Before the Swallowflower Speaks, Ashes Turn Cold
At eighteen, Wen Lingyuan finally mustered the courage to confess her feelings—to her uncle by adoption, Pei Qingyan, ten years her senior. In a dimly lit private room, surrounded by admirers, he looked at her with a hint of surprise, gently took her trembling hands, and with a soft laugh said, “Alright.” That single word made her cry tears of joy and fall for him even deeper, her love unwavering for the next four years.
But everything shattered the night she, burning with fever, stumbled upon a scene outside the study that chilled her to the bone. She saw Gu Yanze, the man she loved, wrapped around her dance teacher, Su Wantang, lost in a passionate embrace. Su Wantang, half-draped in his arms, asked coyly, “When will you tell Lingyuan about us? It’s been four years. Don’t tell me you’ve really fallen for her?”
Gu Yanze, face buried in Su Wantang’s neck, chuckled. “How could that be? She’s just a child playing house. I’ll tell her after her birthday.”
At that moment, Wen Lingyuan’s tear-streaked face appeared at the door. Ignoring their shouts, she ran blindly into the night, her heart breaking into a thousand pieces.
“Lingyuan! Watch out!” someone cried.
A car’s horn blared. Just as she snapped back to reality, a familiar pair of arms pulled her close. The impact sent them both flying. As she rolled on the ground, she opened her eyes to see Gu Yanze’s bloodied face inches from hers. Sobbing, she cradled him, but outside the operating room, she was slapped repeatedly by Su Wantang and told only, “There’s nothing more we can do.”
Desperate, Wen Lingyuan raced home to the family’s medicinal garden. Without hesitation, she slashed her wrist, letting her blood nourish a rare, inconspicuous herb—her father’s legacy. Even as her face grew deathly pale and the plant remained unchanged, she gritted her teeth, thought of Gu Yanze, and cut herself again. Finally, the brilliant Swallowflower bloomed.
This miraculous medicine, her father once said, could snatch a soul from the jaws of death—but with the side effect that the revived would become dependent on the one who watered the flower with their blood. In a life-or-death moment, Wen Lingyuan didn’t care.
She fed Gu Yanze the Swallowflower. His heartbeat gradually returned. When he awoke, she tried to leave, but he seized her wrist, drawn by an inexplicable urge, and kissed her hungrily. Outside, Su Wantang saw everything and, devastated, threw herself from the hospital rooftop.
Gu Yanze chased after her, collapsing in anguish over Su Wantang’s body. Wen Lingyuan realized that by saving him, she had lost him forever.
Despite his grandfather’s objections, Gu Yanze married Wen Lingyuan. But on their wedding night, drunk and violent, he took her by force, staining the sheets with blood. He replaced her face with Su Wantang’s in their wedding photos, forced her to dance Su Wantang’s routines until her ankles bled, and dragged her up again and again.
His dependence kept him tethered to Wen Lingyuan, but his hatred drove him to torment her. Eventually, she could bear it no longer and revealed the truth of the Swallowflower.
On that day, Gu Yanze personally cut her wrist, trying to make the Swallowflower bloom again to revive his frozen beloved.
“How dare you use such a despicable trick to seduce your uncle!”
“If your mother didn’t teach you, I will!”
As her love drained away with her blood, Wen Lingyuan finally understood: she never should have loved Gu Yanze. It was a terrible mistake.
In her final moments, she saw Gu Yanze’s twisted, hateful face.
Then, she opened her eyes........reborn.
But everything shattered the night she, burning with fever, stumbled upon a scene outside the study that chilled her to the bone. She saw Gu Yanze, the man she loved, wrapped around her dance teacher, Su Wantang, lost in a passionate embrace. Su Wantang, half-draped in his arms, asked coyly, “When will you tell Lingyuan about us? It’s been four years. Don’t tell me you’ve really fallen for her?”
Gu Yanze, face buried in Su Wantang’s neck, chuckled. “How could that be? She’s just a child playing house. I’ll tell her after her birthday.”
At that moment, Wen Lingyuan’s tear-streaked face appeared at the door. Ignoring their shouts, she ran blindly into the night, her heart breaking into a thousand pieces.
“Lingyuan! Watch out!” someone cried.
A car’s horn blared. Just as she snapped back to reality, a familiar pair of arms pulled her close. The impact sent them both flying. As she rolled on the ground, she opened her eyes to see Gu Yanze’s bloodied face inches from hers. Sobbing, she cradled him, but outside the operating room, she was slapped repeatedly by Su Wantang and told only, “There’s nothing more we can do.”
Desperate, Wen Lingyuan raced home to the family’s medicinal garden. Without hesitation, she slashed her wrist, letting her blood nourish a rare, inconspicuous herb—her father’s legacy. Even as her face grew deathly pale and the plant remained unchanged, she gritted her teeth, thought of Gu Yanze, and cut herself again. Finally, the brilliant Swallowflower bloomed.
This miraculous medicine, her father once said, could snatch a soul from the jaws of death—but with the side effect that the revived would become dependent on the one who watered the flower with their blood. In a life-or-death moment, Wen Lingyuan didn’t care.
She fed Gu Yanze the Swallowflower. His heartbeat gradually returned. When he awoke, she tried to leave, but he seized her wrist, drawn by an inexplicable urge, and kissed her hungrily. Outside, Su Wantang saw everything and, devastated, threw herself from the hospital rooftop.
Gu Yanze chased after her, collapsing in anguish over Su Wantang’s body. Wen Lingyuan realized that by saving him, she had lost him forever.
Despite his grandfather’s objections, Gu Yanze married Wen Lingyuan. But on their wedding night, drunk and violent, he took her by force, staining the sheets with blood. He replaced her face with Su Wantang’s in their wedding photos, forced her to dance Su Wantang’s routines until her ankles bled, and dragged her up again and again.
His dependence kept him tethered to Wen Lingyuan, but his hatred drove him to torment her. Eventually, she could bear it no longer and revealed the truth of the Swallowflower.
On that day, Gu Yanze personally cut her wrist, trying to make the Swallowflower bloom again to revive his frozen beloved.
“How dare you use such a despicable trick to seduce your uncle!”
“If your mother didn’t teach you, I will!”
As her love drained away with her blood, Wen Lingyuan finally understood: she never should have loved Gu Yanze. It was a terrible mistake.
In her final moments, she saw Gu Yanze’s twisted, hateful face.
Then, she opened her eyes........reborn.
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