"Boom..."
A rumble of thunder rolled across the sky where dark clouds were rolling.
The rain outside the window was getting heavier again, pouring down from the green eaves and hitting the ground that was already bumpy and full of mud.
The wind caused the two windows that were not closed tightly to shake, making clanging sounds.
Jianchou, who was doing needlework in the house, was startled by the sound and almost pricked her hand.
Looking at the shaking window, she felt a little frightened. She quickly put down the half-sewn robe in her hand, walked to the window, pulled back the two windows and closed them.
Even though the window was closed, the sound of rain outside did not stop at all.
The muffled thunder that rolled in the sky from time to time was getting closer and closer, as if it was rolling over the roof of their house.
When Jianchou heard this, he couldn't help but sigh.
She reached out and gently stroked her belly, which had not yet shown any sign of pregnancy, and an unprecedented softness appeared on her porcelain-white face.
Perhaps, this is the best gift God has given me.
Three months into her wedding, Jianchou never expected that she would get pregnant so soon.
This morning, she vomited for no apparent reason. She asked a local doctor to see her, but the doctor kept saying congratulations. After Jianchou asked for a long time, the doctor smiled and said, "You are pregnant."
For a long time, she didn't react. She couldn't even remember how she paid the consultation fee and sent the doctor away.
Jianchou was originally an orphan with only a name but no surname.
Ever since she could remember, she knew that she had no father or mother. Fortunately, she was adopted by a kind-hearted person and was able to live a peaceful life.
Later, she met Xie Buchen, who was not a scholar at that time, but the young master of the Xie family, and the two had no intersection. It was not until the Xie family fell into decline and Xie Buchen was hunted by his enemies that he was saved by Jianchou, and the two formed an indissoluble bond.
Three months ago, they finally settled down in this small village and got married.
So, Jianchou also had a surname, and from then on he was called "Xie Jianchou".
Xie Buchen was well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics, and had a reputation for talent at home, having already been a student. Later, he took part in the county examination and was awarded the title of scholar, and he studied even harder.
He was reluctant to see Jianchou suffer, and once held her hand and said that when he achieved greater fame, he would be able to become an official, and in the future, Jianchou would be the wife of an official.
Early this morning, Xie Buchen went to the county school to study.
At this time in the past, he should have come back to eat, but it happened to be a rainy day.
Jianchou thought that he brought an umbrella, and the road was muddy and difficult to walk on, so he had not returned yet.
When he comes back, she will tell him the great joy.
With a faint smile on her lips, she no longer felt upset as she listened to the sound of raindrops falling around her.
Walking back from the window, Jianchou stopped sewing and glanced at the sword with a shark skin sheath hanging on the wall - this was the only valuable thing in the house, and Xie Buchen was determined to take it away at the risk of his life.
She walked to the front of the house, looked at the narrow courtyard gate, and hoped that Xie Buchen would appear from the rain.
This was a simple farmyard, with a few large white geese surrounded by a bamboo fence, calling happily in the rain, turning their slender necks to comb their feathers from time to time. Occasionally, they would shake the glossy goose feathers and the falling raindrops would fly out, sparkling.
Through the thick rain curtain, you can see the rolling mountains not far away. The deep dark green color, wet by the rain, seems to be even darker.
Layers of thunder rolled over the other side of the mountain.
Jianchou was holding the door frame with one hand and stroking his abdomen with the other. He was hesitating whether to take an umbrella and go to the county school to look for someone when he heard the sound of footsteps in the rain.
Crash...
The sound of raindrops hitting the oil-paper umbrella was getting closer.
A tall figure slowly emerged from the blurred rain curtain. The rain sliding down the edge of the umbrella was like a string of beads, falling continuously, splashing on the ground and mixing with the surrounding rain.
Xie Buchen has long eyebrows, a straight nose, thin lips, and an almost cold curve.
The damp and cold moisture spread over the corners of his eyes and eyebrows, seeming to add a touch of frost.
The hand holding the umbrella handle is the same hand that holds a pen, slender and white.
When Jianchou saw him, a relieved expression immediately appeared on her face, and the corners of her lips unconsciously curled up: "You're back."
Xie Buchen nodded indifferently, parted his lips as if he was about to say something, and finally smiled. He walked onto the roof, put away his umbrella, and carefully stood upside down beside the door hinge.
Jianchou quickly let him into the house and reached out to take off his wet robe.
The dark green robe was wet by the rain, turning into the same dark green color as the mountains outside.
Jianchou was worried that he would catch a cold, but he didn't expect that at this moment, his hand was held down by another cold hand.
Looking in the direction of the hand, Jianchou saw Xie Buchen's face with a faint smile.
Why does it feel a little strange
Jianchou was puzzled: "Your hands are so cold, what's wrong?"
Xie Buchen shook his head and looked around at the furnishings in the room.
The place was just as it was when he left this morning. Apart from the clothes placed on the simple square table, some had been folded and placed aside, while two were scattered around, one of which had needle and thread stuck in the sleeve.
Jianchou explained, "The window was not closed properly just now. It was thundering and raining. I was busy closing the window. When I came back, I was only thinking about why you hadn't come back yet. I forgot to continue sewing. But I have already sewn the rest of the clothes. You can change into them later. When the rain stops in the afternoon, I will continue to go to the county school--"
"See sorrow."
The cold voice was strangely hoarse this time.
Jianchou thought he had been caught in the rain and had caught a cold, and was extremely worried: "Your voice is hoarse, you must be in a hurry to come back, be careful on the road, and hurry when it's raining heavily. If you can't come back, you can stay in the county school..."
Although she said that, she felt very happy in her heart.
As he spoke, the smile on his lips widened.
Xie Buchen just looked at her quietly.
He was soaked all over, with water stains around his feet. Jianchou was in front of him, and his heart and eyes were filled with him. He felt warm when he smiled.
The scene he saw when he returned in the rain today was replaying quietly in his mind, along with that deafening old voice.
"The Tao is always nameless. Although it is simple and small, the world dare not be its servant."
"Human beings are made of flesh and blood, and their hearts are bound by the seven emotions and six desires, and it is difficult to leave wine, sex, money and anger."
"There are immortal mountains outside the world, between the vast sea of clouds. The mortal world is like a mustard seed, and the red dust is all illusory. I ask the people of the world, why don't you get rid of your mortal roots and seek the immortals?"
"Cut off the roots of love, sever worldly ties. If you want to seek the truth, you must give up everything. How can you prove it?"
How do you prove it
These five short words are like a chasm that separates the human world from the immortal world.
But Xie Buchen must step over it.
He raised his hand, and stroked Jianchou's warm cheek with his cold hand, and smiled faintly: "When you are at home, I will come back one day."
The hand was so cold that Jianchou trembled a little: "Why bother with that? I'm not a delicate person. But it's good that you come back, I have something..."
As she spoke, she stretched out her hand and placed her warm palm on the back of Xie Buchen's hand. As soon as she touched it, she felt the coldness.
With a sigh, Jianchou was so worried that he forgot what to say: "You are too cold."
"Nothing, I'm much stronger than you."
Xie Buchen smiled, took a step back, turned around calmly, and saw the sword hanging on the mottled wall at a glance.
The jet-black scabbard was covered with scales, but it was still shiny black without a speck of dust.
He slowly reached out, took out the sword, twisted it gently, and then exerted force. Inch by inch, a flash of cold light flashed out, accompanied by the sound of rain and thunder outside the window, which made people hold their breath.
As the sword was continuously pulled out, the faint sound of the sword gradually became clearer.
He drew his sword, as if he was about to release something.
Jianchou stared at him intently, but was thinking in her mind how to tell him that she was pregnant.
"I wipe this sword every day, so it doesn't get dusty. But I've never taken it out before. It looks so beautiful now. No wonder you took it out."
Xie Buchen finally pulled the sword out completely, and the cold and shining blade reflected his deep eyes.
At this moment, he suddenly saw clearly.
These are his own eyes, without emotion or desire, without sadness or joy, without regret or reluctance.
All people in this world are nothing but dreams and illusions.
What can’t be given up
Even if…
See sorrow.
It just proves that I have a desire to seek the truth.
His calm eyes turned, moving away from the frosty sword blade and falling on Jianchou's face.
She was dressed simply, wearing a thorny hairpin and a cloth skirt. Only her face was fair, and her narrow eyes were drawn back, which gave her an indescribable beauty. Even in such a shabby place, it couldn't hide her radiance.
Xie Buchen had never thought that his wife was so beautiful.
However, such beauty could not shake his heart in the slightest.
An ancient well is calm and still.
"See sorrow."
He called her name again.
Jianchou blinked, took a half step forward, and opened his mouth to ask him what was wrong.
But the next moment, the steps he took suddenly stopped.
Severe pain strikes --
sword!
Jianchou lowered his head in confusion and saw the sword in front of his chest.
She looked along the shining blade and saw a hand holding a sword.
That was Xie Buchen's hand.
The hand holding a pen, the hand holding an umbrella, the hand holding a sword.
Xie Buchen looked at him indifferently; the tenderness and affection of the past seemed to have disappeared completely like a passing cloud.
It was a cold, affectionate yet ruthless look.
The sword that pierced her chest was like a piece of cold ice, freezing her so much that she even forgot the pain.
His pupils contracted violently, and Jianchou slightly opened his lips, looking confused, frightened and painful.
Xie Buchen held the three-foot-long Qingfeng sword in his hand, and the tip of the sword had already pierced into Jianchou's chest.
Bright red blood spread along the sharp blade, drop by drop, drop by drop...
despair.
The first drop of blood fell on the ground, like a bloody chess piece.
Xie Buchen's pale face, illuminated by such bright light, also had a strange bloody color.
"you… "
Jianchou tried his best to speak, but with his mouth wide open, he could only make vague sounds, like a fish thrown onto the shore.
There were tears glistening under her eyes.
Why…
Xie Buchen took in all her expressions, but he seemed to be indifferent, as if there was a layer between them.
Slowly, cruelly, and almost gracefully, he drew back the sword.
A flower of blood splattered on Jianchou's chest and he couldn't stand steadily.
Xie Buchen watched indifferently, pointing the tip of his sword diagonally at the ground, letting the blood on the sword fall and spread out in a small patch on the wet ground.
"I have failed you in this life. If there is reincarnation in the Three Realms and Six Paths, you can ask for my life in the next life."
I have let you down in this life.
If there is reincarnation in the three realms and six paths, you can claim my life in the next life.
Jianchou couldn't stand steadily. She covered the wound on her chest. When she lowered her head, she saw blood flowing out from between her fingers.
It is the blood in her heart and the tears in her eyes.
After swaying for a few times, she finally fell to the ground.
At this moment, Xie Buchen picked up his sword and walked away from her silently.
Her body curled up into a ball, her fingers clenched tightly, as if she was trying to grab something.
However, only a wet corner of clothes passed by her eyes.
"Swish..."
The heavy rain was still falling, and muffled thunder was still rumbling at the edge of the sky.
Outside the courtyard, the mountains as far as the eye can see seem to be even greener.
The big white geese in the yard were paced in the rain. When Xie Buchen walked out, a few of them were about to flutter over the fence. He didn't even glance at them, but just raised his eyes to look at the low courtyard wall.
A few broken stems of dry grass trembled in the rain.
On the courtyard wall, there was a Taoist priest with an old face and white hair. He stood with his hands behind his back, but his feet were exactly three inches away from the dry grass on the wall, as if he was floating on it.
His vicissitudes of life eyes, as if they could understand the secrets of heaven, fell on Xie Buchen.
The blood on his sword was being washed away by the rain and gradually faded.
With a slight smile, the old Taoist said, "You have severed your earthly ties and have a very good character. When he seeks immortals and asks for the way, he will surely have a seat with the great and powerful Tongtian."