Blooming Dreams

Chapter 1: A Deathly Bloom

The scorching heat of the summer day had dissipated with the setting sun. A cool evening breeze wafted through the silk-draped windows, bringing with it a refreshing calm.

Lady Lu Mingyu finished the final stroke of a sutra and set her brush down with practiced grace. Her maid, Lan Yue, immediately stepped forward with a copper basin to assist her mistress in washing her hands. The water shimmered in the dim light, its surface rippling as if the painted koi at the basin’s bottom had come alive, darting between lotus leaves.

Lu Mingyu’s gaze lingered on the painted fish, her mind distant. Lan Yue, meanwhile, glanced admiringly at her mistress’s hands—so delicate, soft, and fair, with slender, elegant fingers. It was no wonder she had often caught sight of the young master holding Lady Lu in his lap, playfully kneading her hands like prized treasures.

“All of you may leave,” Lu Mingyu said, her tone soft yet detached. She had much on her mind and craved solitude.

Lan Yue and the other maid, Cai Sang, bowed in acknowledgment before retreating silently.

Alone in the room, the lingering heat pressed down like an invisible weight. Lu Mingyu picked up a round fan embroidered with the image of an elegant maiden and moved to the window. Outside, the white roses in the garden were in full bloom, their delicate petals illuminated by the moonlight. They appeared so pristine, so untarnished—like her late mother, a woman of unparalleled grace and dignity, untouched by the mundane world.

“Madam! Mr. Ge has returned!”

A young maid rushed into the courtyard, her voice high with urgency. Lu Mingyu stiffened. She placed the fan on the table, smoothed her hair, and ensured her attire was in order before heading to the front hall to greet her guest.

A Mysterious Visitor

Mr. Ge was a peculiar man, to say the least. Two days prior, Lu Mingyu’s guards had found him injured near the estate after he had fallen down a mountain slope. Though reluctant to involve herself in the matter, Lu Mingyu had reluctantly agreed to see him when he refused to leave without repaying her kindness.

Mr. Ge had introduced himself as a doctor of unparalleled skill, offering his services in gratitude. As the noble wife of the heir to the Duke of Chu, Lu Mingyu had no need for gold or trivial repayment. Yet when the doctor spoke of his expertise in curing even the most stubborn ailments, her thoughts immediately turned to two people: her blind father and her late husband’s elder brother, Chu Xing.

Chu Xing, the eldest son of the Duke’s family, had been destined to inherit the title. But a lifetime of war had left him grievously injured—one eye blinded, an arm severed. His death on the battlefield the year after Lu Mingyu’s marriage had shifted the weight of the family’s legacy onto her husband. As a result, she had risen from a second daughter-in-law to the esteemed Lady of the House.

Her father, however, was another story—a man she loved and hated in equal measure. Her mother had died tragically when she was just seven years old, a victim of heartbreak and neglect. Her father, blind and guilt-ridden, had spent the years since in ascetic isolation. Even now, the memory of her mother’s untimely death stoked a deep resentment in her heart.

A Shocking Diagnosis

In the front hall, Mr. Ge set down his tea with calm precision and greeted her with respect. “Madam,” he said, his gaze fixed decorously on the floor.

“Please, take a seat.” Lu Mingyu’s voice was measured, betraying none of the anticipation she felt.

Mr. Ge wasted no time. “Madam, I have examined your father. His blindness, though longstanding, is not incurable. With careful treatment over two to three years, his sight can be fully restored.”

Lu Mingyu’s hands tightened on her lap, her emotions surging. For years, her mother had dreamed of seeing her husband’s eyes restored. That dream had died with her.

But Mr. Ge’s next words pierced Lu Mingyu’s heart like a blade. “When I informed your father of this, he replied that the one person he most wished to see was already gone. He said there is no meaning in restoring his sight.”

The words struck at the core of Lu Mingyu’s guarded heart. Her father had loved her mother. Loved her so deeply that, even in death, his regret consumed him. Yet while she lived, he had let her slip away, cold and uncherished. If only he had shown her the tenderness she deserved, perhaps her mother would have found the will to live.

Tears slipped from Lu Mingyu’s eyes, unbidden and unstoppable.

An Unexpected Offer

As her sobs subsided, Mr. Ge spoke again, his tone gentle but firm. “Madam, your father’s despair runs deep, but it is not insurmountable. Only someone close to his heart can untangle this knot. I believe you hold the power to bring him back to life.”

Lu Mingyu remained silent. She had spoken to her father so rarely over the past decade that she could count their conversations on one hand. The thought of confronting him now felt insurmountable.

Mr. Ge, sensing her hesitation, offered a compromise. “If you cannot speak to him directly, allow me to teach you a needle technique capable of treating his condition. This way, when you are ready, you will have the means to help him.”

Lu Mingyu’s head snapped up in surprise. She had heard of master healers guarding their secrets jealously, passing them down only within their families or sects. For this man to offer her such knowledge was astonishing.

“Madam,” Mr. Ge added with a smile, “this is my way of repaying you for saving my life. I only ask that you never share this technique with others, not even your children. Use it to heal, not for personal gain.”

Overwhelmed, Lu Mingyu knelt before him. “Master,” she vowed solemnly, “I swear upon my life that I will use your teachings only for good. If I break this promise, may heaven strike me down.”

Mr. Ge hesitated briefly before nodding in acceptance. Over the next five days, he taught Lu Mingyu the intricate art of needle therapy. Though she lacked medical training, her keen intellect and determination allowed her to master the technique quickly.

A Letter from Afar

After bidding farewell to Mr. Ge, Lu Mingyu received a letter from her husband, Chu Sui, informing her of his imminent return from a mission in Shanxi. The thought of seeing him again after weeks apart filled her heart with warmth. That night, she lay awake, her mind drifting between thoughts of her loving husband and her broken father.

As she finally drifted to sleep, a faint floral scent filled the air. In her dreams, she saw her parents as they once were—young, happy, and together. But the dream shattered as searing pain tore through her chest. Lu Mingyu’s eyes flew open to find a masked intruder standing over her, a dagger raised for another strike.