Married Thrice to Salted FishChapter 38

Chapter 38

Lin Qingyu came to the door of the bedroom. It had been left open. SfbykU

For his trip back to the Lin Residence today, he hadn’t brought along Huan Tong. Huan Tong was squatting beside Lu Wancheng’s wheelchair, covering his legs with a blanket. Huan Tong had grown experienced and knowledgeable after following him for so many years. Seeing that Lu Wancheng’s vigor was unusually good today, he wasn’t overjoyed like Hua Lu. He merely forced himself to put on an air of cheerfulness as he talked to Lu Wancheng.

“What would Young Master Hou like to eat tonight? I’ll have the kitchen make preparations.”

Chrysanthemum Garden.

Lu Wancheng thought about it and said, “I want to eat plum cake.”

Huan Tong said in a hoarse voice, “Alright.” diWeJ

“What time is it?” Lu Wancheng asked, turning to the direction of the wardrobe.

Lin Qingyu followed and looked at the wardrobe too but couldn’t find anything special.

Huan Tong said, “Shen Shi is over.”

“Why hasn’t your Young Master come back yet?”

5TgYP2

“He should be here soon. Young Master said he’ll be back for dinner.”

Lu Wancheng kept looking in that direction, a little worried, “Hurry up.”

Lin Qingyu withdrew.

In the yard, Hua Lu was still humming a little tune. The tune was brisk and melodious. She turned around and saw Lin Qingyu standing at the door. She said, puzzled, “Shaojun, why haven’t you gone in yet?” AzPovK

Lin Qingyu came back to his senses and said, “Hua Lu, lend me your makeup box.”

Lin Qingyu has only ever put on makeup once in his life — on the day he married Lu Wancheng. Because it wasn’t suitable for a man to wear heavy makeup, he was extremely averse to the idea. When he got married, the matron of honor only painted his eyebrows, colored his lips and placed a huadian in the middle of his brows.

Lu Wancheng didn’t care whether he painted his eyebrows or lips. He seemed to just want to see him wearing his bridal attire with a huadian on his brows.

Lin Qingyu looked at himself in the bronze mirror. He suddenly found that he seemed to have lost a lot of weight. He picked up the brush and looking into the mirror, made stroke after stroke to recreate the huadian that had been painted between his brows that day. It was a simple symmetrical huadian. With just three strokes, it was enough to change a person’s qualities. He no longer seemed like himself, transforming into a wife that relied on her looks to please her husband. 274VDK

It turns out even a gentleman can make himself beautiful for a friend who understands him.

Then, he took off the plain and simple clothes he had on, putting on the complicated bridal attire, layer by layer. He tied the jade belt around his waist and finally draped the embroidered tasseled cape on his shoulders. He took off the jade crown tying his hair and let his long, fine black hair fall like a waterfall. He picked up the bridal crown, thought about it, and put it back down.

It was already enough. In the end, he was sending him off, not marrying him.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

“Tbecu Zjrafg?” Lejc Kbcu’r nblmf mjwf ogbw bearlvf, “Tbecu Zjrafg, jgf sbe yjmx?”

Dfobgf Olc Hlcuse mbeiv jcrkfg, Lejc Kbcu gertfv lc jcv kjr raeccfv ktfc tf rjk tlw. NDmYjW

Olc Hlcuse rabbv eq, atf yjmx bo tlr kfvvlcu vgfrr vgjuulcu jujlcra atf ugbecv. Lf vlvc’a tjnf j mgbkc bc tlr tfjv jcv tf rlwqis ifa tlr ibcu tjlg tjcu vbkc cjaegjiis. Qtfc tf ibkfgfv tlr tfjv, tlr tjlg yibmxfv tjio bo tlr ojmf.

Huan Tong has never seen his Young Master look like this before — so bright and colorful, so made up; his every gesture was full of amorous feelings. He stayed dazed for a while. Until Lin Qingyu walked in front of him, only then did he slowly come around. “Young Master, why are you…”

Chrysanthemum Garden.

Lin Qingyu asked, “Where is Young Master Hou?”

“Young Master Hou thought that Young Master hadn’t come back yet so he said he was going to wait in the yard.” Huan Tong remembered what he was here for and his voice grew choked, “Young Master, Young Master Hou, he-he…” XhWegB

“I know.” Lin Qingyu was unusually calm. “Have them prepare dinner. Tonight, you and the others don’t need to serve by our side.”

Bridal attire or wedding dresses, were heavy and inconvenient to wear. If you weren’t careful, you might step on the hem. In order to get to Lu Wancheng quickly, he had to lift up his skirt like a woman, walking through the silent corridor, quickly reaching the courtyard——

Lu Wancheng, dressed in bright red clothes and a snow-white fox fur cape, sat in his long unused wheelchair that had been empty for a long time. Like a red plum in the snow, spectacularly rushing into the viewers’ eyes.

Today, Lu Wancheng was in high spirits. His cheeks and lips were rosy, his eyes were bright. He carried with him that faint youthful vigor, as though he had gone back to this year’s warm spring. At that time, Lu Wancheng didn’t have to sit in a wheelchair; he had even overestimated himself, trying to carry him. 1fHYae

If… if the clothes on Lu Wancheng’s body weren’t that loose and if his legs still retained feeling, he might have also thought that Lu Wancheng really was getting better.

Lu Wancheng just sat there, waiting for him to come.

Lin Qingyu opened his lips. “Wancheng.”

Lu Wancheng’s reaction was a little sluggish. He was stunned at first. Then, he turned his head slowly, looked at him and smiled, “You’re back.” KxRqN7

It was no different from his usual reaction to seeing him.

Lin Qingyu’s chest seemed to be hit hard by something.

Lu Wancheng had said so many times that he wanted to see him wearing his bridal attire, with the huadian on his forehead. Why was it that now that he has actually worn it, actually drawn it, he had no special reaction at all?

He raised his hand and tried to touch Lu Wancheng’s eyes. His fingertips almost brushed Lu Wancheng’s eyelashes, but Lu Wancheng still kept his eyes open, staring at him without blinking. The corners of his mouth were curved, and he smiled very beautifully, “Did you go home today and eat the plum cake made by Mother-in-law? By the way, have Qinghe’s front teeth grown back yet?” nYxX 9

Lin Qingyu’s hand froze in mid-air and slowly dropped. “I did have some plum cake and Qinghe’s teeth have grown back.”

How could he forget? Lu Wancheng’s body was now filled with poison. It was normal for anything to happen. How could he forget?

“I asked Huan Tong to have some plum cakes prepared.” Lu Wancheng said, “Would you accompany me to eat some more?”

Lin Qingyu nodded. When he heard Lu Wancheng call out “Qingyu” again, he then said, “Alright but It’s cold outside, I’ll push you back in.” 8rZWj1

Lin Qingyu pushed Lu Wancheng into the hall. According to the rules of wealthy families, all meals should be had in the hall. In the past, Lu Wancheng was lazy and always had the food brought to him. Later, Lu Wancheng gradually became seriously ill and even when the food was delivered to his bed, he couldn’t eat much.

Huan Tong asked the kitchen to prepare a table of dishes and when, eyes red, he was about to withdraw after serving the dishes, Lu Wancheng stopped him, “Is there any wine?”

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Lin Qingyu did not allow his patient to drink alcohol. The two have been married for so long and they have never shared a drink. Lin Qingyu said, “Your body is not suitable for drinking.”

Lu Wancheng said, “But, I’m already eighteen years old.” tUZlou

“This has nothing to do with…” Lin Qingyu took a deep breath and took on a normal tone, “It has nothing to do with how old you are.”

“What do you mean it has nothing to do with age? Being eighteen means you get to do whatever you want. It’s been hard to get to eighteen, how can I just do nothing…” Lu Wancheng paused and smiled, “Doctor Lin, let me have a drink.”

Lin Qingyu stabilized his breathing and instructed Huan Tong, “Go get some wine.”

Huan Tong poured wine for the two of them and whispered, “If the two Young Masters need nothing else, I will retire first.” He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from bawling. NQ9cOh

Lu Wancheng said, “If you go, who’ll serve me dinner?”

Huan Tong looked helplessly at Lin Qingyu. Lin Qingyu said, “I will serve you.”

Lu Wancheng was slightly dazed. Pretending to be surprised, “How nice of you?”

Lin Qingyu served Lu Wancheng a bowl of soup. He brought the spoon to his mouth. “Open your mouth.” 8rGpYP

Lu Wancheng opened his mouth obediently and carefully took a sip of the soup. He showed a satisfied expression. “One more sip.”

After eating a few mouthfuls of food, Lu Wancheng said that he wanted to drink. The wine had been warmed in advance and Huan Tong had specially chosen the milder pear wine. This wine goes down smoothly and its aroma lingers for a long time. Lu Wancheng took a sip and said, “This is good wine.”

He said so even though he clearly couldn’t even taste the bitterness of his medicine anymore.

Lin Qingyu turned his head and couldn’t bear to look at him. He heard Lu Wancheng ask him, “Qingyu, is this the kind of wine that we drank when we got married?” Before Lin Qingyu could answer, he said to himself, “Don’t tell me you drank the nuptial cup with the rooster as well.” TJsfMH

Lin Qingyu closed his eyes. “I… don’t remember.”

Lu Wancheng said, “Then treat it as though you drank it with me.”

Lin Qingyu restrained his emotions and opened his eyes again. The night outside the window was getting darker. Without him noticing, light snow had begun to fall. Fluttering, snowflakes fell to the ground; the snow and the moon were all entirely white.

This was the first snow of winter. fN1JnD

Lin Qingyu felt a hint of joy in his heart. He remembered that Lu Wancheng had said that he wanted to see him standing in the snow, holding an umbrella, his cheeks dyed red by his clothes. “Wancheng, it’s snowing outside, do you want to go and…” The word “see” was stuck in his throat. He couldn’t say it.

“It’s snowing?” Lu Wancheng didn’t seem to notice that Lin Qingyu was acting strange. His tone was light, “Then I’m quite lucky. Let’s go and enjoy the snow.”

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Lin Qingyu had dismissed the servants in advance. They were all waiting in their own rooms. No one saw him standing in the snow in his bridal attire, holding an umbrella with his long hair cascading down.

No one… saw. EWbGeJ

Lu Wancheng stretched out his hand and let the soft white snowflake fall on his palm. Away from the light of the room, his face quickly dimmed. His lips lost its rosy color and only his eyes remained bright. It was like a short-lived flower, withering quickly after trying to bloom.

…Too brief, so frighteningly brief.

Lin Qingyu didn’t know how to make his bloom last longer. He could only hold his cool hand in vain. “Is it cold?”

Lu Wancheng shook his head and suddenly asked him, “Qingyu, do you still like women?” suKUFH

Lin Qingyu’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. He said, “Naturally.”

Lu Wancheng nodded and said with a smile, “That’s good.”

Lu Wancheng stared at the snow for a while, his eyes half-open, half-close. “Qingyu, I’m a little tired.”

Lin Qingyu’s heart felt empty and he said softly, “If you’re tired, then sleep.” qMED3k

When you fall asleep, you’ll be relieved. You’ll no longer have to suffer from the pain of sickness and poison.

But Lu Wancheng didn’t listen to him, stubbornly opening wide his eyes. He smiled, embarrassed, “I’m sorry, Qingyu. I don’t think I can hold on anymore. But I’ve worked really hard. Don’t be angry.”

“I’m not.” Lin Qingyu knelt in the snow, holding an umbrella in one hand and holding Lu Wancheng’s cheek in the other. His voice soft as water, “I’m not angry.”

Lu Wancheng had probably already seen that the Eastern Palace affair hadn’t gone as they wished. Yes, Lu Wancheng was so smart, he knew everything. How could he not have seen it? H1LUXz

Lu Wancheng smiled under the umbrella, and told him one last joke, “On the day of Xiao Cheng’s tragic death, at the family ceremony, don't forget to tell your husband.”

Lin Qingyu couldn’t help but smile when he heard his words.

Lu Wancheng seemed to sense that he was smiling and kept looking at him. He kept watching him until he couldn’t hold it any longer and he finally closed his eyes. “Then, I’m going to sleep for a while. Remember to wake me up.”

Lin Qingyu promised him, “Okay.” elPq1K

The snow came down heavier.

No matter how warm Lin Qingyu’s hand was, the man’s hand still grew colder little by little in his, so cold that it pierced through the bone.

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The north wind brought evening snow, the cold color illuminated them, everywhere was silence.

He was wearing his wedding dress, a huadian on his forehead, just like when he and Lu Wancheng first met. VqXYm3


Translator’s note:   。:゚(;´∩`;)゚:。

Translator's Note


3-5 PM

Translator's Note


A play on words on this saying: 士为知己者死,女为悦己者容 – a true gentleman will sacrifice his life for a friend who understands him, as a woman makes herself beautiful for her sweetheart

Translator's Note


Play on the line of poem 家祭無忘告乃翁; it should be don’t forget to tell the spirits in heaven

Leave a Comment

185 comments

  1. That made me feel so sad, far sadder than I was expecting.

    At least we know he will be transmigrated to the general

    😭

  2. So unfair! 😭 Now Lin Qingyu is left alone to deal with that prince and Lu Wancheng won’t have a chance to see him (LQ) doing something bad again…

    Thank you for the chapter 💔

  3. That ending made me want to cry. He dressed up but Wancheng didn’t even get to see him in it. I can’t wait for the chaos of the second life after being so sad.

  4. Ok, I going to cry on my pillow nie, call me when everything will be alright T^T

    Thank You for the new chapter ❤️

  5. I cried when I read he MTL of this chapter and even though I knew what was going to happen, I still cried T-T please meet again soon!!

  6. i read the raw of this chapter because I’m impatient, instant regret in sweating my eyes so much, now I foolishly read this chapter again forgetting how much it freaking hurts .·´¯(>▂<)´¯·.

  7. Well done for making us feel so much toward this inevitable and temporary death. 😭 We all knew it was coming but I never expected a whole chapter to have Emotions about it.

  8. Can’t… Don’t talk to me….. 😭😭😭😭

    My heart, my poor, poor heart!!! 💔💔💔😭😭😭

  9. THE FACT THAT THEY RECREATED THEIR FIRST MEETING BUT LU WANCHENG WASNT ABLE TO SEE😭😭😭😭 YOU!!! PAY FOR MY THERAPY!!😭😭😭😭

  10. I’m sadder than I thought I would be. Like y the end he couldn’t see, he couldn’t taste. I dont even think he could feel completely.

  11. omg even though i KNEW it was coming, i’m still crying over this. it was so beautifully written (and translated). (╥ᆺ╥;)

    (also i just realized…. we’re gonna go through another heartbreak again for the 2nd rebirth, aren’t we……. i’m not ready if it’s anything like this ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚)

  12. My subconsciousness: finally!!

    My body : crying

    My thoughts: why da hell is it zo zaaaaddd~????

    My mouth: he’ll wake u up with a kiss, after he kills the prince for sure

  13. Lu Wancheng’s 😭😭😭😭 I’m bawling 😭😭😭😭😭 It’s so sad 😭😭😭😭

  14. I was counting the chapters until the next round comes… Now I kind of regret it.

    Ah… Can’t believe I’m crying even though I know this isn’t the end.

    o.o At least I’m not crying alone?

  15. IVE TURNED INTO THE SEA!! I REPEAT IVE TURNED INTO THE SEA!!!

    IM SOBBING AND MY MOM IS LAUGHING AT ME ≡≡≡=(ノTдT)ノ≡≡≡=(ノTдT)ノ≡≡≡=(ノTдT)ノ≡≡≡=(ノTдT)ノ≡≡≡=(ノTдT)ノ≡≡≡=(ノTдT)ノ≡≡≡=(ノTдT)ノ≡≡≡=(ノTдT)ノ≡≡≡=(ノTдT)ノ≡≡≡=(ノTдT)ノ

  16. … Although I know LW will die, the manner in which he left, unwilling and unfulfilled, even apologizing for being unable to hold on anymore, is heartbreaking. The fact LQ even dressed up despite hating it but LW unable to see it gutted even more. I’m so saaaaad.

  17. What the ffff I can’t type properly my eyes are blury ALCKKCKFNSOSBWISBDBE Y SSKSNISBWBS WJYK S SJSNS SJS S A

  18. My heart hurts so fucking much. Like I’ve been spoiled that this wouldn’t be the last time, but it didn’t make it hurt less. The way he was so happy he turned 18. God it dawned in he’s just a child. And when he said he did his best. God my entire soul hurts. I can’t even breathe.

  19. Awwwww. I didn’t expect to feel really sad. I actually expected him to die in like the first 5 chapters…and then it kept going. And now here we are 😭

  20. Fck. This broke my heart. Gosh, i am crying. I know I will but fck this is so painful. I know this isn’t the end but fck, knowing vs seeing is truly different. Goodness. I need to get myself together for the next chapter or else I’ll be just bawling my eyes out.

    Thank you very much for such a well translated chapter. The emotions, oh my gosh the emotions. The emotions were captured so well.

  21. This hurts.

    The author is really talented. It can be really difficult to make readers care about a death they know isn’t permanent.

    But the way it all went down is like a punch to the chest.

  22. Listen, it’s not easy for novels to make me cry. But I cried here. I’m not being hyperbolic or exaggerating for the sake of it. In reality, I was choked up and my heart tightened. This was beautiful, pure and soul shattering. I can’t even begin to explain how this chapter made me feel. The author is beyond blessed. It’s not easy to make an audience feel emotions when they know something will happen.I knew this was going to happen but somehow, I still ended up sad beyond belief and in such a state of sorrow.

    It was perfect. The word choice was also great. Thank you for translating this with love and care. I honestly adore this journey so much. An instant favorite.

    • Yeah, I feel the same.

      Thinking back on the chapter (anything to distract myself so I stop dripping snot on my phone..) I reckon the thing that broke me was when LQY broke character and wore the wedding clothes. It was so far outside his character, such a precious, innocently caring gesture made solely to brighten the last moments of whom he thought is his close friend. Without realizing that each and every gesture of his in there meant LWC was already far more than a friend. And the fact that it has all come too late – LWC would never know how he looked like with the huadin painted on his forehead, draped in red, standing there in the snow waiting to be seen by the eyes that are already blind. The desperate pretense they both perform, the missed gestures, the smiling lies, the constrained emotions and the falling hearts.. it’s all too late.

      ..And now im crying again gods damn it. Im shutting up now.

  23. Even though I knew it was coming, this was still so heartbreaking. It’s LW not being able to see LQ fulfil his wish and wear the bridal wear – an emotional wallop 🥺😢

    Thanks for the chapter 💞

  24. 😭 this make me so hard that I actually get dizzy headed. I know he wouldn’t really die but it’s so sad I can’t even breathe properly 😢

  25. rereading it and im still ugly crying so bad its not even funny, I wanna dry up all the tears inside me

  26. 。⁠:゚⁠(⁠;⁠´⁠∩⁠⁠;⁠)゚⁠:⁠。<div>let me just...go back to bed and cry a bit. This is so painful. I know our salted fish will be back but....this is still really painful. 。⁠:゚⁠(⁠;⁠´⁠∩⁠⁠;⁠)゚⁠:⁠。

  27. I can’ttttttt😭😭😭 I knew their marriage wouldn’t last long and our salted fish will comeback but damn it still hurts so bad:((( and when I remember that they’re both still 18.. gosh… So young but already tasted the bitterness of death and parting of their partner…my heart weeps for them😭😭😭

  28. Oh well fuck you too book.

    。・゜・(ノД`)・゜・。

    Im seriously ugly crying now snot and all. Gods damn it it takes a special kind of talent to make us aware this is coming, when where and how, count down the time.. and then STILL. This bloody thing takes me by the heart and tears it right the F out.

    The moment I realised LWC is blind and cant see LQY who put on the wedding clothes for him to see.. And then it just kept on piling up knife after knife.. gods.

    Thank you so much for translating this hauntingly beautiful chapter so well that it was able to hurt so much.

  29. I was wondering when he would transmigrate at first but couldn’t it just be called “Married Once to Slates Fish” and get a HE here instead. I’m bawling 😭

  30. Can’t believe I’m tearing up in public. Knowing Wancheng will come back doesn’t make the pain any lesser (⁠╥⁠﹏⁠╥⁠)

  31. I’m actually literally crying right now… Snot and all…

    I expected intense moment in this novel… But I didn’t expect my heart would feel touched…

    I can’t….!!!!

  32. I know that this story has a happy ending, I know he comes back, but I am legit sobbing. Lu Wancheng is the first person who ever understood and fully accepted Qingyu, and despite what Qingyu knows about Wancheng, he probably still doesn’t truly believe he’ll come back. I know it may not truly be love right now, but no matter what, Qingyu is losing his best friend. My heart hurts.

  33. Very sad that this first arc’s body wasn’t able to see Linlin’s wedding attire once 😭

    At least maybe in the next body huhu

    Wonder what’ll happen to doctor Lin and the leftover problems

  34. I know that he will die and he will comeback, but I never expect it to be this sad😭😭god heaven i did not expect to bawled my eyes out like this

  35. its so funny how there are so many comments. oh my god. now i know that good writing can make people cry no matter how they know the story is going to go. oh wow 😭

  36. I usually don’t comment under danmei chapters. But this chapter…really hurt my heart so bad. Even though I have got spoilers, I can’t help but cry. 🥹

  37. i literally just finished my 12 step skincare routine and now it’s all washed away by my tears 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 man wtf what a waste of creams and serums bruh my heart hurts

  38. Me reading this chapter : 😭😭😭

    Me seeing comments: heheheh i’m not the only one 🥲

  39. I expected him to die like 5 chapters in. But now that he’s really dying I’m a mess of snot and tears 😢😢😢 expecting comedy, actually crying 🤧

  40. He asked if he still liked women and not if he disliked men, we’re good 👍WhenLW apoligized for not being to hold on any longer I lost it

  41. I’ve read this novel halfway once, and knew exactly how this would play out… But I still couldn’t, couldn’t prepare myself and stop my tears…

  42. It’s 1am and I’ve been wiping my actual tears for two chapters. Why does it have to be so painful?

  43. How is it that I knew he was going to die but I’m still devastated. Thank you so much for translating this story.

  44. Wow I was actually sobbing the entire time reading this chapter that’s surprising maybe my hormones are acting up I mean I am on my period why was I crying so much ಥ_ಥ

  45. fighting bleeding losing crying rolling sobbing yelling screaming crawling levitating flying dying sitting tears pucking shiting 😭😭😭😭😭

  46. Just like many here, I didn’t expect for it to hurt so much but the tears won’t stop. We have to really compliment the author here. She painted such a sorrowful scene. Our beautiful and lively Lu Wancheng. Goodbye for now

  47. This chapter made me create a profile just so I can comment on this stupidly touching scene. Thank you so much for your translations. I enjoyed them before but I hadn’t crossed a scene that pulled at me as much as this one did, in an awhile.

  48. This reminds me of the time I watched Star Wars: Rouge One. I knew what will happen in the end but I still watched it and ended up crying. I knew LWC will die but here I am still bawling my eyes out 😭

  49. (⁠-̩̩̩⁠-̩̩̩⁠-̩̩̩⁠-̩̩̩⁠-̩̩̩⁠⁠_⁠-̩̩̩⁠-̩̩̩⁠-̩̩̩⁠-̩̩̩⁠-̩̩̩⁠)

    this is the best transmigration novel I. have. EVER. Read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!