SWHCBB 89

Chapter 89: I Still Want… a Yunchuan Who Belongs to Me and Me Alone

“Zhiyu.” Jiang Chuang stepped in front of him and gently called his name, he wanted to sit down and hold him, but was afraid to upset him further.

Wen Jue’s fingertips twitched slightly. He kept his head bowed, unmoving, silent. Bai Yuan stood silently to the side, watching as if he were observing a drama unfold.

Jiang Chuang gathered his courage and sat down, speaking softly, “Are you still in pain anywhere?”

Wen Jue shook his head but remained silent.

Jiang Chuang let out a faint breath of relief, then gently lifted the strands of hair hanging beside Wen Jue ear and helped smooth his hair.

“Let’s not talk about upsetting things right now. Your health comes first. Once you’re better, you can be mad at me again, okay?”

In Yunchuan’s heart, his health always came first. Wen Jue’s heart ached, deeply. The better Jiang Chuang treated him, the more painful it became. Because all that kindness… was never really meant for him alone.

As Wen Jue remained silent, Jiang Chuang carefully added, “Maybe… I should submit another memorial, ask to delay my departure. Stay with you a few more days.”

Wen Jue shook his head.

He still wouldn’t look at him, still refused to speak. Jiang Chuang’s heart ached, torn between grievance and guilt, but he didn’t dare anger him. He whispered,

“If you don’t want to see me… I can leave early, head to the frontier now.”

“No.” Wen Jue suddenly grabbed his hand, gripped by the fear and panic brought on by those dreamlike visions. “Don’t… don’t leave early.”

Jiang Chuang’s tightly clenched heart began to ease.

“Then what do you want?”

Wen Jue held tightly to his hand. His eyes slowly grew wet.

“Whatever you want,” Jiang Chuang coaxed gently, pulling him into his arms, stroking his hair bit by bit with tenderness. “Tell me. I’ll do my best, okay?”

Wen Jue choked on his words, tears slipping through.

“I want… I want Yunchuan to return safely and stay with me until we’re old. I don’t want to fight with Yunchuan. I don’t want to hurt him or make him sad.”

Jiang Chuang hadn’t yet had time to feel happy before he heard the next part:

“And I still want… a Yunchuan who belongs to me and only me.”

Jiang Chuang’s voice tightened. “I already do belong only to you.”

Wen Jue shook his head. Eyes shut tight, but tears still fell, and he trembled in Jiang Chuang’s embrace.

Bai Yuan sighed, finally raising his hand to form a spell. A barrier spread across the room, shielding it completely. Once he was sure no human, ghost, or demon could hear even a whisper, he finally broke the silence.

“If he didn’t have memories of his past life, then everything would’ve played out the same. You both would have ended in tragedy again. Wen Jue, would you be willing to accept that?”

Wen Jue paused, then pushed Jiang Chuang away and wiped his tears.

“No… I wouldn’t.”

Bai Yuan said firmly,

“It’s exactly because he remembers the past that he no longer enables those who harmed you, no longer leads you both to ruin. This… is already the best outcome. If that’s not enough for you, then what more do you want?”

His tone was always cool and calm, but to Jiang Chuang, it sounded like he was reproaching Wen Jue. He quickly stepped in to comfort him:

“You have every right to be angry, to question everything. You’re Zhiyu! And you’re my Zhiyu. So no matter what happens, you don’t have to hold back or settle. Let’s take some time apart if we need to, clear our heads.”

“But no matter how long it takes, even if I’m already at the frontier, I’ll write to you every day. I’ll pester you endlessly until you respond. And when I come back… we’ll make up, alright?”

Jiang Chuang’s voice trembled with humility and longing. Wen Jue couldn’t bear it. He wanted to forgive him. He wanted a kiss from him.

But the issue still pierced Wen Jue’s heart like a needle, he couldn’t pretend it wasn’t there. He couldn’t just accept all the goodness born from another version of himself.

And if that needle wasn’t pulled out, it would slowly grind his heart raw, over time leaving only wounds and scars.

“Yunchuan, I’m sorry…” Zhiyu’s voice was thick with sobs.

It was then that Jiang Chuang noticed something was wrong.

His eyes, those eyes that used to shine so brightly, were now lifeless. They no longer moved.

“Your eyes!” Jiang Chuang cupped his face, staring in disbelief.

Bai Yuan said blandly, “He’s bind again.”

“Can they be healed?” Jiang Chuang asked urgently.

“Ask the person in front of you. Don’t ask me. I can treat wounds of the body, even pull souls back from the brink. But heartache… can only be healed by the person who carries it.”

Jiang Chuang’s eyes turned red again. He was speechless.

It was hard to imagine that a warrior of such iron will, a great general who had always stood tall and unshakable, had now cried over one man again and again, unashamedly exposing his every vulnerability.

Bai Yuan lowered his gaze and spoke calmly:

“In fact… the past and present you keep struggling over, Wen Jue, strictly speaking, they’re not past and present lives. You and Jiang Chuang merely lived through the same timeline twice.”

“Humans go through judgment in the underworld, are reborn through samsara. Even if the soul is the same, the body is not. That is what makes a past life and a present one. So when I say, what kind of ‘past and present life’ is this supposed to be… I mean, there’s no need to be so caught up in it.”

Jiang Chuang was stunned by the implications.

“Divine Physician… how do you know all this?”

Bai Yuan, for once, looked pleased with himself. He raised his hand, and a swirl of blue smoke coiled upward. In an instant, golden light erupted behind him, seven fox tails flared out in a dazzling display. The sound of foxes howling echoed through the room, fierce and unrelenting, both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

Jiang Chuang was stunned. Instinctively, he stepped in front of Wen Jue to shield him, afraid Bai Yuan would harm him.

But if Bai Yuan had meant harm… what could they possibly do to stop him?

Though Wen Jue couldn’t see, he could hear the cries clearly. Once everything quieted down, he asked uncertainly,

“A fox?”

“Correct. I am the seven-tailed fox of the Yousu clan, Bai Yuan.” As he withdrew his manifestation, he returned to his usual cool demeanor.

“Our fox clan rarely enters the mortal world. We avoid entangling ourselves in human karma whenever possible.”

Jiang Chuang was still reeling. He had long suspected Bai Yuan wasn’t ordinary, but he’d never imagined, he wasn’t even human!

Wen Jue had already regained his composure and asked,

“Then why did the divine physician choose to help me?”

Bai Yuan sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“Because you are the result of a karmic debt incurred by one of my ancestors, who got involved with a human. That’s why I must resolve it. Otherwise, do you really think Zhuge Qing has enough influence to bring me out?”