CLX Book 6 Chapter 2 – Part 1

Chapter 2 – Lily-White Hands Hooking the Soul

If you see a fresh flower in your hand withers, inevitably in your heart you will feel that it was a great pity, so much so that you might feel some kind of an indescribable melancholy. Even if you are not a melancholy and moody person at all, it is quite possible that you cannot help sighing for it. _{Translated by foxs}

Why is a beautiful life always so short? But if you see a pair of severed hands, and see these originally beautiful hands suddenly withered, then in your heart, not only you will feel regret and are depressed, you might also think of many other things.

Whose hands were these? Who cut them off?

Chu Liuxiang suddenly realized that this pair of hands was not the pair of hands that waved at him just now. On the back of this pair of hands, there was a bruising, it was a mark from someone twisted and injured it. He was certain that there was no such mark on the hands just now.

Was this pair hands Ai Qing’s? There were many places on Ai Qing’s body that worth him looking at it.

This might also be the hand that lightly caressed him just now.

This pair of hands seemed to suddenly strangle Chu Liuxiang’s throat.

He turned around and rushed out; outside the door the rising sun illuminated the earth.

The rising sun was appearing on the east. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Sunshine is a very wonderful thing. Sometimes it can make people hot, sometimes it can make people cool-headed. Chu Liuxiang has always liked sunshine. He stood under the light of the rising sun for a long time, trying his best not to think about anything in his mind. Only after his mind had completely cooled down that he started to think about this matter again.

He thought very carefully, not missing a single detail.

This matter was originally started by Ai Qing, but the strange thing is, it was not Ai Qing that he thought about the most, rather, it was Zhang Jiejie.

The moment he thought about Zhang Jiejie, he saw Zhang Jiejie.

Her image could appear before his eyes at any time.

Zhang Jiejie was walking down the hillside.

Her mouth was humming a light and pleasant little tune, her hand was holding a tiny yellow flower. The yellow flower was a bit swaying in the morning breeze, and the goose yellow light jacket [with open slits in place of sleeves] she was wearing was also fluttering in the wind.

Other girls at her age loved to wear their clothes very well-fitting, so much so that it would be a good deal more than well-fitting, they tried to make themselves look as slim as possible.

But she wasn’t like them. _{Translated by foxs}

The clothes she wore were loose, but the loose clothes made her looked more graceful with many postures instead.

The appearance of her clothes may not fit as good as Ai Qing’s, but it was more confident and at ease, free from vulgarity. It was neither not intentionally seeking attention, nor it appeared pretentious and artificial.

Her person was like the little tune she was humming, naturally relaxed, giving people pleasant feeling, especially on this sunny and cloudless, dry third-day-of-the-month’s morning. Under the fresh and warm light of the rising sun, anyone who saw her would feel very comfortable in their heart.

Chu Liuxiang looked at her.

She was also looking at Chu Liuxiang, her face carried a light and graceful hint of smile, her footsteps were as light and graceful as the spring breeze.

She walked over, she walked up to Chu Liuxiang, suddenly she laughed and said, “Congratulations, congratulations!”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Congratulations? What is there to congratulate?”

Zhang Jiejie said, “When you see the groom, could it be that you don’t say congratulations?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang did not speak.

Because Zhang Jiejie did not let him speak, she went on, “You seem to be extremely tired, you must have just done a very hard work?” She tittered and said, “I must have said a really stupid thing, of course a bridegroom must be very tired; at night inside the bridal room and ornamented candles, any bridegroom must have a lot of things to do.”

Chu Liuxiang chuckled and said, “That’s not hard work at all.”

Zhang Jiejie said, “Of course not.” She bit her lip, and said with a laugh, “Of course the one working hard is not the bridegroom but the bride.”

Chu Liuxiang could only chuckle again.

Zhang Jiejie blinked, and then asked, “Where’s the bride? Could it be that she can’t get out of bed?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “I was just about to ask you.”

Zhang Jiejie said, “Ask me? Ask me what?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Where is she?”

Zhang Jiejie’s showed shocked, astonished expression, she said, “Could it be that she has left?”

Chu Liuxiang nodded. _{Translated by foxs}

Zhang Jiejie said, “And you don’t know where she went?”

Chu Liuxiang shook his head.

Zhang Jiejie said, “If you don’t know, how would I know?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Because you seem to know a lot about her.”

This time, Zhang Jiejie’s mouth suddenly closed.

Chu Liuxiang stared at her, he spoke slowly, “You knew she was going to kill me, you knew she was wearing a pair of earrings to kill people.”

Zhang Jiejie finally nodded.

Chu Liuxiang said, “Other than that, what else do you know?”

Zhang Jiejie said, “What else do you think I know?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “For example, who sent her to kill me? Why did she want to kill me?”

Rolling her eyes, Zhang Jiejie said, “How would I know about those things?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “That is exactly what I want to ask you; could it be that you …”

Zhang Jiejie cut him off, she said, “Could it be that you think I’m in cahoots with her?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang neither admitted nor denied; this kind attitude is usually tantamount to agreeing tacitly.

Zhang Jiejie said, “If you really think so, why would I want to tell you her secret?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “If you are not, how would you know her secret?”

Zhang Jiejie was silent for a long time, suddenly she walked past him, and entered that house.

The house was very messy.

The things that Ai Qing threw to Chu Liuxiang were still scattered on the floor, it had not been tidied up.

They did not have time to tidy up.

Zhang Jiejie laughed again, she said, “This place really looks like a battlefield; how come the bridal chamber always …” Her voice stopped abruptly, her smiling expression froze.

She also saw that pair of hands. _{Translated by foxs}

All along Chu Liuxiang was fixing his gaze at her, paying attention to the expression on her face; he immediately asked, “Do you know whose hands are these?”

Zhang Jiejie looked like even her breathing seemed to have stopped. After a very long time, she exhaled slowly and said, “They are not my hands.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Could it be that they are ghost’s hands?”

Zhang Jiejie heaved a sigh, she said, “What’s so scary about ghosts? When did you ever hear that ghosts have really killed people? But this pair of hands is the soul-hooking hand …”

Chu Liuxiang frowned, he said, “Soul-hooking hand?”

Zhang Jiejie said, “No matter who, anybody who saw this pair of soul-hooking hands, sooner or later their soul would be hooked away by it.”

She continued, “I heard that there are several types of soul-hooking hands; when hooking someone’s soul, the worst kind would take no more than half a month.”

Chu Liuxiang asked, “Which kind is this?”

Zhang Jiejie heaved a sigh again, she said, “This is the best kind.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “In your opinion, is it true that the more beautiful the hand, the faster it will hook the soul?”

Zhang Jiejie said, “Not the least bit incorrect.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang laughed.

Zhang Jiejie’s eyes grew big, she said, “Do you think I’m scaring you? Do you think it’s funny? When your soul is hooked, you won’t be able to laugh anymore.” She continued coldly, “Not only you can’t laugh, you can’t even cry.”

Chu Liuxiang laughed and said, “I want to know what method it uses to hook the soul away; that kind of method must be very interesting.”

Zhang Jiejie said, “I don’t know, no one knows; those who knew are already inside the coffin.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “But you do know?”

Zhang Qingjie said, “I only know that this is the Soul-Hooking hand.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “You’ve seen it before.”

Zhang Jiejian said, “I only heard someone mentioning it.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Who was it?”

Zhang Jiejie said, “A … a friend.” _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang said, “That friend of yours knows a lot of things?”

Zhang Jiejie said, “All that I told you, I heard it from him.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Where is he now?”

Zhang Jiejie said, “Do you know what time is it now?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “It’s morning, very early.”

Zhang Jiejie said, “Such an early morning, where usually are your friends?”

Chu Liuxiang laughed, he suddenly thought of Hu Tiehua; he laughed and said, “Sometimes they lie in other people’s arms, sometimes they lie under the table in a small wine shop.”

Zhang Jiejie also laughed, but immediately she pulled her face and said, “My friend is neither a drunkard nor a lunatic, they are all very normal. Normal people at this kind of hour, naturally they are still at home.”

“All right,” Chu Liuxiang said, “In that case, let’s go.”

Zhang Jiejie said, “Go? Where are we going?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Naturally to his home.”

Staring at him, Zhang Jiejie said, “Why would I want to take you there?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang chuckled and said, “Because if you refuse to take me there, I will feel bad. Since you are my good friend, naturally you don’t want me to feel bad.”

Zhang Jiejie bit her lip, she spoke hatefully, “But I plainly don’t want to take you there, I plainly want to make you feel bad. It would be best if I can infuriate you to death.”

She left.

When a girl says she wants to infuriate you to death, oftentimes she usually means that she likes you.

No one understood this truth better than Chu Liuxiang.

Blue sky, white clouds. The sun had just risen, shining on the red flowers and green leaves. The green leaves still had sparkling and translucent, clear and fresh dewdrops.

The wind was also fresh, fresh and fragrant, just like the breath of a passionate girl.

On such a morning, there was a young and beautiful girl walking, she walked under the blue sky and white clouds, among the red flowers and green leaves. Naturally this was a very pleasant thing. _{Translated by foxs}

But Chu Liuxiang did not feel completely happy today, he always seemed to have a shadow.

The shadow of a pair of hands.

This pair of hands seemed to reach out from the darkness anytime and anywhere, to strangle him by the throat, to strangle him to death.

Zhang Jiejie seemed to be much happier than him.

She had just picked a dewy wild flower in her hand, her mouth was still softly humming a folk song.

She was young and beautiful. A girl like her should not have troubles.

Maybe she practically has not learned how to be troubled, how to be depressed.

A mule cart appeared from the bend behind the mountain, the cart was loaded with half a load of lettuce, dark green like jadeite.

The Laotouzi [old man (at times contemptuous)] driving the cart was smoking a tobacco pipe, under the sunshine, his grizzled hair glittered like silver.

Zhang Jiejie jumped and rushed over, she greeted with a smile, “Laobo [uncle, polite form of address for older male], are you going to the city?”

Originally the old man’s eyes were squinted, but when he saw her, his eyes lit up. He spoke loudly, “I am going to the city. I am selling vegetables.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Zhang Jiejie said, “Can we take a ride on your, the Senior’s cart, into the city?”

Without waiting for the other person to agree, she jumped onto the cart.

A girl like her jumped onto the cart, no man, from eighteen to eighty years old, would ever drive her away.

The old man laughed aloud, he said, “The cart is still empty anyway, get on. You, young married couple, get on together.”

Chu Liuxiang stroked his nose, he had no choice but to also jump onto the cart.

Looking at him, Zhang Jiejie tittered, she spoke quietly, “Others call us a married couple, why didn’t you deny?”

Chu Liuxiang also chuckled, he said, “Since you didn’t deny, why should I deny?”

Zhang Jiejie blinked, she said, “Do we really look like a young married couple?”

Chu Liuxiang looked at her up and down a couple of times, he smiled and said, “If I got married early, my daughter would already be about your age.”

Zhang Jiejie stared at him fiercely, she spoke fiercely, “Even if you want to be my son, Laoniang [I, this old woman, or I, your mother] dislike you are a bit too young.”

She has not finished saying that, she could not help giggling, she felt that ‘laoniang’, this term was really novel, very amusing. _{Translated by foxs}

She seemed to admire herself how she could think of such a term.

Chu Liuxiang looked at her, he could not help feeling a bit happier.

Some people seem to have a natural disposition to make other people happy, Zhang Jiejie was precisely such a person.

No matter how she treats you, you have no way to be angry with her.

The old man driving the cart turned his head around to look at them, he laughed and said, “Looking at you laughing so affectionately, you must be newly wed.”

Zhang Jiejie blinked, she said, “How do you, the Senior, know?”

The old man heaved a sigh, he said, “If you’re an old couple, you won’t be able to laugh. For example, like me, when I saw that yellow-faced woman [faded old woman], I could not even cry.”

Zhang Jiejie also laughed. She was chuckling, but suddenly she heavily twisted Chu Liuxiang’s nose.

Chu Liuxiang could only stare blankly, he could only admit that he was having a bad luck.

But the old man was outraged by an injustice on his behalf, he said, “Such a nice girl like you, what did you twist him for?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Men always speak up for other men.

Pursing her lips, Zhang Jiejie laughed and said, “In the future, sooner or later, I will become a yellow-faced woman. If I don’t take advantage of this time to bully him, when that time comes, I will only have to let him bully me.”

The old man burst into loud laughter, he nodded and said, “Make sense, what you said makes a lot of sense. Like in the past, when that Laotaipo [old woman (at times contemptuous)] of mine was still pretty, didn’t she use me as a doormat all day long?”

He knocked the dry tobacco pipe heavily on the cart; he looked at Chu Liuxiang and said with a laugh, “It seems that if a man wants to marry a beautiful wife, he must suffer a few years of angst first.”

Zhang Jiejie said, “What about now? Do you often use her as a doormat now?”

The old man suddenly heaved a sigh; smiling wryly, he said, “Now, the one being used as a doormat is still me.”

“Puchi,” Zhang Jiejie giggled, she said, “No matter what it is, as long as you get used to it, it’s not a problem.” _{Translated by foxs}

The old man looked at her and said with a laugh, “True, nowadays I’m gradually thinking that being a doormat is quite interesting, if that Laotaipo of mine does not use me as a doormat for three days, I will feel unwell instead.”

Chu Liuxiang could not help laughing.

The old man suddenly heaved a sigh again, he said, “Now I only have one thing that I still don’t understand.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Which thing?”

He also started to respond, because he also suddenly felt that this old man was very interesting.

The old man said, “People say that those who are afraid of their wives will get rich, but until now I’m still poor and out of money; why is that?”

Chu Liuxiang laughed and said, “Perhaps you not afraid enough.”

The old man said, “How much afraid must I be to get rich? I really want to learn.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Then you have to start learning from the three obedience and the four virtues.” [Confucian moral injunctions for women, namely, obey in turn three men: father, husband and son, plus the four virtues of morality, physical charm, propriety in speech, and efficiency in needlework.]

The old man said, “Men also have to pay attention to the three obedience and the four virtues?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang said, “Now they already gradually start paying attention, in the future they will definitely pay attention even closer.”

The old man said, “Tell me quickly.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Laopo’s [wife] order, you must obey, Laopo’s principle you must blindly follow. No matter where Laopo goes, you must follow.”

The old man said, “Turns out that is what is called the three obedience. What about the four virtues?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Laopo spends money, you must be willing to part with it. Laopo’s intention, you have to know, Laopo’s anger, you have to endure, when Laopo beats you, you have to hide, the farther, the better.”

The old man slapped his thigh, he laughed and said, “All right, young man, you have future prospects, I think in the future you will be a millionaire.”

He roared in laughter and said, “Now I finally know how those millionaires came to be.”

Chu Liuxiang suddenly laughed again and said, “But men not necessarily must be afraid their wives to get rich.” _{Translated by foxs}

The old man asked, “Could there be another way?”

Chu Liuxiang replied, “There is a way.”

The old man said, “Which way?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Don’t take a wife.”

From here, they were chatting and laughing at the outskirts of the city, it felt like they were going to enter the city soon. As long as one can still laugh, life will be easier to pass.

The old man said, “Where are you, young married couple, going in the city?”

Zhang Jiejie asked, “What about you, the Senior?”

The old man said, “I’m almost there, just that vegetable market ahead!”

He suddenly closed his mouth, becoming ashen-faced.

Following his gaze, Chu Liuxiang saw a tall and fat Laotaipo coming out of the vegetable market, holding a steelyard in her hand. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

When the old man saw her, it was like a chick seeing an eagle; before he could speak, the old woman already dragged him down from the cart, the steelyard in her hand also, without head without brains, beat down on his body, while she bawled out, saying, “You, this old fart [lit. old but still alive], you, this dead knife [lit. dry-killing blade], Laoniang has been wondering why even if you are dead you are not here yet, turns out that you caught up with a wild woman on the road.”

While dodging, the old man begged, “How can you talk nonsense, that is someone else’s laopo.”

The old woman became more violent, she beat him harder, saying, “You are releasing your laoniang’s spring and autumn fart, who’s whose laopo? Looking at that vixen’s [lit. fox-spirit] appearance, from head to toe, which part looks like a decent woman?” [Note: I decided to keep the original cuss words, don’t know about modern Chinese people, but I found these cursing fascinating.]

It was only this moment that Zhang Jiejie understand who she was talking about, she could not help being stunned by her scolding.

But seeing that the old man was about to be beaten that he crawled all over the ground, she was a bit could not bear to see it. She quietly pushed Chu Liuxiang out and said, “He is beaten so cruelly because of us, yet you are not trying to persuade her?”

Chu Liuxiang heaved a sigh, he said, “If a woman wants to beat her own laogong [husband], even Huangdi Laozi [old man the emperor] can’t persuade her.”

Zhang Jiejie spoke anxiously, “You should at least try to explain for him. Could it be that you men do not have the slightest bit sympathy toward your fellow men?”

---