60

In the hall Zhou Huai'an were discussing the business and household matters with Zhou Chuqin and his wife. Mrs. Zhou was lying on the bed because of her poor health. Suddenly a servant hurriedly ran into the hall and reported:

"Master, Master Chuqi has returned home."

Zhou Huai'an was shocked and quickly stood up and rushed out the hall. Zhou Chuqin and his wife also followed him. Passing by Nie Huanzhang, Zhou Chuqin grabbed him up and said:

"Chuqi is back. Maybe Chuyu is also with him."

Nie Huanzhang stumbled along with them as they walked outside. They saw Zhou Zheng, dressed in man's clothing, walking briskly in, followed by Yu Weiwei. At this moment, Mrs Zhou also came out after hearing this news. As soon as Zhou Zheng entered, she rushed to Mr. And Mrs Zhou, knelt down and cried:

"Dad, mom, Chuyu … Chuyu is gone."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Huai'an felt a dizzy spell. Zhou Chuqin quickly supported him. They embraced each other and burst into crying. Mrs. Zhou also wailed loudly. Zhou Chuqin's wife and the closer maid hurriedly supported her. Yu Weiwei saw Nie Huanzhang, who has red eyes, about to rush out. He grabbed him and said: 

"Huanzhang, calm down. His coffin will be brought in soon. Don't act impulsively."

With red eyes and tears streaming down, Nie Huanzhang stared at Yu Weiwei:

"What nonsense you are talking about? What is the coffin? Whose coffin? What I want is Wangshi, my fox."

Yu Weiwei held onto Nie Huanzhang, also shedding tears, and said:

"Huanzhang, calm down. Here is the Zhou family. Don't do anything stupid. Do you understand? I was there to see your Wangshi passed away."

Nie Huanzhang stared at Yu Weiwei, blood flowing from his lips. Yu Weiwei shouted:

"Huanzhang!"

Nie Huanzhang couldn't hold back any longer, spitting out blood in large mouthfuls. Looking at Yu Weiwei, he asked:

"Weiwei, is it true that he can't come back? Is he really gone? My Wangshi, my baby!"

At this moment, four servants carried the coffin in, followed by Zhou Chuqi. Upon seeing the coffin, Mr. and Mrs. Zhou threw themselves onto it, slapping on the coffin and crying loudly. The Zhou brothers cried while supporting Zhou Huai'an. Zhou Chuqin's wife wiped her own tears while assisting Mrs. Zhou. Zhou Zheng, in tears, supported Zhou Xiang, who had hurriedly arrived, crying as they both leaned on the coffin. The Zhou family gathered around, slapping the coffin grieving. Nie Huanzhang, still staring blankly, continued to bleed. He couldn't utter a word and spat out more blood. Yu Weiwei, seeing Nie Huanzhang faint, immediately called for help and had him taken to a guest room. When Yu Weiwei came out again, he found only the Zhou brothers were still crying and others had left. Zhou Chuqin was trying to build the mourning hall. One of Yu Weiwei's bodyguards gave him a piece of paper from the Crown Prince:

Huanzhang has left the capital. If you meet him, don't tell him about Chuyu's death and just take him to Liangzhou. The rewards for the Zhou family are already on the way.

Yu Weiwei sighed and thought: How can Huanzhang, in his current state, follow me to Liangzhou?

Yu Weiwe returned to Nie Huanzhang's room. Looking at Nie Huanzhang lying there with closed eyes but tears still flowing, Yu Weiwei knew Nie Huanzhang was awake. Sitting at the bedside, he said: 

"Huanzhang, don't be upset. I know it's hard for you. If you're willing, you can follow me to Liangzhou."

Nie Huanzhang asked in a lower voice:

"Did he pass away peacefully?"

"He apologized to everyone, asked me to take care of you like a brother, not to abandon you when you need help. His last words were: he loves you, apologizes to you and he was gone first." As Yu Weiwei spoke, Nie Huanzhang burst into tears. Yu Weiwei continued, "He passed away while seeing the sunrise. He said it was beautiful but that day it was cloudy and there was no sunrise."

"Dai Mountain. Thank you for letting him pass away in a place we will never forget. I think this is his last wish. Is the coffin sealed?"

"No yet. Zhou Chuqi was afraid his father might want to see his son again so it doesn't have been sealed. However, it has been treated with preservatives, anti-corrosion inside."

"Thank you. Please let me alone."

"Okay, you take a rest. We can talk after you feel better."

However, Yu Weiwei didn't tell Nie Huanzhang more about Zhou Chuyu. On the way home, Yu Weiwei chatted with Zhou Chuyu and he told Yu Weiwei:

"I don't want to tell Huanzhang because it is better for him to stay with his mother in Jingdu. Now he has his real relatives there and a great future. For him, it is important have a normal life with get married and have children. Why should I be with him and ruin these for me? After I leaves, I think with time, he will forget everything about me. He's safe and I fell at ease. In addition now my family is safe, without any threats. If I die, they can go back to the normal life as they did before."

After Zhou Chuyu died, Zhou Zheng discovered a pouch containing some pills, which were the daily medicines Zhou Chuyu had to take.

Nie Huanzhang didn't actually sleep for long. He went out to buy a small pot of wine. He returned to his room, lay on the bed with his head covered, alternating between laughter and tears in this frenzied state. In this daze, he eventually fell asleep. When he woke up again, it was already pitch-black outside, the midnight hour. He dressed in his finest attire, walked out of the room and arrived at the mourning hall. Two servants were keeping vigil. Nie Huanzhang said:

"You don't need stay here over night. I am here with your young master."

"Mr. Nie, it is better for us to stay here. This is our job. If you want to be with my young master, we can give you some time and come back later."

"Don't need. You can go to bed. I'm his friend. There are many things I want to talk with him."

"Okay, thank you, Mr. Nie."

Watching the servants left, Nie Huanzhang smiled, gently caressing the coffin, and said:

"Wangshi, my baby, why are you so stupid? Why did you have to leave Jingdu? Don't you know I would never let you go? Since our first meeting in the wilderness, we've been inseparable, haven't we? It is my fault for not protecting your properly, letting you suffer this undeserved calamity, physically and mentally tormented. I'm sorry. In my plan I would use my lifetime to love you to compensate for my mistakes, but you didn't give me this chance. Do you not want to forgive me, wanting to punish me? Now you lie in this dark coffin. I can't bear this and I want to see you. My baby, I miss you. I want to see you." 

After speaking this, Nie Huanzhang exerted force and slowly pushed the coffin lid away. A strong herbal scent filled the air, but he ignored it, continuing to push until the lid rested horizontally on the coffin. He placed all the candles on the lid, illuminating the coffin brightly. Only then did he look at Zhou Chuyu's bloodless face, gently touching the scars on his face. He stayed in that position for a long time, then took out a fish-shaped jade pendant from his pocket and put it around Zhou Chuyu's neck. He put another one around his own neck. Then he blew out all the candles, leaving a oil lamp on the coffin lid. He then lay down in the coffin, seemingly afraid of pressing down on Zhou Chuyu. He lay beside him, taking a piece of paper from his pocket, propping up Zhou Chuyu's head with one hand, letting him lie on his other arm. Slowly bending down, he kissed Zhou Chuyu on his bloodless lips, cheeks, foreheads and finally back to the lips. At the same time, he took out a small wine pot and said to Zhou Chuyu:

"My baby, I brought the wine here to accompany you." After taking a sip, he continued, "Not bad."

With a frown, he continued to gulp down the wine. Then he threw the pot out of the coffin, blood flowing from his mouth. He was afraid that the blood would drop onto Zhou Chuyu, he wiped it away with his sleeve. He smiled, tightly embracing Zhou Chuyu, and said:

"Baby, we'll be together forever. I told you before where you live is my home. Now here is where you live in the future so it is my home. Yes, I will never leave you alone again. I'll protect you forever. I love you!"

Then his head crooked, stopping breathing anymore. Now there was silence all around. The light from the oil lamps illuminated the coffin lid and there was a piece of paper inside the coffin: 

Please don't separate us. I want to hold my baby in my arms Nie Huanzhang 

Zhou Zheng lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. It wasn't until past midnight that she drifted into a hazy slumber. Suddenly, she saw Zhou Chuyu, in his favorite white cloak, running towards her, saying joyfully: 

"My eldest sister, don't worry about me anymore. Ge told me that he will always be together. He will never leave me alone and protect me forever." Then leaning close to her ear and whispered, "He said he loves me. Zheng, I love him too."

At this moment, she saw that Nie Huanzhang, wearing a black cloak, was coming up to Zhou Chuyu. He pulled Zhou Chuyu into his arms, holding him tightly, saying:

"Zheng, don't worry. I will never leave Wangshi for half a step in the future."

Then she saw that they were riding on Step Snow towards the sunshine and Zhou Chuyu was in Nie Huanzhang's arms. Actually they were kissing each other. 

Three days later Step Snow died by crashing against the wall by itself.