When the three returned to the mountaintop, Song Shiwen had also been found. A guard led her to sit on the empty ground in front of the house. She looked haggard, appearing even more disheveled than Song Chuzhao and the others.
Song Chuzhao and she had no great feud, and they were sisters after all. Seeing her like this, Song Chuzhao, out of concern, went forward to inquire.
But Song Shiwen reacted violently, hastily pulling something out of her sleeve and flinging it at her.
Song Chuzhao raised her hand and caught it lightly, discovering it was a familiar object—a small yellow talisman.
“What are you giving me this for?” Song Chuzhao reached for similar items from her waist and sleeves, showing them to her and saying, “I have plenty, are you giving it to me as a gift?”
Song Shiwen gaped, her eyes wide with shock, unable to answer.
Song Chuzhao said, “Get up first.“carpreads.pages.dev
Second Girl Song quickly dodged her hand, her face turning ashen with fear.
Song Chuzhao didn’t know what to say. Seeing the other’s lack of cooperation, she simply stood diagonally opposite her.
Gu Fengjian had never liked Song Shiwen, and seeing Song Chuzhao receive a cold shoulder, he cared even less. He urged Song Chuzhao to quickly change out of her wet clothes.
Lieshui had only managed to set up one stove here. To take a hot bath, they would need to boil water first. And there was only one usable pot left, so they would have to take turns.
Tang Zhirou voluntarily took the last spot.
As soon as Song Chuzhao was out of sight, Song Shiwen immediately calmed down. Lieshui led her to the empty room next door and had a young boy bring her a bowl of hot soup.
Song Shiwen sat on a wooden chair, cupping the earthenware bowl in her hands, taking a small sip. Perhaps because the room was quiet and the atmosphere relaxed, she gradually regained her composure, and a glimmer of life returned to her eyes.
Tang Zhirou sat beside her and asked, “Second Girl Song, what’s wrong with you? Why did you run so fast just now? Everyone went looking for you.”
Song Shiwen set down the bowl in her hand, leaning forward, and cautiously asked, “Daoist, I hear you have profound Daoist skills. Please tell me truthfully, is there anything unclean around me?”
“There is no unclean thing like you imagine.” Lieshui said, “Most ghosts and spirits in this world are simply those with a guilty conscience. Second Girl Song, you’re delusional.”
Song Shiwen said, “It’s not me, it’s Third Girl! She’s truly changed, become different from before. Unless someone else has taken her place, how could there be such a drastic change overnight!”
Lieshui remained silent for a moment, then said to the attendant beside her, “She’s sick.”
Tang Zhirou wiped the mud off her face and asked, “What kind of sickness?”
“A sickness of the heart.” Lieshui said, “Take her to see a physician. I can’t help her here.”
Song Shiwen ran over and grabbed her sleeve, pleading, “No! It’s not me who’s sick, it’s my sister! She’s not ordinary, she’s truly not ordinary! Daoist, please try again, maybe she’s just hiding it well. Please perform a ritual. Daoist, you wouldn’t want her to harm Fifth Son Gu, would you?”
Gu Fengjian lowered his gaze and remained silent.
Tang Zhirou worriedly said, “I think she’s the one who’s possessed. Second Girl Song wasn’t like this before. Master, is she really alright? She’s been acting strangely ever since we entered the forest. Why don’t you perform a ritual for her?”
Lieshui forcefully pulled back her sleeve, shaking her head and saying, “You need to calm down, Second Girl Song. Your eyes are bloodshot, and your blood vessels are prominent, which shows that you’ve been overthinking and burdened with worries, so you haven’t gotten enough rest. The more you do this, the more anxious you’ll become. Stop thinking about Third Girl and go back to rest.”
Song Shiwen had indeed been scaring herself for a while now.
Every night, she would start recalling every detail about Song Chuzhao, unable to sleep. Later, some of the images became so blurred that even she couldn’t tell what was real and what was not.
She had already endured immense pressure due to Old Madam Song’s illness. The elders in the Song family were not sympathetic to her, and their unintentional words were always deeply hurtful. Old Madam Song would constantly criticize Song Chuzhao’s shortcomings to her.
Song Shiwen would hear praise for Song Chuzhao outside, but at home, she would hear Old Madam Song’s slander. The disparity between the two was unbearable. And because of the literary banquet, Tang Zhirou had distanced herself from her, and other young ladies in the capital had also changed their attitude towards her, secretly laughing at her.
Song Shiwen calmed down and thought about it, finding it ridiculous that she didn’t have a single friend she could trust and confide in. How could she be such a failure?
As soon as this thought arose, she felt lonely and pitiful.
Only when she thought about Song Chuzhao having her soul switched, and that she should be inferior to her, could she find a moment of respite.
Earlier, while climbing the mountain, she had been on edge, and then, influenced by the shouts of those girls, her emotions became extremely sensitive.
She was not someone with a strong will, and after a long period of setbacks, she had been worn down to the brink of collapse.
Lieshui instructed the guard, “Send her home. Have the physician prescribe some medicine to calm her mind and let her have a good sleep. Don’t mention anything about ghosts and spirits in front of her. The more you talk about these things, the easier it is to get caught up in them. It’s best to clear it up early.”
Tang Zhirou nodded in agreement, her mind in a daze, and instructed the guard to relay the message to Old Madam Song.
By the time Song Chuzhao came out after bathing, Song Shiwen had already left the mountaintop, and Gu Fengjian, having changed clothes, was sitting in the living room waiting for her.
While Tang Zhirou went inside to bathe, the three of them sat together and ate a bowl of noodles.
The noodles were cooked by the young boy who served Lieshui. The broth was clear, but the flavor was delicious, simmered with the old broth that had been stewing all night, leaving a lingering taste.
Song Chuzhao ate with satisfaction, finding the taste incredibly delicious.
Since she had switched into Gu Fengjian’s body, she hadn’t eaten much greasy food. Firstly, Gu Fengjian’s body needed to be nurtured, and secondly, her mouth was bland, unable to discern any taste.
This time, she finally got her fill.
Lieshui put down his chopsticks and asked, “Are either of you feeling unwell?”
Song Chuzhao shook her head and said, “No.”
She had checked while bathing earlier. The muscles on her stomach were slightly softer, her waistline was a little thicker, but her skin was much whiter. Other than that, there was no difference.
However, because she hadn’t returned to her own body for a long time, when she cupped her face, she felt the soft flesh in her palm was more comfortable than before. It felt a little unfamiliar.
Gu Fengjian’s facial contours were sharp and strong, and when she pinched them, she only felt hardness.
Song Chuzhao’s thoughts drifted, and her gaze unconsciously drifted towards Gu Fengjian. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that he was holding his chopsticks, calmly picking up noodles, but his ears were slightly red.
Song Chuzhao asked, “Fifth Son Gu, are you feeling cold? You lent me your clothes earlier, did the mountain wind chill you?”
Gu Fengjian coughed and said, “Perhaps. But it should be fine.”
Lieshui mercilessly interrupted, “Oh, he’s fine. No one gets cold just because their ears are red.”
Gu Fengjian: “…” He couldn’t eat these noodles anymore.
Lieshui pressed the mask beside him and said, “I heard you weren’t doing well in the capital. Junior brother’s wife, did you suffer any harsh treatment while using his identity?”
Song Chuzhao said, “No, I actually made a few friends. Although they’re a bit troublesome, they’re quite interesting. It’s Fifth Son Gu who’s been stuck at home for a long time, I imagine he must be quite bored?”
Gu Fengjian felt that beneath Lieshui’s calm face, a torrent of mischief was churning. He replied concisely, “Everything is fine.”
Song Chuzhao asked, “Wouldn’t you feel upset about something like this happening?”
Unexpectedly, Gu Fengjian replied, “No.”
Song Chuzhao curiously asked, “Why?”
Gu Fengjian looked at her and chuckled softly, “Because it’s you.”
Song Chuzhao’s heart almost skipped a beat from his laughter. After a moment of thought, she calmed down, nodded and said, “Indeed, there are few girls in the world who are as masculine as me. If it were someone else, it might ruin your reputation. But since it’s me, you can rest assured, I’ll make sure no one can see through the charade!”
Isn’t that right? In such a short time, she’s done everything from arguing to fighting.
Gu Fengjian sighed helplessly, a smile playing on his lips. He asked, “What about you?”
Song Chuzhao felt a pang of shame.
Heaven knew she had been living it up, enjoying her freedom. She had made friends with all sorts of people, acting as she pleased, unrestrained. Actions that had once been met with scorn and rebuke were now praised, and the shackles that had bound her were loosened.
She thought being a man was truly wonderful!
But then she remembered Gu Fengjian had endured a miserable time in her place. If she were to flaunt her newfound freedom in front of him, it would be utterly inappropriate. So Song Chuzhao said modestly, “I can bear it.”
Gu Fengjian suppressed a laugh. “You’ve had a tough time, haven’t you?”
“Nonsense!” Song Chuzhao waved her hand dismissively. Actually, she could handle a little more hardship!
Lieshui found their insincere exchange rather amusing. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long. Tang Zhirou emerged, having changed her clothes.
They had already spent too much time on the mountain. Song Chuzhao needed to return to Master He’s mansion soon, lest her grandfather worry. Tang Zhirou had lost her desire to wander and wanted to go home to reflect.
Having learned from past experience, Lieshui decided to escort them down the mountain herself.
The other young ladies had already left, but one carriage remained at the foot of the mountain, waiting.
Song Chuzhao was the first to climb in, and Tang Zhirou followed close behind.
The carriage was a bit high, and Song Chuzhao instinctively reached out to help the person behind her. Tang Zhirou also extended her hand.
As their hands were about to meet, Gu Fengjian, who was behind them, fixed his gaze on them, his expression unreadable.
Song Chuzhao’s face flushed. She changed direction, grabbing Tang Zhirou’s collar and roughly pulling her up.
Tang Zhirou: “???”
She sat on the wooden bench, bewildered.
Song Chuzhao patted her chest and then extended her hand towards Gu Fengjian.
Gu Fengjian was taken aback by her actions, but then a smile flickered in his eyes. He said, “Don’t throw me up.”
Song Chuzhao agreed, “I’ll pull you up.”
Neither of them questioned why a girl was pulling a boy up. In any case, Song Chuzhao took his hand, and he readily climbed into the carriage. Then, in a way that sent goosebumps down one’s spine, he said, “Thank you” and “You’re welcome.”
Tang Zhirou, who had witnessed the entire exchange, was speechless.
What had she done wrong again?
She was starting to get annoyed.
Lieshui stepped forward and nodded to Gu Fengjian, “Junior brother, farewell.”
Gu Fengjian returned the gesture.
Lieshui then said, “Junior brother’s wife, farewell.”
Song Chuzhao still felt awkward with the title and reminded her, “…You can call me Third Girl Song.”
Lieshui refused.
She turned her head to look at Tang Zhirou.
Tang Zhirou had already prepared herself to say goodbye and was about to respond when Lieshui blurted out unexpectedly, “Don’t come back.”
Tang Zhirou: “…”
Song Chuzhao felt deeply sympathetic for this poor soul and explained, “What she means is, don’t bring too many people next time. Especially don’t bring anyone who is afraid of ghosts. If you are also afraid of ghosts… it’s best not to come.”
Tang Zhirou wiped her face and said resolutely, “There’s no need to comfort me.” She knew she had made a fool of herself this time.
Lieshui waved her hand, “Go.”
Two ruts were left in the yellow earth as the carriage jolted towards the city gate.
Half an hour later, the carriage stopped at the entrance of Tang Zhirou’s home, then circled back for a good distance before finally stopping at the He Mansion.
Song Chuzhao prepared to get off, lifting the curtain of the carriage. For some reason, she turned back and looked at Gu Fengjian.
Gu Fengjian smiled, “Enjoy Master He’s affection. He’s quite fond of you.”
Song Chuzhao also smiled and said, “Duke Gu also cares about you deeply, but he is not good with words. I hope you will speak to him properly after I leave and clear up any misunderstandings. I’m going now.”
With a nimble movement, she jumped out of the carriage.
Author’s Note:
Song Chuzhao: The Zhaozhao you love has returned!