Spring Once More Chapter 3
Spring Once More ch3
Translator: Ayszhang
Proofreader: Marcia
Beta reader: Dairytea
chapter 3
(Reminder: To read the translator's notes, hover your cursor over the words underlined with dots.)
Chapter Three
Most people have dreams of
falling, and returning to life is pretty similar.
At first, it almost feels like
I’m floating weightlessly in the air, and then my ears pop, and my
body shudders. The next time I open my eyes, I find myself lying on a
bed.
But, when it comes down to it,
returning to life and dreaming are two different things. When I blink
my eyes open, I see a dazzling yellow. My eyes are covered by a piece
of yellow silk, and a cold, hard object is in my mouth. I can hear the
unmistakable sound of keening through the coffin. I wiggle my fingers
and exhale once, and the yellow fabric quivers. I reach for the left
side of my chest feeling the strength of my heartbeat - boom boom
boom. There’s no doubt about it. I’ve landed successfully!
The sensation of air going in
and out of my nostrils puts me at ease. The yellow fabric mushrooms
and deflates along with my breathing. I suppress my excitement as I
wonder how I should declaim my existence to the relevant people in my
second life with a speech that will not raise too much suspicion. But
before I can even start making full use of my brain cells, I begin to
catch bits and pieces of conversation outside the coffin.
“The hour is not yet upon
us…”
“It is nigh. Let us nail the
coffin.”
Nail the coffin?! Did I hear
someone say nailing the coffin?!
“But once that’s been
done…”
“We are going to die anyway.
Is there a need to be so precise about the time? I want to get it
over with quickly. Let’s just nail the coffin.”
To my shock, they’re really
going through with it. Another voice seems to hesitate for a moment,
and then the wooden board above my head is pounded thrice. “The
hour is upon us… Nail the coffin!”
G.o.dd.a.m.n, they’re really
doing it? What the h.e.l.l! I finally manage to find the perfect vessel
to return to life in, and before I get to enjoy anything, I’m going
to suffocate to death in a coffin and become a grudge spirit again? I
shoot up, head pushing off the lid of the coffin, and pull off the
yellow fabric. I spit out the piece of ceremonial jade from my mouth before I yell, “Don’t do it! I’m alive again!”
Silence all around.
I cling to the edge of the
coffin as I look at the surrounding mortals. They are standing like
wooden poles wrapped in white, mourning attire. One of them who’s
hugging an earthen pot is the quickest to react, the pot clanging as
it drops as he cries, “Oh no! The prince has turned into a zombie!”
The wooden poles instantly
bounce up like fishes in boiling oil, all hightailing out the door,
with b.u.t.ter-fingers in the lead.
“Get the guards! Get the
Taoist priest! The hour was not right! The prince’s corpse has been
reanimated!”
“Help! Zombie! The prince
has become a zombie!”
I stand and make to step out
of the coffin attempting to rea.s.sure everyone that I’ve returned to
life and not turned into a zombie. At the very moment my foot hits
the ground, the few people who have not already darted away are
petrified as they drop to the ground. One of them keeps kowtowing,
his legs trembling as he whimpers, “Milord, Milord… Your slave
knows that you died with many regrets…but every debt has its
debtor. I, Xiao-Shun was the most faithful to you. His Majesty
already issued an edict to execute w.a.n.g Rui by slow slicing before
your very grave. The masters shall be buried along with you, so
please be at ease and leave… Be at ease…”
I laugh hollowly as I reply,
“Don’t be afraid. I haven’t turned into a zombie. I have
returned to life. If you don’t believe me, touch my hand and see if
it’s warm or cold.” I stretch my arm out while I swing my other
leg out of the coffin. Xiao-Shun immediately shrieks and scrambles
away.
A few others who are frozen in
their fear eventually struggle to their feet and make for the door.
There remains only a grandpa with a white beard who is giving me a
spooked stare and pointing at me with a trembling index finger. I
take several steps forward in what I believe to be a friendly manner
and hold the grandpa’s hand. “My hand’s warm.”
The grandpa’s eyes roll back
in his head. White froth spews from his mouth. He faints.
I roll my eyes and can’t
help but rub my nose, “d.a.m.n it, what just happened!”
From behind me, an unhurried
and matter-of-fact voice remarks, “Your Highness has suddenly
returned to life. The servants know very little of the world, so it
is expected that they are afraid. Please don’t blame them, Your
Highness.”
These words make me jump in
fright. The voice sounds similar to that of the person who wanted my
coffin nailed. I turn and look for the source of the voice and find a
fellow standing next to the Taoist banner behind the coffin who, like
the others, wore a white ceremonial robe. I am immediately moved by
the expression on his face.
His gaze is definitely one
aimed at a living person, and he sounds like he is talking to a
living person. Like a guerrilla soldier who has located the Party,
I throw myself at him excitedly and grip his hand. “You believe I’m
a real living person? That’s wonderful! Look, my hand is warm,
which means I’m really alive. Finally someone believes me. May I
know your name?”
The moment the words leave my
mouth, I realize I’m in deep trouble. I can tell from his speech
and white robes that this man clearly belongs to the prince’s
residence. He’s handsome beyond words, and I figure he is way up
there in the pecking order. Thankfully, with my years of experience
handling impromptu situations like this, I can think fast on my feet,
so seeing the slight twitch in his brows, I quickly add with
enthusiasm, “I’m sure you recognize me. Could I trouble you to
tell me who I am?”
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Dairytea: Lol.
another pic from the manhua
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