Chapter 293 - Delayed Departure (1/2)

Ah Jin took the purple soul stone from Xiao Ying's hand and put it in her sleeve.

Xiao Ying then nodded towards the bed, still pouting, ”Go...”

Ah Jin lightly shook her head and went over to the bed where the unconscious Tung Mei lay. She sat down, took Tung Mei's hand and closed her eyes.

Xiao Ying also walked over to the bed and crouched down beside Ah Jin and went, ”She's still alive, right? I did say she wasn't dead. I'm not stupid enough not to know the difference...So can you hea-”

”Stop talking.” Ah Jin ordered with a frown and Xiao Ying quickly shut her mouth and anxiously waited for Ah Jin to be done.

After a while, Ah Jin finally opened her eyes and Xiao Ying promptly jerked alert, ”So?...”

Ah Jin sighed, ”Her soul's too weak...”

Xiao Ying frowned, ”But then you can give it some energy to strengthen it...It'll work, right?”

Ah Jin shook her head, ”No, it will only make it worse...Her soul's already been here too long, she was supposed to die months ago, but then you came along and kept it tied here all this time...Trying to force her soul to remain here right now could end up destroying it... There's nothing we can do for her...” Ah Jin said, dropping Tung Mei's hand on the bed.

”But...” Xiao Ying pouted and looked at the unconscious Tung Mei feeling horrible, ”...Even this I can't do right...” She mumbled, blinking back tears, ”...She said she wanted to see her father again, so I promised to heal her if she let me borrow her body. She said she didn't want to die here without saying goodbye to her father but now...now” she sniffed, ”Nothing goes well for me these days...” She wailed and then buried her head in her knees as tears streamed down her face.

Ah Jin looked at the crying Xiao Ying in surprise and not knowing what to do. She had known Xiao Ying a long time but this was the first time she had ever seen her cry like this. No one had ever taken her infatuation with Yong seriously, but now Ah Jin could see that her feelings ran deeper than any of them understood. It was obvious that this rejection was really hard on her.

Ah Jin knit her brows in thought for a bit, then she got an idea and went, ”How about this? I can cast a spell on her so when her soul leaves, it'll go to her father for a bit...in maybe a dream? Hm?

Xiao Ying sniffed and poked her head up a bit and asked, ”You can?”

Ah Jin swiftly nodded with a smile, ”I'll do it right now...” Xiao Ying nodded and Ah Jin lightly touched Tung Mei's forehead with her fingers, closed her eyes, and then Tung Mei's body seemed to be covered in a light glow. After a bit, Ah Jin opened her eyes again and smiled at Xiao Ying, ”There, it's done...She'll see her father again, you kept your promise.”

Xiao Ying looked at Tung Mei's body and bit her inner lip, using her sleeve to dab at her eyes as she sniffed. Ah Jin sighed and pat Xiao Ying's head and said, ”It's okay, she would have never been able to say goodbye to her father if not for you...You should go home now...”

Xiao Ying glanced at her, ”Say bye to Xing jie for me...”

Ah Jin nodded and Xiao Ying then glanced at Tung Mei one more time and her crouching form vanished.

”Don't forget to go to Qi temple first!” Ah Jin called out after her. Obviously, she got no response but she was not worried as long as Xiao Ying had the bracelet, Doctor Lou could find out her whereabouts if he really wanted and take his sister to her, if necessary.

Ah Jin sighed and then quickly rearranged Tung Mei's body to its former position. It would be too suspicious for her to die right after one of the Empress's head maids came over so she had also put enough energy into Tung Mei's body so her soul would remain at least a few days before beginning its journey to the afterlife.

Ah Jin walked back to where the aunt stood. The woman then unfroze and Ah Jin said to her, ”I can see that her condition is really bad so I will take my leave now... She is a personal friend of the Empress so she deserves the best care, I will inform the Empress of her condition and an Imperial physician will be sent over.”

The aunt smiled and bowed, ”Many thanks to the Empress...” Ah Jin smiled and then left the room and the aunt promptly followed behind to see her off.

***