Death… and me

Everyone was shocked!

Chu Feiyan almost fainted. He fell to the ground dumbfounded. He couldn't say a single word for a long time.

"This is a difficult decision to make!" Chu Yang took a deep breath, "So, I won't dare make it on my own. I need third aunt… to make the decision."

Everyone understood that such a decision could only be made by Duan Shuyi, Le'er's mother. No else had the right to say anything! Chu Yang was reasonable in mentioning this.

Everyone remained speechless.

To live without pain for two years, Le'er must give up the opportunity to have her life extended for another two years. To have those extra two years of life, Le'er's pain cannot be alleviated for two years.

Duan Shuyi bit her lips distressfully.

My daughter has already suffered for eleven years. Now that there is the rare opportunity for her to not suffer, how can she give up this opportunity? But… even if she doesn't feel any pain for two years, what if the required medicine cannot be found within those two years?

Elixirs were difficult to find. Everyone knew that first-hand. Who was confident that they could finish finding them in only two years? But if they gave up the extra two years… What if the remedy was found after the child passed away… Wouldn't they live in remorse for the rest of their lives?

It was really a dilemma.

Chu Feiling frowned and Yang Ruolan looked weighed down.

If one were to stand in the couple's shoes, one would understand their predicament. In these kinds of circumstances, no one would dare choose hastily.

This was not a simple choice, but a dilemma between life and death!

Chu Feiyan had always been the most enthusiastic person of the family. But now, he closed his mouth, not even daring to cough…

Agony and indecision were written all over Duan Shuyi's face. She opened her mouth and closed it again, not knowing what to do.

Chu Le'er looked to the side. After a long time, she summoned her courage and said, "Big Brother, can I decide?"

Chu Yang was stunned, and said, "Le'er, you can, of course, make your own decision."

Chu Le'er scrunched her lips and licked them nervously. She turned around to look at her mother, her eyes full of love. Then she turned back and said boldly, "Big Brother… I want… I want to live for two more years! Even if there's no hope… Even if it's painful… I want to… live till I'm fifteen!"

Chu Yang was stunned!

Besides him, Chu Feiling, Yang Ruolan, and Chu Feiyan were also taken aback!

"Why?" Chu Yang asked in a surprised manner. Everyone thought that the girl would definitely choose to live for two years without pain. They never expected that she would choose to live for an additional two years! To endure extreme pain and live for another two years?!

"I want to be with my mother and father," Chu Le'er eyelashes fluttered as she said sadly, "They can't bear to leave me, neither can I… My father and mother are pathetic. Ever since I can remember, I haven't seen them smile at all. This is because of the burden I impose on them…"

"Even if I have to bear more pain… I also want to be with them for two more years. You cannot know what I feel. Once my mother holds me in her arms when I'm in pain, I don't feel pain anymore. Really," Chu Le'er said seriously.

"I'm scared that my mother and father will be sad if I die…" She paused and turned back to look at her mother lovingly, saying, "It's good to allow them to be sad in two more years. I'm very strong. I'll promise not to cry when I'm in pain."

"Le'er!" Duan Shuyi yelled, her heart breaking.

Chu Feiling's eyes were wet as he gave a long sigh. Yang Ruolan was already shedding her tears; Chu Feiyan choked and took a long breath. He blinked constantly to not allow his tears to fall. He muttered constantly, "Good child! Good child…"

Chu Yang almost let his tears fall.

Everyone knew the agony that Chu Le'er was experiencing was literally worse than death. Every passing day was equivalent to one more day of torture. Every passing hour was equivalent to one more hour of pain!

But this strong little girl resolutely chose to bear this pain, which was more than ten times worse than that of purgatory, for four more years. This was just so that her father and mother would not be sad, or be sad at a later time.

Chu Yang's heart trembled.

"No!" Duan Shuyi raised her head, full of tears on her face, "I want Le'er to have two years without pain!"

"What?" Chu Yang, Yang Ruolan, Chu Feiling, and Chu Feiyan exclaimed in unison.

Duan Shuyi held her daughter in her arms. With a quivering voice, she said, "Ever since Le'er was born, she's never experienced painlessness. She's never played and never been happy. She's been in this world for eleven years and hasn't enjoyed anything that other children have, even the most ordinary things…"

"Now there is an opportunity to allow her to be free of her pain for two years! I will take it no matter the cost! Finding the remedy is great but if we can't… if we can't find…"

Tears trickled down from Duan Shuyi's eyes."… If we can't find it, I want my daughter to enjoy the next two years… at least these two out of her 13 years of life…"

She broke into a miserable smile, "If we're able to find the medicine, two years is almost enough time for us. But if we can't find them… it will be a futile search. If we take 200 years, our fate has decided that we will."

"I only hope that my daughter will have some days free of illness and of pain in her life, no matter if she is dead or alive… Even if we can't find the medicines after two years, my daughter, after all, will have two years of happiness. Two years free of pain…"

Everyone was moved!

They couldn't believe the existence of such a selfless mother and daughter!

"Mother…" Tears trickled down Chu Le'er's eyes. She stuffed her small head into her mother's arms. Wrapping her two thin arms around her mother's waist, she began to weep softly.

"Okay!" Chu Yang took a deep breath. He felt his eyes becoming damp. He said, "The choice has been made! Aunt, Le'er, I have only one request."

Duan Shuyi asked, "What is it?"

"This… has nothing to do with me. That means, no matter who asks about it, don't say I did it," Chu Yang said cautiously.

"I understand!" With her teary eyes, Duan Shuyi inspected her nephew who had just returned home. Her eyes were full of comprehension, understanding, and above all, hints of admiration.

It seems like my nephew is not only far more intelligent than his peers, but he also exercises great caution in his conduct. Looks like there's hope for the Chu clan. Since he's so prudent, then… surely he feels some sort of confidence in treating Le'er…

"Fourth uncle, we have only two years," Chu Yang said, "You have to put in all your efforts to help me find those elixirs!"

Chu Feiyan nodded enthusiastically, "Of course! Even if I have to risk my life, I will still find the medicine for Le'er."

"Why is only your fourth uncle involved? Are your mother and I only here for show?" Chu Feiling said unhappily.

"Yes yes yes… my tongue slipped," Chu Yang smiled bitterly. He nodded smoothly as he apologized.

He immediately took out a piece of paper and brush pen and put his brush on the paper. After some moment, he said, "These are the eight remedies we need to treat Le'er! They should all be found within 23 months! I'll need the other one month to combine them!"

Everyone came forward and looked at the paper.

They took a deep breath in unison.

"Superb Nine Vine, Nine-Colored Lotus, Nine-Leaves Flower, Nine-Clover Jade-Ganoderma, Nine-Leaves Pangolin, Nine-Deaths Water, Nine-Heavens Jade-Ichor, Nine-Earths-Soul Ginseng…"

The four adults were dumbfounded.

All these were needed to treat Le'er?

These… these ingredients together could cost all that the Chu clan owned!

"Do you remember them?" Chu Yang said lightly.

"Yes," Chu Feiyan mumbled as he memorized the names of the medicine. Among all the people there, he knew the tactics of the King of Hell Chu best. If the King of Hell Chu said he could cure Le'er, then he could do so! If he said these remedies were effective, then surely they were!

Compared to Chu Feiling, Chu Feiyan trusted Chu Yang more.

"Okay." Chu Yang placed the piece of white paper in the fire. The licks of fire swallowed the paper and burned it slowly into grey ashes. Chu Yang took the burnt paper out and crushed it into pieces with his foot.

Chu Yang's actions had said everything: This prescription could not be known to anyone other than themselves!

Everyone's faces darkened at the same time.

"Le'er, come with me into the inner chamber," Chu Yang said, "Father, Mother, wait outside with fourth uncle and third aunt. No matter how long it takes, don't let anyone to disturb us."

"Okay!" the four agreed in unison.

"Yang Yang… You must… You… I'm counting on you…" Duan Shuyi implored, looking at her daughter with concern.

"Third aunt, please don't worry! Rest assured, you'll see a healthy, good daughter once we come out." Chu Yang smiled. He hoped his joke would lighten the currently tense atmosphere.

"Yes, yes! I believe you!" Duan Shuyi nodded ceaselessly.

Chu Yang held on to Chu Le'er's hands and entered the inner chamber. As Chu Le'er walked in, she looked back repeatedly.

Duan Shuyi stared blankly at the entrance of the inner chamber. Her two hands were stretched out as if she wanted to catch something. Finally, she sat down and muttered nervously, "It's going to be fine, I suppose? It must be alright, right? I think it's going to be absolutely alright…"

"Don't worry. Everything will definitely be alright! Surely it'll go well!" Yang Ruolan consoled. She grasped Duan Shuyi's hand and patted it.

Duan Shuyi was like a drowning man who had suddenly taken hold of a piece of driftwood. She grabbed Yang Ruolan's hands and said in tears, "Sister… I can only rely on my nephew now… I really didn't expect Yang Yang to acquire such great skills after so many years outside…"

Although Yang Ruolan knew that she should not feel pride, she was still flattered for a moment. Deeply affected by Duan Shuyi's mournfulness, Yang Ruolan sighed and said with honor and trepidation, "Do relax. Though Yang Yang is still young, he's prudent in everything he does. He doesn't say what isn't true. Since he said he can cure Le'er that means that he can."

Duan Shuyi nodded rapidly and said, "Yes." She held onto Yang Ruolan's hands and did not release them, "Sister, this is my last hope… You know, the kind of life I… I… have been living for all these years"

This sentence was said with utter misery. Even Chu Feiling and Chu Feiyan, the two machos, could not bear its pain. Both of them grieved as they thought of how much the third Elder and his wife had suffered all those years.

…