi.
“Gu Tou! Gu TOu!” Tang Bao anxiously bit on her finger. “Are you still worried about stealing the instruments of the gods? Its alright. Nothing will go wrong with out plan.
Hua Qian Gu nodded her head and gave a light sigh.
Tang Bao suddenly muttered: ” Gu Tou, do you really like Zun Shang so much? Actually Pa Pa is really good.”
Hua Qian Gu was stunned. She looked down and gave it a small smile: “The feelings I have for Shi Fu is not such a simple like Actually, until now, I don’t really understand what is liking someone. I feel that the only difference is that you will become so nervous that your heart will thump nervously. However towards Shi Fu, there is more respect, admiration and gratefulness. Liking him probably does not even count for one tenth of these feelings. I don’t wish for anything else. I just want him to recover so that I can forever be his disciple and accompany him.”
“But if we steal the instruments, will Zun Shang forgive us?”
Hua Qian Gu shook her head: “I can’t care so much anymore. As long as I can cure Shi Fu’s poison, I can bear any punishment. But Tang Bao you must remember to always guard against Ni Man Tian.”
“Why?”
“You silly child. Don’t just see how someone is good to you and be blind to the other’s hate for you. Ni Man Tian isn’t ad by nature. But she is easily jealous, too eager to win and willing to resort to despicable means. Such a person very easily commits very horrifying things without considering the consequences. Maybe I am overthinking, but you shouldn’t be too close to Luo Shi Xiong, to prevent her from directing all the anger she feels towards me onto you. Do you understand?”
"Hey, don’t worry. I am very powerful. I can deal with a tiny Ni Man Tian.”
Hua Qian Gu shook her head: “I am afraid she will be underhanded.” She had already experienced it firsthand a few times.
“Xiao Gu.” suddenly Bai Zi Hua’s voice sounded.
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BZH called her over to the study. He then handed over some matters to prepare for his imminent death.
“I only want SHi Fu.” Hua Qian Gu shouted losing all control. He comforted her telling her that he was already lucky to last so long and as half an immortal, she should not be so stubborn about life and death. He then asked her how old she was. Eighteen, she replied. He then advised her as an adult, she should not be so stubborn and if she was willing to grow up, then she could go back to Mt Mao to be the sect leader.
Bai Zi Hua looked at her face and suddenly wanted to know what she would look like when she grew up. It was a pity he would have no such such chance.
Hua Qian Gu kneeled before him and begged him to delay his departure until her birthday. She was trying to buy time to get the instruments. Bai Zi Hua agreed after some contemplation.
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Because she wanted to spend her birthday with her Shi Fu, she celebrated it one day earlier. She made an entire table full of dishes at Qiao Mu Qing Liu’s place and invited everyone to feast as a form of farewell.
As she saw everyone singing, joking and playing, Hua Qian Gu it sparked off a whole mess of complicated feelings and thoughts. She knew that after tomorrow night, she could no longer go back to these happy times on Chang Liu Mountain.
When the feast ended, Hua Qian Gu was on her way back to Jue Qing Dian when she was stopped by Shuo Feng.
He asked her directly what was happening.
Hua Qian Gu laughed guiltily thinking that he must have seen her Shi Fu’s condition. She replied honestly that he had been poisoned and asked him to keep the secret.
Shuo Feng floated silently midair, his eyes shining twinkling than the brightest star in the night sky.
“So…. the reason why you are so anemic is because Zun Shang has been drinking your blood every night to extend his life?”
“No! Its beause I insist on letting Shi Fu drink my blood. He only became like this in order to save me.”
“So you have been looking so worried these past few days because you were thinking of ways to save him?”
Hua Qian Gu nodded.
“Have you found it?”
“I……”
“Dont deny it. Otherwise, you would not be so calm and determined. The words you said at the feast were clearly a hidden farewell message. The way to neutralise the poison is very dangerous right?”
“Yes.”
“What do you need?”
“The Nu Wa stone.” Hua Qian Gu said it out. Somehow she had this mysterious trust in Shuo Feng and felt there was nothing to hide from him.
Shuo Feng’s body shook slightly and his face paled in an instant.
“You mean you want to gather all the instruments of the gods in order to restore the Nu Wa Stone?”
“Yes.”
“You have decided?”
“As long as I can save Shi Fu!”
Shuo Feng gave a light sigh. So this is called fate.
“Ok. Let me help you.”
Hua Qian Gu raised her head and looked at him in shock
“I absolutely cannot let you take such a risk.”
Shuo Feng looked at her calmly: “If it is really so dangerous, having two people will halve the risk. Trust me. I can help you.”
“No. Absolutely not!” According to the rules of Chang Liu Sect, you can die ten times over for this crime and it would not be enough.
Shuo Feng laughed: “But since I already know, if you don’t include me, I will tell on you. Then you can’t do anything.”
“You….” Hua Qian Gu angrily stuttreed.
Shuo Feng’s gaze was like water, a slight sadness could be seen in it: “If Zun Shang doesn’t die, doesn’t helping you count as helping the Immortal realm?”
“Alright.” Hua Qian Gu knew that he was as stubborn as her and could only accept.
“When do we act?”
“Tomorrow night.”
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The next day was Hua Qian Gu’s birthday. She woke up very early and took much effort to dress up. Even though she still bunned up her air into two buns, however, she adorned them with two small wreaths of tiny white flowers. Her new green skirt was very intricately embroidered and was rushed out specially by Qing Shui for her. Her small plain yet elegant face was a little pale, but otherwise refreshing and adorable.
She made an entire table full of her Shi Fu’s favourite food. She even sweeped the entire Jue Qing Dian and replaced the wilted peach blossom trees with new ones form the mountain.
“Shi Fu — Shi Fu– It’s time to eat” She happily shouted as though she had returned to the good old days.
Bai Zi Hua slowly walked out of his room and looked at the entire courtyard full of peach blossoms. They had reopened again. However, he was not a tree and would not return to the days of spring.
The table was not placed indoors, but instead in the courtyard under the peach blossom trees. Bai Zi Hua sat in front of the table and looked at Hua Qian Gu who was happily scooping rice for him. During her past birthdays, they would also spend it in this manner, eating a simple meal and chatting over it. Hua Qian Gu would always badger him and ask him which day his birthday was on and how he would remember after living for a few hundred years. Hence, She said that the two of them would celebrate their birthday together on this day every year.
This could be considered to be the last birthday and last meal they would spend tighter. After this, she would celebrate it alone.
Hua Qian Gu kept putting dishes into his bowl and pouring wine for him, while ceasely chattering on. The tiny smile on the corners of Bai Zi Hua’s mouth was like water that flowed quietly throughout the years. For him, a century was like an instant. He would remain unchanged. Even if you emptied out his thoughts and memories you would not find anything. However, since she arrived, the days seemed to have colour and sound. As he slowly counted each moment he spent with her, he realised that he remembered every tiniest detail. These memories seems to surpass those hundreds and thousands of years he spent before meeting her.
Hua Qian Gu smiled and said: “Shi Fu, can you take out the Fu Xi Zither? Your disciple would like to play a tune for you.” 饭
That child like expression was something he had not seen in a long time. Bai ZI Hua lightly nodded before taking out the Fu Xi Zither and passing it to her.
Hua Qian Gu took the Fu Xi Zither and say under the peach blossom tree. However, the notes from the zither floated between layers of pink petals, was the tune of Di Xian Yuan. (This is a poem by Liu Chang Qing, a Tang Dynasty poet. The poem talks about how on a beautiful day, one’s friend leaves on a raft. It talks about the grief that accompanies such a parting, which is very apt in our context.)
Bai Zi Hua stared at her, his wine cup stopping in mid air. The boundless grief and pain in her tune and reached him. The sound of the wither was a sobbing, crying all the reluctance to part and helplessness, as though she wanted to express all her heartfelt gratitude and respect in her song. All the tiny moments they had spent with each other continually played in his mind with the song. He tightened his grip on the cup and gave a light sigh. The tune however echoed in his mind long after it had stopped.
Hua Qian Gu handed the zither over the him to let him put it back into his Xu Ding. As he saw her smiling at him, he suddenly felt his head becoming heavier. Her green figure was also becoming more and more blur in the sea of pink.
“Shi Fu, please forgive Xiao Gu…..” He vaguely hear Xiao Gu mutter in his ears as he felt his consciousness slowly leave him.
Hua Qian Gu’s figure suddenly transformed into a green light as she took advantage of the opening when Bai ZI Hua was placing the Fu Xi Zither back in his Xu Ding to fly in and retrieve all the instruments of the gods.
Bai Zi Hua was shocked, but he knew it was too late and he felt the hypnosis taking over and he slowly closed his eyes.