Capítulo 5: A Broken, Unfulfilled Promise

"Miss, let's get you cleaned up... For your wedding tomorrow." Xu Song held herself back from crying. She had to be the strong one for her Miss.

She begged the Master to let her marry Xie Donghai in replacement of Xiong Jingfei. But, he refused since everyone in the capital knows how Xiong Jingfei look.

"Songsong," Xiong Jingfei softly called out to her maid and grabbed her hands. She gently stroked Xu Song's hands that had hard callus from doing hard manual labor.

This place does not deserve Xu Song. She should not serve those monsters who disregard that she is a human being too. She could have found a different master who would have given her a better life, yet she stayed here with her.

"Miss, why are you crying?"

"You should leave this place," Xiong Jingfei couldn't control her tears as it dropped one after another. "You must remember this. I hid the only jewelry and money I have left behind that wardrobe."

"What are you talking about?" Xu Song wiped away the tears coming from Xiong Jingfei's eyes. "I'm not going to leave you. I'll stay with you even after you get married."

Xiong Jingfei reached out her hand to stroke Xu Song's hair and face, trying to engrave every part of her into her heart. "Please, you must remember this if anything were to happen to me."

"Miss..."

Seeing as Xiong Jingfei wasn't going to stop crying, Xu Song put down the water bin she was holding onto with her other arm.

"I have one last request to ask of you," Xiong Jingfei smiled, one coming from her heart. The smile Xu Song had been patiently waiting for one day to see again.

"Of course, anything for you!" Xu Song immediately agreed. It must be something precious for her Miss to smile like this.

"There are these tiny little white flowers over there in the corner by the fence. I really want to see them up close, seeing them from the window is not enough for me." Xiong Jingfei pointed to the corner where Xu Song will need to search to find those flowers. "Can you bring some of them to me?"

"Yes!" If those flowers can make her Miss smile that brightly, then she'll bring her anything.

It didn't take long for Xu Song to return with those small white flowers. She was surprised Xiong Jingfei had noticed these flowers from the window. They were hard to spot, she wouldn't have seen them if she didn't point them out earlier.

Even after picking the flowers for her, unexpectedly Xiong Jingfei did not go back into her slump self. She was talking and laughing with Xu Song like they had done in the past. Without realizing, they talked through the whole night until they saw the dark sky turning lighter.

"Oh no, it's already morning!" Xu Song picked up the water bin she was supposed to have poured out. "I'll get the water ready for your bath now."

"Go, I'll be fine." Xiong Jingfei laughed, it wasn't like she can take off running with these chains on her ankle. Her father would not unchain her until minutes before the wedding. They wouldn't take the risk of her escaping in the middle of the night.

While Xu Song was fetching the water for her bath, she bent down and grabbed a red sandalwood box from under the bed. It wasn't a big box, nor was it small. It was perfect for a single hairpin.

Xiong Jingfei carefully opened the box, afraid she'll damage the item inside if she handles it too roughly. Inside, there was a silver hairpin with two butterflies delicately carved out. She took it out of the box and held it against her chest, remembering the owner who gifted it to her.

Xu Song walked in to see her Miss holding onto the hairpin that had brought her pain. If she can, she wanted to throw it far away or better yet, stab the gifter of that hairpin right in the chest. However, Xu Song didn't utter a sound and quietly put down the bathtub. Minding her own business, she poured the warm water she finished boiling into the tub.

"Songsong, can you go grab me more water to drink? I'm very thirsty." Xiong Jingfei tried to act adorable with a smile on her face.

"We still have more water here," Xu Song began pouring water from the iron teapot into a chipped teacup.

"F-fresh water..." Xiong Jingfei stuttered then laughed, "Yes, I want fresh water! Please?"

Xu Song raised an eyebrow at how excited her Miss was. She must be nervous about her wedding today, "Alright."

"Songsong..."

"Yes?" Xu Song turned back around to see her beautiful Miss sitting on the bedside, smiling at her. Even though Xiong Jingfei was wearing a plain white dress with her hair falling loosely on her sides, she was breathtaking.

"I'm sorry..."

"Hehe, for what?" Xu Song giggled. "It's my job to do these small things for you."

Seeing that Xu Song was out of sight, Xiong Jingfei grabbed the flowers she hid underneath her pillow. Getting out of her bed, she walked to the table where Xu Song had just poured the cup of water.

Xiong Jingfei looked at the almost dead flowers in her hand. Then without any more hesitation, she put them in her mouth with water following it to make the process easier. It was bitter but had a tinge of sweetness to it.

"Miss... What are you doing?" Xu Song's eyes popped wide open, trying to comprehend what she had witnessed happening right in front of her. She dropped the bucket of water and came running over to grab Xiong Jingfei's hand. Seeing some of the leftover flower petals sticking onto her palm, she shrieked: "Miss, what have you done to yourself?"

Xu Song turned back around when a bad feeling kept creeping over her. As if it was telling her to turn back now, or she'll be too late.

Without any warning, Xiong Jingfei dropped to the ground and began coughing violently.

Xu Song went into a panic, unsure what to do, but she must lay her back on the bed first. With all her might, she half carried her back to the bed with the heavy chains scraping against the floor.

"I... hate that sound." Xiong Jingfei sighed in relief; she'll finally be free from the chains. Free from the noise. Every time she hears it, it's a reminder she was a caged prisoner.

"My stupid Miss..." Xu Song cried holding Xiong Jingfei in her arms, afraid if she leaves she won't get to see her anymore. "Someone help! My Miss had been poison!"

"Don't..." Xiong Jingfei slowly shook her head before coughing violently one more time.

This time it wasn't a dry cough, but blood came spewing out of her mouth. Dying her white dress into a wedding dress and painted her lips, the color ruby. The tiny blood that got on Xu Song's chin dripped back down and marked a huadian on her forehead.

"It's too late," Xiong Jingfei took in a deep breath, feeling her body struggle for oxygen. She wanted to wipe the blood off Xu Song, but her arms no longer have any strength. She didn't think the poison was going to react this fast.

Xu Song shook her head, "Don't say that. You'll be alright, like always."

Xiong Jingfei cracked a small smile, "Songsong my sister, please always remember it's not your fault. I made this decision on my own. Remember the money... Run away from here, far far away."

"No, I won't leave you!"

"Silly girl, I'm already going to leave you..." Xiong Jingfei coughed again, holding tightly onto the butterfly hairpin from the beginning till now. Until her last breath, she'll keep holding onto her love for him in this life.

Xu Song couldn't muffle out another word, 'Miss's mother, please don't take her away so soon.'

"A broken, unfulfilled promise..." Xiong Jingfei muttered, watching the sunrise from her window. "Zheyan... In this lifetime, I followed you. In the next life, you will follow me."

Then with her last breath, two tears escaped her eyes, cutting off her mortal life from the world. At last, the hand gripping tightly onto the butterfly hairpin released. The sound of the hairpin breaking in half against the stone floor was the sound of Xiong Jingfei departing from this world.

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