Chapter 57: The Caged Bird and the Unfinished Words

Afternoon, Moon-Dwelling Courtyard.

Gu Qing sat on a rattan chair under the corridor, holding a scroll titled “Beidou Travelogue.”

The sun had shifted westward, its light filtering through the bamboo grove, the passage of time slow and serene.

On the small stove beside him, today’s dose of medicinal broth had already boiled three times.

Qin Xiyan sat on the soft couch opposite him. Her spirits were somewhat better today.

She was teasing a spirit butterfly that had flown in from somewhere, but her gaze kept drifting past the butterfly, landing on Gu Qing’s profile.

At the moment, she held a stalk of foxtail grass, absentmindedly swaying it back and forth.

Gu Qing’s gaze did not leave the paper, but the corner of his mouth paused for a moment.

A very subtle pause.

For an instant, his eyes seemed to pierce through the scroll in his hands, through the layered restrictions of this Moon-Dwelling Courtyard, looking toward that vast sky belonging to cultivators—a place he had never truly reached.

There, sword energy crisscrossed the heavens, there was eternal life and distant vision, and there was…

The truth he wanted to pursue.

But the next second, that light vanished.

Gu Qing closed the book and picked up a bowl of pitch-black medicinal broth, blowing on the steam.

“The story is finished.”

He spoke as if to himself, and also to Qin Xiyan.

“Time for your medicine.”

The foxtail grass in her hand stopped moving.

The startled spirit butterfly flew away, tracing a streak of purple light before disappearing.

“Gu Qing.”

She suddenly called his name.

“Hmm?”

Gu Qing’s hand, holding the medicine bowl, paused mid-air as he turned to look at her.

Qin Xiyan didn’t look at him. Instead, she lowered her head, staring at her own slender wrists.

“If…”

She bit her pale lips, as if mustering great resolve.

“I mean, if.”

“If you could… cultivate in the future, even become very powerful, as powerful as the sword cultivator in the story.”

The wind died down.

Gu Qing’s heart violently contracted.

He looked at this seemingly naive and innocent young girl before him, a flicker of surprise flashing deep in his eyes.

‘Did she discover it?’

Gu Qing asked himself.

He thought he had disguised himself perfectly since arriving here.

He was just a well-behaved, resigned-to-fate, crippled matrilocal son-in-law.

Apart from brewing medicine, he hadn’t shown any signs of cultivation.

“Why ask this all of a sudden?”

Gu Qing set the medicine bowl down, his expression unchanged, even revealing a gentle smile.

“Cultivation? That’s something that only happens in dreams. I have crippled meridians. That’s a fact confirmed by both the Gu and Qin families.”

Qin Xiyan raised her head.

In those purple eyes, the usual daze and innocent charm were gone.

She was sensitive.

Or perhaps, her intuition was sharp.

“Gu Qing, I saw it.”

She pointed at Gu Qing’s eyes.

“Just now, when you were talking about how those people risked their lives nine times out of ten for the Great Dao, there was a light in your eyes.”

“It was… a light of unwillingness.”

Qin Xiyan’s voice trembled slightly.

“It was exactly the same look I saw in the mirror when I was little, watching my older brothers and sisters fly out of the family to go on their training journeys.”

The hand Gu Qing had resting on his knee unconsciously tightened, gripping his robe.

‘Kindred spirits.’

Precisely because they were kindred spirits, no matter how well he concealed it, that deeply ingrained yearning was still detected by her.

Qin Xiyan glanced at the bowl of bitter-smelling medicinal broth, her eyes dimming a little.

“And also… I secretly had someone check that prescription.”

“Hong Gu said it’s not an ordinary nourishing soup. Although the ingredients are all common, the method of combination… it’s a meridian-unblocking method. It’s a medicinal broth for repairing meridians.”

Gu Qing’s pupils constricted slightly.

‘Careless.’

Or rather, did the Qin family investigate and tell her?

No.

If the Qin family had discovered a problem, the person standing here now wouldn’t be Qin Xiyan, but Qin Tianheng or the enforcement team.

He was overthinking, unaware that Qin Tianheng didn’t care about these things of his at all.

The other party even felt that if Gu Qing truly were a cripple, he wouldn’t be worthy of Qin Xiyan.

But Gu Qing was unaware of all this.

He still thought he was chosen merely by chance.

“Gu Qing.”

Qin Xiyan stood up from the soft couch and walked over to him.

She walked slowly, each step as if treading on cotton, appearing very frail.

“Actually… your body is getting better, isn’t it?”

“You actually can cultivate, or rather… you’re trying to make yourself able to cultivate.”

“You’re not a waste.”

As she said this, her eyes reddened.

“You’re just… staying here temporarily.”

Tears welled up in her eyes, stubbornly refusing to fall.

“If that’s the case…”

“Is it… is it because of that engagement contract, because of my father’s order, that you’re trapped here?”

“Is it me… who’s holding you back?”

This thought had been circling in her mind for several days.

Ever since returning from her last episode of illness, watching Gu Qing take meticulous care of her, she had felt increasingly panicked inside.

She was a patient, someone with an incurable disease, a burden who could die at any time.

And Gu Qing…

His heart was in the sky.

If it was her selfishness that kept an eagle caged like a canary, rotting alongside her…

Then she would rather let go.

Even though…

She really, really didn’t want to.

“If… if you want to leave.”

Qin Xiyan grabbed Gu Qing’s sleeve, her fingers clenching tightly.

“I can beg Father… tell him I don’t like you anymore, that I have a bad temper… ask him to let you go…”

“Don’t say anymore.”

Gu Qing cut her off.

He looked at this girl before him, who for his sake was even willing to tarnish her own reputation, willing to push away the only warmth she had.

The defensive line in his heart completely melted away.

He had deceived her.

Before, he truly stayed here for benefits, for cover.

But in reality, after meeting her that day, he had already figured it out.

“Xiyan.”

Gu Qing reached out and took her small, cold hand in his palm.

“Look at me.”

Qin Xiyan raised her tear-blurred eyes.

“Do you think I’m the kind of person who can be easily manipulated by others?”

Gu Qing smiled, full of seriousness.

“But this matter and how we get along don’t have to conflict.”

“Why must it be one or the other?”

He pulled her, and they sat back down on the soft couch together.

Gu Qing picked up the now slightly cooled bowl of medicinal broth and drank it all in one go.

Bitterness spread in his mouth, making him even more clear-headed.

“Who says a cultivator must sever worldly ties, must abandon wife and children?”

“That’s the Path of Heartlessness. I don’t cultivate that.”

“Xiyan, remember this.”

“From the moment I agreed to this marriage and accepted that jade pendant.”

“I am your fiancé.”

“This is a contract, and also a promise.”

“Whether I remain a mortal in the future or become a cultivator; whether I can soar through the skies and burrow into the earth, or can only crawl on the ground.”

“I will not abandon you.”

“Unless… you don’t want me anymore.”

Qin Xiyan stared at him blankly.

Tears finally couldn’t be held back, falling like broken strings.

“I… I would never not want you…”

She choked back a sob, her hand gripping Gu Qing’s in return.

“But… but I’ll hold you back…”

“Then so be it.”

Gu Qing shrugged, his tone light as he cracked a joke.

“Anyway, I’m strong. I can carry you.”

“Pfft…”

Qin Xiyan couldn’t help but laugh through her tears.

Gu Qing reached out and gently rubbed her cheek.

It felt nice. Soft and cool.

“Alright, stop overthinking.”

“With that effort, you might as well help me think about what to eat tonight.”

“Mmm…”

Qin Xiyan sniffled, nodding obediently, and leaned her body against Gu Qing’s shoulder.

Even through the fabric, Gu Qing could feel the bone-chilling cold emanating from her.

But he didn’t push her away.

Instead, he adjusted his sitting posture to let her lean more comfortably.

He sighed deeply in his heart.

And silently apologized in his mind.

‘I’m still lying to you.’

‘I don’t just want to cultivate.’

‘I also need to investigate that bloody incident from back then, to find the truth about my parents’ disappearance.’

‘That path is destined to be strewn with thorns and blood.’

‘But I swear.’

Gu Qing’s gaze gradually deepened.

‘I will definitely stay with you. I’ll accompany you for the rest of this lifetime.’

He had pushed Lin Qingyue and Su Li away because he was worried he wasn’t worthy of them.

No, not worried—he was certain.

Deep down, he understood clearly.

He truly wasn’t worthy of them, didn’t deserve to give them a future.

But Qin Xiyan was different.

She was like him, a kindred spirit who couldn’t cultivate.

Kindred spirits huddle together for warmth.

He was also willing to walk forward with her.

This was his resolve.

And also his selfishness.

What he didn’t know was that this way of thinking was, in fact, even more cruel to Lin Qingyue and Su Li.

He had underestimated the resolve of those two.

Just as this warm yet slightly heavy atmosphere settled, a series of hurried footsteps shattered the tranquility.

“Third Young Lady.”

Qin Mo’s figure suddenly appeared outside the corridor, bowing in greeting.

Noticing the tear stains on her face, Qin Xiyan lifted her head from Gu Qing’s shoulder, flusteredly wiping her face, returning to her usual dignified demeanor.

“The Family Head requests your presence.”

Qin Mo said solemnly.

“He requests the Third Young Lady proceed immediately to the Jianmu Main Palace.”

“To the Jianmu Main Palace?”

Qin Xiyan was taken aback.

The Jianmu Main Palace was her father’s residence.

Usually, even ordinary elders weren’t qualified to enter.

And although she was doted on, to protect her, her father rarely summoned her there for meetings.

Qin Mo raised his head.

“Yes.”

“Is there an important guest?”

Qin Xiyan asked.

“It is… a divine physician who might be able to cure the Third Young Lady.”

Qin Xiyan’s eyes suddenly lit up.

She instinctively turned to look at Gu Qing beside her.

If her illness could be cured…

If she could live…

Then wouldn’t she have to worry about holding Gu Qing back?

Gu Qing was also somewhat surprised.

How many famous physicians had the Qin family sought over the years, all to no avail?

And now another one had come?

And judging by Qin Mo’s grave demeanor, this one seemed to carry significant weight.

Gu Qing patted the back of her hand, his voice gentle.

“Go. This is good news.”

“Gu Qing, wait for me at home. If it’s true… I’ll definitely come back and tell you right away!”

Qin Xiyan nodded vigorously and got up to leave.

“Alright, I’ll wait for you.”

Gu Qing smiled, watching her leave.

He watched Qin Xiyan’s figure following Qin Mo gradually recede, watched the hem of her skirt disappear around the corridor’s corner.

The smile on Gu Qing’s face slowly faded.

For some reason, his right eye suddenly twitched.

A strange, inexplicable sense of foreboding surged in his heart without warning.

It was like…

Gu Qing shook his head, suppressing that strange feeling.

“Let’s hope it’s someone with real skill.”

He stood up and began tidying up.