1314: A Thousand Peonies Bloom
A Dialectic

“Master Alchemist, it's Shuwan. Are you inside?” shuwan shouted from behind the door.

“Come in,” Luo Shu said.

Shuwan opened the door of the room, and found Luo Shu writing on top of a book. He then walked closer to her.

“Please sit.”

Shuwan pulled the chair opposite Luo Shu and sat there. “Sorry, because I just came to see you. Um... What needs are there until you call me?”

Luo Shu put down the brush she had used to write. His activities were deliberately stopped to focus on talking to Shuwan.

“Actually it's nothing. I just want to make sure of something,” Luo Shu said.

“Sure something? What do you want to make sure of?”

“How do you feel about Zhang?”

Shuwan gasped at Luo Shu's words. He never thought that the person he had just met became so concerned about his feelings.

Shuwan smiled afterwards, he then said, “Why do you care so much about the affairs of the person you just met a few days?”

Luo Shu let out his breath calmly. “I just pity to see a young man who loves his woman so much, but the woman does not reciprocate her feelings.”

Did Liem confide in this old man? His mouth was unbelievable. Inner Shuwan. Shuwan folded both his hands to the front of his chest. His eyes turned into sharp glare. “That boy, what did he tell you?”

“He said about his problem with you, and also about his illness.”

Shuwan's eyes instantly widened. His illness? The thing he never told me he told this stranger? Inner Shuwan began to feel annoyed. “Indeed, what pain did he have to say to me and the others?"

Luo Shu again smiled a thousand meanings. He tells Shuwan the truth. “He suffered from liver poison that is almost the same as you. A poison he got for drinking Soul Punishing Arak.”

“How do you know about my illness? And, why did he have to drink that wine?” Shuwan was confused by the poison that Luo Shu had just mentioned. 

“Of course I know. I am a chemist and a healer. While operating on you, I checked your condition. And, regarding Zhang, he drank the poison because of his loved ones.”

The person he loves? Is that guy me? 

“She was willing to drink the poison to make up for her guilt for her loved ones. Even though he also knew the risks he would suffer after drinking the poison. He just wants to travel with his heart with the pain suffered by each.”

Liem is stupid! When others wanted to recover from his illness, he drank a dangerous poison. Shuwan tightly clenched both his hands. There was a feeling of resentment and anger that enveloped his heart when he heard the truth of Zhang's illness. 

“If I suffer so much from falling in love, then what effect does she actually suffer from? At that time he had fainted in front of me,” Shuwan said.

“He will feel pain when he has a feeling too deep in someone. Almost the same as you. He will easily fall down when worried, or his feelings are not avenged. Before he went to treat her, he had a chance to meet me, and say all this. He also showed the bruises he had suffered. Almost the entire left side of his chest blackened. The poison is already at the most dangerous stage.”

Shuwan. He swallowed his saliva with great difficulty. His feelings are not funny. “Then, will he recover after doing treatment?”

“It depends on his efforts. Cold pools are not ordinary pools. In the water affected by the reflection of the moon there is a magical power that can be a bidder or even kill him. If he managed to control it, then he would be cured. If the opposite happens, it is certain that he will freeze to death.”

M-die? Liem can't die. How could he bear such a huge risk?

Luo Shu let out her breath, she again asked the same question she had previously asked Shuwan. “So, after knowing the truth about Zhang, how do you feel now?”

Shuwan then looked at Luo Shu's focus. He removed the folds of both his hands. “You should also know, if I can't repay her feelings because of pain.”

“If you recover later, will you repay him?”

Shuwan bowed withered. He paused for a moment before finally answering the question. “I'm just scared, when that time comes, we can no longer meet.”

“You are a time traveler, right?”

Shuwan was silent a thousand languages due to the shock of hearing Luo Shu know the truth about him. “B-how do you know?”

“I just guess.”

Shuwan shifted his gaze. To the bottom corner of the bookcase on his right. 

“I'm back on my original question. Can you give me the answer?”

“Why do you care so much about us?” a sentence was thrown from Shuwan's mouth.

“I just feel sure, if you guys are indeed from the beginning fated together,” Luo Shu added.

A bitter smile was painted on Shuwan's face. He then sighed and looked back at Luo Shu. “About whether I will accept it or not, let the time will answer it.”

“Didn't he propose to you with the ring you wear?”

Shuwan then looked at his ring which Zhang had forcibly paired. “He put it up by force. I can't take it off either because there's a force that binds it. She also knew that I could not repay her feelings. I told her many times not to fall in love with me. But he remained clumsy on his stance. I'm just afraid to hurt him deeper when we're no longer together.”

“If there is nothing else to discuss, then I will withdraw.”

Actually Luo Shu still wanted to have a conversation with him. But seeing Shuwan's sad condition, he decides to let it go. He nodded, “You can go. And, take good care of my late wife's ring.”

“So, this ring..”.

“Yes, it is my wife's relic ring.”

Shuwan did not respond to him anymore. He got up, and lowered his head to pay his respects.

Shuwan walked towards the door, opened it, and stepped out. Leaving Luo Shu who was still immersed in her conversation with Shuwan just now.

Luo Shu then got up from her seat. Walk a little, and look up at the ceiling of the room. He pulled his hands back and put them together.

Sometimes he breathes. “Hah... Love is complicated and always a secret,” Luo Shu muttered.

***

The night was getting late, Zhang who had been soaking in the cold pool began to shiver violently. His body seemed to be shivering uncontrollably.

Yu Hao could only look at it with anxious expectation. The illness just looks so painful. Now the treatment method is equally painful. Zhang, you must have suffered a lot, right?

Zhang who was in his ascetic was trying to control the power around him. Although what was now visible outside of him was only his body that seemed to shiver irregularly.

Her lips looked blue, her skin looked pale white. His eyes were closed, but his breath was still heard in that place.

***

Meanwhile, upon his return from Luo Shu's study, Shuwan simply curled up on the bed. His mind was empty, and so was his view.

Jiao who had just walked into his room became confused. What happened to this kid? Did Shifu scold her? Inner Jiao pictured Shuwan being scolded by his teacher.

Immediately he shook his head, dismissing his non-existent imagination. He approached Shuwan, making sure.

“Shuwan?” call Jiao.

But Shuwan did not respond to him. He was just silent not struggling with the same position as before.

“Shuwan?” Jiao repeated her call. However, the same thing happened. There was no response from Shuevana.

Worried Jiao directly patted her shoulder, “Shuwan?”

Shuwan nodded in surprise. He immediately responded to Jiao's call with a wave. “I-iya Jiao.”

“What are you thinking? To the extent that you didn't hear my tag.”

“A-ah... That, it's nothing Jiao.”

“Lying! Ever since you got back from Shifu's room, you've been looking moody. Did he say anything bad about you?” Jiao tried to make sure that her friend was okay.

“Not, Jiao. That's really nothing. I-I was just thinking about Zhang and also Yu Hao in the palace.” I'm sorry for lying to you, Jiao. I don't know what I'm thinking right now either.

Is that really what he's thinking? Hm... Jiao narrowed her eyes, and dropped her gaze on Shuwan.

Does he suspect me? I have to switch the conversation. “Eh... Jiao, is there a market? I want to go there. Here makes me bored and bored.” Shuwan tried to distract him.

Jiao instantly changed her facial expression. “Of course there are. And, incidentally the teacher asked me to go there to look for some stuff.”

“Really?” Shuwan's face became cramped. He wanted her to go to a crowded place. “Can I come? I'm already fine. View.” Shuwan then stood on the bed and twisted his body.

“Tomorrow I'll ask Shifu first. Whether you can get out or not.”

Shuwan nodded his head, and stopped his processing. “Good. I hope I'm allowed. I'm really tired of being locked up like this.” 

“Hahaha... I know what it's like. I feel like you're most likely allowed. Seeing your bones is fine thanks to the magic potion Shifu.”

Shuwan's eyes are perfectly rounded. His plain sparkle made anyone feel calm.

Gov, Shuwan. You can also whine like a child, right? Remember, he was always cold to us. But now, his heart seemed to have started to warm up. Is... This is thanks to his love for Zhang? Thought Jiao.

“Jiao, let's take a break and get up early tomorrow.”

Instantly the reverie of Jiao broke. He then responded to Shuwan's call. “Ah... Yes.”

They also put out the lights that illuminate the room. Instantly the atmosphere became silent. Both are asleep.