(suite2)
Jing stared in dismay at Xiao Yao who quickly said “It can’t be as scary as he makes it out to be. It’s been over seventy years and I’m still just fine.”
The Voodoo King’s expression changed as he stared at Jing “You’re not the man the other bug is planted in?”
“No.”
The Voodoo King stared in shock at Xiao Yao “Can I feel the bug in you?”
Xiao Yao nodded
The Voodoo King didn’t move so he was likely using a bug inside of himself to sense. He furrowed his brows and murmured “It really is a Lover’s Bug! But how is this possible? ‘Lovers who raise the bug produce the Lover’s Bug, Not Lovers who raise the bug produce the Heartbreak Bug.’ The Lover’s Bug is different then other voodoo bugs and absolutely requires the couple to willingly accept the bug for it to be successfully planted. If the man you successfully planted the other bug in is not your lover, then how did you plant it in him?”
Xiao Yao said “You might not know as much as your ancestors, the bug could be more multi-facted and evolving in ways beyond your understanding.”
The Voodoo King was still perplexed. But it was clear that the young man sitting beside Xiao Yao was clearly her beloved so the rest of what he wanted to say wasn’t suitable for discussing at this time. He smoothed things over “Miss you are likely right, the bug inside of you is different than other bugs. Likely Miss and the other man have very unique bodily compositions.”
Xiao Yao inwardly sighed in relief “He is very unique!” Since the bug was planted, only Xiang Liu could sense her but she could never sense him.
Jing anxiously asked “How to break the spell?”
The Voodoo King’s face scrunched up “The Lover’s Bug – either live in love or die in heartbreak. Once the Lover’s Bug has been planted there is no way to break the spell. It is impossible. This is what I was trying to say earlier for why so few people raise it despite the great benefit. Only very determined girls would raise the bug but even if they successfully raise it, it’s near impossible to find a man willing to accept the other bug to be planted in him.”
Jing was stunned and after a moment of silence he slowly asked “What happens if one person who has the Lover’s Bug dies? What happens to the other person?”
The Voodoo King sighed “Our Jiu Li folk ballad sings ‘The twisted roots of the parasol tree entwine on land, the doves do not fly alone in the sky, the pair of mandarin ducks in the water always die together.'”
Jing stared at Xiao Yao and tightly grabbed her hand.
Xiao Yao smiled at him and made a joke face “Don’t worry! We don’t need to believe everything the Voodoo King says. Don’t forget, he said that only a pair of lovers in love could the bug be successfully planted. But I don’t have any relationship with Xiang Liu but we still successfully planted the bug. The Voodoo King also said the spell couldn’t be broken once the bug was planted but don’t forget that I planted the bug first in Zhuan Xu before Xiang Liu helped me break the spell and move the bug to himself.”
Jing let out a sigh of relief “Yes! The bug was moved from Zhuan Xu!”
Xiao Yao shook Jing’s hand “Don’t worry, there is no absolutes in this world. If no one has broken the spell before then let me be the first.” She said to the Voodoo King “Once I break it I’ll pass on the knowledge to you as gratitude for your ancestor teaching me voodoo.”
The Voodoo King smiled “Jiu Li people are the lowest untouchables and we have limited ability. But to protect the Miss we would do everything in our power. Please Miss never mention repaying any gratitude.”
This was the first time Xiao Yao was being treated with respect and offered kindness because of her real daddy. Xiao Yao’s heart clenched and she didn’t have the heart to decline “Thank you.”
Xiao Yao glanced at the peach tree forest and Jing asked “Want to spend another night?”
Xiao Yao shook her head “Everything is done that needed to be taken care of, let’s go home! By now Xiao Xiao will have discovered that the Xiao Yao on the ship is a fake.”
Xiao Yao bid farewell to the Voodoo King “Right now the Xuan Yuan ruler is the Black Emperor. He’s different than other rulers and in his eyes there are no class differences. Please give him some time and he will lift Jiu Li’s slave tribe designation.”
The Voodoo King didn’t know if that could ever happen but he bowed low to Xiao Yao “Miss, please take care!”
Xiao Yao and Jing returned to the bamboo hut and tidied it up before Xiao Yao said “Let’s go now.”
Jing was waiting outside on the crane allowing Xiao Yao some alone time to say farewell to her parents.
Xiao Yao stood before Qi Yo’s portrait for some time before softly saying “Daddy, Mom, I’m leaving now. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be just fine.”
She turned and ran outside to greet Jing with a big smile and cheerfully said “Back to the East Sea to look for Xiao Xiao and Miao Pu.”
When they returned to the Tu Shan ship, Xiao Xiao as expected figured out that the Xiao Yao on the ship was a clone but she didn’t know where Xiao Yao went so she could only wait on the ship in the East Sea.
Seeing them return, Maio Pu was so happy she could cry while Xiao Xiao remained as placid as usual as she greeted Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao scooted over with a grin “Don’t worry, if Gege gets mad I’ll take all the blame.”
Xiao Xiao didn’t say thanks or no need, she just calmly asked “Does my lady want to return to Sheng Nong Mountain now?”
Xiao Yao stared at the sea and didn’t respond. Moments later she said “I want to stay one night on the sea.”
That night the waves rocked the ship and Xiao Yao couldn’t sleep. She climbed off her pallet and draped a robe over herself and walked out on the deck.
A slight ocean breeze, a bright round moon hanging in the sky reflecting the glittering light on the waves. It was beautifully silent.
Under this big ocean she laid inside a giant white clam shell for thirty-seven years. No one knew how Xiang Liu managed to save her life, or that her body had changed. Every time Zhuan Xu would ask she would claim to have slept the entire time and remembered nothing. But in her heart everything was crystal clear to her. His blood flowed inside her body. Even now her body clamored for the ocean. In the past she loved water but that feeling was nothing like what she felt now. Back then the ocean was the ocean and she was herself. Now she was a daughter of the sea, she could swim with the fishes and listen to the merpeople’s song. She could dive into the deepest part of the ocean like a demon fish and could swim faster than a dolphin.
With just one vault she could jump into the ocean and swim happily. But Xiao Yao refused, she tightly clenched her fist and warred with herself.
The merpeople’s song reached her from the depths of the ocean and Xiao Yao’s heart lurched and she ran to the ship’s bow to stare out into the distance. Under the silver moonlight a white haired white robed man was walking on the waves towards her.
He said nothing and Xiao Yao didn’t speak either. The two of them, one on the ship and the other on the water, they listened together to the song of the merpeople. The song spread out on the water’s surface, melodic and pure, touching deep into the soul like a passionate entreaty in darkness, like a longing sigh that shatters the heart, it made the soul rise and fall with the song.
When the song ended Xiao Yao softly said “So beautiful!”
Xiang Liu softly concurred “Yes.”
The merpeople’s song was in a pitch that very few people on earth could hear so in that split second Xiao Yao felt that her heart was intimately close to Xiang Liu and there was nothing she couldn’t share with him. She said “My daddy is Qi Yo.”
Xiang Liu’s eyes showed his amusement. Saying “My daddy is Qi Yo” is very different than saying “I am Qi Yo’s daughter.” The latter stated a truth complete with anger, the former was warm and loving about the relationship.
“When I first met you, back then you called yourself Wen Xiao Liu. Later your name was Gao Xing Jiu Yao. Now you are called Xi Ling Jiu Yao. If you ever get a fourth name, likely no one will be able to keep track.”
Xiao Yao laughed out loud and immediately clasped her hand over her mouth and glanced back. Only after confirming she didn’t alert anyone did she sass right back “Just three names. In the future even if there is a fourth name, you have nine heads so use a brain to remember half a name and you can remember it all and still have room.”
Xiang Liu coldly stared at Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao wasn’t scared in the least “If you dare raise a hand, then I dare to yell for help!”
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