Just as the morning had begun, and the friends were sitting, chatting happily, and enjoying their morning breakfast, thirty people rushed in from the front entrance of the inn.
The spoon on Guo Longtong's bowl fell onto the table with a clatter. He swallowed hard and murmured, "Uncle...."
The lovers turned to the front entrance and saw Master Guo, Master Wu, the Wu sisters, Fang Yaoting, and Guo Yingyu enter with thirty men, their faces grim.
"Speaking of the devil," Zhao Renshu frowned, his voice low.
"Guo Baiyu! How dare you fake your own death?" Master Guo shouted angrily, striding forward.
"Hey, old man, there is no such name here," Zhao Renshu retorted, stepping forward. "This is Guozhao Baiyu, not your son. You announced to everyone that your son died of an infectious disease. You didn't even hold him a proper funeral...."
"Shut your mouth, homeless!" Wu Meirong yelled at Zhao Renshu.
Huang Hongse stood up. "Shut your mouth, you good-for-nothing!" she snapped back at Wu Meirong.
"Hongse," Huang Yueliang said, trying to intervene.
Guo Longtong was stunned by Huang Hongse's boldness. He raised the thumb of his left hand, impressed. "Miss Huang, you are very brave."
Huang Hongse looked at Guo Longtong coldly, not appreciating the comment.
"Since you are still alive, you and Miss Wu will get married today," Master Guo declared, his voice firm, pointing at Guo Baiyu.
Guo Baiyu stood up and faced Master Guo. "Master Guo, I am a married man. This is my wife." He gestured to Ping'an.
"Guo Baiyu, you married her?" Wu Xiangmei gasped, utterly shocked.
"I married her alongside him," Guo Baiyu clarified, looking at Zhao Renshu, indicating their polyamorous bond.
"You..." Master Guo was speechless, his face contorted in rage.
"Ha...ha...ha...ha...ha! This is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard," Wu Meirong laughed mockingly. "Two men married a woman. Who will respect you in the future? Who will accept your foolish marriage?"
Huang Hongse stood up expressionlessly and stared at Wu Meirong. "I will," she stated, her voice cold and unwavering.
Huang Yueliang stood next to Guo Baiyu. "Baiyu," she said, her voice clear, "I, Huang Yueliang, respect you. I am honored to know you and fight with you as your friend. I acknowledge you and Ping'an as husband and wife."
"Thank you, Miss Huang," Guo Baiyu smiled, genuinely touched.
"Oh, that Lim Peizhi is super lucky if he keeps it up," Zhao Renshu smirked, taunting the Wu family.
Huang Yueliang gave Zhao Renshu a small smile, appreciating his support.
"Baiyu, you know that the woman you married is such a disgrace to the point that her own father disowned her," Wu Meirong sneered, relentless. "A woman without a surname. A woman of the lowest status."
"Miss Wu, please watch your words," Guo Baiyu warned, his voice hardening.
"Her surname is Guozhao!" Zhao Renshu shouted angrily at Wu Meirong, unable to tolerate the insults.
Wu Meirong laughed and continued mocking. "Mind my words? An untouchable woman of society. The child of the devil..." She grinned maliciously.
Ping'an knew Wu Meirong's words had crossed the line for Zhao Renshu. She quickly held his left hand. "Renshu, forget it. It's not worth it to pick a fight with her."
Zhao Renshu was breathing heavily, his blood boiling within his veins. He was unable to hold his anger any longer. He shouted, "Wu Meirong!" He sprinted towards Wu Meirong and slapped her hard across her right cheek.
Guo Yingyu immediately attacked Zhao Renshu, which made Huang Hongse very angry, and she attacked Guo Yingyu from behind. Fang Yaoting, who hated Zhao Renshu, decided to help Guo Yingyu, Wu Meirong, and Wu Xiangmei attack Zhao Renshu. Wu Xiangmei lunged at Huang Hongse, which made Huang Yueliang join the fight.
Guo Baiyu saw that Zhao Renshu was being attacked by Fang Yaoting and Guo Yingyu, so he jumped into the fight and helped Zhao Renshu.
"Uncle, please ask them to stop fighting!" Guo Longtong shouted, trying to intervene.
Guo Longtong and Ping'an stayed behind, trying to avoid the escalating brawl.
When Ping'an and Guo Longtong were not aware of the danger lurking from behind them, Hu Qingge walked silently down the stairs, one step at a time. She stopped behind Ping'an, and then gently patted Ping'an's right shoulder.
"Ping'an," Hu Qingge said softly.
When Ping'an turned around, Hu Qingge plunged her knife directly into Ping'an's left chest.
"I'm sorry..." Hu Qingge smiled at Ping'an, a chilling, desperate look in her eyes. "He said, if you die, he will love me." She drew out the knife, and blood gushed out of Ping'an's left chest onto the floor. Ping'an slowly recoiled, gasping for air. Guo Longtong quickly turned around and caught Ping'an, hugging her tightly in his arms as she began to collapse.
Guo Longtong was gasping for breath when he saw the blood pouring out and Ping'an struggling for air. Then he shouted, his voice hoarse, "Baiyu!"
Guo Baiyu and Zhao Renshu turned around, their eyes widening in horror. They saw their wife in Guo Longtong's arms, blood spewing from her chest. They rushed to their wife.
Guo Baiyu immediately took off his outer robe and pressed it onto the wound to stop the bleeding. He reached inside his inner robe and took out two small ceramic bottles. He poured a pill from each ceramic bottle and put them into Ping'an's mouth.
Zhao Renshu's eyes turned red with hatred. He shouted fiercely, "HU QINGGE!" He got up, then walked over and used his right hand to squeeze Hu Qingge's neck hard. He grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the floor, his rage consuming him. "I have told you! If you touch her, I will kill you!"
Hu Qingge choked, struggling for breath. "You...also... told me," she coughed, her eyes turning white as consciousness faded. "If...she...dies...you...will...love...me."
Zhao Renshu realized in that horrifying moment that a mistake he made three years ago had caused the one most precious person to him to be dying on the floor. He dropped Hu Qingge. It was his fault. If he could have better controlled his temper and not kissed Hu Qingge at that time, this would not have happened. If he had controlled his temper better and not fought with Wu Meirong, this would not have happened. He would have been beside Ping'an, protecting her. He had failed as a husband. He picked up the knife. Death felt much less painful than watching his wife die in someone's arms.
"Renshu, stop!" Guo Baiyu commanded, his voice strained, without looking at him. "I need you to carry Ping'an upstairs."
"Hu Qingge, you have crossed the line this time," Zhao Renshu said angrily, his voice seething. "We are no longer friends. Next time, when we meet again, I will kill you without hesitation. This time, take it as a repayment for saving my life. You get the hell out of here!"
"Renshu...Please...." Hu Qingge pleaded, sitting on the floor, her eyes desperate.
"Disappear from my sight!" Zhao Renshu shouted, his voice echoing with fury.
He walked to Guo Baiyu and Guo Longtong. When Guo Baiyu put pressure on the wound, he picked up Ping'an, and the lovers rushed upstairs.
Lee Dachin, Wu Wangwei, and Chan Changchao walked through the main entrance, confused by what they saw and heard. Guo Longtong invited them to celebrate the Lantern Festival with the two Huang sisters, but the three friends saw the bloody Guo Longtong standing still, a look of shock on his face. The three friends rushed to Guo Longtong.
"Are you hurt?" Lee Dachin asked, worried.
"This is not my blood. This is not my blood," Guo Longtong repeated, his voice trembling.
"Whose blood?" Lee Dachin asked.
"Tell us," Wu Wangwei urged.
"Doctor, guys, please go get some doctors!" Guo Longtong pleaded, gesturing frantically towards the stairs.
"No one can leave," Wu Xiangmei stated, blocking the path.
"You evil people!" Guo Longtong shouted, pointing at Wu Xiangmei. "If you dare touch my friends, I will..."
"What would you do?" Wu Meirong mocked. "Use brushes and books to attack me?"
"I'll help him kick your ass out of this inn," Huang Hongse said coldly, stepping forward.
Guo Longtong turned to Huang Hongse with a grateful smile. "Are you willing?"
Huang Hongse looked at him coldly and nodded, her resolve clear.
"All of you go upstairs and drag Childe Guo down," Wu Xiangmei commanded her guards.
"Yes," ten guards replied, walking towards the stairs.
Huang Yueliang flew over and stood on the second step of the stairs, blocking their path. She said firmly, "Anyone who dares to disturb Doctor Guozhao, I won't go easy on them."
Huang Hongse challenged Wu Xiangmei. "If your men are brave enough, tell them to go up."
"Go up," Wu Xiangmei ordered, her eyes narrowed.
The first five men walked towards the stairs.
Huang Yueliang opened a small pouch tied to her belt and took out her guqin. Her guqin, the size of her finger, suddenly became a full-sized guqin instrument. She sent a very powerful sound wave directly at the first five guards, cutting them in half at the waist. The upper part of the corpses fell to the floor first. After a few minutes, the bottom halves then fell to the floor. There were guts and blood everywhere.
Huang Hongse smirked with a satisfied smile at Wu Xiangmei. The Wu and the Guo families were terrified. Huang Yueliang's actions shocked Fang Yaoting. They hadn't expected to see such a lovely lady be so deadly.
Huang Hongse looked at the four friends (Lee Dachin, Wu Wangwei, Chan Changchao, and Guo Longtong) and said, "Doctor Guozhao is the best doctor there is. The three of you don't need to call more doctors."
The four friends sat at the dining table, stunned, while the Huang sisters guarded the stairs.
Upstairs, Guo Baiyu opened Ping'an's robe. The stabbing wound was on her left breast. It took two hours for Guo Baiyu to stop the bleeding and close up Ping'an's wound. The two men then washed their hands. Zhao Renshu sat at the table, and Guo Baiyu wiped off the bloodstains on Ping'an's face and upper chest.
"This is my fault," Zhao Renshu muttered, his voice filled with self-loathing.
"It's not your fault," Guo Baiyu said, his voice calm. "This kind of thing is unpredictable."
"It's my fault," Zhao Renshu insisted. "If I didn't kiss Hu Qingge, it wouldn't have happened. If I held my temper a little longer, then this wouldn't have happened. You always tell me to calm down, but I never listen to you."
"I'm very curious," Guo Baiyu asked, looking at Zhao Renshu. "Why did you kiss her in the first place?"
"It was not just a kiss," Zhao Renshu said frankly, his gaze distant.
"Did you sleep with her?" Guo Baiyu pressed.
"No. We kissed and we... um... she... you know..." Zhao Renshu stammered, avoiding details.
"Why let it go so far?" Guo Baiyu asked, his voice gentle.
"I was thinking at the time, maybe it was because I had never kissed or had sex with other people besides Ping'an," Zhao Renshu confessed, his voice low. "Maybe, if I kissed her and then slept with her, I might forget Ping'an. But the thought of Ping'an came to my mind, I couldn't do it."
"Don't blame yourself," Guo Baiyu said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It is always difficult to protect yourself from the people closest to you. Ping'an is out of danger." He put the bloodied towel in the basin.
"Why doesn't her sword protect her?" Zhao Renshu asked, perplexed.
"I believe her sword can only sense her feelings," Guo Baiyu mused. "She may not have felt that she was in danger."
"Why hasn't she woken up yet?" Zhao Renshu asked, his voice filled with worry.
"Fortunately, she hasn't gotten up yet," Guo Baiyu replied. "Otherwise, she will be in a lot of pain. I need to prepare some medicine. You..."
"I will not leave her side," Zhao Renshu stated firmly.
"Remember to be happy in front of her. Don't talk about pain and control yourself," Guo Baiyu instructed.
"I will," Zhao Renshu promised.
Guo Baiyu walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. Zhao Renshu sat on the edge of the bed, holding Ping'an's right hand tightly.
"I'm sorry," Zhao Renshu whispered, his voice broken. He held her left hand and stroked her pale face with distress. He lowered his body and kissed her on the forehead.