“I understand. You can go,” he had just finished answering her question when she re-covered her face and prepared to leap away.
Has it been five years already, and you still haven’t given up? Yun Qi couldn’t bear to wake her, so he gently picked her up and carried her to the courtyard. He clearly remembered that five years ago in that winter, she had also sat like this at the door, waiting for him until late at night. Only then she had been frozen, but now it was summer, and the night wasn’t too cold.
Before settling Yi Mu’er, Yun Qi was surprised to find a serene and beautiful smile on her face.
Yun Qi murmured softly, as if speaking to himself, yet also as if speaking to Yi Mu’er.
The night remained quiet, and Yi Mu’er, deep in sleep, did not answer his words.
Yun Qi sighed softly, then quietly left the room.
Only after his footsteps had disappeared did Yi Mu’er open her eyes, tears glistening in her eyes that still held a smile, “Why persist? I don’t know. I only know that as long as you exist in my line of sight, I feel happy.”
“How did you find your way here?” Yun Qi asked with a gentle smile as Yi Mu’er naturally shared a meal with him.
Yi Mu’er blinked playfully, “It’s simple! You told them to ensure my safety, so I threatened them with my life.”
Yun Qi unconsciously frowned, feeling displeased, “Your life is not to be treated so lightly.”
Yun Qi had expected Yi Mu’er to retort as she usually would, but after waiting a long time, the other side remained silent.
Uneasy, he looked up to see Yi Mu’er with her head lowered. Afraid he had spoken too harshly and was about to apologize, he heard her slowly say, “Qi, thank you.”
“Yun Qi remained silent, waiting for Yi Mu’er to speak again.
“I know you won’t give me hope because you’re afraid of hurting me. Your coldness is to make me give up, to protect me,” Yi Mu’er’s eyes held an emotion Yun Qi couldn’t understand, as she smiled softly, “But five years have passed. Can’t you feel my determination? Are you still asking why I persist? Don’t you understand? Or are you simply avoiding?”
“You heard everything last night?” Yun Qi hadn’t expected Yi Mu’er to have been awake.
Yi Mu’er didn’t respond, instead repeating, “Don’t you really understand?”
“Enough! What right do you have to question whether I understand?” Yun Qi could no longer eat, putting down his bowl and chopsticks heavily and standing up.
“Who’s had enough? Five years, and you’re still avoiding! Your parents haven’t had a single day without self-blame and worry these five years, you know that!” Yi Mu’er also stood up, shouting, “I can wait for you, for however many five-year periods, but I hope you’ll wake up soon. How can Bing Zhi rest in peace if you continue like this?”
“Hmm.” Yun Qi seemed somewhat tired, slumping sideways in the hall chair upon returning, closing his eyes and leaning against the backrest, responding in a low voice.”
He had been negotiating a major business deal all day, and due to differences in the negotiation path, they had been unable to reach a consensus, leaving him exhausted. Fortunately, he had finally persuaded the other party.
Yi Mu’er slightly furrowed her delicate eyebrows, said nothing more, and walked out of the hall. But not long after, she returned, having gone to fetch a basin of hot water.
“Wipe your face, you’ll feel more comfortable,” Yi Mu’er handed over a towel, speaking softly.
Yun Qi instinctively took it, placing the hot towel on his face, feeling much more comfortable, “Thank you.”
Yi Mu’er heard his hoarse voice and upon careful inquiry, discovered he smelled of alcohol, and said, “Why did you drink again? I’ll go make you a sobering soup.”
“Don’t go!” Yun Qi grabbed Yi Mu’er’s wrist urgently.
Yi Mu’er’s heart skipped a beat, momentarily unsure how to react, softly saying, “I’m just going to make soup, I’ll be back soon, I won’t leave.”
Yun Qi, still keeping his eyes closed, loosened his hand and said, “Okay.”
Yi Mu’er looked disappointedly at her wrist, sighed softly, and hurried to the back kitchen.
When Yi Mu’er entered the hall again, she found Yun Qi sitting upright, lazily opening his eyes, holding the now-cooled towel, looking thoughtful.
“Drink the soup,” Yi Mu’er removed the towel and placed the soup in Yun Qi’s hands.
“Do you have time tomorrow?” Yun Qi held the hot soup, feeling warmth in his heart, thinking that Yi Mu’er had followed him around for five years and deserved to be taken out.
Yi Mu’er smiled, “I’m not as busy as you. Even if I have nothing to do, I have plenty of time. Is there something?”
“I’ll take you out,” Yun Qi’s tone was slightly unnatural, and he added, “I happen to be free tomorrow, and I’ll also look for an old friend.”
“An old friend?” Yi Mu’er’s smile stiffened. Who could this old friend be?
Yun Qi understood her thoughts and explained, “Just my master.”
“Oh, I see!” Yi Mu’er seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, joking, “I’d like to see what kind of master could teach such an excellent disciple. I’ll go with you.”
Yun Qi heard the teasing in her voice and laughed, “We might not even be able to see him.”
“Why?” Yi Mu’er asked.
“You’ll know tomorrow,” Yun Qi didn’t want to elaborate further. He now felt tired again and simply said, “I’m tired, you should rest early too.”
Yi Mu’er looked a bit disappointed, “Okay, good night.”
Yun Qi dragged his weary steps to the hall door, stopped, and after much hesitation, turned back to Yi Mu’er, “Thank you today. After all these years, I felt a sense of home again.”
In five years, this was the first time he felt a sense of belonging, and this warm feeling was given to him by Yi Mu’er. This made him feel complex emotions.
“I should thank you too! At least this opportunity is one we gave each other,” Yi Mu’er tilted her head with a playful smile, hiding her glistening tears in her cascading hair.
Yun Qi’s hearing was excellent, and he heard the sentence clearly, but for some reason, when he heard it, his heart inexplicably panicked.
“Come back quickly!” Yun Qi had been sharp-edged in these five years, having encountered numerous assassination attempts. He suddenly felt there might be an ambush ahead and shouted, “Mu’er, come back quickly!”
However, Yi Mu’er had already turned the corner and disappeared from Yun Qi’s sight.
Yun Qi’s unease grew increasingly strong, and he rode his horse in pursuit like a madman.
“Qi, you’re so slow!” Yi Mu’er heard horse hooves approaching from far to near, and turned back to say.
When Yi Mu’er was smiling brightly, Yun Qi’s face changed dramatically, and he urgently shouted at her: “Dodge quickly!”
Yi Mu’er was puzzled and turned back, only to see a sharp arrow flying towards her! Yi Mu’er was terrified and instinctively leaned to the left, narrowly avoiding the arrow.
“Pull the reins!” Yi Mu’er recognized Yun Qi’s anxious voice. Seeing another arrow following, she hurriedly followed the instruction and pulled the reins hard.
A horse’s neigh was heard; it was Yi Mu’er’s timely rein-pulling that made the horse kick and naturally block the arrow.
“That was close!” Yi Mu’er was about to breathe a sigh of relief, but the horse, having been struck by the arrow, went crazy and suddenly threw the unprepared Yi Mu’er off.
“Grab on!” Yun Qi pushed off from his horse’s back, flying towards Yi Mu’er, finally catching up at the critical moment and grabbing Yi Mu’er who was falling off the cliff. “Hold on tight, don’t let go!”
“Qi, watch out behind you!” Suddenly, dozens of figures leaped out from behind the rocky cliff, all wearing blood-red attire, rushing directly at Yi Mu’er.
Yun Qi noticed but couldn’t free his hands to save Yi Mu’er from falling off the cliff and could only try to dodge. But they were actually from the Heavenly Wolf Sect!
