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Chapter 63
Li Xia opened her eyes to see Auntie Mei with red-rimmed eyes and Qiu Shui looking anxious. Seeing Li Xia awake, Qiu Ling quickly ran out, shouting, "Doctor, doctor!"
"Xia'er, are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?" Auntie Mei wanted to touch Li Xia but was afraid of hurting her.
"Auntie, what's wrong?" Why did Auntie's expression change so drastically when she woke up?
"You've been sleeping for two days and two nights," Auntie Mei's swollen eyes indicated her fear over these past two days.
Li Xia wanted to ask more, but Qiu Ling pulled the doctor in, exclaiming, "The doctor is here, the doctor is here."
Auntie Mei made room for the doctor. The doctor came forward and confirmed that Li Xia was fine. Auntie Mei anxiously confirmed three times before finally relaxing.
Mrs. Lu and Li Xin also arrived. Seeing Li Xia was fine, they were relieved.
Li Xia learned from everyone that she had returned from the temple the morning after the second day. Qiu Shui initially thought Li Xia was just tired and didn't pay much attention. But as the time for morning greetings approached and Li Xia still hadn't woken up, Qiu Shui became worried.
Qiu Shui stood at the door and called into the room several times, "Miss, wake up, it's time to get up. Miss..."
Normally, Li Xia would wake up after a few calls. But why couldn't she wake up today? Qiu Shui became worried and reached out to pat the door, but there was no response.
"Qiu Shui, what's wrong?" Qiu Chan, who was sweeping at the courtyard gate, heard the commotion and came over.
"Why can't Miss wake up today?" Qiu Shui said, knocking on the door forcefully again. "Miss, it's time to get up."
Qiu Chan put down the broom and came over to knock on the door with force. With a strong push, the door opened.
Li Xia inside the room still didn't move. Qiu Shui's worry intensified. She stepped forward to the bed, raising her voice, "Miss, Miss..." She called several times but still no response. Unable to bear it, she reached out and patted Li Xia through the blanket, but there was no reaction.
"Qiu Shui, could Miss be sick?" Qiu Chan, who followed in, looked at Li Xia, who couldn't be awakened, with concern.
Hearing this, Qiu Shui touched her own forehead with one hand and Li Xia's forehead with the other. It wasn't hot. Not knowing what to do, Qiu Shui hurriedly asked Qiu Chan to go call Auntie Mei.
Qiu Chan turned and ran out, and soon Auntie Mei hurriedly rushed in. Qiu Shui made way for her, and Auntie Mei came to Li Xia's side, patting her vigorously several times, her voice trembling, "Xia'er, Xia'er, wake up. Don't scare me, Xia'er, what's wrong..."
"Auntie, go find Madam and ask her to call the doctor," Qiu Ju said beside them.
"I'll go find Madam and call the doctor," Auntie Mei said, turning around and quickly walking towards the Wild Goose Pavilion.
Mrs. Lu and Li Xin were having a meal, watching Li Xin's tired appearance and laughing. "Xia Jing's massage is quite effective. Later, let her help you massage."
"Yeah, I didn't expect climbing the mountain to be so tiring." Li Xin, who got up early this morning, was so sore that he almost couldn't get up.
"Madam, Auntie Mei is here urgently asking for you to call the doctor. Auntie Mei looks very anxious," Zi Juan came in to report.
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Lu put down her chopsticks. "Let her in."
Auntie Mei hurriedly walked in. "Madam, please call the doctor, Xia'er, she..." Auntie Mei couldn't hold back her tears as she spoke.
"What happened, Auntie Mei?" Auntie Mei cried, unable to speak. Qiu Ju, who followed along, explained the situation: "This morning, the servants tried to wake Miss Li Xia up, but she wouldn't stir. Auntie also tried, but no luck."
"Why won't she wake up?" Mrs. Lu asked, puzzled, as she headed towards the Orchid Courtyard.
Li Xin also hurried along and arrived at the Orchid Courtyard. Hearing several maids calling out, "Miss, please wake up, wake up quickly," Qiu Ling even pinched Li Xia's philtrum, but there was no response.
Mrs. Lu and Li Xin tried calling out several times, but to no avail. Mrs. Lu noticed the tea on the table and splashed it directly onto Li Xia's face.
Seeing Mrs. Lu's actions, Auntie Mei pulled out a hairpin from her head. "Auntie Mei, what are you doing?" Li Xin couldn't help but exclaim at Auntie Mei's actions.
"If cold water won't wake her, I'll give Xia'er a couple of pinches to see if that works," Auntie Mei said tearfully, though her words caused a twitch at the corners of everyone's mouths; she truly lived up to being Xia'er's birth mother.
Fortunately, at that moment, Chunlu Granny's voice came, "The doctor has arrived."
Everyone stepped aside, and Doctor Wang walked in. He approached Li Xia's bed and checked her pulse. Seeing everyone's anxiety and then looking at Li Xia, Doctor Wang's expression became odd.
"Doctor Wang, what's wrong with Xia'er?" Auntie Mei couldn't care less about propriety and asked about the situation beyond Mrs. Lu.
"Miss isn't sick, just asleep," Doctor Wang said, though nobody seemed to believe him.
"Then why won't she wake up?" Auntie Mei said, giving Li Xia's face a hard slap. Li Xia's fair face turned red instantly, indicating that Auntie Mei's slap was quite heavy, prompting Li Xin, who was watching nearby, to unconsciously touch her own face.
Doctor Wang shook his head. "Forgive my limited knowledge, I don't know why Miss from the Lu Mansion is in this deep sleep."
The doctor didn't know what was going on either? And she couldn't be awakened, what should they do? Auntie Mei looked at Li Xia and couldn't help but give her another hard pinch. "Xia'er, please wake up."
Li Xin couldn't help but advise, "Auntie Mei, stop pinching Xia Xia." Seeing her face swollen from the pinching.
"Madam, there's a young monk outside asking to see you, saying he's here on behalf of the Abbot of Green Mountain Temple," a servant came in to report to Mrs. Lu.
"Please let him in," Mrs. Lu went to the reception hall and met a young monk of about ten years old. Seeing Mrs. Lu, the young monk bowed, "Madam, greetings. I, Ji Ren, under Monk Hui Zhen's command, have come to deliver a message to Madam. Miss of the Lu Mansion will awaken in two days, as foreseen by Monk Hui Zhen."
Monk Hui Zhen is the foremost figure in Buddhism today. Mrs. Lu didn't expect him to be at Green Mountain Temple, let alone that Li Xia would catch the attention of Monk Hui Zhen. With Monk Hui Zhen's words, Mrs. Lu's panic subsided.
"The young monk may leave," after delivering the message, Ji Ren left.
After seeing Ji Ren off, Mrs. Lu returned to the Orchid Courtyard and told Auntie Mei. With Monk Hui Zhen's words, Auntie Mei felt less anxious and stayed by Li Xia's side, waiting for her to wake up. Mrs. Lu also instructed that Li Xia's situation should not be spread outside.
Mrs. Lu personally went to Green Mountain Temple, wanting to find Monk Hui Zhen and ask about Li Xia's situation in detail, as well as inquire about Li Hui's provincial examination. But Monk Hui Zhen had already left, leaving behind four words in his mind for Mrs. Lu: "Things will go well."
Two days later, Li Xia indeed woke up, just as Monk Hui Zhen had foreseen.
Facing everyone's questioning about why she had been unconscious, Li Xia shook her head, not knowing what had happened. She only remembered feeling tired after hiking and went to sleep early. Waking up to being told she had slept for two days and two nights left Li Xia utterly bewildered.
Li Xia was completely clueless about who Monk Hui Zhen, mentioned by Mrs. Lu, was. After pondering for a moment, she recalled, "I met an old monk wearing a grey monk's robe at Green Mountain Temple, who gave me a string of Buddhist prayer beads."
"That must be Monk Hui Zhen," Mrs. Lu remarked with envy, unable to contain her admiration for Li Xia being favored by Monk Hui Zhen, and instructed Li Xia, "This string of Buddhist prayer beads was indeed given by Monk Hui Zhen. You must take good care of it."
"Mother, rest assured, I will take good care of it," Li Xia said, glancing at the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist.
Seeing that Li Xia was fine, Mrs. Lu got up and left.
After seeing off everyone, Li Xia looked at the string of Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist, took it off, and carefully placed it in a box. Li Xia did not tell anyone that during her sleep, she had dreamt of the end of the world.