Chapter 32 – What is love?, Part 16
Yang Guo heaved a sigh and sorrowfully said, “It was an accident. Miss Guo did not intentionally want to hurt Long’er. Sister Lu, I forbid you to raise this incident again.”
Hearing Yang Guo used the term “Sister Lu” to address her, while he called Guo Fu “Miss Guo”, thus differentiating a good friend from an acquaintance, Wushuang was very pleased and sheathed her saber.
“Yang Shao Xia [Young Hero Yang] has eaten the ‘Severed Intestine Grass’; but he did not experienced any bad side effects. That proved the grass was indeed the antidote to the Passionless Flower’s poison,” Yideng said. “In my opinion, however, I think it will be better for Mr. Yang not to take the grass continually. Wait another seven days or so, and then you can have the second dose, even then, you should reduce the amount a little bit.”
“Thank you for your priceless advice, Reverend.” Yang Guo said, bowing.
The sun was already high in the sky. Huang Rong said, “We’ve been gone from Xiangyang for a while, and have not heard any news on the war situation. My mind keeps wandering back there, so I think we’d better go back today. Guo’er, I think you’d better come along, your Uncle Guo was really worried about you.”
“Let me stay here and … and wait for Long’er,” he answered.
“You want to wait here sixteen years?” Guo Fu asked in disbelief.
“I don’t know. I just feel like there is nowhere better,” he answered.
“Very well then,” decided Huang Rong, “It’s all right if you want to wait here ten days to half a month. But if Sister Long does not come back, you’d better come to Xiangyang.”
Yang Guo cast his glance toward the cliff but did not say anything.
Everybody bade Yang Guo farewell. Only Lu Wushuang seemed reluctant to leave. Of course Guo Fu saw that, and she could not help making a comment, “Hey, Lu Wushuang, do you want to stay here to accompany Brother Yang?”
Miss Lu blushed. “None of your business!” she snapped.
Suddenly Cheng Ying said, “Brother Yang has not fully recovered yet. Let Cousin and I stay here to accompany him for a few days.”
Huang Rong knew, as sweet and gentle as she looked, in reality her younger martial sister had a very strong character. If her own daughter messed things up, she would not keep her peace. She looked sternly at Guo Fu, signaling her not to say another word. “Guo’er, I think it is a great idea to have Martial Sister and Miss Lu taking care of you,” she said, “However, as soon as you are cured, I do hope you will come to Xiangyang, where my husband and I will wait for the three of you.”
Yang Guo, Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang stood on the hill side, watching Yideng, Huang Rong and the others slowly fading away from their sight; disappearing among the trees. In the mean time, the fire that had been raging all night long had slowly died away.
“Sisters,” said Yang Guo suddenly, “I would like to suggest something. I do hope you won’t get offended.”
“Who has ever been offended by you?” Wushuang asked.
Yang Guo smiled sadly, his voice trembling, “We have known each other for some time now; we love each other and we have even faced danger together. When I was a young boy I lived alone, with neither brothers nor sisters. My heart’s desire is that we become sworn brother and sisters. What do you think?”
Cheng Ying was touched. She was sensitive and knew exactly what Yang Guo was thinking. She knew Yang Guo loved Xiao Longnü with all his heart. He had made that suggestion because he had to wait sixteen years, and because they would have to live together for several days. He wanted to avoid anything that could cause embarrassment or would make them uncomfortable. Lu Wushuang put her head down, tears flowing from her eyes. “I would have never dreamed of being your sworn sister,” she said softly. “We will be proud and honored to have a big brother like you.”
After saying that, she walked toward a Passionless Flower nearby and picked three strands of the ‘Severed Intestine Grass’. “Others become sworn brothers and sisters with incense sticks, here we use grass instead.” She tried to make a joke and sound cheerful, but toward the end, her voice was hoarse. Before Yang Guo could respond, she immediately kneeled down on the ground. Yang Guo and Cheng Ying quickly knelt at either side of Miss Lu, and, just like the regular ceremony of becoming sworn brothers and sisters; they kowtowed eight times, and then bowed to each other in respect.
“Second Sister, Third Sister, what I hate most in this world is the Passionless Flower,” Yang Guo said. “If that flower ever spreads outside this valley, it would be a real disaster for mankind. Therefore, let us make an oath to completely wipe out the Passionless Flower from the face of the earth. What do you think?”
“Your desire Big Brother is a very noble one,” said Cheng Ying. “I am sure the Goddess of Mercy will bless you so that you will meet Sister-in-law much earlier.”
Hearing his sister’s words, Yang Guo’s spirits rose. Immediately they went to the building complex ruins, trying to find some tools like machete or axe to cut down the poisonous flowers. They had to work very slowly. Not only there were lots of shrubs to cut, but if not careful, they would get pricked by the thorns. They finished cutting the shrubs after toiling for six whole days. Then they walked around the whole valley, making sure not a single shrub was spared. It was because of their hard work that the world was free of the Passionless Flowers.
Early morning the next day, Wushuang took some more ‘Severed Intestine Grass’, went to her sworn brother and said, “Big Brother, it’s time for you to take another dose of the grass.”
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