Cherries. Bai Chuyan stared at the cherries in her hand. They were as vibrant and luscious as red agate, tempting and suffused with a dense Spiritual Qi. Yet, she didn't dare to eat them. In fact, her eyes were filled with terror.
When she was a child, this cherry tree hadn't yet been planted in the courtyard. Bai Chuyan had once witnessed her Grandmother conduct some sort of experiment on a woman. The woman died a horrible death, her entire body turning a dark, crimson red.
Her Grandmother had ordered someone to dig a large pit in the courtyard. They placed a cherry seed in the dead woman's mouth, lowered her into the pit, and buried her.
She had explained that the woman's blood contained a special snake venom. A cherry tree planted this way would be immune to insects, and its fruit would resist rot. Even after being picked, the cherries would remain vibrant and fresh for a month.
