Chapter 29: Resolving the Curse (Part 1)

  In front of the ordinary farmhouse gate, Ning Caichen shouted: "Mother, I'm back!" while opening the door.

  An ordinary sentence, yet it made Xu Xian pause for a moment, a strange and familiar feeling surged from his heart. When was it that he too had such moments? And now, how is his mother doing in another world far away?

  An old woman hastily came out "A Cai, how did you come back?" Surprised and delighted, with a few worries.

  Ning Caichen told his mother about the academy, and only then did she put her mind at ease. Upon hearing that Xu Xian was Ning Caichen's classmate, she hastily invited him in. A child travels a thousand miles, and their mother worries; what Ning's mother worried most about wasn't her son's studies, but rather his relationship with his fellow students not going well.

  "This child of mine has a stubborn temper just like his father, but he's got a good heart. You're all classmates, so if there's anything he's done to offend you, please forgive him."

  "Auntie, you're worrying too much. Ning is a straightforward person and I have great admiration for him. We've just started to get to know each other, how could there be any offense?"

  "That's good, that's good!" Ning's mother felt relieved and somewhat proud. This son of hers wasn't bad in terms of his studies, but as for his character, there was nothing to complain about.

  The Ning family was also a scholarly family, but it declined later. The men in the family died early, and it was all up to Mrs. Ning to raise her son by herself, which was not easy. When Xu Xian told his own life story, Mrs. Ning listened and wiped away tears, as if she had forgotten her own difficulties, and became closer to Xu Xian.

  They were all poor families, without so many rules, gathered together to eat. But Ning's mother asked Ning Caichen to take a bowl of rice to the inner room. Xu Xian only then remembered that Ning Caichen still had a wife he was married to since childhood. Mentioning this daughter-in-law, Ning's mother sighed endlessly, her temperament was extremely good, but she was thin and weak.

  Originally, Ning's father had arranged a marriage when he was still alive, but later the Ning family declined and Ning's mother did not want to bother others or have her son be looked down upon, so she let Ning Cai Chen call off the engagement. The other family also had this intention, but on the surface they wanted to save face, and Ning's mother's actions coincided with their wishes. However, unexpectedly, the daughter of that family refused to comply, saying: "Since there was a promise made to others, how can we now despise poverty and love wealth, betraying our trust and abandoning righteousness?" She then married into the Ning family, serving Ning's mother, without any spoiled rich girl temperament, and her virtues were spread as beautiful rumors throughout the countryside.

  Xu Xian listened and also applauded with praise "What a wonderful woman."

  Unfortunately, he later contracted a serious illness and was bedridden for a long time without any signs of recovery.

  Inside the house, Ning Caichen finished his meal and sat on the edge of the bed. A frail woman lay on the sickbed, looking at him with a pale face that also had a faint flush. She spoke softly to Ning Caichen, asking about school and her studies. Ning Caichen answered honestly, and if there was anything he wasn't doing well, the woman would certainly offer advice. Finally, she couldn't help but bring up her own illness, despite it being a topic they had always avoided. "Husband, I'm afraid I won't make it through this winter."

  "Nonsense!" Ning Caichen immediately rebuked, his eyes reddening in an instant, a man who had always been straightforward.

  Ning's wife smiled weakly and said, "What a pity that I couldn't continue the Ning family line, and instead brought so much trouble to Mother."

  Ning Caichen was at a loss for words, the joy of returning home suddenly vanished. His wife, however, spoke as if giving her last testament: "Your fellow student from the academy has arrived, I should go see him."

  "Your body?" Ning Caichen hesitated.

  "I should go and see." The woman insisted.

  Ning Caichen knew that his wife was usually virtuous and gentle, but sometimes she could be even more stubborn than him, so he could only help her up.

  Xu Xian hastily greeted her as "elder sister", but saw that Ning's wife was not a beauty, and looked even more frail due to illness. Her clothes seemed too big for her, yet she forced herself to chat with Xu Xian about family matters. The upright expression in her eyes was somewhat similar to Ning Caichen's. She only talked about Ning Caichen's affairs, and when Xu Xian expressed concern about her illness, she brushed it off lightly, not seeming to care much about her own condition. In the end, she even asked Xu Xian to take good care of Ning Caichen. Ning Caichen remained silent by their side.

  Xu Xian finally understood what it meant to have a beauty with virtue. Even he couldn't help but be moved by her expression, which seemed to have transcended life and death yet still yearned for her husband. Compared to Ning Caichen in his heart, even the most beautiful woman from heaven couldn't compare to her. He suddenly remembered the phrase that Ning Caichen often said: "Throughout my life, I will not be swayed by two temptations." It wasn't him who was boastful, but rather he had a wife like this, and how could a great man like himself be tempted by other women?

  Xu Xian finally understood why Ning Caichen repeatedly refused Nie Xiaoqian in the original book, and why he took a concubine after marrying Nie Xiaoqian. It turned out that the woman who was worth his lifelong devotion was no longer there; her appearance was not even one-thousandth of Nie Xiaoqian's, but her position in Ning Caichen's heart was probably something Nie Xiaoqian could never reach.

  It's laughable that the highest state of husband-wife relationship advocated by ancient people is not a male-female relationship, but rather a friendship similar to that between Bo Ya and Ziqi. This is what is meant by "treating each other with respect like guests" and "red makeup knows one's heart". Xu Xian saw that the two of them were probably close to this wonderful state, after Shu Qi died, Bo Ya destroyed his zither, Ning Caichen may also face such pain!

  But such a relationship was destined to be short-lived. After Ning Caichen returned home, his wife died soon after.

  Xu Xian has encountered them after all, and he should try his best to help the couple. If he still allows this tragedy to happen, then it would be a waste of crossing over in vain.

  Since I can change Nie Xiaoqian's fate, I also want to try my best to change your fates.

  Xu Xian thought so, but in fact, he was powerless. He wasn't a doctor, and although he had some Taoist skills, he didn't understand the methods of using them at all. Last night, he just tried his best to stimulate the energy in his soul, without any special techniques.

  Xu Xian thought about it until nightfall, and even with a splitting headache, he couldn't think of a good solution. He couldn't help but miss his wife, who had not yet appeared, the White Snake Maiden Bai Suzhen, who could cure the poison of the toad's crown and revive the dead!

  Wait, although there isn't a Bai Suzhen with a thousand years of cultivation here, Nie Xiaoqian with a hundred years of cultivation is indeed present.

  Xu Xian hastily took out the ancient jade and called out in a low voice, "Xiao Qian, Xiao Qian." He still couldn't get rid of his habit of using flowery language, after all, in his past life, men and women addressed each other very casually, but when heard by ancient people's ears, it had some implications of flirting with virtuous women.

  A soft and pleasant voice came from the ancient jade: "Sir, do you want to save Mrs. Ning?"

  "Oh! Ah? What did you just call me?"

  Xiao Qian's voice was filled with shyness: "Xiao Qian calls you husband! Husband, save my life, Xiao Qian will repay you with her body."

  Xu Xian's face turned slightly red, and he coughed twice to cover it up: "I've always done good deeds without leaving my name, so there's no need to repay me." He further confirmed, "No need."

  Xiao Qian suddenly appeared in front of Xu Xian, looking at him with a sorrowful expression: "Xiao Qian knows she is not worthy of Master Xu, doesn't want any reputation, as a slave or servant girl, as a concubine or maid, all depends on Master Xu's orders." As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears, showing a pitiful and lovesick appearance. Probably any man who saw this would be unable to resist embracing her in his arms and comforting her.

  Xu Xian resisted Nie Xiaoqian's attack with his stubborn will, shaking his head desperately with his mouth closed. Mainly because he couldn't imagine what expression Bai Suzhen would have when she arrived and saw a beautiful female ghost by his side.

  "Xiao Qian, having already shamelessly called him husband, now being rejected by the young master, has no face to live in this world." Xiao Qian's face streamed with tears, unable to express her sorrow.

  "Wait, wait, I didn't mean it that way," Xu Xian hastily said. For a moment, he even forgot how ghosts were supposed to die, but Xiao Qian's expression was simply too lethal.

  "Does Master want to save Mrs. Ning?"

  Xu Xian hastily descended the stairs "Alright, let's get down to business. Do you have a plan?"

  Xiao Qian nodded and said, "Only one sarira is enough."

  Xu Xian suddenly felt that under the stairs was not flat ground, but a pond. He carefully asked: "That... can I borrow one from you?"

  "Xiao Qian's life was given by Master, what's the big deal about a single sarira?" Xiao Qian unexpectedly spoke kindly, but somehow Xuan Xian could no longer refute the two words "Master". Xiao Qian secretly smiled in her heart, while still maintaining a worried expression on her face.

  "Then let's hurry up and save people!"

  Xiao Qian slightly frowned and said: "Master, it's already so late, Madam Ning's illness isn't a critical one, can't we rescue her tomorrow instead?"

  Xu Xian rubbed his head: "It's just me being impatient."

  Xiao Qian said in a melancholic tone: "Master seems to be envying Young Master Ning!"

  Xu Xian smiled wryly, "Is this what they mean by 'sour grapes'?" After a moment's thought, he laughed and said, "I am a bit envious! To be able to find the person you have in mind in the vast sea of people is such a lucky thing!"

  Xiao Qian hastily said: "I can be like Mrs. Ning too!"

  Xu Xian was taken aback and laughed: "I didn't mean that, I do admire Mrs. Ning, but I don't want to find a woman like her as my wife. The one who suits me is the best, I'm not Ning Caichen, and what I'm waiting for is also Mrs. Xu."

  Xiao Qian was taken aback, and Xu Xian's words somehow stirred her emotions. She asked curiously: "Then what kind of person is the young master waiting for?"

  ;