Early Spring Journey

Jun Ye’an’s spotless white robe was stained with a dark red spot of blood at the chest, his face also tinged with a faint greenish hue. He looked up, silently gazing at her—this was the first time in two years he had looked at her face so openly… the same face, now devoid of youthful innocence, still unwittingly beautiful as she met his gaze, almost stirring his heart. “You—” She furrowed her brows, stepping forward to examine his chest, “Who could have injured you?” His eyes were still as calm as the deep sea, but he curved his lips into a faint smile, “Chuxia, aren’t you waiting for this moment?” “I am not Chuxia.” She stopped, her elegant brows furrowing deeper, instinctively rebutting him, “I am Bai Hui.” Jun Ye’an’s expression carried a touch of pity, his face growing paler, finally saying, “Girl… what else do you want?” “What else do I want…” Bai Hui murmured, a bitterness rising in her throat. “Ah Hui, if you’re too embarrassed to say, let me speak for you.” A tall, thin man stepped through the wide-open back door, holding a folding fan, “Young Master, it’s been a long time.” “If Su Gongzi speaks, he might explain it more clearly.” Jun Ye’an gave a cold smile. Su Feng Hua, always good-natured, laughed, “Certainly, certainly. The Jun family is vast and wealthy, and it’s said that when Jun Tian You was alive, he collected many martial arts secrets. Since Ah Hui is your sister, surely the Young Master wouldn’t mind… acknowledging her as part of the family?” Jun Ye’an raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at the girl beside him, softly asking, “Is that really what you think?” His voice was gentle, peaceful, without any fluctuation… and in that instant, a trace of resentment or perhaps hatred flashed through Bai Hui’s eyes as she unconsciously touched the cold object at her neck. “Yes, brother, will you give it or not?” She regained her composure, coldly looking at the man before her… the man she had been dreaming of. Chapter Thirty-Nine (Part 1) “If he doesn’t give, I have my ways.” Su Feng Hua closed his fan, stepping forward, coldly stating. Bai Hui turned to stand in front of Jun Ye’an, her brows slightly raised, “What do you intend to do?” “He’s been poisoned by the ant-devouring toxin, I can do whatever I want.” Su Feng Hua gave a faint smile, “Young Master, if you do as I say, you might spare yourself some pain.” Bai Hui furrowed her brows slightly and whispered, “Don’t act rashly. He’s the type who responds to gentleness, not force. Don’t make things worse.” “What do you plan to do?” “Leave him to me. Within ten days, I’ll bring him back to the Jun Mansion, and your wish will be fulfilled by then.” Su Fenghua, under the moonlight, scrutinized the still calm and composed girl, then suddenly smiled, “Of course, I trust you.” He pointed at his wrist, seemingly hinting at something, and laughed heartily, “You siblings share a deep bond, so I won’t interfere. Ah Hui, we’ll meet here again in ten days.” With that, Su Fenghua left, leaving only the two in the courtyard. Bai Hui looked at Jun Ye’an, handed him a pill, and said coldly, “Swallow this first.” Jun Ye’an took it without a second glance and swallowed it. “Aren’t you afraid it might be a more deadly poison?” “How much worse could it get?” He smiled slightly, the prickling sensation around his body easing significantly. Bai Hui bit her lip, staring at him for a long while before saying, “Let’s go.” “Where to?” Jun Ye’an casually sat down on a stone bench, “What if I don’t want to go?” “Do you not care about your life anymore?” Bai Hui slightly raised her delicate chin, “Don’t you want to see the eagles over the vast desert or the misty rains of the south?” Jun Ye’an looked deeply into her eyes, a ripple passing through his gaze, and whispered, “Are you testing my patience?” “No… I need your help, my lord.” Bai Hui’s eyes were filled with innocence, “Will you come with me?” “Aren’t you afraid I might kill you?” “If you had the heart to kill me, I wouldn’t be alive now.” Bai Hui smiled slightly, “Besides, you’re poisoned now and can’t muster your internal energy, right?” Jun Ye’an watched her, lips pressed together, and said quietly, “If you truly want… then I’ll give it to you.” In the moonlight, the girl’s face momentarily turned pale, she closed her eyes tightly and opened them again, now expressionless: “Then, I want you to come with me to a place.” By dawn, they had already left the boundaries of Luoyang. Bai Hui pulled on the reins, turned to look at Jun Ye’an, and asked, “Shall we rest?” Jun Ye’an’s face was quite pale, but he shook his head, “No need.” “The ant-devouring poison will gradually eat away your muscles; there’s no need to push yourself…” She rode up beside him, her tone softening, “Let’s rest for a bit.” By the roadside was a large wild jujube tree, she sat down directly, propping her chin with the horsewhip, glancing at him from time to time, hesitating to speak. “What do you want to say?” He leaned against the trunk, asking calmly. “Do you… hate me?” She gently played with the silver chain around her neck, asking with some restraint. “Little girl, what answer do you hope for?” He closed his eyes, “Where there’s hate, there’s love. And between us… is there still love?” Bai Hui’s fingers tangled around the silver chain, pausing heavily, then after a long while, she asked softly, “Where have you been these past two years?” Jun Ye’an remained silent, only curving his lips slightly, “You’ve been looking for me for a while, haven’t you?” Bai Hui turned her head, looking straight at him with a faint smile, “Yes, for a long time.” He stood up, no longer looking at her, and said calmly, “Let’s go, where are you taking me? Let’s not waste time on the road.” Heading south, the route became increasingly familiar, and Jun Ye’an remained silent, just following Bai Hui without another word. Three days later, they entered a valley. “What, revisiting old haunts?” Jun Ye’an observed the surroundings and the girl beside him, who was just as quiet and composed. Bai Hui said nothing, standing among the bushes, she gave a soft whistle. From the distant dense forest came a loud noise, and a black shadow approached rapidly, rushing towards them. Jun Ye’an, with the poison taking its toll, could not muster his internal energy; his face changed slightly, stepping forward instinctively to shield Bai Hui. The shadow was large, and upon reaching them, it turned out to be a snow-white leopard, its lines sleek and powerful. Seeing the two, it stepped back half a step, baring its sharp teeth. “It’s me…” Bai Hui emerged from behind Jun Ye’an, stepped forward, and stroked the leopard’s head, “It’s me, don’t hurt anyone.” The once small leopard had grown into this majestic beast, like the king of beasts. “Are you injured?” Bai Hui looked in surprise at the sword wound on the leopard’s right leg, “Who hurt you?” The white leopard let out a low growl, rubbing against Bai Hui’s arm, then slowly lay down. Bai Hui tore a strip from her clothing to bandage it, and when she stood up, though she tried to stay calm, worry was evident in her eyes. “Why did you bring me here? What do you want?” Jun Ye’an’s expression grew serious as he asked. She didn’t answer, just stroked the white leopard’s head and said softly, “Take me to see that place.” The white leopard whimpered, stood up, and led the way forward. The two, along with the leopard, moved through the jungle until they reached Little Mirror Lake. The leopard stopped, looking back at her with a low growl. By the lake was a small thatched hut which Jun Ye’an had never seen before, not knowing who might live there now. Bai Hui quickened her pace, lifting her skirt, and rushed into the hut. The door was open, she searched around but found no one. Jun Ye’an stepped in slowly, examining the items on the table, and said, “A woman lives here?” Bai Hui’s hands trembled slightly as she pushed open the window to look around. “Who exactly lives here?” “Bai Xue!” she finally whispered, her voice trembling slightly, “Without her… who else can cure the ant-devouring poison?” Jun Ye’an was momentarily stunned, his lips tightly pressed into a line. “She’s not here… she must have been taken away.” Bai Hui’s face showed increasing anxiety, “Who would know she’s here?” “You want to cure me?” Jun Ye’an only smiled, “Why? Aren’t you afraid of me regaining my strength?” “You’ve been poisoned with the ant-devouring toxin! If not cured within a month, even with the antidote, it’s useless.” She looked at him incredulously, “Jun Ye’an, I want you to live! Even if you’re my brother, I want you to live!” “So, for the past two years, you’ve kept Bai Xue confined here, just to one day cure me?” He glanced at her indifferently. “No, she wanted to kill me, I had no choice but to keep her here.” She averted her gaze, “But now… I can’t die yet.” “So, the ant-devouring poison wasn’t administered by you?”