With about an hour left until dawn, though the mother and son of the Lu family hadn’t slept well for two days and were extremely exhausted, neither could close their eyes at this moment.
Lu Chang drank two sips of hot water, which slightly drove away the cold in his body. Sitting on a wooden stool against the wall, he stared blankly at the person on the bed. Compared to the hardships of hunger and cold during their journey, facing Simple Mingshu had become the most difficult task. While he hoped for her to wake up, he wondered how he would tell her the devastating news about her family when she did.
“Ah Chang, should we report this to the authorities?” After a long silence, Madam Zeng finally gathered herself to speak.
Lu Chang continued watching Simple Mingshu, his voice deep and cold, “We can’t report it.”
When he arrived in Jiangning afternoon, the Simple family compound had been burned to nothing. Officials had already cordoned off the area. Standing in the crowd, he only saw corpses being carried out one by one from the mansion, lined up along the compound wall. The scorched stench carried by the wind seemed to linger even now, making one nauseous.
After asking around, he learned that a group of bandits had broken into the Simple residence the previous night, engaging in combat with the guards around midnight. The commotion was so loud it could be heard from miles away. Before official reinforcements could arrive, the Simple compound had caught fire, killing all thirty-eight people, including Simple Jinhai.
Timing-wise, the Simple family tragedy followed immediately after Simple Mingshu’s pursuit, likely perpetrated by the same group. But if it was indeed the same group, why would robbers who had already targeted the Simple family go to the extra trouble of killing the defenseless Simple Mingshu? Why chase her to Cloud Flower Mountain? It made no sense. These people even knew the details of the Simple family’s branch shop, clearly showing intimate knowledge of the family.
Lu Chang felt something was amiss—this wasn’t just a simple robbery. He had intended to explain the situation to the guards stationed outside the Simple residence, but before he could approach, he saw someone coming. Though unfamiliar, this person’s attire matched exactly with the two men he’d seen outside the Simple branch shop. The man found one of the constables in charge, whispered something in his ear, then hurriedly left. Though Lu Chang couldn’t hear what they said, he abandoned the idea of reporting to authorities.
He suddenly recalled that the two men outside the Simple branch shop, along with the one he saw today, though dressed, all wore official boots—the attire of government officials.
A desperate thought arose as he suspected this case…
“If this is indeed collusion between officials and criminals, reporting to authorities would be like sending a lamb into a tiger’s den. She must have known something, which is why they’re relentlessly pursuing her to silence her. If she returns to Jiangning, it would be certain death.” After speaking, Lu Chang could no longer contain the burning rage in his chest and turned to punch the wall.
Madam Zeng jumped in fright and quickly got up to grab his hand. “What are you doing? If you hurt your hand, how will you take the imperial examinations? You’ve already saved Mingshu. We’re too weak to fight against the Simple family’s situation. Mingshu won’t blame you.”
“I know she won’t blame me. I just hate how weak I am—I can’t protect Mother, nor can I help her.” Lu Chang gave a bitter laugh, opening his palm—he was truly too weak.
“Ah Chang…” Madam Zeng’s eyes reddened, and just as she was about to console him, the person lying on the bed suddenly let out a soft moan.
Both Madam Zeng and Lu Chang were startled, simultaneously rising to move toward the bed.
Simple Mingshu felt as if she had been struggling in a murky swamp for a long time. Everything around her was darkness upon darkness. She could hear someone whispering gently in her ear, telling her to hold on, to be good, and to drink medicine, but she had no strength to respond. Her torso and limbs felt as if they weren’t her own, and even opening her eyes seemed to drain all her energy.
Her eyelids cracked open slightly, and faint light shone in. Simple Mingshu saw two blurry figures gathering around her. Her mind was blank, and when she opened her mouth, only confused sounds came out.
Lu Chang leaned in to listen for a moment, then quickly got off the bed. “Mother, she’s saying it hurts. I’ll go get the doctor.”
As consciousness gradually returned, the pain became clearer. Simple Mingshu felt her head splitting with pain, waves of dizziness coming one after another. Even lying down, the whole world seemed to be spinning.
The doctor was quickly summoned, while Lu Chang and Madam Zeng withdrew to quietly wait during the examination.
As daylight gradually brightened outside the window, the doctor finished a round of acupuncture on Simple Mingshu. Her pain seemed to ease considerably, though her face remained pale. Her eyes, clear as the sky after rain, looked at the doctor full of confusion as she spoke in a hoarse voice, “You are…”
The doctor answered while removing the needles, “I am the doctor at Renxin Medical Center in Xunyang Town. You were injured falling down a slope. Your mother and brother brought you here.” After speaking, he looked toward Lu Chang and Madam Zeng, gesturing for them to come forward.
Lu Chang supported Madam Zeng as they walked to the bedside. Madam Zeng called out “Mingshu” while helping her sit up, and was about to explain when Simple Mingshu asked, “Who… are you?”
Lu Chang and Madam Zeng both froze, exchanging glances before Lu Chang crouched by her bedside and said gently, “It’s me, Lu Chang.”
“Lu… Chang…” Simple Mingshu’s eyes showed only confusion and unfamiliarity. “Who is that?”
Unfamiliar people, unfamiliar places, unfamiliar… everything. She tried hard to search her mind for any information about “Lu Chang,” but in the end found only strangeness—she couldn’t remember who the person before her was.
Lu Chang’s brows furrowed deeply. “You don’t remember me? What about her?” He pointed to Madam Zeng.
Simple Mingshu still shook her head, and Lu Chang asked again, “Think carefully?”
“I…” Simple Mingshu’s face seemed to grow even paler, her delicate brows tightly knitted as she struggled to recall the people before her. “I don’t remember, I can’t remember. Who are you?”
Madam Zeng grew anxious and asked the doctor, “Sir, what’s wrong with her?”
The doctor, being experienced, gestured for calm and gently asked Simple Mingshu, “Young lady, do you remember who you are? Your surname and given name? Where do you live?”
“I am… I…” The doctor’s questions were simple, ones she should have been able to answer immediately, but when she opened her mouth, she couldn’t give complete answers. Simple Mingshu was stunned—she couldn’t remember who she was, couldn’t recall her name or where her home was, or her parents and relatives. Her mind was empty, her past a blank page.
“I can’t remember, I don’t remember. Who am I?” She began to panic and fear, constantly trying to recall her past, but the more she wracked her brain, the more futile it became, only increasing the intense pain in her head, stabbing like needles with each attempt to remember.
“I can’t remember!” She held her head, which was shaking like a wave drum, her eyes gradually reddening. “It hurts, my head hurts so much!”
Lu Chang could watch no longer. He sat on the edge of the bed and held her hands, stopping her movements, saying only, “If you can’t remember, then don’t try. Don’t think about it…” While speaking, he looked to the doctor for help. The doctor had already prepared a needle and, taking advantage of Lu Chang restraining her, inserted it into a specific acupoint. After a moment, Simple Mingshu’s voice gradually quieted, and she collapsed softly into Lu Chang’s arms.
Lu Chang gently laid her down, tucked in her blanket, and then left the room with his mother and the doctor to talk outside.
“Doctor, what exactly is wrong with her?” As soon as they stepped out, Madam Zeng asked anxiously.
They had thought that waking up meant she had crossed the threshold of death, but seeing Simple Mingshu’s condition today still caused great concern.
“As I mentioned to you both earlier, nothing under heaven is more complex than the human brain. Your daughter rolled down from the mountain, with such a violent impact—we can see the external wounds, but we cannot open up the brain to see the injuries inside. Perhaps your daughter’s brain injury has caused internal congestion, leading to her current condition. Though this condition is rare, medical texts record it—trauma-induced amnesia, also known as ‘soul departure.'”
The doctor said quite a lot, leaving Madam Zeng confused, but Lu Chang asked, “Sir, can this condition be treated? And how should it be treated?”
The doctor shook his head at the question. “To be honest, I’ve only read about this condition in medical texts but have never encountered it. I’m afraid… it’s beyond my abilities. However, you needn’t worry excessively. The young lady’s awakening means her life is no longer in danger. I will prescribe some medicines to calm her mind and spirit. The young lady needs quiet rest and must not become too agitated. As for her memories, you must not rush things or force them, lest it backfire. She may gradually recall some past events on her own.”
Lu Chang nodded as he listened. After the doctor gave a few more instructions and wrote a prescription, he prepared to leave. After seeing the doctor off, Madam Zeng was at a loss, leaning against the door saying, “The Simple family is gone, and she has this soul departure condition. What will become of her future? Poor Mingshu…” Her eyes grew moist as she spoke, on the verge of tears.
“Mother, I’ve decided,” Lu Chang said in a deep voice. “We’ll take her to Bianjing with us.”
The indecisive man who had been sitting anxiously in the room was gone, replaced by one with firm determination and no hesitation.
With the Simple family’s tragedy and Simple Mingshu in danger, though his power was limited, he couldn’t leave her alone to face this dire situation. Taking her to the capital was the best choice—he could both care for her and protect her. When his wings were fully grown, that would be the time for them to return to Jiangning.
“But… just take her to the capital like this?” Madam Zeng glanced at the still unconscious Simple Mingshu inside the room and asked Lu Chang softly.
“Yes, we’ll tell others she’s your daughter, my blood sister.” Lu Chang followed his mother’s gaze and said in a deep voice. “First, this will prevent outsiders from speculating and damaging her reputation. Second, it will help conceal her identity. And third… it will prevent her from developing other thoughts.”
His meaning couldn’t be clearer—saving and helping her was one thing, but he didn’t want to encourage any romantic entanglement. To prevent her from developing feelings for him during this time, it was better to establish a brother-sister relationship. This way, she wouldn’t fall in love.
As for her memories, if this condition could be cured, he could tell her about the Simple family’s fate later. If she never recovered, he would protect her for life, letting her live carefree as Lu Mingshu.
Simple Mingshu didn’t sleep for long before waking again.
It was broad daylight, with light filtering hazily through the window screen into the unfamiliar room. She lay in bed for a while, remembering what had happened earlier. Her head didn’t hurt as much now, but she still didn’t dare try to recall anything.
“You’re awake?” A man’s voice rang out, clear as snow.
Simple Mingshu struggled to sit up and raised her eyes to look at the speaker—he appeared very young, yet his brow carried a maturity beyond his years. He seemed to have not rested well, his complexion poor with dark circles under his eyes, looking quite weary. However, none of this diminished his handsome features. His sideburns weren’t properly bound, falling slightly curled at his temples, framing a face as clear as the wind and bright as the moon.
She remembered his voice, piercing through the darkness to reach her ears, and remembered the warmth of his palm, thick and comforting. She also remembered his name.
“Lu… Chang…”
“You remember me?” His eyes brightened at hearing her call his name.
Simple Mingshu shook her head. “You said earlier, that you’re Lu Chang. Who are you?”
Lu Chang’s eyes dimmed again. He sat beside her, slowly exhaled, and answered her question.
“I am Lu Chang, your brother. You are my sister, Lu Mingshu.”
She stared at him steadily, as if trying to make flowers bloom on his face.
In Lu Chang’s twenty years of straightforward life, he finally tasted what it felt like to have a guilty conscience.
[Author’s Note: Congratulations to Lu Chang on gaining a sister. Remember, once a brother, you must be a brother for life. No regrets.
Little Lu, can I request to change the plot? Why not just say she’s my wife?
And then, The End?]