Chapter 498 - 154: Searching for Medicine
Xiao Deyin was assisted back to her courtyard by a maid.
She knew nothing; only the faint echoes of "The identity of that mysterious person is unknown, never seen by anyone. Some say it may not even be a human being, otherwise how could one never see their true face?" resonated in her ears.
She closed her eyes.
These days, she had lied about having a cold to avoid leaving her home, all because on that day at the Shen family’s house, she had heard the familiar zither music, fallen ill at heart, and had been restless since, hiding inside her residence. Who would have known that as soon as she stepped out today, she would hear these rumors again? For a moment, she felt as if that thing had latched onto her, overwhelming and inescapable.
The maid didn’t understand what had happened and thought Xiao Deyin’s cold had worsened. She bustled about, intending to find a doctor to prescribe medicine. Xiao Deyin, leaning on her bed, gradually felt a chill overtaking her body.
Who was that person? Human or ghost? Was it the dead Xue Fangfei or a living mysterious person? Why did they play nothing but "Moon over the Mountain Pass"? What if everyone learned about the first zither master of Northern Yan changing hands? To become the very best, she had given up marriage and fame, everything was for the word "first." For these two words, she had conspired to kill her best friend, for these words, she had betrayed her own heart. Yet now, was she unable to even keep this one thing?
For some reason, Xiao Deyin’s mind conjured up the face of Xue Fangfei from the past. The first time she saw Fangfei was not because of her renowned beauty, but rather joy at finding a kindred spirit in zither music. She had been thrilled to find someone who so closely shared her thoughts, but the deeper she understood, the more alarmed she became as Fangfei’s mastery of the zither far surpassed her own.
Although Fangfei had the reputation of a talented woman, the world could only see a small part of it. After marrying into the Shen family, Mother Shen did not allow her to show her face and demanded she manage household affairs instead of spending all day playing the zither and reading books. Hence, Fangfei couldn’t showcase her zither skills except for occasionally playing a piece when with Xiao Deyin. Xiao secretly rejoiced; thankful Mother Shen was there to stop her. If Fangfei played the zither in public, her own reputation as the first zither master would seem like a joke.